Ritchey rode through the hilly countryside, (Rwanda is called Land of a Thousand Hills) and witnessed the incredible cycling talent that existed there, without any of the modern cycling technology available to the average cyclist here in the USA. Ritchey believed that a national cycling team could bring a sense of hope and national pride. Within the next few months, Ritchey began to formalize a 501c3 called, Project Rwanda. Ritchey then asked his friend, Jared Miller, if he would go to Rwanda to explore possibilities of putting on a cycling event.