So I have been asked enough times about me that I would create this page, not that I mind getting emails, because I don't, love it when you guys and gals email me, but here is my little story.
Growing up as we all do I had a bicycle and was constantly riding that thing, this of course is in the 70's when helmets weren't even considered let alone mandatory. Growing up in texas there was plenty of space to ride, but when my Dad moved us from Texas to Nevada, my eyes were open. Got a raliegh 10 speed bike and would ride that thing everywhere, to include and not limited to paved, unpaved, dirt and "hey if you look at the sagebrush just right it looks like a trail." In 1984 I was dared to ride my bicycle to the top of Mt. Grant in Hawthorne, and being one not to back down I rode that bike all the way up and then crashed like a dozen of times coming back down. Nope not the brightest kid in the class, then again growing up I was a geek, and not just any kind of geek a super poor geek, that is probably the reason why my bike was so important to me.
In 1986 we moved to Washington State, Dad had, had it with the state of Nevada and moved us up to the Pacific Northwest and was just amazed at all of the green. Although I did have to get used to riding in the rain. Which I have to be honest with you, my mom had a bigger problem with it than I did. Think it may have something to do with the fact that I was dripping wet walking across what ever floor she had either just vacummed or mopped or both. Graduated High School on time, which in itself was miracle. See I'm intellegent actually classified as a Clinical Genuis (IQ of 138) just not motivated until later in life about my education. After all my mindset in 1988 was why do I need to study I'm going to join the Army, which I did.
Even while in the Army still road bike. Didn't matter what the terrain or the weather I was out there. That was until August 5, 1995. I suffered a line of duty injury that involved four vertebre in my lower back, that ended everything. Snowboarding, Hiking, Mountain Climbing and most devastating to me, my cycling. After trying to stay in the Army I was Medically Discharged in 1998. Shifted gears from the Military to figuring out what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I ended up in Laboratory Medicine. While working at a hospital in downtown Seattle a co-worker was throwing out a mountain bike and asked if I wanted it. By this time I had tried and gotten back into several things that I used to do before the back injury and even if I couldn't ride like I used to I wanted to see how much I could tolerate. Well after several months I realized that the only thing stopping me on a bike was me. Now I couldn't do everything, but the things that I couldn't do correctly I could somewhat modify my approach and somewhat get away with. Since being back on the bike I have accumilated 15k+ miles and thats since 2004. Now the one thing that I do have to let everyone know about is the fact that yes I had a serious back injury and there were many years of core excersizes and re-hab. The reason why I say this is because if you are reading this and have suffered a back injury recently don't think that "well if he could do it....." and immediatly try to go back to your old self, because I'm here to let you know. You will fail. What I am saying is be patient with yourself, do what your rehab and physicians are recommending and in time you can return. Since returning to cycling, I have become a Bicycle Mechanic and a Cycling Coach and Racer. in 2004 before I got the bike I topped the scales at 225. At the time of this writing I am 163 pounds. The only thing that has changed is that I ride a bicycle. I have not changed one Chili Cheese Dog in my diet. Oh that does sound good right now, and on that note.
The End.