Wednesday, June 29, 2016

The last HOORAH !!! (OR IS IT ???)

To ALL my DEAR FRIENDS that have followed this old guy's dream and adventure ... As I said on FB ... I THANK EACH OF YOU FROM THE TOP, BOTTOM AND MIDDLE OF MY HEART !!!  Although I was the only one on that hand crank trike I KNOW I was NOT ALONE !!!  I had the support of so many ... pushing me ... pulling me and literally willing me up and over those mountain passes ...  And I have KNO FOUBT I could NOT have achieved this dream without having EVERYONE'S support around me at ALL times !!!

Although my body is still physically hurting and may be for a while ... I promise to you ... my friends living with M.S., for those who are care providers and for those of you who simply care ... I will MEVER quit as long as I can draw a breathe into these lungs !!!  and EACH OF YOU are my inspiration !!!  I am aware ... that without your support and friendship ... I would ne nothing ...

My next dream is just that ... still a dream ... But just like the Bicycle Tour of Colorado was once upon a time a dream ... It is NOW a reality ...  One I hope we can ALL draw strength and encouragement from  for this was not just one man's ride ... I WAS RIDING FOR ALL OF US !!!

And so ... until I find another dream to share with those I love may I encourage you to pursue your own dreams ... And ALWAYS remember that achieving the dream is not the real meaning behind all this but the fight and battles to get there ... even the one's you don't win ... as long as you never quit ... YOU CAN NEVER LOSE !!!

Take care my friends !!! United we stand ... Divided we fall ... May the MSAV and ALL of our friends stand together for a long time !!!

Kenny

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Saturday June 25, 2016 Naturita, CO to Montrose, CO

Hellp All !!!  Today was aq very special day !!!  We have ridden full circle on our journy hich began last Sunday ... a 359 nile journey around the Southwetern corner of one of the most bautiful places I have eve been !!!  It hasn't all been a party as there were many hardships and hard timsd face3d this week.  Major decisions were faced and standing up tall to those decisions is the ONLY ay one can face them and also face the world !!!  So lets get started on todays journey ... including decision made, plans set and lets see what,if any, goals were achieved this day and/or week !!!

The ride tomorrow was going to be the longest ride of the week, 83 miles fom Naturita back to our starting point in Montrose.  Many of the folks had miles to driv upon our return so "group decisions" were made to SAG a ways into tomorrows ride before we would unload our "bikes" to complete this truly hard and epic journey !!!  Certainly there are those folks that might saythere is nothing EPIC about this journey but if it could be done in another person's shoes ... One's determination of what epic is ... one's opinion may greatly change !!!

I chose to ride with my companions and friends, Matt and Myles, two paraplegics that had a quick wit and insatiable desire to keep moving ... characteristics I look for and desire in people !!!  My other friends made this week, Bobby and his son Lucas, saged in to the top of the Dallas Diivde because they had atleast a 5 hour ride after finishing today to get to their reservations.  We stopped first in Placerville to unload Matt, Myles and myself andsaid our so longs to Bobby and Lucas.  I have a good feeling that our paths will definitely cross again !!!

The climb for today began almost immediately but the gradiant of steepness was almost negligable but the length was 13 miles.  So, nearly 2,000' in thirteen miles ... Unlike our climb out of Euray a few days ago where we climbed close to 3,500' in 12 miles ...  The odds for a successful climb at this point were definitely in our favor !!!  The only excitement in the early point of this day was when a motorcycle poliuce officer pulleed between Matt and myself and advised us thatwe needed to stay entirely within the bicycle lane,  Honestly, we seldom had more than our left rear wheel over the line and that was due to debri and rocks within the lane ... but the law is the law and better than getting a ticket we just said "Yes Sir" and the officer drove on,

Then we reached our second Aid Stop for the day, just ove the top of the Dallas Divide at 8,600'.  And then our fun for the afternoon began in ernest !!!  We all ran diffeent speeds on downhill runs so we decided to get back together closer to he bottom of the run.  Myles took off first and Matt motioned me to go second.  Within 300 yards, I was hitting 40 mph and quickly passed Myles.  soon there after I hit my top speed for the weekend at 52.6 mph ... not the fastest I have eve traveled on a bike but stikk a fir rate of speed !!!  Matt caught up to me at the end of the "big hill" and later Myles joined us as well.  Even more fun was about ready to begin !!!  Although the three of us had ridden together some during the wek ... our travel speeds often separated us from each other,

But today was different,  Tody we stuck together in a three man hand crank pce line rotating frequently off the front to help keep our speed up !!!  Matt first took off after a young lady ho was riding quite well so we quickly caught onto his wheel and kept "the machine" churning along !!!  About seven miles outside of Montrosse Myles pulled up beside me and in a moment's notice ... PSSHHhhh ... Matt hit some debris and flattedone of his rear wheels.  Matt was already there and I rolled back to them to keep a watch on approaching traffic as we were right on the side of the road.  Another Adaptive Assistance Voluynteer soon joined us as Myles qyuckly set off to change the flattted tube in his left rea wheel,  As I was at the back watching traffic another young girl came riding byt and asked if I had been hit by a car ... to which I responded, "No Ma'am ... I've always looked like this" !!!  She continued to roll on andI shook my head wondering just how bad I might really look !!!

A BTC mechanic soon arrived on the scene and took over the job of replacing the tube and shortly thereafter we were rolling again !!!  This time, Ron continued to roll with us taking the point and was averaging about 17 mph the ret o the way back to our starting point !!!  And just as we made the final turn toward the school, Myles flatted again but this timw he kept rolling until we all crossed the finish line !!!

One observation I can make of today's ride is that often times when things in our lives seem to be rolling so smoothly there can come an obstacle which can change our day in the blionk of an eye ,,, Like Myle's first flat tire ... still miles from the finish ... just when things had been running so smoothly all day !!!  But Myles NEVER got excited or lost his temper ,,, He simply unhooked himself from his trike seat lowered his body to the pavement, pulled out his toold and began replacing his tube so he could continue his journey,  Just like an M.S. exacerbation in our lives hitting us when things sem to be running so smoothly ,,, Is it proper for us to react negatively or simply to contact our Dr, to determine the best course of action to take night be,  I KNOW WHIUCH ONE IS THE EASIER CHOICE !!!  But really, which one is the best for us in the long run ???  I believe you know too !!!

 And then we may be hit by a second setback shortly after the first. I too know how easy it is to give in ... when you are so close to your goal !!!  Myles had that second flat a few hundred yards from the finish but instead of pulling to the side of the road he chose to keep riding to achieve his goal of crossing the finish line at the Bicycle Tour of Colorado !!!  A second hit is at times far harder to take thn the first hit ... especilly when there is little time in between those hits,  Once gain I ask you ,,, which is the best chioice ti make ... to pull over to the curb abd simply say "I quit !!!"  ... or to persevere forward and achieve that gol youmay be looking for !!! And I say again ... I know which choice I would like to make !!!

But making choices is an individual matter unless we have family or friends that "get it" to help steer us though "stormy" times !!!  And that may be where you may need to reach out to a friend like one you may have at the Roanoke Valley M.S. Support Group.  And if we don't have the answers ,,, we can help to connect you to theright folks that BOTH "get it" and "have an answer"  But to make sure we keep this goup going ,,, we need to help support it !!  Please consider making even a small taxdeductable donation to the NSAV today and mail it to the address of the facepage of www,msride,org

And once again I thank each of you for following this journey and hope in some small way it may have helped or encouraged you or someone you know in some small way !!!  Thank each of you for your time and contributions to the MSAV ... But resy assured ... the journey is not over for the guy ... Not until we find a cure for this ugly disease ,,, M.S. ... the disease that robs so much from so many ...

And I'm NOT done ... just done for tonight ... so please come back tomorrow "for the rest of the story" ... Rest well My Friends !!!  Kenny

Friday, June 24, 2016

Thursday & Friday: Telluride to Naturita

Hello all!!!  Today's entry will be little different, since Thursday was a rest day and Friday a riding day, both days will be included in this Blog to get us up to speed.                                                                                                    
I awoke early Thursday morning and my body did not feel just right.  Both my arms and legs ached a great deal.  But, the sore I had developed on my backside had turned into what might become a potential ride stopper.  Additional, the flatted right rear tire had not been repaired as a mechanic had not been available.  So, at this point, I made the tough decision to stop riding in this tour.  I was greatly disappointed, however,  I felt like I was making the right decision.  Unlike last years tour, where the wreck on the motorcycle and untimely departure could be attributed mainly to my error: this years departure was the result of giving what I believed 110% of my effort to the cause so backing out at this point was not a "failure" but rather my body's response to my effort given.  As disappointed as I should have been there was some peace in my decision.  

On Friday morning I awoke and felt a bit lost as I knew my friends were preparing to leave and I was not among them.  I climbed in the car and we headed to Naturita.  We stopped a couple of times to provided assistance to my fellow riders and each time I felt a bit lost believing I should be riding with them.  Additionally, this route consisted of over 5000'  of decent and 1700' of climbing, a riders dream.  After arriving at our hotel decision was made to consider repairing my strike for the last day's ride.  The parts needed for this repair were assembled together and taken to the bicycle mechanic who quickly made the repairs.  The strike was now ready and I had a twinge of excitement building within as it was now becoming more clear that I was indeed going to return in the last days ride of the 2016.  My dream was indeed reigniting that my return was going to be a reality.  Although my body pains continue, I felt there was enough left in me to ride one last day.

Living with MS is very much the same, as you never really know what your symptoms maybe from one day to the next.  I believe that is why we must all choose to live our lives to our own fullest potential on our good days and strive as quickly as we can to overcome our bad ones.  That is why the Roanoke Valley Multiple Sclerosis Support Group was established.  To give folks a place to connect with other folks that "get it" .  This group ca9 not continue without your assistance.  Please consider making your tax deductible donation today and make it out to The Multiple Sclerosis Alliance of Virginia and mail it to the address listed on the face page of www.msride.org.  Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Please return tomorrow to find out how this tour ends.  Although this tour maybe coming to a close, our fight with MS continues and we can not do it without your help.  Until tomorrow... Take care!!!

P.S.:   pleas leave any comments, questions or concerns at the bottom of this page.  Thank you,  Kenny

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Wednesday June 22, 2016 Cortez to Telluride

Hello all !!!  I hope both of you reading this BLOG had a good day !!!  Mine started EARLY !!!  4:00 a.m. TOO EARLY TO WAKE UP TO GO RIDE A BIKE !!!  So we were on the road at 5:00 a.m. but the weather was close to perfect for riding !!!  We left early as well: 5:00 a.m., and other than being too dark to see, after we left the city lights.

Matt, Myles and myself initially rode together as a unit but we eventually all split up riding on our own or with other riders for a short while.  At first I ran fairly well but after I tried a short kick  ... my "battery" was beginning to lag behind and I fell off on a most reasonable pace That was being set.  Was I just having a bad moment and soon to recover or was this the beginning a much larger issue ???  The day could only tell !!!

The road we left Cortez on had become a rather flat, excluding an occasional hill must have been to add a little balance to our long day still ahead of us ... Though at moments I felt like I was riding along at a reasonable speed: just when a group of riders flew past revealing I was only puttering along.  Although it was a long flat road, there had been and still was a construction zone along our same route, leading to big trucks and lose gravel.  Not much fun ... particularly as the heat of the day was starting to rise !!! And just to add a little excitement to the mix ... there was a thunder storm brewing in the distance and word was"possible severe thunder storms" in the area.

Then there came that moment when my right rear wheel dropped off a short side of the road and put a pinch in my tire giving me a flat tire ... my first one on the rear wheel since I bought the bike.  Reluctantly putting a possible end to my day.  just then the Adaptive Adventures van drove by and advised me we were being taken off the route due to an impending storms ... So was this an unofficial withdrawal from today's or was I forced to withdraw by "unforeseen storms" ???

Anyway ... we drove into Telluride and went to our "mountain village"; our home for two nights and some much needed rest !!!  I must confess, my entire body aches and hurts as much as it ever has !!!  Additionally, I am having  other issues, even though I am using "protection" ... O.K. just checking tosee if you have fallen asleep yet !!!  Even with the "air cushion" I have been using helps ... my "pain" there hurts quite intensely ... I need this day off the bike so much !!!

And that's the way life is !!! Even with the right "medication", there is no guarantee other "stuff" might hit us !!!  Just like our M.S. hit us !!!  So what is one to do: see a Dr.,  take your medication as directed or maybe even join a Support Group"  !!!  And I hope those of you living with this disease are encouraged to do 111  PLEASE REACH OUT AND FIND US TODAY !!!

Until our paths keep me in your thoughts and vibes and prayers for a day of rest and haling ... PLUS remember I have to get my trike fixed tomorrow too !!!  Take care ... Kenny                    

Tuesday Durango, CO to Cortez, CO

Hello All !!!  I'm glad to be back here with Ya'll !!!  The ride from Durango to Cortez was a good ride ... We did have some climbing but is was more gradual in nature unlike the previous day !!!  And there was one ood bit of news to start the day ... Last year when I was in Durango I rear ended a car with my motorcycle and was sent flying ... This year, I made it out of town and NEVER came close to any car bumpers ... A VAST improvement I must say !!!

Today I wanted to ride with one of the other hand Cyclists, Myles,  a 33 years old who has been a quadriplegic for nine years ...  A remarkable young man who loves a good challenge himself !!!  We spent th morning just cruising along and that was fine with me.  After pushing myself the way I did yesterday, I was really beginning to "feel the pain" !!!  And with two more days until we reach our rest day ... zzzzi knew I needed to pace myself a bit to get through.

After we had reached our lunch stop we had the highlight of our day ... long uninterupted downhil run into our stopping point for the night, Cortez, CO.  I really like going fast down those mountains and again hit speeds in excess of 50 mph !!!

But I must admit that despite taking it a little easier today .. my body is feeling the pain.  My shoulders are quite sore from all the spinning and climbing but I am trying to push through it. Also my left shoulder is experiencing pain related to the tore rotator cuff I received during my motorcycle wreck last year ... And to be even more honest ... I am developing a sore spot on my backside despite borrowing an air cushion seat from Matt.  Right now I am OK and dealing with it all ... I can only hope that any and/or all of these symptoms do not increase.  So please continue to keep me in your thoughts and prayers ... I will be 60 in a couple weeks and this body just doesn't recover the way it once did.

I know we ALL deal with our own set of aches and pains and the ones related to our MS symptoms are the ones where we all "get it !!!"  With our MS, it's tough to sometimes explain our "unseen" pain but WE know just how real it is !!  That's why it is so special that we have our Roanoke Valley M.S. Support Group where we can be comfortable being ourselves and not have to try to pretend our "stuff" doesn't exist for a society that can't understand what we deal with on a daily basis.

And as always I close in asking those who haven't already made a donation to the MSAV ... please consider doing so today !!!  As always ... I appreciate each of you !!!Please check back later as I work on getting this BLOG back up to speed !!!  Kenny

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Monday Ouray, CO to Durango, CO

Well, folks ... lets give it a NEW try !!!  I will attempt to share some of the particulars of Mondy's ride ... And if I say so myself ... IT WAS A Doozie !!!

It was going to be our first long day and the beginning was NOT a disappointment !!!  We leftthehotel about 5:20 a.m. and trust me it was still dark.  We turned right out of the parking lot and there was our first hill of the day.  Nothing bug but BIG was just around the next corner !!!  And it did not disappoint !!!  We were already at 6,800' and we were heading up nearly 3,500' more to put at our highest elevation for the trip ... just over 11,000' !!!  It was indeed a long slow climb and surprisinglyto me ... I had no problems with the altitude !!! And might I add that the descent was almost as spectacular hitting speeds of nearly 50 m.p.h.

The second climb of the day was immediately thereafter but only took us up to 10,900' ... And the third clumb was none the less steep  topping out at 10,600'.  My riding partner for the day had been Matt, a neat guy and good rider but he had indicated this would be the last for him today.  By the way, let me tell you that Matt is a paraplegic,runs Adaptive Assistance and is quite the rider !!!  I contimplated riding the van into Durango  but decided to take this downhill run that was in front of me.  And furthermore, those first three climbs all occurred within the first 40 miles of today's ride leaving a healthy 35 miles remaining !!!

I kept riding all the way into Durango but I suspected this may have reprocutions later in the week ... You will just have to cone back to see what happens !!!

You know ... just like I could not plan on hotels not having computersso I could share my BLOGS in a timely manner ... NO ONE EVER plans on getting MS !!!  And that is why I am here, to share my journey and my request ... that you might come back again to learn more and to possibly enourage you to make a tax deductible gift to the MSAV and mail it o the address on the face page of www.msride.org  Thanks for your kind patience and I will return to catch you up on all the days I nissed !!!  Thanks ... Kenny

Monday Ouray, CO to Durango, CO

Well, folks ... lets give it a NEW try !!!  I will attempt to share some of the particulars of Mondy's ride ... And if I say so myself ... IT WAS A Doozie !!!

It was going to be our first long day and the beginning was NOT a disappointment !!!  We leftthehotel about 5:20 a.m. and trust me it was still dark.  We turned right out of the parking lot and there was our first hill of the day.  Nothing bug but BIG was just around the next corner !!!  And it did not disappoint !!!  We were already at 6,800' and we were heading up nearly 3,500' more to put at our highest elevation for the trip ... just over 11,000' !!!  It was indeed a long slow climb and surprisinglyto me ... I had no problems with the altitude !!! And might I add that the descent was almost as spectacular hitting speeds of nearly 50 m.p.h.

The second climb of the day was immediately thereafter but only took us up to 10,900' ... And the third clumb was none the less steep  topping out at 10,600'.  My riding partner for the day had been Matt, a neat guy and good rider but he had indicated this would be the last for him today.  By the way, let me tell you that Matt is a paraplegic,runs Adaptive Assistance and is quite the rider !!!  I contimplated riding the van into Durango  but decided to take this downhill run that was in front of me.  And furthermore, those first three climbs all occurred within the first 40 miles of today's ride leaving a healthy 35 miles remaining !!!

I kept riding all the way into Durango but I suspected this may have reprocutions later in the week ... You will just have to cone back to see what happens !!!

You know ... just like I could not plan on hotels not having computersso I could share my BLOGS in a timely manner ... NO ONE EVER plans on getting MS !!!  And that is why I am here, to share my journey and my request ... that you might come back again to learn more and to possibly enourage you to make a tax deductible gift to the MSAV and mail it o the address on the face page of www.msride.org  Thanks for your kind patience and I will return to catch you up on all the days I nissed !!!  Thanks ... Kenny

It's me again !!!

My friends ... I just tried entering my BLOG for this last Monday and lost it nearly 2/3's of the way done ... Honestly, my body is just too fried to concentrate properly so I am checking out for now to get some much needed dinner and rest.  I hope you have not lost interest in this BLOG due to the uncontrolled issues that have prevented me from sharing my experiences !!!  Trust me when I say my desire to make a difference in our MS world remains very high !!! I hope you will return later and continue to give me the prayers and support my body is desprately needing !!!  Thank you ...  Kenny

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

My sincere apology............

Hello all!!!  I apologize that the entries have not been made for June 20th and 21st the hotels we have been staying at do not have computers.  I have attempted several times to make the entries using a tablet but have lost the entries.  I will be going full blog entries for each day as soon as we get access to a working computers.  I am in hopes this will be in Telluride tomorrow evening.  I am greatly disappointed in this delay but hope that you will return to find these entries completed by Thursday.  Please continuing sending good thoughts and bribes as they are still needed.  Sincerely, Kenny

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Day ONE ... Montrose to Ouray ... June 19, 2016

Today was our first riding in this years event ,,, And it was quite warm with temperatures approaching 90 degrees but there was a good wind helping to keep it a little cooler.  Never thought much of riding in the wind until today !!! 

Honestly though, I was a bit apprehensive this morning as is common when doing a new ride or riding with folks you just met ... That "unknown" factor creeps in creating a cloud of doubt.  But as is usually the case the doubt is short lived and one does as they have hoped they would ... only as long as one has prepared and trained properly a I have done this year ...

Our altitude rose from just under 6,000' to over 7,700' and most surprisingly for me ... my riding did not seem bothered by the altitude change and slightly reduced oxygen levels ... a reason to make me smile !!!  ;)  and after arriving I spoke with Matt, who is the owner and founder on Adaptive Adventures and still a rider in his own tour ... And quite an impressive rider I might add given the fact he is a paraplegic, uses a wheelchair full time and rides a hand crank trike very similar to mine.  After we all arrived at the hotel in Ourey (pronounced U-ray), Matt complimented me and said I rode hard today. 

Tomorrow is going to be a most challenging day with an almost 3,500' climb right out of the gate !!!  Most of the folks in our group have chosen to "sag" to the top of Red Mountain Pass and just beyond some road construction that is there.  Matt has chosen to ride his hand crank up the mountain and you know who is going to be there riding with him a well !!!  This is the same route we drove over yesterday on our way to Montrose and truly the steep climb and switch backs looked just like those in the Tour de France ... And yes ... I am a bit intimidated by the thought of riding this mountain ... but I am also excited to be challenging myself as well !!!

And when we finish Red Mountain we still have two more climbs of over 10,000' plus nearly 65 additional miles o ride to get to Durango so I am going to need your positive thoughts, wishes and prayers tomorrow more than I ever have before as this appears to be the toughest physical challenge I have EVER faced !!!  But I know you all are with me just as my Mom is still riding on her boy's shoulder and for that I THANK YOU !!!

And I ask you to also remember my good friends back there in Virginia who face the struggle everyday of living with Multiple Sclerosis !!! Please consider making a gift to the MSAV, if you haven't already and remember each gift stays local, is tax deductible and there are NO FEES going for administrative costs as the MSAV is completely staffed by volunteers and has a Board of Directors that monitors all expenditures !!!  So consider making that gift today if you haven't already done so !!!

And please remember to come back tomorrow to discover how I did on those long and quite daunting climbs !!!  Just a I know you will be supporting me on the climb ... I also look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow a well !!!  Good night and ALL MY THANKS !!!  Kenny

Saturday, June 18, 2016

SsturdasyJune 18, 2016

Good day to all !!!  I have to start off today with just how I started my day ... I left my hotel in Durango, CO nd went directly across the highway to Durango Harley Davidson where I met up with some old friends, particularly Slade Boyher ...the head mechanic that spear headed the repair of my trike both with the initial break down repair and putting my Tri Glide back together after I rear ended the car last year !!!  They treated me like family back then and were just as friendly today !!!  My BEST to you guys and I look forward to our paths crossing again one day !!!

Next, we drove to Montrose , CO ... the exact route we will be traveling for the next two days but only in reverse.  All I can say is OMG ... I am certain to be calling His name many times particularly on Monday as we ride from Ourey to Durango ... I mean that day will be hitting me with some of the toughest climbs I have EVER attempted ... ONLY THEY ARE FAR LONGER !!!  I hope I am ready ... even with all of the training rides I have done this year ... The length, the steepness, the switch backs .... ALL hve left a mark in my short term memory !!!

But as I think about the challenge ahead I also think about ALL of my friends back home living day in and day out with this disease and I am motivated to climb on that hand crank trike and just give it my extreme best, as I KNOW each and everyone of those folks ... AND MANY MORE ... are there with me in spirit ALL THE WAY !!!   With that kind of support behind me, in front of me and ALL around me ... even if I falter at some point I WILL NOT LOSE !!!  ;)  Every move I make over the next week is covered !!!  All I have to do is show up and give my best !!!

I am a blessed man to have so much support from friends and family !!!  My heart beats faster as I write these words because I know each of you are with me ... Just as I am with you ... particularly my friends back home living with this disease !!!  I want each of you to know that my heart is with you 110% !!!  So please, just as I am sacrificing these next few days to help make a difference in the lives of my friends living with M.S. ... please consider making a small sacrifice by making a tax deductible donation to the Multiple Sclerosis Alliance of Virginia (MSAV).  No gift is too small or insignificant to help make a difference !!!  And please mail this gift to the address on the front page of the msride.org site....

The group leader from Colorado Adaptive Assistance has a tee shirt on today that says it all to me ... There is NOTHING that can stand in front of you than what already lives WITHIN you !!!  Both thinking about what I have in front of me this week and living with all the issues we all have in our lives ... there should be no greater words to motivate and inspire each of us to make a difference in our own way ... And just as no gift is too small ... the gift of yourself or your time or talents or whatever you may have to give ... lets ALL help make a difference by giving something to help make even a small difference in this life we live ... For even if you live with M.S. or not ... WE# ARE ALL A BLESSED PEOPLE !!!

So, stay with me my friends as this trip continues ....  For your gift of a good thought, a kind word or a spoken prayer mean the world to me !!!  See ya'll tomorrow !!!  Kenny ...

Friday, June 17, 2016

Friday Iune 17, 2016

Hello ALL !!!  First ... I have absolutely no idea what day I was tryimg to write last night ... "Obliviously" I meant THURSDAY !!! ;)  Last night was spent at a dear friends in Elizabeth , CO, Page and Terry Ball.  It was so good to spend a little time with them and Page is coming out to Telluride on Thursday to spend the last half of the tour giving support and encouragement ... I'm certain it will be needed by then !!!  ;)

After leaving Terry and Page's about 11:00 a.m. today, we took a liesurely ride around the Rockies seeing some and traveling over some impressive "hills" !!!  None of which I will be riding this week ... THANKFULLY !!!  ;)  We finally arrived in Durango, CO about 7:00 p.m. and checked into the same hotel I stayed at last June while I was waiting on my Tri Glide to be repaired and for two nights after my accident before flying home.  I am MORE than glad it is this year than last !!!

Tomorrow I will complete my trek to Montrose, CO to register for this years Bike Tour of Colorado.  Also tomorrow ... I will be traveling, in reverse, the three BIG climbs I will be taking on Monday !!!  I know already they are going to be a challenge and part of me is obviously excited while a small portion of my psyche honestly has a little trepidation.  In the long run , I think that is good ... NOT being overly confident while not withering in complete angst and anxiety either.  Time will tell  and all I am sure of is that I have trained hard and long for this event and failure is NOT an option.  The fact I am here and riding proves to myself anyway ... that I am already successful just being here to ride and compete ... even if my competition is only against myself !!!

And I KNOW I have so many people riding with me !!!  Noit only all my friends living with MS but so many others thgat have been there over the years to support and encourage me !!!  I am truly a blessed man to have such friends !!!  As this adventure is just beginning it is NOT too late to call, text and/or ermail your friends and family and have them join US in this most special event !!!

And as always ... I will continue to ask for prayers and support as this journey begins !!!  I am so well aware of many folks both pushing and pulling me over these big and most beautiful mountains !!!  And as I struggle over these next few days ... PLEASE consider making even a small tax deductable donation to the MSAV  and mail it to the address on the face page of www,msride.org

And with that request, my friends, I will leave you this evening but I ask you to return tomorrow to continue this most excellent adventure with me !!!  I will NEVER be riding alone as long as I have at least one of you giving me your supporft !!!  And for that ... I thank each of you !!!  So untill tomorrow ... rest well and have a goiod day and weekend !!!  And please mdo not hesitate to drop me a line of support and encouragement as I love to hear from my friends !!!  ;)  Kenny

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Thuesday June 16, 2016 ... I'm in Colorado !!!

Hello ALL  !!!  I arrived in Colorado, just South od Denver about an hour ago after a couple long days.  Yesterday we drove just over 1,000 miles before finding a room in Junction City, KS.  I actually think I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow !!!  A much needed and well deserved slumber I must confess !!!  But it actually allowed for a much shorter trip today as we arrived at our good friends about 1:30 this afternoon.

Even though it's almost time for this adventure to really begin ... It's finally hitting me how REAL this is going to be ... aa true test for me Physically, mentally and spiritually !!!  E ...ven with all of my miles and hours of training ... when I actually look out and see the Rockies ... even from this distance ... I am in such a state of awe !!!  This has been a HUGE country to travel across and to actually see the Rockies just outside our front door ... I am almost speechless right now so I reckon it's a good thing I am typing right now as I am privileged to be riding for my MSAVers back home !!!

I hope to start down loading some pictures tomorrow as I know that will add greatly to ANY words I might possibly put down and  on this paper !!!  I am so thankful to have each of you following my BLOG and   look forward to sharing these experiences over the next week or so ... It really means the world to me to be here and share the hopes and dreams of everyone living with Multiple Sclerosis ... to one day see a WORLD FREE OF M.S. !!!

Bur until that day arrives ... the Multiple Sclerosis Alliance of Virginia will be available to help educate and empower folks living with this disease to have better lives !!!  And this is where I am asking you, if you haven't already, to make your tax deductible donation to the MSAV today !!!  our group started about 2 1/2 years ago on a cold January night and has grown to over 200 with meetings twice a month ... every second Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. and every fourth Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m.

My sincere thanks to each of you for following this trek through the Rockies and DOUBLE thanks for considering making a gift for this cause. You will find the address to mail it yo on the face page of this BLOG at www.msride.org  Until we meet again ... please be safe and I hope you come back tomorrow to follow this adventure !!!  Kenny  


Tuesday, June 14, 2016

June 14, 2016

Tomorrow I head West to begin ... or should I say ... continue living my life's dream ... to see a world free of M.S. !!!  Toinighys entry will be a short one as I have finished packing and will soon try to get a few hours rest before hitting the rode around 3:00 a.m. with hopes of making it to at the very least ... St Louis by tomorrow evening and near Denver by Thursday night ... Those BIG hills are calling my name and I hope I have trained sufficiently enough to make it over each and every pinnacle !!!

I am hoping more folks will be following the journey here and that this BLOG encourages those both living with the disease and motivates others to possibly make even a small donation to a MOST worthy cause ... the MSAV !!!

Thank you in advance for being here and coming back for the rest of the story and PLEASE forward this site along to anyone you may think would have any interest !!!  Until our paths cross again !!!  Resat well my friends !!!  Kenny

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Saturday June 11, 2016

The time is counting down so quickly ... This time next week I will be in Montrose, CO ... meeting up with new friends that I will be sharing an unbelievable experience with ... Riding both the mountains and valleys of the Colorado Rockies !!!  I am somewhat apprehensive about riding in the higher mountains but I know I have trained long and hard since the first days of January us through and including the Virginia/West Virginia Colonial Crossroads MS-150 last weekend !!!  If I'm not ready ... I really don't know of much more I can do or could have done to be any better prepared than I am.

I look back on this past Thursday evening where folks from the Roanoke Valley M.S. Support group gathered to wish me well on this adventure.  I love this group of folks as hey really DO "GET IT" !!!  I appreciate the support of all my friends but my friends living with M.S. know the daily struggles and issues without any explanation necessary.  I am also fortunate to have other family and friends that do not hesitate to give me their support, encouragement and love to make this old guy feel really special !!!

I was thinking about riding today but got a late start due to breakfast with friends at "Cars and Coffee" ... the local car club I joined a few years ago and have made some really good friends there that will be following this BLOG as well ... I also have friends from the local Harley Owners Group that will be checking in along with my HMRC riding friends that are experiencing a wonderful week at Lake George, NY ... just where I would be right now if I weren't heading West this coming Wednesday.  A trade off I had to accept this year knowing full well I will be back with them next year !!!

I's 92 degrees here now and not sure if a short spin would do me more harm than good so I will probably wait until tomorrow and get a spin around the greenway and some of the smaller hills just to keep the "motion" going in these arms.  I have spoken with a dear friend in Elizabeth, CO and hope to be staying there at least one day before I head out to Montrose to meet up with the Adaptive Adventures group.  I also plan on getting in a couple short rides at "altitude" to give this body and these lungs just a glimpse of what lies in store from June 19th thru the 25th !!!

And I hope that YOU will continue to follow this old guys dream through this BLOG ... I sppreciate all the support I have received thus far but I hope that possibly more of you will help out the MSAV by sending even a small donation to the address on the face page of www.msride.org ...  No gift is too small and ALL gifts are tax deductible as well !!!  And PLEASE come back for my next entry or send a comment to me at any time ... I love to hear from my family and friends !!!  Until next time ... Ciao and Peace Out !!!  Kenny

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Wednesday June 8, 2016

Good afternoon all ... Or at least it is afternoon while I am writing this entry !!!  ;)  This time next week I should be most of the way across Kentucky as I head at least to St. Louis on my first day going West.  With my goal of arriving in Colorado on the second day of my journey and reach Montrose (where the ride begins and ends) by the third day.  I'm sure ANY time I can spend there acclimating will be beneficial and if I can even get in a short training ride at altitude ... that would be most helpful as well.

 I surely hope someone is checking out my BLOG as I have only had one comment so far ... Not that I mind writing these "notes to self" but it would be nice if someone else was enjoying this process and adventure too !!!  ;)  So PLEASE ... drop me a brief note or word to let me know I am not in this journey without my "emotional warriors and support" !!!  I need you folks more than you may realize !!!

This past Sunday as I rolled into the finish at the Colonial Crossroads MS-150  my heart was FILLED with the cheers and support I received from the folks that remained to the end ... Sure ... Most were just probably glad to se the last rider finish so they could pack up and leave but they at least made me feel like they wanted to be there for me !!!  And I am CERTAIN they were !!!

So, a few words ... either good and positive ... even critical comments (not necessarily what I really want but at least willing to hear all sides ... pro and con).   So for now I am off to get some things done before we head out of here ... Tomorrow they are having a "Get Rid Of Me" party ... I mean a "Send Off" party  !!!  I love this support group so much !!!  They are truly like extended family to me and I love to look after my family as nothing is more important or means more to me than FAMILY !!!

So my Friends & Family ... I hope to hear from you at some point and I especially hope you will continue to follow and support my efforts as I ride the Rockies for the MSAV !!!  Ciao for now and Peace Out !!!  Kenny

Monday, June 6, 2016

June 6, 2015

Hello ALL !!!  First ... I would like to give thanks to ALL the brave young men that gave their lives in 1944 so that we ALL might enjoy a bteer world these 72 years later ...  Although it may not be a perfect place ... We are still blessed to live in a wonderful country   HUG your families close today and be thankful for the MANY good things we DO have !!!

This past weekend was a special time ... It was the Colonial Crossroads MS-150 bicycle tour and whether you chose to ride the route from Richmond or Smithfield ... we ALL ended up in Williamsburg to share and celebrate anoher successful year in raising money and awareness for the M.S. society !!!  Over 800 riders raised over $750,000 to help with the cause ... TO LIVE IN A WORLD FREE OF M.S. !!!

I made some new and wonderful friends this years !!!  Lori, who has been diagnosed with M.S. about 7 years now rode ... and rode VERY WELL with her team ... I got to meet her family too ... her husband and daughters SUCH COOL PEOPLE !!!  It really does my heart well to see someone diagnosed with disease out there riding and pushing themselves like that !!!  I am well aware that not everyone is into this kind of self awareness (or self abuse) as cyclists may be but it was my pleasure to run into a "like minded" individual that just thrives in pushing their bodies physically beyond what maybe we should be doing ... I have always ben one that would rather ask for forgiveness than for permission !!!  Hey ... on my last day it is my desire and dream to be able to close my eyes on that last day KNOWING I lived a good and full life ... Sure, there have been some regrets along the way ... I am only human BUT in the complete scheme of things ... it's been a GREAT "ride" !!!  ;)  And the really sweet thing ... IT AIN'T OVER YET !!!  ;)

This si where I'm going to ask you to come back to this BLOG as in LESS THAN two weeks I will be pushing myself through the Rockies to help raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis and, if you might be willing, to help raise a little money for the MSAV!!!  I know very well how much of a challenge this ride is going to be ... I KNOW all to well what a challenge this pasty weekend was !!!  A couple times I thought to myself while I was on the trike ,,, With my hands going completely numb and my body listing uncontrollably to the right ... the anguish, the hurt, the pain ... Who will know if I just packed it in and rode to the finish line in the car ???

The answer is simply ... I WOULD KNOW !!!  And at the end of the day I knew how much my heart would be broken if I gave in ... so I persevered !!!  And today ... and for the rest of my life ... I will be so glad I did !!!  The chants of "Kenny" as I approached the finish line, the smiles on the faces of those that waited until the final rider on the course (ME) arrived ... THESE are the memories I know get to carry with me the rest of my life !!!  And as my Guardian Angel still sits just off to the side ... (My Mom) ... I can see her smiling and how proud she is of her little boy who is now a grown man !!!  Mom always blamed herself for all the physical issues I had ... particularly as a child ... I hope she knows she can also claim responsibility for ALL the "good stuff" her little boy is still accomplishing !!!

So, my dear friends ... I hope you will continue to follow as my BIG adventure quickly approaches !!!  My sincere thanks to EACH and EVERYONE of you for following this BLOG  and if you so choose ... please consider making even a small donation to the MSAV for no gift is too small if it is given for the right reason !!!  THANKS ... Kenny

Friday, June 3, 2016

Friday June 3, 2016

Today I head to Richmond to ride in this weekend's Colonial Crossroads MS-150 ...  About 27 years ago, I rode in my first MS-150 and was so proud and happy to have completed it !!!  Today, almost 50 MS Tours later and rides from L.A. to Boston in ;02 and International Falls, MN to New Orleans in '06 ... I have ridden over 10,000 miles raising awareness about Multiple Sclerosis and raising money to help find a cure ... We aren't there yet but they have been working hard to help find a cure for this disease.  And I can proudly (but humbly) say that I hsve been part of that journey !!!

This weekend will be a 150 mile test of my ability to ride longer and harder miles ... Honestly, my body feels all the training I have been doing over the past few months.  In just a couple words ... I hurt ... But this pain is bearable ... I am thankful in so many ways that I am even still around to be feeling any pain what so ever !!! 

I want to thank EVERYONE that has been there for me during this quest and journey I have taken !!!  I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with great people !!!  One thing I believe we all strive to do is to love and be loved and the love I have felt and received from my friends over the years has been the "drug" that has kept me going as long and hard as I have !!!  THANK YOU !!!

This is NOT intended as my own eulogy although it may be sounding a bit like one ... I still have life in these tired old bones !!!  And as the poem says ... "Miles to go before I sleep !!!"

My Colorado adventure begins in just a couple more weeks so I ask you to come back and follow that adventure by following this blog !!!  This weekend I am riding for the Multiple Sclerosis Society ansd the Colorado tour will be for the Multiple Sclerosis Alliance of Virginia (MSAV) ... so, if you are so moved to do so, PLEASE send a donation to either cause ... The MSAV address is on the facepage of this BLOG and just contact me for the address to the MS Society !!  These are BOTH most worthy causes ...  I KNOW ... I have given a HUGE part of my life supporting them and will continue to do so as long as this body allows !!!  With YOUR gracious help I might add !!!

Please come back and follow this old guys adventure !!!  Thanks !!!  Kenny