There are a lot of things in life that I am grateful for and right now the fact that I am down here and not at home makes me a happy man. To think that I would be stuck inside of my apartment for days because of the weather, puts me in a horrible mood, and that’s just thinking about it. Then to think about actually needing to go out and getting stuck in a parking space because the snow hasn’t been cleared, creates a little bit of anger. It’s all the little things in winter that add up for someone with a mobility device! Down here in Arizona, I don’t have to think about accessibility. IT’S EVERYWHERE! Kind of makes me think why Canada is so far behind? That is a discussion for another time…
It’s funny how breaking my back has given me such an amazing life. Eat, sleep, train! O, and speak to the occasional baseball team and wear a World Series Ring….(I’m smiling ear to ear right now)! I have the most amazing hosts that live right off of “The Loop”, where I ride everyday! I wake up to the sun coming over the mountains and golfers on the green. If it sounds like paradise, it is…And then I get ready to put my body through the ringer! When asked if I could speak for a few minutes to the “next generation” I gladly accepted! Their coach is in the big leagues and worked with the Giants when they won the World Series! Right off the bat as the players were about to sit down he asked “Where do the winners sit? At the front or the back?!?” All the kids responded with “At The Front! “Get em while they’re young!”, is one of my mottos, and to me it only makes sense. Teach them manners, love and respect, grow proper human beings with empathy and compassion and lets not forget resiliency! This is how I was brought up and my baseball coaches played a huge role early on in my life. This was the message that I was hoping to get across, not only to them but everyone that I encounter. Seriously though, one nice thing, per person, per day would make this world a much better place to live in! Are you that person with RBF(resting bitch face)? Do you smile or say hello to people you don’t know? Sometimes it’s as simple as that, to not only turn somebody else’s day around, but your own too!
Every year it gets better and better and I can honestly say that I’m living my best life yet. I’ve made some huge changes in my life over the past couple of months that definitely weren’t easy. “Comfort is a self-tightening noose” is another one of my sayings and how true it is. According to the books and people I’m listening too, you must step outside your comfort zone if you ever intend to grow! The perfect example is the human body. On my rides the intervals hurt and break down my muscle, but as the weeks go on, that target heart rate is easier to sustain and my arms are definitely getting bigger. Personal records and being set on every ride, even if it’s just one, and to me thats progress! I am currently getting ready for the ” Valley of the Sun Stage Race” in Phoenix, February 15-18 where last year I managed to squeak out a first place in my category, now it’s time to defend!