Greetings,
This upcoming bike tour through Europe will be anywhere from 2,000-4,000 miles. or 3,200-6,400 kilometers (since we have to start thinking in km and it makes more sense). I cannot know, for certain, how far we will truly go, that is to be decided once the wheels stop spinning and the jet engines begin their roar.
Some people may be wondering what it takes to cycle a long distance, a distance so vast it involves days, nights, and months. I think this will come off as simple when I say it, but you really just have to go for a couple of bike rides. Which is why I am writing this post, to tell you about my bike rides, to record.
I have this fancy little $25 computer that is zip tied to the handlebars of my Trek 520. This little guy tells me two important details, the distance I have traveled during the ride/trip, and the average speed at which I was traveling. SOOOOOOOOO!!!! DRUM ROLL FOR NO REASON!!!! I will be recording the distances I travel in a day and my average speed for that day to compile information I can relay to the kind folks of the world. I want to show ya'll how much I ride my bike, it's that simple. Some of you may be shocked at how much I ride, others (like my step-dad) will be telling me to ride more at a faster speed. Either way, this is just one of the things you should do before you go for a bike tour. Hmm, not record all your biking information like I will be doing, but GO FOR BIKE RIDES! I will be updating maybe a graph or a spreadsheet or IDK something to show these results for ya'll.
So, in case you were wondering, there will be at least two other people joining this adventure and I am stoked like a forge fire for them to be with me! First person, whom some of you may know, is Matthew M. Frintner a.k.a. The Funny Dog a.k.a. Frintner (FRIT-NER). I forced him to accompany me on my first bike tour. This time it is out of his own good will... a round of applause for Frintner. The second and perhaps not the last person is Dallas Peters a.k.a. Sallad. Sallad is also overjoyed for this adventure and he is willing and ready to put his all into this and the cause we are riding for! I cannot speak for Frintner and Sallad about doing bike mileage and average speed because I think it is currently just out of there reach. However, this blog is open for them to write in it as well so you won't have to listen to my banter all the time.
There are 3 of us. YES. A great number, but I am wanting more, specifically two more and even more specifically Elliot Williams and Sean 'The Pagemaster' 'Penguin' 'The Pageturner' 'Master of Scrolls' Page. If you happen to know these folks, please jump them in an alley way and A Clockwork Orange them into joining us! (A Clockwork Orange is a very liberal verb...)
Alright, I am assuming next week I will have some riding information for ya'll. Until then keep being wonderful people. Help out with whatever you can, whenever you can. Make someone smile. Laugh at yourself. Finally, like my mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa used to say, "GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY".
Forever yours,
Joey Michels
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
All Adventures Start Somewhere
I was diagnosed with Systemic Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was three years old. When I was 12 years old I went into a non-medical remission which lasted 9 years. When that remission ended with a full systemic flare, I was down and out for around 5 months. My life had quickly been changed, a distortion of my direction.
After fully recovering from the flare I ended up bicycling across the country while raising awareness that kids get arthritis too. I had a life changing experience on that bicycle journey when a kid with Systemic JIA, who was 7 years old, told me I was his hero. In many ways I was very much alike this kid when I was that age. I identified with being disabled.
Once I went into my 9 year remission at the age where decision making and moral thought process really becomes apparent my outlook on life began to change. I did not identify as much with my arthritis background. I knew that I had arthritis, I could still feel my bones creak, my joints hurt at the end of the day, but I did not feel limited in my actions. I had 9 years of what felt like a freedom from my disease, or at least a freedom from the worst parts of my disease.
Now I am sitting in Port Angeles Washington where I live and attend College. It is a sunny day (which will be one of very few for the autumn in the NW) and I should be outside but I have lately been having an identity crisis within myself. This crisis is wholly formed via my arthritis.
9 months ago I sustained a minor ankle strain/sprain while snowboarding at Mt. Baker. The injury caused inflammation to stick around I did not really ever recover, in fact, I've only declined. The inflammation spread to right ankle from all the pressure I was putting on that leg. Then, from walking funny, the inflammation spread into my left hip. Now it has spread into my left knee aswell as still being in my both my ankles and hip.
For 9 months I have been walking with a gait, I seem to almost have a drunken stupor or a zombiesque air about me. It has been hard, I cannot do the things I truly love to do. I can not go play disc golf today. I can not go for a hike today. I can not do anything long term that involves walking without experiencing a lot of pain.
I am identifying again with being disabled. I park my car a long ways from class due to full parking lots only wishing I had a handicapped tag. I turn down offers to enjoy the outdoors because it involves walking. In an awkward sense, I feel as though I am a kid again. The only problem is I am wearing the big boy pants of adulthood.
I have been struggling trying to get healthcare in Washington so I can switch medications. I can't work most jobs because of required standing or walking. My only income is in the form of Financial Aid and the my past 3 terms of service with AmeriCorps (my education award) but I am even still waiting for those to be released.
In short, I feel a pretty well roundness of having arthritis as an adult. One thing I CANNOT do is give in. I do my best and damn darndest to be the optimist. That is why I am still going to bicycle across Europe next year with friends. Even though it pains me, literally pains me, to ride my bicycle. I want my disease to know that however much it tries, it cannot stop me. To succeed you need to overcome obstacles and adapt to distractions. Just because I have hit a wall does not mean I cannot climb that wall and reach the other side.
I currently identify with my disease, I think it only makes me a more powerful motivator for myself and more importantly others. I am selfish and want to be happy. What makes me happy is making others happy. I am selfless because I am selfish. It is that kid on my past bike tour, the one who called me his hero, that has truly put a period to what I want to do in life. Inspire and motivate, that is what I want to achieve with every person I encounter. That is what I want to achieve with this bike 2nd bike tour. I hope ya'll stick around for it!
After fully recovering from the flare I ended up bicycling across the country while raising awareness that kids get arthritis too. I had a life changing experience on that bicycle journey when a kid with Systemic JIA, who was 7 years old, told me I was his hero. In many ways I was very much alike this kid when I was that age. I identified with being disabled.
Once I went into my 9 year remission at the age where decision making and moral thought process really becomes apparent my outlook on life began to change. I did not identify as much with my arthritis background. I knew that I had arthritis, I could still feel my bones creak, my joints hurt at the end of the day, but I did not feel limited in my actions. I had 9 years of what felt like a freedom from my disease, or at least a freedom from the worst parts of my disease.
Now I am sitting in Port Angeles Washington where I live and attend College. It is a sunny day (which will be one of very few for the autumn in the NW) and I should be outside but I have lately been having an identity crisis within myself. This crisis is wholly formed via my arthritis.
9 months ago I sustained a minor ankle strain/sprain while snowboarding at Mt. Baker. The injury caused inflammation to stick around I did not really ever recover, in fact, I've only declined. The inflammation spread to right ankle from all the pressure I was putting on that leg. Then, from walking funny, the inflammation spread into my left hip. Now it has spread into my left knee aswell as still being in my both my ankles and hip.
For 9 months I have been walking with a gait, I seem to almost have a drunken stupor or a zombiesque air about me. It has been hard, I cannot do the things I truly love to do. I can not go play disc golf today. I can not go for a hike today. I can not do anything long term that involves walking without experiencing a lot of pain.
I am identifying again with being disabled. I park my car a long ways from class due to full parking lots only wishing I had a handicapped tag. I turn down offers to enjoy the outdoors because it involves walking. In an awkward sense, I feel as though I am a kid again. The only problem is I am wearing the big boy pants of adulthood.
I have been struggling trying to get healthcare in Washington so I can switch medications. I can't work most jobs because of required standing or walking. My only income is in the form of Financial Aid and the my past 3 terms of service with AmeriCorps (my education award) but I am even still waiting for those to be released.
In short, I feel a pretty well roundness of having arthritis as an adult. One thing I CANNOT do is give in. I do my best and damn darndest to be the optimist. That is why I am still going to bicycle across Europe next year with friends. Even though it pains me, literally pains me, to ride my bicycle. I want my disease to know that however much it tries, it cannot stop me. To succeed you need to overcome obstacles and adapt to distractions. Just because I have hit a wall does not mean I cannot climb that wall and reach the other side.
I currently identify with my disease, I think it only makes me a more powerful motivator for myself and more importantly others. I am selfish and want to be happy. What makes me happy is making others happy. I am selfless because I am selfish. It is that kid on my past bike tour, the one who called me his hero, that has truly put a period to what I want to do in life. Inspire and motivate, that is what I want to achieve with every person I encounter. That is what I want to achieve with this bike 2nd bike tour. I hope ya'll stick around for it!
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