Ride Without Limits

23 miles in Bryce Canyon...What's your limitation?

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As you all know, I love to ride my bicycle (I can hear Freddie Mercury right about now). I also love helping others any way I can. One of my favorite things to do is talk to groups about my story thereby allowing them to question their perceived limitation. I have been extremely blessed in my life to question my own perceived limitations, break them down, and accomplish things that I never dared dream.

Ten years ago I was working construction with my father with no real plans for the future. College was out of the question; how was a person going to get though college if they can't even write? Plus, college took brains, of which I was lacking of course. Now, I am at one the top Universities in the world pursuing a PhD in biochemistry. What changed? With help from others, I was given the opportunity to take a sledge hammer to the perceptions that were entrenched in my mind. Given my life experiences, I have a deep passion to assist, in any way I can, to bring those same life-altering opportunities to people with disabilities.

Ride Without Limits is a beautiful marriage between my two loves, cycling and helping others. This is a charity ride that raises money for United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), an organization whose sole purpose is to provide opportunities to children and adults with disabilities. Each individual they assist has a very different set of challenges that need to be addressed; UCP can provide the specialized service required by each child and adult. These services can be life-altering for these very courageous people.

Exactly what I look like on the bike!

As a rider I need to raise money to ride in this event. How much, you may ask. Last year I raised just over $2,000, which was totally awesome! This year I am setting the bar high; my goal in $3,000. I believe I can do this! I will be riding the 100 mile ride in September, giving me a total of four months to reach my goal. What I am asking is a donation of whatever you can spare! Whether you can donate or not I ask that spread the word. Please send the link to this post to all your family and friends. Use Facebook, Twitter, Google+, your personal blog, church bulletin, company news letter, etc. Most importantly bring it up in conversation and show your own passion for such an awesome cause!


Watch this COOL video about the ride:

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Thank you so much!

Bradley

Hanging Rock NC '12

This weekend I had plans with friends to hike Mt. Rogers, the highest point in the state of Virginia, all 5,729 feet of it.  A friend, who was head-spearing the adventure, parents live in a Tennessee town a mere hour and half from the trailhead. Thus the plans were to spend the night in Tennessee and then hike the mountain the next day. However, an hour before we were to depart everything fell apart. Long story short, we did not go. As such, my roommate, Matt, and I came up with a contingency plan. We would wake up early and go to Hanging Rock State Park, near Danbury NC. And so it was.

I had been to this park before but this time I went on a different trails. We went to four different small falls and the summit of Hanging Rock. This will be more of a picture post. One thing I will say is if you go to this park and want to miss the crowds GO EARLY!!!

 Lower Cascade Falls, this was the largest and most spectacular fall. I am guessing ~25 feet cascade.

Upper Cascade Falls.

This was a hole in rock, or a window, at Window Falls.

Window Falls, the location of  this was really cool, it had a huge rock hanging over it.

Hidden Falls.

All of these falls were very easy and very short hikes, the longest was 0.6 miles I bellieve. Non were huge but charming nonetheless. This wound definitely be a great park for the kids who otherwise my lose interest on longer hikes.

Hanging Rock, approaching the summit.

The Geological Survey marker on top of Hanging Rock.

Looking out from the top of Hanging Rock.

The many falls were great destinations but for physicality purposes this was my favorite hike of the day. It was a mere 1.8 miles to the top but we noticeably gained elevation on this one, my heart rate was definitely higher as I climbed to the top. Gaining elevation is one of my favorite aspects of hiking in Utah. Ever since I moved here I've missed that component and to get a taste, no matter how small, was truly great. All in all it was a great day!!

The beginning of the season

So it has begun, the 2012 cycling season. Yes folks, the cold weather, or lack thereof, has ceased, warmth has come and thus biking has begun! Now, my readers (or the lack thereof) may ask, 'But Bradley, winter never came, relatively speaking. So, why did you stop cycling?' While it is true that the winter was very mild it was sufficiently cold to keep me off the road. While 30-45 degrees is more than warm enough to hike it is not warm enough, for me, to get out on the road for a prolonged period. You see, when one cycles the feet are relatively stationary, they are rotating but are not moving themselves. As such, the feet get cold due to low circulation, cold enough to get numb. Thus, I like to  bike only above ~50 degrees. Yes, perhaps I am a wimp.

In the latter part of March I took seven bike rides, six of which were on a route I call 'Baby Bear'; I have 'Mamma Bear', 'Pappa Bear', and 'Mamma's Sister' also. As one might gather, 'Baby Bear', a 20 mile loop, is the smallest route. I do the same routs because I take several measurements during each ride, including heart rate, speed, cadence, elevation, GPS coordinates, etc. Taking the same routs allows me to do a fair analytical comparison of different rides. Anyway, starting with 'Baby Bear' allows my body to get back into shape, and boy did my body need it! There is a rather steep hill on my route; the first time I went up it for the season I thought I was going to die.

This morning I took 'Baby Bear' and I could tell that I was running on all cylinders. When I needed energy it was there, every time.  When I was coming to the proverbial finish line I felt that I could go another ten miles, which incidentally was good (read below). I downloaded all the data from my bike computer and several criteria showed that I was indeed finally getting back into shape. i.e. my average speed went from 15.4 to 16.0 MPH (trust me, a 0.6 MPH higher speed between adjacent rides is awesome).  It was by far the best ride of the season; I felt amazing!

A picture to complete
the awkwardness.

After my rides I am usually plenty sweaty, thus requiring a thorough shower. Luckily I have access to such facilities close to my lab. This morning I was getting ready to head over to the shower when I realized I had carefully packed shorts, a t-shirt, a towel and ... that was it. With horror I realized I had forgotten the most important part of any outfit, the underwear. What choice did I have? Stay in my spandex, all sweaty and gross, go commando, or ride all the way home. As the former two were out of the question I got back on my bike and headed home. As I often do, I concocted an analogy as I thought about this odd experience. Here I was, dirty from a long, arduous ride out in the world, wanting to get clean but having no underwear to change into. I needed to ride home (continue working) to get the complete change. So it is with life. If one is dirty from exposure to the world they must put all things in order, especially in having good support, even if it means working a little harder to get it. Ok ... horrible analogy (horribly funny!). If you don't get it you're better off not thinking about it.