Flagstaff-Lee's Ferry Bike Trip No. 1
Middle School, joined by Theresa and Sean Ryan
125 Miles bike trip along Highway 89 over three days.

My first long bike trip.  We did this one more just do it than for any other reason.  I actually can't think of any other reason than we did.  Day 1 was just to the highest point on our journey, about 15 miles from Flagstaff, really just about an hour and a half on the first day.  Camped out just off of Schultz Pass Road.  Day 2 was the majority of the riding.  From the top of the drop-off to just past the town(?) of the Gap, between 75 and 80 miles.  Met up with the support wagon, drove to Lee's Ferry and camped.  Finally coming around the bend to see the minivan waiting on the second day was a beautiful sight.  Day 3 was the stretch run, the last 30 miles or so.  That day was a sweet ride.  Felt great.  Sean ended up getting a flat tire about a mile short of Lee's Ferry, right in the middle of the downhill.  That was kinda ironic, but completely hilarious.  Still a very fond memory to this day some 8(?) years later.

Phoenix Suns Basketball Game
Middle School, school sponsored trip, won through a raffle

This was an interesting trip.  I don't quite remember if it was before or after the previously mentioned trip, but around the same time.  I guess the way this program was supposed to work was at the Phoenix Suns sent a certain amount of tickets to schools all around the state, as something to send the best students to see the Phoenix Suns play the Seattle Supersonics.  Our school held a raffle instead, and I was ecstatic to hear my name announced over the intercom.  The school got two vans, and the trip was one that did not allow much rest.  I think one of the older girls on the bus developed a little bit of a crush on me, as she kept talking my ear off the entire time we were in the van.  Even when I was trying to get some sleep.  I didn't realize that the time ago.  That seems to happen to me a lot.  Anyways... once we got to the game it became apparent that the vice principal have forgotten something.  He was supposed to award the most prolific student with the opportunity to have his/her picture taken on the court at halftime with one of the Phoenix Suns.  Since he had not yet selected a student, he came up with a genius solution.  We played Simon says.  For once in my life I was a good listener, and I won.  So, comes several minutes before halftime I had a certificate to take to an elevator and meeting grew to go down into the under workings of the stadium.  Very interesting, the labyrinth's underneath the main concourse of America West Arena.  I was joined with about 15 other kids from around the state.  We waited underneath the stadium while the visiting team went to their locker room.  They walked right past us, and I remember looking up at Shawn Kemp and Detlef Schrempf, both monsters at 6-foot 10-inches in height, and being absolutely amazed at their size.  This was before my massive growth spurt when I was still something like 5 foot 6 or so.  Anyways, after they went by we were given T-shirts and shuffled onto the floor to quickly have our picture taken with Elliot "socks" Perry, whom I had never heard of, but have since become a great fan of.  I still have this picture framed in my room.

Grand Canyon River Rafting Adventure
Week around July 4th, 1996, accompanied by Sean Ryan and Keith Buzzard
7 days, Lees Ferry-Pierce Ferry, Arizona, the Grand Canyon end-to-end

This week was probably the most cleansing and enjoyable week of my life.  Originally, this trip was going to be Sean and Keith only, and I remember how jealous that was that Keith got invited and I had not.  Sean's mother, Theresa, was at the time working for Canyoneers, a company that specialized in rafting the Grand Canyon as well as operating the North Rim's Kaibab Lodge, and in order to fill a raft to capacity there ended up being a few extra seats.  A few days before Sean and Keith were to depart, I saw a pickup truck which was unfamiliar to me pull into my driveway.  When I saw out the window that Sean and his mother were getting out, I went to the door puzzled.  When Theresa asked if she could talk to my mother and I, I thought maybe I was in trouble somehow.  But when she said an extra spot had opened up for the trip, I could hardly contain my excitement.  She gave us the paperwork, and the necessary documents, and when I took a look I was surprised to see that it was a waiver in the case of death or serious injury that the company could not be held liable.  I was signing a waiver in case of death.  That didn't hold me back, though, although it was a little sobering.  Nevertheless, we set out on this trip, and never looked back.  We had a large 40-foot raft for the duration of the trip, for 14 people and three crew.  One couple was from Australia, another from Germany, one family was from Tucson was a boy about our age, along with a photographer from back East and several others.  This trip was as close to a religious experience as I have ever had.  For me to really describe this trip in detail they would take me days and a lot of dictating to my voice software, so I'll keep the description somewhat brief.  The food was incredible, including halibut, some incredible steaks, and many other prepared meals.  The crew was very friendly and very knowledgeable.  There was never a moment I did not feel safe under their guidance.  What I found amazing, was the number of side canyons in the Grand Canyon that had flowing water, like many small oases accenting our trip.  There were many waterfalls, surrounded by fern and monkeyflowers, springs everywhere, and despite the cold temperature of the Colorado River coming from the bottom of Lake Powell, the side creeks were very warm.  The water of the little Colorado River was like that of the Caribbean Sea, an amazing blue-green colorful of calcium and other minerals, and a slightly cooler than bath temperature.  As a brief break from the perils of the trip on the river, the crew set up lunch and let us float down the almost mystic waters using our life vests to float slowly down the river.  The thing that sticks out in my mind, was looking down and some of the deeper areas close to ten foot deep, and seeing the giant hunchback chubs swimming just below our dangling feet, almost as long as I was tall.  Of course, me being the forgetful one, I was so engrossed in the experience I forgot to take pictures.  I never heard the end of that.  Other places worth noting, Elves' chasm was absolutely beautiful, as well as Deer Creek Falls upwards of 100 feet tall just off of the river.  Matkatameba Creek (sp?) was an absolutely beautiful slot canyon with just a trickle of water running through it.  Many other places were worth mentioning but I am already rambling on.

If you ever get a chance before you die, raft the Grand Canyon

Flagstaff-Lee's Ferry Bike Trip No. 2
Accompanied by Sean Ryan, with Theresa Ryan driving support
125 miles in a single day, on mountain bikes
Early High School

So after doing this trip in three days, Sean and I finally decided to do it in one.  We started early as the trip ended up ultimately taking about 10 hours.  The stretch following the drop-off (about 2000-2500 foot elevation drop in a straight stretch of road about three miles in duration, enough of a slope that Sean and I were limited in speed by our aerodynamics, and we took turns drafting off of each other, accelerating past one another time and time again at close to 40 mph.  That was fun, definitely put a smile on our faces.  As for the trip as a whole, it was a test.  Sean did a majority of the leading, so that I could draft, being the Superman that he was and still is, and that was a big help.  Around mile 80 fatigue started setting in, but Theresa would hear nothing of it, and thankfully would cut our rest breaks shorter than I would have liked.  About 10 miles later, the second wind hit, and Sean and I decided to race the rest of the distance which was thankfully slightly downhill and sheltered from the wind.  Finishing this trip was very rewarding, it made me realize how much of any battle is mental, rather than physical.  Our celebratory dinner at the Marble Canyon Lodge was very sweet.

Flagstaff-Grand Canyon bike trip via the old Stagecoach routes
Again accompanied by Sean Ryan, with support from Matt Ryan
2 days to cover approximately 85 miles, again early high school

We probably could have done this trip in one day and we wanted to, but this was a more leisurely trip.  It was also surprising how easy it was to get lost on the state roads which were unmarked and poorly maintained, sometimes nothing more than a washed out dirt track.  We camped about halfway to the canyon, at a prearranged spot. Matt drove the Geo and left it near a junction of dirt roads, and got a ride back into town, to meet us later after finishing some work.  Had our navigating been off by just a little bit, we could have been in very big trouble, but fortunately things worked out fine.  Along these dirt roads, we occasionally passed some hunters in their pick up trucks, and sometimes got some of the strangest looks that I have received even to this day, wondering what we were doing in such a remote place I suppose.  A half of the adventure is going somewhere that not as many people have seen.  The second day was more flat cruising, and I was on my new bike.  Now I know you would think new is better, but in this case it was not.  This bike was a replacement for my last one which had been stolen.  I still miss that bike to this day, that beautiful white rocket.  The new bike had a gear ratio that was not quite as good, so while Sean was keeping a good case, I was forced to work quite a bit harder to keep up.  Nonetheless, we made it and have a couple of hours at Grandview Point to laze about in our biker clothing, and it was wonderful:) the reward of that trip to coming out of the forest to this wonderful view of the Grand Canyon was truly amazing.

Paria Canyon Wilderness backpacking trip
Accompanied by Sean, Matt, Tess, and Gered Ryan
Four Days to Hike 45 Miles through the wilderness area

This was an incredible hike that we did following the end of the school year in I believe late May of 1997.  We drove two vehicles, one of which we dropped off at Lee's Ferry, the terminus of our trip, and then Theresa drove us and dropped us off at the head of Buckskin Gulch, a narrow slot canyon in places only several feet wide but several hundred feet deep.  This trip was amazing, full of beautiful canyon scenery, and a lot of wading through ankle deep water.  When I get my scanner working, I will try and post some pictures from this trip.  Unfortunately it was during this trip that my knees started showing the wear and tear of being a beanpole, and the last day I had a hard time keeping the with the main group.  Fortunately, when they would sit down for a snack or lunch, they would have a sandwich waiting for me when I arrived.  They always seemed ready to go when I was just getting there, so I must have been lagging quite a bit.  Paria Canyon is a beautiful area, a deep canyon cutting through red Navajo sandstone.  As long as you stay away during the monsoons, this trip is very enjoyable.  But, if you are caught during the monsoons season in some of the narrower areas, you could find yourself in some very dangerous situations.  Do your research, though, and this trip is both safe and wholly satisfying.  We never did find Wrather arch(sp?)  Which is tucked up in a side canyon, as on the day that we passed it we were making incredible time, finding ourselves at our planned campsite several hours earlier than expected.  It was that my knee started hurting, I guess is no surprise why.  Regardless, I would highly recommend doing a Web search and finding some pictures from Paria Canyon.  You'll be truly amazed.

Wilderness Hiking in Mazatzal Wilderness
Accompanied by Sean Ryan, spring break 1998
Four days, 40-50 miles

This was a truly amazing trip, Sean and I's first trip planned and carried out completely on our own.  This was towards the end of our junior year of high school.  This wilderness area is located on the east side of the Verde River between Payson and Phoenix.  It is quite a large wilderness area, with its lowest elevations along the Verde River at about 2500 feet, going up to elevations above 8000 feet in the nearby mountains.  Because of the time of year, it was quite warm down on the Verde River where we started, in the mid-80s, but there was still melting snow in the mountains and temperatures in the '40s and a little cooler at night.  Because of the snowmelt, every drainage we passed had flowing water, allowing us to carry less weight.  The variety of terrain was amazing, from low desert surrounded by Saguaro cacti and Palo Verde trees, to the rugged mountains with oaks and ponderosa pine.  Cottonwood trees along with willows lined the streams.  We actually found ourselves lost the first day, at least sort of lost.  We followed the wrong creek into the wilderness area, and found the trail along the creek slowly dwindling to nothing after a mile or so.  So Sean and I just decided to head northeast and the general direction we were supposed to head, and headed towards a clump of cottonwood trees we thought were lining the drainage we were supposed to be in.  Soon we found a set of horse tracks all alone in the desert, and decided to follow them, and within an hour we have found ourselves back on the trail.  All around beyond the blooming Palo Verde were a native type of bulb with small delicate blue flowers that stood in stark contrast with the surrounding desert.  It was absolutely surreal.  The first night we camped out aside one of the creeks, on another on the mountaintop Of Knob Mountain overlooking Payson, its city lights, and beyond that the Mogollon Rim.  We arrived shortly before sunset and were treated to some of the most amazing colors contrasted on the cliff faces beyond the town.  One of the pictures of the sunset came out very well, and I'll add this one as well when I get a chance.  All in all, this trip was amazing.  The only downside?  Arriving back at Sean's Geo to find that someone had broken in and stolen my money from the jeans I left in the car.  I look forward to treating Sean to a nice dinner at the Cordes Junction McDonald's, but my plans were thwarted by this development.  In a strange twist, as Sean and I arrived back at the Geo, and I was standing at the passenger-side taking off my pack and relaxing, I found myself under attack by a whole colony of Army ants.  Since we had parked the night before our departure, I never knew the hill was there.  So there I am, jumping up and down, shrieking and flailing trying to get these attackers off of my person, and I see a woman all alone sitting in a Pontiac parked nearby.  Turned out her and her boyfriend had come in there not too long before, and lost their oil pan on a rock.  The boyfriend and set out south along the river only with a few cans of beer for hydration to find help.  We gave her a ride to Cordes Junction, where we were forced to refuel before returning, so that she could use a cell phone to call her family.  We were almost all the way back to the river before we rendezvous with her family, where we parted ways and headed home.  I will always remember the solemn look on her face worrying about her boyfriend, and father of her child that she was carrying, and the silence for some of that trip as neither Sean nor I knew what to say to help this woman relax.  Finally, she broke the ice, by of course telling me how funny it was watching me jump up and down, shrieking like a schoolgirl.  She didn't know about the ants, just that I started jumping around acting like a madman.  I imagine I turned all shades of red, but the ice was broken and soon we had her at ease, and I swear I could feel the relief radiating from her.  Now every time that I drive home to Flagstaff, when I pass the exit for Bloody Basin Road, I'm reminded of this trip, which is a smile on my face that lasts for quite some time.  For my last adventure before becoming paralyzed, it sure was a good one.

Universal Studios Hollywood Road Trip
Accompanied by most of the Ryan family, and Sean's girlfriend of the time, Jessica
Summer of 99

This is the only adventure I can think of following my injury that I feel should be included at this time.  Sean's family came over one day, out of the blue, and asked me if I would like to go to Universal Studios, to which I replied I would.  They said, "well then get packed, we're leaving in a little while!"  I had no idea they meant that day.  I was still in bed, in only my underwear, covered by a sheet as I was most of the time that year.  At that point, the Depression was hitting me hard, as I was starting to adjust more and more to my injury.  At that point in my life, I only got out of bed once or twice a week, and even then for only a few hours.  Contrast that with today when I get up every day for 14-18 hours.  So being kidnapped from bed and taken away from my little retreat was a very badly needed escape.  Unfortunately for Sean, I was still learning to drive my wheelchair, and having blood pressure difficulties keeping me from sitting up enough to be able to drive.  As a result, Sean was forced to push my chair around all of Universal Studios, which is by no means an easy feat.  The terrain there is far from flat, and my chair with me in it about 400 pounds.  Sean was a sport, though, and never complained.  I maintained to this day, that I was only helping him lose weight.  We camped out both nights of this trip, and I slept on the bench in the back of my van.  This was a new experience for me, camping since my injury.  It was definitely fun, and worth doing again.  The first night we camped out in the desert outside San Bernardino.  The second night, following our day at Universal Studios, we camped out at a campground in Malibu, very close to the beach.  It was absolutely magnificent, the cool breeze coming in the back of the van from the ocean a quarter-mile away.

Apache Lake Fraternity Camping Trip
Accompanied by Sean, Keith, Carlton, Scrawny Johnny, and several of my fraternity brothers
Summer of 2002

Upon further reviewed, I felt a brief mention of this trip was also necessary.  This is the only time that we have camped with the fraternity that I was not forced to go home due to excessive cold.  To tell the truth, it was quite on the contrary.  It was quite warm out at Apache Lake, not far from Phoenix in the middle of the summer.  I was constantly having someone get a bucket of water from the Lake and soaking me down.  Fortunately, I was able to stay cool enough to enjoy myself immensely.  This was the first time that I ever sighted a Cardinal, which made his home in a Cottonwood tree that shaded our campsite.  The bright red of this bird was absolutely amazing.  The campsite was right on the beach, and we had enough guys to have a great time.  My only regret, not having an inflatable raft so that I could join the guys out in the water.  But I have a goal for our next camping trip, hopefully sometime soon.

Thank You for taking the time to read all of this.

You have finally made it through my list, these are not all of my accomplishments and adventures, but the ones most worth mentioning.  Why did I feel it was necessary to mention all of these?  So I can let you know how thankful I am to have been able to do so much in my years before I was injured, and even sense.  That is one thing that keeps me going day after day, that in my short time I have done so much, more than many people twice my age.  I'm also thankful that I had my years before my disability, compared to some people born into disability is like multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, or spina bifida amongst a few.  Those people are the ones that inspire me.  To have never been able to have the opportunities I had, and yet still succeed and be happy in life despite all adversity.  Hats off to you guys, you have a strength that I never could possess.