Are you crazy?
I get this question a lot. Why? Why are you doing this trip? The truth is, there isn’t really a simple answer to this. There are a plethora of reasons why I’m doing this trip of a lifetime. Am I crazy? I would have to agree. At least a little bit. There are mornings when I wake up, and think “what the hell am I getting my self into?”. Instead of crazy, I prefer the word passionate. I’m passionate about this effort. I am passionate about Biking for Baseball. I’m passionate about the kids. I’m passionate about mentors. I’m passionate about making a difference. This trip allows me to bring a great deal of awareness to a cause that everyone should support.
Most us had a mentor in our lives. From a teacher, to a coach, to a family member, to an older sibling. These mentors guide and inspire youth to attain their goals, and succeed throughout life. However, for many youth, they lack this opportunity. They are unable to achieve different successes because of this lack of mentor. Biking for Baseball and Big Brothers Big Sisters work to provide every kid with a mentor. It is unbelievable to see how the lives of these kids are altered. From the smiles, to the increased confidence, and much more. These youth SHINE when they have someone to lean on for support. That’s why I ride, sweat, and push myself to new limits. I want to make these kids smile, laugh, and succeed in life. They deserve it.
I would by lying if I wasn’t worried and scared about this trip. I’m deathly afraid. I’m afraid from getting hit by a car. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to handle the physical and mental burden of being on the road biking for 180 days. That is a long time. No ways around it. However, I work to harness this fear into excitement. At this point in my life, I’m ready for a challenge. This is a huge challenge for me. I’ll be meeting new people, visiting new cities, and changing many lives. Some ask me how I’m going to handle being alone for six months. I always reply that I won’t be alone. I am going to encounter thousands of kind people along the route. From BBBS kids or complete strangers, I can’t wait to meet more people in this wonderful world. That could be you. Yes you, who are reading this right now. You could be one of those people. I’m in need of support every mile that I ride. Without this kindness and support, this trip wouldn’t happen. Find ways to host me along the ride. Ways to donate. Ways to get involved as a mentor.
There’s a lot of planning that goes into this trip. Somedays you get great news when you hear of people willing to support your cause. Of course, there are also days when things don’t go your way. This trip isn’t easy. Not at all. From social media, to sponsorships, to donations, to training itself. It takes a lot of work to put on this trip. I’m in need of support from people all across this world, from California, to New York, to Florida. You just gotta keep on plugging along. There are days where heading to the gym to train seems like the greatest of all burdens. Through the ups and downs, I just try to keep on pedaling. As long as I keep on pedaling, I’ll make it.
Visiting each MLB Stadium is one of the ways I thought to make this trip stand out. I want to appeal to a new audience, and the baseball community is one of the best. The different fans across the country are wonderful. From the Padres fans in the Southwest to the Bronx Bombers in New York, baseball fans are great. I can’t wait to talk about baseball with fans of all backgrounds. On top of that, baseball has so many connotations with mentorship. From playing catch in the backyard with friends or your dad, to attending your first baseball game, baseball is a part of mentorship. The two go hand in hand just as much as peanuts and crackerjacks.
As I continue to work on the details of this trip, I sure have a whole deal of emotions. I’m afraid. I’m scared. I’m worried. I’m excited. I’m passionate. I’m crazy. One thing is for sure, I’m going to make it happen. There is no quitting. There is no stopping. These kids need me. They need you. I’m ready to start Biking for Baseball. Because every kid needs a coach.
Hi5!