We made it out on the road by 8:30 am and had a really smooth day. No flat tires and nice road until we hit a huge mountain just outside of Yuma. It dropped us down to our slowest speed of 7 mph.  Our descent however brought us up to a whopping 35 mph.

Our final finish time was about 2:15 pm.

At the boarder we were meet by two news stations and a newspaper journalist from Yuma. The entire experience was incredible; the thing I really appreciated about this ride was the time I had in my own head. Self analyzation really helps you clarify what the important things in life are; for me first and foremost comes my family. I would never be able to experience these types of adventures without my families support.

I want to give a serious thank you to my team Scot “Scoob” Schmidt (El Capitan), Benjamin Cane (Logistical Engineer), & Gene Longwell (Support Rider/Traffic Cop). These guys were awesome; their positive and comical approach to life made the ride a blast.

Also a special thank you to the Foundation for Blind Children for changing my perspective on blindness and enriching the lives of so many visually impaired and blind in Arizona. Tobin Ernst was like a 5th member of the team, and I’ve got to give him a thumbs up for all his hard work.

I received incredible support from the following hotels and bike shops.

• Best Western in Yuma, Tuscon, & Benson
• Comfort Inn in Lordsburg, NM
• America’s Choice Inn in Gila Bend
• Sunday Cycles in Phoenix
• Bicycles of Phoenix

An extra special thanks goes out to Doug Bowden; Doug was supposed to be part of our team but due to an unfortunate injury while participating in a charity ride with Tour de France he was unable to join us. Doug was an incredible supporter and I truly appreciate his gift of the Cannondale Tandem that we used on the ride. Even through you weren’t able to enjoy the heat with us; you were with us in spirit.

On our ride we were able to pound out 99.6 miles on day 1, 98.5 miles on day 2, 103 miles on day 3 and 76 miles on the final day. During our ride our average speeds ranged from a low of 17 mph to a high of 23 mph with a total average of 20 mph. It was a great experience and I highly recommend it to anybody, regardless of what your passion is I highly recommend of stepping out and making it happen.

Ride on!

I-8 was far smoother than I-10 however this did not stop us from getting a leak in the Van’s tire and a total blow out on the tandem’s back tire. This delayed us another 2 hours.

In spite of these challenges we were able to finish our day at 103 miles at 6:30 pm. Although we are all pretty sore except for  our support driver Ben (who keeps complaining about his right calf) we are looking forward to finishing up The Blind Ride tomorrow afternoon.

Special thanks to America’s Choice Inn in Gila Bend for hooking us up with 3 rooms for the night.

Apparently we have been picking up left over tire pieces from other vehicles in the form of steal threads from blown out truck tires. Fortunately we had already planned to go to The Ordinary Bike Shop where they fixed my tire and Gene’s cable for his front derailer.

Then Steve from Channel 13 in Tucson interviewed Scoob and I about our ride for the news tonight. We worked our way through Tucson on several bike routes which worked out to be pretty fast since Steve from Channel 13 couldn’t keep up with us due to Tucson traffic and construction.

We ended up connecting up with a Frontage road next to I-10 at Ina and were able to take the it through the rest of town. After about 30 miles on the Frontage road we connected up with Highway 84, then about 6 miles short of Casa Grande we ended up getting another flat on that same tire (a tire that is guaranteed not to go flat).

We finished our day in Casa Grande with a total of 98.57 total miles, with an average of about 20 miles per hour. This puts us approximately 40 miles ahead of schedule. We hope to finish on Friday night.

We finished off our night with Dinner at La Parrillas with Gene’s uncle Dan. Dan’s wife Beverly was a student at the Foundation for Blind Children, this is how Gene first heard of the Blind Ride and became part of the team. Dan treated us to an awesome meal and regaled us with some awesome stories.

This finished off an awesome day, and it looks like I may have a new sailing buddy.

Riding a tandem bike as a blind man is exhilarating. My first few rides were a bit rocky, but still a lot of fun. Being on the back of a road bike feels like something between flying and riding a roller coaster. The feel of the road under you as the wind flows by heightens all of your senses. Going down hill at over forty miles an hour will keep you having some constant communication with God. I have no idea of what is coming or what the terrain has in store for us, but I hold on and lean in to the turns with the bike. This makes for a scary and exciting experience not to mention a great workout. You really have to have a lot of trust in the Captain. My training schedule has had Scoob Schmidt (Captain) and me riding 50 to 130 miles a week for the last 5 months. We have now ridden well over 1000 miles together and have found a solid balance and rhythm on the bike. My training for this event has been amazing and I am looking forward to seeing how it pays off.

The Blind Ride starts on September 25 and we plan on finishing on September 29th. This 390 mile route will have us riding a minimum of 80 miles a day to reach our 5 day goal. There are 4 of us riding the route and 2 support vehicles following. We have 2 Cannondale tandems thanks to team member Doug Bowden. Doug, Scoob and Gene Longwell will also have their standard road bikes along to ride when not working as the Captain. Ben Cane and Doug’s daughter Kelly Bowden complete our 6 person team as drivers for the support vehicles.

I started the Blind Ride as a fun way to help raise funds for the Foundation for Blind Children. Our hopes are that we will be able to raise $25,000 to help the FBC’s Braille program. If this sounds like something you would like to contribute to, thank you. To donate you can go to www.seeitourway.org… This is a truly worthy organization that made a huge impact in my life. Every little bit helps and will make a difference in a blind or visually impaired person’s life.

To follow our progress you can go to my website www.blindmotivation.com or you can check us out on www.seeitourway.org…

RIDE ON

On September 25, 2012 I am starting my first long distance ride. The event is called The Blind Ride and is a 390 mile bike-a-thon. The five day trip crosses Arizona starting at the I-10 highway and New Mexico border then finishes where Highway 8 meets the California border. This fundraising event is to benefit the Foundation for Blind Children’s Braille Program.

At present my team for the Blind Ride consists of Ben Cane, Scoob Schmidt, Doug Bowden and myself. We are still working out some of the details for our support team. Ben has been on several of my previous endeavors including Kilimanjaro, the Grand Canyon and the Arizona Trail. Scoob is an avid mountain biker and competes in races throughout Arizona. Doug is a passionate Road Biker and participates in road biking events around the world.

The Blind Ride is going to be an incredible experience. If you would like to help me with this cause you can go to seeitourway.org to donate. Please feel free to follow our progress here at blindmotivation.com

Well… I made it! The final number of miles hiked on the AZT was 782. It took me a bit longer than we had originally planned with a total of 57 days from start to finish. The 45 days of actual hiking gave us an average of 17 miles a day. Thanks to the help of some incredible guides and with some awesome logistical support I have now become the first blind man to hike the Arizona Trail in its entirety. I could not have made this hike without the assistance I received from The Foundation for Blind Children, friends and family. Also knowing that the hike was benefiting some visually impaired kids gave me the additional impetus I needed to succeed. We raised just under $22,000 for the FBC. Thanks to everyone who donated. You Rock!

There were ten guides and four people that ran logistics I need to recognize and thank from the bottom of my heart. Ben Cane and Yancey Herriage were instrumental in this journey being successful. Ben and I spent hours working out the logistics and itinerary. Ben also spent days working on the website and made sure anything involving a computer was taken care of. Yancey really came through with our food from Wal-Mart and picked up the GPS that made life so much easier. He also loaned his SUV to run over 500 miles of logistical support. The three of us hiked the first 582 miles together.

The only reason they didn’t make the entire hike was due to time constraints (partially from my injury). The forth man with us on this team was Yancey’s father Anthony Herriage (Sarge). Not only did Sarge do an excellent job of meeting us in the evenings where possible, but he also met us with water throughout the day when needed. He sometimes would hike as much as ten miles to meet up with us.

After Ben, Yancey and Anthony had to get back to their jobs, I was fortunate enough to have some amazing people step up to help me finish. My father in law Dave Dicob did an excellent job of logistics. He took care of me and my teams through to the Grand Canyon. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much. Shane Martinez (a bass player from one of my old bands) guided me for 35 miles. Bob Pelikan guided me through the worst weather of my hike. We spent two of our three days together pushing through rain, sleet, and snow for about 40 of the 65 miles we hiked together. Ben jumped back in to guide me another 60 miles. Cat Isfan led me across the Grand Canyon for a total of 21 miles with me then he turned around and hiked back the next day (Awesome). Doug Myster hiked with us to Phantom Ranch and took some great footage of the canyon. Marc Ashton and Tobin Ernst guided me the next 25 miles while Tobin’s father Forest ran logistics. Then the last three days Tom Edwards and Gina Bowman guided me over 60 miles while Barb Edwards ran logistics and basically took great care of us.

Thank you all again. There is no way I could have done it without you.

This adventure would not have been possible without the love and support of my family. Being away from Tori and the kids was one of the hardest parts of my journey. Hearing their love and support over the phone helped me push through some of the more difficult days.

The Arizona Trail was a truly amazing experience. My friends and I were blessed to get to move through some of the most beautiful country in Arizona. When I first thought about the AZT I imagined a whole lot of desert with a bit of forest here and there. This was far from the reality we faced. I was stunned by the sights described to me. I could hear the awe in my guide’s voices as they described the ever changing terrain.

One of many things that lifted my spirit was the amount and different types of trees we encountered. There is far more forest in Arizona than I ever imagined. The Arizona Trail takes you through several mountain ranges. You start off with a 3,500 foot ascent of Miller Peak. This brought us in to some snow at an elevation over 9,000 feet. The next major mountain we hit was Mount Wrightson at a bit over 8,000 feet. Then Rincon (day nine) a gnarly hike to 8,400 feet giving a breathtaking view of the lights of Tucson. Then you still have Mt. Lemon, Four Peaks, Mount Peely, Mazatzals, the Mogollon Rim, The Grand Canyon, Sabino Canyon and Mount Humphreys. These are just a few of hundreds of hills, valleys, canyons and mountains we hiked on, over, around or through on the AZT.

I absolutely recommend to any outdoor enthusiast to check out some or all of the AZT passages. You will be challenged at times, but you will not be disappointed. One does not have to see the view to appreciate the magic found in our amazing state. You can quite literally find any kind of landscape that touches your soul.

The big question everyone has been asking is what’s next? There are several adventures in my future. The next big challenge facing me is writing. I have started my autobiography. This endeavor will take more commitment than Kilimanjaro, Rim to Rim to Rim or even the AZT. After that I am planning on a tandem bike ride from coast to coast, climbing Mt. Whitney, participating in an Iron Man competition and a few more long hikes. The Lord only knows where this will all lead.

Now that I am back home and getting back into my life’s normal routines, I feel like this trek changed me in some fundamental way. I can’t put my finger on how or what it is, but when I figure it out, I will let you know.

Thanks for following my story and Thank you so very much for all the prayers and well wishes sent my way. I felt the Lords guiding hand making it possible for this blind guy to make such a crazy journey a success. We were all truly blessed.

Blind Man Hikes Across Arizona: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

An Arizona man has just completed an 800 mile hike across the state, and what makes this story so inspirational is that he did it without the benefit of sight.

FOX 10’s Kristin Anderson talks to the hiker, who is blind.

Sensei Mike Armstrong (First Blind Man to Thru-hike the Arizona Trail)

Earlier today I was privileged to guide Sensei Mike Armstrong across the Arizona/Utah border. In the past 57 days Mike has hiked 782.3 miles and became the first blind man to hike the Arizona Trail end to end.

When we first set out on this adventure we realized it was ambitious and as we made our way up and down the hills and deserts in the south, climbed over and under trees in the Mazatzals, weathered freak snow storms outside of Flagstaff, and crossed the Grand Canyon rim to rim. We realized this adventure wasn’t just a long hike through Arizona.

It was a life altering journey of hardship through hiking, and the beauty of the Arizona landscape that while Mike cannot see; he was able to experience in a way only a handful of people can share.

While the journey was longer and more treacherous than we imagined, we hiked on. Even with injuries and overwhelming homesickness Mike Armstrong tasted bitter and hiked on until his journey was complete.

Now that the trail is complete he can finally take a much needed vacation with the family he has missed dearly.

Congratulations Sensei Mike Armstrong, you have inspired me and many more with your dedication and perseverance.

-Ben Cane (Sighted Guide)

First of all, thank you for the prayers, well wishes and for your donations to the Foundation for Blind Children. The last four weeks have been incredible. Yancey, Ben and I have experienced an amazing adventure. The Arizona Trail does not disappoint ones expectations. Now as I sit here writing this all I can think about is how much I want to get back to the trail.

As many of you know, I injured my right leg in the Four Peaks Passage. I am not sure which trip, slip, kick or fall caused it, but by the middle of the next day I was limping. After a scheduled two day rest in Phoenix I assumed that I would be ok to return to the hike. Unfortunately, I was wrong. After a 16 mile hike on the 29th I knew I needed to have my leg checked out. Leaving the trail was the hardest decision of the trip. Fortunately my injury is not serious. The doc said to lay off it for a week or two. I am hoping that I can get back on the trail this Sunday. Regardless of how long it takes I will find a way to complete this hike-A-Thon.

I am still in awe by what we have already accomplished. This trail is not an easy hike for anyone. We have experienced some really challenging yet beautiful terrain. I find it amazing to hear nothing of the modern world for days. We have run across three rattle snakes, a bull snake, desert tortoise, two heal monsters, deer, lots of cows and horses. The sounds of birds are a constant and it is interesting how many different types there are.

Many times the trail is not more than a line on the GPS and an occasional cairn. Yancey and Ben have become quite adept at figuring out where we need to go. Without their help I could not have made it this far. Anthony’s logistical help has been a serious blessing. Thanks to all three of you for helping this blind guy out. This experience has helped us grow as friends and people.

We have now completed 22 of the 42 passages totaling 397 miles of the 807 mile trek. There are two more major hiking challenges left, the Mazatals and the Grand Canyon passages. I am told that the other 18 passages are not quite as difficult, but incredibly beautiful.

The main issue for me at this point is who is going to guide me for the last two weeks. Yancey and Ben have to go back to work on the 16th. If things go according to plan this should get me pretty close to Flagstaff. I have the weekends covered, but I am still looking for some guides through the two weeks after the 16th. I have faith that it will all work out.

This hike is not about me. It is about giving some great blind kids an opportunity to live a better quality of life. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to meet some of these kids a couple of months ago. Their spark for life truly inspired me. Many times when I was sore and tired, thinking of them helped keep me going. I will not give up and I will make it to Utah!

God Bless

All of the X-Rays and Test results show no breaks and the doctors believe it is a mild strain but has recommended Mike stay off of it for 1 – 2 weeks.

Originally Team Armstrong planned on being finished by May 11th but with the injury and difficulty of some of the terrain on the Arizona Trail it may take longer. Mike Armstrong will finish the Arizona Trail; Mike and his Sighted guides are scheduled to get back on the Arizona Trail on Sunday, May 8th.