The Rise Above Tour 2008 has, on Saturday the 27th of September, officially and successfully, concluded. We arrived in Washington DC the evening of the 23rd and have spent the past several days filming with Rex Lint and Ben Woodworth, part of the Mike Hughes documentary film crew. Today, our final day in DC, auspiciously, an annual bike event was being held. We rode 17 miles through our nation’s capital, with all downtown streets closed for the event. We could not have choreographed a finer way to complete our 4200 mile journey. As we rode directly in front of the White House, stopping to give hugs and high fives, a sense of completion ~ closure, swept over both Aaron and me. We knew what the other was feeling… Satisfied and very eager to return home to realize the dream we have been marketing and promoting for so long now…. C.O.R.E. (Center Of Rehabilitative Exercise)

We will be stopping in Ann Arbor, Michigan for several days at this year’s tour’s Associate Sponsor, NuStep, headquarters for presentations.

Right now, I am filled with far too many emotions – I can’t wait to unscramble my mind… emotions… memories… allowing them fluidity to flow through my pen, painting a portrait of this epic undertaking. I will be working on this portrait as we make our way back home over the coming days.

For now, I send all of you immense thank you’s for being the wind at our backs ~ pushing… sometimes pulling… seeing us to our destination.
So Long ~ In Spirit….Laquita

Ok, I’ll keep it short and to the point. The tour has been incredible, the riding, the people and the relationships we’ve built and shared continues to amaze me and inspire our efforts. However, today as mom and I were nearing the end of a 30+ mile ride, enjoying the back roads of central Ohio, a pack of dogs ran from across the road right in front of our wheels. I swerved immediately as did mom but to no avail. In the blink of my eye, mom hit the pavement. The sound was horrific and I knew right away that it wasn’t good. I hit the breaks and screamed at the ensuing dogs. I turned around and found mom lying there dazed and shaken. Here left arm swollen and skinned. Long story short….she broke her left elbow. I am writting from a hospital parking lot where she awaits surgury to repair the badly broken bone. We are well considering and will continue our work and the tour. Believe it or not, she is already stirring, trying to convince me she’ll be ready to ride the recumbant bike within days onwards and into D.C. I believe her. Thats where I get my fight from. So send us some prayer, good thought and loving energy so that my amazing mother heals well and is then able to continue her compassionate outreach to others. -Aaron

Maybe tonight I’ll finally sleep sound, because for the past five days riding and rest have been replaced by my love for nitro!!! Yes, nitromethane, a volatile fuel used only by the most advanced drag race cars and their skillful tuners. These cars produce in excess of 8,000 horse power and yield speeds upwards of 330 mph, covering a quarter mile distance in less than 4.80 seconds. Only those closest to me have known Read the rest of this entry »

In reflection I ponder my experiences over the past two and a half months and find it difficult to articulate my thoughts. There have been many times I sit with my laptop open and blank page at hand, only to stare glazed at the illuminated screen. How? One might ask, would it be so difficult to write about such an epic journey. Well, for me, my mode of operation as of late, has been Read the rest of this entry »