Doing things I'm not supposed to....

[Neil_B]

I hate to post yet more photos of myself and feed my endless vanity, but since no one else does..... here are shots of me doing things 'able-bodied' people told me I'd never do.

A 5k (Reading, PA, December 2010):





Hiking up a mountain (Mount Tom, Wellsboro, PA, August 2010):



Ride a battlefield (Antietam, October 2009. Photo is on Burnside Bridge.):



Ride a century (MS City to Shore, September 2007. I'm on the right, next to my team Captain.)



Ride long unsupported tours (August 2008, Pittsburgh to DC. Photo at Milepost Zero on the C & O Canal.):



Now it's your turn. Show us what you do!

[Chris516]

I hate to post yet more photos of myself and feed my endless vanity, but since no one else does..... here are shots of me doing things 'able-bodied' people told me I'd never do.

A 5k (Reading, PA, December 2010):





Hiking up a mountain (Mount Tom, Wellsboro, PA, August 2010):



Ride a battlefield (Antietam, October 2009. Photo is on Burnside Bridge.):



Ride a century (MS City to Shore, September 2007. I'm on the right, next to my team Captain.)



Ride long unsupported tours (August 2008, Pittsburgh to DC. Photo at Milepost Zero on the C & O Canal.):



Now it's your turn. Show us what you do!

I don't think of it as vanity. I think you are taking great pride in, what the doctors told you, you wouldn't be able to do.

[CbadRider]

Great photos, Neil. They remind me of a quote from John "The Penguin" Bingham:

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."

[Neil_B]

I don't think of it as vanity. I think you are taking great pride in, what the doctors told you, you wouldn't be able to do.

It's not doctors, it's "able-bodied" people. In some ways Bike Forums posters are the worst of them.

Now Chris516, what do you that surprises people?

[crackerjab]

Definitely not vanity. There is nothing wrong with showing off in the face of adversity.

[Rona]

I'm not supposed to be walking without a cane or crutch. I said screw that and do it anyway. Pic is of me at one of the hunebedden in Drente, the Netherlands. It was time for a drink break and map check.

[Neil_B]

I'm not supposed to be walking without a cane or crutch. I said screw that and do it anyway. Pic is of me at one of the hunebedden in Drente, the Netherlands. It was time for a drink break and map check.

How much land is available for hiking in the Netherlands?

And congratulations for doing what people say you can't.

[Rona]

How much land is available for hiking in the Netherlands?

You are allowed to walk on almost all bike paths. In the city I wouldn't do it as there are sidewalks just for pedestrians, but once you are out in the country or on a bike path with no accompanied sidewalk, everyone is allowed to walk on the right of the bikepath.

When doing so, listen out for bells behind you. That means a bike is coming up from behind.

In the Netherlands you are not allowed to trespass on other's land (where as in England you can freely walk pastures and commons), but there are so many bike paths through or around everything you don't need to trespass.

Mudwalking is incredibly popular on the sea coast. There are no mountains here, so all walking is on good level surfaces. "Trekking" and "wandering" is a popular past time here, especially for families and older folks. You basically hike from cafe to cafe, drink coffee and eat apple pie... or get ice cream in warm weather. There are some dunes.. that's as aggressive as it gets, though I will admit... slogging through mud can be fun squishy exercise.

[punkncat]

I see that I am going to have to begin stopping to take pictures. The son and I went on a 40 mile run to Indian Springs State Park and back on Saturday the 15th. Had a great trip aside from one small section of road. It was either that or many miles out of the way and in traffic to avoid. I scouted the whole ride with Google Maps. The resolution is good enough to distinguish most paved roads from dirt, but can trick you occasionally with chipseal or like, unpainted ones. I was pleased to find that a climb back out of the park towards home was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, go go Compact Gearset!

Thanks for the inspiring pics and more stories.

[ReinderDijkhuis]

You are allowed to walk on almost all bike paths. In the city I wouldn't do it as there are sidewalks just for pedestrians, but once you are out in the country or on a bike path with no accompanied sidewalk, everyone is allowed to walk on the right of the bikepath.

As an addendum to what Rona writes: most people who travel to the Netherlands, and quite a few of those who emigrate to the Netherlands, never see more than the urbanized area stretching from the south west coast to the middle of the country. We're up North, 200 KM out from Amsterdam and, if you believe some of those mid-coastal urbanites, right next to where you fall off the planet if you take a wrong step (having recently biked to Roodeschool, I'll admit they're not completely wrong). Once you get outside of the big conurbation, much of the Netherlands is farmland, small towns, new-growth forests and recently reclaimed land that is fairly empty - See Rona's posts on Lauwersoog and Schiermonnikoog on these forums and on her blog.

If by 'hiking' you mean multi-day treks through the woods where you don't see another human being, then the Netherlands will fall short of expectations; there's always other people around. But for more mainstream hiking, there's plenty of space.

[javal]

Since I´m "able" I can only make myself a spokesman for people with functional deficits, and since I´m a bike rider and participate in several sportives during the season, I´m glad to say theres an increase of rides where people with trikes and hand-bikes can enjoy the "competetive" thrill of bike riding (and other sports).

In my council we support, especially younger, people who seeks support to engage in events, programmes and educational assessments where there´s emphasis on athletics and sports. Younger people, no matter constitutional posture, have a drive and willingness to involve themselves in physical endavours. And its great to see them boost!