Bike Tour Delayed, Mission in Progress

I’ve been in San Diego for 15 days now working towards the goal of empowering Native American women through self-defense with Lindsey.

Some of you know about our initial plan to build our own bikes–well, trust me when I say I have enough to learn right now, and I want someone who really knows what he is doing to build the very transportation on which I will rely. Still, we spent a full day in the shop learning everything we could about operating, maintaining, and repairing our used bikes. I am excited to become a proficient cyclist in the near future!

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Some of you are also aware that I was planning on volunteering for an established non-profit organization–but…Plot Twist!

That organization, like many startups that don’t have the right support–not enough media appeal to get funding??? No, self-defense isn’t glamorous, but, seriously people, think about what We choose to spend our money on… the things we consume thoughtlessly while others struggle to acquire basic needs like safety and healthy food… and the countless positive things we avoid investing in, do SO much harm to others. This mindless, consumerist system is the most selfish and harmful thing a species has ever done to its own kind. We call ourselves the most advanced species? Think about–wait, what was I saying?

Oh yeah– That organization, with its wonderful intentions and limited resources, was not in a place to accept our help. Sounds weird, right? To not accept help? Well, unexpected things happen a lot in life, so…here’s our response:

We will not be thrown off our mission. Women need us. The Native Nations need us. America needs us. We will apply all we know and learn all we can to move ahead with re-empowering Native women through self-defense.

We already have some interesting plans in the works, but we are new at this work, so if you have any ideas or anything to contribute, please reach out!

Of course, this delay also means postponing the bike-tour, but I have committed to riding my bike as much as possible–It will be my main form of transportation…up until today I treated it more like a new toy.

I will keep posting updates on our progress, and I also plan on keeping track of the costs of this adventure.  What does it cost to quit a full-time job with benefits to go volunteer? What does it cost to live with family (rent free in half of a bedroom at the moment) and ride a bike instead of drive a car?  Is it going to be worth the financial savings… or will I lose the peace I’ve gained from living two years by myself? What is my own space really worth? What does it cost to give up security for a dream?…And as we will find out together…..what will I gain?  

Comment below with any cycling tips or words of encouragement to keep us powered through our mission!