The Hunt

Hello everyone. Tiffany tells me a lot people have been asking about how I've been, so I guess I will write a quick update. Yep, I'm still paralyzed, but I have been trying to keep myself busy like my therapists told me to do.

We left off the last blog at the ride day at Cahuilla creek. I got pretty low after that just tryin to figure things out and get adapted. It took quite a while for my bike to show up but it did and just in time. I quickly hooked up with some great guys and we hit the road riding everyday we could. I have had my bike for 3 months and have already put in 530 Miles on it! Next stop, Rio de Janeiro 2016! lol!

Those are sweet knee braces right? Ha! They keep my legs from looking like the picture below. Found out the hard way. But it's been amazing picking the sweet scab!

Rookie!

I started acupuncture due to the extremely sore muscles from handcycling. And it has helped!

I have been trying to keep busy doing various activities. As you can see Jaxyn is not impressed

 

Through my foundation, joshfrederickfoundation.org I was able to get all my exercise equipment that I used at Craig for therapy at my own home. And because of generous donations I still have some funds left so we are trying to get it built up more so it can also help other parapaligics purchase equipment to get them back outdoors and doing things that they love. I'm very excited about this and I have some big plans about some events, but it is early, and I hope it will all come together.

I was able to get back on the quad which was cool. Gilbert hooked up an electronic shifter for me. The coolest part for me was my 4 year old, Jaxyn, came running up to me after I got back from the ride. He was so excited that I was back riding again!! "Dad your riding your 4 wheeler! You can you walk!?" This whole thing has probably been the hardest for him to understand. There is not a day goes by where he won't ask me "dad can you walk yet?" " no not yet buddy." "Oh ok." Hopefully someday Jax. Thanks for keeping it real.

Getting in a quick ride. It's been so long since I have gotten arm pump. It felt so good!? Wow, I never thought I would say that.

 

When I was at Craig hospital, my friend, Scott Kiger, (Coastal Racing) came to visit and invited me to go elk hunting at the end of September. I said of course, thinking that he was just being polite and it would be forgotten about. Well not only did he not forget about it, but this cool as hell track chair showed up at my house two weeks before the hunt!? WOW! What a blessing this thing is. I use it all over around my house and up at my track as well. A huge THANK YOU to you Scott. Especially from my wife...Haha.

I'm still able to do my house chores now! yay :/

So not only did I get to hunt elk, deer, and antelope, but my dad got to hunt too! How cool is that?! We had a great time. It was a lot of work for me but it was worth it. I almost talked myself out of it but I'm so glad I didn't. Thanks to Scott for the opportunity. Thanks to Majestic Outfitters and 4 Mile Ranch in Craig Colorado and to our guide Brian Garrison for his patience. He was a good sport. I'm sure it was quite a site with me rustling around with my gun trying to get a shot off. Haha.

Me and my awesome guide, Brian. I had never been antelope hunting before so this was a lot of fun. My physical therapist from Craig, Mackenzie, can't wait for her antelope skin winter boots!

This was a great group of guys that we hunted with. Scott got this nice bull Monday morning. They took the rest of the day off to celebrate. Haha.

I don't always ride in a Polaris, but when I do I make sure it's bad a$$. Mark Holz (holzracingproducts.com) built this hunting rig for Scott. It is equipped with upper seating for shooting, coffee maker, full bar, martini drink kit, snacks and of course toilet paper.

I was so glad my dad was able to hunt too. He didn't know what to think. He told me "I'm 65 years old and have killed lots of deer in my life, but this is the first time someone has cleaned and butchered it for me!"

I will admit, it was a little scary going. I haven't been away from my smokin hot care giver since the accident. This trip I was gone for 5 days and I did it! I'm such a big boy. It was nice to get away for a little bit and clear my head and do some thinking, trying to figure out what's next for me and I have came to this conclusion . I am paralyzed and I have no idea what I'm going to do!.... I have ups and downs just like anyone. One day I'm going to be the first paraplegic astronaut and the next day I don't want to get out of bed. Things are definetly getting easier or I'm just getting numb to the everyday grind. I'm working on some stuff for 2014 and hopefully will return to racing in some form or another. I am definetly getting stronger physically and emotionally. Too bad you can't get things back just from working hard. The Hansens are doing another ride day for me at Iron Mine Raceway in cedar city on October 18-19 we are planning on going and it should be a lot of fun. There is still a few days to buy tickets to win a Maverick! This Saturday @ 1. You don't need to be present to win. We have also got the ball rolling on getting a bike path through and around Moapa. Hopefully that will continue to pick up steam and we can make it happen. I do feel that this whole mess has brought me closer to my wife and kids. Instead of going wide open everywhere I've had to slow down and got to see how they are growing up and all there different interests. Thanks again to everyone and thanks for reading. Hopefully big news next time?

Josh

 

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!”

― Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa

 

 

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