I was born February 13, 1983. I lived in Atlanta most of my life. I have always been a really happy kid. I am what I like to call a product of my situation and adapt to the scene at hand. My parents say I was always active and independent. I have been camping since I was about 8 years old and have always loved the outdoors. I love life and think simplicity is the key even if it is hard to practice. An important thought during my hike through Canada was “Control nothing and nothing can control you”. If there is always a positive and negative side to any situation then why would one not focus on the positive. Our lives are shaped by our thoughts and outlooks; therefore, I am probably “unipolar” and am stuck in happiness mode. I wake up wanting to be the best I can be and know the only moment I have is now. Past mistakes don’t hold me down, but teach me balance with the world. There is a message in everything and I am inspired to learn all I can. I want to give back all that I take in and keep an open mind. I like to say “thoughts cause paralysis by analyzes” and I want to live a life of doing.
LIST OF THINGS I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED
• hiked the Appalachian Trail and the IAT 2,800 miles from Georgia to Maine through Canada (March 2006-August 2006) • biked 600 miles from Front Royal, VA to Cherokee, NC (Blue Ridge Parkway) • walked the 3-day Breast Cancer Walk and raised over $2,000 • journeyed on a Boston Whaler from Florida to Green Turtle, Bahamas • Atlanta Marathon (Thanksgiving) • Half-Marathons and Triathlon • Enjoy rock climbing, white-water rafting, karate, yoga, Tai Chi, running, hiking, cycling, and reading
THE MISSION
The “Jolly Geography” project is an educational tool for children of all ages to experience a country that unfortunately in this day and age is sometimes viewed as unsafe. Through my bike trip, I take kids through the country at a pace where they can experience things that they cannot learn in the school setting. I would like to demonstrate the value of the great opportunities and random kindness of others not often learned in the school environment. Through the wacky journey I hope to inspire and teach that it is ok to go after what you believe in, to live your dreams, and to keep communication open from child to parent. Through a healthy imagination a healthy reality is born. It is like a TV program that encourages the child to stop watching it and make their own show. The ride goes through changes in environment, yet stops long enough to keep the children interested in cool places to see and visit in every state. In the near future I hope to expand the program to not only educate through the ride but to also physically come and talk with different groups and educate. It is our responsibility as adults to teach and nurture the pure simplest thoughts of children. All the problems of the world will fall into their hands one day and the ride strives to demonstrate there is also true joy and fun in the world. Hopefully, this project will reduce the stress, pressure, and hopelessness some children feel. It is amazing how many kids I have already met that fail to truly grasp the options out there. Yes, they learn geography and history, but they do not know yet that they can go experience it. If you would like to help preserve the power of a child’s mind and stop any closing of ideas that have already started, please join me in this epic journey to preserve the true power children already possess and keep their dreams alive through a new fun way of teaching.
The “Jolly Constitution” is a news source that would like to not only gather stories from this bike ride but expand on stories around the country that breaks the illusion of chaos. It is a news program that believes as you are what you eat as you are what you think. This news wants to encourage self love. It is amazing to see how many people can not look in a mirror and tell themselves they are beautiful. It is a news source that wants to promote positive thought and break the idea of paralysis by analysis. It will be about stories of people doing well and showing random acts of kindness across this country. Yes, bad things happen but so do good things – why we must fuel the bad ones? Much like how a depression works, if you tell everyone the banks are failing, they panic and take their money out, and the banks DO fail. Let’s encourage positive outlooks and just see what might happen. This bike ride is an expedition to prove if you are ok with yourself and your thoughts, it’s impossible to be fearful and bad to others. This bike ride will be among the first news source that feeds healthy thought instead of fearful thought in hopes to encourage others to spread the good word.
The “Jolly Ideas” is a new program idea to allow children the right to submit their ideas on how to fix world issues that “haunt” our world. Have you ever gotten one of those cute just straight up answers from a child that makes you smile? In this program we will create a database of world questions and encourage children to give those open minded solutions. This will not only teach them about the “negative” problems but give hope and inspiration for adults to look at issues in a new way. The program will not only educate children on current events but build their confidence and help them feel assured that they are helping find the solutions to problems in today’s world. It is not only an experiment into the pureness of a child’s mind but maybe a door into a solution to what we seem to fail.
The “Hunt for the Jolly Green Ice Machine” is a ride that wants to rebuild a child’s confidence in their world. It is a ride that will encourage discussions with kids and hopefully, bring hope and smiles to their faces. The ride will not only show things that truly matter but inspire minds to grow and encourage thinking outside the box. Join me on this program of education and fun! It is like dipping a fruit into chocolate because the child needs the fruit but loves the chocolate only to discover that they truly loved both.