Let go of Pride & Enjoy the Ride
Donation protected
My story. Well to start with, how about I simply tell you what I want. I wish to honor my late father Kent Cathey, with a memorial bike ride across Texas, which will be about 1,000 miles & take me about 2-3 weeks. I lost my dad to suicide back in 2008. 3 years prior to that, I lost him to addiction of pharmaceutical meds. Yet that,,,,is a whole different story. I hope to be somewhere in Texas by my birthday, and shortly start the ride in the Northwest corner of the Panhandle. From then on I will be pedaling,,,and pedaling. I plan to take rest days in Abilene, Fredericksberg, San Antonio, and with a final near South Padre.
This story will be one of many, and this is just the beginning. Over the next several weeks I will be posting many short biographical stories leading up to this ride. Part of the point for the ride is to share my testimony and gain support for a nonprofit that I would like to start while back home in Texas. I would certainly enjoy visiting with all friends & family that can come during rest spots, or anytime along the way. The other point, well to simply enjoy the ride. I turn 40 this year, and I would really appreciate your support to allow me to start it off with this adventure.
I have been on some pretty epic adventures up til now, and consider myself to be a very lucky guy. I don't come from much, and I have achieved a lot. I don't make a ton of money, but I live a bountiful life. I have had some amazing ups, and my fair share of extreme downs. Through all of it there is one thing I am certain of,,,,none of my life....is what most would consider to be "normal". Nothing of my life has been conventional nor conservative, other than some of my beliefs.
Why the ride? For a guy born on April Fool’s Day, in the panhandle of Texas called Dumas(sometimes pronounced Dumbass), and with a girl’s name for a surname, Cathey?? Why not? I joke, but I do have an end goal. I need your help financially to make this ride even possible, and to help me get my nonprofit concept going. I wish to form an organization that focuses on combating a psychological disorder I have struggled with my entire life, Depression. It's a problem with so many facets, complex to each individual who suffers from it. There is no cure, no magical pill that makes it all disappear. Yet the one thing that I have found to help is simply sharing with one another, and a lifestyle committed to staying rooted in connection to the outdoors.
I am a great risk taker, but a horrible planner. Over the next few weeks I will be getting help & support from family & friends as I begin the final stages of this commitment. Whether I raise my goal or not, I fully intend to embark upon this adventure. Sometimes a soul just knows what it has to do,,,,,it feels called. I may not have a job when I return home,,,,I may not even have the same home to return too. The basis of this whole event is from a simple thought, that turns into a desire,,,,,that desire, with a little passion, turns into a commitment. My heart is committed to this trip. There is no turning back now.
Please help me on this "Forrest Gump" style of adventure and discovery. I just feel the need to ride, in a similar way Forrest felt the need to start running. Realistically I cannot spend the next few years of my life riding from coast to coast, for the original notion of this adventure was to ride from Canada to Mexico. The rational sense within me, however small it may be, has condensed the concept down to simply crossing Texas. Mind you Texas is literally about half of the trip from Brownsville up to Canada through the Dakotas.....just saying. The trip may have changed yet my desire has not. I want to remember my father, to celebrate him, and to create a better legacy than the one he left behind.
***Campaign Update*** April 8th
As the time for this trip drew closer, I truly had no clue if it would/could really happen. So many little details to plan, so far to drive to even begin riding. Yet here I am, 35 miles done with so much more to go. The trip itself has been a work in progress, and is still unfolding in front of me. I am living by Faith.
From this point forward, I will be pushing hard core for fundraising. Not just to complete the trip, but also to begin the process for starting my own nonprofit idea Armadillo Adventures. Another facet to it that is important to me is a part of my story as well. As a Veteran from the US Navy, I plan to be working with wounded Vets and those suffering from PTSD through my organization. So, from this point on I will be donating 20% of the funds to go towards the Wounded Warrior Project. GoFundMe gets about 10% with fees n such, and I really want to show my support towards something else that will be a part of my organization once up and running.
Please continue to show me your support and keep posted as I continue updates along the way. There is also a facebook event that I posted that will have daily updates along the way. Thanks to all!
******update ended*****
Come share my story.....Come share my sense of adventure....and if you can,,,,,Come along and enjoy the ride. If you have any questions, want to join in on the ride. Please email me at [email redacted] or simply give me a call. I am nervous/excited/scared out of my mind,,,,,but this trip will be one of a lifetime!
This story will be one of many, and this is just the beginning. Over the next several weeks I will be posting many short biographical stories leading up to this ride. Part of the point for the ride is to share my testimony and gain support for a nonprofit that I would like to start while back home in Texas. I would certainly enjoy visiting with all friends & family that can come during rest spots, or anytime along the way. The other point, well to simply enjoy the ride. I turn 40 this year, and I would really appreciate your support to allow me to start it off with this adventure.
I have been on some pretty epic adventures up til now, and consider myself to be a very lucky guy. I don't come from much, and I have achieved a lot. I don't make a ton of money, but I live a bountiful life. I have had some amazing ups, and my fair share of extreme downs. Through all of it there is one thing I am certain of,,,,none of my life....is what most would consider to be "normal". Nothing of my life has been conventional nor conservative, other than some of my beliefs.
Why the ride? For a guy born on April Fool’s Day, in the panhandle of Texas called Dumas(sometimes pronounced Dumbass), and with a girl’s name for a surname, Cathey?? Why not? I joke, but I do have an end goal. I need your help financially to make this ride even possible, and to help me get my nonprofit concept going. I wish to form an organization that focuses on combating a psychological disorder I have struggled with my entire life, Depression. It's a problem with so many facets, complex to each individual who suffers from it. There is no cure, no magical pill that makes it all disappear. Yet the one thing that I have found to help is simply sharing with one another, and a lifestyle committed to staying rooted in connection to the outdoors.
I am a great risk taker, but a horrible planner. Over the next few weeks I will be getting help & support from family & friends as I begin the final stages of this commitment. Whether I raise my goal or not, I fully intend to embark upon this adventure. Sometimes a soul just knows what it has to do,,,,,it feels called. I may not have a job when I return home,,,,I may not even have the same home to return too. The basis of this whole event is from a simple thought, that turns into a desire,,,,,that desire, with a little passion, turns into a commitment. My heart is committed to this trip. There is no turning back now.
Please help me on this "Forrest Gump" style of adventure and discovery. I just feel the need to ride, in a similar way Forrest felt the need to start running. Realistically I cannot spend the next few years of my life riding from coast to coast, for the original notion of this adventure was to ride from Canada to Mexico. The rational sense within me, however small it may be, has condensed the concept down to simply crossing Texas. Mind you Texas is literally about half of the trip from Brownsville up to Canada through the Dakotas.....just saying. The trip may have changed yet my desire has not. I want to remember my father, to celebrate him, and to create a better legacy than the one he left behind.
***Campaign Update*** April 8th
As the time for this trip drew closer, I truly had no clue if it would/could really happen. So many little details to plan, so far to drive to even begin riding. Yet here I am, 35 miles done with so much more to go. The trip itself has been a work in progress, and is still unfolding in front of me. I am living by Faith.
From this point forward, I will be pushing hard core for fundraising. Not just to complete the trip, but also to begin the process for starting my own nonprofit idea Armadillo Adventures. Another facet to it that is important to me is a part of my story as well. As a Veteran from the US Navy, I plan to be working with wounded Vets and those suffering from PTSD through my organization. So, from this point on I will be donating 20% of the funds to go towards the Wounded Warrior Project. GoFundMe gets about 10% with fees n such, and I really want to show my support towards something else that will be a part of my organization once up and running.
Please continue to show me your support and keep posted as I continue updates along the way. There is also a facebook event that I posted that will have daily updates along the way. Thanks to all!
******update ended*****
Come share my story.....Come share my sense of adventure....and if you can,,,,,Come along and enjoy the ride. If you have any questions, want to join in on the ride. Please email me at [email redacted] or simply give me a call. I am nervous/excited/scared out of my mind,,,,,but this trip will be one of a lifetime!
Organizer
Jonathan Cathey
Organizer
Bozeman, MT