[Sportsandrec] introduction and suggesting on relearning ridingatricycle as a blind adult

Sat Aug 24 21:02:24 UTC 2013

Hello Jessica, I don't mind any questions. First, off there are not many 
blind people up here at all and the center is quite small. We have a public 
bus system that runs half hourly more or less, but we also have something 
called anchor rides, it is a bussing system for people with disabilities', 
it is about 2 dollars a ride and it is door to door, much like a cab with 
the exception that you have to wait for anyone else on the bus to finish 
their trip. There is about a 15 minute window between your pick up and drop 
off time, so you have to plan your rides with that in mind. Independent 
street travel is almost impossible in the winter due to the great amounts of 
snow we get; sidewalks are almost nonexistent in some areas. You need to be 
content with good books, cable, social networking, Church, the occasional 
play/movie/concert for the most part. Like many blind people, their level of 
activity depends on their families level of activity and with children in 
school and extreme whether for 8 months out of the year the level of 
activity can eb and flow. In the winter I do get a lot of exercise shoveling 
snow from the drive way and walkway, I mean you wouldn't believe it, by the 
time winter is half way over I have piles of shoveled snow about 4 to 5 foot 
easily. We have a cabin and some property out of town and in the summer that 
is our getaway and with almost two acres I can roam around there while the 
kids ride four wheelers, sometimes I will jump on one and shift gears and 
work the throttle while one of the little kids steers, it's pretty fun.

I mess with the guitar and record music for people so that can keep me 
pretty busy. Well, that is the basic run down of life in Alaska as a blind 
person. What is it like in your neck of the woods.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jessica Kostiw" <jessicac.kostiw at gmail.com>
To: "Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List" 
<sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 24, 2013 11:22 AM
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] introduction and suggesting on relearning 
ridingatricycle as a blind adult

> Hello Nate,
> My name is Jessica. I am 29 years old, and live in Fredericksburg 
> Virginia. It sounds like you have a very full life there. Forgive me, but 
> I am fascinated by how fell over blind people do what they do in the 
> locations that they live. I have a sighted friend who also lives in 
> Alaska. I know it's freezing up there the majority of the year. I would 
> love to hear how you get around independently as a blind person, 
> particularly without turning into an icicle or penguins. Are there buses 
> in Anchorage? Do you have to wait outside for them? How often do they even 
> come? Do you have to just rely on drivers? I believe there is a center up 
> there in Alaska, but I wouldn't guess that would be too many blind people. 
> And my correct?
>
> Jessica Reed
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Aug 24, 2013, at 1:24 PM, "Poppa Bear" <heavens4real at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hello Lisa, my name is Nate Kile; I live in Anchorage Alaska and with all 
>> the snow we get up here it can be very challenging to exercise as well. I 
>> am 37, married and have 7 children ranging from 21 to 7 years old along 
>> with two grand children. I have been blind for over twenty years now but 
>> as a kid I was very active. I have a treadmill that I use once and a 
>> while and a gym membership that I am able to drag somebody to about a 
>> dozen times a year. I have pretty good family genetics' and am usually as 
>> fit as a horse, but I still desire to be more active, but with children 
>> dogs and a wife who has health challenges herself I don't really focus on 
>> fitness goals as much as I want. I have downhill skied in the past and 
>> was a natural for the most part since that is one thing I did as a teen 
>> fairly often. I have owned a tandem bike and am a certified massage 
>> therapist and personal fitness trainer. I do not practice either at this 
>> time now. I am starting another recording studio at this point. I have 
>> been using Face Book for about 3 years now and it is a great way to stay 
>> connected to family, it is almost addicting for some. I use the mobile 
>> version on my computer and this works the best I have found. It is worth 
>> learning IMO. If you need any help you can email me.
>>
>> As far as learning to ride the tricycle, good luck sister, wish I could 
>> offer some practical tips, my wife would probably blow her top if I tried 
>> to get out and ride around LOL. God love her.
>>
>> In His grip
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lisa Hall" <lhall007 at cinci.rr.com>
>> To: <Sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, August 24, 2013 4:33 AM
>> Subject: [Sportsandrec] introduction and suggesting on relearning riding 
>> atricycle as a blind adult
>>
>>
>>> Hi everyone,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I am Lisa Hall from Cincinnati, Ohio. I am a longtime member of NFB 
>>> since
>>> 1985. I have lived in three states over the years: Louisiana, 32 years;
>>> Texas, 11 years; and Ohio 7 years. I currently work for Clovernook 
>>> Center
>>> for the Blind and Visually Impaired as a Braille proofreader. I have my
>>> personal web site at www.lisa-halls-world.org. I have not learned how to 
>>> use
>>> Twitter, facebook or any other network opportunities out on the internet
>>> yet. I noticed that many businesses use this medium to find new 
>>> customers
>>> and reconnect with previous customers. I have been totally blind all of 
>>> my
>>> life.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> As far as recreation activities, as a kid, I used to ride a tricycle 
>>> when I
>>> lived in Louisiana from 1962 through 1995. I loved it back then. My
>>> neighborhood back then was quiet and little traffic on my residential
>>> street. I abandon this activity for many years since I became an adult. 
>>> I
>>> learned recently that tricycle for adults was available. My boyfriend
>>> purchased one for me as a surprise for my birthday which doesn't occur 
>>> until
>>> December 3 and Christmas which is several months off. Now I am in a 
>>> training
>>> mode again.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I like to walk around my neighborhood to keep fit when I can. Over the 
>>> last
>>> 2 years I joined two health clubs but did not go very often because of
>>> transportation challenges. I live in a three-bedroom apartment with 
>>> steps to
>>> get into the building with a sidewalk similar to a setup in a regular 
>>> house
>>> where I grew up. However, the house I lived in back then did not have 
>>> stairs
>>> and only 1 step into the house.
>>>
>>> The neighborhood is on a bus line and I walk to work everyday. I live 
>>> across
>>> the street from the center making it convenient to walk to and from 
>>> work. I
>>> am close enough to places like restaurants, bank, grocery store, etc. 
>>> There
>>> are some places I go to that is not on a bus line. I depend on a driver 
>>> to
>>> get me to places not possible to get to by public transportation. The 
>>> cab
>>> system is terrible and very expensive here. I have a severe hearing
>>> impairment and wear 2 hearing aids.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> My boyfriend is going to help me relearn the techniques so that I can 
>>> get my
>>> confidence back. I primarily use a straight cane for my travel. Should I
>>> consider using a folding cane?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Now that I am relearning how to use an adult tricycle, is there any way 
>>> to
>>> know what is in front of me in terms of hills, curbs, etc.? I just 
>>> purchased
>>> an iPhone back in May and am learning many things on it on my own. I 
>>> have
>>> been reading many books from National Braille Press regarding the I 
>>> devices.
>>> About a month ago, I purchased a subscription to Seeing Eye GPS which 
>>> allows
>>> a blind person to learn streets around my neighborhood, points of 
>>> interest
>>> that I didn't know about, and using the GPS when I travel in a car with 
>>> a
>>> driver. I also use a Braille display which I purchased to go with my
>>> computer and iPhone. I hope to one day teach my boyfriend how to use his
>>> Android device better.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> My goal is to relearn how to ride a tricycle as an adult. I don't know 
>>> many
>>> blind people who ride tricycles as an adult.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> In the past, I have used a treadmill that have been marked but never 
>>> owned
>>> one. I also used an exercise bicycle as well but never owned one. I wish
>>> there is an affordable health club closer to my home. I don't have a lot 
>>> of
>>> space for lots of equipment and some of those equipment is very 
>>> expensive.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> My hobbies are reading, music, computers, going to movies and plays,
>>> attending concerts every once in a while, playing games like cards, 
>>> dominos,
>>> bingo, monopoly which I haven't done in several years as a kid.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> My sister and brother live in Texas and Louisiana and they both have 
>>> their
>>> own kids. Now their kids are having their own children. I only get to 
>>> see
>>> them at least once a year.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I have been single all of my life and am trying to balance life as it 
>>> should
>>> be.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I hope to learn many activities that everyone is doing to keep fit and 
>>> stay
>>> busy.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Take care and hope to meet many of you at National Convention in 
>>> Orlando,
>>> Florida next summer.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> By the way, I am President of National Association of Blind Office
>>> Professionals and have been doing this since 1996. I am helping to 
>>> change
>>> what it means to be blind.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sincerely yours,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Lisa Hall
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
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