Long Haul Paul — Progress or Progress?

Progress can be great.

After six months of trying to locate custom motorcycle parts for my world record attempt motorcycle, I am happy to announce the project has finally been started. Later this summer, I will attempt to be the first person to document riding the Iron Butt Association’s challenge called the 50CC. The grueling ride requires following strict guidelines while riding from one side of the United States to the other; from coast to coast, in under 50 hours. Quite a few riders have the distinguished plaque hanging in there garage, but to date, no one has successfully documented the ride on a custom built chopper!

This is my fourth crazy world record attempt to benefit people living with Multiple Sclerosis. Yamaha donated a brand new cruiser called a BOLT, and so I named my fundraiser, Nut on a Bolt. The motorcycle is being customized to have the signature chopper characteristics, extended front end, raked out forks chopped fenders, big tall handlebars and pretty much anything comfort or safely related, removed! It will be loud and definitely not the bike someone would use to attempt crossing the entire country in two days riding!

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After the hopefully successful ride, the bike will be displayed at all the national bike shows and then it will be raffled off at the end of the year. To donate in recognition of my efforts and to get a raffle ticket fit this one of a kind motorcycle, go to NutonaBolt.com.

Progress is a dirty word when it comes to a chronic illness.

Disease progression was something I thought I was escaping. For 15 years, my annual MRI scan was showing no additional lesions in my brain or spinal cord, one of the major diagnosing tools used in multiple sclerosis. The lesions are signs of my immune system attacking the layer of insulation surrounding the nerve cells. The attacks eventually subside, but leave the nerves with damage in the form of scars. multiple sclerosis means multiple scars.

After this year’s MRI, my doctor informed me I had another three lesions appearing on the scans. My new activity was located in my brain stem, specifically in an area that could effect my balance and speech.

It wasn’t until I got home that I realized the correlation between an issue I have been experiencing with my voice over the last year or so when I was presenting. I was contributing the hoarseness and raspy voice symptoms with riding so many miles and the wind and breathing in the dirty traffic pollution for thousands of hours each year. Unfortunately, my systems haven’t cleared up, even after staying home a few months with the covid shut downs. The more I look into it, I am guessing the new lesions in my brain may be causing something called spastic dysarthria, a common condition in MS patients caused by brain lesions specifically in the corticobulbar tracts. It causes all of the symptoms I have been experiencing. Time to see another specialist.

My cornea transplant from 7 months ago has resulted in 20/400 vision, which makes me legally blind in one eye. It looks like I am losing my ability to continue public speaking and I have a 6mm kidney stone dangling in my left kidney, just waiting to shake loose. Sometimes progress sucks.

What better way to kick my disease and other health issues in the ass, then to ride an inappropriate badass chopper across the entire country in two days.