Podcast appearances and mentions of Erik Weihenmayer

Erik Weihenmayer made history in 2001 as the first blind person to summit Mount Everest. By 2008, he had completed the Seven Summits, the tallest mountains on each continent. Since then, Erik has embraced a wide range of adventure sports from paragliding in the Rocky Mountains and ice climbing in Nepal to kayaking the length of the Grand Canyon.Connect with Erik: WebsiteInstagramNo Barriers website & Instagram Listen to the Camp Nowhere Podcast Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One and the REI Co-op® Mastercard® Honey Stinger

At the age of 6, my guest, Kyle Coon, lost his eye sight due to retinoblastoma, cancer of the eyes.He was inspired by world-class blind athlete Erik Weihenmayer to embrace a life of adventure.That's exactly what Kyle did!  He pushed his limits and learned how to “Discover a Life Without Limits”.Kyle went on to push his limits as a competitive rock climber, skier, wrestler, and endurance athlete.Kyle Coon is currently a Paralympian, professional speaker, author, podcaster, and AN Exactly What to Say® Certified Guide.Competing internationally as a professional Para-triathlete, he proudly represented Team USA at the 2020 and 2024 Paralympic Games.In 2021, Kyle released Discovering a Life Without Limits, chronicling his journey before triathlon, with a second book currently in the works. When he is off the racecourse, he inspires organizations through keynote speaking, sharing powerful lessons on values, vision, and high-performance strategies to help others live without limits.I highly recommend you connect with Kyle!Connect with Kyle:Www.kylecoon.comwww.instagram.com/eyeronkylewww.facebook.com/kylecoonspeakswww.linkedin.com/in/kylecoon CONNECT WITH DEBIDo you feel stuck?  Do you sense its time for a change but unsure where to start or how to move forward?  Schedule a clarity call!Free Clarity Call: https://calendly.com/debironca/free-clarity-callWebsite – https://www.debironca.comInstagram - @debironcaEmail – info@debironca.comCheck out my online course!                                                                                                                                                                                                        Your Story's Changing, finding Purpose in Life's Transitionshttps://course.sequoiatransitioncoaching.com/8-week-programThe Family Letter by Debi Ronca – International Best Sellerhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SSJFXBD

El atleta Erik Weihenmayer, primera persona invidente en escalar el monte Everest, conversó con La W a propósito del cortometraje ‘Soundscape' que relató su hazaña lograda hace más de 20 años.

We all have areas where we are lacking. Weaknesses. I spent a long time trying to deny mine, and it limited my success. Many people recognize their lack, and let them limit their success. Then there are those who understand and accept where they are lacking, and adjust accordingly to not let themselves be limited by it. Case in point, Erik Weihenmayer. Erik is blind. Completely. He lacks the ability to see anything. He wasn't born blind but lost his sight due to a rare eye disease at age of 13. There is nothing he can do about it. He accepted this, and adjusted accordingly. And then went on to climb Mt Everest. He has climbed all 7 of the world's greatest Summits. He has kayaked the Grand Canyon. And he devoted his life to helping everyone overcome the lacks in their lives and do great things anyway. Tom Ziglar and I sat down with Erik to talk about his message and I'm bringing the show back to you from the archives to help you look to the coming New Year with more hope and possibility. Find Erik at ErikWeihenmayer.com and his book, No Barriers, is a great story of his rafting trip across the Grand Canyon and his message of overcoming. Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevin Go to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial. Get 20% off your first probiotic membership order at pendulumlife.com/drivesyou Go to cozyearth.com/driven and use code DRIVEN for an exclusive 40% discount Use my promo code WHATDRIVESYOU for 10% off on any CleanMyMac's subscription plans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 **Today, November 28th at 3 PM EST: Serving Tea to Make a Difference!** Join us for an inspiring afternoon with the remarkable **Kyle Coon**Teatime with Miss Liz Kyle Coon**T-E-A:**T - LivingE - WithoutA - LimitsKyle Coon is not just a Paralympian; he's a champion of resilience and adventure. After losing his sight at age six, he took inspiration from world-class blind athlete Erik Weihenmayer to embrace a life without limits. Kyle has become a competitive rock climber, downhill skier, wrestler, and endurance athlete.After earning a degree in Communication, Kyle faced unemployment. He turned to the online endurance community, discovering a passion for running that evolved into a love for triathlon. He proudly represents Team USA as a professional Paratriathlete, competing in the 2020 and 2024 Paralympics.When he's not competing, Kyle shares his insights on values, vision, and high-performance communication, inspiring others to adopt a champion mindset.Don't miss this chance to hear Kyle's incredible journey and learn how to live without limits! **Join us live on Miss Liz's YouTube channel:**[Miss Liz's Teatime](https://youtube.com/@misslizsteatimes?si=qp4FAsAKBTuXYggQ) and catch us on multiple platforms. **Hashtags:**#TeatimeWithMissLiz #KyleCoon #LivingWithoutLimits #Paralympian #Inspiration #Resilience #Adventure #ChampionMindset #TeamUSA #MakeADifferenceWe can't wait to see you there for an afternoon of inspiration and connection! 

Blind mountaineers like Erik Weihenmayer and Zhang Hong have scaled Everest. Jennifer Armentrout is progressively losing her sight and has written a dozen bestsellers. So what's our excuse? Music: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.purple-planet.com⁠

This week we delve into the challenge of not just hearing God's word, but living it out. Pastor Stephanie draws a powerful parallel between our spiritual journey and the incredible story of Erik Weihenmayer, a blind mountaineer who has conquered the world's tallest peaks by listening intently to his guides. Just as Erik's life depends on his ability to listen, so too does our spiritual life depend on our ability to hear, accept, and act on God's word. Join us as we unpack what it means to truly become what the Word says and live a life of teleios—complete, mature, and blessed.

Erik Weihenmayer is an extreme athlete, author, and founder of the No Barriers movement. Going blind at a young age only further propelled his motivation to leave an extraordinary impact. Eric has climbed the seven summits, kayaked 277 miles through the Grand Canyon, written several books including Touch The Top of The World and No Barriers. He was the first blind person to summit Mt. Everest in 2001 earning him a front cover story on TIME. You will leave this conversation inspired and motivated to live a more purposeful life. Thank you for listening.Don't forget... be the CEO of your own journey! Feedback & Sponsorship Opportunities: andrew@permissiontoshine.org@PermissionToShine_

Erik Weihenmayer was the first blind person to summit Mt. Everest, but may be best known for a viral news blooper in 2006. He joins us to talk about a very specific kind of fame, plus what life is like as a blind adventurer.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Celebrated athlete Erik Weihenmayer is the first blind person in history to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest. In this episode, he tells Brian how he lives a life of meaning and purpose by consistently breaking through barriers and helping others with special challenges to lead active and fulfilling lives. YOU WILL LEARN:· Why he never lives on the sidelines.· How climbing Mount Everest changed him.· Why he started a nonprofit. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: erikweihenmayer.com No Barriers nonprofit National Federation of the Blind MasterMind Summit S1E043, What's Your Everest? NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE: “When I went totally blind … it was like the gloves were off. I could do anything I wanted now. I was free.” – Erik Weihenmayer “Wisdom gets beat into most of us, sadly.” – Erik Weihenmayer “We're always sort of straddling this knife edge between limitation and possibility.” – Erik Weihenmayer “When you have a really bad day there's nothing better than sleeping and waking up the next morning to say, ‘Today's a new day with new possibilities – I can do better than I did yesterday.'” – Erik Weihenmayer “It's an ongoing, never-ending commitment to reaching and failing; falling short and bleeding a little bit; and reaching again and getting a little higher each day up the mountain. To me, that's what constitutes a good life.” – Erik Weihenmayer itsagoodlife.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erik Weihenmayer - https://erikweihenmayer.com/about-erik/ On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the first blind person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. In 2008 he climbed Carstensz Pyramid on the island of Papua New Guinea, completing the Seven Summits, the highest point on every continent. This accomplishment closed the circuit on a 13-year journey that had begun with his 1995 ascent of Denali. He is joined by a select company of only 150 mountaineers to have accomplished the feat. As word spread about Erik's remarkable achievements, the world took notice; shortly after his summit of Everest, he was honored with a Time cover story detailing his conquest of the world's highest peak. Since then, he has authored multiple books, including his memoir, Touch the Top of the World. Yet for those who had long known him, his propensity for taking on and knocking down the loftiest of challenges came as no surprise. Even as retinoschisis began to rob him of his vision by the age of 14, Erik resisted the idea that blindness would sweep him to the sidelines of life. He established himself as a formidable wrestler in high school, representing his home state of Connecticut in the National Junior Freestyle Wrestling Championship in Iowa. As a teenager, he also discovered rock climbing and a natural dexterity for the tactile aspects of scanning the rock with his hands and feet for holds. After graduating with a double major from Boston College, Erik became a middle-school teacher and wrestling coach at Phoenix Country Day School. Yet it was atop the highest point in North America, the mountain known in the native Inuit language as Denali, where his quest for adventure began to take shape. Erik's triumphs over some of the world's most formidable mountains were fueling a growing aspiration to take the lessons he learned in the mountains to help others shatter barriers in their lives. To advance this idea, Erik co-founded not merely an organization, but rather a movement called No Barriers. The mission is to help people with challenges, all of us to some extent, to turn into the storm of life, face barriers head-on, embrace a pioneering and innovative spirit, and team up with great people to live rich in meaning and purpose. The motto is “What's Within You Is Stronger Than What's In Your Way.” To this aim, Erik continues to challenge himself to live a No Barriers Life and in September 2014 he kayaked the entire 277-miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Erik is one of the most inspiring, engaging, and sought after speakers in the world. His presentations engage and inspire audiences by capturing lessons from his life and adventures around the world. Erik's essential messaging focuses on harnessing the power of adversity, developing a guiding vision, and building a strong “rope-team.” Erik sees every new challenge as an opportunity to problem-solve, strategize, and pioneer new ways forward. “I think this is the best time in history, the most precious time in history to be a pioneer, to reach out, to seize hold of adversity and challenges we face, to harness energy not only to transform our own lives but to elevate the world around us.” – Erik Weihenmayer ~~ Call or Text the Podcast Hotline at +1-908-349-1480 Or you can Email us to send in those questions ⁠dan@fourbadeyes.com⁠ or ⁠Anthony@fourbadeyes.com⁠  More about Four Bad Eyes Podcast ► ⁠https://www.fourbadeyes.com⁠  TIKTOK: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@fourbadeyes⁠  INSTAGRAM: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/fourbadeyes⁠   ~~~ More about Anthony Ferraro ► ⁠https://www.asfvision.com⁠  Anthony on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/asfvision⁠  More about Dan Mancina ► ⁠https://www.keeppushinginc.com⁠  Dan on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/danthemancina/⁠  ~~~ 00:00 - intro 00:15 - episode 108 ~~~ Podcast Intro & Outro done by Pete Gustin the Blind Surfer find out more at ► ⁠https://www.petegustin.com⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/anthony-ferraro65/support

Transcript: bit.ly/AIAe058Erik Weihenmayer is one of the most celebrated and accomplished athletes in the world. In 2001, he became the only blind person in history to climb Mount Everest. When he stood on top of Carstensz pyramid in 2008, he completed his quest to climb all of the seven summits, the tallest peak on each of the seven continents. Erik is the author of the bestselling memoir, Touch the top of the world, which was made into a feature film as well as the Adversity Advantage, which shows readers how to turn everyday struggles into everyday greatness. His latest book, No Barriers, A Blind Man's Journey to kayak The Grand Canyon is more than an adventure story. It illuminates how we move forward in our lives towards growth and purpose, despite the barriers that get in our way. He is an internationally recognized speaker and brings his message of living a no-barriers life to audiences around the world.In September, 2014, Erik and blinded Navy veteran Lonnie Bedwell kayaked the entire 277 miles of the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River, considered one of the most formidable whitewater adventures in the world. Erik continually seeks out new adventures, focusing his efforts on empowering people traditionally swept to the sidelines of life. He founded an organization called No Barriers, which helps people with challenges tap into the human spirit, break through barriers, and contribute to the world.Connect with Erik:Erik Weihenmayer – Adventurer | Speaker | Author | TeacherNo Barriers | No Barriers - Resilience, Hope & Optimism For Youth And Adults (nobarriersusa.org)Erik Weihenmayer (@erikweihenmayer) • Instagram photos and videosConnect with the Rocky Mountain ADA Center at RockyMountainADA.org or find us on social media. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or anywhere else you get your podcasts!

McKay returns today with a powerful message revolving around the idea that the greatest accomplishment in life is not defined solely by external achievements, but by becoming a better, more compassionate person. Along the way, he explores themes of resilience, self-discovery, the power of perspective, along with the roles they play in personal improvement and development. McKay shares such inspiring stories as that of Erik Weihenmayer, a young man who faced the daunting loss of his eyesight and transformed his adversity into incredible achievements. Noting that Erik's initial anger and denial turned into determination and growth once he decided to redefine himself based on his abilities rather than his disabilities, McKay advises us all to focus on what we can do rather than dwelling on our limitations. He also introduces the concept of backward design - starting with the end goal in mind and working backward to create a roadmap for personal development. Be sure to join our host here today as he opens our eyes to the value of focusing on such virtues as faith, knowledge, patience, kindness, and charity, and encourages us all to embrace the concept that becoming, not just doing, is truly the greatest achievement in life.Episode Highlights:Erik Weihenmayer's journey from losing his eyesight to becoming the first blind person to summit Mount EverestThe stages of adversity, including anger, denial, and acceptance, and the power of determination and self-acceptanceThe importance of embracing challenges as opportunities for personal growth and transformationThe concept that the greatest thing one can ever do is to become a better, more compassionate personExploring backward design, centering, and the pursuit of virtuous characteristics as tools for personal developmentQuotes:"The greatest thing you will ever do is found in the person you become from your efforts in this life.""Our greatest quest in life is to become, not just to do.""Become a person of light or goodness.""We major in minor things, and that's why we fail.""Centering gives you a sense of purpose and success.""If these things be in you and abound, your life will bear fruit, or yield a comfortable place with God.""The currency of today isn't time. It's attention. We have so many distractions in our life that we've learned not to focus.""What is the greatest thing you will ever do? Build the you that you know you can become."Links:https://www.mckaychristensen.org/

It's 2024! A new year, a new us. Except exactly the same with zero  personal or professional growth whatsoever. This week, we recount our holidays, Gavin asks me to play a game, we rank the top 3 New Years resolutions that we will in no way do, and our guest this week is Erik Weihenmayer, a legend in so many ways, who joins us to talk extreme mountain climbing,  world record setting, and the gaydar-gone-wrong video that changed his life forever. Questions? Comments? Rants? Raves? Let us know! DM us or email us at GaytriarchsPodcast@gmail.com

Ever wondered about the power of resilience in navigating life's bumps? Prepare to be captivated as we explore this and more with the remarkable Pat Wetzel, pilot, adventurer, author and podcast host of Bump in the Road. Pat's life is a rich tapestry of domestic and world travel, marked by immense joys and formidable challenges--from growing up in a globetrotting, food-loving family to a Wall Street career to facing a cancer diagnosis, divorce and a business betrayal. As she pulls back the curtain on her adventurous life, you'll discover the delicious thrill of soaring in Whiskey Oscar, her sailplane; her love of “indigenous,” pre-Google travel; and the transformative power of perspective-pivoting.In an enlightening chat, Pat delves into the heart of her life's adversities, revealing how she found joy and positivity amidst turmoil. Through tales of resilience, we investigate the importance of self-care and the necessity of stepping out of our comfort zones to truly understand our strengths and weaknesses. Listen in as we discuss the importance of shifting perspectives, and explore how Pat employs meditation as a tool to quiet her mind and make conscious choices. She offers a unique lens on travel as a means of resetting and discovering inner strength, and her approach is sure to inspire you.In our final segment, we explore the importance of meaningful conversations about life's challenges. Pat extends an invitation to you, our listeners, to join her on her website for more inspiring stories and to chart your own adventures. Prepare to be inspired to dream big, evolve and keep moving along, no matter what bumps you encounter on your road. Embrace this delightful opportunity to dive into an enlightening conversation about travel, life transitions and the power of resilience.(Show notes written with some help from PodiumGPT.) Places mentioned:Prescott, ArizonaSanta Fe, New MexicoParis, FranceCalistoga, CaliforniaLake Tahoe, CaliforniaMinden, NevadaLas Vegas, NevadaPhoenixSedona, ArizonaFlagstaff, ArizonaThe Badlands, South DakotaLos Angeles, CaliforniaKitty Hawk, North CarolinaWall StreetSilicon Valley  Upper Saddle River, New JerseyLinksBump in the Road website: https://bumpintheroad.us/Bump in the Road podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bump-in-the-road/id1515348427  Bump in the Road book (Amazon affiliate link): https://a.co/d/6amkuaA8 Minute Meditation Expanded: Quiet Your Mind. Change Your Life. by Victor Davich: https://www.amazon.com/Minute-Meditation-Expanded-Quiet-Change/dp/0399173420Pat's interview with Erik Weihenmayer, Blind Visionary: https://bumpintheroad.us/erik-weihenmayer-blind-visionary/Pat's interview with Gary Hensel, The Spiritual Warrior, on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7_UAUC5zNbg?si=z3p4zsWH_K9RZJAyThe Way of Wisdom with Gary Hensel: https://bumpintheroad.us/the-way-of-wisdom-the-spiritual-warrior/The Way of Wisdom with Gary Hensel and Deborah Toyias Kozich on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umEV_LexKMEMoving Along podcast website: https://movingalongpodcast.com/  Contact Christi Cassidy, host and creator: christi@movingalongpodcast.com CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: christi@movingalongpodcast.comArtwork by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve's Blue. Show notes written with assistance from Podium.page. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram!

Action Plan: https://jimharshawjr.com/ACTION Free Clarity Call: https://jimharshawjr.com/APPLY  When life hands you opportunities, say “yes” like Lucy Westlake— even if it scares you! What were you up to when you were 19 years old? Probably not climbing up Mount Everest, right? Meet Lucy Westlake, the incredible force of nature who's rewriting the rules of youth! Lucy Westlake is a world-class athlete and American mountaineer. She holds an American Record as the youngest woman to summit Mount Everest and a World Record as the youngest female to summit the highest mountain in each of the 50 U.S. states.  But there's more to Lucy than her impressive accolades.  Join us in this episode of the Success Through Failure podcast as Lucy shares her incredible journey and her unwavering commitment to breaking gender barriers in mountaineering. Because she's not just climbing mountains; she's paving the way for a new generation of female adventurers, providing them with the access, training, and support they need to pursue their dreams. And her mission goes beyond the mountains; she's also dedicated to ensuring safe water for all. Her firsthand experience in a Ugandan village, where a water system transformed lives, ignited her lifelong dedication to solving the global water crisis. Lucy carries the “Safe Water for All” flag to mountain summits, inspiring others to join the fight.  Lucy's passion is infectious, and her story is sure to inspire you to turn your ambitions into actions. After listening to Lucy's journey, if you're looking for more inspiring mountaineering stories, don't miss my interviews with Erik Weihenmayer and Chris Warner.

Kate hosts a Masterclass on Obstacles, featuring the stories of previous To Dine For guests Arlan Hamilton, Erik Weihenmayer, Jake Wood, Jessica Alba, and Franklin Leonard.Follow To Dine For:Official Website: ToDineForTV.comFacebook: Facebook.com/ToDineForTVInstagram: @ToDineForTVTwitter: @KateSullivanTVEmail: ToDineForTV@gmail.com Thank You to our Sponsors!MastercardAmerican National InsuranceTerlato Wine Group Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes, today we have the pleasure of listening to and talking with Penn Street who survived being bitten twice by a rattlesnake when she was nine and a half. Ok, you may say. So she was bitten. A little antivenom should take care of that. Not in Penn's case. She had an incredibly severe reaction to the medications and acquired Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS). This syndrome did a lot of damage to Penn's body including causing her blindness. She decided not to let SJS nor anything else stop her. Was it also due to her seven older brothers? Penn will tell us.   After college Penn discovered a talent for sales when she married her husband and joined him in promoting his professional photography business.   Today, Penn Street has a podcast entitled “Aftersight” which she operates as part of what she does with the Audio Information Network of Colorado.   Our conversation by any standard this time is inspiring and very enjoyable. I hope you like it.     About the Guest:   Penn Street lost most of her eyesight at age nine from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) after being bit by a rattlesnake. SJS is a rare Adverse Drug Reaction that attacks the body by burning it alive from the inside out. 75% of Penn's body was covered by second-and third-degree burns. All the soft tissue is compromised. Her parents were told if she survived, she would be deaf, blind, cognitively damaged, remain of a feeding tube for life, and would not be able to breathe on her own. Thanks to prayer and Penn's tomboy spirit she did not only survive, but she exceeded all medical expectations. Penn's vision, hearing, and major organs were compromised, but that did not slow Penn down for long.   Growing up Penn discovered that accessibility was the key to her community, career, and the possibility of living the life she wanted. Penn sought out solutions to her new life with low vision, hearing loss, and chronic pain by learning to navigate life differently than before. Penn was a bright student a held a GPA hovering around 4.0 through her entire education. Penn set her sights on becoming an advocate for people with disabilities. However, life happens, and opportunities arise unexpectedly. Penn met her husband, Moses Street a professional nationally known photographer. Penn became the Studio Gallery Manager where she found the skill of managing a team and sales a strength, she did not know she had. After decades of a lucrative run with the studio and gallery Penn was pulled back into her desire to work with people with disabilities. For the past 15 years Penn has worked at several non-profits as a leader on their development and outreach teams. All the organizations have a focus on low vision and blindness. Currently Penn is the Development and Outreach Director for Audio Information Network of Colorado. Penn sits on several boards and commissions and is a sought-after public speaker.   In the winter you can find Penn on the alpine slopes of Colorado's mountains searching for the best powder and the steepest runs. In the summer Penn enjoys camping, hiking, and paddleboarding.     Ways to connect with Travis:   You can contact Penn Street through Audio Information Network of Colorado's website www.aincolorado.org. Follow Penn Street on social media – Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_blind_chick/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/penn.street YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@TheBlindChick TikTok  https://www.tiktok.com/@theblindchicklife     About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app.   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.     Transcription Notes Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i  capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Well, hi there once again, here it is another day and it's time for unstoppable mindset. We have a wonderful guest today I got to meet a couple of months ago. Her name is Penn Street Penn is short for Penny. But we're going to call her pen because that's what she seems to like. And she hasn't hit me or anyone else yet for calling her Penn. And she seems to be pretty used to it. So we'll stick with pen. And she has an interesting and I think a great story to tell and we'll get to all of that. But Penn, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're really glad you're here.   Penn Street ** 01:55 Thanks, Michael. I really appreciate it.   Michael Hingson ** 01:59 So, as we were talking about just before we started, you are one daughter among six or seven other boys, right?   Penn Street ** 02:09 Actually, there's three girls and the other three   Michael Hingson ** 02:12 girls. Oh my gosh, but you were the first girl.   Penn Street ** 02:14 No, I was the second. So yeah, my parents had two boys. And then they had a girl and they really, really, really wanted another girl. So they had five more boys. And then I was born. And so story tells us says that my mom looked at me and said I was her her lucky shiny Penny. So she wanted to name me Penny. And then so that's the second girl. And then my little sister almost three years later came and was a complete surprise because my mom thought and dad thought I was it. But my little sister came along which I was very thankful for. Because imagine a little girl with seven older brothers it was, you know, it was unfair at times   Michael Hingson ** 03:01 will add an older sister. Yeah. But   Penn Street ** 03:03 she was so much older than me. It felt like, you know, she was my babysitter which she sort of was.   Michael Hingson ** 03:11 So what was your younger sister's name?   Penn Street ** 03:15 Sorry, Ed. She was actually named after my oldest brother's girlfriend at the time. Because he found out my mom was pregnant and you know, his first girlfriend. He thought it would be really cool to say, you know, oh, my mom, you know really likes you. She's going to name the baby after you. And my mom really didn't have another girl's name. So Sherry is out there somewhere. My little sister actually was named after you.   Michael Hingson ** 03:46 Wow. Yeah. So older brother and Sherry didn't stay together.   Penn Street ** 03:52 Not I doubt if I don't know how long they are teenagers who know?   Michael Hingson ** 03:57 Yeah, yeah. Well, there is that. Well, so you you've had, needless to say, an interesting life, which, which we'll talk about as much as you want. But you grew up like any kid and then went to school, I guess. And then did all those things that kids do. But then things changed for you at the age of nine.   Penn Street ** 04:20 Yes, they did. I was bit by a western diamondback rattlesnake. And actually a bit me twice and then a bit my little sister sherry. Oh my gosh. But I took the bulk of the venom, which was a good thing because she was smaller than me. So but yeah, where   Michael Hingson ** 04:40 were you guys where you weren't supposed to be?   Penn Street ** 04:43 That is another story. But we were we were in the woods of Arkansas. And I actually Arkansas has several super venomous snakes, which are definitely not my my favorite animals but but yeah, it was They gave me you know, anti venom, they gave me all the right, you know medication to save my life. But in doing so it triggered a syndrome called Stevens Johnson Syndrome, which was named after the two doctors that came up with the name Stevenson Johnson. And it's a severe, you know, adverse drug reaction. And at that time, the fatality rates for children was 75%. And you're treated in a burn unit, just as if you've been in a fire because your body the way it reacts to the drugs is it burns from the inside out. So all of my organs were affected. 75% of my body was covered in second, third degree burns. So you can imagine in a fire, all the soft tissue was compromised. And, of course, your eyes are nothing but soft tissue. So the eyes were definitely the obvious. But, but yeah, they the I was a tomboy, being with seven older brothers, I had to be strong, right, I never would have survived those first nine years, if I wasn't a tomboy, and I, I didn't understand what was happening. But you know, you're a kid, you just kind of this is what's happening today, and I'll get through it, and then tomorrow will be better. And, you know, every day that I survived, you know, the chances of me sir, you know, living increased, and then I, you know, I really did, especially at that time, because I didn't know a lot about Stevens Johnson Syndrome, they really thought that I would be totally blind, deaf, you know, my fever was above 103 for many, many days. So they thought that I would be cognitively impaired, I'd be on a feeding tube, I would never be able to breathe on my own all those things. But, you know, as I as I fought they, you know, unchecked those boxes, from my future. And, and yes, you know, everything is compromised, I, you know, obviously, my vision is compromised, and hearing is compromised, those kinds of things. But really, I don't look at those things as a disability. To me, my disability is my fire doesn't like to keep up with my lifestyle that I like to do my love. So I like to climb mountains, and you know, downhill ski, and I like to do all these things that require a good health. So my heart's not very happy with me most of the time, but neither on my lungs, but it's, it's my life. It's, I'm, I appreciate every single day that I have. And just like when I was a kid, I look at Oh, today is today, and tomorrow will be better. And it always is.   Michael Hingson ** 07:55 I bet however, that your older brothers were supportive.   Penn Street ** 08:00 They were, I think that they were threatened with their lives that when I did finally get to come home, that they were supposed to treat me different, you know, don't tease her Don't roughhouse with her. She's very fragile. And I was I was extremely fragile, but, but behind the scenes, sort of mom and dad weren't there, you know, they, they, they didn't treat me exactly like they did before. But I did appreciate more than they will ever know, you know, those, those big brother, you know, kind of pushes and shoves and calling me a dork and stuff like that, because it made me feel like me again, ya know, because I didn't look like me anymore. You know, imagine a burn, you know, burn victim. And, you know, I didn't move around quite as fast, especially in the beginning until I, you know, had those skills, you know, the cane skills and, you know, those independent skills that I had to learn, but that they, you know, it was what it was and my little sister and I became super close. Actually, probably closer than we were before, because I was forced to be inside a lot more and unlike me being the tomboy, she was the little princess and she loved playing with dolls and wearing pink and all those kinds of things. And I think she really liked having me sort of forced into being inside more and so we got to know each other more and you know, she she still is, you know, my absolute closest friend on the planet.   Michael Hingson ** 09:47 Now, were you from Arkansas originally?   Penn Street ** 09:50 Yes. But I was 12 it became apparent that in Arkansas, yes, they had a great Children's Hospital's state of the art that saved my life. But they really didn't have a lot of other resources and services. After that initial, you know, hospitalization and so my parents found out about the Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and it was definitely at that time, you know, the leader in working with children and illnesses and all those kinds of things. And then also just resources, you know, they didn't really have blind teachers. There was blindness was looked at very differently in Arkansas than, than it was in Colorado. And there weren't a lot of teachers and resources and services, and my parents knew that I was going to need those. So they packed us up and moved us to Colorado, which I'm very thankful I love Colorado. And so I was given a lot, a lot better care here, and definitely a better education.   Michael Hingson ** 11:01 So what do your parents do for a living?   Penn Street ** 11:04 So they're both gone now. But my father was a mill, right. And he worked for a union. So he worked at power plants, all across the country had a very specific skill set. And my mom, when we were young, she was a stay at home mom with 10 kids, it's hard to get a baby's that on. But as we got older, she actually went into health care and worked with seniors. And, you know, with a health care provider for seniors so so kind of runs on my family the work that I do, I think it might lead.   Michael Hingson ** 11:42 Well, you certainly did come out of it, and certainly your tomboy attitude. Saying it facetiously or not certainly had to help, because you you had to survive, and you learned how to be a survivor. And certainly Stevens Johnson made you into a survivor, which, which isn't important. And that, of course, is a characteristic and a trait that is second to none that you certainly don't want to live without.   Penn Street ** 12:16 That's true. That's true. I really do love my life. I it always angers me when people feel sorry for me, or, or like they say, Oh, I'm sorry. I'm like, Don't be sorry. Love my life. I, you know, I do wish my heart work better. And I do whereas work, you know, I wish my lungs worked better. But it's, besides those things, like I didn't even those things, you know, it's it is what it is? It is what it is. Yeah. And they're part of who I am. And I, I like who I am. And you know, not that I don't want I love learning and growing and I love learning different ways to approach situations and I'm always a sponge when I'm around new cultures and things like that. So it's not like this is it? I'm happy with the way I am. I'm gonna stay right here. Because I'm not. I have a lot more to learn and and to experience of this world. But, but there is nothing to be sorry about or, you know,   Michael Hingson ** 13:20 well, when you go into kind of an overexertion mode, if you will, what what is your heart do? What, what how do you notice it? Does it just yell at you and go slow down or? No?   Penn Street ** 13:31 Well here, I actually, actually right now I have a pretty crazy heart monitor on a week ago. Actually, a week ago last night, I ended up in the emergency room and Durango, Colorado because my heart decided it didn't really want to work anymore. And it goes from zero, you know, 100 to zero. So I was out hiking that weekend, I had been paddleboarding and camping in the mountains of Colorado and I was over a friend's house in Durango, Colorado, and we're about to have dinner and sitting on the couch and totally blacked out and woke up in the, you know, in the ambulance, which, unfortunately is not abnormal for me. But so we're gonna see what's going on right now. There's definitely an infection going on. And they don't know what that is. But whatever it needs to happen to get me back outside. thoughts and prayers are with you. Thank you. Thank you.   Michael Hingson ** 14:34 Well, it's it's interesting. And you're right, we all we all have gifts. We all have challenges. Yeah. And it's it's like anything, as I tell people talking about September 11. We couldn't prevent it. And I'm not convinced that even with the September 11 Report, I'm not seeing enough evidence to say that we could have foreseen it happening. But the issue is Since that had happened, the issue is how we deal with it. And you're facing the same sort of thing. Every day, excuse me every day as we all are, yeah, we, we have challenges. And the issue is we either deal with them and we grow and become better or not. And that's our that's our choice. Yeah,   Penn Street ** 15:19 absolutely. You know, people, even right now, they're like, Oh, you have to rest you have to, and I am resting. This one was pretty scary. And it was still so recent. But I'm like, you know, if my heart wants to blow out, or my lungs want to keep up, I'd rather be doing that standing on top of a mountain or, you know, rafting a river or, you know, doing something that I love, and instead of sitting on a couch, you know, it's or it but that's the way I am. I'm not saying that's the correct way, you know, other people may totally disagree with me. But it's, it's my life. And that's the way I want to live it and   Michael Hingson ** 16:02 well, you can decide when you want to not be so, so active on any given day. That's your choice.   Penn Street ** 16:11 Absolutely. All of us have that choice, though.   Michael Hingson ** 16:15 Absolutely. Absolutely. We all have that choice. So you but you How did school go for you after that? After Stevens Johnson and so on?   Penn Street ** 16:25 Actually really well. I have, I don't know where it came from. And I don't know, school was always easy for me. It's not that I'm the best student, I don't have a super IQ. I don't know what my IQ is. But school was always really easy. To me, I always looked at it sort of as a puzzle or a game. Depending on what the teacher needed or wanted from me, that's what I gave them, which got me good grades. And it just it always worked for me. I was always a good problem solver. And so, whenever I got a new teacher, which was you know, every year, or every quarter, whatever, whatever grade I was in, I really studied the teacher and what they needed and wanted and, and that's what I gave them. And so even though because of, you know, my bad, bad health or whatever you want to call it, I was kept home a lot. I don't think I went a full week of school when I was finally allowed to go back to school. You know, I think if I hit four days a week actually being, you know, my butt in the seat left classroom, that was rare. And but I still made I made straight A's I was I was always on the honor roll even in college. You know, when I went to university, I made the Dean's list, I worked full time. It was I I don't think there's anything special or gifted about me. I just, it's just the way my brain works. And I learned what it took to get good grades. And that's what I did. And I and I was disciplined about it. You know, and I did my work when I'm supposed to do my work. And it just worked out for me, Michael, it was, you know, I did go through public school, there was a time in middle school that my parents were concerned because I started you know, typical started getting teased and all that kind of thing. And they were they were concerned about my mental health, you know, but then I did i They allowed me to go, you know, research it and I even did, you know, some visits with a couple different schools. You know, and it just I it didn't feel right. I wanted, I wanted to be in the public school system. And it wasn't just because that's where my friends were. It's it's just that's what felt like what I needed. And   Michael Hingson ** 19:04 so what year was this? What years were you in high school?   Penn Street ** 19:07 I graduated in 87.   Michael Hingson ** 19:09 Okay, so, you I never had any of the real teasing and bullying growing up as a blind kid. Because we lived in Palmdale, which was a pretty rural area 65 miles north of Los Angeles, but I know that over time, I guess more and more bullying happened. So maybe there was more of it. When you were in high school then even I experienced Of course it's a whole different ballgame now with all the things that exists but   Penn Street ** 19:37 I was I can't imagine now. Yeah, I   Michael Hingson ** 19:41 I wouldn't want to be a kid now. It's got to be so challenging. Exactly. But I was very fortunate that I didn't really have a lot and I I did have issues. I was denied access to the school bus for a while in my freshman year of high school because we had a bully of a superintendent in the district, we had a rule, we had a rule that said no live animals a lot on the school bus, which I understand. But there was a state law that said that, that blind people with guide dogs could take their dogs anywhere that the public could go. And under case law that included meat taking my dog on the school bus, well, the superintendent didn't care. And so I was actually denied. And when we got a board meeting about it at the local school board level, the board sided three to two with the superintendent, even though we showed them what the law said. And it actually took reaching out to the Governor of California who was at that time, Edmund G, Pat Brown, Jr. To get it reversed, and the superintendent then left us alone, but it took that level to to make it happen. But that's the but it was a great lesson for me, because I learned that you can fight city hall and when you gotta do it for the right reasons.   Penn Street ** 20:59 Yeah. Yeah. Wow, I that is crazy to me. That it's ignorance, right. But I always wonder where did that I always want to sit down people like like that, like that superintendents. Like, where's this coming from? It   Michael Hingson ** 21:23 from everything I knew about this guy, it was you do what I say? And that's all that matters. And so I don't know. But that's what I heard. But you certainly went through a lot. What did you major in, in college?   Penn Street ** 21:36 Special Education in journalism?   Michael Hingson ** 21:39 Ah, oh my gosh, that's two divergent majors.   Penn Street ** 21:42 Yes, I always wanted to be a writer. And, but I also, I was, I feel like I was really lucky that I always had amazing mentors. Not every teacher was amazing. But I always learned something from each one of them. But I, but there were a few really big standouts and, but I always had these people in my life that were just really awesome role models for different, you know, different reasons. And, but one of the things that I think my mom, you know, she was, she was a very caring person. And she was a big believer, you know, we went to church and things like that. And I always saw her giving, you know, rather was like, you know, taking soup to somebody who was sick, or we had a neighbor who, across the street who was in a wheelchair, and my mom would go over, and, you know, just do chores for him not get paid, she just did it because she was a good person she wanted to, yeah, and that she didn't, we didn't ever really talk about it, but it really instilled in me that there are really awesome people out there. And whenever you can give back you should, and will on as a kid with a disability. You know, I, I was, you know, I was given things and I was given opportunities that my other siblings weren't given, you know, I got to go to summer camp, they didn't none of them a summer camp. You know, I, I, you know, had I was I took bowling lessons, you know, nobody else in my family to bowling lessons. So they're always, there was always this opportunities. And so as I got, you know, even in high school, I was given the opportunity to be a teacher's assistant in the special deeds class, and all of the students that were in there, you know, had different different abilities. And I, I loved it, I loved it. And they were my tribe. I didn't think of them as being any different than me. And I think that's why we all got along. And, and then I became involved with the program. It's called Cooper home, where seniors in high school that had various disabilities could go there to stay after. Yeah, Monday after school, and then they would come over and then, you know, so Monday night, Tuesday, Wednesday night, Thursday night, they would come over after school, and we would teach them independent living skills, transportation, all the things that they needed to be successful when they went, you know, left home after they graduated high school or went on to school or whatever they were going to do. And again, I just, I just loved it. Teaching was fun to me. It was It fills my cup. And I always learned I think I learned more from them than what I was teaching them. And it was it was just a gift take situation and And I really, really liked it. And so that's why I went into I wanted to be a teacher. But I also loved writing. And so So yeah, so it was it just made sense that that was the direction that I thought I was going to go with my career. I think we know our best, right when we're able to   Michael Hingson ** 25:20 get for thinking right. Now, are you totally blind?   Penn Street ** 25:24 I know I'm not I'm my ride is prosthetic, I finally made the choice a few years ago, it was an eye that was not usable. I had no vision and it hurt. Oh, and I, but I have on you know, like, well, someday I'm going to be the bionic woman. And we're going to come up with the bio. And I was like, why am I wasting all this energy being in pain was something that it's just paid. And so I had it removed and then my left eye, I have a little peripheral on the on the outer at the left hand side. But it's fuzzy. It's super fuzzy. That's what I call it fuzzy.   Michael Hingson ** 26:03 Got it? Yeah, I was just curious to put it in perspective. But you went on to college, and that was was a certainly cool. And you You certainly seem to have a very positive attitude about you and about being blind and so on. You don't pity yourself. Why do you think that is?   Penn Street ** 26:21 It's exhausting to feel sorry for yourself?   Michael Hingson ** 26:25 Good idea. Good answer.   Penn Street ** 26:28 I don't know. I think it's my, my, it was my parents, it was my teachers it was, you know, I think even before I got, you know, Stevens Johnson Syndrome, I had to learn to sort of pull up my bootstraps. And, you know, and again, I do think it was having seven older brothers, you know, they, even though I was way smaller than them and could never keep up with them. They expected me to, you know, like, oh, you can climb to the top of that tree, you can, you know, jump your bike over the obstacle. So, I think I was always pushing myself physically and mentally, that I just kept doing that, you know, and, you know, and again, that problem solving and, you know, in my mother, my mother was visually impaired and hearing impaired. And when she was a young child, she got very ill. It was from a medication. They think that possibly she had Stevens Johnson Syndrome, but not as, you know, as ferocious of cases I had, but at that time, they didn't call it Stevens Johnson said, Yeah. And so she just growing up with a mother that was visually impaired and hearing impaired. She, she didn't drive, but boy, could she ride the bus or walk across town through alleyways and that I didn't even know existed, right. And she was she was a really good example of, okay, you can't hear well, you can't see well, well, then you walk. You know, you use what, what assets you do have and you strengthen those. And it was sure No, I do. I think it was just part of my DNA. That   Michael Hingson ** 28:30 it certainly did. certainly good for you. How are all your older brothers today?   Penn Street ** 28:38 Um, I've I've lost two of them. And the oldest one passed away. He was he was actually in the at the very tail end of Vietnam. They think that it was some of the, you know, the war things that happened to him, that he, you know, he didn't live a very healthy life when he came home either. And then my brother who's just older than me, Tim, he was my Superman. He, the three the three of us, you know, Tim Sherry and I were, we were a little you know, the three musketeers and we always stood up for each other and he esophagus cancer runs in my family. And so he he passed away with the esophagus cancer, I have two other brothers that are still alive that also live with you know, the effects of the esophagus cancer in the My father's mother, my grandmother passed away of the esophagus cancer, so sorry to hear it. Yeah, but but they, you know, I don't I'm not real close to my other brothers, even though there wasn't a huge age gap between us. It was just enough, you know, but my little sister and I are very close. She lives in Colorado, too. So we we get together as often as we can, and at least send a funny emoji or some text every single day. So   Michael Hingson ** 30:00 My brother and I were two years apart, but clearly very different. He was not blind. And so we weren't as close as we could have been. We did communicate, but still definitely different lives. So I understand what you're saying. And sometimes you're just not as close and at the same time, they're still your brothers. And and so it's still part of part of you in every way.   Penn Street ** 30:25 Yeah, I posted. I'm on Tik Tok. And I posted a video about bullying. I don't know, a month or so maybe it's been two months now. And one of my older brothers who lives in Kansas, he posted like anybody messes with my little sister, they have to come through me. And then at the end, he goes, Well, what am I saying? No, she could probably kick your butt. Probably more than I can at this point. For him, yeah, but it was it was still nice to   Michael Hingson ** 30:55 have some. What did you do after college?   Penn Street ** 30:58 So I met my husband, Moses, and did you have one of those around? Yes, it is, he is a professional photographer. So the complete opposite scope as I am as far as visual goes, and he, we, I always say I hear he, he has had two little girls. And I always tell people, I fell in love with the girls, but and then he was just the icing happened to be there. Exactly. So yeah, so and a lot of it was because of meeting houses, my life really changed. My career changed my, what I what I thought it was going to end up doing in life changed, he, I was a really good salesperson. And I think it's because of my positive attitude. And, and if I'm passionate about something I can, like sell it. And so he was looking for a studio and gallery manager and even though I was visually impaired, you know, or low vision or whatever term you use, I, I really believed in him and I believed in what he was doing, he has a philosophy with photography, that how you look in a photograph has nothing to do with how you look, or the makeup you're wearing, or the hair or the clothes or whatever it has to do with how you feel. And if you feel beautiful, if you feel strong, then that's the way you come across in the photograph. And so that whole philosophy is of his i That's I, I, I bought it hook line and sinker. And it was something I could sell. And boy did I you know, we, we had decades of a very wealthy lifestyle, because of, of that, and, and it was it really changed lives, you know, people would come in that, you know, it could have been their wedding was coming up, or, you know, whatever the event was, and they would take this class, this photo class, and then Moses would do the shoot, the photoshoot, and their lives would really be changed because of it. And it's things that it's not like you come in and you do it, and then you can't redo it when you're your home or with your when you're with your family or your community. He actually taught you how to use the skills so that you could go on and be photographed by your Uncle Joe or, you know, the local newspaper or whatever it was, and you could still use those tools. And so it was it was a concept I really appreciated. And yeah, and so we so I went into sales, and I managed our studio and our gallery for four decades. And then we kind of hit this point, I lost another big chunk of vision overnight. And I was like, you know, it's it's time for me to get I really miss the teaching and the writing and, and I miss working with people with disabilities. And so we made the decision that I would I went back to I went through Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and you know, sort of sharpened all those skills   Michael Hingson ** 34:27 needed to be a survivor, but go ahead.   Penn Street ** 34:30 Yeah, don't get me started. But, but and then i i You know, put my resume out there and got scooped up by a nonprofit and the the rest of sort of history I you know, I do get to write now and I work now I work pretty much specifically with people who are blind or visually impaired, but I've had several opportunities to work for amazing organizations. that have that I've gotten to travel and meet extraordinary people. And do, you know, really, life dream? Things like I got to wrap the entire Grand Canyon with a group of high schoolers that were blind, you know, low vision. And one of them actually was profoundly deaf as well. And boy with this was that an experience of a lifetime and loved every moment of it. So I, you know, we don't make you know, we're I work for a nonprofit. So we're not making those huge dollar amounts that we did when we had the studio and gallery but life is life is just this   Michael Hingson ** 35:43 rich. But But Moses is still doing okay.   Penn Street ** 35:46 He is he's semi retired. And he he, he probably does, I would say, maybe a dozen jobs a year, but that's fine. It's fine. We like we like we like where we are, you know, we have a beautiful life.   Michael Hingson ** 36:02 Well, if you if you ever have to just point out to him that no matter what he says, it may be the picture's worth 1000 words, but they take up a whole heck of a lot more memory. I like that. Yeah, I saw that once a few years ago. I thought it was great. Well, you, I do. figure I might as well since you brought it up. I do like to use the term low vision as opposed to visually impaired. And I'll tell you why. I've talked about it a few times here. But I think there are two problems with the whole terminology of visually impaired first of all, deaf people would shoot you if you call them visual or human hearing impaired? Oh, yes, absolutely. Because they have recognized that they shouldn't be compared to a person who can hear and if you say impaired, you're immediately putting a stigma in the same way visually impaired. But the other problem with visually impaired is visually, we're not necessarily different just because we don't see,   36:59 unless we look, some of us look exactly   Michael Hingson ** 37:02 the same. Some of us not necessarily, but that's why low vision is so much better. And we we've got to get people into the habit of trying to stop comparing us.   Penn Street ** 37:12 Exactly, yeah, I actually I interviewed you for my podcast after sight. And we had this discussion. We have a hike coming up. And I actually purposely banked made sure that I put low vision that are visually impaired, and I've been trying pretty much daily trying to get my team where I work to use low vision instead of visually impaired,   Michael Hingson ** 37:40 it makes a lot more sense. I mean, you can make the case of low vision isn't fair, because so we don't see good. We got lots of vision. But I can cope with that, you know, because eyesight and vision are so closely equated. And I don't think you're going to get rid of that one. But visually impaired is a ridiculous thing. Anyway. But so you're working with nonprofits. And and you mentioned after site, so we should talk about that some because you have a nice, successful podcast. And that seems to be going pretty well.   Penn Street ** 38:12 Yes. It's called the after site. And it's all one word. And when I started working as the development and Outreach Director for the nonprofit audio information network of Colorado, here in Colorado, they had had a previous podcast, it was called Community Conversations. And they but if they hadn't had it in several years, and so they asked me if I would, you know, bring it back to life. And I did, but I didn't really like community conversations. I wanted it, it was so broad. I wanted   Michael Hingson ** 38:49 something doesn't mean anything necessarily anymore. What does that   Penn Street ** 38:53 mean? It sounds I don't know, it. It just, it just didn't strike home to me. And so I went to, you know, the executive director and the board and I said, you know, I really would, I really liked doing the podcast, but I would like to be more focused. And, you know, since we work, you know, our resources and services that we're providing here are for people who are blind and low vision is it should be about vision loss, and that's, that's my wheelhouse, right? You know, and I and I know a ton of people that have incredible stories and incredible resources are incredible services. And I that's where I would like the focus to go and so we actually with my, my grant manager, and I were brainstorming, and he's the one that came up with after sight. Because I often say there is life after sight, you know, after losing your vision and so he so it's stuck and so that's why it became after sight, and I do love doing it. It's I I just, I've met so many just amazing people worldwide through it. And they it became so successful that it was becoming a little overwhelming to keep up with, along with my, you know, my regular duties being development director and doing outreach. And so they hired a Podcast Producer Jonathan, shout out to you. And Jonathan really took it to the level where it is now. And because he knew he had the skills and so he brings on just amazing guests. And I do you know, throw him a few people that I know like you with you, Michael. You know, I had your name on the on my list for quite a while before, our mutual friend Kevin, you know, introduced us again, so   Michael Hingson ** 40:49 well, and it was fun doing that podcast. And yeah. And I hope that people will seek out after site as well. How long have you been doing the podcasts now?   Penn Street ** 40:59 Two years now? Okay.   Michael Hingson ** 41:02 Yeah, we're coming up on our second year in August, we reached out to a lot of people on LinkedIn who have expressed interest in being on the podcast, and because of that last year, we've gone to two episodes a week.   Penn Street ** 41:16 That's me. I, we had talked about that. But I just I'm like I, I can.   Michael Hingson ** 41:22 Yeah, well, it's fun to work at home. So I'm able to do a lot of that you're actually the second person today that I've had the opportunity to have an interview with, but it's careful. But it's fun to do. And, like you. I love learning. And I've learned a lot from every person who I have the opportunity to talk with. Yes. And so it's so much fun. Now, you use you use a guide dog, as I recall,   Penn Street ** 41:54 I do which he barked earlier, which I'm glad he isn't doing   Michael Hingson ** 42:01 well, as Jonathan could probably tell you, if he edits podcast, you could actually edit that out without any difficulty. There is technology today to do all that kind of stuff. It's pretty amazing. But what what made you wait so long to start to use a guide dog?   Penn Street ** 42:16 Well, because of the Stevens Johnson Syndrome. I don't have any I shouldn't say don't have any, but I have very little mucous membranes. And so breathing and dog hair is not I mean, I will occasionally on special occasions, I'll do it. But I usually pay for it in the end. But so I never thought I could have a guide dog because I only knew of shepherds and labs. And so I never really researched it. And then a friend said, when I saw this article about they're using standard poodle, as guide dogs, and I was like, You gotta be kidding me. And I, as a kid, I love dogs. And so I had a, you know, the miniature poodle, little Behringer and then even when I met Moses, our his, his oldest daughter, who you know, is my stepdaughter, she she really wanted a dog and so we got to beach on Friday, which again, is hypoallergenic and, and so one I don't think I'd ever even seen a standard poodle, like I couldn't pitch are these enough to guide me around? I'm five nine. So it's like I did, but I did some research and and at that time, the Guide Dogs for the Blind out of California was they had a poodle program. So they went through their whole thing where they come out, they do the Juna walk and all that. And but then every poodle that came up, got reassigned to something else. And they finally gave up on poodles. If but they've referred me to pilot dogs, which is where I met you, Michael for the first time. So many years ago, they referred me to pilot dogs because the executive director at pilot dogs at the time, really love standard poodles and they actually had a pretty big vibrant program. And so that's how I ended up there. And my first two guide dogs was through pilot dogs. And then I went on to my last two dogs have been from the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind out of Smithtown,   Michael Hingson ** 44:30 New York, right? So all peoples   Penn Street ** 44:32 all poodles, I did try. What are they called? The poodle lab crossover doodles. Yeah. But I was still enough allergic like they were still laugh enough in there that it wasn't. It wasn't a good match.   Michael Hingson ** 44:49 I have to be careful how I say this, because there's somebody over here on the floor listening but so the story goes poodles are about the most intelligent dog there.   Penn Street ** 44:59 Release they are, which is quite,   Michael Hingson ** 45:03 he's not gonna bite me.   Penn Street ** 45:06 But that's sometimes not a blessing, because they are so intelligent that they can be stubborn. And you really have to be the alpha dog 24/7 Because they, they will, they will test you, you, you have to have a certain, and there's that tomboy attitude. Right. You know, and, but I've been very, very fortunate with with my dogs and they I every time it will, you know, Michael, they know they don't live that long. And it drives me crazy. And they definitely don't guide as long as we would like them to and no. So the last one I, I was like, This is it, I I'm gonna go back, I'll just be a king user, like, I'm fine. I have good cane skills. And but here I am. And so now with him, he's nine and a half. And I have a feeling guy duck foundation will send out their trainer to do his evaluation in the spring. And there'll be like, I think it's time because he has slowed down a lot. And he's got some arthritis in his hips and that kind of thing. He's healthy. He's, he's 60. But it's not fair to him. And I'll keep him though. Sure. I will not even though I have a list of people, like I'll take him on like, no. But I I thinking he might be my last guy. But I thought that last time, so I should be open to whatever.   Michael Hingson ** 46:46 Yeah, I I agree. I think the issue is that these dogs love to work. And they would work till they drop. And so it's up to us, as you said to be the alpha dog, but also to be the real team leader and understand when it's time to retire. But it doesn't mean that you shouldn't get another one, it just means you're going to develop new memories. We had a cat, my wife had a cat named Bojangles. And Bo was, was a she lived to be I think, almost 15. But she so when I got married, I got married to both of them. And when she passed the The vet said, don't wait a long time to get a new cat. Remember, you're not replacing the memories or the cat, you're going to create new memories. And I've always told that to people, both getting animals after one died and and also just dealing with guide dogs and so on. The reality is it's new memories, you're going to learn new things. And it's an adventure. So you should you should continue.   Penn Street ** 48:00 Yeah, yeah. I mean, I can't imagine my life without, you know. I mean, they are sort of part of my identity. But it's we'll see. We'll see.   Michael Hingson ** 48:13 Yeah, you'll do what's right for you. Now, I understand that you've met Erik Weihenmayer. Tell me about   Penn Street ** 48:19 that. Yeah, Eric and I are good friends. I've never met Eric. He's he's a big goofball is it's in very giving. He So Eric is the first blind person to summit Mount Everest. Now, Lonnie Bedwell. I don't know if he's, he's up on Everest right now. If he summits he'll be the third. So I remember when the second I can't remember his name. The second blind person that summited Everest, Eric, Eric had to change his title to first instead of the only blind person   Michael Hingson ** 48:56 they have to grow and change, you know? Yeah.   Penn Street ** 48:59 So I met I met Eric I, when I think I mentioned I lost a big chunk of vision pretty much overnight and, and even though I had all the skills, the tools to took to move on, but it kind of put me in a dark place. Mostly because it I was really afraid of my career, which at that moment was working the studio and gallery. And so a friend of mine Diantha she's from Czechoslovakia. She goes, You know, I heard that there's this blind guy that summited Mount Everest, and his his premiere of his filmless is showing and I think we should go on top of the world, right? Yes. And so she pretty much kidnapped me forced me to go and she of course had the best seats right up front. And I couldn't really see the screen. But I could hear everything. Yeah. And, and then Eric, and his, you know, group of goofballs that submitted with him got up on stage. And it was the first person. I mean, I had met other blind people, but it was the first person that who was blind that was alive. That became a mentor to me. And I met him afterwards because we had, you know, the VIP ticket or whatever. And we just really hit off this friendship. Now this was before, he's the Eric, why, Marius today. So you could just walk up and meet him. And I was working for the actually the Stevens Johnson Syndrome Foundation, and I was putting together a fundraiser, and I said, Eric, this film would be great for me to, to use as a fundraiser, and I did pay the, you know, the filming rights and stuff to show the film, come up with the money. And I did, he didn't give me any favors, discounts. And I showed the film, and it was a huge success, and and then he started asking me to volunteer for his nonprofit, which has no barriers, and I would go to speaking gigs and, you know, do different things for him. And we just a friendship grew out of that. And then there was a position open with no barriers. And I, I applied, and I got it and went to work full time for him. And it was, it was incredible ride. Incredible, right? They just did a big hike actually on Saturday, which I was supposed to be at, but with what's going on with my heart right now. I didn't dare I didn't even go up to to the mountain. And I was thinking about, well, I'll just go up and I'll just sit at the base camp. But I didn't, it was too, too painful. So I usually do one hike a year with him. And that I think I might get another opportunity in August, hopefully. But But yeah, we he really did become a mentor of mine, because I love the outdoors. So much. And I really didn't know anybody who was blind or low vision that did outdoor sports until I met Eric. And then of course, I met Eric and he introduced me to, you know, everybody, and it was it was like, oh, again, it was like, okay, no big deal, I just have to do it a little bit differently. And so I kept doing it. And it's it's, it really opened a door that I didn't even know existed. So I really, really appreciate. Appreciate what and he's done that for 1000s of people. And and I shouldn't say you can't just walk up and meet him, you can if you if you're in the right place at the right time. And he really is generous with his time. But he definitely has that buffer now, you know, between himself and the general public because he has to he can't, he can't be there for everybody all the time. You know, he has a lot of responsibilities with what he does. So   Michael Hingson ** 53:31 well, you had to face a lot of things and in your world and in your life. Well, how do you face your fears? And why is it important to face them?   Penn Street ** 53:42 That's a really good question. I think I think when you don't face your fears, it gets it gets harder to face the next one, where if you keep on top of them, it I think it becomes a little bit easier. And so to me, if I if I come across things that scare me on whatever level whether they're physically or or mentally or it could be somebody telling me oh, you can't do that because you're blind. i It makes me want to do it more. Because Because I'm afraid it will if I if I don't face this fear, then the next one that comes along I'm not going to be able to face that one. And so and I do pick, you know, I I pick my battles, but you know, I don't I don't I don't think I seek out fear. I'm not I'm not I don't think I'm adrenaline junkie, you know, but on any level, especially compared to people like Eric Kim, you know, and that level of athlete, but I really think that we have to keep on top of our fears, because there's so many things out there day to day things that are scary. You know, and if we don't keep that fear in check, and, and Michael, I mean, you know this if you face a fear and you're able to break through it and learn from it and grow from it, the next one that's just doesn't seem as scary. So if we, I feel like if I get lazy about that, I'll give in and be like, I'll let the fear take over there. There was a book that came out, I didn't even read the book, it was just the title. I think it came out in the late 80s, early 90s. It was called fear, feel, sale, the fear and do it anyway. And just the title of that book became my mantra, you know, it's like, it's okay to be afraid, it is totally okay for me to be afraid. But to feel that and acknowledge it as a feeling. But I can go ahead and do it just just because I'm afraid of it doesn't, there's not a stop sign, it just means that it's I'm afraid.   Michael Hingson ** 56:15 I think we talked a little bit during our time on after site, podcast about fear. And one of the things I talked about as we're starting to write actually, it's now at the publisher being looked at, it's called a guide dogs Guide to Being brave. That's our working title. But I realized during the pandemic, that what I haven't done most of the time I've been speaking, is while I talk about not being afraid, I've not really worked to try to teach other people how to deal with fear. And I put it that way, because I'm not going to say how not to be afraid because I agree with you fear is part of what we do. The issue is, can we learn to control our fear? And the answer is yes, we can. And there's no question that we can learn how to not as I call it, be blinded by see her. And that's what we need to do. So I started working on that during the pandemic, I have a friend, I'm working with Carrie Wyatt, Kenton. So we've written the book, and now we're waiting to hear from the publisher what they want to edit or change or or do, we've done that once. And now we're, we're on our second shot at it, and we're working toward it, the expectation is that we can put something out. And it's called a guide dogs Guide to Being brave, because we base it all around the eight guide dogs that I've had and lessons I learned from them and how they behaved. And one of them could not face fear very well, and actually created her own fear, and only worked about 18 months before having to retire because she couldn't get any more she was too afraid of it. But it's a it's a fascinating set of stories. So looking forward to that coming out. But I agree with you, it's a matter of facing fear. But learning to recognize that fear can be a very powerful, positive tool for each of us.   Penn Street ** 58:10 Yeah. I agree. You know, I think some of because even rafting the Grand Canyon, I am not a good swimmer. I'm not a big, you know, like dog paddle. And I had never rafted in my entire life. And guess what there's lots of in the Grand Canyon snakes. So I, but I've really wanted to do it, I really, really wanted this experience. And I wanted to meet these kids from all over the United States, and do this adventure with them. And I it was really, it was sometimes hour by hour. And it was day by day, but but I also I shared my fear with the kids. And, and at first I wasn't going to because I was afraid to tell these high school kids because high school kids, they can be rough on you, and especially my experience getting bullied in high school. And so I was actually afraid to tell the kids about my fears. And I talked with the other leaders on the group and they said you you should tell them. Yes, I bet you. I bet you these kids have fears of their own. And you're here to be their mentor. So   Michael Hingson ** 59:39 plus, plus, if you don't, they'll see through you every time.   59:46 So I did I told them about, you know, how I lost my vision and with the rattlesnake by initiating the whole thing. And it was amazing. So at night The kids because we slept outside on Paco pads, of course. And they would put their their pads around me in a circle. And they said, you know, Miss Penn, if we feel a snake golfer as well, yeah, well, before it gets to you, I don't know if that's gonna help. But   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:19 that probably isn't a good idea, but nice, but good thought nevertheless was,   Penn Street ** 1:00:23 and they shared some of the fears that they had, and that they had not shared in their paperwork, you know, because you have to fill out a book, you know, booklet of paperwork before you get to come. And it was, it was amazing, because they got to be vulnerable, and they got to share their fears. And then the other kids got to support them, you know, and getting over their fears. And, you know, it was, and what ended up happening is we all learned each other's strengths and weaknesses. And so, you know, the really strong swimmers did the swimming, and then they taught some of us weaker ones, you know, some of the tricks, you know, and gave us some skills. And it was it was just, it ended up being a really neat thing. So I think it's okay to, and I think it's important to tell people when you're afraid, yeah, no,   Michael Hingson ** 1:01:19 I agree, it's important to do that. And everyone is different. And some of us don't necessarily face fear, and have negative reactions a lot. I think that's a lot of my upbringing, but some of us do. And there's no right or wrong way. It's a question though, of what we learn with it, and, and how we learn to address and deal with fear and challenges that we face. I'm assuming that you did not encounter any rattlesnakes in the Grand Canyon,   Penn Street ** 1:01:50 not any of that were alive there. What we thought we did a hike one day back into where this waterfall was. And one of the I was at the back, I like to be it's called the sweeper, it's the person in the back of the pack that makes sure nobody gets left behind. And that's always my favorite roll. And one of the kids came back coming to me and I was like, you're supposed to be going the opposite way. And they said, Miss Penn, there's there's a rattlesnake up there. But it's in it's right on the side of the trail. And it's right when you get to the waterfall. And and it but it's Dad and I said you could lead with it's so it was really sweet. When I got up there. I say like, do you want to see it? It's dead. I was like, Nope, I don't   Michael Hingson ** 1:02:37 need to have enough exposure to them already. I've ever been there, done that. But then   Penn Street ** 1:02:43 I was standing in the pool at the bottom of the waterfall. And one of the guides, you know, he's been a river rat forever, has hundreds, probably hundreds of times, rafting the Grand Canyon. He was standing near me and I said, What do you think killed that rattlesnake, you know, was its head crushed into something? Because Oh no, it probably got caught in the current above. And then when it came down the waterfall either got sucked under and drowned or just the impact of and I said, so there are rattlesnakes coming to Vegas? Well, it's probably rare. But yeah, I was like, Okay, I'm gonna go stand up.   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:25 He could have told you that it was afraid of you.   Penn Street ** 1:03:27 But now they'd have mentioned that. Yeah.   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:31 So what's next for Penn Street in the world?   Penn Street ** 1:03:34 Oh, wow. I I am really, uh, you know, I'm, I turned 55 This year, which, to some people doesn't sound old to others. I sound ancient. But, you know, my, my body is definitely maybe plateauing. And so, I'm really looking at these next few years of things that I really, really, really want to accomplish physically, and make sure that I do those things. So, you know, there are trips my brother who I mentioned my Superman when he passed away, my father's side of the family is from Scotland and, and Tim was really proud of his Scottish roots. My mother was Cherokee, Choctaw, Native American Indian. But Tim wanted his ashes taken back to Scotland and so it's been 10 years, next year will be 10 years. So we are going to some family and really close friends of my brothers are we're going to take his ashes to Scotland and I'm looking at different either biking trips or hiking, you know, trails that I would like to do there. That's a really big deal to me. And then the there's just there's some big trips like that that I want to accomplish. In the next couple of years, and I really, really would like to rap the Grand Canyon one more time, while I'm as healthy as I possibly. So, that's, that's really what's what's next for me. I love working at audio information network of Colorado. And I am so blessed to have such an amazing team. And Kim is such a great executive director. And so I see myself hopefully, you know, knock on wood here, that that's where my career will, you know, go until I retire, but who knows, you never know what what doors are gonna open and   Michael Hingson ** 1:05:44 well, when you go to Scotland, you'll have to go eat some haggis   Penn Street ** 1:05:48 hog I've heard about haggis. No, thank you.   Michael Hingson ** 1:05:52 I went to New Zealand and had haggis pie was very tasty. Now I don't know what was in it, as opposed to what they say is in haggis. It was very tasty. So you know, I'll bet it will be not not so bad. When you go there. Go to a restaurant and get haggis. I bet it won't be what? I would try it. I think it's worth exploring. Be brave. I will. I will. They won't have rattlesnake in it. I guarantee you that   Penn Street ** 1:06:19 that's good. I guess there are places that serve rattle steak in the south. But I've never   Michael Hingson ** 1:06:28 I had steak once somebody gave me a piece of snake and it tasted like chicken. There was way too much cartilage. And that was enough for me. I don't need to do it anymore. I can say   Penn Street ** 1:06:39 I'm a pescetarian I guess they call it I'm vegetarian, but I will eat salmon. You know fish occasionally. Yeah. And but you know, when you're traveling, especially abroad, you kind of need to go with the flow and open   Michael Hingson ** 1:06:53 you to give me a good piece of garlic bread any day. Yes. Well pin this has been absolutely fun. And I'm really glad we had a chance to do this. And I want to hear more about your exploits as you go forward. So we need to do this again in a year or two when you've done some of your other adventures. And I hope everyone has enjoyed this. We'd love to hear your comments reach out to us. But how can people reach out to you and learn more about you and what you're doing and all that kind of stuff?   1:07:27 Absolutely. I'm on most social media, Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, you can either use my name Penn P E N N Street, or my tagline is the blind check. Which came out of me running for city council. And so that's another story. But the blind check. And also you can reach out to me at audio information network of Colorado and find out more about what we do there. We are state based so if you're in Colorado, check us out it but it's Penn p e n n at A I N Colorado dot O R G. So I'd love to hear from you.   Michael Hingson ** 1:08:11 And after say podcast has a website.   1:08:14 It does not have a website that you can reach it through our website, which is the A I N colorado.org. Or it's on everything Apple, Spotify, Google, you know all of all of the big podcast platforms. Just it's after sight all one word. And yeah, we'd love to have you check us out there as well.   Michael Hingson ** 1:08:37 Cool. Well, we appreciate you being here and telling us all that as well. And for all of you out there, go seek out Penn street, I think it will be a treat. And she's got lots of interesting and relevant things to say needless to say. And again, I want to thank you all for listening. Please give us a five star rating wherever you're listening to us, we would appreciate it. And I hope that you'll reach out to me I'd love to hear what you think of today's episode. You can reach me at Michael M I C H  A E L H I at accessibe A C C E S S I B E.com. Or at WWW dot Michael Hingson M I C H A E L H I N G S O N .com/podcast. So we're findable. And we'd love to hear from you. I'd love to hear your thoughts and Penn for you and for anyone else's thing. If you've got any thoughts of other people who we ought to have as guests. We always appreciate introductions and emails about that. So please let us know and introduce us to anyone who you think we ought to have as a guest. We'll do it. We're glad to and once more Penn. I want to thank you for being with us today. This has been an absolute joy.   Penn Street ** 1:09:49 Thank you, Michael.   Michael Hingson ** 1:09:53 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an

In this episode, we sit down with climbing partners Erik Weihenmayer and Felipe Tapia Nordenflycht to talk about their recent expedition to Patagonia. Erik and Felipe are each incredible athletes in their own right, but the real heart of this conversation is about partnership, and the unique ways we learn from and rely on our climbing partners. We dive into Erik's incredible career as the first blind person to climb Everest, and Felipe's roots in Chile that inspired this expedition and continue to influence him as he emerges as an athlete and pro photographer. We cover their unique experiences at the summit of Torre Norte, and how each of them hope to see the climbing community grow and expand. Their travels to Patagonia and their partnership are the subject of a new film sponsored by Rab—get the full story and behind the scenes details here!

Erik graces us with his presence again as he and Kim talk about some of the fun things and learning to explore all the facets of being blind and doing fun outdoor activities. It's just about getting out there and trying new things. Enjoy this week.

We are closing out the month of July by having the one and only Erik Weihenmayer. He is an incredible human and has accomplished a lot in his career. From non-profits to world renowned expeditions, Erik has done it all. Part 2 will Kick off August as we move into our leisure month. Enjoy the show!

Welcome to this Side Trip. Side Trips are super short stories about the off road excursions we take that often lead to interesting life experiences. This Side Trip is about one of my favorite conversations on reaching for your potential with Erik Weihenmayer. Erik is one of the most inspiration people I've had the privilege to meet. He is the founder of the not for profit an author of numerous books and the star of the Netflix documentary "The Weight of Water."  Erik is  testament to achievement. He's climbed Everest, the 7 summits and kayaked through the Co river rapids. And he accomplished all this without the benefit of sight. Stop and think about that for a moment. How does a someone who is blind set himself up for such successes? Listen as I share one of my favorite stories (it's really Erik's story)  from our podcast. You can listen to the full conversation   Coming Soon! The Book. Bump In The Road, Stories of Courage, Hope and Resilience, an inspiring anthology of overcoming life's bumps. Because everyone needs a bit of inspiration.   Learn more at Follow Bump on:

Patrick Kane needed a prothetic arm. Would he rather have one that looked quite natural, with real looking skin or one that was ‘machine beautiful' with exposed titanium, carbon fiber, alloys, and the like. . Prosthetics have been around for 1000s of years. They've been found in Egyptian tombs. There's a story about a German soldier who lost his arm in war, but that didn't stop him from returning to the battlefield. He had a suit of armor made with a metal hand on it and he was known to be brutal. The phrase Ruling with an Iron Fist is sometimes attributed to that story. What about the ethics of prosthetics? Here's simple question. Just because someone is missing an arm do they need to wear a prothesis. Do athletes with prosthetic limbs have an unfair advantage over able-bodied athletes? Patrick Kane was once known as the bionic teenager. He was one of the youngest people to ever be fitted with an artificial limb. He joins our host Erik Weihenmayer and guest host Billy Lister and they tackle these ideas and more.

Hosts Bill Condon and Matt McGregor talk about the main takeaways from IAMC's 20th Anniversary Forum in Detroit, Michigan. They discuss Detroit's industrial potential, the impact of Ukraine's war on manufacturing, and the incredibly inspiring story of Erik Weihenmayer - the man who summited Mt. Everest while blind.Are you unsure about investing or taking your manufacturing business to Detroit? The city's vibrancy and economic potential might shock you. The highlight of any conference is the chance to meet new people and rekindle old relationships. Of all the speakers at IAMC's anniversary forum, the most influential of them all was Erik Weihenmayer - the blind adventurer who conquered both Mt. Everest and the Grand Canyon. According to Matt, most people don't win because they let adversity get in the way. Anything worthwhile in life is created through adversity. Bill explains that the more successful people have great team members who trust and rely on each other. How will the war in Ukraine negatively impact the future of industrial manufacturing?  Mentioned in this episode:Industrial Advisors - https://www.industrialadvisors.com/No Barriers: A Blind Man's Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon by Erik Weihenmayer - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IA6NU7K/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization by Peter Zeihan - https://www.amazon.com/End-World-Just-Beginning-Globalization-ebook/dp/B09C65JNPF/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2ELTPB1PMT64W&keywords=Peter+Zion&qid=1670833194&s=digital-text&sprefix=peter+zion+%2Cdigital-text%2C351&sr=1-1

Link para o livro Merdades e Ventiras: https://merdadeseventiras.com.br  Cafezinho 545 – Cego é quem não quer ver Em 2015 vivi em Porto Alegre uma daquelas experiências que marcam a vida da gente. Fui convidado para fazer o encerramento do primeiro dia de um evento da Organização Nacional de Cegos do Brasil, que reúne 72 entidades que atuam para garantir às pessoas cegas oportunidades de acesso a conhecimento, tecnologia, trabalho e dignidade. Durante a palestra brinquei, fiz piadas inclusive sobre a cegueira, tratei a plateia como gente normal e os fiz explodir em aplausos quando contei algo que aconteceu quando fiz minha viagem ao Everest em 2001. Enquanto eu estava no Campo Base, o alpinista Erik Weihenmayer chegava ao topo da montanha mais alta do mundo. Erik é cego, e ao ser perguntado sobre o que fez para conseguir escalar o monte Everest, disse: – Não aceitei o papel que a sociedade reservou aos cegos. A reação da plateia foi excepcional, um ruído, algo como um uau!… inesquecível. Emocionante. Ao terminar a palestra fui cercado por dezenas deles, agradecidos e felizes, querendo tirar selfies – sim! Eles tiram selfies! – e me parabenizando pelas palavras, pela emoção. À noite fomos jantar num restaurante. Uma mesa com umas vinte pessoas, quinze delas cegas. O evento era dos cegos. Eles organizaram, chamaram o taxi, escolheram os pratos, pagaram a conta. Eu era apenas um convidado. Vivi um dia diferente, em que fui conduzido por quem não pode ver. E saí de lá feliz por conhecer aqueles brasileiros que não aceitam o papel que a sociedade reservou aos cegos. Que escolheram não cruzar os braços. Pois é meu. Se tá difícil pra você, imagina pra eles. Continuo a reflexão neste vídeo:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL5vqAl4CFM

Link para o livro Merdades e Ventiras: https://merdadeseventiras.com.br  Cafezinho 545 – Cego é quem não quer ver Em 2015 vivi em Porto Alegre uma daquelas experiências que marcam a vida da gente. Fui convidado para fazer o encerramento do primeiro dia de um evento da Organização Nacional de Cegos do Brasil, que reúne 72 entidades que atuam para garantir às pessoas cegas oportunidades de acesso a conhecimento, tecnologia, trabalho e dignidade. Durante a palestra brinquei, fiz piadas inclusive sobre a cegueira, tratei a plateia como gente normal e os fiz explodir em aplausos quando contei algo que aconteceu quando fiz minha viagem ao Everest em 2001. Enquanto eu estava no Campo Base, o alpinista Erik Weihenmayer chegava ao topo da montanha mais alta do mundo. Erik é cego, e ao ser perguntado sobre o que fez para conseguir escalar o monte Everest, disse: – Não aceitei o papel que a sociedade reservou aos cegos. A reação da plateia foi excepcional, um ruído, algo como um uau!… inesquecível. Emocionante. Ao terminar a palestra fui cercado por dezenas deles, agradecidos e felizes, querendo tirar selfies – sim! Eles tiram selfies! – e me parabenizando pelas palavras, pela emoção. À noite fomos jantar num restaurante. Uma mesa com umas vinte pessoas, quinze delas cegas. O evento era dos cegos. Eles organizaram, chamaram o taxi, escolheram os pratos, pagaram a conta. Eu era apenas um convidado. Vivi um dia diferente, em que fui conduzido por quem não pode ver. E saí de lá feliz por conhecer aqueles brasileiros que não aceitam o papel que a sociedade reservou aos cegos. Que escolheram não cruzar os braços. Pois é meu. Se tá difícil pra você, imagina pra eles. Continuo a reflexão neste vídeo:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL5vqAl4CFM

It's time to celebrate 1 year of Aftersight! Penn is joined by the great Erik Weihenmayer who was the first blind man to summit Mt. Everest. This episode does NOT talk about that experience, rather his passions in life including his kids, No Barriers, and overcoming his own struggle in life. Thank you, Erik, for being an amazing guest! aincolorado.org/resources aincolorado.org/podcast-guest/

In 2013 Erik Weihenmayer picked up the phone with an idea and a pitch. After 6 years of training, he was ready to throw himself into some of the biggest whitewater in the country... in a kayak. Where? That stretch of the Colorado River flowing through Grand Canyon. Who did he call? Lonnie Bedwell; today's guest. Erik's journey learning to kayak was a bit lonely at times. Where were the other blind kayakers? Eventually he found Lonnie, blind, who had thrown himself into the sport, and with rapid speed, into that big water in Grand Canyon as well. Erik wanted Lonnie to join him on this epic river adventure. His pitch, “One blind descent is an anomaly, but two would be a statement”) Erik and Lonnie indeed tag teamed that descent through the Grand Canyon and inspired others who followed years later. Let's get into Lonnie' story. We'll cover how he lost his sight in a hunting accident, kayaking the Zambezi in Africa, how his experiences in the military on submarines taught him about managing fear, adaptations he's made working in construction whether roofing a house or running electrical, and how he re-learned to mow a lawn, with his daughter, who was 5 at the time, … and much more…

Erik has achieved the incomprehensible, climbing the world's highest mountains and kayaking some of its biggest rapids, but he's also a thoughtful guy who builds community and shares the beauty that he feels interacting with climbing pitches, rivers and a variety of other places. I think you'll be amazed at the aesthetic that a blind guy sees in the world.

Chris Layne on Instagram. 

A couple days ago myself, our host Erik Weihenmayer, and maybe 50 others were sitting in an auditorium with our eyes closed. My knees were pressed up against the seat back in front of me. My arms were pinned between the hard wooden armrests. I was not comfortable. However… and I know this may sound a bit out there… buts… minutes later I found myself floating in space. I could no longer feel the pressure points in my knees and arms. I was on my way to a state of hypnosis. I was about to have a conscious conversation with my subconscious mind. That's the way our guest today describes it. Dr. Vidor Freidman. Dr. Freidman was leading a group hypnosis experience, at the No Barriers Summit, intended to give us a small glimpse into the process. That day was about reprogramming our response to stress or anxiety. However, the potential here runs so much deeper as you hear today. Pain management without narcotics. Surgery without anesthesia (yes, as a matter of fact, there's been successful implementations of hypnosis in lieu of anesthesia during surgery). And much more….

In college, podcast host Dustin Odham read Rick Warren's A Purpose Driven Life. He's been living by a mission statement he created ever since – “to make a positive and lasting impact on every person I meet, every single day,” said Odham. He intentionally chose to create a mission statement that was not job-specific but would apply to all aspects of his life on a daily basis. The choices in Odham's life, from marrying his wife to working at FranklinCovey, have been guided by his mission.“FranklinCovey is all about an inside-out approach. First, a mirror to each individual. How do I get better? Then how can we collectively identify each other's genius and greatness,” said Odham. The focus is on the people, empowering the leaders and teachers so that they can model the care they get. Starting the podcast for FranklinCovey, Odham was hesitant to take the lead as host but he has grown into the role and has learned a great deal from the various guests over the last season. In reviewing the past interviews, Odham recalls specific lessons that he now applies to work and life. He finds inspiration from leaders like Adolf Doc Brown, who " loves every minute of life and ignites joy in others,” said Odham. Each day Brown tries to connect with people. “He is genuinely trying to be good medicine. It's something I remind myself of often,” said Odham. After talking to Erik Weihenmayer, Odham faces challenges differently. Challenges that Odham used to avoid or go around he faces. He knows that one small step at a time leads to significant accomplishments. Weihenmayer was the first blind person to reach the summit of Everest. His no barriers mindset inspires Odham. “I love his thinking on embracing challenges,” said Odham. “What's within you is stronger than what is in your way.”Don't miss an episode of the next season of Change Starts Here for more inspiration.

In college, podcast host Dustin Odham read Rick Warren's A Purpose Driven Life. He's been living by a mission statement he created ever since – “to make a positive and lasting impact on every person I meet, every single day,” said Odham. He intentionally chose to create a mission statement that was not job-specific but would apply to all aspects of his life on a daily basis. The choices in Odham's life, from marrying his wife to working at FranklinCovey, have been guided by his mission.“FranklinCovey is all about an inside-out approach. First, a mirror to each individual. How do I get better? Then how can we collectively identify each other's genius and greatness,” said Odham. The focus is on the people, empowering the leaders and teachers so that they can model the care they get. Starting the podcast for FranklinCovey, Odham was hesitant to take the lead as host but he has grown into the role and has learned a great deal from the various guests over the last season. In reviewing the past interviews, Odham recalls specific lessons that he now applies to work and life. He finds inspiration from leaders like Adolf Doc Brown, who " loves every minute of life and ignites joy in others,” said Odham. Each day Brown tries to connect with people. “He is genuinely trying to be good medicine. It's something I remind myself of often,” said Odham. After talking to Erik Weihenmayer, Odham faces challenges differently. Challenges that Odham used to avoid or go around he faces. He knows that one small step at a time leads to significant accomplishments. Weihenmayer was the first blind person to reach the summit of Everest. His no barriers mindset inspires Odham. “I love his thinking on embracing challenges,” said Odham. “What's within you is stronger than what is in your way.”Don't miss an episode of the next season of Change Starts Here for more inspiration.

Some might imagine our guest today as the superhero on the cover a graphic novel. The headline would read… mild mannered kindergarten teacher by day and single handed slayer of ice creatures by night (or weekends more accurately). Kimber Cross was born with one hand. The nutshell version of her journey to where she finds herself today started with pushing her parents outside of their comfort zones, navigating her passions with insecurities, and flipping adversity into ultimately transformative moments in her life. Prior to climbing Everest or kayaking through the Grand Canyon, blind of course, our host, Erik Weihenmayer, was a middle school teacher for many years. He and Kimber compare classroom challenges to mountaineering challenges (subjective vs. objective hazards), they get into the latest in hand prosthetics, the realities of adaptive devices like Erik's brain port that projects images onto his tongue and the process of figuring out how to connect Kimber's ice tool to an arm with no hand… Also the relationship between sponsors and their athletes, and ideas around the meaning and role of adaptive athletes in todays world and beyond.

Touch The Top CEO Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to summit Mount Everest, climbs hundreds of mountains every year. And he's learned over the years that sometimes, the smartest thing to do in the face of adversity is stop, turn around, and go home; but in other situations, like an unexpectedly icy day climbing Mount Kenya, one only has to change their approach. “The mountain doesn't care, the mountain's not gonna change,” he says. “We could still maybe get to the summit, even though the mountain gave us absolute, unforeseen challenges.”In this episode, Erik and Joubin discuss climbing Mount Everest, kayaking the Grand Canyon, how Erik went blind, the “seven summits,” his relationship with his father, turning back vs. changing your approach, continually growing and scaring yourself, the Khumbu Icefall, what's different about ice climbing, how to be OK with the small things, and what Erik learned from watching Canadian athlete Terry Fox.In this episode, we cover: Are blind people's other senses heightened?  (05:56) The different types of blindness and how Erik perceives the world — and dreams (09:17) The “double-knockout blow” of going blind and losing his mother (19:07) “No-mistakes moments” and pushing yourself to your limit (24:49) Erik's relationship with death, and with the calm times between accomplishments (30:18) Needing to stand on the summit (36:31) Learning how to be miserable and training yourself to suffer (47:55) The importance of having a team you can trust with your life (52:05) The personal toll of climbing, and the terror of kayaking blind (55:20) Erik's story's resonance with the business community (01:00:46) Not letting yourself be imprisoned by fear, and realizing your full potential (01:04:06) Links: Connect with Erik Twitter LinkedIn Connect with Joubin Twitter LinkedIn Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com  Learn more about Kleiner Perkins

Welcome to Episode #346 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. You are listening to your weekly connection to coaches, experts, and pro athletes to help you reach your endurance goals. We're your hosts coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance interviews and discussion. In Today's Show Discussion - Best Questions (and Answers) Ask Me Anything with Mark Allen Endurance News Gustav Iden and Ashleigh Gentle Wins + Results of the PTO Canadian Open in Edmonton What's new in the 303 Kyle Coon Joins Team INFINIT Boulder 70.3 Course and Athlete Info Harvest Moon Sept 10th nearly sold out Video of the Week Show Sponsor: UCAN Take your performance to the next level with UCAN Energy and Bars made with SuperStarch®  UCAN uses SuperStarch instead of simple sugars and stimulants to fuel athletes.  UCAN keeps blood sugar steady compared to the energy spikes and crashes of sugar-based products.  Steady energy equals sustained performance and a faster finish line!   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   Feature Discussion: Mark Allen Q&A   Mark Allen, named "The Greatest Endurance Athlete of All Time" by ESPN, has won the IRONMAN® World Championships 6 times, the Nice International Triathlon 10 times, and the first recognized Olympic Distance Triathlon World Championship. He went undefeated in 21 straight races for an incredible two-year winning streak. He has been inducted into the Hall of Fame for IRONMAN, USA Triathlon, and the International Triathlon Union. Allen has coached for 28 years and is now a coach on the TriDot platform.   Best Questions and Answer from Thursday, July 28th from 8-9pm CT:   Question: Why did you choose TriDot?   Answer: Paving the way for how this industry is going to change. This is the future of triathlon training. It's reached a point where there's too much data for a coach to evaluate and adjust training fast enough. Been watching this trend for many years. "This is what I've been looking for and I didn't know it existed."   Question: Besides nutrition, what is the diff between training for 70.3 and 140.6?  Do you recommend 70.3 first?   Answer: Experience is helpful to learn pacing and begin to understand nutrition. Misconception that the training is double. Fitness to do a 70.3 is 2/3 to 3/4s of what you need for an Ironman. Those long rides and runs get you the remaining training. You pace your race to give it everything you have for the distance. An Ironman feels a little bit longer than a 70.3.   Question: What is the most important skill to master as an athlete? Coach?   Answer: Pacing yourself. Follow the training, be consistent and make it a lifestyle. As a coach, respond to an athlete when they have a need. If it takes two weeks to get back to an athlete. I try to be very responsive. TriDot allows me to see what I do very efficiently. "Using this technology is a lot like using an MRI to diagnose an ailment vs a stethoscope."   Question: Key to a fast marathon?   Answer: Have pace yourself on the swim and the bike. Manage yourself, pace yourself and nutrition. Get extra fitness on the bike. Get out of the water fresh. Over distance in the swim and over distance on the bike. Marathon focus on preparing for what you can take in for nutrition. Do the brick workouts with the 20-40 minutes for running.   Question: What is the mental strategy when you want to skip a workout?  Advice to keep attacking it and getting better?   Answer: It's important to identify the key workouts each week. It's more important to balance the sport with the rest of your life. You don't want to lose all the other things that are important to save 3 minutes on the bike. If you find those key workouts, they will give you 80-90% of what you need. The other workouts will help, but they only get you the remaining 10-20%. If getting all your workouts in causes stress in other parts of your life, that's not the goal. If you are feeling like not training, you need to ask yourself if you are recovered enough. Listen to your body. There's no device or metric that can replace how you feel. I like to get out the door and if after 10 minutes you feel like you're full of lactate or feeling lethargic, then turn around and go back home.   Question: What are some of your mental strategies during tough spots in IRONMAN?   Answer: How you deal with it starts long before the race. There will things that will come up that you couldn't have expected. You don't need a perfect race to race perfectly. If your goggles get kicked off, put them back on. You drop a water bottle. Shake it off and get an extra the next time. When you get to the whining phase, I have to change the channel. Get to a mental state where you take a big breath, stop the voice in my head, and analyze what's going on. Maybe I can walk a bit and be steady quiet and engaged. What ever my potential attention and energy I can bring, bring 100% of that. What's my purpose? Do I drop out? My body is working at 20% capacity. If I can give 100% of the 20%, I'll do that. You will be proud of the peace, purpose and quiet and strength to finish.   Question: What is your inner dialogue when you are racing? Do you have a phrase or mantra?   Answer: You should have the positive affirmation. Early in my career I tried that. When you do fall apart, I was never able to remember the mantras. I'm not light as a feather on the marathon, I feel like an elephant. The most powerful place to race from is a quiet mind. In a way you tune everything out but yourself and your process and engaged in the moment and not judging. Try to lock in and give everything I have. There's a magical switch point where all of a sudden you realize you are giving everything I have that day.   Question: How do the principals in your book show up in your coaching?   Answer: Fit Soul / Fit Body. Each of those elements got me from trying to win to winning IRONMAN. Quiet the mind Key. What is your Quest? Why does this have important for you? Is it part of the fulfillment of being a part of a community? Live what you asked for? What does it take to win the IRONMAN? Follow what TriDot is telling you to do. Go hard when you need and easy when you need. Taught me how to be fulfilled even when I have bad days of training and racing. Nothing is inherently good or bad, it's just how you react to it. Phil Liggett looks like Mark Allen is a matching. I was just steady and controlled.   Question: Tips for older athletes and taking days off.   Answer: I'm 64 and I don't take days off. You need to be tuned into your body and take a day off and recover and regenerate. You need to eat a little more good quality protein to stimulate the body to rebuild. Strength training is also key. It can be body weights and cords. If you just swim, bike and run.  20 year study on Boston Marathoners. 1 group just run. 2nd group that did strength and running kept all their muscle mass. Sleep and recovery. Protein and strength training.   Question: What advice do you have for amateurs for longevity in the sport.   Answer: Be consistent. Be steady with your training and recovery. You can only absorb so much stress. If you overdo it you will become stressed and overtrained. This sport should bring fulfillment and happiness.   Question: If I go into my anaerobic zone during my aerobic, will I burn carbohydrate the rest of the workout.   Answer: Depends on how long and how fit. When you aerobic, your ancient genetics detects danger and the adrenal system starts and turns off fat burning and continues to burn carbohydrate. It's a survival adaptation. You go into high stress physiology. It's not a faucet you turn on and off. It's more like a river that continues to flow for several hours. That's why people bonk.   Question: What's the best marker for choosing to go pro?   Answer: What do you think your potential is? If you feel like your just getting going, go for it. If you're just barely there and you think your at your potential.   Question: What hydration / nutrition to avoid cramps?   Answer: Different cramps have different reasons. Early in the swim your feet cramp - typically when you are under high stress. Your body excretes sodium and magnesium when under stress and your adrenal system kicks in. Okay to have a little anxiety. As best as you can load up on sodium and magnesium. You need to keep on top of magnesium all year. If late in the race the quads cramp, it's because you are putting more load on the quads during the race. Do strength work so you have extra muscle to utilize. Calf cramps come from being under stress for a long time. When your adrenal system gets depleted you get calf cramps. Side stitches come from fast shallow breathing. Slow down the breathing and take deeper breathing. Otherwise rub your knuckles on the sternum.   Question: What gets you most jazzed about the future of the sport?   Answer: Seeing this whole new generation of pros and redefining what is possible. We've had several generations. You can tell some of these great athletes like Daniel and Alistair are on the way out. The way these new athletes like Kristian Blummenfelt and the Sam Longs and Laura Phillips are a new generation that want to race the top folks. Not like it used to be were the new pros were scared cats.     Our News is sponsored by Buddy Insurance. Buddy Insurance gives you peace of mind to enjoy your training and racing to the fullest. Buddy's mission is simple, to help people fearlessly enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle.    Get on-demand accident insurance just in case the unexpected happens. Buddy ensures you have cash for bills fast.  This is accident insurance not health and life insurance.  Go to buddyinsurance.com and create an account.  There's no commitment or charge to create one.  Once you have an account created, it's a snap to open your phone and in a couple clicks have coverage for the day.  Check it out!   Endurance News:   PTO Canadian Open 2022 results: Ashleigh Gentle runs to glory Australia's Ashleigh Gentle claimed a superb victory in the inaugural PTO Canadian Open in Edmonton on Saturday.   When Gentle exited the three-lap swim just 24 seconds back on Vittoria Lopes, one of the best triathlon swimmers in the world, it was perhaps a sign of things to come. It was a dream start and it set up a memorable day for Ashleigh.   A well-paced bike ride followed, and the addition of a killer run resulted in $100k first prize courtesy of a comprehensive victory in the debut event of the 2022 PTO Tour. With a wedding coming up, it was quite timely! Gentle delivered in some style.   Swim – Lopes leads the way Brazilian short-course specialist and middle distance debutant Lopes, said goodbye to the rest of the field inside the first few minutes of the three-lap, 2km swim at Hawrelak Park.   With the field including Lauren Brandon (USA) and Sara Perez Sala (ESP), among the top-ranked swimmers from the PTO's number-crunching, that was an impressive start. Given that she exited the swim at Tokyo 2020 on the feet of Jess Learmonth in a very select group at the Olympic Games, perhaps not surprising – but still very impressive.   Brandon and Perez Sala were in the small chase group along with Julie Derron (SUI) and Gentle. That represented a fantastic start for the Australian, who had been a minute down on Perez Sala in the opening discipline (over a shorter distance), at CLASH Miami. If she could maintain that to the swim exit in Edmonton, a great start to her day.   Lopes did lead into T1, but Brandon was only 12 seconds back after a strong third loop, with Derron, Perez Sala and Gentle a further 10 seconds down. Unfortunately for Lopes, going the wrong side of one of the swim buoys would cost her a 30-second penalty later in the race.   Among the pre-race favourites chasing were Holly Lawrence (GBR), Paula Findlay (CAN), Ellie Salthouse (AUS) and Nicola Spirig (SUI) – all around 1:10 down, but not the best start for Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR) or Laura Philipp (GER) in relative terms. The Brit was 3:35 down, with Laura a few seconds further back. The German had four athletes behind her, and 27 ahead… time to go to work.   Bike – fast Findlay takes control The bike course in Edmonton comprised of four laps of 20km. As the race started to take shape going into lap two, Lopes – on her standard WTCS road bike – was still holding strong at the front but home favourite Findlay was now only 10 seconds back in second place, having made up 1:15 on the bike.   Gentle, Salthouse, Spirig (road bike, of course!) and Derron followed, just over 30 seconds down.   India Lee was seemingly having a great day (9th at this stage, +1:46) and riding just in front of Lawrence. Philipp had moved up to 16th (+2:57) and was riding quicker then everyone except Findlay.   Pallant-Browne's day looked as though it was all but over however. From riding with Philipp, she dropped from the timings suddenly, with news subsequently confirmed that she had suffered a front wheel flat. Very frustrating, and with $1million on the line and the last chance to display Collins Cup form, potentially very costly too.   The end of lap two represented the halfway mark of the ride, by which point Findlay's charge had seen her take the lead and continue to set the fastest splits on two wheels.   Findlay crossed the 40km time split with an advantage of just over a minute on a quartet of Gentle, Salthouse, Spirig and Lopes. Jocelyn McCauley was sixth, 2:08 back. Philipp was now in seventh, 2:40 back and continuing to gain ground.   Another lap on and the Findlay lead had grown to 1:34, with the chasing quartet of Gentle, Salthouse, Spirig and Lopes together. McCauley was still having a great race, 2:16 back in sixth, with Philipp holding pace to Findlay, but still 2:42 back in seventh. She would be hoping to reduce that a touch ahead of the upcoming 18km run.   Completing the top 10 at the 60km mark on the bike were Skye Moench (USA), Jacqui Hering (USA) and Lawrence (GBR), four minutes behind the hometown leader.   McCauley's progress continued through the final lap, which saw Findlay start the 18km run with a significant lead. Following on the four-lap course were Gentle (+2:04), Salthouse (+2:14), McCauley (+2:19), Philipp (+2:32) and Spirig (+2:42). After taking that penalty incurred in the swim, Lopes started the run in seventh (+3:32).   Run – Gentle takes control Gentle looked brilliant from the start of the run and immediately started gaining on the 2020 PTO Champion Findlay, reducing a 2:04 deficit to 1:35 within the first 2.5km. Philipp had moved into third and was also gaining on Paula – but most significantly she was losing time to Gentle, the 2018 ITU Grand Final winner.   At the end of lap one of four, Findlay's lead was down to just one minute over a flowing Gentle, but Philipp's charge from 28th exiting the water was perhaps coming to a stall. Still in third, she remained 2:30 back and was matching, but not catching, the pace of Paula. Unless anything changed, this was all pointing towards an Australian winner.   The inevitable pass came around the 7.5km mark, and by the midpoint of the run (9km), she was already 23 seconds up, with Philipp now three minutes back in third. Making rapid progress and now up to fourth was Chelsea Sodaro, who had finished a distant second to Philipp at IRONMAN Hamburg. The tables looked set to be turned here, unless the German could raise her pace over the closing kilometres.   Ashleigh Gentle PTO Canadian Open 2022 finish Photo by Darren Wheeler (www.thatcameraman.com) While she didn't get the win, a very happy Findlay held strong for second place and a $70k pay cheque.   The battle to complete the podium went to the final few hundred metres, when Sodaro hit the afterburners and left Philipp unable to respond.   PTO Canadian Open 2022 Results – Pro Women Saturday July 23, 2022 – 2km / 80km / 18km – Edmonton   Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) – 3:30:54 Paula Findlay (CAN) – 3:33:16 Chelsea Sodaro (USA) – 3:34:56 Laura Philipp (GER) – 3:35:10 Julie Derron (SUI) – 3:36:18 Holly Lawrence (GBR) – 3:37:43 Vittoria Lopes (BRA) – 3:38:14 Ellie Salthouse (AUS) – 3:38:34 Sophie Watts (USA) – 3:39:28 Nicola Spirig (SUI) – 3:39:50 India Lee (GBR) – 3:45:04 Nikki Bartlett (GBR) – 3:46:15 Laura Siddall (GBR) – 3:49:06 DNF. Fenella Langridge (GBR) DNF. Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR)     PTO Canadian Open 2022 results: Gustav Iden tops Blummenfelt There was plenty of action on the run at the first ever PTO Canadian Open on Sunday, but when the dust settled, it was Team Norway topping the podium once again.   Gustav Iden took the spoils of victory (including a $100k cheque for first prize) as he came home in front of compatriot Kristian Blummenfelt.   That though tells just a tiny part of the story on what was an incident-packed day in North America.   Swim – Schoeman sets the pace When we previewed the Pro Men's race in Edmonton, one of the factors we mentioned was the quality of swimmers in the field and the likelihood that the pace would be on from the start.   That, not surprisingly, proved to be the case and we saw an elite group of six break clear, headed out of the water by Henri Schoeman (RSA). Separated by just 17 seconds, Schoeman was joined by Aaron Royle (AUS), Alistair Brownlee (GBR), Sam Laidlow (FRA), Ben Kanute (USA) and Kyle Smith (NZL). Plenty of biking legs there too.   The chasers were led by Olympic, World Triathlon and IRONMAN World Champion, Blummenfelt (NOR), who was 1:16 back on the pace-setting Commonwealth Games gold medallist. The Blummenfelt ‘group' was significant, and included the likes of Miki Taagholt (DEN), Frederic Funk (GER) and Iden (NOR).   All told there were 23 athletes within two minutes of the leader after the opening three-lap, 2km swim in Hawrelak Park, but as expected, Lionel Sanders (CAN) was not one of them. ‘No Limits' was 34th of 37 in the water, 3:48 down. The slowest T1 of the entire race, by some margin, was hardly helping his cause, and he would start the bike in 35th.   Bike – Brownlee and Laidlow break clear 20km down – the end of lap one of four – and Laidlow and Brownlee had gained a small advantage, 21 seconds up on Smith and Royle. They in turn were now 10 seconds clear of Kanute and Schoeman.   The Blummenfelt/Iden/Taagholt/Funk and co. chase group started lap two 1:44 back. Sanders had Sebastian Kienle (GER) for company, but will still four minutes behind Brownlee and Laidlow at the front, but now up to 26th.   Brownlee and Laidlow continued to work well at the front, swapping the lead and both clearly fully focussed on optimising the bike section. 40km in and they were now 47 seconds up on Smith who was now riding solo.   Royle, Schoeman and Kanute had now been swept up by the Norwegian express, who has slightly reduced their deficit to 1:32. The pressure was on though, and that group was now down to just seven.   Sanders was losing nothing – but while now up to 20th and still more than four minutes back, he was gaining nothing in time terms either.   The second half of the ride didn't see too much change in terms of the shape of the race. A few seconds here and there, but when the T2 dismount line arrived, it was still Brownlee and Laidlow leading the way. Alistair's dismount however was pretty poor – clearly crossing the line.   The chase group was 1:07 back comprising of Iden, Funk, Blummenfelt, Smith, Royle, Taagholt, Pieter Heemeryck (BEL) covering 3rd-9th in close order. Sanders completed the top-10 (alongside Andrew Starykowicz) at this point and has gained back some time. He was 3:19 back as he headed towards his bike rack.   Run – Gustav holds on as Kristian battles back A late entry to the event, Brownlee had said pre-race that the run was where he was likely to struggle, courtesy of a lack of enough running miles, and he certainly didn't look too good over the opening mile as Laidlow took the lead.   Ominously, Iden and Blummenfelt were now practically stride-for-stride and less than a minute back. They also looked, well, like they usually do – brilliant.   Clearly in pain, Alistair was soon struggling big time, dropping back through the field and seemingly in danger of a DNF. In Brownlee terms, he was in hobble mode and it was painful to watch, from an athlete who has been one of the greatest we've ever seen.   Laidlow started the second lap of four with a 16 second lead, but his chances of maintaining that spot for another 4.5km were basically zero, with the way that Iden and Blummenfelt were flying… and then suddenly Blummenfelt came to an abrupt halt with an apparent hip flexor / quad injury / cramp.   Brownlee broken, Blummenfelt hobbling and just as Iden moved into the lead, Laidlow pretty much came to a stop too with cramps. Carnage all over the course – and all within about 10 minutes. Unexpected excitement and lots of things to be considered for each athlete, considering future season plans and avoiding long-term damage.   With his biggest potential challengers falling away, Iden was now in prime position. At the midway point of the run, his lead was a minute and a half over Blummenfelt, who had seemingly had his own Terminator moment, regenerated, and was looking (very) good again. Remarkable – but given his last 18 months, why expect anything different?   Aaron Royle was continuing to have a great day, holding third place (+1:48), followed by Laidlow, Heemeryck, Funk and Taagholt.   Sanders (+3:44), Smith (+3:45) and Collin Chartier (+4:55) rounded out the top ten with 9km of running remaining.   With one 4.5km lap remaining, Gustav continued to lead – but Big Blu was not giving up, bouncing back, gaining time and just 56 seconds in arrears. Surely even he couldn't take this victory?   At the final turnaround – 2.25km to go – Blummenfelt had cut that 56 seconds to 43 seconds. Exciting racing certainly, but the odds were definitely in favour of the reigning and two-time IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion.   So it proved, and despite the best efforts of his training partner, the legend of the lucky hat remained intact as Gustav Iden took victory at the PTO Canadian Open by just 27 seconds.   Royle capped a fantastic all round performance to complete the podium, ahead of an impressive Laidlow who, like Blummenfelt, bounced back from his mid-race issues for a superb fourth position.   Not the day he wanted, but if you'd told me at 3km that Brownlee would even finish the race, I'd have said you are mad. Kudos to the twice Olympic champion for showing his grit to complete the race.   Gustav Iden Kristian Blummenfelt Aaron Royle photo credit Jamie Dellimore PTO Canadian Open [Photo credit: PTO Canadian Open] PTO Canadian Open 2022 Results – Pro Men Sunday 24 July 2022 – 2km / 80km / 18km – Edmonton   Gustav Iden (NOR) – 3:10:48 Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) – 3:11:15 Aaron Royle (AUS) – 3:14:26 Sam Laidlow (FRA) – 3:14:47 Frederic Funk (GER) – 3:14:56 Pieter Heemeryck (BEL) – 3:15:23 Lionel Sanders (CAN) – 3:15:49 Max Neumann (AUS) – 3:16:39 Kyle Smith (NZL) – 3:17:02 Miki Taagholt (DEN) – 3:17:14 David McNamee (GBR) – 3:19:07 Alistair Brownlee (GBR) – 3:23:15   What's New in the 303:   Boulder 70.3 Preview and Athlete Information - Athlete Guide General: 20th Anniversary of this epic race! Fun changes and swag in store for you to help us celebrate this historic event. Swim start will be back on the beach this year! Friends and family can cool off in the swim area on the beach between 10:30am and 5pm. There will be kayaks and SUPs there for them to play around on as well! Finish line is now in front of the Visitor Center building! Be sure to continue onto the beach where we'll have a picnic lunch available for athletes, as well as the option for spectators to purchase as well. The beach will once again be a beer garden to help you celebrate your finish!   Parking and Shuttles   Course Swim starts from the swim beach and is a clockwise rectangle. Swim exit is at the marina by the boat ramp and the transition area Bike start in the res out to the parking lot and do the lollipop loop and then back past the bike out to hwy 119 where you head south to 55th and then hairpin to Oxford and hairpin then to 63rd do the right turn on Monarch and do a 180 back and turn left on Niwot and then you hit the first aid station. Continue on Neva to hwy 36 and north to Nelson and head east. Turn north on 65th. West on St Vrain. Back on 36 north to Hwy 86 to 75th and then south. Cut over to 73rd and then 71st head south on hwy 119 to the res. Run - same as last year. https://cdn1.sportngin.com/attachments/document/e798-2462512/2022_70.3_Boulder_Athlete_Guide_rs.pdf Nutrition on course - AID STATIONS Aid stations are approximately every 15 miles on the bike and approximately a mile apart on the run. The general offerings are as Follows   BIKE: Water Gatorade Endurance Formula (Flavor: Orange) Red Bull Maurten Gel 100 Maurten Gel 100 CAF 100 Bars Fruit - Banana   RUN: Water Gatorade Endurance Formula (Flavor: Lemon Lime) Red Bull Cola Maurten Gel 100 Maurten Gel 100 CAF 100 Bars Chips Pretzels Fruit - Bananas & Oranges   Kyle Coon Joins Team INFINIT 31-year-old paratriathlete continues to dominate with first place at the 2022 Paratriathlon National Championships Cincinnati, Ohio, July 20, 2022/ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – INFINIT Nutrition, the original custom nutrition company, is excited to announce the addition of National Champion paratriathlete Kyle Coon to their Team INFINIT elite athlete roster.   The 31-year-old Colorado Springs resident recently took first place at the 2022 World Triathlon Para Series Montreal in the men's PTVI category. Then went on to capture the U.S. national title in his category at the 2022 Toyota USA Paratriathlon National Championships on July 17th, with a time of 1 hour, 1 minute, 46 seconds.   “INFINIT has powered me for all of my races and training since the beginning of 2021,” said Kyle. “It tastes awesome, and I love that I can customize everything about it! I'm so excited, honored, and humbled to be part of Team INFINIT.”   After losing his vision resulting from a battle with retinoblastoma (rare cancer of the eye) at the mere age of 6, Kyle never once let his hardship prevent him from pursuing his goals. Inspired by world-class blind athlete Erik Weihenmayer, he began pursuing a life of adventure in his teenage years — Hiking to Machu Picchu in 2006, and successfully summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro the following year at the age of 15.   Harvest Moon Long Course Triathlon News - 88 slots remaining It's unbelievable how quickly this summer is flying by. In less than two months we'll be lining up for the Harvest Moon Long Course Triathlon, Duathlon, and Aquabike on September 10th. This is just a friendly registration alert that only 88 slots remain for all categories. TO REGISTER FOR THE HARVEST MOON - CLICK HERE!   Upcoming Multisport Events in Colorado (runningintheusa.com) Upcoming Classic Runs in Colorado (runningintheusa.com)   Video of the week: Quick Highlights: 2022 PTO Canadian Open Women's Race

In our next summer replay, we hear from adventurer Erik Weihenmayer. Erik lost his vision at age 13, but he never lost his thirst for adventure. In the decades since, he has rock-climbed in California and ice-climbed in Antarctica. In 2008, he decided he wanted to kayak through the Grand Canyon. It was, as you can, imagine quite a ride. Read more about Erik on his website, listen to his podcast, or follow him on Twitter. You can watch his documentary, The Weight of Water, on Amazon.

This week I'm joined by Coyote Collective Co-Founder and Brand Director Connor Koch. I became interested in Connor and his story because of the unbelievably beautiful pictures he posts on his social media, as well as the short documentary film he and his closest friends made called, A Study of Self: Methods and Madness. To be honest, I didn't know where this conversation was going to go or what I was going to ask. Unlike most of my other guests, there wasn't very much out there on the intraweb to help me get ready for this interview, other than to know that Connor has a deep love for the outdoors and does an unbelievable job documenting his experiences exploring them. With that said… to say this conversation exceeded my highest expectations is an understatement.Connor and I dive deep into what it is that motivates us and how our ego can compromise what, on the surface, can seem like a Nobel cause. Connor describes how a random act of kindness made him question his own priorities and motivations, a story that literally brought tears to my eyes. We also discuss the importance of mentors, of which Connor has had some amazing ones, including Erik Weihenmayer (the first blind person to climb Everest) and Dr. Paul Stultz. I truly enjoyed my conversation with Connor and believe this will be the first of many. Be sure to check out the below links to learn more about Connor and the work he and his team at Coyote Collective are doing.In This Episode: Coyote Collective Instagram | WebsiteConnor Koch Instagram| Website Erik WeihenmayerSupport Consequence of HabitSubscribe: Apple Podcast | SpotifyCheck us out: Instagram | Twitter | Website

Dr. Mark Lyons (presenter) was joined on the ONE Mainstage for the closing session by Mick Ebeling, founder and CEO of Not Impossible Labs, and world-class blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer.  

Here is the latest from The Year Was, which is that thing I do every week. We are up to episode 170. This time we examine the year 1944 as Muppeteer, actor, director Frank Oz is born, 1977 as Star Wars is released, and 2001 as Erik Weihenmayer becomes the first blind man to scale Mount Everest. - Theme music by The Tim Kreitz Band https://www.youtube.com/c/TimKreitzAdventures/ https://www.reverbnation.com/timkreitz  -  iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-year-was/id1458174084  Podbean: https://theyearwas.podbean.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Qdd00m2NWvrViVIfAh6kA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzWavt8mqXHsC_uRNpU3lQ - Sources: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000568/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/ https://www.biography.com/news/george-lucas-star-wars-facts https://www.britannica.com/topic/Star-Wars-film-series https://www.grunge.com/36189/untold-truth-original-star-wars/ https://www.history.com/news/the-real-history-that-inspired-star-wars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGZPTtmydkE https://erikweihenmayer.com/about-erik/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/erik-weihenmayer - Photo:  https://assets.entrepreneur.com/content/3x2/2000/20191014072347-1999.jpeg

Michael Brown and I met 4 months ago at the Boulder International Film Fest, where he introduced my film Between Giants. After that screening, we stayed up with other filmmakers and explorers until 3:00 am discussing far off lands and desolate places. After that evening, I knew I needed to have Michael on my podcast, so here we are. ⠀⠀Bio:⠀Michael has excelled as both an adventure athlete and as a filmmaker. He has been to the summit of Mount Everest five times, each time with cameras rolling. His work as a director and cinematographer spans all seven continents and has won many film festivals and industry awards, including three national Emmy Awards. ⠀⠀Michael's lens has captured ice caves for NOVA, tornadoes for Discovery, science at the South Pole for National Geographic, avalanches for the BBC, and mountain climbing for four giant screen IMAX movies. Michael has made a habit of going to the world's harshest, most dangerous environments and always comes back with incredible footage and compelling stories. Outside Magazine describes the cerebral filmmaker as a "swashbuckling librarian," and Men's Journal calls him "a master of gut-dropping action." ⠀⠀Topics include:⠀⠀-Working with Erik Weihenmayer, a blind man who summited Everest and kayaked the Grand Canyon⠀-Working towards the impossible⠀-How to tell better stories⠀-Good risks vs. bad risks⠀⠀Michaels production company: seracfilms.com.⠀⠀This podcast @choosingfearless was produced and edited by Maxwell Frost @wolfzillaproductions.

DID YOU KNOW: The first blind person to reach the summit of Mt Everest is Erik Weihenmayer.

Rosalie Mastaler is a writer, musician, crafter, mother, wife and passionate advocate. Her online presence, with her son Hunter, is full of humor, education about the disabled community and finding joy in the journey. She has been featured on Erik Weihenmayer's website for living a “No Barriers” life. Was awarded “Woman of the Year”, by her local assemblyman in Southern California, for community service through musical performance and advocacy. She is highly active within the amputee and disabled community, attending multiple events and camps throughout the year with her son. Whether it's in person, or social media, she loves to connect with other families and amputees. She is currently working on publishing children's books that feature people with disabilities. Along with her publishing venture, she is always on the hunt and sharing about books that encourage positive disability representation. Her goal is to spread awareness through literature. For many years, she could be found on stage throughout Southern California with a 1940's tribute group, at her local community theater, and at Disneyland Resort every Christmas in the Candlelight Processional. She cherishes her faith and commitment to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She currently reside in Central Texas in a home filled with toy cars, LEGO bricks and lots of noise as she raises three young boys with her high school sweetheart, Michael, her husband of fifteen years. Contact Rosalie Mastaler: http;//Www.RosalieMastaler.com http://www.instagram.com/mastalerpartyof5 Connect with Kendra Rinaldi: http;//www.griefgratitudeandthegrayinbetween.com

Erik Weihenmayer is an adventurer and an accomplished climber, speaker, and author. In 2001, he became the first blind person to reach the summit of Everest, and since then, he's climbed the highest peak in every continent, kayaked through the Grand Canyon, written several best-selling books, and co-founded the No Barriers nonprofit. For over 25 years, Eric's guide on his climbing expeditions has been the mountaineer Jeff Evans, and, during the course of their many adventures, the pair have forged an unshakable bond. Together, Erik and Jeff continue to pursue a No Barriers lifestyle and promote the values of resilience, optimism, and perseverance.In this episode, you'll hear from Erik Weihenmayer and Jeff Evans on:(00:09:07) Trust, teamwork, and communication. Jeff talks about the deep level of trust and understanding that underpins his relationship with Erik. He also reminds listeners that trust is a two-way street and gives examples of occasions when he's had to rely on Erik to help him navigate a difficult climb.(00:41.49) Alchemy. Erik reveals how he learned to turn adversity into opportunity through the example of his hero, Terry Fox, who ran thousands of miles across Canada after losing a leg to cancer. He explains how Terry's counterintuitive response to his illness inspired him to stay positive and set him on the path to pursuing his seemingly impossible dreams.(00:45:37) The No Barriers nonprofit. Erik describes how the No Barriers organization encourages people facing physical and emotional challenges to participate in group expeditions and use the great outdoors as a beautiful, natural laboratory to discover their true potential and reclaim their lives.(00:54:32) The Warriors program. As the founder of the Warriors branch of the No Barriers organization, Jeff recounts his experiences of leading mountaineering expeditions in Nepal and explains how his adventure-based trips and programs help injured veterans regain a sense of purpose, confidence, and community.(01:08:55) The importance of inner strength. Erik urges everyone to find the strength and courage they need to confront whatever challenges they face, and he repeats the powerful No Barriers motto of ‘what's within you is stronger than what's in your way.'

Caitlin Conner isn't your ordinary warrior. She combines strength and determination with style and pizzazz! She is an   athlete, model, brand ambassador, social media manager, mom, and founder of the non-profit, Be More Adaptive. Did I mention that she's also a total badass? Because what others do with 2 legs, Caitlin does with one! DON'T FORGET YOUR CRAZY SOCKS!from John's Crazy Socks!USE PROMO CODE LOWEDOWN10 for 10% OFF! START SHOPPING TODAY AT THE LINK BELOW! http://a.insgly.net/api/trk?id=emailclick&i=1124800&eid=179310229&url=https%3a%2f%2fjohnscrazysocks.com%2fdiscount%2fLOWEDOWN10&env=https%3a%2f%2fcrm.na1.insightly.com (https://johnscrazysocks.com/discount/LOWEDOWN10)  TODAY's GUESTCaitlin ConnerVisit & Support Caitlin's Non-profit, Be More Adaptive: https://www.bemoreadaptive.org/ Follow Caitlin on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/caitlin.andherlegnamed.rex/ (@Caitlin.andmylegnamed.rex) Follow Be More Adaptive on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bemoreadaptive/ (@BeMoreAdaptive) https://www.ccadaptive.com/collective (CC Adaptive Collective) https://www.ccadaptive.com/ (CC Adaptive) YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKEThese other incredible people defying the oddshttps://www.thelowedownwithkevinlowe.com/60/ (Episode 60 with Blind Adventurer, Erik Weihenmayer) https://www.thelowedownwithkevinlowe.com/ali/ (Episode 59 with Ali Ingersoll) https://www.thelowedownwithkevinlowe.com/suziecooney/ (Episode 72 with Suzie Cooney in Maui) LINKS FOR THE PODCASTThe Lowe Down with Kevin Lowehttps://delenta.com/ta/@kevinlowecoaching (Kevin Lowe Coaching - Transformational Life & Business Coach) https://www.TheLoweDownWithKevinLowe.com (Our Website) Follow Us on Instagram https://instagram.com/thelowedownwithkevinlowe (@thelowedownwithkevinlowe) Follow Us on Facebook https://facebook.com/thelowedownwithkevinlowe (@thelowedownwithkevinlowe) Never stop fighting... This life is worth fighting for!

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Every day, people who are blind or visually impaired use their hearing to compensate for vision loss. But when we lose our vision, can we access our visual cortex via other senses? We call this ability for the brain to change its activity “plasticity,” and brain plasticity is an area of active research. In this episode, we'll explore how, through sensory substitution, audio feedback can, in some cases, stimulate a user's visual cortex, allowing a user to — without sight — achieve something close to visual perception. Erik Weihenmayer — world-class mountain climber, kayaker, and founder of No Barriers who lost his vision as a teenager due to retinoschisis — brings us to the summit of Everest by describing what it sounds like. He explains how his hearing helps him navigate his amazing outdoor adventures safely. We also speak with Peter Meijer, the creator of The vOICe, an experimental technology that converts visual information into sound, and has been shown to activate users' visual cortices, especially as users train on the technology, and master how to interpret the audio feedback. We hear an example of what users of The vOICe hear when it translates a visual image of scissors into audio. Erik Weihenmayer shares his experience with Brainport, a similar sensory substitution technology featured in our episode “Training the Brain: Sensory Substitution. While research is ongoing in the areas of sensory substitution and brain plasticity, it's encouraging that some users of The vOICe report that the experience is like seeing. In the spirit of Erik Weihenmayer, one user even uses it to surf.   The Big Takeaways: Erik Weihenmayer, despite having lost his vision as a teenager, has become a world-class adventurer. He summited Everest in 2001 and then summitted the highest peaks on each continent. He has also kayaked 277 miles of whitewater rapids in the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. He explains how his sense of hearing, in addition to his other senses, and technologies, teams, and systems, helps him achieve his goal to live a life with no barriers. Dutch Inventor Peter Meijer developed a technology called The vOICe, which converts a two-dimensional image from a camera into audio feedback. Dr. Roberts interviews Dr. Meijer about this technology and gives listeners a chance to hear what The vOICe sounds like. Users who train on this system interpret the sounds to make sense of the original visual image. Research on The vOICe shows that this happens in the brain's visual cortex. While some users say the experience is more auditory than visual, others report the experience as akin to sight. The vOICe relies on the principles of sensory substitution established by the founder of sensory substitution Paul Bach-y-Rita. We discussed sensory substitution in our episode “Training the Brain: Sensory Substitution,” which featured the Brainport device by WICAB. Erik has used Brainport, and in this episode, he describes how the Brainport allowed him to catch a ball rolling across a table, an exciting feat for someone who is blind. He adds that sensory substitution takes serious practice to master. The vOICe is still in the experimental stage, and more research has to be done on sensory substitution. However, neuroscientists studying The vOICe have shown that it stimulates the visual cortex, and some users report visual results. One user of The vOICe recently reported using the technology to surf.   Tweetables: “When there's a lack of things that the sound bounces off of, like on a summit, the sound vibrations just move out through space infinitely and that's a really beautiful awe-inspiring sound.” — Erik Weihenmayer, No Barriers. “She rolled this white tennis ball across. It lit up perfectly. [...] I'm like, ‘Holy cow, that is a tennis ball rolling towards me.' And I just naturally reached out and I grabbed this tennis ball.” — Erik Weihenmayer, No Barriers (on using the Brainport device by WICAB) “They applied transcranial magnetic stimulation to ... temporarily disrupt the processing and the visual cortex of a user of The vOICe. ... So this showed that apparently, the visual cortex was doing visual things again.” — Dr. Peter Meijer, Seeing with Sound, The vOICe. “Some ... insist that the sensation of working with the soundscape of The vOICe is truly visual. ... But .... most ... users of The vOICe .... say, “It's ... auditory but I can use it to visually interpret things.” — Dr. Peter Meijer, Seeing with Sound, The vOICe. “Yeah, sure, if you want a really really safe life, you can hang out on the couch and you can watch Netflix. But I think most people want to be out there in the thick of things. They want to be in the food fight.” — Erik Weihenmayer, No Barriers.   Contact Us: Contact us at podcasts@lighthouseguild.org with your innovative new technology ideas for people with vision loss.   Pertinent Links: Lighthouse Guild Peter Meijer Erik Weihenmayer No Barriers

Time for another episode of Stories Of Strength, a podcast where we share personal and inspirational tales that redefine strength, presented by MuscleTech, and this week Jay Cardiello is joined by none other than Adventurer, Author, Athlete and Activist Erik Weihenmayer! Erik is the first person without eyesight to reach the summit of Mount Everest as well as complete the Seven Summits from around the world, being featured on the cover of Time magazine for the achievement. At the time he was one of only one hundred and fifty mountaineers to have completed this, and the only one to do it without vision. In 2005 Erik co-founded the non-profit organization No Barriers, an organization that helps people of diverse backgrounds and abilities develop a ‘No Barrier' mindset - to attack challenges head-on, problem solve, build winning teams, and serve others. Their tagline reads, "What's within you is stronger than what's in your way." He is here today to talk about his journey as a mountaineer, his time up on the mountains, and some of the work he is doing to help people innovate their way through barriers. As a motivational speaker, Erik works hard to spread his No Barrier message and encourage others to live life to the fullest. Hear first hand his story and what inspired his love of adventure and the outdoors. Not to mention learn a bit about how he would prepare before setting out on a big climb or adventure! From climbing high into the Himalayas to kayaking the entire two hundred and seventy-seven miles of the Grand Canyon, Erik is living his No Barrier lifestyle to the fullest and is inspiring others to do the same! This is an episode you can't miss so hit play and get ready for some excitement with this episode of Stories Of Strength, brought to you by MuscleTech! Follow Us: MuscleTech: IG - @muscletech Twitter - @MuscleTechJay Cardiello: IG - @jaycardiello Twitter - @JayCardielloPresented by MuscleTech www.muscletech.com

We all face barriers in our lives. And if we are not careful, those barriers can easily rob us of our opportunity to live out our lives to our greatest potential. Erik Weihenmayer would prove to himself and to the world that blindness is yet another barrier that can be overcome. In 2001 Erik would become the first blind person to summit Mount Everest. He would then go on to climb to the highest point on all 7 continents. And when the mountains became too routine he would turn his focus towards kayaking the world's rivers. Join me as I sit down with Erik to talk about his adventures, his wins, his losses, and all the moments in between. A HUGE thank you goes out to Erik and the entire team at No Barriers for helping to remind us all that what's within us is greater than what's in our way! LINKS MENTIONED: https://erikweihenmayer.com (WEBSITE for Erik Weihenmayer) https://nobarriersusa.org (WEBSITE for No Barriers) https://nobarriersusa.org/podcast/ (NO BARRIERS Podcast) ARE YOU ON THE LIST YET? Start receiving the podcast and insider notes from Kevin straight to your email's inbox by clicking https://kevin-lowe.aweb.page/podcast (HERE)! DID YOU KNOW? You can support The Lowe down with Kevin Lowe for just the cost of a Cup of Joe! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/kevinlowe (CLICK to support the podcast) LINKS FOR THE PODCAST https://www.thelowedownwithkevinlowe.com/ (Visit the Website) https://instagram.com/thelowedownwithkevinlowe (Follow on Instagram) https://facebook.com/thelowedownwithkevinlowe (Like on Facebook) Remember the No Barriers motto: What's within us is greater than what's in our way!  Mentioned in this episode: null null

“We help people break through barriers in their lives and tap into the human spirit,” Weihenmayer said, “and figuring out ways to reclaim their lives and elevating the world.”As an educator, Erik Weihenmayer is focused on the “No Barriers” mindset, which focuses on believing that what's within you is stronger than what's in your way. As a blind person, he gets a lot of physical satisfaction from going into remote places and navigating them with his other senses.“Like going to a top of a mountain and being able to use what blind people call ‘echolocation,'” Weihenmayer said, “which is listening for a sound, sound vibrations moving through space, bouncing off objects giving you information.” Weihenmayer wasn't born blind, and total blindness happened around the start of high school. He always had impaired vision, but he still could do everyday things like riding a bike. The change came gradually, but he felt like a prisoner in his mind for a while afterward. “I remember sitting in the cafeteria listening to all the excitement passing me by,” he said.

“We help people break through barriers in their lives and tap into the human spirit,” Weihenmayer said, “and figuring out ways to reclaim their lives and elevating the world.”As an educator, Erik Weihenmayer is focused on the “No Barriers” mindset, which focuses on believing that what's within you is stronger than what's in your way. As a blind person, he gets a lot of physical satisfaction from going into remote places and navigating them with his other senses.“Like going to a top of a mountain and being able to use what blind people call ‘echolocation,'” Weihenmayer said, “which is listening for a sound, sound vibrations moving through space, bouncing off objects giving you information.” Weihenmayer wasn't born blind, and total blindness happened around the start of high school. He always had impaired vision, but he still could do everyday things like riding a bike. The change came gradually, but he felt like a prisoner in his mind for a while afterward. “I remember sitting in the cafeteria listening to all the excitement passing me by,” he said.