HELP ME TO SUPPORT THE PARALYMPIC ATHLETES

PARRABUDDY.BLOGSPOT was started to help find a way for “Adaptive / Physically Challenged / Paralympic Cyclists ” to enjoy riding their bikes on the Daily Route of the famous Pro Tour Race Routes such as the “ Giro d’Italia " and the " Tour de France " !


Through lack of support i have been unable to achieve that goal and unless people decide to assist there is little chance that my 22nd season will be any more successful !


Tokyo2020 Paralympics was amazing for ALL , not just those participating but those who followed via the Media !


Since 2009 several other Blogs have been created to cover various other subjects !

Below is a guide to their separate purposes :

In the main Parrabuddy is about “Adaptive / Physically Challenged Sport” and Health Issues.


Skippi-cyclist is about personal issues and Road Safety Issues.


SkippyAus is about matters relating to Oz and some personal memories from my life there.


Tourdafarce & Tourdafrance are about matters relating to the Pro Tour , Racers and some personal experiences during my various visits to ride the Pro Tour routes .


Skippy (blogging) is about a variety of issues on the Internet .


NOT ALL postings arrive in their correct area but I will generally try to separate my views on Doping and Sporting Fraud from Road Safety Issues .



Comments ARE WELCOMED since this shows that those reading are interested in the subject matter ! Enjoy comments made to other blogs so wonder why only " anonymous " posts here !

Over the period of these "Blogs" I have had visibility on Twitter as “Skippydetour” and on Facebook as “Skippy Mc Carthy” where Google usually advise postings on the Blogs as they occur .

When any of you visit these Blogs I hope I am able to add value to your day and provide a source of information if not inspiration . Please consider asking your friends and contacts to add their support as many of the Para Athletes are struggling to find the resources to compete in Events at regional Levels let alone National Levels .


You the reader have the possibility to help these Amazing Athletes in your own way and contacting your National Paralympic Internet Site for relevant info is a good start !

Sep 29, 2010

Christian Van de Velde

Looking at Twitter today i see that Chris V. is involved with a new charity www.savealimbride.org which has been supported in the past by George Hincapie.

About 1% of the population is born with limb deficiency so this is an important charity although it is based in the Baltimore area. With the Paralympic Games less than 2 years from now it is important for people to support any organisation which helps athletes to participate .

The World Road Champs are on in Melbourne currently and i recall when they were in Salzburg and shortly thereafter in a NZ road race Paul Crake became a statistic and now uses a wheelchair as primary transport. Alex a friend in Jenback was at his wedding last year so was able to tell me that Paul is adjusting to his new life style.

Too often we forget that Wootton Bassett "Repatriations" are only the visible tip of the casualities returning to the UK from work in "Harms Way", and Sport plays a growing part in the rehabilitation of these service personnel. Over the past year i have tried to encourage "Help4Heroes and Wounded Warrior Project" amongst others to take my "Relay idea" and see if they can get support for a "Team of Disabled/Adaptive Athletes " to ride the route of the Major Cycle Tours to publicize the need for more Sponsorship of "Para Athletes". At these events there are numerous journos looking for a story and "Free Publicity" goes begging whilst the people i speak to consign my idea to the "Too hard basket"!

Anyone who is able to help me get through to those who can assist please email me on skippi@ausi.com

Sep 24, 2010

WHERE IS THE HELP

During the past year i have been trying to interest many organisations in helping "Disabled / Physically Challenged Sport" because whilst i enjoy doing things in my own way i am aware that MORE should be done for this section of the community !

When you find yourself in Wootton Bassett watching a Cortege pass you are only seeing a part of what is happening for our security. The price paid by these individuals and their famillies is enormous but the real story is the returning Service personnel who are rarely mentioned but are transported into a new "Lifestyle" by their involvement in their chosen profession. When "Signing up " for the "Forces" rarely do the individuals realise the significant chance of being "retired unfit for duty". These people go from hospital to rehabilitation and sport plays a major part in this thus there are many who seek to excell and even find themselves on the path to serving their country once again in a new way.

Paralympic 2012 is even closer than we realise, many formar athletes are still in training after Beijing2008 and there will be competition for the limited places in National Teams.

WHAT can you do to help these Aspiring individuals?

Sep 10, 2010

Burgos

Paid my money to stay somewhere in Burgos and because i did not produce immediately the "Camino Passport" at 1830hrs, a little after 2000hrs i was bombarded in Spanish( the english speaking receptionist had gone home) and i was given my money back and put on the street !

This is the way that the "pilgrims/guests" are treated at the Albergi Pelogrini in Burgos?

Let me tell the story later (using a friends computer for access) but even though you have the credentials that they require , if it is not in your hand expect this unhelpful "Spanish Behaviour"!

BE WARNED !!

Sep 6, 2010

"2005 Vuelta" taught me a lessonn which i thought was "UNFORGETABLE" but here i am again relearning history.

Today i pulled up at a service station east of the "Vuelta"rest day city and enjoyed a meal equally as good as the 780 peso edition in 2001 near Oviedo, but this time it costs 8.50euro ! Peopled by Romanians this place was 6km from Tarragona and eaten at 1500hrs so will last me the day.

Early morning i set out to solve some bike problems but found the usual "Give me MONEY syndrome" in Tarragona, not able to carry the tools i rely on "Goodwill" which sadly is no longer available in "Espana"!

Even as i write this blog i find that the memories generated are enough to encourage me to head for the beach !

"Disabled/Paralympic Sport" counts for nothing here in "Espana", but before logging on i let a lady use the computer whose partner`s son is "Cerebal Palsy" and so is in a sheltered home these past 30 years! Their Daughter was a friend of George Hincapie a cyclist now attached to "BMC" cycling team. "Go figure" the co incidents that you will come across as you progress through life.

Last time i was in Tarragonna was a Saturday and the start was in the Marina but a few kms down the road the weather took a turn and we were cycling in cms of torrential rain on the road, more like cyclesurfing than cycle racing, arrived at the finish with a transfer to Valencia arriving there in time for midnight. Most people arrived here after Midnight who went to the finish but i shortcircuited to Valencia and caught a lift North with a truck and the last 100km with a Russian who would have made "Schumacker look for a new job"!

Attitudes have changed in Espana these past years, now "Accom. Providers" charge people more money, taking the attitude that "IF YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL THEN YOU DESERVE TO BE RIPPED OFF"" Right!! you have to travel from home so you can afford to pay "PENALTY" for all those who stay home because the economy has tightened and think twice about visiting Clients/Friends, as telephone is cheaper ! WRONG ATTITUDE HOTEL OWNERS !!! Encourage more travel by offering better "SERVICE", perhaps lower prices also !

My baggage travelled to a "Sponsors" hotel, i visited to advise that i had arrived, at the hotel i secured "Recom" to neighbouring "Hostal(Cheaper form of Accom)" was told my "Driving license(photoI.D.) was "Nuisance Value to their " Son (the Computer Whiz.) so i went elsewhere and found cheaper accom w/out being "hasselled" about I.D. at 22hrs. WHO loses? I am better off by 20euros a night, but who wants to stay with the "Idiots Who say that you are a "PROBLEM"!

By the way i am in Espana riding my bike and the "Hostal " wanted to leave it in the street as "THEIR FLEA PIT" is so clean that a "Clean bike is not allowed in the room ! WHY am i here? I am riding the route of the "Vuelta"! Where do i leave the bike? Not where it becomes some "chancers " property ! THink i want to spend more time in Espana? YOU ARE right the benefits are outweighted by the liabilities, sunny weather is great but "Hassells" are not "welcome" !

Vuelta Espana has become a smaller event to that i remember visiting in 1999 and will continue to lose prestige whilst those supplying "Service" to the event think "SMALL" ! There are some with this Event Who deserve recognition for the efforts they make to encourage the "Public" but whilst you have Media saying there is no "News Value" in broadcasting about "Disabili" but there is value in interviewing "Politicians"!