The real story.

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I have been afraid to write what I really want because I'm afraid I'll be judged. I would like to write honestly and openly about why cycling is so important. Actually all my outdoor endeavors are important for the same reason. That's because like a shark if I stop moving, I'll drown.

I'll drown in depression and self loathing. I've been medically treated for depression and anxiety on and off for about the last 20 years. It has been helpful to find a base line of what normal feels like. Now I'm letting go of Allopathic medicine and with the help of a good Naturopath (a form of alternative medicine) that specializes in mental health, I'm working my way off the anti-depressant medications I've been on consistently for the past 7 years. 

So far I feel pretty good. Cycling is just one part of maintaining mental health for me. In fact all forms of adventure have been a boon to my all around health. My well being is based on physical, mental and spiritual balance.

The profession in which I work is also a piece of this. I am a wilderness therapist currently working for a Wilderness Therapy program that operates out of Durango, Colorado. My office is a Crazy Creek chair on the ponderosa forest floor out in our base camp on Haycamp Mesa.

The photo at the top of the page is from one of my collections taken a few years ago while hiking with one of my students. In my next post I'll talk a little more about the topic of Eco-psychology.