Some stories are truly inspirational to get outside and pursue your passions. Bruce Seeling is a determined man with a inspiring desire to continue pursuing life’s adventures no matter what it throws in his path. He encourages people to live healthy and boy oh boy is he showing us how to get it done despite the hurdles of cancer. Our hats are off to you Bruce! Keep on keepin’ on and we hope many more follow your actions and words of wisdom! As some say: “Live Better, Be Burley”.
Story from Bruce Seeling
My Burley story starts on April 21, 2014 as it was on this day I was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. I went preoperative radiation and chemo therapy. In July 2014 I had surgery to remove the cancer. The eight-hour surgery was successful at removing the cancerous tumor though I would also have a permanent colostomy. Following recovery from the surgery I underwent sixteen further weeks of chemotherapy. Once I completed the chemotherapy, I knew I needed to so something to get my body back. Due to neuropathy (loss of feeling), a side effect of the chemo, I decided to purchase a recumbent trike as I would not need to put my feet down each time I came to a stop and walking was quite difficult for me. After riding a few months, I knew I wanted to do more. It was at that time I decided I wanted to ride across the country on my trike. From that point forward I started my preparation for the ride by researching routes, equipment and riding as regularly as I could. Through my research and requirement to carry extra ostomy supplies I decided I would use a trailer to haul my equipment on my ride. After further research I decided on the Burley Nomad trailer due to its ease of packing, large volume and ease of handling when it was not attached to the trike.
On April 21, 2016, the second anniversary of my diagnosis, I started my ride at Yorktown, Virginia with a destination of Astoria, Oregon some 4,200 miles. I rode through the states of Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and finally Oregon on my way west. I arrived at my destination in Astoria, Oregon on July 13, 2016. The ride west so well, a thought continued to cross my mind that I shouldn’t stop in Astoria but rather ride back to my home in Missouri. On July 17, I started my ride east.
The ride east roughly followed the route of the great explorers Lewis and Clark and I rode through Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and finally Missouri. I arrived at my home town of St. Charles on August 27, 2016 with my ride ending at the Lewis & Clark monument a total of over 6,900 miles.
The Nomad trailer performed flawlessly. It allowed me to carry 2-3 weeks of ostomy supplies along with all my clothing and equipment on this extended cycling trip with ease.
I called my trip a Ride for Hope, Health and Rediscovery. I want to provide hope to other cancer survivors and people with ostomies that they too can do extraordinary things with planning and preparation. I want to encourage people to live a healthy lifestyle including exercise and screening for colon cancer to prevent this disease. I wanted to rediscovery America by travelling through it at a slower pace but I also found I rediscovered myself and my capabilities. The Burley Nomad played a significant role in the success of my trip.” – Bruce Seeling
What gets you inspired? Give us your community building tips and insights, let us know about your favorite Burley adventures, and tell us what you’re doing to build a legacy: http://burley.com/share-your-burley-story.
