echotribe:

First of all, thank you for the prayers, well wishes and for your donations to the Foundation for Blind Children. The last four weeks have been incredible. Yancey, Ben and I have experienced an amazing adventure. The Arizona Trail does not disappoint ones expectations. Now as I sit here writing this all I can think about is how much I want to get back to the trail.

As many of you know, I injured my right leg in the Four Peaks Passage. I am not sure which trip, slip, kick or fall caused it, but by the middle of the next day I was limping. After a scheduled two day rest in Phoenix I assumed that I would be ok to return to the hike. Unfortunately, I was wrong. After a 16 mile hike on the 29th I knew I needed to have my leg checked out. Leaving the trail was the hardest decision of the trip. Fortunately my injury is not serious. The doc said to lay off it for a week or two. I am hoping that I can get back on the trail this Sunday. Regardless of how long it takes I will find a way to complete this hike-A-Thon.

I am still in awe by what we have already accomplished. This trail is not an easy hike for anyone. We have experienced some really challenging yet beautiful terrain. I find it amazing to hear nothing of the modern world for days. We have run across three rattle snakes, a bull snake, desert tortoise, two heal monsters, deer, lots of cows and horses. The sounds of birds are a constant and it is interesting how many different types there are.

Many times the trail is not more than a line on the GPS and an occasional cairn. Yancey and Ben have become quite adept at figuring out where we need to go. Without their help I could not have made it this far. Anthony’s logistical help has been a serious blessing. Thanks to all three of you for helping this blind guy out. This experience has helped us grow as friends and people.

We have now completed 22 of the 42 passages totaling 397 miles of the 807 mile trek. There are two more major hiking challenges left, the Mazatals and the Grand Canyon passages. I am told that the other 18 passages are not quite as difficult, but incredibly beautiful.

The main issue for me at this point is who is going to guide me for the last two weeks. Yancey and Ben have to go back to work on the 16th. If things go according to plan this should get me pretty close to Flagstaff. I have the weekends covered, but I am still looking for some guides through the two weeks after the 16th. I have faith that it will all work out.

This hike is not about me. It is about giving some great blind kids an opportunity to live a better quality of life. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to meet some of these kids a couple of months ago. Their spark for life truly inspired me. Many times when I was sore and tired, thinking of them helped keep me going. I will not give up and I will make it to Utah!

God Bless

Mike Armstrong

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Hi, In case you haven’t heard, I am going on another crazy hike for the Foundation for Blind Children. This time I am going to hike the 807 mile Arizona Trail. I am putting on a fund raising event to help promote this trek. One month from today 2/12/11 I am giving an inspirational speech followed by an unplugged jam with my band Echotribe. Again the date is Saturday February 12th from 6 to 8 PM. This will be at Shiloh Community Church on 32nd street just north of Union Hills. We will be taking donations at the door and we will also have a raffle with all kinds of cool stuff. It would be awesome to see you there. If funds are tight, don’t worry about it, come check out what my hike up Kilimanjaro was like and listen to some good music. If you would like some more information about this event or my hike, please go to blindmotivation.com. Thanks, Mike,

I would like to put a big thank you to everyone at Tiger’s Eye Dojo in Elko Nevada for putting on such a great tournament last weekend. The entire Arizona crew had an amazing time. This is the third year in a row that they have been doing this annual Battle in the Desert and they keep getting better. The one way thirteen hour drive made for a long weekend, but the experience for my students and me were priceless. I brought my students Ben Cane and Justin Armstrong (my son) to this American Kyokushin Karate Organization sponsored tournament. Ben and I both participated in the competition for the last two years, but for my son this was the first time he had experienced a Kyokushin full contact event. We were all impressed with the quality and skill represented by the competitors this year in all of the different categories. The fighting abilities displayed really were impressive. Even though I was unable to see the fights, the sound of the fighter getting struck and the play by play I received put me right into the the thick of it. My Dojo (Blind Tiger Martial Arts Academy) represented Phoenix pretty well. Ben took first place in his Kata division and third in Full Contact Bare Knuckle fighting. Justin Took first place in Kata, second in Weapons and third in Semi Knock down Fighting (full contact with pads). I ended up getting first place in Weapons and third in Kata. The sportsmanship shown by all of the competitors, Sensei’s and spectators were awesome. We all owe a special thanks to Sensei Rosie, Sensei Lane, Shihan Sales Shihan Cervando and their volunteers for all of their work in promoting and putting on the event. Also the input and work contributed by Hanshi Buck and Kyoshi Kappa Made the tournament run smoother than any of us could have expected. I am looking forward to catching up with all of them again! God Bless, - Shihan Mike Armstrong Blind Tiger Martial Arts Academy - BlindTigerMA.com >

Hello All, I have had a couple of amazing weeks. It started on Saturday July 31st when I tested and promoted my son Justin Michael Armstrong to his Junior Sho Dan (first degree black belt). I was honored to have my teacher Hanshi Fred Buck there to lead the test. It was awesome to see Justin’s fellow students there to show their support. In all there were about 30 of us to witness this monumental experience in Justin’s life. A Junior Black Belt test consists of a mix of performing all of the basic requirements listed on all of the Karate charts from white belt to black belt. The student then has to show that he can defend himself in a Nagi Circle. This is when several attackers surround the testing student and throw every type of conceivable punch, kick, grab, or combinations there of at him. Next the student must demonstrate all of the 19 formal forms (Kata). After this the sparring portion begins. The student is required to spar ten rounds, with ten students five of which are Black Belts. It is finished up with breaking (student’s choice of boards, bricks, or rocks).In all the test takes approximately two hours. As I listened to my son work his way through his requirements, I felt a mixture of pride in him and a strong desire to see him succeed. He nailed the basics part of the test with very few mistakes. The Kata portion of the test was extremely intense. He put so much of his heart into the execution of the techniques that he started to have an asthma attack. At the end of the 18th form I had him drop into sazau to catch his breath for his final form. The energy of the room was so intense that it felt like you could cut the air with a knife. The entire group of us was pulling for him with all of our hearts and minds. As Justin got up to finish his last form the room was dead silent. Well, he made it. He passed his test with high marks. When I tied his new Black Belt around his waist I was so choked up that I did not think I was going to be able to speak. Being a teacher and seeing a student succeed and grow through their martial art is one of the most gratifying experiences imaginable. Later as I spoke to Hanshi, he told me that in his forty plus years of teaching, that was one of the best tests he had ever seen. I had the parents of the other children come to me and tell me that they never imagined that Black Belt was that intense. One of the students which earned a Black Belt in another school said that his test was a breeze in comparison. The mother told me that there was no comparison at all. Justin is my first Black Belt that I have promoted since the opening of my Dojo in 2002. He is the first Black Belt in my family other than myself. After training him for seven and a half years it is my pleasure to have Justin as a Black Belt under me. It is also my honor and joy to have him as a son! God has truly blessed me with my family. - Shihan Mike Armstrong - Blind Tiger Martial Arts Academy

As some of you may know, on July 25, 26 and 27 I was a competitor in the 2010 Adventure Teem Challenge. The first time I had ever heard of this race was just three weeks prior to the event. This is when I was asked to be on a team. Although I had never been Mountain Biking or White Water Rafting, I decided to take the challenge and go for it. I must say that it was one of the most gratifying events I have ever had the pleasure to be a part of. I found the ATC to be an incredible opportunity for handicapped and able bodied athletes to truly test their endurance, strength and will to succeed. As a blind man I found the mix of Mountain Biking, Zip Line, White Water Rafting and Trail Running/Hiking, exhilarating. The entire program from start to finish was top notch and getting to experience the Rocky Mountains in this manner was amazing! All of the legs of the race were well thought out and ran extremely well. I felt the element of danger only added excitement and was augmented by the close attention to safety. The two day competition is extremely challenging for both the handicapped and able bodied teammates alike, but this is what helps make the experience so valuable. The team (Cisco/EyeCandy) I was on worked together to find ways to persevere through each new adversity. We built bonds and friendships that I believe will last a lifetime. In many ways we were all surprised at what we could achieve together. John, Ted, Tim and Neal were awesome guys and exceptional athletes. We laughed, sweat and suffered our way into second place. We were beat by Lumber Liquidators (Eric Weihenmeyers team) by 24 minutes. We had a couple of mishaps including missing a couple of check in points and breaking a chain on the tandem bike. Those kinds of things just helped keep it more interesting. I personally look for activities that challenge the status quo, well this fit that description. I would highly recommend the Adventure Team Challenge to anyone. Things like this event help reinvent what is and is not a handicap. The rewards are far reaching and inspirational to all. I am truly looking forward to next years ATC! Sincere Thanks to all involved in the Adventure Team Challenge! Sensei Mike Armstrong,

Hi All, I have some news that I am excited about! I was asked two weeks ago if I would be a part of the Cisco team competing in the World Team Challenge in Colorado. This is a two day Adventure Race through the Rocky Mountains consisting of; white water rafting, rock climbing, hiking, trail running and mountain biking. Of coarse I accepted! I will be leaving on Friday and getting back on Sunday night. Please wish me luck, I may need it. Also if you get a chance check out my new website blindmotivation.com to see all the other adventures I have planned. .Mike/Sensei.

I was thinking about what it means to be a Sensei today. I believe that it is much more than just teaching some one how to defend oneself. Although that is extremely important, I have found that my roll as a Sensei involves being a mentor, a friend, a personal trainer, an inspiration and many times, just a caring ear for the students. This type of student teacher relationship creates an incredible bond. Helping my students grow as a person through their learning of the Martial Arts gives me a great feeling of accomplishment. This is why I consider my teachers and students part of my family. Just a few Thoughts, Mike Armstrong Shihan,

12 news feature about me and the dojo

Foundation for Blind Children: Believing