Entries by Steve Baskis

Strength – Resilience – Courage

Disclaimer: I am writing this for the first time and these are my own opinions and thoughts. I do not feel that I have any answers, but only life experience and challenges that have influenced my recovery from a traumatic injury. All that I ask from the reader is to have an open mind and […]

Yankee Jim Canyon

In July of 2014, a friend named Lonnie Bedwell invited me to The Out of Sight Team River Runner Clinic in Emigrant, Montana. The preplanned Team River Runner trip was a wild adrenaline pumping adventure on a few of The Yellowstone Rivers white water rapids. Lonnie Bedwell, a fellow veteran who lost his vision in […]

Blind Kayaking

Steve Baskis shares a some of his thoughts while kayaking on the West Yellowstone River. The trip was part of the “OuttaSight Clinic” sponsored by Team River Runner and consisted of five visually impaired veterans. [x_video_embed type=”16:9″][/x_video_embed]

Bastille Crack

In life we all face challenges. I consider my loss of sight a challenge, but trying to earn a degree, find a job or purchase a home are all challenges as well. So why do some people seek out physical challenges, like climbing a rock tower in the middle of the wilderness? For me it […]

Face of America

Face of America In April of 2014, my tandem pilot Victor Henderson graciously volunteered to ride with me in the annual Face of America Bicycle Ride from World T.E.A.M. Sports. The ride included 130 injured veterans and 370 able body riders who set out from the pentagon in Arlington, Virginia for the historical city of […]

Old Glory

A special thanks to Michael Lassig and Swett & Crawford for this amazing gift. In the summer of 2013 a group of people came together to create a unique gift for me. The gift was a total surprise setup to be presented and revealed to me at Village Cycle Sport near my home in Illinois. […]

Biathlon Training

Time has truly flown by, I can’t believe it is almost the end of the year. 2013 has been a great year filled with amazing experiences like climbing, kayaking and most recently skiing. Over the past few weeks I have been out West skiing in Wyoming and Montana, all with the hopes of someday making […]

Half Dome

In September 2013, Matt Murray, a good friend and climber who I had climbed with before in Russia, Nepal and Colorado invited me on a climb with Paradox Sports of Boulder, Colorado. The climb was going to be a special one to say the least and I was truly pumped to be part of this […]

Mount Elbrus

Mount Elbrus, the tallest mountain in Europe, had been on my mind ever since climbing Africa’s Kilimanjaro. So after a lot of talk with climbing buddies, a group of us rallied and set out for Russia and another of the 7 summits in 2012. Before every climbing expedition I go on, I do my absolute […]

Mount Kilimanjaro

After climbing in Nepal in 2010 with the Soldiers to the Summit gang, I was motivated to climb another big mountain in the world. Kevin Churilla, a mountain guide and new friend I met on the Nepal trip had spoke about his organization K2 Summits and a trip to the roof of Africa. Kevin told […]