Veterans Charity Ride
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Joseph N. Martinez, Marines, Corporal (ret)​

Joe “Lefty” Martinez was born & raised in Michigan. His grandparents were avid motorcyclists and as a kid, he rode many miles on the back of a bike.  He learned to ride his own bike at a very early age and has never stopped. A gifted athlete throughout his school years, he started on the varsity football and wrestling teams, as a freshman.

Joe joined the Marines in 1993 serving until May 1997 as a 1345 Engineer. On April 19 1995,  Joe’s life changed forever, he had been involved in a motorcycle accident resulting in the amputation of his left arm.   Joe was in and out of the hospital for more than a year.  This was the beginning of a life experience that made him who he is today. 

Joe believes, at the core, all challenge is mental.  “Challenge in life is something we all face and comes disguised in many forms. I realized everything happens for a reason... That with all experiences viewed as negative, positive experience is waiting to be found. How we view it will determine where we go with it....
Our mind does more than the rest of our body parts combined!”

Joe spent 20 years as a successful,  professional backcountry snowmobile guide. Taking clients thorough the rugged backcountry in Wyoming.  Joe started the non-profit Ascend Empowerment  using his experience to help others facing crisis, to see the positives. His goal is to speed the mental thus physical recovery, and push those beyond what they thought possible. 

With 21 years of experience Joe said, “I aim to inspire others to truly keep their head up, realizing where the head goes the body will follow.  To show, that limitations are others' way to protect us, but actually just hold us back... Setting a negative, go nowhere vibe on our situations.”​

Lefty now lives in the Salt Lake City area with his beautiful partner Holli Michelle Lane-Martinez and rides his Beta Cross-trainer 300 Enduro on the wild single tracks found in Utah.
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  • Home
  • About Us
  • How to Help
  • Testimonials
  • Gallery
    • Photo Gallery
    • Watch VCR Videos
  • Rides & Programs
    • About the Rides
    • Ride Routes
    • Sign Up a Veteran
    • MEET THE VETERANS >
      • 2022 Grand Valley >
        • 2022 Veteran Mentors >
          • Dave Frey 2022
          • DaKoda Antelope
          • Richard “Tony” Doyle
          • David Green
        • 2022 Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • Guy Bond
          • Jeremy Breece
          • Timothy Cloud
          • Stephen Nester
          • Brian Sayer
      • 2022 Moab Adventure >
        • 2022 Veteran Mentors >
          • Dave Frey 2022
          • Denver Braa 2022
          • Paul Kilgore 2022
          • RYAN LUNDBOHM 2022
        • 2022 Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • BRENNA MATTHIES
          • KERRY CHARTIER
          • MICHAEL J. BROOKS
          • DONALD F. TYNDALL
          • KELLY CHARTIER
      • 2022 Veterans (Durango) >
        • 2022 Veteran Mentors >
          • Denver Braa 2022
          • JOEL MCCOLLOUGH
          • MILT YAGEL 2022
          • Dave Frey 2022
        • 2022 Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • JAN GOKLISH-STEVENS
          • DAVID GREEN
          • BRANDON LANGSTON
          • MATT MARTIN
          • ZACHARY PEDERSEN
          • JARED POSEY
      • 2021 Veterans >
        • 2021 Veteran Mentors >
          • Denver Braa 2021
          • Dave Frey 2021
          • Kaylan Harrington 2021
          • Keith Helfrich 2021
          • Marylyn Sabol 2021
          • Jared Thomas 2021
          • Darius Wallace 2021
          • John Wood AKA Johnny Killmore 2021
        • 2021 Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • Khara Ann Adams
          • Patrick Amie
          • Cameron High
          • Justin Hopkinson
          • RJ Lugo
          • Joe Martinez
          • Christopher Wolff
          • Milt Yagel
      • 2020 Veterans >
        • Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • Anthony Wick
          • Carlos Da Silva
          • Dakoda Antelope
          • Darius Wallace
          • Denver Braa
          • Lonnie Sutterfield
        • Veteran Mentors >
          • Chad Morris
          • Dave Frey
          • Jared Thomas
          • John Wood AKA Johnny Killmore
          • Josh Stein
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Marylyn Sabol
          • Paul Kilgore
      • 2019 Veterans >
        • Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • Chad Morris
          • Eric Dober
          • Fouad Mohaideen
          • Jana Rodriguez
          • Kenneth Toone
          • Loyce Siegel
          • Matthew Zajac
          • Paul Kilgore
        • Veteran Mentors >
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Kaylan Harrington
          • John Wood AKA Johnny Killmore
          • Jared Thomas
          • Eric Morante
        • Veteran Support Staff & Crew >
          • Dave Frey
          • Anthony Indrieri
          • John Austin
      • 2018 Veterans >
        • Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • David Camargo
          • Eric Morante
          • Fred Ruiz
          • Kaylan Harrington
          • Keith Shoulders
          • Matthew White
          • Samuel Rosales
          • Ermin Husidic
          • Jared Thomas
        • Veteran Mentors >
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Moses Sonera
          • Ian Freeman
          • Rich Neider
          • Robert Pinkham
          • John Wood AKA Johnny Killmore
        • Veteran Support Staff & Crew >
          • Dave Frey
          • Anthony Indrieri
          • John Austin
      • 2017 Veterans >
        • 2017 “Hero’s Ride of a Lifetime” Selections >
          • Neil Frustaglio
          • Josh Stein
        • Veteran Riders & Sidecar Passengers >
          • Shane Dorwin
          • James Felix
          • Richard Neider
          • Lisa Niner
          • Robert Pinkham
          • Richard Silva
          • Moses Sonera
          • John Wood
        • Veteran Mentors >
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Dave "Max" Maxwell
          • Justin "Wardog" McCarty
        • Veteran Support Staff & Crew >
          • Dave Frey
          • Ian Freeman
          • Bob Hudson
          • Cat Macleod
          • Jonathan Shelgosh
          • Damon Suiter
          • Jim Whittum
      • 2016 Veterans >
        • Mentors >
          • Dave "Max" Maxwell
          • Sean Carroll
          • Virgi Bondi
          • George Nickel
          • Tommy Montgomery
          • Glen Silva
          • Jorge Hernandez
        • “Hero’s Ride of a Lifetime” Selections >
          • Keith Helfrich
          • Jedidiah (Jed) Morgan
        • Veterans Riders >
          • Ian Freeman
          • Justin McCarty
          • Constance Heinz
          • Evan Marcy
          • Marylyn Sabol
          • Steve Wichers
          • Dom Figiel
          • Nick "Razor" Razzano
          • Mike Brown
          • Damon Suiter
          • Tom Junier
  • News
  • Contact
    • Social Feed
    • Privacy Policy
  • Donate
  • Partners