HAYDEN - Fifteen years ago, Robin Bates was a normal guy.

He was an international sales director who traveled the world. He was self-employed and in control of his own destiny.

Robin met Paula and sent her postcards from Israel, Zimbabwe and other distant destinations. They fell in love, dated for six months and got married.

Three months later, their lives changed forever.

Robin, then 30, was diagnosed with an advanced case of multiple sclerosis.

"He knew something was wrong," Paula said. "He'd be at business meetings, business dinners, and slurring. They're all drinking different things, you know, different countries will have a before-dinner cordial and then wine or something with dinner and then something after. He's like, squirreling them back to the kitchen because already, you know, he'd call me late at night, it was like he could barely make his mouth work."

Even though he could still walk when he was diagnosed, he realized he would eventually spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

But Robin wasn't cool with that.

"Right back then, 14 years ago, I figured I wanted to do something really cool for MS," said Robin, who is now 45 and lives with Paula in Hayden.

Robin has hatched a plan to ride his disability scooter across the country as a symbol of inspiration for MS sufferers and others living with crippling physical conditions.

"I'm doing it to show people with MS or disabilities in general there is hope," he said. "There are so many people who might have the same condition that you have. There is hope."

Robin is tired of spending thousands of dollars on medicines that don't seem to do anything and doctors telling him they don't know how to treat his ailment. He's sick of the disease that's wracking his body. He has conducted countless hours of research about how diet, nutrition, exercise and psychology can positively affect the well-being of MS patients, as in the case of author and Dr. Terry Wahls, who healed herself through diet and exercise after being diagnosed with secondary progressive MS, the same kind Robin has.

"She went from being in a chair, very disabled, to walking, biking, hiking, she looks normal, she's very trim and fit," Paula said.

Robin wants to share this knowledge with the rest of the world as he scooters 4,000 miles from San Diego to Miami.

"There is hope for them, there is a solution," he said. "They don't have to say, 'Oh, woe is me, I've got no insurance, I'm dead.' Insurance doesn't help because the medicine doesn't help, anyway. There is an alternative and this is the alternative."

Robin has lost a majority of the motor function in his legs. He can move his big toe, but that's about it when it comes to his feet. It is difficult for him to stand up, even with assistance, and he has neuropathy much like a diabetic.

"When he's normal temperature, his feet will be like ice cubes," said Paula, 50. "It's painful, he just sits there in pain. A lot of MS people have all kinds of pain. His body is very fatigued, but real pain is the legs and especially the feet."

Robin is also extremely sensitive to hot and cold, which is something he has to consider when he is exposed to the elements while traveling.

"I have to have cold showers because if I shower with heat, it's too hot and then I turn into a noodle and I can't get out," he said. "So that's a problem."

Neuropathy and temperature issues or not, Robin is determined to make this trek. He has already begun improving his diet and exercising every day, whether it's aquatherapy in the hot tub or using a full-body vibration machine. Nothing will stand in his way. He has given himself 12 months, and by Oct. 1, 2015, he'll be burning rubber.

"I don't care if I die trying this," he said. "I want to do something with my life. I don't want to sit here and rot and become worse and worse and disappear. I want to go out with a bang. I want to do something fantastic, something meaningful, so that's what I'm going to do."

The Press will be periodically checking on Robin and Paula as they prepare for Robin's MS journey. The couple will be preparing mentally and physically and plan to film the entire adventure. Robin will soon begin video blogging so fans can watch his transformation. The Bateses are seeking sponsors to help with costs and items, such as scooter tires, batteries, vehicles and other equipment for the road. They will also be checking with officials in the states they visit to ensure safe routes and promote wheelchair accessibility across the nation.

To donate, support or become involved in Robin's journey, visit Robin's Facebook page, "Robin's MS Journey," which can be found at http://goo.gl/wyhkXf.