Upside Down Adventures: The Life of a Handstand Enthusiast

A Lifetime of Handstands

Michael Comberiate, a retired NASA engineer, has a unique hobby. He loves doing handstands. In fact, he has done over 105,000 handstands in his lifetime.

Places He's Done Handstands

Mountaintops
Pyramids
Sheets of ice
About 250 countries
All 50 U.S. states
Antarctica
The North and South poles

NASA Mike

Comberiate is known as "NASA Mike" by his friends and colleagues. He claims to have done more documented handstands in more places than anyone else.

Injuries and Challenges

Over the years, he has suffered from:

Severe back pain
Separated shoulders
Several surgeries

These injuries are not from handstands but from his taekwondo practice.

Current Battle

Currently, Comberiate is battling cancer for the fourth time. This has put his travels and handstands on hold. He is undergoing treatment at the National Institutes of Health. He hopes to recover and continue his handstand routine of at least five a day.

The Journey Begins

Comberiate started doing handstands as a teenager. In college, he joined a gymnastics troupe. He later decided to count every handstand he did.

Travels and Expenses

He travels a lot for his job, making satellites and communications equipment. He uses his travels to do handstands in new places. He has spent about $250,000 of his own money on these travels.

Documenting His Adventures

He keeps a photo of nearly every handstand he has done. He even self-published a 900-page autobiography called "The World I Have Seen Upside Down."

Conversations and Connections

His handstands start conversations. People ask him about his hobby, leading to him learning about their world.

Records and Recognition

Comberiate is not in the Guinness Book of World Records for his handstands. However, he is in the records for his work at NASA.

In 1999, he and a colleague set a record. They held the first "pole-to-pole" conference call between the North and South poles.
He has also been recognized by Ripley's Believe It or Not.

Determination and Resilience

Despite his cancer, Comberiate is not letting it stop him. He walks 10 miles a day or exercises on a stationary bike. He is determined to continue his handstands and travels for as long as he can.