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Author Archive for Greg Milano

BORP Cycling Expands to Oakland’s Lake Merritt!

By Greg Milano on May 16, 2019 No Comments
Cyclists of all abilities ride together on a path next to Lake Merritt

On Saturday, May 11, BORP was thrilled to participate in a ceremony at Lake Merritt in Oakland launching our new six-month Adaptive Bike Share pilot program. This program will provide people with disabilities the use of handcycles, recumbent foot trikes, and a side-by-side tandem on Wednesdays and Saturdays at a site next to the Lake. A collaboration with Lyft’s GoBike, the program is the result of determined lobbying by the Oakland Mayor’s Commission for Persons with Disability. It is entirely funded by Lyft and will be free of charge for people with disabilities during the pilot.

Two BORP staff will be on hand to assist in fitting and training of new riders. The goal of the pilot is to learn more about how people with disabilities in Oakland can and want to access the Shared Bike systems that are spreading around the world.  

A woman gets fitted for a bike before her ride

“We’re thrilled to work with BORP to open up new possibilities for people with disabilities who want to access bikes in Oakland,” said Caroline Samponaro, Head of Bike, Pedestrian and Scooter Policy at Lyft.

Says Greg Milano, BORP’s Adaptive Cycling Manager, “The first step to bike share programs becoming fully inclusive is to increase awareness about the equipment and options that make cycling possible for people with disabilities. Once people see what’s possible and get a chance to try them out, they’ll be able to take equal advantage of the bike lanes and trails we’ve all invested in over the last decade.”

Although the pilot is not the exact same model as Bike Share’s self-service 24/7 stations, the goal is to educate the community about the possibility of cycling for people with disabilities—and to get everyone riding, of course!  

The current location of the new adaptive bike share program:
1335 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland, CA
Hours:  Wednesday 11 – 5, Saturday 10 – 4

For more information, click here.

Categories : Uncategorized
Tags : Cycling, Oakland

Sportsfest 2019

By Greg Milano on April 15, 2019 No Comments

Come enjoy a day of fun at Sportsfest on Sunday, July 21! An all-day event (9am to 5pm), Sportsfest provides the opportunity for participants to try out some of BORP’s adaptive sports and recreation activities. This year, we’re featuring cycling, kayaking, an outdoor seated Tai Chi class, and rock climbing. There’ll be plenty of information about BORP’s other programs. A free lunch will be served.

Location: BORP Adaptive Cycling Center, Aquatic Park-80 Boliver Drive Berkeley.

Cost: Free for registered participants with disabilities and includes lunch. Family and friends are welcome but MUST also register and indicate the number of extra lunches needed. Cost is $5 per lunch and will be collected at the event.

Volunteers: If you and your family members are active BORP participants, we encourage you to not only participate, but to volunteer. There is plenty of opportunity to do both and it’s a great way to give back to our awesome BORP community!

Sports Fest is funded by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.

Participants and volunteers: Click here to register now.

Categories : Uncategorized

BORP Riders Explore the California Coastal Trail

By Greg Milano on April 10, 2019 No Comments
BORP Cyclists explore the Coastal Trail in Half Moon Bay

Thanks to a grant from the California Coastal Commission BORP Cyclists have been exploring stretches of the California Coastal Trail and SF Bay Trail. In the last few months, we’ve provided opportunities to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, on old Highway 1 at Devil’s Slide, and on a brand new stretch of Coastal Trail in Half Moon Bay.  With the same grant, we were able to provide transportation for our Youth Riding Club to pedal the SF Bay Trail in along the San Leandro Shoreline. BORP regular Drew McPherson joined us on the Half Moon Bay trail and had this to say, “Getting out on a bike by the ocean was nothing short of blissful. Riding at BORP is great, but it’s still an urban experience. This trip was one my best back in nature experiences since I had a spinal cord injury over 5 years ago. I can’t wait to do more adventure rides with BORP.”

BORP Youth hang out on the SF Bay Trail in San Leandro
Categories : Uncategorized

BORP Youth Rider Passes It Forward!

By Greg Milano on April 10, 2019 No Comments

Sam Wilson-Kutchko first came to BORP’s Cyclng Center when she was was 7 years old.  She couldn’t balance on a two wheel bike at the time but soon got riding on one of BORP’s adaptive trikes. No kid wants to only ride when BORP is open so her family bought a trike. But it turned out that the exercise and coordination she developed triking helped her learn to ride a two wheeler! So Sam, now 12, donated her trike to BORP so more kids like her can get on wheels! Thank you Sam! We love to see our riders getting independent on their own wheels and are so grateful for your donation to BORP!

Sam donates her Adaptive Youth Trike.
Sam on her mountain bike
Categories : Uncategorized
Tags : Adaptive cycling

Let’s Ride – BORP Cycling 2019 Season Opens

By Greg Milano on March 11, 2019 1 Comments

BORP’s Cycling Season is now open three days a week for new and experienced riders. No previous experience or reservations are necessary, just show up and we WILL get you on a bike and riding. BORP has handcycles and leg powered trikes for youth and adults and access to 20+ miles of bike trail.

Our Spring Hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 12 – 6, and Saturdays 9 – 4.

Come Ride!

Categories : Uncategorized

A Perfect Partnership – BORP Cycling and The Centre for Neuro Skills

By Greg Milano on April 19, 2018 No Comments

Over the last three years, BORP Cycling and the Centre for Neuro Skills in Emeryville (CNS) have developed a great partnership serving both our missions. CNS is a residential rehabilitation program for people with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and strokes.  Every Tuesday, a group of CNS clients and their therapists visit the BORP Cycling Center for a group ride.  Most riders come for several months while they are enrolled in CNS programs and some continue to come independently afterward.

CNS  Therapist Albert Santa Cruz has this to say about our programs:

“BORP provides additional recreation therapy for our patients and provides a physical activity in community-based areas. There are plenty of articles and studies showing the benefits of outdoor activities including motivation to exercise, enhancing a positive attitude and emotion, and reducing mental fatigue. BORP allows a break for patients who undergo intense therapy in a clinical setting for hours a day while still getting a different type of rehabilitation. Bicycling outdoors allows patients to feel a sense of community involvement through social reintegration and inducing a mindset of belonging and being able to see their progress in a practical setting. Another aspect of bicycling outdoors is the exposure to sensory experiences by seeing the bright grassy areas, the sunny skies, and vast bay area water. Participation has given our patients a sense of a “reset” that allows them to continue their formal therapies refreshed.

The staff and volunteers have been phenomenal and accommodate for our sometimes large groups. They assist with all fitting for all of our patients and make sure our patients are safe with appropriate equipment. They adapt their equipment for our varying impairments and body types. We appreciate the open dialogue that is available at BORP and hope to keep the BORP and CNS relationship for a very long time.”

CNS Rider Spotlight:

CNS “graduate” Ray Ydoyaga on a recumbent trike near the BORP Cycling Center

Ray Ydoyaga

We interviewed CNS “graduate” Ray Ydoyaga about his personal experiences at BORP.  Ray started out riding recumbent cycles with the CNS group, has become a regular independent rider, and just this month successfully got back on a two-wheel cycle.

BORP: What do you enjoy about BORP?

Ray Ydoyaga: It’s great to be able to have a regular and fun outdoor athletic workout after a major physical injury.  This wouldn’t be possible for me without BORP’s special adaptive bikes.  BORP is also ideally located at the juncture of multiple bike trails ranging from the very easy loop around Aquatic Park Lake, to hidden paths around Berkeley marina, and to challenging and serious rides up to either the Bay Bridge bike path or, going the other direction, Richmond, and all offering stupendous views.   Pre-accident, I was a daily cyclist, so now post-accident, being able to do something physical again that i love has given me a lot of hope and improved my mental well-being.

BORP: Have you noticed a specific impact on your physical rehabilitation?

Ray: The repetitive cycling motions have definitely increased my strength, endurance, balance  and overall mobility.  My right side is still substantially weaker than left, but the regular cycling has given the right side a big boost.

BORP: What brought you to BORP?

Ray: In July 2016, I had a high-speed bicycle wipeout that caused a concussion and a spinal cord injury at neck level (C3).  That level of injury almost always means being (required to use a wheelchair), but through luck, years-long rehab work and the care AND INGENUITY of a great physical therapist, SEAN REYNOLDS OF CNS, I am able to walk — with a pronounced limp and sometimes looks a bit like a drunken sailor, but still, it’s a self-propelled walk nonetheless.  I have improved to the point where I will be taking my first solo ride on a regular two-wheeled bike very soon, and perhaps graduating from BORP’s fast three-wheeled trikes.

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest
Tags : Adaptive cycling, Adaptive Sports, borp, Cycling

Accessible Yosemite Adventure

By Greg Milano on October 17, 2017 1 Comments

BORP’s Cycling Program and ten BORP Participants joined Mark Wellman’s No Limits Yosemite Adventure in September. For five participants, this was their first time in Yosemite!

Oscar Matias is all smiles on his first visit to Yosemite despite growing up in Oakland.

Oscar Matias is all smiles on his first visit to Yosemite despite growing up in Oakland.

Mark was the first paraplegic to climb El Capitan and Half Dome and was a former park ranger in Yosemite. BORP provided the adaptive cycles and leadership of multiple rides around the Valley to Mirror Lake, Yosemite Falls, and El Capitan. We all stayed in the accessible cabins at the “housekeeping camp”, ate group meals that might have been better than what was being served at The Majestic Yosemite Hotel across the river. Mark’s adaptive climbing equipment made it possible for all 10 people to get on the rope and climb first to a hanging “ledge” and then beyond to over 60 feet off the ground. We look forward to working with No Limits and sending another group of BORP participants to Yosemite next year.
The trip was funded by the Yosemite Conservancy to help bring underrepresented populations to the park.

Dan, Jethro, Marissa, and Jorge cruise the Valley Meadows.

Dan, Jethro, Marissa, and Jorge cruise the Valley Meadows.

Oscar nears the top of the 60 foot climb.

Oscar nears the top of the 60 foot climb.

Jorge and Abeba take a break at Yosemite Falls.

Jorge and Abeba take a break at Yosemite Falls.

BORP Cyclists take to the trails in Yosemite.

BORP Cyclists take to the trails in Yosemite.

BORP Cyclist Abdullah starts his climb up the wall.

BORP Cyclist Abdullah starts his climb up the wall.

Categories : Uncategorized

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