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Archive for Adaptive Cycling

Oakland’s Cole School gets moving at BORP!

By Betsy Dorsett on April 23, 2018 No Comments

Thanks to the efforts of their teacher Laurin Kennedy a group of students from Oakland’s Cole School came on their first field trip to BORP in March. All of the students from Cole are nonverbal and wheelchair users and none of them had ever cycled before. Everyone got on a bike for at least one lap around Aquatic Park, and everyone had a great time. We asked Laurin what she thought of their first BORP experience:

Group photo of the kids from Oakland’s Cole School at the BORP Cycling center

Group photo of the kids from Oakland’s Cole School at the BORP Cycling center

BORP had a wonderful and meaningful impact on the lives of each of my students. Adaptive cycling opened a whole new world to them that they’d never had the opportunity to explore before.  Each of my students has moderate/severe physical and intellectual disabilities, so they each require specialized equipment to access physical activity. BORP provided that equipment for us, helped us select the most appropriate adaptive cycle for each student, and then organized and facilitated a ride. My students had a blast!

If I had to pick one student who enjoyed his time most, I would choose Darius.  Darius suffers from a neurodegenerative illness that has steadily robbed him of his physical and cognitive abilities over time. In the past, he was a typically developing child who had control over his mind and body.  As an adult, Darius is often frustrated because he cannot do the things he used to do as a young boy. When he was on the adaptive cycle, he seemed to be more happy and free that I’ve ever seen him. The cycle allowed him to move his legs in ways that he is unable to when he is confined to his wheelchair. He seemed to really enjoy the wind in his hair, moving his legs, and spending time with his mother, classmates, and teachers in a fun environment.

The best part of BORP’s cycling program is how invested the staff are to help our students.  BORP transported our classroom to and from school using the Borp bus, took the time and energy to help us pick out the most appropriate equipment, helped lift/transfer our adult students using their in-house lift, and then supported us on an adaptive cycling ride.  For 10 adult students, this is not an easy task. Everyone at Borp was so supportive and had a great attitude throughout our whole experience. That’s what really made our whole trip even more meaningful.

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Cycling, BORP General Interest
Tags : Adaptive cycling, borp, Cycling, Disability

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

How to Raise Over $700 for Your Revolution Ride in a Day

By Betsy Dorsett on August 23, 2017 No Comments

You can win this hate: picture of black and blue baseball cap with BORP logo embroidered on frontWe’ve been happily giving away these nifty BORP hats every Tuesday to the Revolution rider who raises the most money that week, but recently something unexpected happened.

Annie Kaferle registered for the Revolution on Monday afternoon. And by the time we were calculating the winner of the week’s hat giveaway, she was squarely in the lead. When the contest officially ended at noon on Tuesday, Annie had raised over $700. In less than 24 hours.

 

Here’s Annie’s secret to raising over $700 in under 24 hours

“I sent an e-mail to my friends and family with the link in it – riffing on what BORP provided with a little personal blurb about why I chose to support BORP and then I also posted a similar link on Facebook for people to donate directly. I have to say, I think the more you facilitate donating (i.e. adding a hyperlink) the easier it is for people to donate – and quickly! I’m pretty lucky to have such generous friends and family that are willing to donate to a cause that I am interested in!”

Image of hand cyclist and standard cyclist riding in the Rev. Text over image reads "Why I Ride the REV ... because 84% of all BORP participants report an increased ability to lead an active lifestyle."

Click here to download images like this one to share on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Give it a try. (You, too, could win a hat and help support BORP at the same time!)

If you haven’t registered for the 15th Annual BORP Revolution Ride & Festival yet or haven’t started fundraising, don’t worry. There’s still time to meet and exceed the $400 minimum fundraising requirement.

Try personalizing the templates we provide, like Annie did, with your own reasons for supporting BORP and sending it to your friends, family, and coworkers. Be sure to include the link to your personal or team page.

You can also post something similar, including the link to your fundraising page and your reasons for getting involved with BORP and riding in the Revolution, to your Facebook page.

Give it a try! You may be surprised by how much your friends and family want to support you and care about the causes that you’re committed to! Plus, we’re giving a BORP hat to this week’s top TWO fundraisers, and you could win! (All donations made between Tuesday, August 22 and Tuesday, August 29 at noon will count toward the contest. Winners will be notified on Tuesday, August 29.)

More Fundraising Resources:

  • 2017 Revolution Fundraising Toolkit
  • BORP’s 2016 Annual Report
  • Sharable Revolution Images for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

 

SaveSave

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, adult-wheelchair-basketball, BORP Adult Sports, BORP Cycling, BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest, BORP Youth Sports, power-soccer, revolution
Tags : Adaptive cycling, Adaptive Sports, borp, BORP basketball, BORP Jr. Road Warriors, BORP Power Soccer, BORP Revolution, Cycling, Disability, goalball, handcycling, Jr. Road Warriors, Power Soccer, Rev, Revolution, wheelchair basketball

Best BORP Basketball Camp Ever

By Trooper Johnson on August 15, 2017 No Comments

Group picture of the youth at basketball campWe held the BORP Basketball Camp July 17-23 at James Kenney. During the week we had 10 kids attend the camp with seven of the kids staying overnight. The camp includes a combination of morning conditioning, afternoon basketball, and evening social time for the kids.

During the week the kids pushed 18 miles during their conditioning workouts, including their push across the Bay Bridge.  They played basketball for 24 hours on the court which included a mix of sport specific skills instruction and scrimmages. On the final day of the camp, they visited the Cycle center for a seven-mile ride before heading to the gym for four hours of basketball, followed by an hour on the ice for a skating session.
In addition to the kids attending the camp, Christie Levine and James Bohnett dropped in to talk to the kids and run some of their favorite college drills.
It was the best camp ever.









See more pictures on Facebook
Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Cycling, BORP Fitness, BORP General Interest, BORP Transportation, BORP Youth Sports, sled-hockey, youth-wheelchair-basketball

BORP Adaptive Cycling Center is Open for the Season!

By Betsy Dorsett on March 9, 2017 No Comments

As many have already heard, the Adaptive Cycling Center is open again for the season! Come down to the Cycling Center (80 West Bolivar Drive in Berkeley) on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (weather permitting) to ride! BORP staff and volunteers will be available to help you find one of our over 80 cycles that will work for you. We offer orientation and training to new riders, independent use of our cycles, and group rides. Click here to learn more.

Remember: It’s never to soon to start training for The Revolution! The 15th Annual Revolution Ride and Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 23, 2017. Click here for more info.

Hours:

Tuesday and Thursday: 12:00 – 6:00 pm
Saturdays: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

BORP Adaptive Cycling Center

Candid picture of cyclists getting ready to ride at the Adaptive Cycling Center.

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Cycling, BORP General Interest, revolution, veterans

Going Fast: Getting to know Katherine Sherwood

By Betsy Dorsett on October 11, 2016 No Comments

In this new blog series, we talk with Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP) participants and athletes about their lives, interests and experience with BORP.

Katherine Sherwood on the ICE bike in Berkeley

Katherine Sherwood riding the ICE bike, a blue recumbent bike, on the pedestrian bridge above 580 in Berkeley with the BORP cycling center visible behind her.

On most Thursday and Saturday afternoons, Katherine Sherwood can be found cycling along the Berkeley waterfront with her partner. “He’s always been an avid cyclist. He found out about BORP about three years ago and told me about it.” On their first visit to BORP’s cycling center, Greg Milano set them up with a side-by-side tandem. Katherine loved it right away. “I really liked to go fast.”

In 1997 Katherine was a teacher and promising painter when she lost the use of the right side of her body as the result a major cerebral hemorrhage. But, she says, she never lost sight of the fact that she wanted to get back to teaching and making art. Katherine’s love of going fast seemingly also applied to learning to paint with her left hand. And soon her career began to reach new heights. Just three years after her stroke, Katherine’s artwork was featured in the prestigious Whitney Museum’s Biennial Exhibition in New York.

Much like her quick return to art, it didn’t take Katherine long to graduate from the side-by-side to an inline tandem bike. Riding at BORP regularly, Katherine was getting stronger, more independent… and faster than ever. Then one day she got to the cycling center to find that the tandem bikes were being used. “Greg just looked at me said, ‘I think you’re ready to go solo.’ And I’m so glad he did!”

Recently retired from long and illustrious career of teaching painting and disability studies at UC Berkeley, Katherine spends her time focusing on her involvement with disability advocacy at UC Berkeley, working with a few graduate students, and cycling.

Katherine says that cycling at BORP has made her life better, allowing her get aerobic exercise and to spend time with her partner doing something that they both love. “Everyone at the cycling center is exceedingly kind and helpful. They’ve become my BORP family.”

“They’ve become my BORP family.”

Today Katherine’s bike of choice is the ICE Bike. “They call it the sports car of bikes,” she says with a smile. Katherine still likes to go fast.


Katherine Sherwood: A Retrospective Exhibition

Katherine Sherwood, “Olympia – Venuses of the Yelling Clinic”, Acrylic and collaged digital print on linen found art historical posters, 2014.

Katherine Sherwood, “Olympia – Venuses of the Yelling Clinic”, Acrylic and collaged digital print on linen found art historical posters, 2014. Image used with permission from Katherine Sherwood.

Katherine Sherwood’s artwork will be on exhibit at the Worth Ryder Art Gallery (116 Kroeber Hall, UC Berkeley Campus) from October 19 through November 4, along with a special exhibition of several of her former students. Katherine’s most recent series, Venuses of the Yelling Clinic, feature iconic, proud disabled female figures rendered on the reverse of antique prints of art historically significant paintings. Click here to learn more

 

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Cycling, BORP General Interest, Uncategorized
Tags : Adaptive cycling, Art, Berkeley, borp, Cycling, Disability, Katheirne Sherwood

Thanks for a Great 2016 Revolution Ride!

By Betsy Dorsett on October 3, 2016 2 Comments

Thank you to everyone who helped to make BORP’s 14th annual Revolution Ride a huge success! With the help of 200 riders, and nearly 100 volunteers, and our awesome sponsors and funders, we raised over 170 thousand dollars in support of BORP’s adaptive sports and recreation programs.

The Revolution bike ride and festival is BORP’s largest annual fundraising event and the money donated to REV teams and riders allows BORP to continue to offer innovative programs for people with disabilities, including adaptive cycling, wheelchair basketball, power soccer, sled hockey and more. These programs make a real impact in the lives of BORP athletes and participants. Perhaps Cortney Outman said it best when she said, “I am so lucky I am disabled because I get to do all of this fun stuff!”

So, again, THANK YOU for riding, donating, volunteering and supporting the REV and BORP this year!

The Revolution website will remain open through the end of October for any last minute donations and we will begin awarding fundraising prizes in November! Remember, the more money you raise, the better the prize, all the way up to a custom bicycle for the top fundraiser! So, keep sending those emails!

If you didn’t get a 2016 Revolution Jersey and would like one, limited quantities and sizes are still available! Email us (revolution@borp.org) and let us know what size and how many you’d like to purchase (Cost: $55).

2016 Revolution: Handcyclist rides toward camera

A hand cyclist wearing a 2016 Revolution jersey rides toward the camera

Revolution 2016: cyclists

Four cyclists crest a small hill on a tree-shaded road. The hand cyclist in the lead is looking and pointing off the road toward the trees.

Revolution 2016

A cyclist rides past vineyards with the sun coming up behind him.

Revolution 2016: recumbant cyclist

A recumbent cyclist (wearing a 2008 Revolution jersey!) smiles at the camera, raising her hand in the air.

Photos are courtesy of Scot Goodman. Click here to view them all!

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Adult Sports, BORP Cycling, BORP General Interest, revolution, Uncategorized

BORP Adaptive Cycling Center re-opens March 7

By Josh Thelin on February 4, 2015 1 Comments

At long last, Winter is over for the BORP Adaptive Cycling Center!  Open hours resume on Saturday, March 7.  For more information, contact Greg Milano at the bikehouse: 510-848-2930 or email cycling @borp.org.

 

 

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

BORP SportsFest – A Great Success!

By Josh Thelin on October 10, 2014 No Comments

 

A grid of photos taken at the 2014 BORP SportsFest

BORP hosted the first-ever Adaptive SportsFest on Saturday, October 11, 2014.  It was an awesome day.  Over 75 people with disabilities showed up with another 50+ families and friends. Over 20 volunteers made kayaking, cycling, and climbing on No Limits 30 foot outdoor climbing wall possible for everyone.  A majority of the participants were first time BORP participants and many were out for their first sporting activity after a recent injury.  One young lady got to ride a bike and paddle a kayak one week out of rehab and 9 weeks after a quad level SCI. So gutsy, and so cool!  We had awesome support by a crew of kayak guides from our colleagues at non-profit ETC. Former BORP board president Kristi Grotting came out to be safety kayaker and tandem kayak guide.  It couldn’t have been a better day.   Photos can be seen on BORP’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152343251045764.1073741828.24407835763&type=1

 

Joy, a BORP cyclist who was helping the kayaking offered this:

“Saturday was a huge success and it went off so well. I talked with so many people who had never kayaked, or biked, or climbed before…ever!”

 

Days like SportsFest open the doors of possibility to so many people living with disabilities and their families.  It also provides a day for people with disabilities to network and meet others.

 

Sportfest introduced kayaking in a can-do way.  One woman with CP who tried kayaking for the first time   needed an adaptive grip for one hand. She was barely dipping the paddle in the water, and only one side at a time.  The instructor talked her into holding the paddle blade up and down when it went into the water. Then he talked her into putting the blade into the water and drawing it back. Then she started to alternate dipping the blade to the left and right. Once she got the hang of it and the rhythm she could have gone on for hours. When she got out of the boat she had the biggest smile on her face, because she had really paddled the boat!

 

Then there was Michael, who drove down by himself from Reno. He was injured (T10) a year ago. He has an amazing attitude for a newly injured person. No looking back for him. He never says, “I used to…”. As he got in the kayak, he admitted that he had never paddled before. After some basic instruction, he had it immediately. A natural.  Michael and the guide stayed out on the water serving as a safety boat for about 2 hours and Michael was thrilled.

 

On top of everything the weather was just right and the Blue Angels did a fly by.  What more can you ask for?

 

Thanks to all the participants, volunteers, family, friends, and sponsors who contributed to the success of this amazing day!  SportsFest will be back!

 

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Adult Sports, BORP Cycling, BORP General Interest, Uncategorized

The 11th Annual Revolution was a hit!

By Josh Thelin on October 1, 2013 No Comments

The 11th Annual Revolution took place on Saturday, September 28 on a gorgeous day in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley.  Over 300 cyclists, volunteers, staff and guests came together at the Trentadue Winery in Geyserville, CA  to ride, eat, and celebrate this fantastic event.   A great day with a great group of BORP supporters and friends.

An adapative cyclist is surrounded by four upright cyclists on a beautiful day in the wine country

Thanks to all the amazing sponsors, volunteers, donors, participants and friends who made the 2013 Rev such a success!  The Rev raised over $150,000 (and counting) for BORP’s adaptive sports and recreation programs.  That’s fantastic, but we came up about $20,000 short of our goal.  You can still make a donation to support BORP on the 11th Annual BORP Revolution portal!

Categories : Adaptive Cycling, BORP Cycling, BORP General Interest
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