TODAY'S CELEBRATION of CYCLING - Will You Be There?!

Hi everyone - do you have your helmet and bike ready to join me on the ride to Celebrate Cycling? Sunshine, fun and friends will be provided. Sure hope you can! If you are not able to consider sponsering a cyclist with a donation of $18. It sure would be a big help! God loves ya and so do I. Got to go - will let you know all about the celebration when I get home.

What a great time! If you didn't come consider joining us next year - great weather for biking

and enjoying ice cream sundaes

and playing on the playground

I didn't win the tandem but I REALLY APPRECIATE the people that helped me raise funds for this great organization. Mom and I are looking for a grant so that we can buy our own tandem and ride more often in 2010. If you know of any organizations that can help please let us know since I don't need a special tandem just a regular one with toe clips so my pesky right foot stays on the pedal.

5 Days Till Celebration WILL YOU BE THERE!

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love to sing. I'm called the "jukebox" at Family Ride because I always sing the entire 6 mile route - the first 4 miles are concentrating on cycling. Last Sunday, we went to Huron Valley Hospital's Open House and had an opportunity to join the folks from Radio Disney singing. I wanted to share the other side of me but are having technical difficulties uploading it. I was a bit nervous at first but as you will see I really came out of it. Join us Saturday, if you can't please donate.

What A Great Summer!

Labor Day - the day most consider the end of summer. I've had a great summer and hope the weather stays nice so we can continue to bike into October at Family Rides. I don't think most people realize the amount of multi-tasking involved in riding a bike by yourself - it takes a lot of concentration. Here's a couple clips from my classes:


Making my instructors jog a bit


Here I am pedaling along doing great - then my sister dropped in to make sure I knew where the brakes were. Sister's - yikes!

My physical therapist said a new bike path opened in the town next to us. We also saw the completion this summer of a really long bike path that connects into one of the MetroParks close to us. Now all we need is a tandem to check these places out. Hope your summer was wonderful, too!

Exercise Is Medicine

My family has always looked for natural, fun ways to address my challenges before alternatives were taken. Anyone that has ever gone through physical or occupational therapy knows after awhile those exercises get really boring especially when you have a lifetime to do them to keep your flexibility. That is what lead us to cycling and P.E.A.C. among other activities.

While browsing on the internet, Mom found an organization that has the philosophy that we have been working with and thought others would benefit from this useful information. The organization is Exercise is Medicine™ the non-profit arm of the American College of Sports Medicine .

The guiding principles of Exercise is Medicine™ are as follows:

• Exercise and physical activity are important to health and the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases


• More should be done to address physical activity and exercise in healthcare settings


• ACSM and AMA are making efforts to bring a greater focus on physical activity and exercise in healthcare settings

Yeah for me! Mom has known this for a long time. My spasticity greatly reduces by working the opposite muscle group. (Tight hamstrings, cycle 10 miles a week = spagetti legs!) Cycling is great for lots of other conditions as well as overall good health. Check out their website by clicking on - Exercise is Medicine™ lots of great info that needs to be shared with our health care people. Help P.E.A.C. continue to make a difference with programs for kids with disabilities through cycling.

Happy First Day of September!

Mom, my sister & I have been visiting local bike shops and talking to cycling groups plus friends and family about the upcoming Celebration of Cycling. Boy, if the weather continues like it is - we will have Perfect Cycling weather! So come on out on September 19th and ride with us. Bring your friends and family - its a great time. Now if you can't make it because you live to far away or have a zillion other plans PLEASE donate to this great organization on my blog. Yep! To the right is what PayPal calls a "widget" that will accept your credit cards or PayPal account it's very easy and the dollars go directly into PEAC's bank account plus you get an official receipt. (I love "techie" things, too - can you tell?) Even a tiny donation can make a Great Impact since it all adds up.

We also found a super organization that totally understands why I LOVE cycling and how it helps address my CP. More on that soon - I'm waiting for them to ok me adding them to my blog. Can't wait to share that with you - stay in touch so you don't miss it.