On Sunday October 4th, 2020 Dankmeyer had the opportunity to participate in a local cycling event in DC. The event was organized by a young woman with an above knee amputation who recently found a sense of mobility and liberation when learning to ride a bike. With the support from local bike shops in the DC area, she was able to host a 100% free opportunity for other people with amputations to safely explore their interest in biking for exercise and mobility, in hopes of benefitting their physical and mental health. Cycling experts, prosthetists, physical therapists, and a few loving dogs were on standby to provide technique modifications, bike adjustments, and positive feedback as needed. 

Dankmeyer’s Rebecca (Becca) Frost, CP and Dawn Miranda, Prosthetist Assistant, attended the event. Becca is very active in a full range of adaptive sports, and Dawn was anxious to refine her cycling skills. Dawn joined twelve other persons with amputations and each was paired with an experienced cyclist, physical therapist, and prosthetist. Many learned to ride an upright bike for the first time! Others had the opportunity to try recumbent bikes when stand up bikes proved to be too challenging to ride without assistance. A few were experienced riders and were able to improve their riding with the expertise and innovation of local volunteers, while also providing their own valuable experience and technique to newer cyclists. 

This very successful first time event was managed on a beautiful Sunday, with a large, airy, outdoor meeting space, mask-wearing, and social distancing. People of all ages, abilities, experience levels, and amputation levels were brought together as a community of people with one common goal- MOBILITY FOR ALL!

• Rebecca Frost, CP