Biking in a Circle of Love

Last summer, my sister ran into a friend from high school. Her son, Kyle is about the same age as Kevin and has similar needs. During one of our visits I had Kevin's adapted trike with us and offered to let Kyle try it out...and he loved it! My nephew Ryan chose to create an adapted trike bike for Kyle as his senior project for a high school engineering design and development class. I hope you can click (or copy and paste) on the links below that show pictures and the best heart-warming, feel-good video you will watch of Kyle and his family receiving the bike from Ryan and his friend. You don't want to miss Kyle's smile and laughter of joy!

It's probably not a coincidence that yesterday...about the same time that Ryan was presenting Kyle with his new adapted trike...Kevin and I returned the adapted trike that he had outgrown to the family that gave it to us. We met when our boys were babies! They adopted a daughter and thought she might benefit from learning to ride on it. While we were there I told her the story about how this adapted trike has given so much to both these boys...even if indirectly for Kyle. She shared with the me the story of how she originally bought the bike from a family in New York and the trip she and her son took with her parents to pick it up.

I love to get a small glimpse of how God works!

It's all a bike wheel of love!


https://www.facebook.com/ButlerTech/videos/590184111491316/

https://www.butlertech.org/adaptive-bike-created-by-bt-engineering-student/

New Bike Video - May 6, 2019

Watch this video of Kevin - his third time on his new bike and I think he's doing an awesome job!

The adapted trike he was riding last year had a seat-back with safety belts, loop handlebar, pedals with straps, and a pulley system to make pedaling easier.

New bike features: a cruiser-style with step-thru frame; 17" frame and 26" wheel size; larger seat; swept back handlebars; handlebar brakes; shifting gears...and of course stabilizer training wheels.

At this time, I can walk while Kevin bikes because his speed isn't very fast. The pedaling is more challenging than the adapted trike, even in a low gear but he is doing very well. His left foot slips off the pedal at times but he does a great job putting it back on the pedal...I'm hoping he will make progress in this area. I am really pleased that the handlebars seem to be a good fit for his left hand...even when it slips off he is usually able to put it back on...this is a new skill for him! He does all his steering with this right hand. The handbrake is necessary so I can use it to slow him down if we come across a downhill...but thankfully we don't live in Pittsburgh so most of our biking is flat terrain. The bike does very well on our neighborhood sidewalks...bumps and all. Kevin just sometimes needs a little more umph to get going. It is also fairly easy to get on and off the bike with the step-thru frame. I'm so excited to see what kind of progress he makes this season on his new bike.

New Bike- May 4, 2019

Kevin picked a red bike!

Kevin outgrew the trike bike :( It was Thanksgiving the last time he rode it and I realized he probably wouldn't get another season out of it...his knees were hitting the handlebars. We are so appreciative to the family that passed it on to us...we've known each other since our boys were babies.

There were lots of things to consider when buying a bike for Kevin and I also wanted to be able to transport it. We have so many great places to ride bikes in our area and I like to bring it when we visit family and friends, especially my Mother-in-law who lives near a state park. I was able to fit his trike bike in the back of my car but an adult trike wouldn't fit. We even found a folding adult trike but that didn't work either...too heavy to lift up into the back of a crossover SUV.  We got a lot of helpful advice and things to consider when purchasing a bike from therapists and other families. Kevin's PT found a great option for us FatWheels - adaptive training or stabilizer wheels to use on a 2 wheel bike...which could then be transported on a bike rack (add to our shopping list a car hitch with install and bike rack). A Dance Friend had a set of FatWheels for us to try but they were too small for the size bike Kevin needed. We found out that the wheels only come in one size and so our Dance Friend let us have them and then we only needed to purchase the connector for the larger size bike. We are VERY grateful for the generous gifts we received to help us with the bike purchase...It Takes A Village!


 My Aunt Theresa sent a card with a picture of a boy and his tricycle when Kevin was probably about 5 years old. He was on the Philly program then and just learning to walk.
"The progress Kevin is making - some day we're going to see him on a trike like this!"
She was right...never give up HOPE!

Testing out the bike for the first time in our church parking lot. He did great!

IHM 1 Mile Fun Walk - May 4, 2019

This is the first time Kevin has walked (instead of stroller ride) during a 1 mile Fun Run/Walk. It was a little chilly and a little bit rainy (not too much to soak his only pair of shoes) and we had fun! I got Jon to sign up for the walk so he could get a fun t-shirt like all the cool kids :)

IHM our church's day school has this fundraiser every year. Last year, I had Kevin ride his trike bike on the sidewalk as the 5K runners went by to cheer them on...but this year we supported the school that Kevin is going to for art classes and signed up for the event. When we arrived, some of the kids we have met through art class saw Kevin and immediately gave Kevin their excited cheerful greeting!

We were about 1/4 into the mile and the 5K runners started passing us to finish the race...LOL...we were the last ones to finish for the 1 mile but we still beat some of the 5Kers. Kevin's Physical Therapist suggested that we start keeping track of his time so we can compare it over the years to come.

May the 4th Be With You

1 mile = about 30 minutes

 

Marissa

Marissa's been helping us since 2013. She's been reading books, playing music, and helping me with Kevin's program since she was about 10 years old. I'm seeing a new maturity and responsibility that is making her even more helpful with Kevin. She's been going solo with Kevin's program activities which allows me to work on other tasks and I love hearing Kevin laugh (and snort) while she's working with him. I've been especially impressed with how she incorporates his Talker into all their activities. Well done Marissa, we are so proud to know you and have you part of Kevin's journey. We also got to see one of Marissa's softball games.

February 23, 2019 - Puppet Show
sponsored by her America Heritage Girl troop