In 2020, Dare2tri was awarded The Hartford’s Ability Equipped Grant, allowing us to launch the On the Road2Ride program. The primary goal of On the Road2Ride is to provide youth and adults with the ability to cycle and remove the barrier of high-priced equipment and transportation. Through the grant, we were able to purchase a brand-new trailer and fleet of adaptive cycles to bring cycling programs to various groups throughout the Chicagoland area. The program is a great opportunity for Dare2tri to expand its cycling services beyond the Chicago city limits and for individuals who wish to try cycling for the first time or the fifth time.
The first On the Road2Ride event was held Wednesday, May 26, 2021, with Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. Nine riders joined us at the Blackwell Forest Preserve in Wheaton, IL to try our new adaptive cycles. Some of the participants had never ridden a cycle before and were ecstatic to be able to try a handcycle for the first time. Many of the athletes that attended this event came from the Wheaton, Lisle or Joliet area, so for them to attend our weekly cycling practices on the Chicago Lakefront can be difficult. In addition to receiving cycling instruction, all participants received valuable information on how to secure their own adaptive cycle through grant opportunities.
Overall, this first event for the On the Road2Ride program was a success and we are looking forward to teaming up with Marianjoy patients again later this summer. Next up, we’ll be be brining the On the Road2Ride program to La Rabida Children’s Hospital on Thursday, June 10.
If you’d like to learn more about On the Road2Ride program, please contact Logistics & Program Manager Ryan Quilty at ryan@dare2tri.org.
