Pedal 4 Possible is a fundraising ride for Craig Hospital, longtime supporters of Bicycle Colorado’s work to make bicycling safer and more accessible for everyone in our state. Craig Hospital specializes in helping people experiencing brain injury and spinal cord injury. We’re grateful to them for their support of bike advocacy in Colorado, and excited to share more about the ride with our readers.

Pedal 4 Possible is a road ride that offers five routes for riders of all abilities—10K, 30K, 50K, 100K and 100 miles. The September 18 event in Louisville takes participants through the rolling hills and vistas of the beautiful Front Range foothills and Flatirons. There is also an opportunity for people to participate virtually, recreating the ride in their hometowns across the country!

Proceeds from the ride support Craig Hospital in Englewood. Craig Hospital is a specialized center supporting people with brain injury or spinal cord injury. They offer inpatient, outpatient and “alumni” activities including adaptive cycling. Back in January 2020, some of the Bicycle Colorado team visited the hospital to learn about their Therapeutic Recreation programming. At our visit, Craig staff told us that these programs help patients relearn and discover new ways of moving their bodies to improve quality of life and be healthy.

These therapeutic recreation programs are supported in part by funds raised through Pedal 4 Possible. Because the ride is part of Craig Hospital, organizers work hard to make sure the ride is inclusive and welcoming of people of all abilities! Many people with disabilities participate in this event. There is a lot of engagement and outreach within the Craig community to encourage participation among inpatients, outpatients and alumni. Many adaptive cyclists choose to do the shorter 10K route, though they can pick whichever route they’d like. Pedal 4 Possible provides buddy riders who can accompany those who need a partner for safety and support. The ride is unique in their active interest in supporting adaptive riders to participate.

Bicycle Colorado has a special connection with Craig Hospital and Pedal 4 Possible through one of our RIDE board members, Mike Wolfner. Mike is an alumnus of Craig Hospital: he spent time at the hospital in 2013 in rehabilitation after a bike crash and the resulting brain injury. Read his story at the Craig website (along with good tips for riding safely!). Mike has been a part of Pedal 4 Possible since its early years, and has been a volunteer at the event since year three of its existence. He secures snacks through a connection with Clif Bar & Company and acts as the sweep rider for the 100-mile route. He is happy that Pedal 4 Possible puts in a lot of effort to encourage and make it easier for adaptive riders to participate, and thinks such efforts could be expanded to other ride events, too.

Check out the Pedal 4 Possible website to learn more and register for Pedal 4 Possible and help support Craig Hospital’s therapeutic recreation programming.

For more information on ride events that are disability-friendly, programs and activities around the state for adaptive riders and more about adaptive cycling generally, visit Bicycle Colorado’s Adaptive Riding in Colorado page.

We’re grateful to Pedal 4 Possible and Craig Hospital for being partners with Bicycle Colorado and supporting bike advocacy around the state.