TMA Newsletter, Vol 5, Issue 1

Transverse Myelitis Association
Volume 5 Issue 1
December 2002
Page 21

A Great Family Vacation at the Adaptive Sports Center at Crested Butte, Colorado
Dana, Scott, Arlene and Jim Mathewson

Our family of four [Jim, Arlene, Scott (16 years) and Dana (TM at 10 years T10 level; now 11 years)] took a family vacation to Colorado after attending the TMA Children’s and Family Workshop in Columbus in July, 2002. We love the outdoors, and this was our first big family outdoor trip since Dana became ill. I wanted the entire family to participate in as many outdoor adventures as possible together while giving Scott something exciting and enjoyable to do. We also wanted Dana to build up self-confidence while enjoying outside activities, and empower her by teaching her new activities and skills. Dana has regained some use of her legs and can walk short distances with a cane, but for longer distances she requires a wheelchair.

I stumbled across the Adaptive Sports Center at Crested Butte (ASC) while reading a magazine. Crested Butte is a small town located in western Colorado in the Rockies, literally just South over the mountains from Aspen; but the road connecting the towns is winding, unpaved, and impassible during winter. Most people get there coming from the South via Gunnison on Highway 50, a distance of 30 miles. This program has been in place for 14 years, and there is a winter and summer program. The ASC touts family and group vacations as their specialty. The website is extensive, and the summer program offers overnight camping trips, handcycling, four-wheeled downhill mountain bikes, whitewater rafting and canoeing for persons with upper body or lower body limitations. We were attracted to the location and its emphasis on family participation.

We flew United Airlines from San Diego to Denver, then transferred to a United Express to Gunnison and rented a car. Like most ski towns, there is a free shuttle year-round that operates from the ASC and ski area to Crested Butte. The ASC charged $75 for each half-day Dana participated, which included at least one instructor from the ASC and all equipment. The total cost to our family for 3 half-days of mountain biking, rafting, and rock-climbing was $450. This included transportation to the activity sites by van, and we were picked up at our door each morning.

Words cannot describe how wonderful it felt to be outdoors and to see the joy on my family’s faces as we played in Crested Butte with the help of the ASC. Dana and Scott both wrote down their impressions of those three days, and I think their excitement and happiness shines through their words.

DANA: The most fun days were when I spent them at the Crested Butte Adaptive Sports Center. My instructor’s names were Hans Christiansen and Chris Read. The first day I did mountain biking on a four-wheel bike. It had shocks in the front almost like a car. The bike was pulled by gravity so there was no pedaling needed by hand or foot. We biked down a mountain called Snodgrass. Very funny name, don’t you think? It was awesome! I biked down that hill so fast that sometimes I could smell burning rubber from my tires. We did the run two times. We decided to bike back all the way to the Adaptive Sports Center on the road. That was fun too! When we got back, Hans and Chris brought out a tandem bike for me to try. The back pedal is independent from the front, so one person can stop pedaling and the other could power the whole bike. Chris rode with me, and I did well on this. It felt great to be able to ride a regular bike again. It really can make a difference in someone’s life to feel confident that they can do something just like any other walking person.

SCOTT: Crested Butte is located in a glacial valley. Large mountains loom on the outsides of the valley, and you feel in a secluded place, away from all the hustle and bustle of the town. Our family engaged in activities with the ASC during the morning hours so that it was nice and cool and afternoon showers would not rain on us. Dana was outfitted with a full-suspension mountain bike that had four wheels. It was like a miniature car without the engine. The rest of the family was fitted with Kona dual suspension bikes. After Dana was able to get the hang of steering her bike, we packed all of the bikes into the van and went to the top. Since I’ve mountain biked before, I stayed behind a few minutes so that I could get a large stretch before heading down the trail. It was great fun. I was able to do bunny hops and do tail slides down the mountain. Little ramps were in place along the trail so I was able to get major air off of them. After going up twice, we decided to ride back to the Adaptive Sports Center Office along the road. Back at the office, Dana tried out a special tandem bike that allowed her to stop pedaling if she got tired. While she tried that out, I was able to fiddle around with my own bike. I was going down stairs, jumping up curbs, and bunny hopping in the air. This day was the best mountain bike experience with my family yet!

DANA: Day two was Rock Climbing. Hans came, but Chris didn’t. The rock climbing instructor’s name was Casey. We drove to a real rock cliff by the river, about two stories high. First, we had to be fitted into shoes that were almost two sizes smaller than our regular sizes. This was to enable more ability for everyone to climb. If the shoe is bigger than your foot like regular shoes, it might not be able to grip onto the tiny footholds. The soles of the shoes were completely flat, but the bottom gripped to everything! It was even hard to walk over the little rocks to get to the wall! There were several trails to get up.   I tried the first one, which was obviously the easiest. You had to climb in a crevice, and it was hard. But very fun! Once you were at the top, you got to either ring a cow-bell, or a horn!

SCOTT: The people there had helmets, shoes, and harnesses in order to protect us when we climbed. The shoes they gave us were specially designed for rock climbing. The soles were made of sticky rubber in order to stick onto a small foothold when needed. Dana was assisted up the face by a pulley system rigged together by the people at the Adaptive Sports Center. The face had many climbing routes for all types of climbers. I went up different ways, and I was able to do the second hardest face before I got tired. Today was the most fun day for me because I was able to go at my own pace. I wasn’t held down by the abilities of my sister. This is a great activity for all members of the family.

DANA: Day three was the most fun for me. We did whitewater rafting on the Taylor River in the morning. Hans came with us again along with a volunteer named Brendan. He was very nice. First, we went to the rafting store to get some spray slickers. Once we were suited up, we got in a bus with a different company than the ASC. It was called the Three Rivers Rafting Company. When we got there, one of the instructors gave a safety speech so we knew what to do if something happened. Then we got into the raft. Our instructor’s name was Dave. First he taught us how to use the paddles. Then, we were off! We went into rapids so big that Dave and Hans had to hold on to me for fear that I might fall out. Was it fun or what? I say a big YES!!!!!! After the rafting trip we went to horseback riding! YAY!!! I love horses. We went up Snodgrass again, but it was on a different side. I thought it was much prettier. My horse’s name was Taylor. The leader of our group told me that he doesn’t go fast unless you kick him. She said that he knows how to, but also knows how to get away with it. He really responded to me though. I got him to trot and keep up with the others. The leader said I was a natural! The trip lasted an hour and a half. It started to rain just when we started to come back. We got drenched. Good thing I was wearing a hooded jacket and pants!

SCOTT:   Our guide happened to be a retired Navy Seal named Dave. Dana had no problems with falling out, as you can imagine. I sat in the front. He would tell us “Forward 2!!!” or “Left Side forward 3, Right Side back 3!” as we maneuvered our boat down the river. It was very exciting to listen to our guide and pay attention to what was waiting for us downstream. Dana lost her paddle once and we had to go retrieve it for her. We took a break halfway down the river to give a few people breathers. By the time we had finished and gotten back into the truck, all of us were very tired. This was a great way for our family to work together to achieve something fun and exciting.

I would truly recommend the Adaptive Sports Center at Crested Butte, CO. It provides families with opportunities to have fun together and do things together that normally would seem out of the question. Not only was the equipment state of the art, but the kindness and hospitality that they showed was unbelievable. Our family is looking forward to going back to Crested Butte during the winter season to take advantage of the ASC’s winter sports program. I would rate this a 10 out of 10 because all members of the family were able to do things together as a family at a pace that was comfortable for each person.

The ASC offers financial assistance through a scholarship program. We stayed at the Sheraton for $99/night as the ASC suggested, because it is approximately a block away. There are condo’s available for a bit more per night. My only regret was not having time for fishing, because the fly fishing there is great. As Scott said, we had a wonderful time, and we plan to go back during winter. Check the place out! Their website address is www.adaptivesports.org;
Program Office phone is 970-349-2296. Address: P.O. Box 1639, Crested Butte, CO 81224.

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