Framingham camp teaches people with developmental disabilities to ride bikes

By Megan McKee, Town Correspondent

This is the first of a two-part series. Check back later in the week to see how the riders progressed.

Monday was the first day of a week-long camp to teach kids and adults with developmental disabilities to ride two-wheeled bikes. The majority have Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy.

Among the riders participating at Lose the Steering Wheels in the Framingham High School cafeteria on specially designed bikes was Giles Rae, 18, from Marlborough. His mother, Karen Rae, brought him to the camp.

“We tried riding when he was 7 or 8 but we had a lot of crashes,” said Rae. “I used to run next to him and try to hold the seat.”

Rae said that the family is very athletic and loves bike riding together. But when she, her husband, and two daughters go out for family rides, they often have to leave Giles at home unless they bring their tandem bike, which he can ride.
She said she hopes the camp will help Giles become more comfortable on the bike—at the camp on Monday, Giles was extra-cautious and taking it slow—and have more independence.

“We want him to be able to go down to the ice cream store,” said Rae.

Lose the Training Wheels Executive Director Matt Hampton, who is in Framingham for the week, said the program is about much more than riding bikes.

“It takes their ‘I can’t’ world and changes it to ‘I can,’” said Hampton of participants. “I don’t know what the magic is but there’s magic in learning to ride a bike.”

A former accountant, he got plugged into the program when his now 16-year-old son went to a camp a few years ago.

He said that anyone can learn to ride a two-wheel bike and the organization has a success rate of between 80 percent and 85 percent. Those who don’t learn often have behavioral barriers, not physical barriers, he said.

For five days, camp attendees show up for their hour and fifteen minute class. As soon as they arrive, riders get on specially-designed bikes and ride for the duration of class with the help of spotters who walk or jog alongside.

“It’s a hands-off, mouth-closed process,” said Hampton. He said this is the 74th camp to be held this year, and there are 15 more scheduled for 2010. About 7,500 kids have learned to ride through the camps, which are held across the country, he said.

All of the bikes have interchangeable specially-designed back wheels that require varying levels of balance. As riders master one level of stability, staff members change out the wheels to make the ride slightly more wobbly, which increases skill levels.

As the week progresses, the bikers move outside to simulate their home-riding environment. And by the end of the week, their parents or caregivers act as spotters.

Robin Murch’s 12-year-old son Matthew is attending the camp. He has cerebral palsy and now rides a bike with training wheels, said Murch.

“I’d love to see him ride without training wheels,” said Murch, who lives an hour away in Dunstable. “Even if there’s an improvement, it’s not going to hurt.”

As Matthew pedaled around the room, keeping his spotter entertained with facts he’s read on the Internet, his mom said he loves Wikipedia and is a happy kid.

Many of the camp’s volunteers are local teens but staff members fly in from their homes around the country. Camp locations are decided when local community members take the initiative to organize the funds and volunteers needed to put on a camp.

Framingham mom Cheryl Caira organized this week’s camp after her 12-year-old daughter attended a camp in Scituate last year.

Though parents may come to camp with cautious expectations, Hampton said the transformations in participants are amazing.

“It doesn’t seem to matter what the disabilities are…We create the environment. You just do it,” said Hampton.

Megan McKee can be reached at megan.mckee@gmail.com.