FRONT COVER

P.O. Box 1639, Crested Butte, Colorado 81224

NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Crested Butte, CO

PERMIT #29

adaptivEtracksA field guide by the Adaptive Sports Center

THE IMPACT OF SPORT ON SPINAL CORD INJURIES

HOW TO SHINE IN A TOWNIE TOUR

SUMMER

& Summer Building Now OpenThe ASC community completes its dream summer facility.

20I3

eventsJune 21-23

SUMMER SOLSTICE PHOTOGRAPHYJoin the Adaptive Sports Center for a photography workshop designed for individuals with developmental and cognitive disabilities.

Summer Solstice Photography inspires participants to explore Gunnison Valley through the camera’s lens. Participants will learn the basics of nature photography while shooting animals and landscapes with the guidance of professional photographer Pat Bittle and the Adaptive Sports Center crew.

PRICE: $485.00

July 5 (4pm - 7pm)

THE ADAPTIVE BUILDING RIBBON CUTTINGJoin the Crested Butte community for refreshments and appetizers to celebrate the grand opening of the new Adaptive Building located in downtown Crested Butte.

AUGUST 4-5

CRESTED BUTTE OPENThe CB Open is the valley’s premiere charity golf event. The prestigious Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course provides a stunning venue for the tournament. The western-themed gala features an array of one-of-a-kind auction items. Auction items this year include an Alaska fishing trip, a lifesized Santa and a VIP Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade experience. PRICE: Register at www.adaptivesports.org August 16-19

HIGH ADVENTURE: LADIES GETAWAYLadies 18 and over, and of all athletic abilities are invited to take on new challenges, build confidence and develop new friendships.

Day one promises to have everything for an epic downhill mountain bike adventure. Participants will have lift-access to the cross-country and downhill trails on Mt. CB. A little of everything will be thrown your way as you descend down wide singletrack and roll through berms and rollers.

On day two participants will travel to a gorgeous ranch in the valley for horseback riding and wellness activities.

On day three, participants can choose to canoe, kayak, SUP (or try all three) at Lake Irwin and then help set up our accessible wilderness home. A backcountry breakfast will be served in the morning at the lake before the group travels home. PRICE: $550.00 Price does not include transportation or lodging. Early September (TBA)

HIGH ALPINE BIKE ADVENTUREDesigned for both the active rider or the never-ever, this program is perfect for the rider who’s looking to maximize their riding experience in Crested Butte. The program mix gives riders the opportunity to explore the downhill and cross-country trail network, and experience

miles of the most scenic road riding in the country. The Adaptive Sports Center crew will be on the road and trail with you, helping to improve technique and enhance the biking experience.

PRICE: TBA

Featured Event

JUNE 29-30 - DOWNTOWN CRESTED BUTTE

BRIDGES OF THE BUTTEThe one-of-a-kind 24-hour bike tour loops through downtown Crested Butte, meandering across the town’s bridges. Sign up solo and brave the bike seat for all 24 hours, or put together a team of your friends and tour the town in shifts as day turns to night. This is one townie takeover you don’t want to miss. Proceeds from the event go to the Adaptive Sports Center.

PRICE: $24.00/person or kids pay their age. MORE INFORMATION: Emily@adaptivesports.org REGISTER: www.adaptivesports.org

What’s on this summerevents

For more information: Call (866) 349-2296 or visit www.adaptivesports.org

adaptivEtracks

Scholarships are available for all programs. Visit the ASC website for more information.

4 Night/3 Day Ski Holiday in the French Alps for EightEvery summer the Adaptive Sports Center community comes together at the Crested Butte Open gala and golf tournament for one purpose: to raise money so that people with disabilities and their families may continue to experience the life-changing effects of our program. This year’s silent and live auction at the gala will feature many unique items and adventures. We are excited to offer the experience of a lifetime:

At the pinnacle of Alpine experience sits Chalet Pelerin from Eleven-Tarentaise. From the ancient hamlet of Le Miroir in the Haute Savoie, this three -day ski safari will challenge guests with adventures on and off the piste, while providing the utmost in style and comfort.

A team of local and international guides will consider the abilities (and thirst for adventure) of each group, creating bespoke itineraries. Guests may find themselves in the legendary off -piste terrain surrounding neighboring Val d’Isere, on lift- served odysseys into Italy from sunny La Rosière, enjoying classic French skiing at Sainte Foy, smiling through a 1200 -meter backcountry descent that ends at the back door of the chalet — and carving their way

through a day of endless powder runs that begins with a helicopter parked at the front door.

The four -suite, one bunkroom chalet is fully staffed, with a chef and sommelier on hand to provide elegantly hearty meals. The property features a great room with a roaring central fireplace, as well as a Finnish sauna, a steam room, a salt water pool, and an outdoor whirlpool with a stunning view of the surrounding mountains and the starry Alpine sky.

The chalet is a property of Eleven Experience, a group of intimate properties dedicated to luxuriously appointed outdoor adventure. Contact Emily Girdwood at: emily@adaptivesports.org for bidding information.

KINDLY DONATED BY: Eleven MORE INFO: www.elevenexperience.com

When Program Supervisor Pat Addabbo was hired by the Adaptive Sports Center in Fall 2010, he was one of the youngest employees on staff and already had an enviable résumé to his name. Most notably, he served as Chapter Services Coordinator for Disabled Sports USA in Washington, D.C., acting as a liaison for 110 adaptive sports programs around the country. At the ASC, he has earned a reputation for being bright, energetic, even-keeled and a natural leader, working behind-the-scenes to make sure our programs are running like clockwork.

What made you decide to pursue adaptive sports as a career?

My interest in the field started in college. Numerous classes in our Outdoor Leadership curriculum touched on universal programming, providing adventure activities for all populations, and I found myself particularly drawn to this side of the industry. I liked the added challenge as a facilitator having to adapt each activity to a unique individual. There is a lot more investment from both the client and the staff member to create a successful experience; a sort of “we’re in this thing together,” feeling and I think the result is that both sides get more out of the experience.

What is the most satisfying part of your job as Program Supervisor? Successfully coordinating our busiest days as a program is extremely satisfying to me. When

the office is buzzing with almost 100 people coming in and out, to pull everything off on a given day and see a couple dozen participants leave exhausted with big smiles on their faces in the afternoon, I go home energized and excited to come back and do it all over again.

Where do you see the adaptive sports industry in the future?

In recent years there has been a large amount of growth of public awareness in the adaptive sports industry. From multi-million dollar marketing campaigns run by the United States Olympic Committee side by side for the Olympic and Paralympic teams, to hundreds of local adaptive programs popping up in communities nationwide, the recognition of adaptive sports has risen dramatically in the past couple decades. This awareness is going to continue to increase access for people with disabilities to experience all types of sport and adventure and continue to push the limit as to what is known as “normal” and possible. What makes Crested Butte a great summer destination?

We have something for everyone here, and the ASC makes that statement absolute. From world-class singletrack to alpine meadows enveloped in wildflowers, you pretty much can’t go wrong, and the ASC will help you find whatever it is you’re looking for.

Watch video recaps featuring the Kennedy Krieger Institute at: www.vimeo.com/adaptivesportscenter

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NamePat Addabbo

Hometown

Kensington, MD

CollegeWarren Wilson College

DegreeB.A. in Outdoor

Leadership

STAFF HIGHLIGHT

The Adaptive BuildingProject Cost: $1.2 MillionSize: 5,200 sq. ft.Intern Bedrooms: Six2012 Summer Lessons: 2,666

OPEN ON BELLEVIEW

The ASC Opens Summer Outfitting Facility in Downtown Crested Butte

The dream of outfitting ASC summer programs in a well-designed, highly efficient space has finally become a reality. Our staff is eagerly looking forward to running programs out of the new building starting on June 1—the official kick-off of the summer season—and giving tours to the general public at an open house/ribbon-cutting celebration on July 5. In the mean-time, Executive Director, Chris Hensley answers a few of the burning questions that are on people’s minds about the new space: What are some neat features of the new summer building? For one, we are really excited to have a facility that can accommodate interns who use wheelchairs. All of the housing units are wheelchair accessible. We also now have a shower room, so clients can get cleaned up after a day on the river or ropes course, and head straight to dinner or to the airport. The space has an awesome food prep area, which will make getting ready for a day or overnight trip more efficient. We have multiple fridges and freezers, and a big commercial sink and dishwasher. It takes just two minutes to run a full dishwashing cycle! On a bad weather day, our guides can now pull everything into the vehicle bays and outfit for a trip much more quickly. The building is considered complete, but there is room to grow. For example, we framed for a climbing wall, which we hope to add sometime in the future. Is the new building accessible? The building is about 95% accessible, and universal design features are included throughout. We have split-level countertop heights in the main kitchen and intern kitchens. Our door widths, thresholds, switch heights and

so forth are all ADA-compliant. For individuals with visual impairments we have marked transitions, such as the end of a vinyl floor and the start of a carpeted area, with contrasting colors. Whenever possible, we made choices that will allow interns, clients and instructors with or without disabilities to use the building in the same way. For example, there isn’t a ‘regular’ shower and a ‘wheelchair accessible’ shower; all of the showers in the shower room and intern bathrooms are roll-in.

How will the new building be a fun place to start and finish the day? From the client perspective, the new space is designed as a great place to socialize with comfortable seating, view slideshows at the end of the week, and provides ample space for parties and other special events. From a guide perspective, it will be more fun to clean up and put away gear at the end of the day on the concrete surface, instead of out in the mud! What did it take to make this dream a reality? It took a concerted effort by everyone: our Board of Directors, our staff, all of the donors, and all of the construction and design people who were able to execute a great design. The ASC instructor core and our client base created the demand for the building. This facility has been three or four years in the making, and it’s amazing how many people came together to finally bring it to fruition.

ADDRESS: 325 Belleview Ave. MORE INFO: www.adaptivesports.org

adaptivEtracks

MATT KUEHLHORN

Matt, who once worked as the Summer Program Director for the ASC, calls the Townie Tour “an adventure with a cause.” An avid bike rider who logs well over 1,000 miles on his townie each year, Matt says he was “all business” about securing the title of Overall Winner. After 24 hours on the course, Matt completed a whopping 112 laps. He says that mental visualization as well as boxing helped him nail first place, along with using his townie as a commuter bike year-round. His favorite parts of the Tour are watching the sunrise and talking with children who are also riding the course.

“The ASC inspires me,” Matt said. “I get inspired by the work I have done with the ASC, and the work I know a great organization continues to do.”

SAGE MAESTRO

Sage Maestro has been part of the Adaptive family since she was in diapers, and taking part in Bridges of the Butte is a family affair. Sage’s mom is a long-time employee of the ASC and her dad is involved with the organization as a volunteer (for the Tour, he sets up a fantastic spread of bagels, pastries and hot drinks outside of Izzy’s restaurant for riders to enjoy in the early morning hours). Sage’s fundraising technique consisted of chatting up friends and relatives in-person and over email ahead of race day, asking them to support her ride through pledges. Last year she raised an impressive $2,092.50 for the cause—enough money to purchase one new handcycle or sit ski for the ASC. What are the best parts of the Tour for this fundraiser extraordinaire? “The costumes, and having fun while riding!” Sage said.

KAY HAMMER

Kay’s son Tyler took the title of Overall Winner a few years back, and she was motivated by him to ride 24 hours in 2012. Kay trained for a few months in Chicago, where she lives full-time, with the goal of making sure she “didn’t fall off her townie during the Tour.” She completed 47 laps, and was boosted by fans who cheered, “Go, Tyler’s Mom!” and total strangers who put a hand on her back and pushed her forward into the night. She rode because she supports the mission of the ASC. “Giving people the opportunity to find their strength, to feel hope is amazing,” she said.

“The sense of community and spirit was so contagious, I caught it,” Kay said. “Don’t you think that when you are trying to help, you get back ten-fold? You always get back more than you give. I almost felt selfish. The event was a gift

to me!”

24-HOUR TOWNIE TOUR ROCK STARSEvery year, the Adaptive Sports Center awards a handful of individuals whose participation in the Bridges of the Butte 24-Hour Townie Tour fundraiser is exceptional. These are folks who put together a knockout individual or team costume, or pedal throughout the day and night with unwavering focus. Who exactly are these go-getters, and what makes them tick? We proudly introduce to you several of last year’s Bridges of the Butte rock stars:

ASC AND KENNEDY KRIEGER INSTITUTE LAUNCH FORMAL RESEARCH STUDY Dr. Daniel Becker believes that a cure for spinal cord injuries is in our future. He and his team at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, both in Baltimore, Maryland, are partnering with the ASC to get closer to that goal. At the core of his belief system is that the spinal cord needs to be active in order to repair.

In April, Dr. Becker brought five Kennedy Krieger patients with five different types of spinal cord injuries and their caregivers to the ASC to launch a formal research study called “An Evaluation of the Neuropsychological Effects that Adaptive Downhill Skiing has on Spinal Cord Injury Patients.” Through the study he aims to document what has been reported anecdotally time and time again: that outdoor adventure activities such as adaptive skiing have a positive effect on patients with disabilities, and in particular, individuals with spinal cord injuries.

“We may not get to the cure right away, but we can find out avenues of how repair is happening,” he said.

The trip in April was exploratory in nature and Dr. Becker will sharpen the focus of his research for future visits to the ASC—perhaps bringing patients with just one type of spinal cord injury, or conducting specific types of tests. This time around, he assessed patients’ spinal cord func-tion in terms of sensation, muscle stiffness and strength, while Johns Hopkins neuropsychiatrist, Dr. Adam Kaplin, conducted tests that looked at

depression, quality of life and mood.

Preliminary findings from the visit showed im-provements in neurological function, and subjec-tively, Dr. Becker said, there was a great response in terms of patients’ psychological well-being.

“The trip was a phenomenal bonding experi-ence for the whole team and especially for the patients,” Dr. Becker said. “Some people said it was the best week since they were paralyzed.”

A second Kennedy Krieger visit is scheduled for March 2014 and Dr. Becker is already looking into possible candidates. He said there is easily 10 years of work that can be done in conjunction with the ASC.

Age64

Sprit Award

BicycleA borrowed townie with no granny gear.

Fuel:Cookies from a family lemonade stand on Teocalli.

Age:12

Child Who RaisedThe Most Money

Bicycle:My Mountain Bike (I was not allowed to change gears.)

Fuel:Bagels and Energy Bars

Age:36

Overall Winner

Bicycle:Custom Race Townie, made with a 1994 Specialized M2 team frame.

Fuel:Tru Moo Chocolate Milk

Join us for the grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony: July 5 Photos from the event will be posted at: www.adaptivesports.smugmug.com