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I've attended a few different events the last couple of months and the most common question I get is, what is it you do exactly. Here's one example.

A couple of months ago I was attending an event for nonprofits and a mother and son came in. They were hanging out in the back, not really getting much attention. I went up and asked if there was anything I could do. The son uses forearm crutches and they inquired about getting some help with his electric adaptive trike. It had been given to them by another charity and it needed some repairs. We worked out a time for me to come pick up the trike. I don't think the family has a car and because I have a van and trailer, I can carry most any size adaptive cycle.

A few days later I picked it up and brought it to a local shop. They replaced the front tire and tube, adjusted the brakes, and did some other needed maintenance. I picked it up and dropped it off with the family, and gave them some tips on how they can continue to make their own adjustments as needed. No charge. They were very appreciative.

Then last week the family reached out to me again. The electric motor was no longer working. I stopped by their house, went through some of the easy things I thought it could be. I checked with the bike shop, Emery's in Milwaukee, where it was originally purchased. They gave me some ideas and those didn't work either. So, I decided the best thing to do would be bring it to their shop. 

The kind mechanics at Emery's are currently working on it. Most likely I'll be able to pick it in a week and bring it back to the family here in Madison. 

People who are differently abled, particularly those who may also be finacially strapped, face a number of challenges. Even if they acquire an adaptive cycle, it can be a challenge to maintain. If it has more serious problems, getting it to a bike shop isn't always easy. And finding a mechanic who is knowledgeable about adaptive cycles, especially motorized ones, isn't easy even in a town like Madison.

If you're wondering where your money goes when you make a donation to Madison Adaptive Cycling, it could be going towards the cost of the tires, tubes, and other bike parts and materials. It could be paying for the gas I used to drive to Milwaukee. It could pay for the repair service at the bike shop. 

Whatever we can do to keep these cycles in good working order, let's do it. The weather is starting to warm up. People are beginning to wrestle their bikes out of their garages. Let's make it easier for those who need just a little extra help. Thanks, everyone.

-- Brian McNurlen