Where are you from, and how long have you been in the Metro DC area?
I’m originally from Cornwall, New York (upstate). We moved to Kansas City, Missouri, when I was 16 months old and then to Phoenix right before I started high school. I lived in Duluth, Minnesota, for several years as an adult before moving back to Phoenix. I moved to Washington, DC, in August 2015.
What MWABA sport or activity are you involved in?
I tandem bike and do yoga most often. I’ve been on several hikes — one of which was on our bike-camping trip in June of 2024. I’ve also played beep kickball and blind/beep cricket. I went bowling with the group and have kayaked twice — including on our bike-camping trip.
How did you first get involved with MWABA?
In June of 2023, there was an Open Streets in Brookland (my neighborhood). As I was walking through, Shira Gordon saw me and introduced herself and the organization. The first thing she told me about was the tandem bike rides, which is what got my attention. I didn’t think of myself as an athlete but wanted to try tandem biking. So I asked to get the MWABA emails with the list of what’s going on and when, and I would figure out what to do from there. My first tandem ride was July 6, 2023, and things just snowballed from there! I’ve been to both parties, the Beeping Bakeoff fundraiser (and baked something for it, too 😊), and am on the fundraising committee besides participating in sporting events.
Can you tell us a little about your experience with your sport or activity?
The very first time I tandem biked I was 53, and had never been on a two-wheeled bike other than a stationary exercise bike. I wanted to do it but was absolutely Scared. To. Death. I knew putting the ride off for another time wouldn’t do me any good. I had known since I was a little girl that Helen Keller had ridden a tandem bike with Anne Sullivan — who was either legally blind or close to it — in the front seat. Sitting on the bike, I finally told myself that if Helen Keller could do it, so could I. I asked Shira, who was my front-seat captain, to distract me by telling me the story of her life, knowing that it would make it easier and less frightening. So she told me about herself, and I was able to relax so that it felt almost natural after a few minutes. As I started hearing about the different opportunities — especially to do things I had never done before, like yoga — I was all excited to try them. In just over a year, I’ve had my first tandem bike ride, first time doing yoga, first time tandem kayaking, first time playing kickball, first time playing cricket, first time playing goalball (even though it’s not really for me), and first time pitching a tent (even though I have camped and slept in a tent before joining MWABA).
What has been the best part about being involved with MWABA?
The best part for me has been connecting with other people in the DC area and building friendships — something I had struggled with since I’ve moved here.
What is something that people might not know about you?
I’ve sung the Hallelujah Chorus as a part of two different choirs — once in high school and then later on with the church choir.
Do you have any fitness or personal goals you hope to accomplish this year that you would like to share?
I will be riding in the Cider Ride for the first time this year but am also hoping to ride in the 50 States Ride and the Great Pumpkin Ride as well.
What would you say to someone who has been thinking about coming out to a MWABA event or trying a new activity but has yet to take that initial fitness step?
I would tell them my story (if they didn’t already know it) of how I got started with MWABA, as a way of saying “You’re never too old. If you really want to do something, just try it.” Everyone is very nice, very welcoming and patient with new people. We all “get it” as far as how it feels to try new things when you can’t see/can’t see well, and especially when it comes to things that are usually thought of as being for sighted/normally sighted people. It’s been exciting for me to see in my own life how things have evolved and the new experiences I’ve had that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. It’s been and continues to be so much fun!