by Ray Duncan
What, you may ask, is a “Conference Bike?”
Take a look at the photo. This is a “Conference Bike.” Imported from Germany, it has seven seats and seven sets of pedals. A total of only 350 such bikes are found in the world. One person steers and pedals; the other six riders hold on to the metal ring in the middle and pedal. Everyone chats and enjoys each other’s company – in other words they hold a conference while biking.
The people in the picture, left, are (l to r): Ray Duncan (Chairperson, Walk! Bike! Brockport! Action Group), Dr. Lauren Lieberman (founder and director of Brockport’s Camp Abilities), Ute Duncan and Rosie Rich. They are preparing to bike from Brockport to Spencerport and back on Saturday, May 4 as part of Brockport’s First Annual “Low Bridge, High Water” celebration of the annual opening of the Erie Canal. The purpose of the ride was to accompany the Regatta racing from Spencerport to Brockport. Village Trustee Margay Blackman organized the festival.
Three other participants on the ride to Spencerport joined the quartet of riders: John Maier, Emory Morris and Tiffany Mitrakos (one of Dr. Lieberman’s graduate students). Octabio Furtado (a grad student, funded by the government of Brazil to study with Dr. Lieberman) came along on his own bicycle.
The Dorthea Haus Foundation awarded a $14,500 grant to make it possible for Dr. Lieberman to acquire the bike. She will use it in her Brockport Camp Abilities program. Camp Abilities is a one-week developmental sports camp for children and teens who are blind, visually impaired, and deaf-blind. This year’s dates for Camp Abilities in Brockport are June 23 through 29. (See Camp Abilities website: http://www.campabilitiesbrockport.org/
Dr. Lieberman is a professor at The College at Brockport in the area of Adapted Physical Education where she serves as Undergraduate Coordinator of the Adapted Physical Education Concentration. In addition to teaching graduate and undergraduate classes, she supervises practicum experiences at both the undergraduate and graduate level. She is fluent in sign language and is a national leader of physical education and sport programs for youth who are deaf and frequently lectures and instructs worldwide.
So here is what happened on the 7-person Conference Bike Ride to Spencerport and back on the Canal towpath. Other riders and hikers dropped their jaws and shouted, “Wow!” “Oh my God!” or “What the heck is that?” Fire engine trucks and police cars stopped on the road beside the towpath, stuck smart phones out their windows and snapped off photos.
In Adams Basin a group of riders helped maneuver the heavy bike around posts blocking the canal path from large vehicle entry. The photo of the helping hands is included here.
The best part of the ride happened when we returned to Brockport. Dr. Lieberman took us to a SUNY-College at Brockport’s athletic field. There, some of her graduate students had joined staff members of the Rochester Rookies Wheelchair Team to work with children with Spina Bifida. It came as a surprise when the Rochester Rookies Wheelchair Team presented Dr. Lieberman with an award for outstanding work with wheelchair-bound children. The photo below shows Gregg Chalmers, Coach of Rochester Rookies, and JoAnn Armstrong, Founder of the Program and Co-Coach, presenting the award to Dr. Lieberman. Gregg Chalmers’ son, Ryan, is currently pushing his wheelchair across America. Check out his website: http://pushacrossamerica.org/
The youngest of the children, Shay, got to ride around the track, seated on the lap of Maebh Barry, a Dr. Lieberman graduate student from Ireland.
What a wonderful day on the Conference Bike – experiencing the historic Village of Brockport, the Canal and our university.
An altogether uplifting day riding the “way cool” Conference Bike!
