Jam the Damz Colorado Charity Bike Tour, October 5, 2013 | Morrison CO

On Wednesday, May 22, we will host a 2013 Jam the Damz Kick-off Party at Mattie’s House Mirrors in LoDo Denver.

The event will also serve as the World Premier of the new documentary video, Velobility, which features a group of Paralympic cyclists and their path to qualify for, and compete at the 2012 London Paralympic Games.

Come bring your friends, colleagues, and cycling comrades to celebrate Jam the Damz 2013, and cycling for people with disabilities.

When: Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Where: Mattie’s House of Mirrors, 1946A Market St in LoDo Denver (next door to Lodo’s Bar and Grille)
Time: 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
$10 at the door includes hors d’oeuvres, two drinks, great friends, and the movie premier and a drawing for a door prize!

The 2013 Jam the Damz date has been confirmed for Saturday, October 5, 2013. More details are coming soon and we look forward to working with you all again this year!

Click Here For The Full Route Information as well as maps …

50K Course
Actual [real] distance: 53 Kilometers / 33 miles
This is a brand new course starting and finishing at Pelican Point in Bear Creek Lake Park. Unlike the 2010/11 course, which was an out and back, this new course is a loop, almost exclusively on metro-area bike paths.

100k Course
Actual [real] distance: 105 kilometers / 65.3 miles
This course follows the same route as the 70k until the Rooney Road aid station. From there, the course diverts North, continuing on Rooney Road, over I70 and down to Colfax where it picks up a short connector to the new path in Golden by the Jefferson County Government Building (known as “the Taj Mahal”).

We are very excited to announce that all four courses will be new this year, thanks to our new Start/Finish area, which will be at Pelican Point in Bear Creek Lake Park.

The new start area is a beautiful area within Bear Creek Lake Park in Morrison, and has a beautiful pavillion, perfect for Jam the Damz. In addition, the connection to the bike path is just a few hundred yards from the start, which will increase our safety and streamlines the course for all distances.

We are excited that the 50k will be a loop this year. All the details are on the routes page.

My name is Anna Aranda and I was injured in a car accident in 2003 which resulted in a spinal cord injury. I am originally from Arizona and after my injury I moved to Colorado in 2005 with the hopes of getting connected to Craig Hospital.

I had my struggles of trying to accept a new way of life but when I finally got into Craig Hospital in 2009 it was the best thing that could happen to me. Immediately, when I arrived everyone there was extremely friendly and made me feel like I was “normal” again. They taught me how I can live a full life regardless of my injury and were eager to help get me back on track. To this present day I have experienced many exciting adventures because of Craig Hospital and its incredible staff. I have done more now than I ever did physically before I was injured.

At the beginning of this year I was approached by Craig staff with the opportunity to compete in the Ms. Wheelchair Colorado event. I was a bit hesitant at first but like always their staff has a way of encouraging you to try new things. I accepted the offer and entered the competition and was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Colorado in April. My purpose is to represent the disabled community by advocating the amazing things that people with disabilities can and have accomplished. My platform is to “mentor, support and inspire others with disabilities”, I will be heading to Rhode Island in two weeks to compete with 30 other inspiring women for the Ms. Wheelchair America title.

Craig Hospital has opened the door to do so many wonderful things including Ms. Wheelchair Colorado and Jam The Damz to name a few. This year I will ride in Jam The Damz as I did in 2010. Jam The Damz is a ride that everyone can enjoy. I encourage everyone to participate! See you there.

“Just the other day I was driving on the freeway minding my business.  Suddenly, from my right side . . . bang . . . I was side-swiped at 55 mph, and the vehicle passes me and merges into my lane!  My mind is racing, but my car is hanging tough in the center of my lane.  I signal and we both pull over.  I find my paperwork, and so does the other driver and we exchange info, but I have to call it in.

The officer arrives and starts the paperwork, so we begin chatting.  The out of state driver is headed to see daughters that live in Denver metro area.  She asks, “So where are you going, home?”
“No, I am going to a meeting to organize a fund raising bike ride for Craig Hospital,” I reply.  Her eyes close, her head drops slightly and I hear a little sigh.  I see in her expression that she knows Craig.  We continue our chat, with rush hour cars zooming by at 55 or so MPH.

Her brother-in-law was a quadriplegic that spent time at Craig.  He learned beyond survival, just as Craig teaches us.  I don’t think I told her that I was a graduate, but she knew I had a connection there. Craig Hospital is an amazing place that has helped people in many ways; survive, heal, learn, adapt, cope, and more.

I knew very little about Craig until a day in 2010.  I wish that we all knew Craig, but didn’t need Craig.  And, now I Jam the Damz for Craig.  Double-edged sword, eh?

At Craig we learn how to sustain ourselves despite our circumstances.  I hate the word ‘normal’ to describe personality, but we sometimes call ourselves a new normal.  It means average.  I don’t know anyone that is ‘normal’.  I am so glad that we are not lemmings.  We get to learn by acknowledging and overcoming our differences.
Craig has an amazing group of people.  Friends, families, medical community . . . I was helped when I needed it.  Now, it’s my time to help others.  It is hard to understand life sometimes. I am TBI.  To turn life around I learned . . . I trained my brain.  I turned TBI to IBT, iBrainTrain.  That is my current motto to move forward day by day.  Craig is in many more places than we know.  The teaching, the knowledge, the stamina that Craig promotes allows us to contribute back to the world.  I contribute.  I am Craig.
I created a team name called iBrainTrain for Jam The Damz to raise fund.  We will Jam the Damz to raise funds.”

Hello Ride Enthusiasts!  We are excited to announce that we have a NEW starting point for this year.  The ride will originate from Pelican Point at Bear Creek Lake Park. 15600 W. Morrison Rd., Lakewood, CO 80465.  We are still working on the details of the ride itself but we have picked out a fun and challenging course for all riders!

Now is the time to register and get started fundraising for the biggest ride of the summer!