Staff Perspective: Ride to Recovery - “The Never Ending Cycling Adventure”
The heat is bearing down on my face. I feel my legs cramp up and my arms are trembling as I push on the tow bar of a recumbent cyclist up a hill. After five days of traveling from Atlanta to Gulfport, Mississippi, I wonder if I will finish today’s bike ride. I start slightly swerving out of formation and am quickly reminded by a ride leader that I need to get back in my position. Another pusher of the inclined bikes notices I am getting tired and inquires if I would like to take a break. “I can hold on for another five min.” I tell the veteran cyclist. Another rider chimes in “Of course you can. You are our Doc.” We here at the Center for Deployment Psychology like to use our blog to talk about subjects that fill us with passion and may help other providers. Ride 2 Recovery helps instill a passion for life in hundreds of Veterans. Ride 2 Recovery is a Veterans program that began in 2008 and is dedicated to helping Veterans restore hope and purpose to their lives through cycling. Furthermore, it offers the benefits of community engagement, increased self-belonging, and physical/psychological achievements.
The organization offers several different programs to Veterans. They have one-day special events called Honor Rides that increase awareness of Veterans and help them connect to their communities. These rides also raise needed funds for other programs.
Another program Ride 2 Recovery offers is Project Hero. Project Hero unites Veterans in their communities, teaches them to ride a bicycle more efficiently so that they can qualify for a Ride 2 Recovery Challenge ride, and gives them a place where they can regularly feel safe, talk things out, and meet other Veterans.
Their next program is called the Challenge Ride. It unites up to 200 wounded warriors to complete a five- to seven-day bike ride that supports riders as they travel 400-600 miles. This program groups Veterans in various skill levels and has them ride (not race) together.
Finally, this program has an initiative ride that focuses on increasing awareness of common wounded warrior issues, such male and female sexual assault.
This cycling program began with a telephone call from a VA therapist to John Wordin, a nationally recognized cycling expert. The VA therapist challenged John to create a cycling program that could be focused on helping Veterans suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury. John took the challenge and assembled a team of biking experts as well as doctors, psychiatric nurses, and psychologists to assist with this endeavor.
I remember the early rides of this program being a little “rocky” to say the least. Sometimes riders were unprepared for the grueling task of riding 50-100 miles per day. However several important benefits were apparent from Day 1.
Service members have been found to feel disconnected and detached from their communities at large. Over the years I often hear in therapy how civilians don’t get it. Feelings of resentment can get stirred up when one feels they hear lip service and well-wishing from civilians, but the real sacrifices continue to be paid by the one percent that served. Dr Nancy Sherman, a philosophy professor from Georgetown University, said at a lecture “a yellow ribbon is not enough!” The civilian community has a responsibility to assist the Service members that have made sacrifices to keep them safe. Some Veterans resent the reality that the same sacrifices were not made by civilians through increased taxes or having to witness the caskets and gory details during these past 15 years of continuous armed conflicts. Ride 2 Recovery goes hats in hand looking for donations and partnering with United Healthcare, as well as military organizations such as the Veteran of Foreign Wars, the USO, and the American Legion. It helps these communities realize Dr. Sherman’s suggestion that communities need to do more to integrate and care for wounded warriors. When Veterans are cycling in small towns, they get cheered on and shake the hands of small children who are taking time off from their busy day at school. They also meet city leaders who offer their respect as they ride from state to state. These experiences challenge some of their previously entrenched beliefs that civilians really don’t care about them. They see community engagement with Veterans when civilians that take time off their busy schedules to bake the cyclists cookies, offer them lemonade, and donate bicycles to their cause of recovering from PTSD, TBI, or other war-related injuries.
A second major benefit obtained for cyclists from Ride 2 Recovery is the therapeutic effect that occurs when one is united with Veterans from several generations. There is an intergenerational gap that occurs in conflicts and hearing the pros and cons of how wounded warriors have been treated from World War II, Korean Conflict, Vietnam, Persian Gulf War, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq can be therapeutic. These Service members can relate and support one another. The Junior ROTC, Boy Scouts, and Cub Scouts, serve them cookies. One feels as if they are staring into the eyes of the warriors of tomorrow. These children and teenagers are ready to serve with open arms. They are learning about the price of war. “Freedom is not free” is written on one of the rider’s biking shirts. Some Veterans are clearly identifying with the warriors from their time in service. They discuss their memories of their first ship, first jump, and trip across the equator with a mixture of pride and melancholy. As they unite, many wounded warriors are inspired by the new identities some of these Veterans have achieved such as running companies and becoming major contributors in their chosen fields. On the road, they all relate and one mile at a time as they work towards reaching their goals. As I wait for my apple pie at dinner, I see a World War II Veteran and an Iraq Veteran shaking hands and giving each other a hug. They served in different conflicts, but share in the sacrifice of protecting their country. They understand each other and feel that sense of belonging.
A third benefit from these rides is the health and well being generated through cycling. As I recall from Francine Shapiro’s EMDR trainings, she developed this treatment as she was walking and noticed how much better she felt after going for a walk. She discovered how eye movements were related to clearing her head and decreasing stress. Riding a bicycle through American towns forces one to always be moving their eyes from side to side. The cyclists train year-round and get together to complete these Challenge rides. They push themselves to improve their skill level and motivate their battle buddies to complete the challenge. There is evidence of psychological and physical goals being met as they are able to face their fears and complete this arduous physical challenge.
The riders move in parade formation two-by-two. Everybody moves at a similar pace and the townspeople yell out encouragement and cheer them on. The riders in the front call out possible hazards with the same tenacity and rigor as if they were calling out debris on a convoy while driving on the road known as Tampa in Iraq. When one Veteran starts feeling tired another comes behind him/her and gives them a push. This is an organization that gives Veterans the opportunity to do what Veterans do best, which is take care of other Veterans.
These Ride 2 Recovery bike rides take Veterans from one historical site to another. They ride by the site of the World Trade Center bombing, the Pentagon, Shanksville (the site in Pennsylvania where flight 93 went down), the Liberty Bell, and others. On this ride we travelled to the State Capital Building in Atlanta, the Infantry Museum in Ft Benning Georgia, the Tuskeegee Airman Museum in Alabama, the bridge at Selma, Alabama and Intrepid Flight center in Huntsville. The opportunity to visit these museums is important in reconnecting with what we love about our country and reminds us why we made these sacrifices. However, there is another very important benefit that occurs from these experiences.
There is evidence that exposure treatment can be very effective for Veterans recovering from PTSD. These Ride 2 Recovery Challenges offer many exposure opportunities such as the crowds in the streets, the crowds in the museums, and even the crowds on a riverboat in front of a live band. These Veterans are forced to face their fear of crowds and are subjected to these experiences for hours at a time. On the riverboat many of them find this exposure exhausting, but still handle these experiences very well and some even interact with the musicians. However, others retreat into their avoidance mode and move to a quieter part of the riverboat. Although tonight’s exposure could have gone better, I am encouraged by the fact that they will have another opportunity at tomorrow’s social event.
Bike riding with Service members whom have been severely injured in war is a humbling experience. Several riders are missing limbs, one is blind, and one is a triple amputee. He zips by me and laughs “Guess you have been lagging on your training, Doc.” I think to myself that this is the definition of resilience and recovery. Another Veteran flies past me on a downhill stretch. Another Veteran is missing a leg, but on her bike I read “suck it up buttercup.” I feel an increased motivation and keep on pedaling.
The ride is long and hard, but the Veterans complete it together. They are forced to deal with the disappointments that are common in everyday life, but they do it in a supportive environment. One biker cramps up and has to stop at mile 30. “I did 30 more miles then yesterday” shares the Veterans. On the last 30 mile leg of the ride, I see him get back on the bike and he tells me his leg feels better now. Another rider has a chain that keeps falling off, but he quickly puts it back on while cruising at a smooth 12 miles per hour. Like building a plane while flying he is quickly able to get it back on. After the 10th time it falls off, his patience is wearing thin. As we reach our last rest stop, he also realizes his brakes are gone. The look of disappointment is obvious since he regrets not being able to complete the 100-mile challenge today. However, five minutes later I see him riding on the back of a Harley motorcycle at 45 miles per hour. He waves to us and I think to myself that here is another example of resiliency at work. Talk about making lemonade out of lemons. He knows there will be other days to meet his 100-mile challenge goal.
Another powerful component of the ride is that every night we eat together as a team. We celebrate the several birthdays of the week and honor the riders that gave their best effort. We also honor the helping staff that went above and beyond their call of duty and call him/her the hump day staff (for helping a SM get over the hump.) At these dinners we also have another exposure experience when Service members share how they were injured and what Ride 2 Recovery means to them. The stories are touching and several audience members hug the speakers. Stories of PTSD, suicide attempts, and addiction are heard and acknowledged. A plethora of hugs and support follow.
As we rode from Selma to Mobile we are struck by the outpouring of support. Small businesses gather funds and contribute to buying a Service member’s new bike. We were fortunate to eat some of the best breakfast sausage sandwiches that were provided by a local restaurant in Mobile, Alabama. At lunch, several members were even offered the possibility to carry the colors on their bikes before the Inaugural Mobile 500 Motor Race. Even though some riders had received bad news from home last night, this invitation keeps them smiling. The outpouring of love for our Service members is palpable.
As we head out to Gulfport, Mississippi, we feel the biting headwinds and feel the sand that will be sticking to our bikes. Sand trucks are standing by to remove small mounds of sand. As the riders ride side-by-side one can easily read many of the different locations of the Project Hero teams, Los Angeles, Charleston, Ft Hood, Ft Benning, Walter Reed Bethesda, San Antonio, and others. These locations are where many of these warriors will return after this ride. On the horizon, the riders can see several big hills. Chants by Delta Group are heard throughout the pack. One Service member cheers “What’s the best part of a hill?” “Getting over it!” several riders reply. This is a metaphor for many of the obstacles these Service members have been facing in real life. They can’t change the past, but they can push through to the future.
We finally arrive to Gulfport, Mississippi with only 96 miles to go. The rider’s bodies are tired. Several warriors are in the back of the support truck hoping to ride again tomorrow. The ride has not been accident free. Everyone that has a fall is medically examined by a registered nurse and allowed to ride if they have improved after 48 hours. We arrive for our final dinner and go through our usual routine of speeches, acknowledgements and reviewing the plan for the day. Tomorrow will be the last day of the ride. Several riders will be going home after today’s ride. They say goodbye to each other and head to bed prepared for the 6:30 AM breakfast.
As a psychologist I roam around the hotel looking to see other riders that might be having a hard time sleeping. Twice the power has gone out tonight due to thunderstorms and several riders are worried about the possible weather implications for tomorrow’s ride. I can feel the scratchiness in my throat and realize quickly that my ride is over for now as well. No need to risk getting sick before coming back to work on Monday. The sadness of leaving this merry bunch of male and female Warrior bike riders leaves a lump in my stomach. Bonds have been created on this ride and everyone realizes they will be going back to their respective places of healing. Many riders are excited about the next ride coming up in about a month. The challenge now is to survive another month with their smaller support teams from their local Project Hero. The leaders of these groups are doubly tasked with helping the riders become better bike riders as well as working with them on getting them connected with mental health services when necessary. Several years ago one of the recovering bike rider warriors died by suicide. He is well-remembered by the riders and every year in Texas they have one day dedicated to riding in his memory. Riders look around and wonder who may be next. It has been more than six years since a known death by suicide by one of the bike riders, but that does not mean that one may not be coming.
What is clear is that the riders and ride leaders will clearly do everything possible to support their comrades when in trouble. I notice the same soldier that appeared tense on the riverboat a few days ago sitting at a table and I approach him. I ask him if he is still checking the entrances to make sure he is safe. He laughs, “At first I knew I was safe because all of us where watching the entrance, but now I know I am safe because I am with my brothers and sisters.” The ride is over and it is time to fly back to my wife, kids, and dog. ‘”Till next time,” I tell the riders.
Any providers reading this blog that might be interested in volunteering with Ride 2 Recovery or has a patient that might benefit from participating in this cycling program please contact Ride2Recovery.com for more information.
Augusto Ruiz, Psy.D. is a deployment behavioral health psychologist with the Center for Deployment Psychology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Located at the National Naval Medical Center, Dr. Ruiz is a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
The heat is bearing down on my face. I feel my legs cramp up and my arms are trembling as I push on the tow bar of a recumbent cyclist up a hill. After five days of traveling from Atlanta to Gulfport, Mississippi, I wonder if I will finish today’s bike ride. I start slightly swerving out of formation and am quickly reminded by a ride leader that I need to get back in my position. Another pusher of the inclined bikes notices I am getting tired and inquires if I would like to take a break. “I can hold on for another five min.” I tell the veteran cyclist. Another rider chimes in “Of course you can. You are our Doc.” We here at the Center for Deployment Psychology like to use our blog to talk about subjects that fill us with passion and may help other providers. Ride 2 Recovery helps instill a passion for life in hundreds of Veterans. Ride 2 Recovery is a Veterans program that began in 2008 and is dedicated to helping Veterans restore hope and purpose to their lives through cycling. Furthermore, it offers the benefits of community engagement, increased self-belonging, and physical/psychological achievements.
The organization offers several different programs to Veterans. They have one-day special events called Honor Rides that increase awareness of Veterans and help them connect to their communities. These rides also raise needed funds for other programs.
Another program Ride 2 Recovery offers is Project Hero. Project Hero unites Veterans in their communities, teaches them to ride a bicycle more efficiently so that they can qualify for a Ride 2 Recovery Challenge ride, and gives them a place where they can regularly feel safe, talk things out, and meet other Veterans.
Their next program is called the Challenge Ride. It unites up to 200 wounded warriors to complete a five- to seven-day bike ride that supports riders as they travel 400-600 miles. This program groups Veterans in various skill levels and has them ride (not race) together.
Finally, this program has an initiative ride that focuses on increasing awareness of common wounded warrior issues, such male and female sexual assault.
This cycling program began with a telephone call from a VA therapist to John Wordin, a nationally recognized cycling expert. The VA therapist challenged John to create a cycling program that could be focused on helping Veterans suffering from PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury. John took the challenge and assembled a team of biking experts as well as doctors, psychiatric nurses, and psychologists to assist with this endeavor.
I remember the early rides of this program being a little “rocky” to say the least. Sometimes riders were unprepared for the grueling task of riding 50-100 miles per day. However several important benefits were apparent from Day 1.
Service members have been found to feel disconnected and detached from their communities at large. Over the years I often hear in therapy how civilians don’t get it. Feelings of resentment can get stirred up when one feels they hear lip service and well-wishing from civilians, but the real sacrifices continue to be paid by the one percent that served. Dr Nancy Sherman, a philosophy professor from Georgetown University, said at a lecture “a yellow ribbon is not enough!” The civilian community has a responsibility to assist the Service members that have made sacrifices to keep them safe. Some Veterans resent the reality that the same sacrifices were not made by civilians through increased taxes or having to witness the caskets and gory details during these past 15 years of continuous armed conflicts. Ride 2 Recovery goes hats in hand looking for donations and partnering with United Healthcare, as well as military organizations such as the Veteran of Foreign Wars, the USO, and the American Legion. It helps these communities realize Dr. Sherman’s suggestion that communities need to do more to integrate and care for wounded warriors. When Veterans are cycling in small towns, they get cheered on and shake the hands of small children who are taking time off from their busy day at school. They also meet city leaders who offer their respect as they ride from state to state. These experiences challenge some of their previously entrenched beliefs that civilians really don’t care about them. They see community engagement with Veterans when civilians that take time off their busy schedules to bake the cyclists cookies, offer them lemonade, and donate bicycles to their cause of recovering from PTSD, TBI, or other war-related injuries.
A second major benefit obtained for cyclists from Ride 2 Recovery is the therapeutic effect that occurs when one is united with Veterans from several generations. There is an intergenerational gap that occurs in conflicts and hearing the pros and cons of how wounded warriors have been treated from World War II, Korean Conflict, Vietnam, Persian Gulf War, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq can be therapeutic. These Service members can relate and support one another. The Junior ROTC, Boy Scouts, and Cub Scouts, serve them cookies. One feels as if they are staring into the eyes of the warriors of tomorrow. These children and teenagers are ready to serve with open arms. They are learning about the price of war. “Freedom is not free” is written on one of the rider’s biking shirts. Some Veterans are clearly identifying with the warriors from their time in service. They discuss their memories of their first ship, first jump, and trip across the equator with a mixture of pride and melancholy. As they unite, many wounded warriors are inspired by the new identities some of these Veterans have achieved such as running companies and becoming major contributors in their chosen fields. On the road, they all relate and one mile at a time as they work towards reaching their goals. As I wait for my apple pie at dinner, I see a World War II Veteran and an Iraq Veteran shaking hands and giving each other a hug. They served in different conflicts, but share in the sacrifice of protecting their country. They understand each other and feel that sense of belonging.
A third benefit from these rides is the health and well being generated through cycling. As I recall from Francine Shapiro’s EMDR trainings, she developed this treatment as she was walking and noticed how much better she felt after going for a walk. She discovered how eye movements were related to clearing her head and decreasing stress. Riding a bicycle through American towns forces one to always be moving their eyes from side to side. The cyclists train year-round and get together to complete these Challenge rides. They push themselves to improve their skill level and motivate their battle buddies to complete the challenge. There is evidence of psychological and physical goals being met as they are able to face their fears and complete this arduous physical challenge.
The riders move in parade formation two-by-two. Everybody moves at a similar pace and the townspeople yell out encouragement and cheer them on. The riders in the front call out possible hazards with the same tenacity and rigor as if they were calling out debris on a convoy while driving on the road known as Tampa in Iraq. When one Veteran starts feeling tired another comes behind him/her and gives them a push. This is an organization that gives Veterans the opportunity to do what Veterans do best, which is take care of other Veterans.
These Ride 2 Recovery bike rides take Veterans from one historical site to another. They ride by the site of the World Trade Center bombing, the Pentagon, Shanksville (the site in Pennsylvania where flight 93 went down), the Liberty Bell, and others. On this ride we travelled to the State Capital Building in Atlanta, the Infantry Museum in Ft Benning Georgia, the Tuskeegee Airman Museum in Alabama, the bridge at Selma, Alabama and Intrepid Flight center in Huntsville. The opportunity to visit these museums is important in reconnecting with what we love about our country and reminds us why we made these sacrifices. However, there is another very important benefit that occurs from these experiences.
There is evidence that exposure treatment can be very effective for Veterans recovering from PTSD. These Ride 2 Recovery Challenges offer many exposure opportunities such as the crowds in the streets, the crowds in the museums, and even the crowds on a riverboat in front of a live band. These Veterans are forced to face their fear of crowds and are subjected to these experiences for hours at a time. On the riverboat many of them find this exposure exhausting, but still handle these experiences very well and some even interact with the musicians. However, others retreat into their avoidance mode and move to a quieter part of the riverboat. Although tonight’s exposure could have gone better, I am encouraged by the fact that they will have another opportunity at tomorrow’s social event.
Bike riding with Service members whom have been severely injured in war is a humbling experience. Several riders are missing limbs, one is blind, and one is a triple amputee. He zips by me and laughs “Guess you have been lagging on your training, Doc.” I think to myself that this is the definition of resilience and recovery. Another Veteran flies past me on a downhill stretch. Another Veteran is missing a leg, but on her bike I read “suck it up buttercup.” I feel an increased motivation and keep on pedaling.
The ride is long and hard, but the Veterans complete it together. They are forced to deal with the disappointments that are common in everyday life, but they do it in a supportive environment. One biker cramps up and has to stop at mile 30. “I did 30 more miles then yesterday” shares the Veterans. On the last 30 mile leg of the ride, I see him get back on the bike and he tells me his leg feels better now. Another rider has a chain that keeps falling off, but he quickly puts it back on while cruising at a smooth 12 miles per hour. Like building a plane while flying he is quickly able to get it back on. After the 10th time it falls off, his patience is wearing thin. As we reach our last rest stop, he also realizes his brakes are gone. The look of disappointment is obvious since he regrets not being able to complete the 100-mile challenge today. However, five minutes later I see him riding on the back of a Harley motorcycle at 45 miles per hour. He waves to us and I think to myself that here is another example of resiliency at work. Talk about making lemonade out of lemons. He knows there will be other days to meet his 100-mile challenge goal.
Another powerful component of the ride is that every night we eat together as a team. We celebrate the several birthdays of the week and honor the riders that gave their best effort. We also honor the helping staff that went above and beyond their call of duty and call him/her the hump day staff (for helping a SM get over the hump.) At these dinners we also have another exposure experience when Service members share how they were injured and what Ride 2 Recovery means to them. The stories are touching and several audience members hug the speakers. Stories of PTSD, suicide attempts, and addiction are heard and acknowledged. A plethora of hugs and support follow.
As we rode from Selma to Mobile we are struck by the outpouring of support. Small businesses gather funds and contribute to buying a Service member’s new bike. We were fortunate to eat some of the best breakfast sausage sandwiches that were provided by a local restaurant in Mobile, Alabama. At lunch, several members were even offered the possibility to carry the colors on their bikes before the Inaugural Mobile 500 Motor Race. Even though some riders had received bad news from home last night, this invitation keeps them smiling. The outpouring of love for our Service members is palpable.
As we head out to Gulfport, Mississippi, we feel the biting headwinds and feel the sand that will be sticking to our bikes. Sand trucks are standing by to remove small mounds of sand. As the riders ride side-by-side one can easily read many of the different locations of the Project Hero teams, Los Angeles, Charleston, Ft Hood, Ft Benning, Walter Reed Bethesda, San Antonio, and others. These locations are where many of these warriors will return after this ride. On the horizon, the riders can see several big hills. Chants by Delta Group are heard throughout the pack. One Service member cheers “What’s the best part of a hill?” “Getting over it!” several riders reply. This is a metaphor for many of the obstacles these Service members have been facing in real life. They can’t change the past, but they can push through to the future.
We finally arrive to Gulfport, Mississippi with only 96 miles to go. The rider’s bodies are tired. Several warriors are in the back of the support truck hoping to ride again tomorrow. The ride has not been accident free. Everyone that has a fall is medically examined by a registered nurse and allowed to ride if they have improved after 48 hours. We arrive for our final dinner and go through our usual routine of speeches, acknowledgements and reviewing the plan for the day. Tomorrow will be the last day of the ride. Several riders will be going home after today’s ride. They say goodbye to each other and head to bed prepared for the 6:30 AM breakfast.
As a psychologist I roam around the hotel looking to see other riders that might be having a hard time sleeping. Twice the power has gone out tonight due to thunderstorms and several riders are worried about the possible weather implications for tomorrow’s ride. I can feel the scratchiness in my throat and realize quickly that my ride is over for now as well. No need to risk getting sick before coming back to work on Monday. The sadness of leaving this merry bunch of male and female Warrior bike riders leaves a lump in my stomach. Bonds have been created on this ride and everyone realizes they will be going back to their respective places of healing. Many riders are excited about the next ride coming up in about a month. The challenge now is to survive another month with their smaller support teams from their local Project Hero. The leaders of these groups are doubly tasked with helping the riders become better bike riders as well as working with them on getting them connected with mental health services when necessary. Several years ago one of the recovering bike rider warriors died by suicide. He is well-remembered by the riders and every year in Texas they have one day dedicated to riding in his memory. Riders look around and wonder who may be next. It has been more than six years since a known death by suicide by one of the bike riders, but that does not mean that one may not be coming.
What is clear is that the riders and ride leaders will clearly do everything possible to support their comrades when in trouble. I notice the same soldier that appeared tense on the riverboat a few days ago sitting at a table and I approach him. I ask him if he is still checking the entrances to make sure he is safe. He laughs, “At first I knew I was safe because all of us where watching the entrance, but now I know I am safe because I am with my brothers and sisters.” The ride is over and it is time to fly back to my wife, kids, and dog. ‘”Till next time,” I tell the riders.
Any providers reading this blog that might be interested in volunteering with Ride 2 Recovery or has a patient that might benefit from participating in this cycling program please contact Ride2Recovery.com for more information.
Augusto Ruiz, Psy.D. is a deployment behavioral health psychologist with the Center for Deployment Psychology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Located at the National Naval Medical Center, Dr. Ruiz is a veteran of the U.S. Navy.