Happy 10th Anniversary to Canvelo!

Ten years ago Brig. General (ret) Moti Regev visited the center while riding in the area. He discovered two tandem bicycles that were being used by volunteers to ride with graduates of the center. Moti's idea of expanding the tandem biking activities soon became a reality. His idea and initiative led to the establishment of "Canvelo" – the Center's tandem biking club.
On Friday Canvelo celebrated its 10th anniversary with a ride through the Ben Shemen forest.  THis year the JNF has begun a project of planting and establishing a special grove for the blind in the forest and they are now in the process of building a special biking trail for tandem bikes called "Tovim Hashnayim" or "Two is Great".  All three Canvelo biking clubs from the center, Sharon area, and north participated in the ride, which took the bikers over rugged trails that climbed and descended through the forest.  A picnic lunch was served  at the end of the ride.
Canvelo offers a unique opportunity to engage in safe and supervised cycling activity, while traveling to different areas of the country and experiencing the feelings of pride, accomplishment, and belonging that group sports provide.   In many ways tandem biking is similar to working with a guide dog - involving the same skills of communication, trust, and cooperation between the two members of each tandem team that are so important when working with a guide dog.  The sighted volunteers who ride with their blind teammates are an outstanding example of the volunteering spirit - devoting themselves to making it possible for blind and visually impaired riders to get out and cycle.
Many members of the Canvelo cycling clubs will be participating in the Sportiada in Eilat, where teams from various companies and organizations will compete in a wide variety of sports events.  This year the Sportiada will feature a tandem biking race for the first time.
We wish Canvelo many more kilometers of biking together and making the sport of cycling accessable for blind and visually impaired riders.

Riders from all three Canvelo groups after the ride in the Ben Shemen Forest

Special congratulations are in order to Uri Basha, a graduate of the center, and Moti Rosen who completed the entire Epic Israel mountain biking competition on a tandem! The ride is undertaken by professional bikers and demands skill, stamina, and outstanding technique!

Uri Basha and Moti Rosen - Epic Israel on a tandem bike!