About Michael Blunck

For the 20th annual Bridges of the Butte, Michael Blunck will be attempting a remarkable feat of riding his single-speed townie bike, the Dragon Wagon, from Craig Hospital to the Bridges of the Butte base camp on Elk Avenue just in time for the Townie Tour.

Michael has raised generous amounts over the years during Bridges of the Butte and we are so grateful for his tremendous support. This year, his goal is to raise $100,000 during his historic ride.

Learn why he chooses to support Adaptive:

During one of the first Disabled American Veterans (DAV) events in Crested Butte, I saw firsthand how the Adaptive Sports Center (ASC) changes lives. A veteran of the first Iraq War came to the event at the request of his local VA Hospital. He had been injured in the conflict and was now a paraplegic. He was very depressed. The people at the VA Hospital urged him to give the DAV event a try in the hopes that he would learn that he could still be active. I met him at the bottom of the Peachtree lift the first day of the event, and he was as down as a person could be. It was sad to see what the war had done to this proud soldier. A few days later he returned to the Peachtree lift and asked me to go skiing with him. He took off down the hill in front of me, no tether on his sit ski. He got a bit out of control and crashed midway down the run. I raced down to go check on him. When I got to him, I was greeted with a snowy ear-to-ear smile and boisterous laughter. He was having fun, again, and was happy. It was at that moment that I was hooked on the power of the Adaptive Sports Center. They had given this soldier a reason to live.

Fast forward a number of years, a friend from middle school and his wife had their first child. This child, Leo, was born with Cerebral Palsy. Leo cannot speak and uses a wheelchair, but this does not keep him from being an active kid. He participates in local adaptive programs in his home state of New York. He has become my inspiration to raise money for the Adaptive Sports Center. I see how much value he receives from his local programs, just as I see how much good the ASC does for those who are physically challenged. The only thing that limits what Leo can do are the lack of programs like the Adaptive Sports Center. When you contribute to the ASC, you are allowing Leo and others the opportunity to do the things that each of us loves and takes for granted.

I know during my ride there will be times when I will struggle and want to quit. During those times I will think of my friends who are participants in ASC programs. I will remember that each day, they must deal with their disabilities while my challenge is temporary. If they can maneuver their wheelchairs on the hills of Crested Butte, I can push forward on my bicycle for them. If, or should I say when, I achieve my goal of raising $100,000.00 for the ASC, all the participants of the ASC programs will be the winners.