Pilot (Pedaler): Portland Wheelers

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Organization's mission: "Outdoor Biking Fun for People Living with Disabilities." We offer free, recreational rides to those living with significant disability, debility, or dementia - old and young alike - who cannot ride a bike by themselves but would love to go for a ride.

Volunteer Role: Tasks include riding an e-assist, adult-sized tricycle while interacting with our wheelers of all ages and disabilities. Together with other pilots you will also help to unload the trikes when they arrive to the ride site then load them back up at the end of the shift. Finally, there's a small amount of paperwork involved during each shift. You will NOT be expected to help with any transfers of wheelers in or out of the trike. This is handled by the wheeler’s loved ones or professional caregivers.

Qualities/skills needed: For this position you must be, at least, an intermediate level
cyclist. You need to be relaxed and comfortable in the saddle. This said, you will also need to be open and flexible to learning whole new ways to ride. For starters, you cannot lean the trike into a turn. So, we train you how to approach turns differently. Also, the trike and its passengers, combined, weigh far more than you’re used to pedaling. The trikes are e-assist, so this helps. But you’ll still need to be open to learning how to mix and match pedal power with the levels of electric assist available from the motor.