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Marathon on Wheels
Emmanuel's Gift + Acura LA Bike Tour
Lance Armstrong, Greg Lemond are Eddie Merckx are all biking legends. But there's a name missing from that list: Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah. In Emmanuel's Gift, an inspiring sports documentary, Oprah Winfrey narrates the true story of a boy born with a severely deformed right leg in Ghana, where locals believe a handicap is a curse from the deities (and where ten percent of the population is disabled). Rather than resign himself to a life of begging and poverty, Emmanuel shines shoes for $2 a day and then, masters riding a bicycle with one leg. Our kids were awed by Emmanuel's 600 mile ride across Ghana to prove to himself, and his country, that disabled people are capable of great achievement. From international coverage of Emmanuel's solo effort, wonderful things happen: he competes in a triathalon in the US, receives a free surgery for a prosthetic limb (right here in Southern California's Loma Linda Medical Center), and eventually returns to Ghana as a hero. Now, using his fame to serve as a champion for the disabled, Emmanuel's journey as a man who will make a difference is just beginning. Our very definition of a modern legend.
Biking the LA Marathon race course is an adventure for early birds, but having the streets of Los Angeles closed for traffic in the early morning hours of a Sunday morning is a bike rider's dream. One of our subscribers has been taking her kids on the Acura LA Bike Tour for the past five years - she gets her family downtown early to take the streets with fifteen thousand other cycling enthusiasts, all before before LA marathoners lace up their sneakers. Even as the sun comes up, there are folks on the street corners banging pots and pans and urging the bikers on as they pass through neighborhoods in East LA and Hancock Park. The camaraderie with fellow bikers is her favorite part of the adventure, and since the race is not competitive, the kids are relaxed and content to ride for the two hours it takes to circle the course. Arriving at the site is the only tricky part of the adventure, but luckily our subscriber has tried every possible approach over the years. Read KOTC Kernels below, and learn her tips on Metro stops, and her conclusion that the best way to participate is to spend the night at the Biltmore and ride to the race site with hordes of other early morning riders. We think that's something to pop a wheelie about!
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this film:
- Why It's Worth It: This film gives kids a look at an atypical athlete. Like most sports documentaries, there is a triumphant ending, though this film is special because of Emmanuel's struggle with issues that make for thoughtful conversation about disabilities, and how one person can make a difference. Good for kids over eight.
- Red Flags: Kids will be exposed to Ghana through Emmanuel's eyes: a country where ten percent of its people are disabled (many are shown with severely malformed limbs), and reduced to begging. Although not frightening, parents should be prepared.
- Details on Emmanuel: Click here for a trailer, and fun details about Emmanuel's life -- how he wants to run for political office and was the first disabled man to visit the King.
- Challenged Athlete's Foundation: is the California-based organization that sent Emmanuel his first bicycle. To learn more about other how this foundation sponsors equipment, fees and training for physically-challenged athletes, or how to get involved, click here for details.
- Further Viewing for Bike Fans: We also showed our kids The Bicycle Thief (1949, UR), Vittoria deSica's spectacular story about a boy and his father in post-WW II Italy, who try to recover their stolen bike; this film won an Oscar in 1949 and is considered one of the great films of all time. Breaking Away (1979, PG), is a wonderful film about four boys who have to figure out what they want from life in a small Indiana town after high school. Starring a young Dennis Quaid, best for teens and up.
Our tips for talking with your kids about this film:
- Cinema Savvy: Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern of Lookalike Productions are twin sisters who are both veteran TV sports producers who have collected more than 15 Emmy Awards between them for their work. How do these producers make the biking scenes come alive?
- Olympics Savvy: Word has it that Emmanuel is planning on taking a team of wheelchair basketball players to the 2008 Paralympic Games is Beijing (Sept. 6-17, 2008). Ask your kids to think about how they would play the sports they love if, like Emmanuel, they had a physical disability.
Acura L.A. Bike Tour XIV
Precedes the Los Angeles Marathon
March 2, 2008
Biking begins at 5:45 am at the LA Coliseum
Age Recommendation: athletic eight year-olds, and older
Time Allotment: roughly six hours
Our Buttery Bits of Wisdom about this Adventure:
- What Worked for us: The bike marathon begins at 5:45 am, at the LA Colieseum. A KOTC subscriber who gave us the idea for this Adventure has tried every possible way to get to the starting line at that hour, with kids. She has taken the subway to the start line (check out LADOT.com for details), as well as parked near USC and had to fight traffic to get home again after the race. After much experimentation, she finally settled on her favorite plan: the family spends the night downtown at the Biltmore, and rises early to pedal to the starting line in the dark. They're not alone - many marathoners and bikers stay at the hotel and explore downtown spots the previous evening. This beginning sets up the mood of comeraderie which rules the day. Since the finish line of the marathon is at Pershing Square, it's fun to be downtown on Sunday (but she takes the Metro to and from the Biltmore as traffic gets nutty post-race.)
- Registration: Click here for information about how to register your family for the event.
- Race Course Logistics: Figuring out transportation to and from the race is key. Our subscriber's favorite choice is to stay over night at the Biltmore downtown (see above), but she takes a subway downtown the day before in order to avoid traffic jams on Sunday, after the race. In past years, she has parked at Metro stops and taken bikes (for free) on the subway, guaranteeing an easier exit from the race site after the race is over. Parking is also available at the Coliseum but it takes hours to leave the site after the race. Click here for LA Department of Transportation information page.
- What to Bring: Riders are required to wear helmets. The morning starts cold, but you'll warm up as you ride. Layers are key. There is plenty of water along the course, and food galore at the finish line where a whole festival takes place.
Our tips for Extending this Adventure:
- Biking in LA: A growing movement to increase the bike-ability of Los Angeles has plenty of ardent supporters. Click here to learn more about Bike Kitchen, a local bike repair organization that allows you to donate your old bikes to charity - they distribute them to kids who need wheels.
- Bike along the Beach: There's nothing like renting bikes along the beach in Venice or Santa Monica and wheeling along in an ocean breeze, particularly at this time of year. Bring your own bikes, or rent them at the many locations along the bike path, and stop for snacks or lunch along the way, or even a carousel ride below the Pier. We love Hot Dog on a Stick, Back to the Beach and James Beach in Venice. Click here for more information about parking. The path starts at Washington Blvd. in Venice and runs 8.5 miles north to Temescal Canyon Road.
- UCLA Is Our Favorite Family Bike Ride: Especially when the college kids are on spring or summer break, we love to wind through the campus's many paved paths, stopping for an ice cream at the student store, and checking out the incredible sculpture garden, all on wheels. Here's how we navigate this perfect family day. (If your kids are up for it, drop into the Fowler Museum. Free).
- Balboa Park Bike Paths: In Van Nuys at the Sepulveda Dam Recreation Center, cyclists enjoy about 9 miles of bike paths. There is also a 2.3 mile inner loop path that sources say are in a better state of repair.
- Canyon Trail Riding: If you think your kids are pretty bike savvy, try mountain biking in any of the canyons. Caution them that riding downhill is much harder than riding uphill! Bike helmets are a must.
- If You Have Runners: Why not sign up to join the Kids 4 Kids 5K Cancer Run/Walk, hosted by the Children's Cancer Research Fund, on April 27? Click here for more details.
