GR trip 2026

The things we love in GR (Grand Rapids) for 3 days

-All about Grand Rapids trip as a wife of a paraplegic-  (from my perspective)

It is fun to compare my thoughts and feelings between last year (2025) and this year (2026).Click here.

Part 1.
A short relaxing evening after a long driving

I could say that my husband and I are getting used to driving trips to other states (as long as it is less than 5.5 hours away and as long as it is 5 nights staying).  It is always a lot of thinking process about trips with paraplegic (Spinal Cord Injury) related materials. I need to calculate counts of catheters and other things. I cannot do “minimalist” thinking because it’s going to be a very critical and serious situation if I don’t have enough materials. But I could say that I packed a little bit “lighter” than our very first trip in the past, which is better.
I love GR (Grand Rapids) trip more than Chicago trip just because the roads (highways) are much comfortable to myself.  We take turns (even though I don’t like long distance driving). Longer I drive, better my husband’s SCI (spinal cord injury) skincare.  He still needs to do “pressure relief” during driving.  If he is on a passenger seat, it’s always easier to do it (as you can imagine).  Plus drinking water is easier to do it to him, you can imagine.  I try to drive longer and it works well to Grand Rapids. That’s why I love Grand Rapids trips. It maybe sounds funny.
The purpose of Day 1 (Amway River Bank Run 25K handcycle race) is always a race-packet pickup to get his race bibs and seeing an Expo. We have free evening after that.
Luckily it was sunny and we did explore around the hotel. I loved our time on Day 1.

I need to add this. Our friend who is a singer and her mother who is a potter/violinist joined us from Cincinnati to compete 25K for the first time. I wrote about them in the past. I will post the link later.) We were happy that they made it to travel from Cincinnati to GR and (yes!) she (the daughter) completed the race.

Since this was our 2nd time to compete in GR, I felt much better about everything related to stay in the same hotel.  I learned something new last year when I observed other adaptive athletes and their wives. My eyes are always aiming to their wives or caregivers, you know?  Their wives carried handcycles inside the hotel, loading to an elevator to carry it into their hotel rooms. It made me think “Why do they need to transfer handcycles from their vans to hotel rooms? Why?”  There are several reasons (I learned that).
I was confident to do the same this time. Yes, I carried my husband’s handcycle (racer machine!) from a basement garage to a hotel room(!) Loading it into an elevator, that part makes me a little bit nervous as you can imagine. The hotel where the Race organizer recommends us and where is the center of everything of adaptive races, is perfect for people with disabilities.  Elevator space is big enough even for handcycles or racing wheelchairs. Hotel room is very spacious.
You might laugh. I felt so satisfied after I made it to carry his handcycle into a hotel room all by myself. I felt confident and thinking “Ahhhhh, now I feel becoming a “real handcyclist’s wife” a bit closer.  Do you wonder why I did it?
Because it would be smoother to prepare it for the race, pumping and more. It worked pretty well. I didn’t need to be nervous before a bedtime.
Too bad I didn’t take pictures of me carrying a handcycle in an elevator. Of course not, I had my hands full with a handcycle.

Part 2.
Everything about the handcycle race (25km)

I just love this race simply just because I stay feeling very comfortable from the morning to the afternoon. Because Mary Free Bed rehabilitation hospital “Wheelchair Adaptive Sports Department” is the KEY of a success in Handcycle/ Racing Wheelchair division for 25km race.  Yes, as you read it, they have that department = Wheelchair Adaptive Sports Department!  How nice it is.  I was impressed how they worked when I witnessed them last year.  I was grateful more this year. More knowing them, more grateful for them.  

I love this race because we don't need to drive before the race.  We just setup his handcycle and stage in front of the hotel entrance. 
Athelets start "warmup" pedaling using the roads around the hotel where roads close for other cars. 

Then athletes move to the starting line. Two cyclists escort them for their safety. It is a smooth transition without any trouble at all.  
NOTE. This race is non-bike-escort race. = Handcyclists and Racing wheelchair athletes are on their own on the course. Non assist.  It is different from Flying Pig Marathon or Air Force Marathon. 

Then guess what next?  Their (serious) warmups happen right behind the starting line.  I was amazed last year. I enjoyed seeing them pedaling. You know? This "warmup" area setting is really nice.  I've not seen like this setting anywhere else. If you know other races like this, let me know. 

Now do you notice someone? The handcyclist next to my husband in an orange jersey. See?  
It's Mr. Steve Chapman!!  Yes, that's him. The Flying Pig Full Marathon Handcycle division (a pilot program 2026) Champion!! 
Re-read about him in May page. 5/06 through 5/08. (In fact, I've not completed writing about Flying Pig yet.) 
Yes, this race, this place is his home ground indeed. He is a member/athlete of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation hospital Wheelchair adaptive sports team. (You see now. Athletes in orange jersey are in the same team.) 

Handcycle division race starts at 8:15am. It is a good setting to start to everyone. Then right after Handcyclists start, Racing Wheelchair athletes start. This setting is also good. 

25km race sounds a little bit unique setting to me personally. I like it. It's not too long. It's not too short. My husband did finish about 55 minutes last year. So he set his goal "aiming to beat 55 minutes" this year.  

Well, yes, HE DID IT!!!  He did beat his last year's time. He got PR!  He sounded satisfied with his ride.  I was happy, too. 

The 1st place. Mr. Chapman (!)   
2nd place. Mr. Fenstermacher. 
3rd place. My husband. 

I really want to rephrase the fact about Mr. Fenstermacher and my husband. The picture below was from last year's race. Mr. Fenstermacher and my husband were shoulder to shoulder at the finish line. They did a great race together. Last year, my husband beat Mr. Fenstermacher. This year??  Mr. Fenstermacher did beat my husband.  I was thrilled to watch them and witness their results. It was an exciting moment to me indeed. 

Here is an interesting stats fact that you might like it.  2026 result is the left one.  2025 result is the right one. See? Top 3 in this year did a great race just like they did their best last year.  I love the "lineup" of 3 of them very much.  Congratulations to Mr. Chapman on his champion title = 2 races in a row Champion!  (Flying Pig 26.2mi and Amway 25km) 

Here is a photo of Mr. Usakowski and my husband. It's a precious shot for us. We didn't know about him last year at the race.  We realized about him and his handcycle life after Amway race 2025.  My husband connected with him through Strava.  We saw his progress through year looking at Strava logs.  We were looking forward to seeing how he raced this time.  When we saw him at the post-race tent, we smiled each other. He did a good race as well.  We enjoy our connection we made through Amway race.  I love the entire environment and atmosphere.  See now? This race is one of my favorites. 

The wonderful fun part that Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Wheelchair Adaptive Sports department does every year is "The Post-race reception". You would be amazed that how they prepare, how they cheer everyone, how they wrap up athletes' accomplishments with everyone. It was great to see all of them together, it was wonderful to recognize their achievements. It's a great setting literally over all.

You might wonder "why actual top 3 are not awarded together?"  Because they set categories "para" and "masters" separately.  Your eyebrows rose? All athletes were recognized well. I love everything. 

I have to say "This photo is the only one that my husband and I are in together.  Thanks to Ms. Bills who is Mr. Chapman's partner. 

Then we went for a walk around the hotel to celebrate his joyful race.  We found "Big chess board".  We could not miss The Blue Bridge because it was my favorite. 

Part 3.
“Recovery ride” before heading back home

You really need to re-read  Entry#405 (5/17/2025) right now. It’s all about “Recovery Ride” the day after a big race day.  Funny.  I’ve learned that a recovery ride is kind of important for body muscle and body system especially when you do intense hard work/race.  
I joined in a recovery ride with top finishers-handcyclists last year. I was brave or I should say “I was a challenger”.  I was glad and relieved after I made it to pedal whole 30 mile with them. Wheeeew. 30 mile!?

My husband and I were not sure about our last day in GR. But I brought my bike with me for this trip just in case.  
I need to take off a front wheel for our tip to load everything together (including his bath chair, handcycle and wheelchair of course). Yes, this process is also a part I need to get used to.  See my front wheel? 

Guess what happened the day after the race day?  We DID a recovery ride with Mr. Fenstermacher!  We were able to make a plan even though it was such a short notice.  Since we are both not local in this area, we needed to find a route for our recovery ride.  My husband picked a good one. It was Kent Trail. It is a bike trail (not public roads).  A great part of this plan was this route was a part of the Amway 25K race course.  So I was able to ride on it by myself.  It was a great call and it worked well perfectly to three of us. 

I had to stop them yelling at them "Wait, wait, I see something. I see SOMETHING!!"  Guess what I saw from a bike trail?  SWAN! laying on her nest, sitting on her eggs.  My picture looked like a fake one, but it was alive. I was happy indeed. It was a great surprise and fun one.

We had a great time together. We learned something new from him, too.  We promised to see each other again at some other races in future.  This part always made me smile a lot. 
Now did you get the feeling that you want to go visiting GR to watch handcycle races??  I bet you did.