Doing The Hard Things – September 2025
What’s inside: Special edition featuring Adventure Team season highlightsA special MADE U.P. episodeThe unveiling of TWO new Adventure Teams in 2026staying involved and active in the off-season 15 Communities. 1 Team. It’s one thing to type it out and add it to Adventure Team marketing materials… it’s another thing to see and feel what it really means. We’re highlighting an incredible season in this newsletter– 1,300 kids on bikes across the Midwest. Learning to do hard things together with the guidance of 600+ volunteers. As you look through these photos and read about the experiences these kids and families shared – I hope you can take a moment to feel the community – the smiles – the thread that ties this group together. It doesn’t matter what city the stories come from – whether kids rode in Wisconsin or Michigan – you can’t tell a difference between a picture from Lansing or a picture from La Crosse – these kids are together showing all of us – being a part of a team means showing up, doing hard things, respecting and supporting each other, and appreciating each ride for the opportunities to adventure, get outside and connect (not with technology, but with smiles and encouragement). Enjoy this special edition of ‘Doing The Hard Things’ – this edition is all about you and why we keep focused on the 906AT mission: encouraging people to become the best versions of themselves through outdoor adventure.-Elizabeth Peterson “The energy, passion and positivity… was indescribable.” This summer was Nash’s (9 years old) first experience with the 906 Adventure Team in La Crosse, WI. Nash’s experience with the La Crosse County Adventure Team has been unbelievable, sparking a passion for bike riding and personal growth that made him wish the team could meet every day of the week instead of just once a week. Throughout the summer, Nash has developed not only his biking skills but also valuable life skills such as perseverance, teamwork, and self-confidence. The supportive environment of Adventure Team and the amazing coaches challenged him to push past his limits and build his confidence both on and off his bike. As a result, Nash has grown into a stronger, more resilient individual and rider, gaining lessons and friendships that will continue to impact him well beyond the trails. Each week he would come off the trails and want to share with family and friends all of the bike skills that he learned. His stories about the trails and his demonstrations of the skills he learned were just small pieces of how he developed as a person and as a rider. As a parent seeing his smile each week as he came up over the hills of La Crosse was incredible. Throughout the summer as a parent and volunteer I was able to help at the Adventure Team base camp. As an educator my passion is watching children succeed and grow. I had no concept of how volunteering at base camp would not only fill my personal bucket but allow me to be a part of a group of adults that would encourage, teach, challenge, and help children of all ages grow both physically and mentally, and grow their passion for biking. From the young 4-year-old whose goal it was to get off her training wheels to the 12-year-old who struggled with his fear of how to conquer the challenging trails, the adult coaches rallied and cheered them through it. The energy, passion, and positivity the adult coaches and base camp volunteers had that I was able to witness as they left base camp for their rides was indescribable. I am forever grateful as a parent and as a volunteer to be a part of this organization and group of individuals. The volunteers, coaches, and team leads are not only making our youth and biking community stronger but also contributing to making each of us better humans! Thank you, Adventure Team La Crosse!-Lindsey Seipp “The kids conquered their fears over and over.” Adventure Team La Crosse County had a spectacular season. Before the season, thinking about wrangling 130 kids was daunting. But when the time came, the kids arrived, rode their bikes, learned some new skills, and left with smiles, all kudos to our amazing coaches. Not only did we get to use our new trailer this year, we also got to test out our new wooden obstacles. The kids conquered their fears over and over, proving to themselves every week that they are strong and resilient. AT La Crosse also got to test out our skills of “adapting to change.” We had to pivot when the mosquitos got too bad to go into the woods and found out we can have fun just about anywhere. We also cooled down with water balloons when the heat index was over 100. Kids, coaches, and parents are already excited for next year.-Randi Pueschner “She learned to be brave and confident on her bike.” Special thanks to your whole team! This girl, my granddaughter, Savannah, only took her training wheels off her bike a few weeks before she hit the trails this year. She said she learned to be brave and confident on her bike. I think she was the only girl in her group, too! Good stuff! ❤️-Ann Perala Our season started with a bang, as the first two rides had unexpected thunderstorms. Our coaches and riders adapted and overcame the weather, making it memorable experiences for the riders. The following weeks were spent finding individual and collective best selves through outdoor adventures. Highlights included solid friend connections, wildlife exploration, 1:2 rider/coach experiences to overcome personal challenges, another year for an adaptive rider to participate, and no incident reports 🙂 Our 56 coaches are deeply invested in the 906 ethos and it shows, and being their Lead (for the 4th year of ATGB) was pure joy. Matt and I are so grateful for our community, including our sponsors: Belgiosio, BW Corporation, The Bike Hub, Broken Spoke, Pete’s