For Dan Blevins, cycling has always been about more than riding a bike.

It’s about creating opportunities for people to reconnect—with the outdoors, with their communities, and with themselves.

After leaving the Army, Dan watched many veterans struggle with the transition back to civilian life. He started organizing rides to help veterans get outside, rebuild connections, and rediscover purpose through movement.

Then life presented him with a new challenge.

As Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a progressive neuromuscular disorder, began affecting his mobility, cycling became something even more personal.

“As my neuromuscular disease got worse, I found that cycling was really it for me,” Dan says. “It was a way that I could get out of my house. I could fight through the pain. I could still see the world. I could just enjoy life.”

The miles weren’t always easy, but they gave him something he desperately needed.

“I get to be social. I get to be part of a team. I get to do what I love.”

When Dan first connected with Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports and Team Access about a year and a half ago, he could barely ride 11 miles. With consistent training, encouragement from the adaptive cycling community, and his own determination, those miles steadily added up.

A few weeks ago, Dan received an invitation to attend the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center’s Para Athlete Talent Identification Camp—an opportunity that speaks to just how far he’s come in a short time.

After reaching this milestone, Dan’s journey continues to evolve in new and meaningful ways. Dan rode with Team Access at El Tour de Tucson last year and remains an important part of our community. As he continues to ride, he’s also expanding his efforts through CMT Unbroken, an organization he founded to build community and raise awareness for people living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

“One of the biggest reasons I started CMT Unbroken was because there is so little representation for people living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease,” Dan explains. “I wanted to help amplify the voices of our community—to expand awareness, extend our reach, and ultimately help bring more attention and funding toward research and future treatments.”

His vision extends beyond awareness.

“Even more than that, I wanted to reach the people who are quietly struggling. CMT is still largely unknown, and so many people spend years feeling isolated, misunderstood, and watching their quality of life slowly decline without realizing there is an entire community that understands exactly what they’re going through.”

That mission resonates deeply with Team Access. We believe that community has the power to remove barriers, create opportunities, and help people discover what’s possible. Dan is carrying that same spirit into the CMT community, creating connections for people who may have never realized they weren’t alone.

As Dan reminds others, “The real victories happen every mile. The commitment to stay on the road when I don’t want to, to push past the pain… that’s where the real journey is.”

We’re proud to continue riding alongside Dan—not only as a Team Access athlete, but also as a partner in expanding access and building stronger communities through cycling. As CMT Unbroken grows, we look forward to finding new ways to work together, creating more opportunities for people living with CMT and ensuring that even more riders discover the freedom, connection, and sense of belonging that cycling can provide.