By Austin Wallis
As National Bike to Work Week comes to a close I’ve got to give kudos to all the folks I saw out on their bikes this week.
Blustery wind and spitting rain didn’t keep many commuters off the roads, and to that I say hoo-ray!
I am currently working for the Reno Bike Project as an instructor for their Major Taylor program whose goal is to get students comfortable as bicycle commuters. Even in the nasty weather of this week, we were out each day riding the streets and looking for new routes to explore around town.
We currently run two classes, one at I Can Do Anything Charter High School and another at the High Desert Montessori Middle School. The program helps to familiarize young people with the rules of the road, bike safety and basic bike maintenance.
Because it was National Bike to Work Week I logged our miles, and collectively the Major Taylor Program rode 73 miles this week.
It is so encouraging to see the enthusiasm and energy of the students who participate in this program. Their willingness to try new things and explore new places inspires me to step outside of my own comfort zone and be adventurous like them.
A lot of our middle school students have never mountain biked before, and their confidence levels have completely transformed from the beginning of the session to now. At the beginning, I’m not sure many students would be adventuring onto dirt paths, and now they are all so eager to rip around the mountain trails like along the Evans Creek Canyon trail we explored last week.
The students are learning valuable lessons in awareness and safety because each day we share the road with motorists and we have to make sure we are keeping our safety as our top priority. If you see a big group of students riding around the streets, give us a wave (not a honk!) and remember to slow down! We’ll appreciate it!
