A colleague and I started a bike club at our high school in 2022. A boost of enthusiasm from some busy, super-involved seniors powered our first few rides. Since they graduated, our club is small– you could say it barely exists some weeks. We attract the elusive student who isn't already involved in organized school sports but also has a notion of biking as something other than a transportation method of last resort. The mix of riders has been fascinating: freshman boys who have a terrifying tendency to veer into traffic, a girl who struggled on the hills but proudly declared her watch had recorded one of her highest ever heart rates (she never rode with us again), a wrestler who considers his occasional rides with us to be a form of cross-training, an aspiring gravel-racer who never has a negative word for anyone, and a competitive mountain biker who can do "gear talk" as well as any adult cyclist I know.
Students have shown up on cruiser bikes, BMX bikes , and knock-off trail bikes. Wobbly Walmart specials with well-worn tires and rusty drive trains. A single-speed bike festooned with stickers. A tiny blue bike with a handlebar cushion and pink wheels (white sidewalls). Helmets are required but are often too tight or too loose.
I've offered students my old mountain bike but most prefer their own bikes, even when they aren't exactly what I'd call "trail ready." I recognize and respect the pride that students have for their own bikes.
Recently, we've been eschewing the longer ride to Rush Pond with its well-designed mountain bike trails for the quick commute to the Cole's Woods. The latter has a more modest trail system that is also well-used by walkers and runners. The trails are windy and mostly unmarked. But the area is smaller than Rush and it's not really possible to get lost. We've been letting the kids lead us around, turning onto whatever trails they want, knowing we can easily get back to school when needed. Just when I think bike club has evaporated we have a great ride.
Maybe a successful school is a place where every student can find a niche or two for themselves where they can grow (or find refuge amidst all the growing). As long as we can be that for a few students, I'm happy to keep riding.
Commenti