Adult Learn to Ride – Monday

Our first class of the spring season. In the Bike Tech classroom at Inderkum High School, our first task is take out tightly-packed bikes, air up the tires, and take off all the pedals. A busy 45 minutes before people start arriving.

Part 1: gliding and balancing.

One person left early, kind of gave up quickly because it was too difficult. Almost everyone had two pedals on by the end. One man used to be a good bike rider, but he’d had a stroke five years ago, he really wanted to relearn and he did? A few will come back for the next class on Wednesday.

Teaching this class is a heart-warming experience. Kathy, Lennore and Christy are great to work with. Of course, Anya from Jibe is always a big help.

Smart Cycling – part 2

Saturday. Everyone from Tuesday night came met at the Jibe office for the bicycling part of the class. The group was divided into two groups. Charlie and Doug worked with one group.

Gina and I worked with another group which included everyone who wants to move on to the LCI seminar. We rode a route in the neighborhood which included a few teaching stops. I rode sweep for the first part. Here, a left turn onto Natomas Blvd .. a great example of doubling up at an intersection with (almost) everyone in power pedal position waiting for the light to turn green.

PRS @ HAH

I was the only LCI available to lead the final day of Project Ride Smart and H Allen Hight – the bike “rodeo”. Three 10-minute rotations. Charlie did the Slow Race:

BarbaraL led a weaving course called Rattlesnake Rumble:

Kathy led the Bottle Cap Drop:

I was the timer and general organizer. Four very excited classes of enthusiastic 5th graders who were just a couple of hours away from the beginning of spring break. If you’re a retired teacher, you know what I mean by “enthusiastic.”

Adult Learn to Ride

Wednesday evening. We had 15 people signed up with 3 LCIs and 2 volunteers. We worked out of the Bike Tech classroom at Inderkum. We prepped 15 bikes by removing all the pedals and pumping up tires before the evening’s students arrived. Lennore, Paul, BarbaraL, Kathy, and Anya from Jibe were invaluable in getting everything ready.

Selecting a bike and getting ready for the balance and glide phase.

And then we got quite busy. So much success and lots of smiling faces. Many were successful and plan to sign up for Level 2. A few will return for the next Level 1 class. Just one left early and said bicycling was too hard.

Smart Cycling – part 1

Gina taught a 3-hour Smart Cycling class this evening at the Jibe office. Some of the attendees are on a path to become a League Cycling Instructor. Some are ride leaders for Jibe’s Navigate Natomas rides. It’s been more than 11 years since I took this class so this refresher was good. Plus, Gina and I will be assessing bike handling drills and street riding skills next Saturday for second part of the class.

Jibe ride to Farmers Market

I left at 8 am to meet seven people from the American River Bike Patrol near the northern end of Jackrabbit Trail. The Bike Patrol is looking ahead to also patrol Jackrabbit. Today was their introduction.

We rode to the Jibe office where the official ride began. Laurie was the lead, Lori rode sweep, Althea was mechanic.

There were 22 of us on this ride!

The Midtown Farmers Market has grown. K Street between 19th and 21st is closed plus side streets.

I stayed with the bikes .. and was rewarded with an excellent chicken empanada.

On the way back, along the E Levee Rd near Sorento:

Whew, by the time I got home, I’d ridden 37 miles. Great ride.

Jibe ride

The ride leader for Saturday’s ride around the airport was ill so I stepped in to lead the ride. It started at Blackbird Park, about 2/10th of a mile from my house – sweet. Lorge, Harjap, Jim, Althea, Vik, Nav, Galib:

Thank you Teal Bend Golf Course for being a great rest stop about halfway through our ride.

Garden Highway:

Great ride. 20 miles.