Kicking off the holiday season, Jibe organized a gathering at
Volunteers, Bike Doc mechanics, League Cycling Instructors were invited.
Lots of long-time bicycling friends and a few new ones. Such good little visits. I’ve been a League Cycling Instructor for 12 years – a very fun side job.
Saturday morning, I led a 10-mile ride for about 30 people which started at the Jibe office.
Mayor Kevin McCarty and staff rode with us. Mellissa Meng, Executive Director of Jibe, planned the stops and shared information about infrastructure along Jackrabbit Trail.
What a joy to have FOUR bicycle police officers on our ride. They helped at intersections, sprinted up the line to deliver messages, like “slow down Arlete” or a big gap was forming.
The ride ended at Taqueria Rincón Alteño, Jibe bought everyone lunch.
Our final class for the spring season. Lots of happy dedicated new bike riders in this class. It was great working with Kathy, Lennore, and Christy.
Here the group is practicing riding in a group in a straight line, making a turn, and maintaining a ghost space:
Almost everyone felt comfortable enough to leave campus and go for a ride. Kathy led, Christy in the middle, Lennore was sweep.
I stayed on campus with one person who didn’t feel ready for a group ride, picked up cones, and put away bikes that weren’t being used.
This was supposed to be a Level 2 class with a short ride off campus, but our cyclists were not quite ready. Christy and Lennore demonstrated the ABCQuick Check:
Ready to go:
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.
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.
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.”
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.
at H Allen Hight on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. I volunteered to ride sweep for BarbaraL’s Yellow group.
Becky’s Red group:
ABCQuick Check:
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.
arletelouise 