Monday/Tuesday: Blacktop drills. Oh my, it’s hot standing on the blacktop for hours in 90-degree heat! Mellissa Meng, School Programs Manager for NNTMA, gives instructions for the next skill drill which I was about to demonstrate on my bike:
Hurray for LCIs-in-training! Gina worked with the red and blue group doing their ABCQuick Check:

Neal worked with the yellow/green group:
Good friends who wanted me to take their picture:
Friday: the first neighbor hood ride. Today’s weather was so different from Monday/Tuesday. Cold, windy and … rain for the last riding group of the day!While I shivered under a picnic table covering, the students ran off to the playground equipment. When the big downpour ended, we hurried back to campus. Fun at all times!

What a week this has been! Last Monday, I started teaching Project Ride Smart to five fifth-grade classes. Usually, I co-teach with another LCI (League Cycling Instructor), but this week I was mostly on my own. This year there were five classes instead of the usual four so I worked the entire school day. I only worked four days, but they were 8-9 hour days and I was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day. This retired person is definitely not used to working this hard. And I only took 2 pictures! Leah from the NNTMA office came on day 2 to help fit helmets. While I dragged one box of helmets on the sidewalk to the classroom, Leah stacked up two of them and carried them! Sheesh.

I got a few days work at Witter Ranch Elementary. Pollyanna and Elle were the co-leads of the 3 weeks of classes. Another LCI and I came in to help with blacktop drills and street rides.

ABCQuick Check:

Bikes are lined up while students observe a demonstration of the left-turn drill:

Scan, signal, scan, merge to left lane position, stop signal, stop, scan L-R-L, signal, go according the right-of-way rules.
Students were grouped by ability for the street rides. The red group stayed close to or on campus, while yellow, blue and green took to the neighborhood streets for additional instruction and practice for 3 days.

Lesson 7: all riding, on the street or on trails. To maximize our time, every morning Doug and I moved all 40 bicycles from the classroom where they were stored to the front of the cafeteria. It took 45 minutes and we each walked 2 miles (I checked), but it was worth it. Monday:



Tuesday. Guntej: “Miss Artlete, I want to be in your group.” You’re a very good rider and should go with Mr. Doug in the blue group. “I’d rather be in the red group.” I had room, so it was ok. Then Shamira made the same request, also ok to join. Aha! a group of friends managed to be together, only Elijah and I did not speak Punjabi, and my name was changed permanently to Miss Artlete. They were all delightful.

Wednesday. There was a shortage of volunteers to ride sweep for the groups. For the first time in 3 years, I led a street ride with the blue group. All competent and confident riders and a great way to end.

Just one time down the slide then it’s back to the bikes!


Project Ride Smart is the best bicycle-driving education program in the Sacramento region. I’m lucky to be a part of it.

LCI Pollyanna joined us this week. She gave instructions at the starting point while Doug and I watched and evaluated students at the other end.
The most complicated maneuver is the multi-step left turn: scan, signal, scan, merge to left position, stop signal, brake evenly at the limit line, scan left/right and give left turn signal, go according to right-of-way rules. Students are scored 0-3, then grouped for street rides by ability.

I always take the red group and we stay on the bike trail and park paths. This north Natomas neighborhood has a series of connected parks with many bike paths. I tell my group how lucky they are because we have more fun and ride more.

Each year, there are several students who have never ridden a bike before. And, after the first day of blacktop drills, many more are discovered who have forgotten HOW to ride a bike in a controlled and predictable way. Therefore, we offer two one-hour after-school coaching sessions. Some students sign up early and others are “invited” to participate.

A near-miss as they whizzed by:

Of the ten students who had never ridden, all learned how to ride. Only two did not reach a sufficient skill level to go the the street rides.

First day for Project Ride Smart at Natomas Elementary School.

This job lasts until November 4, M-F. However I leave at noon on Tu (Auburn Bike Club) and Th (Sierra Bike Club). Hectic schedule for a few weeks!
My LCI partner is Doug Williams. Five classes of 5th graders, about 150 students. About 10 had never ridden a bike before and were taught in two after-school coaching sessions. Three lessons in the classroom, two days of blacktop drills, and 2 days of riding in the community if minimum skill level was achieved.