The 7-year-old girl was not much into riding her mountain bike at the day’s start. At the top of the first hill, she stopped pedaling and announced herself done with it.
Program coordinator and coach for the Tahoe XC Jr. Mountain Riders Program Andrew Springsteel offered to help her by pushing her with one hand, saying she could quit after reaching the next hill if she wanted. After making it, she wasn’t yet smiling, but was willing to continue.
“She just kept going, and at the end of the 90-minute ride she was laughing and just a completely different kid,” said Springsteel.
Moments like this are what spurs people like Springsteel to continue to expand the youth biking scene in Tahoe, a scene where kids have a dizzying array of outlets and options, from competition to aggressive downhill riding to simple recreation.
For the two programs that are based out of the Tahoe Cross Country ski area in Tahoe City — the Jr. Mountain Riders and the North Tahoe Bike Force — the intent is not to persuade kids toward a specific discipline, but rather to provide the tools for getting fit, challenging oneself, and instilling a love for the sport, all under the umbrella of having fun.
Start ‘em Strong: The Jr. Mountain Riders Program
Now in its third year, the program works with kids ages 6 to 11 and is offered through the Tahoe Cross Country Ski Education Association. It runs spring, summer, and fall programs all centered on 90-minute Monday rides at Tahoe Cross Country. Kids can enroll for the whole session at $65 for eight weeks, or drop in for a day for $10.
“Most kids will have some biking experience coming in, but [the program] is generally an introduction to club riding, where having peers around helps them through the challenges,” said Springsteel, who has two kids ages 7 and 9 in the program.
At least 30 kids showed up for each spring 2015 weekly ride, along with the six to eight volunteer coaches, the highest turnout to date, according to Springsteel.
During the rides the coaches work on technical skills such as uphill and downhill body positioning, braking technique and cornering, and trail etiquette to learn respect for others on the many multi-use trails in the area.
“All participants quickly progress, especially the youngest riders who have challenges with the hill climb during the first two weeks,” said Ashley Phillips, a coach and parent of two kids in the program.
Springsteel would like to add more components. Among the ideas are getting bikes donated to make the program accessible for everyone, offering workshops and clinics, adding a second weekly ride day, and taking kids to different riding venues in Tahoe.
Keep ‘em Moving: The North Tahoe Bike Force
As kids mature out of the Jr. Mountain Riders Program, the North Tahoe Bike Force is there to further nurture their biking interests.
The group was formed in 2010 by three Squaw big mountain ski coaches: Alenka Vrecek, Allie Donavon, and Emily Turner. They were looking for ways to keep their young athletes interested in the outdoors during the summertime, and started as an informal bike club that then morphed into an LLC three years ago.
“Fitness related to skiing was part of the idea behind it, but we also wanted to teach kids to be self-sufficient, learn to read maps, work on their bikes, and instill a sense of community,” said Donavon. “We hope to show the kids how lucky they are to be in Tahoe.”
The group accepts kids starting at age 11, with no official upper age limit, though the average age is 14. Weekly Wednesday rides at Tahoe Cross Country start in June, as well as five special events throughout the summer such as a two-day camp at the Downieville downhill trail. A weekly ride is $26, with a 10-ride package costing $232. The special events run between $100 and $250.
Donavon realizes that the financial requirements of such a gear-intensive sport pose limitations for many members of the community. The North Tahoe Bike Force is working towards offering a scholarship, and is happy to lend or give away extra gear and to accommodate special payment needs.
Above all, watching the kids grow into being independent riders gives the founders the best reward.
“Kids that have grown out of the program will see me around town and tell me about the rides they went on, and how they changed flats and navigated the trail networks, and that’s just a great thing to hear,” said Donavon.
To learn more about the Jr. Mountain Riders Program, find it on Facebook or email andrews@tahoexc.org. To learn more about the North Tahoe Bike Force, visit ntbikeforce.com.
