Bike Camp Is Not Just For Shedding Training Wheels
Last summer, Pedalheads Bike Camps cruised into Denver for the first time. The organization, based out of Vancouver, hosted camps in three locations in town, including a site at Denver Discovery School in Stapleton. The response was very positive and Pedalheads is expanding in 2018 with four locations around Denver: Stapleton, Belcaro, Highlands Ranch and Hampden South.
When I first heard about the camp, I knew it was just what we needed to get both our 8 year old and 4 year old comfortable riding their bikes. I documented my hopes for the camp in the Scoop last year here.
Well, everything I had hoped would happen in camp did – and quickly! Halfway through the first day of camp, my cautious 8 year old shed his training wheels for good. By the third day, my 4 year old was also excitedly riding on two wheels.
There were no tears and no protest during the learning process, unlike when my husband and I tried to teach them. It was hard for me to believe that they actually worked on their skills all day in the middle of a steaming hot summer with no complaints! They left camp each day excited about returning and clearly trusted their instructors.
I was floored by the newfound confidence I saw in my boys. They began asking to go on “family bike rides” almost every day, which became a treasured part of our summer. For my cautious older son, the confidence he gained at camp seemed to spill over to other aspects of his life as well. He genuinely seemed more open to trying new things.
I asked my boys what they liked best about Pedal heads. Here are their responses:
“It was so fun to go through the bike wash to cool down.” – Reed, 9
“I liked going on the ramps!” – Dean, 5
Even though my boys are doing great riding their bikes, I enrolled them in another weeklong session at Pedalheads this summer. You may wonder why I would want to send them back, and it’s because Pedalheads does much more for young bikers than just getting them off their training wheels.
The camp has several different levels to choose from – camps for strider bikers and “Newbees,” which is the most popular level and the camp we did last year. As your biker gains new skills, there’s more challenging classes. For example, “Advanced Pedalheads” campers should be able to complete a shoulder check, hold hand signals and be ready to start learning how to maintain their bike and ride on the road.
I can’t wait to see what my boys learn this year! I have a feeling there is going to be plenty of cycling in our future, and I am ok with that.
The camp runs weekly throughout the summer, with full and half day options. If you are interested in learning more about Pedalheads, check out their website.
