We know it feels like winter will never end. But at some point (soon) the snow banks will melt and the sidewalks will clear — and you can finally drag those bikes and trikes and scooters out of the garage.
Wheeling through Bristol on your bike, big or small, should be on the docket in the coming weeks. Bristol Recreation is working with Local Motion — a Burlington-based organization that advocates for active transportation, vibrant communities, and safe streets — to get more young riders and their families comfortable on bikes.
Their first event this spring is a Learn to Ride workshop staring at 10AM on April 14 at the Bristol Elementary School. This hour long training session will use Local Motion’s Balance Bike method. New riders will learn to ride on balance bikes, which are small two-wheelers without pedals or training wheels.
Then, on April 28, families can learn about riding together at the Safe Family Everyday Cycling workshop, which will feature lots of hands-on training and coaching for parents. This event will start at 3:30PM on the Bristol Town Green.
The big Bristol bike event goes down on May 11: the Third Annual Human Powered Parade. Show up early for the bike decorating and safety checks provided by Middlebury’s Frog Hollow Bikes and an amazing BMX show at the Bristol skate park. Then join your neighbors for a 2-and-a-half mile trek around Bristol on wheeled vehicles of all kinds.
The family-friendly event features a number of stops along the way for refreshments, art projects, and regrouping to maintain a sense of community among all the parade goers. Anyone who has learned to ride since last year’s parade will get to take part in the New Rider’s Rite of Passage. New riders pass through a cheering crowd on their way to receive their own pair of riding gloves.
