01 Apr Kick Stands Up! Pedaling with a Purpose Rides Start May 5

Trails Council Youth Programs Director Cindy Okerlund and her army of volunteers are ready to start their all-day Kids Pedaling with a Purpose field trip bike rides on Tuesday, May 5. Sheridan Elementary School fourth graders are the first to go.

In all, each ride is about eight miles long, as students ride from Spring Lake Park to Oden State Fish Hatchery and back on the North Western State Trail.

With her group of core volunteers at her side, Cindy spent much of the winter in area elementary school classrooms and gymnasiums, educating students about bike safety and assessing each child’s bicycling skills. She and her team often return to various schools to continue working with students whose skills are still developing. This helps ensure every student has the chance to participate in the spring rides.

Launched in 2016, Pedaling with a Purpose is designed to get kids outside. Combining science, geography, history, and most importantly, health, students spend the day reading maps, taking nature walks, discovering local history, and learning the life cycle of fish, as well as basic bicycle mechanics and group bicycling etiquette.