Getting Kids into Cycling

Youth cycling in Central Oregon is growing and there are existing youth programs for BMX, mountain and road cycling. COV wants to establish its own Youth Development Program in the future with the input of its members. If you have kids interested in cycling, or you want to help get the program rolling, we’d love your input. We have the resources and community support to make our area one of the best regions in the country for kids to enjoy cycling. Empowering them to commute by bike before they can legally drive, promoting healthy choices, teaching bicycle safety and ingraining a sense of stewardship of the trail network — these are our goals.

Kids don’t need private coaches or fitness programs to do on their own — they should ride with their peers under the direction of a skilled mentor. Here’s a quick guide to a couple programs already running in Bend:

Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation Summer Cycling Program
Ages: 8-14 mountain; 12-18 road
Schedule: afternoons, May - July
Cost: depends on program; discounts for multiple sessions; scholarships available!

Cog Wild Kid’s Camp
Ages: 8-16
Schedule: afternoons, May - July
Cost: variable; discounts for multiple sessions.

Bend Parks & Recreation District
Check their site to see what’s currently offered.

BMX Racing in Central Oregon:

http://www.highdesertbmx.org/

http://www.smithrockbmx.com/

New ride from Sunnyside Sports on Thursdays!

Sunnyside Sports is the meeting place for a new Thursday ride that, according to Turner Waskom:

It shall be inscribed upon the great stone that there shalt be a Thursday ride and thy ride will leave at 6pm from Sunnyside. And thy ride will be of substantial pace and shall be conducted upon thy same route as the Tuesday ride - except in reverse.

So far, the ride has been spirited and although the inscription on the stone described a route, the ride has actually changed routes during the ride! If you’re looking for a faster ride with some good folks and the possibility of doing new routes every now and then, you should check it out.

Meanwhile, the regular Sunnyside Sports Tuesday ride has had great success with the addition of the B Group. The B’s have been leaving a little before the A’s and is overtaken once out of town. This has been working well, with the B’s riding their own pace but given the opportunity to hop in with the A’s for a try without the fear of being dropped and having to ride home alone.

We encourage everyone who is interested in racing to attend the rides from Sunnyside — it’s the perfect place to practice tactics, ask experienced rider questions about racing and test your skills and fitness.

Cheers,

Bill Warburton

COV Club Clothing

We’ve placed our order with Pearl Izumi PRO for some club jerseys, bibs and shorts to promote the club and get things launched for the 2008 riding season. Click an image below for more details on the design.

All clothing is available to members at cost!

Jerseys are $89.99 MSRP ($71 Member Price)

Bibs $149.99 MSRP ($69 Member Price)

Shorts $124.99 MSRP ($66 Member Price)

Expect arrival in late June, 2008.

Please contact us if you’re interested in joining the club or purchasing clothing to show your support of local cycling!