The tour de playground commenced offering all ages of kids a chance to maneuver a mock intersection and a cone obstacle course plus at the Sixth Annual Bike Rodeo held at Lakeside’s Lakeview Elementary School on March 11.
The tour de playground commenced offering all ages of kids a chance to maneuver a mock intersection and a cone obstacle course plus at the Sixth Annual Bike Rodeo held at Lakeside’s Lakeview Elementary School on March 11.
A Bicycle Rodeo is a bicycle skills event, taught on a school playground or parking lot, which provides an opportunity for kids and teens to practice and develop skills that will help them become better bicyclists and avoid typical crashes. Randy Van Vleck, with the Bike Coalition of San Diego County said, “We’re teaching kids how to ride with skill and confidence. There are bike stations with how to balance, start, and stop.”
Lakeview fifth-grade teacher, Julie Danks, oversaw the event and added, “We teach safety and how to use the equipment. Over 150 participated last year. We have 8 stations. The kids can get their bikes and helmets checked. They learn vehicle awareness.”
Amber Hudson, a student teacher commented, “the weather was good.” A factor in any outdoor event that makes or breaks the turnout and experience. Danks changed the event from June to March to avoid having to deal with overly hot temperatures.
Volunteer Dan Callahan was on hand to check the air in tires and any needed minor bike repairs. His wife, Pauline, checked how the helmets fit and noted helmets should “Have a V under the ear straps, two fingers should fit under the chin straps, be level across the head, and it should not shake once you have it on.”
William Covert, 10, a fifth grader, said, “This is my sixth (bike rodeo). I used to use training wheels.” Covert now uses a bike, without training wheels that he got for his birthday.
The bike rodeo included a raffle, a Kona Ice truck, a snack station, and as Julie Danks noted, volunteers. Danks noted the contributions of the Bike Coalition of San Diego County’s Michelle Luellen, the coalition’s education program manager member, as being instrumental in setting up the course. The Bike Coalition of San Diego County offered up their expertise and volunteers to the event.
Dan Callahan described the event as one of the best bike rodeos around.
