Bike Month is one of the most exciting times in the Safe Cycling program. Every year at the end of May, teachers book their class for a 2-hour Safe Cycling bike program. The program is designed for grade 4s and can easily be delivered to grades 5 through 8 as well.
After a two-year COVID hiatus, we took care of some important business. We choose a new name for our program!
Since its inception, the school bike programs have been called Bike Rodeos. However, we started to question the relevance and appropriateness of that title. For example:
– We’re wearing helmets, not cowboy hats.
– We’re riding bikes, not horses.
– We aren’t going round and round, we’re learning sweet skills, and
– Last summer we started to question the possible negative colonial history wrapped up in the word rodeo.
We reached out to all the grade 4 teachers in Thunder Bay asking for their help. We sent them a list of 5 names that had been previously workshopped and asked them to vote.
The list they received included:
- 2Wheels 4Realz
- Bike Day
- We-Bike Workshop
- Earth Riders Workshop
- Northshore Riders
There was a resounding love for 2Wheels 4Realz, and we didn’t look back! This inaugural season of 2Wheels 4Realz saw 20 classes book and close to 400 children learning safe cycling skills. We had a blast and can’t wait to do it all again. In the meantime, let me just finish off this season with a heartfelt thank you to some very important people.
As Safe Cycling programs and courses take a break in the month of July, I just wanted to pause and say
To all the teachers and students that voted in our naming contest – THANK YOU!
To all the teachers that booked 2Wheels 4Realz for their class – THANK YOU!
To all the schools that found room in their budget – THANK YOU!
To Community Spokes for all the bike rentals and letting me pick them up on days you were closed – THANK YOU!
To all the bike mechanics who triple checked all the bikes were safe – THANK YOU!
To Wayne at Kasper Transportation – THANK YOU!
To the City of Thunder Bay who prioritize and fund safe cycling education for students – THANK YOU!
To all the school bike instructors that taught this season – THANK YOU!
We couldn’t do 2Wheels 4Realz without any of you! Now get out there and enjoy a fantastic summer of safe riding.
Yours Cycling,
Kelsey
