nothin Summer Camp Ride Spotlights Biking ABCs | New Haven Independent

Summer Camp Ride Spotlights Biking ABCs

Isaac Yu photos

Tarrell Stafford on Wednesday’s group ride from Newhallville to East Rock.

Heading down the canal greenway, with a police escort.

Budding bike mechanic Tarrell Stafford, 12, found a potential new home to hone his craft — and teach others the importance of bicycle safety — as part of a summer camp group ride from Newhallville to East Rock.

Stafford was part of a cohort of 18 young bike enthusiasts to hit the road together Wednesday afternoon as part of a six-week summer camp program run by the local youth mentoring and afterschool nonprofit, Leadership, Education, and Athletics in Partnership (LEAP).

The young cyclists biked 4.2 miles round trip between Lincoln-Bassett Community School and the Bradley Street Bicycle Co-op, escorted along the way by New Haven police officers, LEAP counselors, and Co-op bike experts.

As part of the six-week summer camp, the young cyclists have taken weekly lessons on the ABCs (Air, Brakes, and Chain) of bike safety.

The curriculum came together after LEAP Programs Director Lee Osorio noticed a rise in biking among young New Haveners during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The kids she saw on bikes were enthusiastic about spending time outside, Osorio said Wednesday, but they didn’t always have the know-how to ride safely. Riding in packs can be dangerous if not done properly, she said.

We knew — we need bike education out here!” Osorio said.

LEAP summer camp students at the Co-op.

Thanks to the program, the youngsters have picked up the ins and outs of maintenance, the importance of helmets and signaling, and the safest way to ride in a group without tripping, as it were, all over one’s fellow cyclists.

They got practice on a fleet of donated kid-sized bikes, put together by LEAP in partnership with the Co-op as well as community members.

The program culminated in Wednesday’s Newhallville-to-East Rock ride, plus a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Co-op with organizers John Martin and Kai Addae.

Inside the bike shop.

For Tarrell, who was one of the group’s pack leaders on Wednesday (the other leader was his brother, Treyten), the visit was more than a tour.

The aspiring mechanic said he has fixed over 100 of his friends’ and neighbors’ bikes in his driveway. He couldn’t believe his ears when Addae explained the Co-op’s volunteer program to him.

I can just work here and get stuff for free?” he asked. He’d been wanting a 26-inch bicycle body for a while, he said.

Get paid in parts!” Addae replied. Tarrell would be their youngest volunteer yet.

I Saw Green!”

Programs director Osorio (right) tuning up bikes at Lincoln bassett.

Counselor John Lee and Maya Moore preparing to ride.

The group started its day at the Lincoln-Bassett Community School in Newhallville.

The young cyclists checked their bikes to make sure they were in good repair. Osorio and other camp counselors stepped in to help adjust seat heights and made sure each kid had a properly fitted blue helmet donated by the Devil’s Gear Bike Shop.

Officer Harpe leading the pack.

Heading down the canal from Newhallville.

Brakes checked, the orange-clad crew set off on their route, with NHPD Officers Jaime Franceschi, Justin Harpe, and Lt. Manmeet Colon (who is also the district manager for Newhallville) leading the way on motorcycle, bike, and car.

Osorio kept the youngsters on track, making sure to maintain a proper twin-line pack formation all the way down the Farmington Canal Greenway.

Stay hydrated!” she said. Use your communication skills! Use your voice — it’s the most powerful weapon that you have, so use it!”

As she guided traffic on Hazel Street, Lt. Colon marveled at the kids following closely behind her colleagues.

We should do this all the time!” she said. This is great for the kids. They’re learning how to exercise, and they can build a good relationship with officers.” Colon added that several officers are avid cyclists and jumped at the chance to interact with kids.

After exiting the greenway, the group safely navigated busy city streets and rolled up to the Co-op in East Rock.

Tired out, the kids clamored for orange juice and water, which the Co-op staffers gladly provided.

I just saw green!” said Nayshawn Myers of the bike ride. This was his first ride on the Farmington Canal Trail.

It was hot, but fun,” added Maya Moore. She and others said that this was their longest ride yet.

Osorio: “Smells like cardio in here!”

The kids flitted around in a buzz of excitement as Addae and Martin led a tour of the Co-op’s bike upcycling process. Bikes donated by community members start out in the back storage room…

Kids stop for juice in maintenance space

… get fixed up by volunteers in the maintenance/hang-out space…

… and finally are put out in the adjoining bike shop. Addae explained to the kids that half of the Co-op’s bikes are sold for cheap (all under $300), and the other half are donated to those who depend on them for transportation to work or school.

Ultimately, the kids’ visit advances the Co-op’s mission of addressing transportation inequality and bringing low-cost resources and knowledge to all New Haveners — including its youngest.

Our goal is to get more people on bikes,” Addae said. And we got 20 kids on bikes today. Hopefully we get some new volunteers, and inspire some of them to work on their own bikes at home.”

The visit was also just plain fun.

We’re going to be smiling ear to ear for the rest of the day,” Martin said.

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