Bike Academy Kicks Off!

Last week, we hosted the second session of the first installment of Bike Academy and what a milestone it was.

The idea for Bike Academy began back in March with a meeting between Brit and Cameron. Brit was fairly new to cycling but inspired by the thought of an academy-style program after going through the City of Raleigh Planning Academy Her vision was to create a welcoming space where new or hesitant riders could get the tools, skills, and confidence they need to be successful on a bike, in whatever way that looks for them.

Brit joined the Greenway Gear Collective to begin turning this vision into reality. We started planning in April, meeting regularly to map out how the program might work and aiming for an August launch. Along the way, we brought in others who shared the same passion: Debra and Jeff, who run the Adventure Series program for GGC; Ethan, a cycling and pedestrian advocate; and Sidd, an avid cyclist and community champion. Together, we divided responsibilities, developed the curriculum, and shaped a 7-week program that would be free and open to the community.

When applications opened, we were blown away. Twenty-five people applied, far exceeding our expectations. From there, we carefully selected a group of participants who we believed would benefit most from the Academy, while also connecting others with additional resources.