Tag Archives: Trips for Kids

Durham’s Solite Park: a Gateway to inner city mountain biking


Problem: Most mountain bike trails are located away from residential areas, making them difficult for carless kids to get to.

Solution: Build mountain bike trails closer to where kids live so they can ride to the trailhead.

Granted, that would seem to fall into the “No ‘duh” category. But because mountain bike trails take up some territory, making urban trails happen isn’t as easy as it sounds. Postage stamp-size urban parks tend to have their turf eaten up pretty quickly with playgrounds, basketball courts and a ball field or two. Often, though, there are scraps of unused parklands that can be put to recreational use. That’s why the International Mountain Bicycling Association started its Gateway Trails program, a program that last week added it’s first Triangle entry, at Durham’s Solite Park. read more

Challenge yourself — to put a deserving kid on a new bike

Picture this: You’re preparing for the MS 150, or Cycle North Carolina,  or the Blue Ridge Brutal.  It’s a Tuesday afternoon, about 4:30. You’re supposed to do a 6 p.m. training ride, a 30-miler at an 18-20 mph pace. It’s been a long day at work; You’re beat and what sounds like a much better plan is going out with some coworkers for a beer. Or two. Missing one little training ride won’t hurt, the little dude on your shoulder holding the pitchfork rationalizes. If only you had some added incentive to drag your lazy butt to the ride … read more