It always does my heart good to see youths outside getting some exercise. I like it even better if they’re riding bicycles.
With obesity rates among adolescents increasing from 5% to 18% in just the past 20 years, it’s critical that parents get their kids outdoors.
Here’s one way to do it.
When I saw this group at the viewpoint overlooking the Interstate 90 bridges near the Leschi bike tunnel on Sunday afternoon (notice the shadows from the first sun in days), I walked over and asked what they were up to.
They’re Boy Scouts from Troop 438 in the Eastgate neighborhood of Bellevue, and they were very psyched about riding this distance by bicycle.
They were at the halfway point of an out-and-back 25-mile bike ride from Coulon Park in Renton to the bike tunnel above I-90 in Seattle. An adult ride leader said most of the ride was on bike trails, except for about 4 miles on bike lane in Renton.
They’re learning all about biking and have done six rides so far, starting with a 10-miler.
Next week they’re wrapping up their training with a 50-miler from Marymoor Park in Redmond over to Gas Works Park in Seattle. They’ll be using the Sammamish River Trail and the Burke-Gilman Trail for that one.
If you see them next weekend, just shout out “On your left!” when you pass. These guys know what to do; they’ve been learning the biking rules of the road.
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