A Kid's Take on Taking Kids Mountain Biking

Saturday October 5th is IMBA's Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day. At ZOIC we've found that a great way to get more kids on bikes is to lead by example. That is why we support Kidz Ambassadors like Tessa Avery whose All Kids Ride has become a feature of NEMBAfest held each June at Kingdom Trails in Vermont. This blog is Tessa's guide to help other kids lead group rides, in her own words...

The ZOIC Kids Ride is always my favorite part of NEMBAfest. It started in 2018, and every year it keeps getting bigger. Each year I have a goal to make a minimum of 5 new friends on the ride. Step 1: Take responsibility. Make a plan for everything you need to have a successful ride. Leading a ride takes responsibility, sure, but the secret is to have fun! Step 2: Find a trail. In order to lead a ride, you’ll need to find a trail easy enough for the little shredders, but also one that keeps the older kids occupied. Step 3; Be social. In order to lead a ride, people have to know about it. For example, this year (and last year) I made signs for the ride. Another way to tell people would be if you see one of your friends, or just some random kid, tap them on the shoulder and invite them on the ride! Step 4: Have fun! To me, it isn’t so much about leading the ride, it’s about the fun of riding. As you know, my goal every year is to make new riding friends. I hope everyone has as much fun as I do at the kids ride! ZOIC has been the biggest help (along with my parents) in helping me lead this ride every year. Please check out ZOIC.com for their AWESOME gear! -Tessa Avery, age 10