New trails. New people. New jumps. New perspectives. New possibilities.
Same bikes. Same tents. Same RCC.
We were invited to take the team camping out in Massanutten. Didn’t know many details. Just that there was a place to camp and some new trails to ride. So we took three of our youth out for two days of riding and one night of camping.
Expectations do a lot to impact outcomes. Expect to do well in a race, then you better do well to have enjoyed that race. Expect to get a lot of trails in at Pocahontas and if you get a flat that limits riding and you will not have enjoyed the trip.
So maybe expectations were low headed west towards an unknown. But what happened over about 32 hours was a lot of joy. Maybe it was the new trails, maybe it was the enthusiasm of our hosts, or maybe it was just something different. But it was certainly a lot of fun.
We got to the campsite around noon on Sunday. Went for a ride. Lunch. Skills park with jumps until we get stormed on. 8 person pile up on a berm (everyone was okay). Wait out the storm for 30 minutes under gazebo.
Only the rain slowed us down.
But even in the rain, we were all smiles.
Then ride bikes again until it’s dark. Dinner followed by pie and ice cream. I’ve certainly never had ice cream while camping. Not sure our youth fully took in the awesomeness of that.
At the top of the trails at 7pm, RCC just kept riding.
Wake up. Pancakes. Ride. Break. Jumps, jumps, jumps. One final ride. And then we head out.
One of the biggest differences in childhoods for kids in varying socioeconomic classes is their lack of time interacting as equals to adults. Kids often from disadvantaged backgrounds often have a lot of authoritarian relationships with adults. Teacher telling them to do X. Parent telling them to do Y.
Part of our roles at RCC is providing that positive youth development where they can interact with us as equals. But we also can fall into an authority figure telling them when we are leaving, what they need to bring, and what the plan is.
Adam Ritter showing our youth some new trails!
So part of what made this trip so positive was the adults that interacted with our youth and how each adult did it with a mutual love of bikes. Our youth got to see six adults (other than RCC staff) that either currently or recently made a living on or around bikes. Local bike shop Bluestone Bike & Run served as our hosts. Co-owner Charlie Snyder, bike shop employee Matt Hassman, and former staffer Adam Ritter provided the local knowledge of the trails. They led our youth on some of their favorite recent rides. They also handled all the details to make it all happen - food, reservations, planning, and cooking. But they also showed our youth what life could look like with simply loving bikes and showing that there is a future to just keep riding.
Jeremiah Bishop riding with RCC.
Then there was Jeremiah Bishop: professional cyclist, USA National Champion, and co-founder of The Impossible Route series. He went with us on our first ride (coordinated by Charlie) and shared his knowledge and love of bikes with our youth. He gave tips and pointers as someone with a ton of expertise but he also just was present. And again showed how bikes can provide a good time or a career or anything in between.
We also had joined in on another teams practice where coach Harlan Price let us crash some of his coaching points. He also came back again as we returned to laps and laps of jumps. Here, he taught our youngest rider to do the whip. Another adult, another person that just connected and another person making a living on his bike.
Charlie Snyder hosted RCC and his infectious enthusiasm made for a joyful trip!
And our last new face was journalist, photographer Jess Daddio. Again coordinated by Charlie, Jess joined us as we were back working on our jumps. She rode with us, she took pictures at the skills park, then came on our last trail ride. Another adult making her living around the beauty of bikes.
On their own, the new trails might have made a great trip for our youth. But add in some amazing people and we couldn’t have asked for a better time.
Charlie Snyder from Bluestone in Harrisonburg made it his mission for RCC to have a good time in Massantutten and we certainly did.