Spring sessions

Warm days ahead, and so many rides coming up…

Lovely working on her bike under the watchful eye of Heaven

Our winter was wild, even though in some ways it felt like a big slow down for a month or two. We hit a pause with regular quarterly programming, as the temperatures were less than appealing and short daylight hours made all after-school rides feel like late night adventures.
We focused internally, thinking about our systems, the way we engage and work with youth, worked on program bikes, and tried to deliver donation bikes to kids living in the neighborhoods that we regularly visited.

We hosted a great chili cook-off with a hopeful bike ride, but rain kept us inside instead. Not necessarily a bummer, it was delicious and fun to see so many community members in one place and hear about their upcoming ride plans. Stakes were high, and big trophies and Golden Pan awards were delivered. It was a lot of fun.

Rachel with best vegan cornbread, Shahim with best chili, Hannah with best cornbread, and James with best vegan chili.

We increased our programming last year to include two new schools, and planned to bring on an additional ride squad through the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Richmond this Spring. We were lucky enough to absorb a small fleet of youth bikes to make this happen: with fifteen bikes going to programming in the east and north with one of us, we needed another ten bikes to go south with another team member. The new bikes needed some work, and we’d brought on one of our RCC Alumni, Joe, at just the right time to start working on them and getting them fresh and tuned.

Going through tips and tricks for tubeless tire setups, between changing twelve flat innertubes.

Bikes checked, we’re ready to clock in overtime as we keep all of these programs going:

-After-school cycling at John Marshall High School, Franklin Military Academy, and Anna Cooper Julia School.
-In-school elective cycling at Anna Cooper Julia School.
-After-school rides with high school students through the Boys and Girls Club, both in the East End and Southside on different weekdays.

In addition, we have team practices for our younger squads as we head into the VAHS mountain bike race season at the end of this month. Our Alumni that race are busy training and preparing for local races.

Korey is wrapping up the RVA Racing mountain bike series, and both Korey and Joe hit several races in the Tour of Newport News.

We’re grateful for a successful annual Alpe Du Richmond fundraiser, because our expenses go through the ceiling when we’re going in so many directions. Bike maintenance in advance of races can be expensive, more rides mean more broken parts and worn components to replace. Food costs go up as we ride for longer sessions and need to feed the team, particularly on the 14 hour long days during VAHS races.

Our day on Libby Hill was SO fun, and the dog parade witnessed from a great weather day was incredible. Riders were so fast and strong, and pup runs were a mix of super cooperative or really sassy, and we loved it. The hecklers were out in great numbers on the hill, cheering folks on as they rounded the switchbacks. Smiles were huge across the board.

We’re gearing up for our next big event on May 1st, a Thursday evening, so mark your calendars now. We’ll be kicking off RVA Bike Month with a huge bike celebration at the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater with Goldsprints projected on the big screen. Instead of our usual bracket style entries, we’ll be doing simple 1 vs. 1 races. For every $5 donation to RCC, you’ll get a ticket to race - so grab your friend, make a small donation, and hop on the bikes to see who has faster legs!

In the meantime, we could use your help hitting our goal to restore our big fleet of program bikes. While we have them all in working condition, there is a much deeper tune-up needed than we were able to budget in for now. Share wide and far, and help us raise $5000 this month!
Click the image below to go to a shareable fundraiser page.

Cold days behind us...and more ahead!

A mid-ride break, throwing small rocks into the canal, listening to them bounce across the ice

Winter rides in Virginia can be either totally pleasant, or bitterly cold. It seems like we don’t have much middle ground - and in the last few weeks, we’ve been getting the cold end of the stick!

We know that the winter semesters give us limited time to access youth: holidays and winter break see our riders out of school for weeks at a time, and sub-freezing days keep them inside or at school if the sun isn’t shining. Our team wants to ride still, but with increased indoor time spent hanging out. By the time we’ve picked everyone up, geared up and are ready to roll on our bikes, the darkness has set in and the temps have dropped significantly. Shorter sessions keep this iteration of our team happy and warm.

We chart our rides, making notes of attendance, mileage or time spent riding, and where we’ve been. While our team has taken a major shift in attendance toward a stronger female presence in the last months, the focus and interest in riding has shifted as well. Our days of summertime long road or trail rides are behind us for the moment - the ladies want to go ride BMX bikes at Taylor Farm Park! We’ve seen some really great progress with some of them, learning how to carve and flow in the bowl, but our actual rides only last about an hour. So much of the perception around cycling progress gets framed around tackling big miles or power outputs, but for this crew, we focus more on tackling features and consistent riding. An hour spent at the BMX park might only total 5-10 miles - but the handling skills honed far outshine the value of the mileage clocked there.

Greetings from the Deep End

It’s hard to stay moving in the dark and cold, so riding centers more around technique and finding joy - an hour of riding followed by zip lines and some ropes course acrobatics in the park? That’s good by us, and definitely what keeps motivation high with the team.

We’ll be back in full swing in the Spring season, with a busier docket of programming, afterschool rides, and stronger team attendance. For now we use this time to focus on our relationships, plan the coming year, and reframe our goals with our riders. We’re watching the sunset happen a little later every day, and see some 50 degree days in our future…little by little making our way back to the busier season.

Let's talk about VAN, bay-bee...

Lets talk about you and me, lets talk about all the good things that this van could be…

All summer long, our youth rode in a fixed-window van with no ac and minimally functioning air movement - like a greenhouse on wheels. While we know this is a luxury most modern vehicles have, and know that time spent outdoors means dealing with temperature changes and other environmental conditions, we can’t help but make the connection between the arguments, fights, attitude fluctuations, and general demeanor of our youth and the length of a commute in the van in hot months. They certainly aren’t shy about telling us, either. We know it doesn’t make things anything easier - and while we’re a pretty handy and DIY crew here, saddling up to pay for recent bigger repairs to our 22 year old van has been hard to swallow.

Last week, as we were finishing up our final round of programs for the day and starting to drive youth back to their homes, we heard a horrible KLUNK from under the van. We jumped out, checked all suspension, linkages and quickly-visible potential problems, and when nothing solvable presented itself directly, we made haste to swap vehicles before driving everyone home. Safety is priority.
We are awaiting a quote and diagnosis from our regular mechanic, but the fact of the matter is that at each annual inspection and emergency repair, we are told “this is IT for the van, it’s limping by.” We know it. We can SMELL it. Our youth perceive it - and that’s a big deal.

We’ve been applying for grants for the last many months, hoping something will land that will allow us to make plans for a van purchase. It isn’t a glamorous project, and it can be less appealing to donate a large sum of money that goes to purchase a vehicle instead of funding a fun project. To us, though, our vehicles are just as integral as having an additional staff member.

Providing consistent programming is paramount for our organization. Our relationships have been built by showing up for our youth day by day, by exercising clear boundaries and working through conflict. The road is always rough with youth growing up in an environment where they experience resource guarding and food insecurity, where they can easily access drugs and guns, and violent crime rates are high. It is imperative that we meet youth on their level, in their vulnerable spaces: their homes.

Our ability to connect youth to cycling exists because of a handful of resources: the vehicles we use to transport youth and bicycles, our headquarters where we store and maintain our equipment, our dedicated and patient staff (we’re blushing), our creative and diverse communities of supporters, and our large fleet of bicycles and related equipment. Our headquarters not only acts as our bicycle work space, but doubles as a safe space for youth to unwind, study, work on their own bicycles, and escape the chaos of daily life in the projects.

Our vehicles provide safe transportation for youth, but they are rapidly showing their age. We currently utilize a 1993 diesel Bread Delivery truck that has been converted to passenger and bicycle storage space, and a 2002 transport van and trailer for connecting larger groups of teens to equipment. We have reached a point where the bill for repair and maintenance of our daily driver, the Van, has become unreasonable compared to it’s value. We’ve honestly gone well past that point. While we continue to work through regular fundraising plans for general operational costs, we are actively seeking grant funding that would specifically allow us to purchase a newer transport van. Nothing has landed.

Our vehicles are our lifeline to youth, and allow us to deliver the connections and experiences we work so hard to provide. We need your help!

As the year comes to an end, we’re asking for your help with a massive undertaking. It feels daunting to us to think about making such a large purchase, and honestly - feels way out of scope. We’re hoping that with the partnership in our community, their employers and foundations, their connections - we’ll find ourselves in a position to fund this giant project.

You can head to our campaign on GiveButter by clicking the button below, or donate directly through the widget at the bottom of the page, where you can follow along with our progress.
As always, we are so grateful for the support and help from our community. Share widely!

Autumn waves

We have a friend that dismisses their bad fortune by shortening the expression “trials and tribulations” to a quick “trials and tribs,” shaking their head during a mechanical, cycling mishap, wardrobe failure, or any other problematic disruption in achieving their goals.

That expression sounds off in my head as we ride the waves of youth programming, and walk beside our youth going through their own ups and downs. It’s a light way for me to blow off steam in moments that are stressful, where our youth experience continued trauma or land themselves in serious situations that will change the course of their lives. There isn’t anything lighthearted about that, but to keep it moving and keep that light at the end of the tunnel, I hear that expression in my head. To me, it implies the return of better times - the balance of the ebb and flow.

Summer flew by, and our time with the team gets reduced substantially as everyone returns to school. With that comes a flip side, our time with the youth at Anna Julia Cooper school ramps up with in-school Elective Cycling and after-school Cycling sessions - four different middle school aged groups of 6-15 youth riding every week. Our AJC Lions crews are special - youth recruited from Mosby, Wickham, Fairfield Court and other public housing locations - riders we wouldn’t necessarily be able to reach with the existing relationships we have built. We won’t see our Lions programming return until Spring semester.

We’re riding a bit of an ebb right now, with our AJC programming wrapping up this week, and our team at large - navigating troubles of their own. We’ve spent months quietly working through time with several of our team that are in legal troubles, with two additional members recently detained or arrested over the weekend. One free from house arrest and granted probation, but two more newly in trouble. This is another wave we ride.

I hear it in my head, “trials and tribs,” to lighten the moment, and refocus on the primary goal: showing up consistently for our youth. An unwavering force. We work through the difficult times and look forward to different rides, rekindling relationships that have gotten too quiet and staying the course with ones still present.

While we work through the tougher stuff, we get to celebrate so many light moments: positive growth with youth, alumni thriving, fun rides, and new relationships built.

We’re in touch with our team members in trouble, and our doing what we can to support them. We’ve met some incredibly resilient young ladies over the last month and will be inviting some of them to join us for continued riding, as part of the team. We’ve met some great boys as part of that programming, and the offer gets extended to them as well. This means growth for us in neighborhoods we haven’t been present in recently, where we will surely meet additional youth in need of enrichment programming. This is the Flow, the regrowth of the wave.

We have so much to celebrate in our community, we have YOU to thank for supporting us and the youth we serve. Your donations fund all aspects of our programming, and they make our work possible. We couldn’t support youth in need the way we do without your help.

We’ll leave you with a bonfire photo we love from the weekend, taken after a night-race that kicked off the Richmond Festival of Cyclocross last Friday. Korey and Joe got out and raced this weekend, and we were so proud to see them finish strong.

Looking forward to future growth of the team.

Summer wrap-up, rolling into Fall

Hotdoggin’ with Junior

I read recently that Richmond just experienced the most humid summer on record - and while I admittedly didn’t fact-check that all, I’m content to believe it. It gives me a sense of justification for feeling overwhelmingly hot in the past months, clothes completely soaked through while we check bikes for programming, get youth set up in helmets and on correct-sized bikes, and roll our way along the Capital Trail or around Belle Isle.

The cool mornings lately have been a treat, but they’re a reminder that we’re winding down our long daylight hours, losing the desire to jump in the river after a long ride bit by bit, and transitioning to a season where we worry about layers as we warm up on the bike.

Our summer season was full of some incredible rides and memories, and while photos don’t always do them justice, I love having the bookmark of an image to conjure up the story of an entire production or rehash familiar feelings.

I pulled together some of my favorite memories from the last season to share, quick stories about our youth, their growth, and our ups and downs over the last few months. I hope they resonate with your summer experiences!

Carlos’ Instagram highlight - One of our Lions riders came to us fresh to cycling, having almost no bicycle experience. Over the course of months, we got to watch him stabilize, learn to ride pretty proficiently, and even get brave enough to try to catch a little air at the Gillies BMX track. Carlos asked me one day if he could get an Instagram shout out - if I would take a photo of him on the first big roll in. Happy to oblige, I got into a good photo position while Carlos gave it a few great tries, hoping to catch a little air off of that first lip. We can’t wait to see how he continues to grow in cycling, watching kids build their skills is a really fun part of our engagement.

SLAYdies at the outlook - We managed to convince the squad to let us get a group pic at one of our favorite river outcroppings on a Belle Isle ride one day. Notorious for hiding their faces if you try to take a ride picture, this crew is always full to the brim of hot takes and comebacks. It’s been exciting to see who has returned for Elective Cycling this semester, after getting to spend time riding together during Summer session as well! Mountain bike days have been a hit with this crew, but BMX might be their favorite.

Jermaine’s drop-in - You wouldn’t believe me if I told you how much time we spent sitting and talking at this wooden roll-in on Northbank, or maybe you would if you know the spot! As a beginner mountain biker, it can be a real mental challenge to make a hard turn into a steep downhill with another immediate 90-degree turn on deck, staring straight into the muddy waters of the canal. Our “hard ride” days meant tackling trail features that could psych you out, climbs, or just generally more challenging features than we’d normally hit on our rides. One by one our squad tackled this roll in, but Jermaine was having a hard time checking his head space. We talked it out time and time again, and finally after getting Matt in place to “catch him,” he rolled in and down to the lower canal. HUGE success for him, and a long time coming for a needed trail victory.

Berry pickin - This summer was FULL of trail treats, or stops for berry snacks. Our team loved it, and would come to a full halt if you pointed out a nice blackberry patch. We were riding a trail in the Northside of Richmond and found a big Wineberry patch, something I usually only expect to see west of us, toward Crozet and the mountains. We got to talk about the differences between blackberry vines and these, talking thorns and what color the different berries were when they were ripe. Always happy to stop and smell the roses with this crew.

Rip ‘n’ dips - We were out for a ride one day with one of our volunteers, Big Matt, and paused at a local favorite swimming hole. The gang was just so surprised when he jumped in, proving that the river is, indeed, a delight. That exact moment kicked off a summer of Rip and Dips, or hard rides followed by good swims. Any time we’d session Buttermilk, you could count on some swim time down under the Nickel Bridge. The crew loved looking for fish and other wildlife down by the river, to the extent that I brought along a little scuba mask one day. We had no idea how hot of a commodity it would become, but that resulted in the need to purchase a few more. This summer I spent a lot of time figuring out how to cram THREE masks into a fanny pack already stuffed with ride snacks and first aid kits.

Ramp build project - We were so lucky to find a great partnership with the RVA Toolbank, who helped bring a big goal of ours to fruition. Winter is tough for riding - cold days with early sunset, closed trails and wet weather make for big challenges when you want to fill the week with productive rides and activity. Our current space has a great lower level for skills building on BMX bikes or skateboards, but we needed a quarter pipe ramp to make it effective. The folks at the Toolbank were able to pair us up with a team looking to tackle the project, and help us even more with a grant to cover the cost of lumber. We brought some of our youth along for the build day, and got to guide them through some new fabrication skills. While Brandon and Junior helped paint the front of the building, Jaiyon helped in the lower level with the ramp.

Stokesville - Here’s more proof of the summer of scuba mask! There was a lot to say about our Stokesville trip, catch us in-person sometime for coffee or a ride and we’ll give you the whole run-down, but here’s one of the more enjoyable moments. We got everyone kitted up and took a lap through the fun campground singletrack, then rolled down to the local swimming hole for a much needed cool off on a heatwave weekend day. The team loved swimming around and trying to catch the little fish that constantly nibbled your toes and legs. I think dinner tasted extra delicious after riding and all the following swimming.

The “new park” - Taylor Farm Park opened recently, and has been a HUGE and welcome amenity to the East End with its massive concrete “all wheels” park. The team has been so excited to go and ride, but also likes to bring skateboards along for a change of pace mid-ride. Minty and Matt went over some park courtesy tips and general skills in the quiet parking area before heading to the skatepark section. Minty was fast to take advice from the other locals that were already skating, working on his first substantial drop-in on a skateboard this day. We are 100% here for positive interactions and peer-on-peer learning when we’re out with our youth. Those relationships are so important.

Belle Isle days with the AJC Lions - Belle Isle really has it all: rapids, mellow river access, big rocks, mountain bike trails, a skills park, and a more casual riding loop for everyone to enjoy. Dominion Energy was so gracious as to grant us parking access so we have a place to stow our van and trailer when we met our Summer Session Lions team to ride. Imagine trying to fit a 15 passenger van and big trailer in the tiny Tredegar Parking area midday in the Summer: it’s not gonna happen! This access made it possible for us to explore the island every week, focusing on a different activity each time we rode. The skills park provides an incredible learning play area for all abilities of riders, even though some of the features can be daunting for new riders. Ask me about the time I watched Matt catch a rider and their bike and set them gently down on the ground as they teetered off the edge of a tall drop-off. I will never forget that one.

Minty’s beach of solitude - One of the biggest challenges we have in the Summer is getting our youth to commit to structure. With all of their friends out of school and up all hours of the night, there’s no real reason to stay the course unless they really want to. Minty surprised us at York River State Park by imploding, hitting those emotional lows of a 24-hour time period spent awake and hanging out with friends instead of getting any sleep. Reframing your goals in those moments is super important, pivoting to a different set of expectations while still maintaining some boundaries - all part of navigating a tough day. We may have ridden less than planned, but we got to enjoy waning tide at a beautiful fossil beach, experience some incredible nature (periwinkle snails, fiddler crabs, and wild columbine) and roll through some great double track and singletrack in new terrain.

Road ride goals (rip n dip part two) - We took the team on weekly road rides this summer, building toward a big mileage goal. I don’t know about you, but when I ride in the summer, I aim for early morning or later afternoon to try and beat the cooking heat of the sun. Our team is tough to get moving early morning, and at best we aim for a 10:30am pickup roll call. After commute time, equipment check, snack prep and getting kitted up, we’re on our bikes around noon - ready to ride in super intense sun. Capital trail rides can be tough with limited shade, so we aim to get creative with our routes - how would you take youth on mellow streets with as much shade access as possible to achieve a 30 mile ride? This particular day was a 100 degree, two-dip day - a Riverside Drive road loop with a dip at Pony Pasture, ending with an extended swim at Pipeline Park.

Dock Street Park opening - Very often, we meet our Summer Programming groups at the Kickstand beside the Virginia Capital Trail to get youth set up on bikes, fitted in helmets, and prepped to ride beside other trail users. The opening of Dock Street Park this summer made for a huge change in the loops we can offer, skipping tight quarters with other trail users and opting for wider, natural surface pathways. The plantings are all still new and shade is at a premium for the time being - meeting our Summer team at 2pm makes for a HOT ride. One day, riding past the new James A Buzzard River Center, some of the parks staff were leading a program with a little bit of splash time for their youth. They politely asked if we wanted to be lightly sprayed with their sprinkler - a resounding YES! from us! The team was all surprised as first, some of them missing that permission-ask conversation, but on our way back EVERYONE was clamoring for more mist - “PLEASE sprinkle us again!”

Alumni rides - Late this Summer, our Alumni rides picked back up again with new excited energy, whether road or trail oriented. Several times a week, after early morning text message exchanges, the team gets together to poke their skills, working back into their former fitness.
Korey raced almost all of the Bryan Park road races this season, inspiring a few others to start picking up the road bike again for practices. We’ve been excited to see them all riding together, motivating each other to get on the bike more, and happy to join them as much as we can. Can’t stop, won’t stop!

Kickstand Work Day Aug 2024

On any given good-weather weekend day, the Virginia Capital Trail is bustling with activity. As you head west from Rocketts with our downtown city-scape in full view, the cobblestone parking area at the Wharf and bridge to the Kickstand leads you to the beautiful new James A. Buzzard River Education Center, and the whole area starts to feel like the gateway to the City. Continue along the Low Line and choose your own adventure: head into Shockoe, follow the Canal toward Brown’s Island, cross the river and roll South, or head further uptown toward the Fan.

We always want to enhance the Kickstand experience, create amenities for trail users to enjoy that our bicycle rental customers would also find helpful. With that in mind, we started writing up a project plan to increase shade (it gets HOT down there in the full sun), provide seating and rest spots, and add bike racks for anyone to use.

The Kickstand sees more unsavory behavior than we’d like to admit: the amount of litter, smashed glass, and unmentionable human organic matter that we regularly clean up is pretty stunning. (Ask us about our next big goal: fundraising for a Portable Toilet and changing stall on site.) We feel like helping to make the area more utilized, encouraging more trail users to hang out and be present, might help alleviate some of the less favorable activity. Plus, with so many trail users starting their journey nearby, we want to offer the best hospitality we can. We mapped out a three-fold workday: install four more bike racks, paint parking stripes for Kickstand customers, and create our picnic area with shade structure supports installed.

We assembled an all-star team of super-strong volunteers, booked a rental for a gas-powered auger, had all utility lines marked, mapped out our post-hole spots, gathered supplies, and set to work early Saturday morning. One team started marking new parking lines in chalk, while another set to work with the auger - digging holes for the bike racks. We took occasional quick breaks to repair a few walk-up flat tires and check out bikes to our customers that had reservations. Thank goodness for coffee!

Like any good project, something always deviates from the plan.

We pulled the cord to restart our auger after a little break and the whole assembly popped off, pull rope unfurled and spring ejected. UH OH! A quick pivot in planning, and our incredible team got to work hand-digging the rest of the holes.

Absolutely unbelievable. Didn’t we mention already that they were super-strong?

While our DIG! team was using huge prybars, pick axes, and shovels to start their 4-foot-deep goals, our parking lot team was starting to paint. Stripes were going down, and we were saving a last triangular area for a suggested “no parking” zone.

What a better place to use our creativity?

We were thinking of fun, triangular ways to suggest that drivers leave space - our minds quickly went to PIZZA.

Before you knew it, we had a large pepperoni slice for all to see. Pizza parking only, please!

The DIG! team was putting in a ton of work, and pulling some substantial rocks out of the ground as they continued deeper. Huge prybars were necessary to break through the layers of gravel, stone, and brick underground. We anxiously checked depth, hole by hole, until we hit our goal and could start setting posts. It was a joyous moment for all: sweaty, tired, and anticipating some next-day soreness.

Posts installed, we carried our picnic tables over and set them in place. We took a step back to really take in everything we’d accomplished in five short hours.

A car drove into the parking lot and pulled right into one of the new spaces - we had to smile.

Our shade support posts will take a little time to cure, but we can’t wait to enjoy the break from the sun with our upcoming season of programming. And when you go for a roll or stroll on the Capital Trail, be sure to check it out!

Stop in for a snack break, lock up and take a walk around the nearby new parklet, and enjoy the views.

A huge THANK YOU to our volunteers, we could never have accomplished this much without you!

Summer Program 2024

Summer at Richmond Cycling Corps stays BUSY! Once the school year is wrapped, it seems like we never stop moving. With our youth’s slightly more flexible schedules, we increase practice to five days a week with the team. We get a quiet month off from school programming, then are back to it in July with the AJC Lions Summer School. It’s a little bit of a give and take - busy time with the team, then Summer programming kicks in and we take on additional youth four days a week while we give the team a couple rest days per week. The wheels never stop turning, and we find ourselves hustling to stay on top of planning, filling up the gas tank more often and maintaining bikes and equipment after every ride. More broken derailleur hangers, snapped chains, flat tires, but more miles ridden between different aspects of our programming. While it’s more expensive for us, what it means is that our youth get drastically increased time on their bikes and exposure to even more activities. 

While it’s more expensive for us, what it means is that our youth get drastically increased time on their bikes and exposure to even more activities. 

We like to set a Summer goal for the team: Riding all 60 miles of the Virginia Capital Trail on their road bikes. Starting small, we incrementally work our way up in mileage until we go for the big push. Our crew gets comfortable on road bikes at longer and longer distances, learning about drinking water while riding, nutrition and snacks on the bike, and setting their own endurance paces.

We incorporate swimming into our rides, with river exploring and nature time such a valuable bonus feature of living in Richmond. Not everyone feels comfortable in the river, but this year, our team has LOVED it. Nothing beats a dip in the James after a hard ride - so when we session Buttermilk and work through tough obstacles, we head down Reedy gravel afterward to find a good spot to swim and cool off. Showing our youth ways to unwind is so important, especially when they can access those places and memories by bike.

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Recently, we were lucky enough to enlist the help of the Richmond Toolbank with funding and volunteers from CarMax to make a fun goal of ours come to fruition. Winter is tough with our clay-based trails: freeze thaw cycles and cold, grey days mean that we see way more closed trail days, and finding engaging activities for our team after school can be really challenging. We drew up plans for a little quarter pipe ramp that is a great learning height for our fleet of bmx bikes, and the great folks at the Toolbank helped make it happen!

We had a fun double header day: priming the outside of our headquarters for a new piece of artwork, and building the ramp inside. Several of our regular team riders wanted to come help work, so we picked them up and taught them some of the finer points of painting and using power tools. Big day all around, and a huge THANK YOU to everyone that came out to volunteer and make this project happen! The ramp will be such a great tool for learning new handling tricks this winter.

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In the coming weeks, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a handful of fun events that benefit RCC! 

On Friday July 19th, we’re hosting our THIRD installment of our Goldsprints series, with a “golden oldies” theme. Join us at Vasen Brewing Company from 6-9pm, we’ll be projecting the race stats on the big screen while riders face-off on stationary bicycles below - aiming for the fastest spinning legs in a 15 second interval. Enter the race for a suggested donation of $15 - and remember: it isn’t a competition for the most powerful rider or watts produced, but for the nimblest legs! Prizes will be awarded for the fastest competitors in each category, AND for the best costume: dress up like your finest ‘senior’ self and come see us!

Saturday July 20th, Henrico County is unveiling its newest recreation space in the East End, Taylor Farm Park. We’ll be partnering with another nonprofit we love, RadShare, to help provide access to bikes and helmets for riders to try out the brand new sessionable areas: a concrete pump track, bike skills park, and two areas for skaters to enjoy. Find us in the active areas in the southern end of the park between 3-6pm, we’ll be passing out free high fives all afternoon.

Just a short week afterward, find us on July 26th at Pine Camp after work hours for a fun short-track format mountain bike event on the .75 mile long singletrack loop near the Northside YMCA. Find more information at the sign up on Bike Reg here. You can always donate to one of the Pledge Reg fundraisers if you can’t make it but still want to support:

https://www.pledgereg.com/439338

https://www.pledgereg.com/5242/Team/25637

Then, on Sunday the 28th, we’re hosting another hill climb contest: this time on the recently closed-to-cars Government Hill. An event named with a head-nod to a former Richmond punk band, riders will find themselves pushing their limits as they climb up from a dead stop at the bottom of the hill. Snowing in Space coffee has generously gifted us Nitro Coffee for finishers, and we’re upping the ante by bringing ice cream to make coffee floats. Sounds like a welcome treat after a tough ride!

Sign up here, and join us on the hillside on the 28th for another fun event with proceeds helping keep our programming rolling along! We even added a category for folks that wanted to try their hand at RUNNING the hill!

As we approach August, keep your eyes peeled for a dispatch about two MORE fun events coming your way - our annual “Pedal for Purpose” weekend long mileage challenge and “RCC night” at the Tuesday evening Bryan Park Road Races.

Happy riding, looking forward to seeing you outside!

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We recently had the opportunity to take our team on their very first camping trip, so we lined up a reservation at Stokesville Campground. Stokesville is one of our favorite places to visit with great mountain bike trails, beautiful forest views, and a local swimming hole in cold creek water - we couldn’t think of a better place to experience your first time camping. In preparation for the trip, we increased our mountain bike time, talked about the ins and outs of sleeping outside, and generally tried to prepare the team for what was coming. We made packlists for everyone, made sure our tents and sleeping bags were all ready, and took the gang shopping with us as we bought our groceries for the weekend. Morning of, we knew we were in for a hot weekend, but had otherwise great weather on deck. Perfect for swimming and a nice morning ride, cooking s’mores and enjoying time under the stars.

The start of the trip was a little wild, unexpected travel time to pick up youth in places where they normally aren’t, a no-show, and the chaos of seven children all excited for the unknown. We settled into the drive and arrived at a good time to go for a ride, cool off in the creek, make dinner together, set up tents and start a little campfire. Here’s where it starts to get a little tough. Our squad is used to living in dense housing, where yelling and rough language is the norm. When you scream in the expanse of the wild, your voice carries so much further than it does in tightly spaced concrete buildings. The campers around us were noticeably upset. We talked to our squad, gave warnings, and asked politely for cell-phone-free time and reduced cell phone volumes. The arguing in the group of youth intensifies. We break it up, put phones away. Go for another ride. Back to camp but the volume increases again as night falls. We explain quiet time, talk about the implications of being too loud and issue warning after warning. Finally, at 10:30 at night, after more warnings than you can imagine and a day spent in negotiation and chaos-detangling, we’ve hit a wall. Setting firm boundaries is such an important part of life with this group, and we announce that we’re going home. 

We reach out to parents, break camp while seven youth protest in anger, watching them roll through the whole range of emotions. We drop them off at home, have necessary conversations with parents and guardians, and head back to headquarters. We have to laugh, one of our vehicles is completely blocked in by folks using our parking to go to the nearby nightclubs in Shockoe Bottom - just a sprinkle of insult to injury. I get home at about 2:30am, I’ve been up for almost 24 hours, and I can’t stop thinking about something that one of our youth said. This particular team member can be a real challenge, and he certainly accumulated his 2 out of 3 strikes before the final blow. We were in the car on the way home and he asked if “we could please try it again, but with the group of kids that REALLY wanted to go.” Of course we said YES, part of the CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP mantra is that we never give up on our youth. But it just sits with me, ringing in my ears. 

The next morning I’m looking back at the photos and videos I took during our short stay and I realize that I could make such a fun and pleasant compilation reel about the trip. A glowing portrayal of a nice looking camping trip. If I put music over the vocals during a clip where our squad is cooking hot dogs over a fire for the first time, you would never notice the cursing and arguing in the background. It wouldn’t be real though, and show the actual temperature of our attempt at camping. It’s a good reminder to not just highlight the good parts of our days: there are a lot of really unpleasant and tough moments, right beside the great ones. This is the reality, so easy to forget in today’s social media sunset selfies and “best life ever” moments. This is the grit that makes it all worth it, that defines our relationships and growth with our team.

We’ll try again soon, with some revisions to our plan (and maybe less dense camping).

Spring Racing and RVA Bike Month

RVA Bike Month

Every May, cyclists in City of Richmond unite to celebrate #RVABikeMonth and host a full calendar of one-off, bike-centric events.

This year, we wanted to play our part too - so we’re hosting TWO fun reasons to party on your bike.

Our first event lands on Thursday May 16th, where we’re partnering with the Greater Scott’s Addition Association to host a Bike Party and Swap Meet during their three week long, pop-up park demonstration on the 3000 block of West Broad Street.

The GSAA has been gradually improving the amenities in a vacant lot at 3001 West Broad, increasing shaded seating and installing extensive pollinator-friendly native plant beds. We’ll be taking over the street adjacent to the lot to host a B I G Bike Party: think Rodeo, Swap Meet, and general good bike vibes. Come out between 4pm and 8pm on the 16th to enjoy the pop up and buy/sell/trade cycling and cycling-adjacent goods, try your hand at the fun obstacles we set up, and meet other local cycling enthusiasts. 

Want to reserve a space to swap your goods or set up a table for your club? Reach out to emily@richmondcyclingcorps.org to coordinate!

Roubaix in may

We’ve always enjoyed following the big cycling road races of the Spring Classics, and thought that Richmond would be a pretty incredible place to host it’s own Roubaix. With that in mind, we made a big list of our favorite cobblestone road sections and crafted a bike route that incorporates them all for our second Bike Month event!

Join us on Wednesday May 22nd at 5:45pm at our headquarters, 13 South 15th Street, to give the route a whirl! Wheels down at 6pm for this 14 mile ride. Bring your road bike if you want to embrace the Spring Classics feelings, but wider tires (like on a gravel bike) will likely be more comfortable. Expect an average pace of 12-13 miles per hour, with four regroups after some pretty long hill climbs. Join us for a social hour afterward, with a special snack pop-up hosted by Waffles On Wheels. We heard they have a Roubaix themed waffle, and we can’t wait to try it out!

2024 VAHS Mountain Bike Season

Race season is upon us, and our team is halfway through the VAHS mountain bike series. We’re gearing up for this weekend’s adventure at Western Albermarle High School (and crossing our fingers for no rain), with a new course specifically built for interscholastic racing.

Our first race of the season took us to the Miller School of Albemarle, just west of Charlottesville. We left Richmond early, giving us plenty of time for breakfast on the road and a good warmup before the race.

Dada got into a great position right out of the gates and snapped off the front on the initial climb, creating a widening gap as he pushed toward the singletrack. Some slippery roots and mud caught him further into the woods, but a top 20 finish for the day was a great award for the big effort!

Junior was not too far behind him - and Mali was midpack, chasing good lines in the woods.

Jaiyon and Jer crossed the finish line later, big smiles as they pulled up to the team to start talking about their race.

Our second race was at the infamous Stokesville Campground, one of our favorite places to take the squad on a camping trip that incorporates great riding. The venue for the day found us in a small campground with a long history of hosting great mountain bike events. It’s particularly special because of the flowy singletrack integrated through the campsites - making for some great vantage points along a sprawling course. So many places for youth supporters to pop in, cheer on the racers, and catch some big efforts! 

With rolling hills and a couple steep pitches, paired with dry trails with a dusting of loose rocks - the twisty singletrack and grass course were plenty tough!

You can always tell when the day has been particularly challenging, the drive home is quiet as racers snag a little downtime to nap.

We’re proud of our team for pushing through hard days with a great attitude, for riding up and over some substantial climbs, and finishing their races no matter how hard they were. Keep your eyes out for an update after this weekend’s coming race - though with storms looming on the forecast, we may lean on that later May rain date.

Holiday Gift Guide 2023

Have you finished your holiday shopping for your favorite cyclist?

If not, We’ve got you covered!! check out our RCC Gift Giving guide for 8 gifts we think will help cover all the different things the cyclist in your life may need and want for the holiday season.

What's not to love about a handmade, high quality bike bag that's also made LOCALLY? We are lucky to be able to list a few:

Jacks Sacks One Size Fits Most Frame Sack

Based on a medium-ish standard-ish gravel geometry, this “sack” will fit more bikes with less complications. Includes one main pocket and one map pocket. Fully Lined. Includes daisy chain attachments and four straps. Three colorways available. We really dig the Glacier Blue with Brown Mountain Accents. $120

www.jacksbikesacks.com

Alpenglow Handmade Cadmium Green Hip Pack

Made from durable and water resistant materials, this hip pack will fit any of your leisurely outdoor adventures. Whether that be cycling, fishing, dog walking or bird watching. Well suited for holding first aid, water purification tools or snacks for a full day, this bag is an RCC favorite! $115

www.alpenglowhandmade.com

Endura Pro SL Jacket

Wear it as a mid-layer, outer layer, overlayer, underlayer. This MT500 thermal layer is super versatile. This jacket has been a key piece of gear for our riders during our evening mtb rides this time of year! The windproof panels are strategically placed in the most exposed areas to keep you warm and able to perform in a wide range of weather.

We recommend the Aubergine or Black colorways. $139.99

us.endurasport.com

Dyna Plug Racer Tubeless Tire Repair Kit

We’ve tried a lot of tubeless repair plugs on the market and we trust Dyna Plug the most. IT’S ONLY 14 GRAMS. Their tools are fast, light and offer consistently superior performance when you’re standing on the side of a remote trail in terrible weather with daylight fading and a geyser of sealant spewing from your tread (we’ve been there). $50 available via our friends at Outpost Richmond.

shop.dynaplug.com

Hammerhead Karoo 2 GPS Bike Computer

If you’re looking to upgrade your GPS computer, this is your best bet. Powerful features on this bike computer make it simple for cyclists to do structured workouts, follow routes, connect to Strava and other third parties, and get the most out of every ride. Available on sale right now from our friends at Outpost Richmond for $299

www.hammerhead.io

Arundel Looney Bin Bottle Cage

The Looney Bin is a necessity on any adventure bike. Not every bottle is 73mm and not everyone wants to use a “regular” bottle on their bike. The Looney Bin will hold anything from a convenience store bottle of H2O to a nice bottle of Pinot Noir. This is the perfect cage for a commuter rig or the Mixte for that spring picnic.

Drink and ride responsibly…

Fits bottles 65-95mm

www.arundelbike.com

Haute Bicycle Co Custom Build “The Sauce”

If you're looking for a fine-tuned, high-quality custom bicycle that can handle all types of gravel and even the chunkiest of jeep trails. Haute Bicycle Co’s “The Sauce” is what you need! Custom stack, reach and head tube length for the smallest and largest human and everything in between. $1500

Add a little Haute Sauce to your bike stable this year

www.haute.bike

Life after NICA - The Late Fall/Winter Season

Night Rides with the Team

Though the NICA racing season is over, it has not slowed us down at all. Our riders pushed hard through the season and are now continuing that stoke into the off-season.  Since we can’t start practice until 4:00 (when school lets out) and it gets dark at 5:00 these days, we have to rely on lights to ride for this part of the year.  If you haven’t done it before, mountain biking at night is like riding a whole new trail system - we love it!

A night ride around the top of Belle Isle

We welcomed four new youth riders this season, all competing in their first mtb race in the past two months, their confidence and desire to spend time on the bike has only grown.

Cycling is not easy, especially trying to compete with those who have been riding longer or that have more access to resources that support it. Now that the season is over, we’ve added another six new riders to the squad! The nights, and practice may be cold and long, but our youth show up determined and ready to get after it.

2nd Quarter of the Year with AJC

Earlier this month, we began our second quarter with Anna Julia Cooper School for their middle school PE curriculum with a new crop of riders! A few of them had some experience and skills on the bike so we are excited to see where the next few weeks go. We work with their students for over 40 weeks a year!. It’s wonderful to see how these students grow and progress in confidence on the bike! Many of these children have never experienced hiking on the James, let alone ride a bike on one. The experience of riding a bike in their cities’ greenspaces instills confidence and a feeling of ownership in the spaces around them.

“I don’t go outside like that” - One AJC youth on why they like cycling class with RCC.

Some of us can take for granted the nature that surrounds us. But for youth living in public housing, some of those things are much harder to come by. The outlet of nature and physical activity or a community are all why we exist. And the reason many of you support our mission.

Some of the most confident riders were able to hit jumps on the bmx track not long after getting on the bike. Other students need a bit more coaching until they feel confident to ride the course. 

The AJC crew lines up at the start of the Gillies Creek BMX Track

We are frequently looking for cyclists in our community to volunteer with our AJC practices. If that is something you are interested in, please reach out!

Bike Raffle

We have teamed up with some of our very talented friends at Haute Bicycle Co to create this very special bike raffle.  

Formerly an RCC program bike, this Kona Unit has been meticulously updated by Richmond’s Haute Bicycle Co. with internal dropper post routing, mounts for racks, more bottles, and gear.  The handlebars are custom Haute one-of-a-kind mid-sweep comfy shred bars.  A fresh paint job and decals seal the deal.

Enter now for a chance to own this customized Kona "Legacy” Unit and pedal towards a meaningful cause!  We’re raffling off this sleek ride to support the Richmond Cycling Corps in its mission to educate and empower the youth of Richmond’s East End.  Every ticket purchased not only brings you closer to this unique ride, but also contributes to our programming.

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Jack & Jill of America, Richmond Chapter  

Last weekend, we were able to help out a local chapter of Jack & Jill of America.  Jack & Jill of America is an organization that focuses on nurturing future African-American leaders while advocating for all children. They were doing a lock-in on leadership that weekend in Charles City and their planned event for the next day fell through due to the organizers of that event all coming down with COVID-19.  The leadership at J&J initially reached out to The Kickstand to see if they could rent bikes to do a ride, but we had a better idea - meet us at Gillies Creek BMX Track!

The program ran similarly to our group cycling program with AJC - the parents met us at the track and we arrived with the bikes and equipment necessary. The goal of this program was to help riders of all ages progress toward learning the fundamentals of riding on two wheels in a safe, judgment free environment. Riders who needed a little extra help  started by practicing balance on their own, moving on to turning and then finally, pedaling on their own. Overall a great experience and turn out. The president of the organization came. A few kids were able to complete the bmx course and their first lap, some others needed a few repetitions before they felt comfortable. All the moms also took a turn riding the track! Overall a great experience and turnout. About 16 kids showed up with nine girls and six boys. A few kids mentioned overcoming their fears to ride the track and get air on a bike. We are thankful for opportunities to work alongside organizations making a difference in the lives of youth by educating and ultimately empowering them through cycling and physical activity.

WeeWheel Event

On Sunday the 12th, WeeWheel hosted a Learn to Ride a Bike Day benefitting the Richmond Cycling Corps in Forest Hill Park. We collaborated with WeeWheel to put on a class to help parents help their children make the leap from striders to pedal bikes and raise money for our programs. We met the parents in Forest Hill Park and they came with their trainer bikes. Several families came to participate. Two of our youth riders Knowledge and Kamari came to help out. A few kids got it immediately, others needed some extra help balancing and repetition before it stuck.

With perfect fall weather, the class went really well. Six kids came, two boys and four girls. We are very appreciative of opportunities to help the community, give volunteer opportunities to youth in our programs while also raising funds to benefit our mission. The parents loved it. Many people assume training wheels teach the skill of balancing, but in reality it’s the opposite - a child may lean on them for support too much. Taking the training wheels off can become a time of fear and essentially starting from scratch. Most parents know what they experienced themselves: training wheels. The (often painful) memories of this rite of passage tend to stick with us. But a new generation of riders who are starting out on balance bikes and skipping the training wheels entirely, are learning to pedal at a much younger age. This young age and the ease of the experience has led to what we think is a pretty cool phenomenon: a generation of kids who won’t remember a time in their lives when they couldn’t ride a bike.

More info on why Training Wheels can be detrimental to learning to ride 

Tour de Fall Line VIII

The eighth iteration of the Tour De Fall line took place this weekend on Saturday.  TdFL is a local trails fundraiser race put on by rvaMORE. This year, the race started and finished at  our very own Kickstand parking lot! With course options of 14, 28, and 50 miles, riders were able to choose their own adventure. About 150 riders showed up Saturday morning to ride our beloved park system, with beers and Lee’s Chicken provided at the finish.  We’re looking forward to next year!

The start of the 28mi ride in front of the iconic RCC Bread Truck

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Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday is coming up!  This year, we have set a goal of $5,000 to benefit our programs and fuel us through the off-season. 

Giving Tuesday started in 2012 as an idea centered around radical generosity. There are many causes that need support and we hope on this year's national giving holiday you choose one that is important to you.  Giving Tuesday is one of our most important fundraising days of the year. If you choose to support RCC, your contributions will go towards our programming and outreach that supports youth living in Richmond’s East End.

NICA 2023 Wrap-Up

That’s a wrap!  We concluded our 2023 NICA Race season at Monticello High School this past Saturday. We had five students racing this week - Chip, Junior, Malachi and Marshaun.  With a high of 85 degrees it was an unexpectedly hot day of racing. The course was a good 3-mile long trail along the school campus - the only race venue at a public school. Junior led us out in the Middle School Boys C race as he’s accumulated the most points this season.

The start of the race was another fight to the front! This time with a long climb at both the start and finish line. Junior found a few riders to chase and maintained his position throughout the race with Malachi about 30 seconds behind.They both finished the race mid-pack and feeling like they could’ve gone faster! Marshaun finished the race absolutely exhausted! He left everything on the course.

Marshaun’s Earth science teacher, Ms.Valence, from MLK Middle School reached out to us and made the long drive for a surprise visit to cheer him on! We are incredibly thankful for teachers and educators who go the extra mile for the youth in our programs!

Frankie Slaughter, a long-time supporter and mentor of Junior and RCC also came out to cheer us on! It is through support from individuals like this that empowers our youth and reminds them that they do have someone in their corner to help push them to achieve their goals. 

Frankie and Junior post-race

The warm weather and added support was a great morale booster, everyone was all smiles at the end of the race. 

Chip’s race, Freshman Boys, wasn’t until 1:50pm so he had a good amount of time to recon the course. He felt strong in his warm-ups and throughout the race. Finishing with a negative split in lap two! The race ended with an uphill sprint between him and two other riders! He finished strong but also felt like he could do better! He said it felt like his best result yet.

The whole team (and Chip’s mom!) came down to the starting line to cheer him on

We had an all-around successful day of racing with great attitudes and a strong finish to our season. On the way home, we voted on what our end of season post-race meal was going to be and the team chose their usual, Chick-Fil-A. With the team completely zonked it was a quiet ride back to Richmond.

We want to say thank you to all of our supporters and those who have helped us throughout our race season. To contribute to race season costs, head HERE or reach out to us directly!

Summer 2023 (so far)

Snowshoe

This past weekend (June 30 - July 02), the Richmond Cycling Corps was invited to take part in a short film being made about Angelo Washington.  Angelo is a mountain bike coach that grew up in public housing here in Richmond, VA and now races and coaches mountain biking all over the East Coast.  He invited us out to ride at Snowshoe Bike Park in West Virginia to take part in a clinic led by him, and then some real-time coaching while we were riding.  

Leaving Friday afternoon, we took a squad of four of our senior riders and five new members to RCC.  These five have ridden with us a little bit, but so far have preferred to cruise around the city or ride bmx to any actual mountain biking.  With Angelo’s expert help, they were able to confidently ride and handle features on the mountain that otherwise would have been overwhelming to a beginner rider.  They were able to take on the mountain with ease (and style!)

For four of the kids, it was their first time seeing/being in the mountains.  It is very fun crossing over Rockfish Gap and seeing the view of the Shenandoah Valley for the first time and there are even better views when you get to the top of Snowshoe.  It really is something.

Enjoying the view

Saturday morning, we woke up, made breakfast, and then got going!  Angelo and the film crew met us at the bike rental place and helped make sure the team got everything they needed.  From there, we rolled to an empty blacktop at the top of the mountain for a pre-ride clinic.  We worked on fundamentals like accelerating, braking, bike/body movement, bike/body positions, etc.  This sort of thing is so good for the newer riders to learn to connect with the bike and ride it confidently.  It is also a great refresher for our older, teenaged riders that know everything about everything but could still use a reminder every now and then.

Coach Angelo talks about pedal position when riding

Once we went through all the basics, it was time to ride!  We took a Green trail (easiest) down the mountain first as a team.  Stopping every now and then to check in on riders or practice a feature, it was a great way for the newer riders to dip their toes into downhill mountain biking.  And once we got to the bottom, we got to take the ski lift back up!  The lift can be intimidating at first, but once you do it once, it gets a lot less scary.  

The team had an absolute blast riding all day Saturday and part of the day Sunday.  Even a little rain couldn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, they just kept on going in the mud.  At the end of the day Sunday, after we returned all our bikes, we let all of our riders choose a t-shirt from the Snowshoe Gift shop. 

This sort of trip is the kind of experience that we believe every teenager should be able to have - going on a trip with their peers, doing something challenging and fun, and gaining stories to tell.  This is what the Richmond Cycling Corps is all about.

We want to say thank you again to Angelo, his crew: Jonathan Mehring and Korey Hopkins, and Snowshoe Resort.  Thanks to them, RCC was given lift tickets, downhill bike rentals, AND hotel rooms for the weekend.  

Unfortunately, even with all of those huge expenses covered, trips like these aren’t cheap.  Between shirts for the team, gas to/from West Virginia, and food for 11 people for three days, things really add up!

We would be grateful if you would consider making a donation to help us offset the costs of this trip and support future endeavors. Your generosity will make a tangible difference in the lives of our aspiring athletes, empowering them to pursue their dreams and reach new heights.

To contribute, please visit our website or reach out to us directly. We are also open to discussing partnership opportunities or sponsorship arrangements that align with your philanthropic goals and values.

CAN’T STOP.  WON’T STOP.

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Kickstand Event

Last Wednesday, we hosted a volunteer clean-up day at The Kickstand.  The past few years have not been very kind to our little shipping container and due to the weather, graffiti, and time, she was in desperate need of a face-lift.  With your help, we were able to move a gigantic pile of gravel to fill in low spots in the parking lot, and get the container painted to cover up old graffiti marks.    

RCC Alumni Nigel came out to help and did all the fine detail work around the letters. 

We can’t thank everyone who came out to help enough!  The Kickstand looks brand new!  

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MTB Nationals

This weekend, Korey and Matt are headed to the USAC 2023 Cross-Country Mountain Bike Nationals in Pennsylvania!  Korey is excited and nervous to toe the line with the nation’s best in the U23 Cross-Country (XC) race Saturday, and U23 Short Track (STXC) race on Sunday.  

Last year, MTB Nationals was hosted in Winter Park, Colorado.  While it was beautiful to visit, and the trip of a lifetime for Korey, the altitude of the race (10,000ft!) ultimately decided the outcome of his race.  This year, with the race venue on the East Coast at Bear Creek Mountain Resort near Allentown, Pennsylvania, he’ll be able to breathe and concentrate on the actual racing.

Our goal this year is to stay with the pack and see how we stack up.  With a technical course already, it’s looking like thunderstorms several days in a row leading up to the race.  This will give Korey a technical advantage as bike handling is one of his specialties, but he’ll have to have his game face on for sure.  Anything can happen in the mud!

Follow along on our Instagram page to see how he’s doing and what else we’re up to! 

Bonus points: On Friday, after registration and a course recon in the evening, we are headed to T-Town!  The Valley Preferred Cycling Center (Trexlertown Velodrome) it’s directly in between the race venue and our hotel.  On Friday after our pre-ride, we plan to head to the velodrome to watch their Friday Night Under the Lights series!

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Wedding Ride

A few weeks ago, The Kickstand hosted a group ride from Colonial Jamestown to the Kickstand along the Virginia Capital Trail.  While trip shuttling and tour guiding are not something we normally would do, it is something that we are considering expanding to do and this was a great way to test out the waters.  

As you probably know, RCC has been working with Anna Julia Cooper School in Creighton Court for some years. This summer, one of our favorite teachers at the school let us know that her daughter was the Maid of Honor in a wedding and that the wedding party was looking for fun things to do during the week that they were staying in Richmond. As they were getting married at Shirley Plantation, a Capital Trail ride seemed like the perfect option.

For those unfamiliar with the Cap Trail, it is a dedicated, paved bicycle and pedestrian trail crossing four counties and 51.7 miles between Jamestown and Richmond, Virginia — that is, between the Colony of Virginia's first capital and Virginia's current capital, with an alternate end at Williamsburg, the last colonial capital.

Quite a haul for a wedding party of fourteen!  Seven of the party brought their own bicycles with them, but the other seven out-of-towners that were unable to bring rides were able to rent from The Kickstand.  

The morning-of, we met everyone at The Kickstand, made sure everyone was situated with bikes helmets and water and set off.  First, we stopped at Upper Shirley Plantation to pick up a few more riders who were only going to ride the first part (Jamestown to Upper Shirley Plantation - the wedding venue!).  After picking up the last of the crew, we drove the rest of the way down to Colonial Jamestown, Mile 0.

Pre-Ride Meeting

Knowing that food and water make the difference between a good day and a bad day on the bike, we drove ahead with the van and set up a little rest stop every ~10 miles with snacks, water, and tools/supplies in case anyone had any mechanical problems. 

We also had Monte ride with the group and act as tour guide.  He rode the whole way with them, answered questions, and gave trivia about the area.  With only one flat tire, and one small crash (we were able to get them patched up and back on the bike in no time), everyone had a great day.

Crossing the Chickahominy Bridge at Mile 8

The entire week leading up to the ride, the forecast said rain all day long for our chosen ride date. The Wedding Crew was down for anything though and said they didn’t mind a little rain.  We all did our rain dances anyway, and something must have worked because it turned out perfectly.  At the end of the day, the entire group rolled back up to the Kickstand around 2:00pm, seconds before the rain started coming down.  

We’d like to thank Laurie Shadowen from AJC for getting us connected with the group (and for just being a rockstar in general), and Sue Christopherson for managing the family side of the arrangements/logistics.  We had a lot of fun riding with everyone, and are so happy that we were able to help them have a great event. We’d also like to congratulate the happy couple!

Smiles all around

Mile 0 at Colonial Jamestown

While this is not the sort of programming that The Kickstand or RCC normally does, we had a great time with this group and are considering making shuttles/group trips something that we offer for everyone - is this something that you or your friends would be interested in?  Let us know!

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Chip - Then and Now

In 2021, when the team was training for a ride from Richmond to Jamestown along the Virginia Capital Trail, Chip wasn’t ready.  He had a problem with stopping.  Eventually, we made a goal to ride from the Armstrong Bike Park to Four Mile Creek Park with only three stops (about 12 miles each way)

He did great and met his goal of only stopping to rest three times on the way to Four Mile Creek, but on the way back, had to stop probably nine times.  It was a hot day, and a looong 12 miles back to the Armstrong Bike Park.

Chip, August 10, 2021, after only stopping three times

But that was two years ago. Chip has been riding a lot and training hard since then.  Last week, I found a loop out East that I had never done before and wanted to try.  It was about 40 miles long - Heading out of town on the Cap Trail, you go several miles past Four Mile Creek, make a left up Malvern Hill to a gravel road through a corn field, then back down a fun hill all the way back to the Cap Trail.  

“Road” Ride

As we were blowing through Four Mile Creek, Chip asked if he could stop at the huge bike to recreate his photo from last year.  We did the full 40 mile loop, and our only stop was to take that picture.  Not only are Ryan and I crazy proud of him, but he is proud of himself.  He is able to recognize the progress that he has made on the bike, and sees that it is the direct result of his hard work.

Chip last week on our ride

When we finished the ride back at Headquarters (frustratingly at Mile 39.6), we talked about how it really is only 12 more miles to do the full Jamestown → Richmond ride.  Two days later on Thursday morning, we got Ryan to drop the two of us in Jamestown.  Three and a half hours later, Chip and I rolled into Shockoe Bottom in Richmond after averaging about 17mph the whole ride, only stopping to refill our waters.

We are super proud of Chip and his progress. Cycling is a sport of marginal gains and getting stronger is mostly a battle of mental fortitude. Not only has he improved and grown physically, but his dedication and hardwork have improved his confidence on/off the bike. We’re excited to see him continue to grow!

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🚴 Pedaling for Purpose Challenge: Join Our Dollar-Per-Mile-Donation Ride! 🚴

Calling all cyclists and RCC supporters! We are thrilled to announce our upcoming fundraiser, the Pedaling for Purpose Challenge, and we invite you to be a part of this fun weekend. Get ready to hop on your bike, pedal for a cause, and make a difference in the lives of young people living in Richmond’s East End!

Here's how it works: We're asking participants to donate a dollar for every mile they ride. It's that simple! Whether you're an avid cyclist or just starting out, you can choose a donation amount that matches your riding goals. Donate $20 and challenge yourself to ride 20 miles, or go the extra mile by donating $50 and cycling 50 miles. For those seeking an ultimate challenge, a $100 donation will motivate you to conquer 100 miles!

To kick off the Pedaling for Purpose Challenge, we will be leading a 40-mile group ride on Saturday, August 19th and Sunday, August 20th. This ride will not only provide an opportunity to ride with your friends, but also contribute to our fundraising efforts. Together, we can empower the youth in our community, and promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

Your generous contributions will directly benefit our team by assisting with essential expenses such as transportation, equipment, training, and competition fees.

We encourage you to spread the word about this incredible opportunity to your friends, family, and colleagues. Together, we can make a significant impact and ensure that our youth continues to flourish. So grab your helmet, strap on your cycling shoes, and join us for the Pedaling for Purpose Challenge!

To learn more and sign up for the challenge, please visit our website or contact us at info@richmondcyclingcorps.org

Thank you for your unwavering support and enthusiasm.

Happy Cycling!

Matt Kuhn

Richmond Cycling Corps

CAN’T STOP.  WON’T STOP.

Monte: Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop - A Patagonia Film

We are excited to invite you to the upcoming premiere of the film "Monte:  Can’t Stop Won’t Stop," starring Demonte Cosby, produced by Patagonia. The film tells the story of Monte, an RCC alumni, who, as a high schooler growing up in the public-housing projects of Richmond, Virginia's East End, faced endless challenges. However, through his passion for mountain biking, he discovered a different route forward and overcame the struggles along the way.

"Monte" is a powerful tale that showcases the transformative power of a simple object: a bicycle. For Demonte Cosby, the bike became a bridge between two different worlds and a vehicle for overcoming adversity.  

His story was first picked up by Jess Daddio from Harrisonburg who wrote about Monte and the Richmond Cycling Corps in an article for REI.  Since then, Monte’s trajectory has only gone up.  Jess shared his story with Patagonia, and has been instrumental in making this project happen.  We cannot thank her enough.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the premiere on April 29th at Warren Wilson College, and will include a pre-screening bikepacking workshop, a raffle, a screening of the film, and an exclusive Q&A session with the Monte and the Director, Dave Mayers

The premiere promises to be an unforgettable event, where you will have the opportunity to experience this incredible story on the big screen for the first time. Jalen Bazile, the film tour host and professional outdoorsman, will kick off the event with a mountain bike expedition workshop, during which he will share skills for all-day or multi day trips—from bikepacking and backcountry pro tips, to building your repair kit and route planning. After the screening, he’ll be hosting the Q&A with Monte and Dave to answer any burning questions you may have.   And of course, we will be there to answer and questions and celebrate our boy Demonte!

This is a unique opportunity to support an RCC alumni, and to be inspired by a story that transcends boundaries and touches the hearts of audiences of all backgrounds. We look forward to welcoming you to the premiere and sharing this unforgettable experience with you.

Don't miss out on this event!  Join us for a night of cinema, celebration, and inspiration.

See you at the premiere!

Sincerely,

Matt Kuhn

Spring Break 2023

As the school year approaches its end, students look forward to the much-awaited Spring Break. It's a time for relaxation, rejuvenation, and exploration. For some, it's an opportunity to take a break from studying and schoolwork and engage in exciting activities with friends.  This year, for RCC, Spring Break was BUSY.

Read on to find out more about how we snuck away from Richmond and made the most of our week!

High school is a time for students to explore their interests, plan for their future, and consider their options for higher education. This year, to kick off the week, three of our high school students, Khnaz, Kamari, and Joe, embarked on a college visit trip to Warren Wilson College near Asheville, North Carolina.

We wanted to visit during the week so we could sit in on a class to see what it would be like, so we left Thursday morning - which meant break started two days early for this crew!  On the first day of their trip, we drove down to North Carolina, eager to learn more about the school and its programs. Upon arrival, we were met by Harris Wagner, the school’s Head Cycling Coach.  Coach Wagner took us on a tour of the athletic facilities, including the student-built mountain bike trails and pump track. Our crew was impressed by the state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.

After the tour, we went for a road ride with the Warren Wilson Cycling Team up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The WW team led us through the beautiful countryside and stopped at a lookout point that offered a stunning view of the surrounding mountains.  It was a long haul up to the view and a chilly, fast ride down.  

Kamari stands triumphant at the lookout point on our road ride with the Warren Wilson Cycling Team

Following the ride, we headed to Downtown Asheville for dinner. Everyone enjoyed exploring the city's nightlife and trying out some exquisite North Carolina BBQ before retiring to our hotel for the night.

The next day started with a tour of the Warren Wilson campus followed by lunch at the dining hall. After lunch, we sat in on what we though was supposed to be a history class that turned out to be a biology field class! 

Boy were we surprised when the professor came in and told us that we were headed to the gear depot to grab waders and nets.  We spent the next hour collecting and observing macroinvertebrates in a stream just steps away from the campus.  What an experience!

Khnaz checks to see if he caught any critters

Our crew was excited to learn more about the college's unique approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on learning and encourages students to explore their passions and interests. We gained a better understanding of the college's programs and philosophy, and had the chance to meet with faculty and students to learn more about the college's culture and community.

The trip to Warren Wilson College was a valuable and exciting experience for Khnaz, Kamari, and Joe.  We are incredibly grateful to the Warren Wilson Cycling Team, Coach Wagner, the admissions office (Thanks Skye!!!!!) and everyone else who made this trip a reality for our team.

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After getting back from North Carolina Friday evening, it was time to turn around and get ready for a bike race Saturday!

RVA Racing's Underground Series Race #2 took place last Saturday at Pleasant Grove Park in Palmyra, VA. The weather conditions were not ideal, with rain pouring down all morning, but that didn’t stop anyone from having a good time in the mud. Due to the rain and rising creek crossings, the race organizers made the decision to shorten the course from a longer XC course to a shorter, faster Short Track style event which suited our riders a little better.

Despite the race conditions, all the racers were eager to compete and show their skills on the bike. Our team had several riders racing, including Joe, who had taken a break from cycling the previous Fall but has come back into the fold recently. He showed no signs of rust and took on the challenging course with determination, finishing strong. 

The high school boys line up to start

Korey blasts through a creek crossing

Chip leads a small group in the Middle School race

A muddy but cheery group

The muddy conditions made it a memorable and exciting event. Everyone slid, jumped, and skidded through the course, all in the name of fun and competition. We were happy to see that the rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the racers, who were fully committed to enjoying the event and pushing themselves to the limit.

Overall, the second race in the Underground Race Series was a great event that showcased the community’s passion for mountain biking.  This event serves as a reminder of the joy and camaraderie that can be found in cycling, even in the toughest conditions.  We were happy to be there, and are looking forward to Race #3 at Leakes Mill this Sunday!

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Spring Break is a time to get away.  Our team is used to riding around the city with many ups and downs but no real elevation.  It is rare that we are able to sneak away and do some real mountain riding.  We took full advantage of our time off from school last week with a mid-week camping/riding trip to the mountains.  

The trip began with the long drive from Richmond to Stokesville Campground. Along the way, we made a quick stop to check out a cave that is near the campground. This cave is always worth a visit when we’re in the area!  It’s fun to take kids down to see what it’s like under the ground, experience total darkness when we turn the lights off, and we even got to see a small sleeping bat!  But unfortunately, without the proper equipment, we couldn’t go very far into the cave.  We made our way out and headed to the campground.

The crew wasted no time and immediately set up camp and went for a ride to do some course recon for an upcoming race.  The Virginia High School (VAHS) Race Series starts up this Saturday April 15th at the Miller School of Albemarle.  Race #2 is Saturday April 22nd at Stokesville.  We used this as an opportunity to ride the course, scout obstacles, and get ready for the race.

For dinner that night, the team cooked up some nachos on the camp stove. The next day, after breakfast burritos, we embarked on a challenging ride up to Narrowback West.  This proved to be quite the accomplishment for some of the team's less experienced riders. But the ride back to camp was almost entirely downhill and was a nice reward for the morning’s hard work.

Afterwards, we hopped in the van and drove to Massanutten's Western Slope, where we enjoyed the jumps at the bottom of the mountain before setting up camp and making dinner. The next day, we had pancakes, rode to the top of the mountain and enjoyed the beautiful scenery all the way down.

One standout rider from this trip was Knowledge.  Knowledge, who will be the first to admit that he is not the strongest rider on the team, pushed himself on every ride. He made it to the top of every mountain and his determination and hard work paid off as he emerged from spring break a stronger rider and a stronger person.

Overall, the Spring Break camping trip was a huge success for the Richmond Cycling Corps. The team enjoyed challenging rides, beautiful scenery, and great camaraderie. Trips like these are a valuable opportunity for our youth to develop important life skills, such as teamwork, perseverance, and problem-solving.  They are a great way to step out into nature, step out of your comfort zone and find out what you are capable of.

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And finally, on Saturday the 8th, we had a Tire-Filling Party sponsored by Stan’s NoTubes. 

Exactly one week before the first race of the high school mountain bike season, Isaac from Stan's came to visit and to help the team get their race bikes ready for the upcoming races. It was an exciting evening for the team as we learned a lot about how to set up and use tubeless sealant and even how to use a Dart to stop a flat tire in its tracks.

The evening started with superstar and longtime RCC volunteer Sam Park giving the team a rundown on the best practices for setting up tires tubeless instead of with tubes. This is an important step in getting ready for the season as it can be the difference between finishing a race and having to pull-out due to a flat tire. Once everyone got the gist of it, we moved on to refilling the sealant in all of our race tires - We refilled the tires on 12 bikes which was 24 wheels!  We were lucky to have such a great crew to help out and get through them all quickly.

After we got all of our tires set up, Isaac moved on to showing everyone how to use a Stan’s Dart, a small device that can be inserted into a tire to seal a larger puncture than sealant can handle alone. Everyone was amazed at how easy it was to use the Dart and how effective it was in sealing punctures.

Isaac from Stan's shows Knowledge how to use a Dart to stop a flat tire

Photography by Vertical Sandbox Productions

Close-up of the Dart in action

Photography by Vertical Sandbox Productions

Korey adds sealant to a tire

Photography by Vertical Sandbox Productions

Photography by Vertical Sandbox Productions

Sam and Wes walk Chris through using the air compressor to seat newly filled tires

Photography by Vertical Sandbox Productions

Photography by Vertical Sandbox Productions

Throughout the evening, Isaac and our volunteers answered questions from the team and provided valuable insight on everything from tire selection to maintenance.  The team now feels more confident in their ability to set up and maintain their bikes and is ready to tackle the upcoming season. The Richmond Cycling Corps would like to thank Isaac and Stan's NoTubes for their support and for helping us get ready for the Spring VAHS races!

We would also like to thank superstar volunteers Robin Pyle, Sam Park, and Wes Bailey for their knowledgeable help with the event!

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Spring Break 2023 was a full, long week.  In our opinion, it is extremely valuable to make time to step away from the city, get into nature, and push your limits.  Our legs are sore from riding, and our faces are sore from smiling.  

Thank you, reader.  It is thanks to your generosity (yes, you!!!) that we are able to share these experiences with this incredible group of kids from Richmond’s East End.  I find myself saying this a lot, but we are so lucky to have such an incredible community around us.

Thank you.

Matt Kuhn

Can’t Stop.

Won’t Stop.

Richmond Cycling Corps