Cascade’s Major Taylor Project kicked off the spring riding season with two great events.

An info session at Evergreen High School for our club out of the YES Foundation of White Center had 30 students in attendance. Nine of the twelve who rode with us in the fall came back, and they brought their friends! If all of the students who expressed an interest (including the ones who didn’t even come to the meeting but stopped us on our way out of the school to ask about the bikes we brought and how to get involved) show up to ride with us in April, we’ll have more than doubled the program at YES, and will have to start utilizing volunteers to split into two or more riding groups. With the program just wrapping up it’s first year, it’s exciting to see student interest and enthusiasm continuing to grow.

The Project also had its first official ride of the season with six students from our Major Taylor Club at Global Connections High School coming out for Chilly Hilly. After catching an early morning light rail up from Seatac, all six successfully completed the 33-mile ride around Bainbridge Island alongside 6,022 other cyclists. While the club provided Redline cross bikes for the students to use, two brought along their own bikes that they had earned through our Earn-a-Bike program, and one rider prepared for the ride by hitting up Bike Swap the day before on her own initiative.

Without the Major Taylor Project, most of these students would never be exposed to these events. Their excitement to be part of them speaks to the need for the cycling community to reach out to more diverse populations, and the success of the Project in providing engaging opportunities for them.

With the next session of Earn-a-Bike about to begin at the YES Foundation, and spring riding starting for all clubs in April, we’re excited to continue to grow the program and help students become more confident, active, and engaged cyclists.