As the semester progresses, so do the students in bike club, allowing us to travel to destinations that are off the beaten path. There are lots of parts of Austin that can be discovered by riding dirt trails instead of paved roads. The students at Dove Springs felt that they had conquered the streets in the neighborhood near the Recreation Center and wanted to explore the surrounding woods. As this was uncharted territory, we took a few minutes to discuss trail safety. Riding on unpaved paths introduces challenges such as rocks, sticks, and dirt. After reviewing proper use of rear brakes, safe distance between bicycles, and scanning, the students headed into the forest.
After a brisk twenty minute ride through winding dirt trails, the students at Dove Springs Rec. were rewarded with a beautiful watering hole. Their instructor Girmawi introduced the kids to rock skipping, which some of them had never heard of! While searching the nearby ground to find the perfect skipping rocks, the students spotted a group of minnows in the water and a few frogs hopping along. After a few practice tries, the kids mastered the art of rock skipping, getting as most as 6 hops across the pond.
Proud to say they’ve conquered both paved and dirt trails!
“Girmawi, I’ve found the perfect rock!”
Spying on the family of ducks across the pond.
