“Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” – Albert Einstein

I have wonderful memories of my childhood summers.

My days were not interrupted by the school bells. In those months, my classroom was outdoors, exploring the neighborhood on my trusty red bike. My parents knew I was safe – whether on my own or with friends.

Many of us have similar memories of riding bicycles as children. Our bikes helped build up our confidence and offered us freedom to travel independently of our parents. We may have scraped our knees a few times, but we leaned to get up and keep going. We took care of our bikes and ourselves with a pledge to ride safely.

Today, things are different. Kids spend less time exploring on their own. My growing city even has children who don’t own a bike; and if they do, their parents worry about them riding to the park or to visit a friend.

Thankfully, there’s CLT Bike Camp, where children ages 5 thru 13 can learn the essentials of safe riding, bicycle maintenance and more; while having fun in a safe and supportive environment.

With new camps each week, running from June to August, there’s a spot for everyone, from children new to riding all the way to the most experienced young cyclists.

Some weeks include a focus on Nature or Art.

These camps, “reflect the whole city…not just one piece of it,” says Charlotte Cadieux, a co-founder.

CLT Bike Camp inspires healthy lifestyle choices and fosters personal and community growth through experiential education in active transit.

Bethanie Johnson, also a co-founder, talks about her desire for,

“A community that could really be, not only a place for children to learn to ride bikes well and safely, but a place for kids from different backgrounds to come together, interact, and connect with the common humanity that we all share.”

The camp even offers need-based scholarships; and bikes when necessary.

If CLT Bike Camp sounds like something your (or your friends’ and neighbors’) children or grandchildren would enjoy, visit cltbikecamp.org to learn more.

A Testimonial


Luke Perez (13) attended CLT Bike Camp last summer. Here, he shares his experience.

What is your favorite thing about bike camp?
“Riding to different places and learning new things. It gave me the chance to explore Charlotte.” 

How did the camp help you? 
“It’s a fun environment where I met new friends and saw some kids I’d known before. Also I learned a lot more about bikes and how they work.”

What do you want other kids to know? 
“It’s a great place to spend some of your summer. People are nice, and you get lots of exercise.” 

Would you recommend the camp to others?
“Absolutely”

Eddie, Luke’s dad, added:
“As the parent of a child on the spectrum, CLT Bike Camp offered my son a place to grow and meet new people. It afforded him the opportunity to “come out of his shell” and build his confidence.”

It’s wonderful to have teachers like Bethanie and Charlotte who want to help kids learn, in class and in life. They know Albert Einstein was right when he said that education is what remains after school.

For those who would like to volunteer or donate – maybe both – visit the site and learn how to be an important part of this program.

Please share your memories on a bike – and the stories about the things you learned.

Tell me about your “bike education”. What privileges did you gain on your bike you feel may be missing for children today?

Do you also know about Trips for Kids and other programs in our city that help children get rolling in life? If you know anyone who is a graduate of CLT Bike Camp, please ask them to share their story.

As always the conversation starts here.

“In the ordinary choices of every day we begin to change the direction of our lives.” – Eknath Easwaran

Epilogue

You can ride along in this video. It all looks like great fun to me.