As autumn turns to winter and the season’s colors turn to rain, Trips for Kids-CAT wraps-up a glorious year.

Trail Spirit

Over 150 youth and 50 adults joined us for various mountain bike adventures. We played a big part in the first Kids Mountain Bike Day festival back in September, and last, but not least was Mt. Pisgah’s Play in the Rain Day.

We provided their first bicycle rodeo, bikes, and an obstacle course for kids to play on.  Bowling pins were the highlight.  We created a course for the youth to weave through and at the end of it all was a frame of pins – WHACK    Even with 8 bicycles and helmets, youth waited in line for their chance at Bicycle Bowling.

One of the warmest memories was retrieving one of our bikes from a mother and father, their child riding ahead of us on the dirt road. When John caught-up, the father told him it was the kid’s first time riding a bike. Blue skies, a tree lined path, and the silhouette of a youth’s first bike ride … it was a once in a life time and place.

A big thanks to Play in the Rain Day organizers for inviting TFK-CAT.

Check out pictures and videos of kids biking down bowling pins and all of our 2011 trips at our gallery.

Videos were made possible by a generous donation from REI. And they didn’t stop giving with the helmet cam. Thanks to a supply of packs and sleeping bags, overnight mountain bike trips and backpack trips are in our future.

Bring on the new year!

TFK-CAT wants you!

About Trips for Kids- CAT

Trips for Kids-CAT provides mountain bike opportunities for kids who don’t usually get a chance to do such activities. A project of the The Center for Appropriate Transport (CAT), Trips for Kids-CAT is a partnership with the parent organization, Trips for Kids.

For almost 19 years, Trips for Kids has been helping city youth discover the joy of mountain biking. With chapters throughout the United States and Canada, TFK reaches out to over 5,400 youth each year by providing materials, inspiration and experienced guides for mountain bike adventures.

We provide:

• mountain bikes
• helmets
• transportation
• lunch
• knowledgable guides

Group rates start at  $250 if you provide your own transportation, and goes to $400-420 if transportation is provided by Trips For Kids.

Each youth will need to fill out a waiver form.

Contact us at (541) 686-9885 or trips4kids@catoregon.org for more information.

We are looking for volunteers!

Trips for Kids-CAT is looking for volunteers to help get kids off the couch and into the woods.

If you are interested in volunteering with Trips for Kids-CAT, contact John at (541) 686-9885 or trips4kids@catoregon.org. You can also fill out this form: TFK Volunteer Application

In their own words!

I loved it!!

-AJ, age 12

On Saturday I went mountain biking and it was really cool because I have never been mountain biking before. I went on the first Trips for Kids-CAT (TFK-CAT) ride to Oakridge. We got there on a colorful bus. The Salmon creek trail is a National Forest trail for biking and hiking. We saw some hikers and one other mountain biker on the trial with us. We biked 11 miles but it went by faster than I thought because I was having so much fun. I don’t have my own mountain bike so TFK-CAT let me borrow a bike. They also let me borrow a helmet and they gave us food and water. My favorite part was going up and down the hills because it was like a roller coaster.

-Jat, age 13

I would suggest that you should go on a Trips For Kids ride. You learn about nature and have a blast riding in the mountains. The views are awesome and there are no honking cars, all you hear is the wildlife.

-Ben, age 18

Throughout the whole trip I was amazed at the beauty of the path and its surrounding area. I was quite happy with myself. On and on we pressed forward, over hills and down again, through the canopies made by trees and through fields. I would have to say it was a brilliant ride if there ever was one.

-Eli, age 17