Video: The Flying Squirrels & Radical Rippers - Bellingham's Incredible Riding Club & Development Team for Girls
Bellingham’s premier riding club and development team for junior girls. Transition Co-founder, Kari Young, started the Flying Squirrels to complement all the afterschool ride programs in Bellingham, WA and create a space for girls to ride together. After a few years and heaps of success and momentum the need for a “next step” arose. Kari reached out to Angi Weston, owner of Radical Roots MTB Instruction, to collaborate on making it a reality. So in 2019, the Radical Rippers program was started and offers professional coaching and group rides for girls ready for the next level of progression and instruction.
A group of Flying Squirrels stop to plan their route at a Galbraith Mountain trail map kiosk. The Flying Squirrels is a volunteer-led after-school ride program for girls through the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition (WMBC). These girls are learning how to ride in groups, navigate the mountain, and find other girls their age who ride.
The Radical Rippers program is led by a powerhouse team of professional coaches through Radical Roots MTB Instruction (RRMI) and when the ramps come out - a mega progression session ensues.
Nothing beats following another rider down the trail, especially one of similar stature and age, to show you what is possible.
Because if she can do it...
Skills and drills lead to more thrills and less spills! Coach Angi is seen here leading some wheel lift drills - a foundation for sending it.
Kari Young and Angi Weston - the fearless leaders of the Flying Squirrels and Radical Rippers, also just a couple kids at heart themselves.
Coaches gotta play too.
Snack breaks are an essential part of any ride and these candy connoisseurs never miss an opportunity. Luckily for us in Bellingham, most snack breaks also have breathtaking views.
CANDY!
With almost 60 girls in the Flying Squirrels club and 40 girls in the Radical Rippers program - there are girls of all ages, interests, and wheel sizes given opportunities to ride and have fun together.
There is certainly an advantage to learning how to get your wheels off the ground at an early age. Confidence grows as skill grows and these riders get loads of opportunities for that.
These programs are growing some incredible riders and mentors. The riders who have been in the program for a few years now take great pride in being a source of inspiration to the younger and newer riders.
"Boosty" Bridgette knows how to send it
These programs are an outstanding example of what a community can accomplish when they work together to grow the next generation of mountain bikers. Many thanks are due to all the parents, volunteers, coaches, assistants, and the WMBC for their part in making this happen. All of the support, stoke, and skills don't go unnoticed. Thank you!
Words: Angi Weston
Photos: Oliver Parish
Video: Skye Schillhammer
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Just some things that I feel this group does very well:
- They do their rides on Saturday not on a weekday. Most kids around here have some sort of training on weekdays, and shouldn't have to choose which one they do.
- The trainings are 2 hours and not 1.5 hours which makes it a lot easier to get from your "meeting point" into the forrest and back.
- They've got custom made shirts (as seen in some of the posts on Facebook) and they always do a 10-15 minutes break where the kids get like chocolate bars and a bun to eat. That doesn't make them faster or stronger on the bike but it bonds them together a lot, they loose the "fear" of trying stuff in front of the other kids (especially the girls).
So, if there's no such programm near you, try it yourself.
And, most importantly, get some of your riding buddys involved. Even if it's just a one time thing, it should be fun for you too.
Sorry for the long post, but i hope you get some inspiration out of it and get your kid/the kids from your area into riding bike, cheers!
#ridesafe
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I'm not involved in the organization in any way but I see them out on the trails quite often and it's so freaking cool to see that many girls shredding at such a young age. Makes me so optimistic for the future of our sport.
Love everything about this program. Thanks for all you do!
Side note, we need to get with the program like BMX has. FF for the kids is such a no brainer, especially outside of the hot desert areas. I know two of my kids friends that were in the ER this week, talented riders on mellow terrain...stuff the kids/me thought would be cool without. Then it wasn't, 0 stiches on one, serious brain injury on the other. FF would have helped greatly. That was just last week...it happens all the time. The new FF helmets are light and airy too. They fit longer than a kids bike does as well so an easy investment. You can do like we did and wait till your kid wrecks their face, or do it before that lol. Fwiw, it really starts with the parents/coaches too. Being able to point to our coaches using their FF and encourage the kids/parents to do the same makes it way easier as they grow and get even more sendy.
1) The girls only riding groups are such an awesome idea.
2) I watched this with my 7yo daughter and she kept saying 'I think I could ride that' hahahaha
3) My town needs a similar program running pronto!
4) @schilly Skye - I think my daughter really liked the outtakes the most. Hearing other girl's impressions of what they like about riding bikes. It was a nice addition to the video. More of this please!
Go get 'em kids!