Cordova High School Students Complete 32-Mile Ride Through American River Bike Patrol Bike Academy

Eighteen Cordova High School students celebrated the completion of the American River Bike Patrol (ARBP) Bike Academy on Saturday, finishing 10 weeks of training and mentorship with a 32-mile ride along the American River Trail.

The program is supported in part by the City of Rancho Cordova through its Community Enhancement and Investment Fund (CEIF), which provides funding for projects and programs that benefit the Rancho Cordova community.

Through the academy, volunteer cycling mentors work with students over 10 Saturdays. Students begin with five-mile rides and gradually work their way up to the final 32-mile ride. Along the way, they learn bicycle handling and safety, bike repair and first aid, while building persistence, independence and responsibility. Students who complete the academy also earn a new Trek bicycle.

"There is something special about seeing these students cross the finish line after everything they have put into the last 10 weeks," said Rancho Cordova Mayor Garrett Gatewood. "Programs like the VELO Lancer Bike Academy give our young people a chance to try something new, spend time with mentors who care about them and see more of the community around them. We're proud that the City's Community Enhancement and Investment Fund can help support this work."

Students finished their final ride at Discovery Park, where families, mentors and community partners gathered to celebrate their accomplishment.

"I could not be prouder of our young riders, student mentors, adult mentor volunteers and the American River Bike Patrol for the successful year four finale of the Velo Lancer Program at Cordova High School," said Rick Fowler, ARBP Co-Founder and Bike Academy creator. "Over 125 family, friends, and supporters showed up at Discovery Park on Saturday to express their respect and admiration for what these students have accomplished. These young people have clearly earned their new Trek FX1 bicycles presented to them at the finish line."

The VELO Lancer Bike Academy also received statewide recognition this year with a Kids & Trails Merit Award through the California Trails & Greenways Awards Program.

The academy is a program of the American River Bike Patrol, an all-volunteer nonprofit organization whose members serve as trail ambassadors throughout the region. Bike Patrol members assist trail users with first aid, bicycle repairs, directions, safety information and trail etiquette.

For more information about the American River Bike Patrol or the VELO Lancer Bike Program, visit AmericanRiverBikePatrol.org.