100 laps between the 3 of them!!! 💪 So proud of all of our late spring Learn to Ride grads. Can’t wait kick off Bike Camp Season in t-minus 11 days!!!! Are you signed up yet????

We are delighted to officially welcome Allie Dubit to PedalPower Kids as our Bike Sales Manager. Allie has been in the cycling world since she began racing mountain bikes at 12 years old. She attended the prestigious cycling school, Fort Lewis College, and spent many years as a local in Durango, Colorado. She has worked in a bike shop for 30 years, which is quite impressive for someone who is only 29! Growing up as a kid who rode, getting kids on bikes has always been a passion. She lives in Anne Arundel County with her husband (whom she met in a bike shop), 9-year-old daughter and a various menagerie of animals. "I'm so excited to finally be working with PPK and I can't wait to help our kids find the freedom and peace of riding a bike!" As our Bike Sales Manager, Allie is a valuable resource for our PPK families seeking the best bikes for their children. PedalPower Kids is an authorized woom bicycles dealer- we will size your rider, order and professionally build their bike, and deliver it locally to camp or home. Bonus- you get to support a local woman-owned run by Bike Moms! Allie is always thrilled to talk bikes with customers- you can reach her at bikes@pedalpowerkids.com or 443.914.2277 x 700. In addition to Bike Sales, Coach Allie can be found at Bike Club, in-school Bike Safety Programs and as our special guest bike maintenance expert at Adventure Camps- we're so lucky to have her!

Team-Building Challenge 💪 At our recent Summer Kickoff Meeting, our amazing bike coaches competed in a Team-Building challenge that involved bikes, blindfolds, pumps, wrenches and a whole lot of creativity, communication and patience. Bike Campers, we’re ready for you!

This week’s Why Wednesday: “Why We Encourage a Positive Attitude” The first thing a rider brings to class isn’t their bike, it’s their mindset. Showing up with a good attitude makes trying new things easier. It turns challenges into something to work through, not something to avoid. Optimism builds momentum, and that’s often what leads to those breakthrough moments. It also shapes the group. A positive rider lifts others up, encourages their classmates, and helps create an environment where everyone feels more confident to try.

A very fond farewell to Coach Lucy- and a big congratulations on her graduation from American University! Coach Lucy has been an integral part of Team PPK since the very early days. From her first job as a bike coach to leading our DC team and managing our social media efforts, Lucy has led with heart, drive and enthusiasm. Thousands of campers have learned to ride under her care, and she’s opened up new worlds to explore for Adventure campers in DC and Severna Park. We’re sad to see you go, Lucy, but know you’ll do great things! Thank you from all of us at Team PPK!

It’s not a matter of “if” you fall off your bike, it’s a matter of when- when we’re pushing our limits, learning new things and operating in the “challenge zone”, accidents are bound to happen. Getting back on the bike is the goal- just like the Japanese proverb says, fall 7 times, rise 8. How adults react to falls is how children will, too. Here’s how we handle falls: a calm and reassuring demeanor rather than a panicked rush, a high five or affirmation for trying something hard, and an intentional moment to help the child regulate their emotions and take some deep breaths. Sometimes riders want to rush back on, still in tears- often leading to a second crash. That critical calm moment to slow down, breath and do a quick “after accident investigation” is as important as getting back on the bike. We help riders look for clues about what happened so that they feel empowered to make changes on their next attempt, r ather than telling them what “they did wrong”. Twisted handlebars? Maybe a clue that they turned to sharply… hit the curb? Where were they looking just before they crashed? When new riders take a moment to pause, reflect and strategize for their next attempt, they feel empowered rather than panicked, hopeful rather than hesitant.