Read up on the latest PedalPower Kids media coverage
RACHEL VARN, THE BIKE WHISPERER OF SEVERNA PARK
Whenever you need a little pick-me-up, go visit the Instagram or Facebook page for Rachel Varn’s PedalPower Kids. You’ll find hundreds of photos of kids, from tiny preschoolers to early teens, grinning at the camera from the seat of the bikes they’ve just learned to ride.
GIVING POWER TO KIDS TO PEDAL – EXPLORING NEW FREEDOMS
Most of us can remember the first time we rode a bike, many of us can remember it vividly. It’s one of those significant milestones of early childhood that often becomes family lore as well- i.e., “that time Dad pushed Jane down the hill.”
On a sunny, breezy spring day, a group of children, 4 to 7 years old, sit on their bikes, helmets and gloves on, ready to start their biking lesson. Their moms, standing nearby, watch them closely, feeling proud that their little ones are learning how to ride.
HOW A SEVERNA PARK MOM MADE A CAREER OF TEACHING KIDS TO RIDE BIKES
Every “now I can” moment — when students who have mastered balance, gliding and pedaling ride on their own for the first time — is exciting, says Varn, a 36-year-old Severna Park resident. And it sends a kid’s confidence soaring.
PEDALPOWER KIDS: BUILDING CONFIDENT AND SAFE CYCLISTS
On this episode of the Shift Up podcast, Bike Shop Girl owner, and podcast host Arleigh Greenwald sits down with Rachel Varn to talk about building confident and safe cyclists.
MACKID REVIEW: PEDALPOWER KIDS: RIDE LIKE A SUPERHERO!
Enter Rachel Varn: "The Bike Whisperer". You guys, she's the REAL deal. She rolled up in her van that was stockpiled with various size bikes. Rachel might as well have been wearing a superhero cape because my self-proclaimed 'ladies' man' was all heart-eyes for her as soon as she got out. But then...and this is important: she got out the bike gloves.
PEDAL POWER KIDS - AROUND THE BLOCK IN ANNAPOLIS - EPISODE 4
We are super excited about this weeks episode of Around The Block in Annapolis! We interview Rachel with Pedal Power Kids, and amazing company that teaches kids to ride bikes. After our oldest (Leo, 5) was having confidence issues trying to get rid of training wheels.
Gavin Buckley dazzled voters with his joie de vivre and his accent and his big ideas during the election. He’s talked about putting bike lanes downtown since at least 2015. He wanted to install a trolley on Main Street — he’s tabling that idea for now.
PedalPower Kids' Rachel Varn, center, works with sisters Olivia McKeown, left, 4, and Nora McKeown, 2, of Annapolis and Olivia Brown, right, 6, of Annapolis during Annapolis Bike Day in Annapolis on Saturday, September 22, 2018.
After a successful first spring and summer, PedalPower Kids held a ribbon cutting through the Greater Severna Park & Arnold Chamber of Commerce to celebrate its opening. Under the direction of Rachel Varn (seen here doing the honors of cutting), PedalPower Kids offers instruction for children of all ages and skill levels.
RISE FOR AUTISM'S ICAN! SHINE BIKE CAMP SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
With Korin and Newborn were first-timers Rachel Varn, a Severna Park resident who’s started a business called Pedal Power Kids, and county bike patrol officer Dominic Scali.
At PedalPower Kids, getting more kids on bikes starts with providing high-quality, professional, encouraging instruction that builds confidence and trust.
Trying to ditch the training wheels this summer, but missed camp sign ups and home practice isn’t working? You are in luck!🍀 We added an afternoon Learn to Ride camp late for next week, July 6th, at Kinder Farm Park in Millersville. Even better- the forecast looks lovely, with highs in the low 80’s! We still have lots of spots available- join Coach Brendan for what will surely be your child’s favorite week all summer! Sign up through @recparks here: https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/aarecparks/activity/search/detail/39137?onlineSiteId=0&locale=en-US&from_original_cui=true&utm_source=v2_provider_tools_messaging_mailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=send_message_receipt
You’ve been asking for Learn to Ride classes outside of our summer camps, and single session options for riders needing additional support- NOW REGISTERING FOR JULY 20 WEEK in Annapolis! 4 Day Accelerated Learn to Ride Bootcamp offered at 4 or 5 pm! Or, register for our drop-in Learn to Ride 1.5 Practice Clinic at 6- a great option for riders who’ve recently completed LTR camp and need a little additional instructor support and facilitated practice. Registration now open on our website- and we anticipate it will fill quickly. Bikes will be provided for LTR Bootcamp and by request for LTR 1.5 Clinic. #learntoride #bikeclass #morekidsonbikes #wearepedalpowerkids
Pedaling forward, honoring history.
Today we celebrate Juneteenth, marking the day in 1865 when freedom finally reached enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
At Pedal Power kids, we often talk about the bike as a tool for freedom. Today, we want to honor a pioneer who rode that freedom straight to the top: Marshall “Major” Taylor.
Born just 13 years after the abolition of slavery, Major Taylor became America’s first Black world champion athlete in 1899. He didn’t just race against the clock; he raced against intense racial terror, track bans, and open hostility, winning despite it.
Juneteenth is a day to reflect on the long road to freedom, celebrate Black joy, and recognize that the ride toward true equity continues- a sentiment that PPK hopes to embody not only on this day but throughout the year.
Marshal “Major” Taylor
