Program idea could put more Charles City kids on bikes

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A collaboration among a local biking enthusiast, Charles City school physical education teachers and an area bike shop has the potential to put more kids on bikes.

And that would be a good thing, said Cory Mutch, a member of the board of the Charles City Parks and Recreation Department, co-chair of the Charley Western Trail Committee and graphic designer for the RAGBRAI organization.

Mutch mentioned the idea at this month’s Parks & Rec board meeting, then recently went into more detail with the Press.

“It’s in the early stages now,” said Mutch. “We’re trying to get things rolling.”

Mutch said he was approached by PE teacher Jeremy Wilson regarding an idea that Wilson and PE teacher Ryan Schmalen had about adding a biking program to the physical education curriculum, starting at the middle school.

“They didn’t really have a game plan per se, but they just said it would be great to get kids on bikes and be able to do that with the school,” Mutch said.

Mutch was familiar with a similar program that had been started in the Mason City School District last year, where Wayne’s Ski and Cycle bike shop in Mason City worked with the school district to provide bicycles at a steep discount and provided free training in set-up, maintenance and proper riding techniques.

Mutch is friends with Wayne’s owner Matt Curtis, and he asked Curtis if he would be willing to explore something similar in Charles City.

“Obviously this is his business, but he’s a cyclist and he loves getting the kids out on bikes and the future of bike riders as well,” Mutch said. “So he’s like, ‘Oh, I’m all in. I’ll do the same thing for you guys as we did for Mason City.’”

Curtis proposed a list of Trek Marlin 6 bicycles plus some adaptive three-wheelers, helmets and other supplies and the type of training he could provide the PE teachers. A first estimate of a budget is about $20,000, Mutch said.

Mutch said there seems to be far fewer kids riding bikes now than when he was a kid, or generations before his.

“That’s where I think this program with the school is great because not only are they getting the bikes for the kids to use, but it gets them on a nice bike, too. Not just a throw-away piece of junk, but something that they can learn the proper way to ride and know the proper safety. Have a helmet. Know the proper bike etiquette on how to signal and how to ride.”

The bikes would also be set up for the students, so they fit properly.

“I think getting kids on bikes is great anyway, and then starting with the middle school, we’re right there off the Charley Western Trail,” Mutch said. “I’m just hoping that maybe if this program gets off the ground, maybe I’ll see more kids out on that bike trail, and then maybe we need to extend that bike trail and make it bigger.”

Toward that end, Mutch said he is also excited about potential involvement with the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, a non-profit organization “working to promote Iowa cycling as safe and enjoyable recreation and transportation.”

The coalition hired a new executive director in October after the previous director retired. Mutch met the new director, Luke Hoffman, through Mutch’s job with RAGBRAI, the annual summer bike ride across Iowa.

“He’s young, he’s energetic and he’s all into getting kids on bikes and bike safety and bettering trails and things like that,” Mutch said.

Mutch said he contacted Hoffman to let him know about the idea of the bike program in the local school, and also to talk about state trail funds for the local bike trail.

“I was hoping maybe he could help guide me in the right direction, using that money to extend our trail system or work with me on that, because that’s what they do. That’s their forte down there,” Mutch said.

“We start talking about all these things, and he goes, ‘Man, this is a lot of cool stuff going on all at once. And the more things you have going, the more people want to want to hear about it and the more people might want to help you.’”

The Iowa Bicycle Coalition is producing video for “Support Your Local Bike Shop week,” that started Monday, Dec. 11, in Iowa City. After Mutch told him was was happening in Mason City and potentially Charles City, Hoffman adjusted the schedule so the video production crew will be at Wayne’s Ski and Cycle on Wednesday morning.

Mutch and Mark Melrose, co-chair of the Charley Western Trail Committee, as well as potentially one of the PE teachers will also be there to talk about what they are hoping to do in Charles City.

Mutch said he told Hoffman that the coalition pays a lot of attention to the state’s largest cities, and “this is your chance to get out there … to let people know what’s going on in Northern Iowa and maybe get some people to build these trail systems around here.”

Mutch said Hoffman was excited about the idea, and Mutch is excited to help tell the story about what is going on in north Iowa, especially Charles City, and maybe draw some attention – and possibly financing – to the area.

“You never know who you might touch that might want to donate toward something,” he said.

Regarding a bike program in the Charles City schools, Mutch said nothing has been officially approved, and funding will be a factor, but they are working on the possibility of starting it next year.

“It’s not like it’s definite, but it’s definitely something that’s got great potential,” Mutch said. “I think the big thing is getting the kids on bikes.”