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YOUTH CAPTAIN PROGRAM--(SCROLL down for more)
Newest junior captain qualifying ride, Yough Trail, August 16, 2008
Training ride for the same junior captain, a few days earlier, August 3
Last September, we began a new program for younger captains, training them to take
the helm of a tandem. The captain steers, balances, and brakes the tandem,
and is responsible for the safety of the accompanying stokers. We train both youth
and adult captains to use The Proper Method. Riding a tandem involves a lot more than
two people simply clambering onto a bike together.
After a break-in period of riding the tandem alone, usually from 10 to 20 miles, each
trainee gets a chance to ride a similar distance with a carefully selected stoker. If
the ride goes well, the new captain has qualified. Experienced stokers
usually make very good captains, since they
are thoroughly familiar with the procedures. Special thanks to tandem@hobbes
member Bill Connors of Philadelphia, who facilitated the acquisition of the 20-inch tandem
in these pictures--it is a critical piece in the new program. We recently acquired a
second 20-inch tandem.
Junior captain qualifying ride, September 22, 2007, Yough Trail
Junior captain training ride, Montour Trail, Imperial, PA
New stoker training ride, Enlow Tunnel, Montour Trail, August 1, 2008
Besides the group leader, six adult captains have qualified as captain; only two of them
have qualified to captain triplets (bikes for three people) as well.
One of our trail moms, captaining an articulated triplet at West Newton, Yough Trail
Our other triplet captain, qualifying day, September 24, 2006, Eliza Furnace Trail
Only the group leader captains quads and quints.
MAIN-
ACTIVITIES-
WASHINGTON, DC 2005-
2006-
2008-
CUMBERLAND 2007-
HISTORY-
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The Allegheny Trail Alliance Web site has maps
and many links
to information on trails in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia.
Messages: mjshields AT totalusa DOT net