2007 Junior Road Camp Largest Ever!

ACA’s biggest junior road camp ever took place over Mother’s Day weekend at its usual location outside Grandby, with a record 128 kids and 50+ adults who played the roles of coaches, ride helpers and drivers. Now in their 8th year, these wildly popular camps attract everyone from 7 year old kids who are riding a road bike for the first time to our top nationally-ranked juniors who play a valuable secondary role as mentors at the same time that they too are learning from the pro coaches leading the camp.

From the orientation meeting on Friday evening onward, the schedule was action-packed, with classroom sessions, a time trail, group rides and the infamous Bump and Thump. The weather was perfect, allowing the campers and their coaches to get lots of miles in on the quiet roads nearby. Continuing with the tradition that began last year, an awards session wrapped up the activities on Sunday afternoon when coaches gave stuffed animals to the most deserving riders in each group. To everyone’s delight, eagles, antelope, mountain goats, buffalo and foxes were awarded to those who had best displayed the qualities if that animal while out riding, and then every parent present received a wolf, symbolic of their role as protector of the wonderful kids they had brought to the camp.

This camp was a huge undertaking because of its size but it went off without a hitch thanks to the awesome teamwork of so many dedicated adults. The term “it takes a village” comes to mind and if you were one of those many people who gave up your weekend to teach these kids what you know about cycling, thank you so very much. As we wrapped the camp up on Mother’s Day it was only fitting to end with an award for Beth Wrenn Estes, who was the mastermind and “glue” behind the entire operation and the person I consider to be the Queen Mother of cycling in Colorado – you rock, Beth!!. 

More of the photos on this page.

Photos by 3Cats Photo!
2007ACARoadCamp and ACARoadCamp2