Welcome to Bike School Bentonville's Fall Trail Kids weekly blog! This blog will share some words on how the Trail Kids did the prior week, and most importantly share some highlight photos that have been captured along the way. We are excited to share a bit about the Trail Kids on trail experience!
The Finale - Fall Trail Kids 2024
You know the saying; save the best for last? Well, this year the Fall Trail Kids, Bentonville, and the weather all teamed up and did exactly that… except for the one day that we had a massive fire down wind of Slaughter Penn and had to call a rain day.
BUT, aside from the fire, we finished Trail Kids with a bang. Starting with first watching, and then becoming a part of the Team USA Parade through downtown Bentonville. It was quite special getting to see the USA’s most successful riders in all of the country all in one place. The Trail Kids made the arduous trek all the way from the Bike School Trailer to main street and after cheering for the olympians as they drove by, got to follow along with the parade all the way from Compton Gardens to the Ledger downtown.
To continue the celebration, a bunch of Trail Kids got to stop by the Spark for some fantastic ice cream before riding some trail all the way back down to the trailer, all the while basking in the glory of the turning leaves and fall weather as fall officially landed in bentonville.
The following Wednesday, everyone showed up with high spirits and more creative costumes than I’ve ever seen before. Unfortunately, a large local fire got in the way of our plans and we had to call a rain day and postope to the following Wednesday.
However, on the final wednesday of Trail Kids, everything lined up perfectly and we saw off the final day of Fall Trail Kids on the perfect fall day.
As kids rolled into the field with costumes to celebrate the oncoming halloween holiday, coaches prepared the final rides of the season, and to present the Trail Kids with their certificates of completion for this fall!
It was tough keeping up with all the groups as they rolled out into Slaughter Penn, but I was able to catch quite a few groups as they pushed their limits on Bush Push, showed off their newly learned skills at the Skills Park, and shared in the rush of speed while cruising down All American and the Six Pack Jumps.
Circling back to the field early, parents, coaches, and Trail Kids all came together for the Trail Kids Certificate ceremonies. During this time coaches of all of the groups got to go over everything that their students learned, improved on, and grew most with their family and friends! It's a special moment every season, but for some reason this Fall the Trail Kids and our coaches really did come together and show off how much they truly learned and improved.
It truly has been a pleasure watching the Trail Kids improve exponentially this Fall, and getting to share some of the photos that I captured along the way through this blog was extra special for me and hopefully the Trail Kids parents as well.
Till next season, Happy Trails,
Sebastian Wallach
BSB Media
Gallery
Week 5, October 7th - Fall Trail Kids 2024
Another magical week kicked off today at Bike School Bentonville. Although it was way hotter than it should have been, the Trail Kids showed up in force today. Many coaches took today as an opportunity to push the limits of their group, and it was amazing. As everyone rolled out from the trailer, crews practiced their shifting and body position skills on the rolling terrain of All American.
After cruising through All American, several coaches led their groups to the right up the newly cleared Black Apple Creek trail, while others continued on to the climb towards Leopards Loop and Choo Choo to work on their berms and their pumping on the smooth yet turny chip sealed trails.
As I followed groups through Black Apple Creek, stoke was high as they continued on towards Red Barn and Tristan's trail. It was seriously impressive to see so many riders working hard to get to the top of those climbs because just a few weeks before shifting and climbing were extremely difficult for many of the Trail Kids.
After finally cruising down Tristans in a smattering of different combinations, the Trail Kids returned from one of the longest and most challenging rides of their Trail Kids Careers.
Wednesday was a special day because for the first time this season, every single group of Trail Kids arrived at the Castle simultaneously. Watching groups prove their climbing and shifting skills on the challenging castle climb, and then turn around to start descending all the different trails that stem from the castle was amazing.
I was fortunate to be there with a camera to capture some shots of how much fun everyone was having!
Happy Trails,
Sebastian Wallach
BSB Media
Gallery
Week 4, September 30th - Fall Trail Kids 2024
We’ve officially reached the halfway point of Fall Trail Kids! It’s a bittersweet moment—it feels like the season is flying by, but at the same time, there’s something special about this stage. It’s as if the Trail Kids know they’re halfway through and realize it’s time to step it up!
The groups are really starting to gel, and the skills we’ve been practicing are becoming second nature. The trails now feel like home. Monday kicked off with half the crews heading over to work on Armadillo’s Last Stand and Tatamagouche. It’s always a great opportunity to teach the kids about caring for the trails that give us so much joy.
While the trail work was rewarding, the real highlight of Monday was the skills area. In what felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment, all the Trail Kids groups converged there at the same time—and had the entire area to themselves. As I stood snapping photos, all I could think about was how awesome it was to see so many riders of different levels and groups riding together, laughing, and learning in sync.
Though our time at the skills area was magical, everyone eventually dispersed, making their way back to the trailer for pickup. Each group took a different route home, but many found their way to our all-time favorite trail, Stoneman. Watching them descend, I couldn’t help but marvel at their progression—it’s incredible to see the improvement happening in real time.
Wednesday arrived with even more energy. By this point in the season, the Trail Kids have built up an impressive range of skills, and many of them headed straight out to different trails and parks to practice while riding.
It was hard to keep up with everyone as they scattered, but when we all gathered back at the trailer for pickup, it was clear that both the kids and the coaches had an amazing day. Everyone was grinning from ear to ear, and it truly felt like one of the best days of Fall Trail Kids yet.
Happy Trails,
Sebastian Wallach
BSB Media
Gallery
Week 3, September 23rd - Fall Trail Kids 2024
The leaves are changing, the trails are dusty, and there’s a slight chill in the air as the sun sets—fall has officially come to Northwest Arkansas. The Trail Kids seem to be loving the seasonal shift, bringing more energy and enthusiasm than ever!
This week, the groups worked on a variety of skills. Coach Donna and her crew focused on body positioning during descents and climbs, while also stretching their legs with an adventure north along the river through Slaughter Pen. Meanwhile, Coach Joel and Jeremy's group teamed up with Coach Evan and Chaleem to pedal south, refining their turning techniques on the beautiful berms of Choo Choo and Heading Home.
With riders spread out across different trails, it was a challenge to keep up! But the cheers of excitement from all of the groups crossing paths made it easy to track them down for some great photo opportunities. It was clear the Trail Kids were getting more comfortable with both their groups and the trails, as they worked together to practice their skills of the day.
Of course, with the usual buzz around catching air, it wasn’t long before the groups converged at the Slaughter Pen skills area and the classic Stone Man jumps on the way back to the trailer.
Wednesday brought a completely different, but equally important, lesson for the Trail Kids—trail maintenance. Thanks to the Trailblazers Trail Adoption Program, BSB has taken on the care of Armadillo’s Last Stand and Tatamagouche. Led by coaches Steve, Kevin, Donna, and Troy, the groups headed over to those trails, spending time raking and clearing our adopted paths.
While working, the coaches shared the importance of respecting the trails we’re lucky to ride on and introduced the kids to some basic trail-building and drainage concepts as they shaped the paths with their rakes.
After wrapping up the trail maintenance, the groups dispersed once more, and I followed some of them to the skills park. There, the coaches guided the Trail Kids through the art of riding drops, pumping rollers, and hitting jumps!
Feeling accomplished (and definitely tired), everyone made their way back to the trailer as the sun set and the cool evening air settled in. With Fall Trail Kids now halfway through, the excitement is high as everyone’s progress continues to shine. We’re all looking forward to the adventures ahead!
Happy Trails,
Sebastian Wallach
BSB Media
Gallery
Week 2, September 16th - Fall Trail Kids 2024
The second week of Fall Trail Kids kicked off with a bang! On Monday, the coaches dove right into lessons, focusing on what is one of the most essential on-bike skills: body position.
They began by introducing the three key body positions for riding: climbing, flats, and descending. Starting with these fundamentals gave the Trail Kids a solid foundation for general terrain, and as they rode, the coaches helped them adapt these core positions to different on-trail situations.
The groups wasted no time heading to their favorite trails for practice. All American, with its consistent grade reversals and predictable terrain, was a popular choice. But it was only the beginning of the day’s adventure. Coaches soon led their groups to trails like Oeste Vista and Leopard's Loop to continue honing their skills.
The progress was noticeable throughout the day. As the Trail Kids grew more confident in their positioning, trail speeds increased, and more obstacles were conquered than just an hour earlier! It’s always impressive to see how quickly the students at Bike School Bentonville catch on.
Building on the momentum from Monday, the coaches continued to emphasize the basics, like body positioning, on Tuesday. But they also introduced new lessons, including front wheel lifts, flat turns, and tackling technical trail features.
I overheard that Coach Joel and Jillian were taking their group through the river to Wonderland, so I decided to tag along. The river crossing was a refreshing break in the heat, but soon everyone was back to business, practicing their climbing skills on the technical features of Sally’s as they made their way up to the Wonderland Trail.
After a quick stop at the top of the hill to practice front wheel lifts around the Wonderland trailer, the group turned their attention to descending. Area 51 and Upper Mad Hatter provided perfect conditions for practicing body positioning on technical downhills.
After leaving that group, I crossed back over the river and hurried to the 6-Pack jumps along All American. There, I caught some groups practicing their jumps and cheering each other on from the Greenway. As always, a thrilling way to wrap up the second week of Fall Trail Kids. The energy from last week is sure to carry into the next as we continue learning new skills and exploring more trails!
Happy Trails,
Sebastian Wallach
BSB Media
Gallery
FDOC Week - Fall Trail Kids 2024
In case anyone is not familiar with the term "FDOC", it stands for First Day of Class, and back in my day it was one of the best days of school every year. First days are amazing for many reasons, but mostly because you get to see all of your old friends, meet plenty of new ones, and set the tone for what the coming year is going to be like! Of course, for Trail Kids, we only have 6 weeks of classes, but none the less, this past Monday was an FDOC for the books.
While coaches met parents and signed in Trail Kids, Phat Tire did bike checks to ensure that every bike on the field was ready to ride. Once checked in and through the bike check, Trail Kids started ripping up the grass skills course and finding friends. Carefully, coaches formed their groups and then gathered at their flags before hitting the trails.
Once on the trails, it seemed like no one could stop smiling. Pedals were spinning, derailleurs shifting, and lessons were taught. Everything from level pedals to keeping your fingers on the breaks was brought up, to make sure the Trail Kids had their basics down so that future lessons would be able to build on a solid skill base!
After some time out on the trails meeting their groups, getting familiar with their coaches, and reviewing the basics, begrudgingly everyone headed back to the field for pickup.
On Wednesday, all the energy that was felt on FDOC came rushing back to BSB as Trail Kids checked in and grouped up with their coaches. With a full evening of lessons ahead, groups quickly spread out across Slaughter Pen to work on their riding. Groups traveled all the way to The Castle, Walters Whistle at the Tech Hub, Leopards Loop, and even Urban Trail.
As I worked hard to visit as many groups as I could and snap some photos of lessons in action, I noticed that my face started to hurt from smiling. Suddenly, I realized that around every turn I was finding BSB groups working on their turning skills, reviewing shifting, and carefully reviewing technical sections of trail before riding them. Trail Kids were already helping each other to work through difficult sections, or helping each other get back up after falling.
It was evident that the magic of Trail Kids was back in the air in Slaughter Pen, and as the groups cruised back into the field after their first full session of lessons, smiles shone and fist bumps flew. We can not wait to see what week 2 brings!
Happy Trails,
Sebastian Wallach
BSB Media
Gallery
