BikeMN offers adults a chance to learn how to ride a bike
MINNEAPOLIS -- They say riding a bike is a skill you never forget. But many people never had the opportunity to learn -- until now.
If you've ever thought it's too late to learn something new, you could learn from Antonia Martinez.
"Scared, but good. I'll keep trying really hard," Martinez said. "I always think about it, but for me, I feel like it's really hard. I'm never going to do it. But this chance for me is really good."
A chance for her and a dozen others to put anxiety away and learn how to ride a bike for the first time.
"A lot of folks are surprised. They're like, 'Who doesn't know how to ride a bike? Everyone knows how to ride a bike,'" Helena Howard with BikeMN said.
Howard says by removing barriers, making the course free of charge and allowing everyone who learns to keep the bike they learned on, something unexpected is happening.
"All of our classes, registration fills up within days and we have waitlists of like 20 to 30. All of our partners are asking if we can add one or two more sessions," Howard said.
READ MORE: Volunteers from local nonprofit help seniors get back on bikes
This four-week course in Richfield, almost entirely in Spanish, is spent walking, gliding and striding, all leading up to a moment and a skill they'll never forget.
And while Martinez says she's not sure what challenge lies ahead, she knows at least she'll ride into it on two wheels.
"I think it never is too late," she said. "Anything I start to do for me, I say if it's hard, I need to make it. So my goal is finish that. Whenever I start, I need to finish that."
BikeMN still has classes this summer. Eventually, they want to make this a statewide program, but they need your help. If you want to donate, or even volunteer, click here.
