Are Poky Pedals Family Friendly?

It’s hard to give a plain Yes/No answer, since “family friendly” means different things to different people.  Here is some description of what can be expected during a Poky Pedal:

• Bicycle riding will probably average in the 5-8MPH range, about 3 times as fast as walking.
• The group will stay together and each individual is expected to follow all traffic laws.
• Poky Pedals mostly ride on calm streets (think Center or Elk or Prais) and nonmotorized paths.
• There will be occasional stretches on streets such as Maria or Northpoint – still calm but with a bit more traffic on them – because that is the network of streets available.
• At dangerous intersections – like riding Briggs to cross Division (a safer place for Poky Pedalers to cross Division than the congested signal at 4th) – walking across will be suggested as an option and may even be dictated for all depending on the nature of the group and the amount of cross traffic.
• Safety will always be emphasized over speed.

This is likely an environment where parents can feel comfortable with either towing children in a trailer or allowing their 10-year-old to ride along.  Of course, it is up to each family to individually decide if this is “family friendly” for them.

As for the themes on each ride, adults and children alike should enjoy the Bike Fun.  The Saturday afternoon rides could last about 3 hours – not because of riding length (typically around 10 miles) but because of the theme itself and the time spent at destination locations.

For rides without destination stops, there will usually be an option for a halfway snack stop at a park. Whether or not that happens depends on the preferences of the participants, how long the ride has taken to that point, etc.

Of course, there is no obligation to remain on any Poky Pedal. If our ride seems too long, anyone may choose to participate for the first hour or two and then leave the Poky Pedal.

Poky Pedaling Stevens Point would certainly appreciate having families share in the Bike Fun.  Hopefully, this information helps each family determine if sharing Bike Fun on Poky Pedals is the right decision for them.