Another Amazing Season of Red Shed Bike Camp

Another seven weeks of riding, learning, exploring, and growing are in the books at the Red Shed!

This summer, more than 90 campers from across the Woonasquatucket River watershed and beyond joined us at Riverside Park for Red Shed Bike Camp. Over seven one-week sessions, campers spent their days riding the Woonasquatucket River Greenway, building bike skills, learning basic maintenance, exploring the river, and gaining confidence on two wheels.

For some campers, that meant becoming stronger and more independent riders. For others, it meant getting on a bike and learning to ride fo   r the very first time.

Learning at Their Own Pace

Some of the most rewarding moments of every Red Shed season happen during our Learn-to-Ride weeks. Teaching a kid to ride a bike is about much more than balance and pedaling. It means helping them work through frustration and fear, celebrate small victories, and discover what they can accomplish with a little patience and persistence.

One camper this summer spent four days working toward riding independently. It wasn’t easy, but each day brought another small step forward. They worked through the process on their own time, building confidence along the way until everything finally clicked.

“Seeing the excitement when a new rider realizes, I’m doing it on my own, never gets old. Riding a bike is a skill they can use and enjoy for the rest of their lives, and we’re grateful to have a part in helping kids reach that milestone.” Said Donny Green, WRWC Director of Bike Education.

This season also brought some special connections back to the Red Shed. A former WRWC employee sent their child to camp for the first time, where they started as a brand-new learn-to-ride camper. One of our longtime community partners also sent their child to join us. Those moments are a wonderful reminder of how many relationships have grown around the Red Shed over the years.

We even welcomed back Hannah, a former Red Shed camper who returned this summer as a volunteer counselor, bringing the experience full circle.

Exploring Beyond the Red Shed

Campers did plenty more than ride laps around Riverside Park. Our Recreation Team took campers out on the water for midweek paddles, giving each camp group another way to experience the Woonasquatucket River and the watershed they had been exploring by bike.

At the end of each week, our community rides gave parents, family members, friends, and partners a chance to join the fun. For some, it was their first time riding the Woonasquatucket River Greenway. These rides have become one of our favorite camp traditions, bringing everyone together to celebrate what campers accomplished during the week.

And despite a remarkably rainy summer, our campers kept rolling. A special thank you goes to Cleverhood for providing rain gear that got plenty of use this season!

It Takes a Community to Make Camp Happen

Seven weeks of Red Shed Bike Camp would not be possible without an incredible team behind it.

A huge thank you goes to our camp leads Phil, Abraham, and Dom for guiding campers through another successful summer, and to the entire WRWC Recreation Team for supporting camp and getting our campers out on the river each week. Thank you to Pip for keeping one of our most important traditions alive by organizing Pizza Fridays, and to Morales and Amo for their contributions to another great season.

Thank you as well to WRWC’s Parks and River Rangers, whose work throughout the summer kept Riverside Park and the Greenway beautiful and ready for our campers to explore.

We are deeply grateful to the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) for its longstanding support of our bicycle education programs. From staff hours and helmets to years of partnership and investment, Red Shed Bike Camp simply would not be what it is today without RIDOT.

Thank you also to JBI.Bike, our partners in parts, for providing locks, patch kits, and tire levers for our campers. These supplies help make sure kids leave camp with not only new skills, but some of the equipment they need to keep riding safely after the summer ends.

Most importantly, thank you to every camper and family who spent part of their summer with us. Whether you arrived already eager to tackle the Greenway or needed a few days to get comfortable balancing on two wheels, you made this season what it was.

Another seven weeks may have flown by, but the skills, confidence, friendships, and memories built at the Red Shed will travel a lot farther.

Here’s to another amazing season of Red Shed Bike Camp!