Middlefield teen Clarity Huddleston is hoping to inspire other kids to ride.
The 16-year-old junior at Choate Rosemary Hall recently founded Inspired Rides, a 5-week summer camp that will introduce young riders to the joy of bicycling while educating them about bike safety, exercise and nutrition.
"It's just something that I came up with on my own with help from my mom," said Huddleston, who biked across Europe in 2011 and spent last summer biking from Georgia to California.
"I kind of wanted to stick around here this summer but at the same time I really enjoy biking so this is just kind of a way to combine those things and at the same time support something really cool," she said.
All profits from the camp will be donated to World Bicycle Relief, an organization that distributes bicycles in Africa. The charity has delivered more than 124,000 bicycles since 2005.
"Bicycles provide transportation in the wake of disasters, help health care workers visit more of the sick and injured, enable rural schoolchildren to reach distant classrooms, and allow entrepreneurs to transport goods to market," the organization's website says.
The camp will be divided into five, one week sessions starting on July 1. Participants can expect casual rides between 4-5 miles along rural roads in Durham and Middlefield, or other nearby towns.
Riders will stop at scenic areas and maybe even for ice cream.
"It's more about getting kids out on the road and just learning how to bicycle safely and to enjoy the sport," said Huddleston, who is Red Cross certified in both First Aid and CPR.
Beginner, intermediate and experienced riders are welcome to sign up for Inspired Rides and will be paired accordingly.
If you have questions about the program or if you would like to sign up, contact Clarity Huddleston at chuddleston14@choate.edu or 860-716-7352.
You can visit the Inspired Rides website for more info.
