Page 26 - North State Parent July 2020

for community By Jenna Christophersen
Family Biking in the North State
This summer, let your family ride into the heart-healthy, earth-friendly and budget-saving adventure of biking
Biking might prove your family’s solution to keeping the kids engaged while simultane- ously exercising, social distancing, getting
across town and protecting a budget affected by the pandemic. During COVID-19, families throughout Cal- ifornia have discovered the benefits of biking. They’ve taken advantage of quieter roads and more downtime to pull old bikes out of the garage.
The North State, especially, with its diverse trails and terrain, beckons cyclists of all styles and skill levels to get out and explore new neighborhoods or nature as a family.
Biking in Shasta County
The Kibler family, Matt, Carrie; and their sons Da- vid, age eight, and Cole, age six, all rank Clover Creek Preserve as their favorite biking trail. David especially loves watching rabbits and snakes scurry through the underbrush as he rides what he calls mystery side treks off the paved trail. Regular bike rides have always been one way for the Kiblers to connect as a family. During
26 North State Parent • Serving Upper California Since 1993
COVID-19, the exercise has become even more of a com- munity-building activity. “We usually run into neigh- bors when we’re out, and especially now because more people are at home more,” Matt explains. “Sometimes we invite the boys’ friends and their parents, and it’s great because the boys can ride together and the par- ents can talk and catch up, all while being outside and social distancing.”
Matt and Carrie also enjoy mountain biking togeth- er on Shasta County’s challenging uphills and exhila- rating downhills, taking in the beautiful vistas around Whiskeytown Lake. Carrie praises Redding Trail Alliance (reddingtrailalliance.org) for investing in, building and maintaining excellent trails, like the recently completed Enticer’s Trail, before and since the Carr Fire. “I am so proud to see that development in our community,” Car- rie says. “We have some of the best mountain biking, and there’s a trail for everyone.”
For other mountain bikers, Healthy Shasta (healthyshasta.org/be-active/biking), based in Redding, CA, offers maps and instructions for easy trails like Prin-
cess Ditch, intermediate trails like French Fry Loop and advanced trails like the 26-mile Lemurian Shasta Classic. Families who prefer to take a spin around town or incorporate biking into their daily transportation will also appreciate Healthy Shasta’s Bike Redding map, which helps cyclists avoid busy driving roads and find bike-friendly paths and shortcuts. BikeRedding.com likewise provides maps to bikeable routes, such as Redding’s Sacramento River and the Rail Trails, both of which come highly recommended by the Kibler
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Learn more about biking in Shasta
County by visiting Shasta Living Streets (shastalivingstreets.org). Shasta Living Streets’ vision includes seeing “Downtown Redding as the center hub of a connected city” with increased transportation choices and better health through walking and biking.
Fun at Family friendly Greenhorn Trails above Yreka. Photo Credit: Discover Siskiyou