Dear Bike Planning Enthusiast: We at Camp Walden had been working with Progressive Bike Ramps to add an off-road cycling element for our campers to enjoy. At first we weren’t sure what we wanted but knew we wanted something that we could setup and take down easily. Since we were most likely one of the very first sleep a way camps to invest such a program, we worked closely with PBR and their experts to choose and design a pumptrack that met the needs of a very diverse set of riders while also meeting the following criteria: substantial, exciting, affordable, expandable, durable and transitory. When planning for this new activity we weren’t sure how to schedule it so we decided that it would be an elective activity instead of a mandatory activity. We unfortunately, ended up having to locate it in a remote area of camp that was relatively flat compared to the rest of our property. When we first got our pumptrack our staff and campers really weren’t sure how to go about using it, but within a very short time our mountain biking staff along with PBR created and instructional program that was very effective while keeping our camper safe at all times. Originally we thought that perhaps only the older half of camp would really be able to enjoy the pumptrack but before long its reputation spread and both girl and boys, ranging from 8 to 16 years old, were selecting it for their elective program. Next summer, we will be writing into everyone’s schedule and we have already created a very prominent and flat location for it. We found that the track really helped our campers learn how to propel a bike without pedaling, giving them confidence in cornering, building their core strength and balance, all while having fun. We quickly noticed that these skills were easily transferable to our mountain biking program. We are really happy with the PBR pumptrack and would recommend it to any camp, city, school, or recreation program looking to add a dynamic and fun biking apparatus. Our experience with PBR has been great and we look forward to working with them in the future while expanding our track, adding skills course elements, and further developing off-road cycling for our camp. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions while considering the purchase of a PBR pumptrack. Sincerely,
Mark Bernstein Owner/Director