Wheel Family Fun: Bike safe, bike smart

May is National Bike Month. It's a time to get out the bikes and ride with your family. Of course, that means making sure everyone is well-equipped with safely functioning steeds, properly fitted and intact helmets, and the skills and knowledge to manage the ride. It also means finding a safe and fun place for young riders to practice "driving their bikes."

This Saturday, May 7, the Mount Washington Valley Bicycling Club is putting on its eighth annual Kids' Bike Safety Day at Story Land from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is a good kickoff to the bicycle season where your children have their bikes and helmets checked for safety and fit. Their biking skills are tested by riding the safety stations set up around Story Land. Trained mechanics will check over each bike and make minor fixes like pumping up tires, lubing chains or adjusting brakes. Kids with bikes that need more attention will be given loaner bikes to use for the event. Children whose helmets don't fit or are damaged are given new ones, courtesy of the bike club. Local police officers review the "Rules of the Road" with youngsters before they ride the seven safety stations. The stations emphasize skills like riding on the right, stopping and starting, entering road ways, signaling and making turns, crossing railroad tracks, and avoiding obstacles. At the end of the ride, there are stickers and food, courtesy of local vendors. For those who want more riding, there's even an adventure ride. The whole event is free to all kids ages 5-11. It's a great tune-up for spring riding!