WAIMEA — Roads are dangerous. Bike safety is important. These are two facts that were the driving force behind the inaugural Waimea Bike Fest, which took place on Sunday at the Anna Ranch Heritage Center.
WAIMEA — Roads are dangerous. Bike safety is important. These are two facts that were the driving force behind the inaugural Waimea Bike Fest, which took place on Sunday at the Anna Ranch Heritage Center.
Keiki of all ages attended the Bike Fest, which included several activities such as the 100-yard dash and trail run, the bike rodeo, the strider bike race, the mountain bike exploration ride and the Halloween pumpkin hunt.
The free event was hosted by Race Director Alex Candelario, a former professional cyclist who moved to Hawaii a couple of years ago and now owns and operates Big Island Bike Tours.
“We wanted to give kids a safe place to ride and learn more about bike safety,” Candelario said. “We also wanted to give kids the chance to ride with other kids of the same age to show they are not alone.”
Helping Candelario host the Bike Fest were PATH Hawaii, LavaKids and Bike Works. Each group sponsored their own activities during the event.
Janet Higamiller, one of the event coordinators with Bike Works, echoed Candelario’s goal of providing a safe environment for young riders.
“We wanted kids to feel conformable going off-road,” Higamiller said. “We want them to get dirty and have fun, while we also teach them safety skills.”
Safety was first for the young keiki on Sunday. The Bike Fest opened with a bike rodeo, where keiki were taught the right way to ride. They had to “graduate” this event before being allowed to take on some of the more fun and challenging events, said Higamiller.
As with the HHSAA Cross Country State Championships the day before at nearby Hawaii Preparatory Academy, the weather for the Bike Fest was a mixture of sunshine and sporadic sprays of rain and strong wind.
Despite the constantly changing weather, about 50 kids were preregistered for the event, with a few more riders signing up on the day of the race.
“This was all about the kids,” Candelario said. “The goal is to replicate this event in other areas of the Big Island.”