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CREATE Cyclists Gain More Than Bike Skills

May 29, 2025  |  bicycle ride across georgia, bikepacking, center for recreation education arts technology and enterprise, cultural connection, intergenerational recreation, long distance cycling, outdoor leadership, outdoor recreation, youth cycling, youth development
two young people bike past the camera while holding up peace signs
Photo courtesy of CREATE

In outdoor education, the recreation activities often look like the most exciting part. Whether it’s canoeing, cycling, or hiking, it’s easy to get caught up in counting miles, comparing gear, or assessing routes. When done right, however, the recreation activity is a medium through which participants achieve something far more important than completing a new route or increasing daily mileage. When young people have the opportunity to learn new skills, work together, and take appropriate risks, they build resilience, become leaders, and form lasting relationships. The canoeing, cycling, or hiking is simply a way to get there.

A group of cyclists rides by, eyes on the road
Photo courtesy of CREATE

This is certainly true for the recreation programs at the Center for Recreation, Education, Arts, Technology, and Enterprise (CREATE) in Georgia. While CREATE offers a range of programs including cooking classes, a youth choral ensemble, and a financial literacy program, one of its core programs is centered around cycling. In 2024, CREATE worked with new youth cyclists all year to train for long distance rides. Participants started with three-mile rides, but ultimately completed the 480-mile trip from Atlanta to Savannah as part of the Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG). A more advanced group of participants rode all the way from Florida to Maine, covering 2,500 miles over five weeks! In 2025, CREATE will return to BRAG while also debuting new group rides to Chicago, Memphis, and the Carolinas. CREATE’s cycling journeys often include cultural exploration. In 2024, youth learned about Black Wall Street on a Tulsa ride and participated in the Harriet Tubman Freedom Ride in New York. Upcoming 2025 rides will include Juneteenth celebrations and tours of Black-owned farms.

A group of kids lines up with bikes beside an instructor
Photo courtesy of CREATE

In reflecting on the impact of the cycling program, director Toyia Barnes said, “Biking is the entry point to exploring nature, learning environmental responsibility, and connecting deeply with community and history.” To achieve these outcomes, CREATE is intentional about dismantling barriers to cycling among the youth it serves. CREATE provides all necessary gear for participants, covers the cost of travel for group rides, and coaches take the time to teach skills related to camping, like setting up a tent and practicing Leave No Trace, in addition to covering the basics of cycling. One key aspect of CREATE’s success is a partnership with Georgia College & State University (GCSU). GCSU helps CREATE provide CPR, First Aid, and Wilderness First Aid certifications to youth participants, which helps them be safer and more informed recreationists. CREATE and GCSU are also collaborating on research to better understand the effects of the cycling program and other outdoor experiences on middle and high school students, especially those with ADHD and similar conditions.

A CREATE cycling group stands wearing matching jerseys
Photo courtesy of CREATE

As CREATE deepens its youth cycling program through research and evaluation, it has also expanded its audience. CREATE recently launched the AnyBody Can Cycle initiative, which offers intergenerational cycling instruction, so parents and caregivers can ride alongside youth and families can grow a love of the outdoors together. NRF supports CREATE’s cycling programs with Outdoor Grant funding. We’re proud to stand behind CREATE as it helps young people become the best possible versions of themselves through thoughtful and joyful outdoor recreation.