Just as high school mountain biking leagues are gearing up across the country, an elementary school in Lake Placid, NY will become one of the first to offer a mountain bike program for 3rd through 5th graders. The school’s PE teacher, Matt Young, has been working with others to write up grant proposals and create an MTB curriculum in time for a spring launch.

The school will purchase 21 bikes from Rocky Mountain Bicycles and local bike shops are offering discounted helmets and safety equipment for the program. The class will last 3 weeks and will take advantage of the beginner mountain bike trails around the Lake Placid area.

By now we all know the benefits to mountain biking: it’s good exercise, it teaches confidence, and it’s a great way to stay fit and active. With programs like this and IMBA’s “Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day,” the sport should continue to grow and become even more accessible. Who knows, maybe this elementary school program will inspire kids to get their parents into mountain biking!

photo via blessingofthebikes.com.

Here’s something you may not have seen before: a church service dedicated to bike riders. The 12th Annual Blessing of the Bikes will take place at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in NYC on April 10, 2010 at 9:30am.

During the service a priest sprinkles bikes with Holy Water and there’s a moment of silence for cyclists who have passed away during the previous year. The whole event is very low key and is suited for people of all faiths (or even none at all). Here’s what the organizer has to say:

The interesting thing to me about The Blessing of the Bikes is that some people take it very seriously, some think it’s all a big joke, and some are deeply offended. No mater which of those opinions works best for you… good on you!

Mountain biking (and cycling in general) can be dangerous and many riders no doubt take comfort in blessing their bikes for the upcoming season. A quick search brings up mentions of similar services in New Hampshire and Michigan so check with your local bike shop to see if there’s a service near you!

Photo courtesy Adirondack Bike Ranch

What do you do if there aren’t any good mountain bike trails in your area? You build your own of course – at least that’s what Paul Maggy decided to do. Maggy is set to open the Plattsburgh, NY Adirondack Bike Ranch to the public on April 18 with races, raffles, music and food.

The ranch is basically a mountain bike park with plans for miles of trails, multiple terrain parks, and even an indoor mountain bike track for those cold New York winter months. Adirondack Bike Ranch will also be a one stop shop for riders with on-site mountain bike rentals and a full service bike shop. Mountain bikers can purchase an annual pass for just $25 – a steal if you ask me given that most MTB parks out west charge more than that for a single day pass.

Maggy recently formed NAMBA, an IMBA affiliated bike club and is working with the local chamber of commerce and other businesses to develop the area as an outdoor recreation destination. We’re stoked to see how things go this summer – this might just be a new model for developing MTB trails…