It’s a warm, blue-sky day in Wyoming. The sun beats down on a line of mountain bikers speeding across the dirt single track in Curt Gowdy State Park.
The line of mostly teenage cyclists from Faith, flanked by adult volunteers, pauses momentarily at the top of Gold Standard, a rollercoaster ride that, true to its namesake, has gold stripes painted on the volcanic rock illuminating the route.
Hoots and hollers emanate from the riders as they descend the steep drops and roll over narrow bridges. As the kids and winded adults pull up at the bottom of the run, everyone is all grins and it’s time to do it all over again.
The morning at Curt Gowdy was just one in a series of rides that are part of Faith’s new Mountain Bike Workshop created by Pastor Steve Baumgaertner for students this summer.
“The main purpose of our workshop is to connect our students to one another and the church. We do a devotional before each ride, but we want to create for our students great memories of how adults in their church engaged them,” Pastor Steve said. “We have a ton of students who love mountain biking. What an awesome thing it is to get a bunch of adults to take them out to do something they love. To enjoy God’s creation! To make some friends! To be reminded about how God loves them!”
Thus far, the group, which meets every other Saturday morning, has biked Blue Sky Trail, Horsetooth and Lory State Park in addition to Curt Gowdy. Lyons and other trails across the Front Range are still on the list to ride this summer.
The workshop is open to all students and accommodates various skill levels. Since some students are new to the sport and others are more skilled, Pastor Steve and the other adults break up into groups ranging from beginner to advanced. The hope is that the students can grow to love the sport and the amazing landscape we live in as they develop friendships and church connections.
If you are interested in participating in a ride, contact Pastor Steve at sbaumgaertner@faithchurchfc.org for details.
David Young has been a member of Faith for five years. He is a public relations communication specialist with a background in journalism, and he serves on Faith’s writing team. He loves creative writing and being able to share captivating stories with the church.
David is a Colorado native who enjoys climbing Colorado’s 14ers, fly fishing, backpacking and mountain biking.