Prepare to Ride!
Contributed by Debra McGhan
As snow moves down the mountains and fills the valleys, the urge to get out and ride grows stronger every day. Don’t just hit the trails this winter, take the time to get trained. Alaska Safe Riders (ASR) has a host of training opportunities available this season thanks to support from a slate of incredible sponsors. Whether you’re looking for avalanche awareness, glacier travel tips, trail rides, or training for your school, ASR has something for everyone.
“Our goal is to promote safe riding while exploring in the mountains and on the trails all across the state,” said Executive Director Mike Buck. “We are partnering with other non-profits, companies, and agencies to raise awareness, distribute safety equipment, and help everyone find the training they need to have incredible, safe adventures.”
Thanks to a three-year grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation, ASR has been training a fleet of instructors who are ready to bring this training to schools across the Mat-Su Valley. If your school is interested, reserve your spot today by contacting the team through the ASR website.
For those living in remote communities, whether in the Mat-Su or on the North Slope, a $5,000 grant to ASR from the Alaska Community Foundation is helping to support online training which will be easily accessed and scheduled through their website at https://alaskasaferiders.org.
Whether online or in the classroom, it’s important to learn critical skills that will keep you safe on your Alaskan adventures.
November is the perfect time of year to get your sled in the garage and tune, clean, wax and inspect every inch so you will be ready when the trails open for riding. The Safe Rider team has great videos on their You Tube Channel at ‘AK Sled Shed’ that walk you through exactly what to do to be sure your sled is ready to ride.
“It’s well worth taking the time so that you can get out on the trails and not have to worry about something breaking or going wrong,” said Buck.