October Program Update

This month we are hosting two exciting new programs Bike Repair 101 on October 13, 2023, from 6-8pm at Riverside Center on Foote St. NE, and we partnering with Washington Area Bike Association to bring Confident City Cycling on October 29, 2023, from 10-1pm at Anacostia Boat Ramp Parking Lot. We appreciate you and can’t wait to see you in the outdoors!

We start with our monthly Bouldering Night at the Bouldering Project-DC on Eckington Pl in NE Washington on, October 4 from 7-pm. The event takes place the first Wednesday of the month and is a community centered program offered at no cost to the first 25 Soul Trak participants, community members thereafter pay an entry fee but receive free rentals. We’re looking forward to seeing  new faces at our popular, climbing event. Volunteers are available to show first-timers how to boulder.

So please reach out to them if you need some assistance!

Come join Soul Trak to learn how to fix up bikes and make them ride-ready! Volunteers from The Bike House, a DIY bike repair clinic, will be there to provide assistance and lessons in basic bike maintenance. Bring your own bike to work on, or help us work on spare bikes. We will do some basic maintenance and get these bikes cleaned up so they can be used for future group bike rides. Soul Trak will provide cleaning and repair supplies and bike pumps, and participants will learn basic bike maintenance skills like how to patch a tube and clean a bike chain. We will meet on October 13th, 6-8p at the Riverside Center (next to Marvin Gaye Park) 5200 Foote St. NE Washington, DC 20019.

Dust off your hiking boots and hike with us on the Great Seneca Trail, Seneca Creek Greenway Trail, and the Lakeshore Trail around Clopper Lake on October 14. The loop is a pleasant 6 mile loop with beautiful scenery around Clopper Lake that runs between 715 ft of elevation. Hikers should bring water,  snacks, it is important to have enough fuel for the day. We will stop for a break midway through hike. Do also wear close toed shoes and dress appropriately for the weather.  Note that all hiking tours are weather dependent and will proceed in light rain but may need to cancel if there is heavy rain, lightning, or strong wind in the forecast. See you on the trail.

Are you looking to ride a bike to commute, for exercise, or for fun through the city? Soul Trak and Washington Area Bicyclists Association (WABA) are excited to present Confident City Cycling, a class that teaches you the skills you need to ride safely and confidently on streets and in heavily trafficked areas. The first half of the class will cover important bike handling skills and hazard avoidance maneuvers necessary while riding in traffic. Participants learn skills such as the avoidance weave, quick stop, rock dodge and instant turn, and discuss considerations for sharing space with other road users. The class ends with an on-street group ride, where participants put their newly acquired skills to the test. Have any questions? Email us at education@waba.org.

Soul Trak is hosting our 2023 Fall Youth Adventure Cohort this Spring for children between the ages of 11-14. This 6 session program  will consist of a series of exciting activities led by Soul Trak staff and program partners. The outings will take place on Sunday mornings and culminate in an overnight camping weekend. The Youth Cohort is a great opportunity to initiate their bonding experience as rising outdoor enthusiasts and further their learning around leadership, sustainability, and outdoor recreational activities that promote teamwork, skill building, and expand our tolerance for adversity. Their activities are hiking, urban gardening, camping with zip-lining, and white-water rafting in West Virginia, an Anacostia  boat tour, and outdoor climbing at Carderock.  All programs, equipment, group meals, camp lodging, and ground transport will be covered for youth.

This month the Adventure Cohort will have a Paddle on October 8, from 9:30-12:00pm at the Georgetown Waterfront, an Outdoor Climbing session at Carderock on October 15, from 9:00-12:00pm and an Overnight Camping event at Harper’s Ferry Adventure Center, WV on October October 21-22 with kayaking and ziplining.

We still have a few spots available for the US Virgin Island Service Trip this November. So do sign up so you don’t miss out! Soul Trak will be partnering with the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park in the US Virgin Islands of St. John. The week will consist of exciting activities and workshops led by both Soul Trak staff and program partners. This is a great opportunity to deepen our bonding experience as a network of outdoor leaders, further our learning around leadership and diversity, and continue to engage in outdoor recreational activities that promote teamwork, skill building, and expand our tolerance for adversity. This program will be made available for the Environmental Leadership Cohort, College Ambassador Cohort, Soul Trak Volunteers and Soul Trak Members.

You can find all our September programs on our events page. We look forward to seeing you in the outdoors!