Patrolling the parkway: Volunteers deployed to assist trail users
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. —Aug 10 2020
The American River Parkway is seeing lots of traffic these days. Not just because it’s summertime, but also because of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Sacramento County, the parkway sees 9.5 million trail users a year. Although use estimates during the pandemic aren’t in just yet, the county and a newly-formed group of bike patrol volunteers believe the number of people cycling, hiking, walking, running, riding horses and otherwise enjoying the parkway has increased dramatically in recent months.
That’s why the American River Bike Patrol came together. Organized and trained by the National Ski Patrol, bike patrol volunteers are now deployed daily to ride several stretches along the 32-mile-long trail — from the Discovery Park area near Sacramento to Beal’s Point near Granite Bay.
“We want to provide a service and really make this a safe environment for everyone,” said patrol leader James Cheng. “We’re seeing a lot of, with these novice riders, the lack of understanding for trail etiquette. They get out here on new equipment and they’re not really familiar with it, and that could be a really dangerous situation.”
Officially on duty for just a few weeks now, American River Bike Patrol volunteers received the go-ahead back in February from Sacramento County to organize and keep watch over the parkway’s bike trails.
They’re ready to lend a hand wherever and whenever needed. The volunteers patrol the parkway — equipped with to tools offer directions and supplies to fix flat tires, administer first aid and potentially use their CPR-certified skills to save lives.
Volunteers report the following metrics for their first month of patrols:
400 volunteer patrol hours performed
350 trail assists
21 medical assists
1 life-saving CPR event
It’s important trail stewardship during the coronavirus pandemic with more people making use of the trail.
“It’s nice to have friendly faces come and ask if you need help and actually help you with whatever you need,” said Elizabeth Winward, who, along with her husband James Cheng and son Brandon Cheng, volunteer their time toward keeping other trail users safe.
“We really have a gift here in Sacramento. Not all cities have something this awesome,” Winward continued. “I think it just compels me to want to give back to the community during this difficult time.”
Trail users benefit from the bike patrol’s presence and the volunteers themselves reap rewards.
“It’s fantastic. I really enjoy spending quality family time with my loved ones and the bike patrol has really helped me stay in shape especially during these hard times with the coronavirus and lockdown,” said Brandon Cheng. “It’s a very fulfilling experience to help the community.”
The American River Bike Patrol group is in need of more volunteers to work shifts at various times, days and locations on the trail. If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, visit the organization’s website at americanriverbikepatrol.org.
