Gym teacher Tim Farrar, center, gives direction to Oak Hill High School students June 10 before riding mountain bikes to get ice cream during the last few days of school. From left are Dominic Biron, Michael Littlefield, Farrar, Joseph Greenwood and Brandon Plourde. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

WALES — Oak Hill High School gym teacher Tim Farrar has been trying to build a mountain bike-based program for high school students and the support he needs to make it happen is starting to come together.

Toward the end of the school year, Farrar was able to obtain 12 mountain bikes through a federal grant and 12 more through a donation from the Maine Cycling Club. The club also donated a trailer that can be used to haul bikes to trail systems such as Mt. Apatite in Auburn and Libby Hill Forest Trails in Gray.

“Putting kids on bikes is something I have wanted to do for 20 years and now I have the support,” Farrar said.

He had taught physical education at Fort Kent High School and Lewiston High School, but was never able to get much traction in starting a program until he landed at Oak Hill. And having a principal that rides his bike 18 miles to get home from school some days has helped.

“I love to ride bikes all the time,” Principal Marco Aliberti said. “It’s an important part of my life.”

Gym teacher Tim Farrar, center, helps Oak Hill High School students get a bike that fits June 10 before riding mountain bikes to get ice cream during the last few days of school in Wales. From left are Michael Littlefield, Farrar, Dominic Biron and Joseph Greenwood. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Farrar said two challenges to putting teens on bikes is the cost and the knowledge needed to maintain them.

“The donation from the club means that every kid that goes through our school will learn safe bike skills, understand how to maneuver, maintain and enjoy riding a bike,” he said.

The bikes had been used by Auburn Middle School math teacher Jim Carmichael’s school cycling club. Carmichael retired from teaching and the Maine Cycling Club was looking for someone else as passionate about teaching kids to ride as Carmichael was.

“We needed to find a home for some bikes and Tim was starting a new program,” John Grenier, a club board member, said. “It’s a perfect fit.”

Farrar invited the Bicycle Coalition of Maine to visit his school and teach students bicycle maintenance and safety. Students have already started building mountain bike trails behind the school.

“We don’t know what we are doing, but we are learning,” Farrar said about the network of trails coming together.

“Bikes. Dirt bikes. Anything that has two wheels,” said sophomore Brandon Plourde. “The thought of riding a bike at school definitely makes me get up in the morning.”

Farrar knew his cycling program had room to grow when Aliberti’s commencement speech centered around cycling.

“Cycling for me is a passion,” Aliberti told the class of 2024.

Oak Hill High School gym teacher Tim Farrar has received support for a mountain bike-based program for high school students through a federal grant and Maine Cycling Club. MCC donated 12 mountain bikes and a trailer to the cycling program in Wales. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

He also mentioned the many comparisons between learning to ride a bike and life, including balance, drive, braking and push.

“You need balance in life, between the many roles you currently have and those you will take on,” Aliberti told the class.

He continued, “A source of drive in order to move forward and progress … Braking or slowing down to enjoy the moment or avoid a calamity.”

Aliberti also spoke of the push that he received from his father while first learning to ride a bike as a child after many failed attempts.

“A lot came together to make this work,” Farrar said about his cycling program. “We have done a lot, but it feels like there is so much more to do.”

“I very grateful that we are set up to do something,” he said. “After 22 years of teaching, I feel almost decent at what I do.”

Oak Hill High School students Dominic Biron, right, Joseph Greenwood, middle, and Brandon Plourde ride mountain bikes June 10 to get ice cream during the last few days of school in Wales. Oak Hill High School gym teacher Tim Farrar has received support for a mountain bike-based program for high school students through a federal grant and Maine Cycling Club. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal