Ready, set, pedal

COEUR d'ALENE - When a professional BMX rider visited Ashlyn Morrow's school four years ago, dressed in the gear he wears on race days, Ashlyn said she thought it was "the coolest thing in the world."

It was that day Ashlyn, now 13, decided that she too would like to try out the sport. When the Coeur d'Alene teen got on a bike and hit the dirt track, she said she was immediately hooked. So she traded her softball cleats and mitt for cycling shoes and a custom BMX bike.

"I love just being able to come out here and ride and be myself," Ashlyn said. "It's a lot of fun."

Ashlyn joined about 50 local BMX riders at Cherry Hill Park on Tuesday to make practice runs on the newly redesigned dirt track. A nationally recognized BMX track builder, Lance McGuire, played a huge role in the new course, according to Ashley's father, Wade.

"We met (McGuire) at a national circuit event," said Morrow, board president for North Idaho BMX, the nonprofit organization behind the park. "He had heard of the track here at Cherry Hill and we quickly got him on board with the redesign."

With McGuire on board, it was just a matter of waiting for the weather in order to put the plans into action. During Memorial Day weekend, McGuire, Morrow and a crew of volunteers worked 12-hour days moving and packing dirt and clay.

"It's great to see the kids all out here smiling today. That's our reward," Morrow said. "This is mainly for the kids."

The completed track, Morrow said, was designed in order to cater to the wide variety of ages and skill levels of riders who race and practice during the BMX season.

"The course before was a lot more downhill and gravity fed, which means the kids had to pedal a lot less," Morrow said. "We wanted something to allow them to build their skills, and this track will allow the kids of varying skill levels to hone and develop their skills at the same time."

Terrence Northington, a former North Idaho BMX board member, said seeing the redesigned track for the first time was exciting. Northington has been involved with the nonprofit organization for years and remembers when, at a Coeur d'Alene City Council meeting more than eight years ago, the plans for the Cherry Hill BMX track were formed.

"This park wasn't anything back then and we heard they had plans to put everything from a bowling alley to condominiums on the property," Northington said. "The city really wanted to hear from some user groups about possible uses for the space, and mentioned us. It kicked off from there."

Northington said Doug Eastwood, former Coeur d'Alene parks director, and the city council were quick to get on board with the organization's proposal for a park.

"They saw how it would enhance the park," Northington said. "They were never intimidated by it and saw that this really is a family-oriented sport."

When Northington's son, Garrett, was only 5 years old, Northington took him to the old BMX track on Saltese. Garrett too was bitten by the BMX bug and said he instantly "wanted to race really bad."

Garrett, now 17, has begun his 13th season competing and is regularly nationally ranked in his age group.

"It's a great sport to get kids involved in and active with," Garrett said. "If you stick with it, you can do anything you want in the world of BMX."

"It's made him a better person," Northington added. "He's already had experiences that I've never had in my lifetime and it's taken him to places I never thought it would."

Families and kids interested in trying BMX racing are encouraged to go to the track at Cherry Hill Park on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings, where, weather permitting, races and practices take place. Morrow said that those new to the sport will be welcomed and given all the advice and training they need.

On Saturday, the new track will have its first race. The public is welcome to attend. Registration for those who wish to participate begins at 10 a.m.