Flying high across the dirt track, the BMX riders who meet at Camp Orkila for weekly sessions like to have a good time, whether they’re seven years old or well into middle age.

“It’s actually pretty exhausting,” rider Barry Christopherson said. “The goal is to pedal less, and do more jumps, which is very tiring for your body.”

Barry, a life-long cycler, tried the sport for the first time last summer, after his dad, Dan Christopherson, became co-owner of Wildlife Cycles, which hosts the free BMX event on Orcas every Tuesday night. Dan says about 20 riders of all ages come out for the fun.

“Their parents come and watch, but I’m hoping for more crowds and possibly some races next summer,” he said. “Right now we just get out there and practice.”

BMX (Bicycle Motocross) is a cycling sport in which specially designed bikes race on a dirt track with hills and obstacles. It can include freestyle riding, jumping, and more. BMX riding was first introduced in the 1970s, and it’s become increasingly popular since then. It was recently added to the summer Olympics.

The young athletes on Orcas hone their skills on the professional BMX track at Camp Orkila that was built six years ago. Warren Miller and Paul Garwood helped facilitate the project, and Orcas Excavating donated its services for constructing the track. It’s been used for Orkila’s Freedom Sports Camp as well as the community BMX sessions.

The camp provides Redline racing bikes and helmets, and Wildlife Cycles works on the bikes before distributing them.

“We could not do these community nights without Dan and his crew,” Camp Orkila director Dimitri Stankevich said. “They volunteer their time to assist and train the kids. It’s a community service they provide.”

Dan says that even some of the parents have caught BMX fever after watching their kids ride. There have been around seven adults out on the track throughout the summer.“I got out there and rode last year, but then I broke my collarbone,” Dan said. “I don’t want to break any more bones! Not at this age.”

Wildlife Cycle’s summer sessions have been happening since the track was constructed, and when Dan became co-owner of the bike shop in 2008, he continued the tradition.

“We start in mid-May, and we’ll go until it starts to rain,” he said.

Barry says the most skilled riders he’s seen at the track were two girls last summer.

“They were on small bikes, and they were really good,” he said. “They were about 10 years old.”