Show Section Sunday August 18 2002 Pagel The Herald Journal s f- - ' - v r $V cst m ’V’? ? j' :'y '&!££? - £ vb ' '- - is $5?$ : ‘j - v ’U’f'i ‘":- - it - J- - :"! XX occer cleats volleyball nets and school white helmets atop pre-hig-h football players were nothing out of the ordinary But motorcycles on the middle school lawn? The setting was admittedly odd So odd that it attracted the gaze of a passing bicyclist of a Logan city patrolman arid of & r newspaper reporter living across the street There at Mount Logan Middle School a n motorbikes wound through a slalom Course pf orange cones ' Somelurched forward with riders who had just learned to use the throttle Others maneuvered over a small log laid across one end of the course ' On the sideline stood Bob Barlow a sixth-gramath teacher and motorcycle (i J half-doze- de junkie The Lewiston man has certified more than SO middle school-ag- e children with motorcycle safety licenses since beginning the program three years ago ' But certification is not the goal Rather Barlow aims at building “When these kids firstcome out they’ll get on a bike and it will kill on them” he said “But when they finally get it going and stay on it it builds confidence that they can take with them” Barlow’s group is known as the Dust- stormers Its roots can be traced back to the hue 1970s when young Barlow was attending Utah State University There as part of the Big Brother program he took his kids out bn motor bike rides The kids woe thrilled But if wasn’t until ’ three years ago that hq wkick-startthe pro-H' '2 in a mote formal on at Mount Logan Middle School This time it was part of the afterschool pro’ gram Janiece Edgington a fellow sixth-gnio- e math tewdierahd parself-estee- m ed S '- -' ' : :' :- - Story by Jeremiah Stettler Photos by Mitch Mascaro Top: A rider makes hec way through the slalom section ot the training course at ML Logan Middle School il Above right: Instructor Bob Bartow gives direction 1 - " j ' 'V i I Above: Stephen Edgington does a pre-rid- e Inspection ot hie motorcycle prior to tackling the course V : ent of abuststormer said the impacts have been “huge” Like Barlow she spoke of increased self-estee- i Right: Stuart Edgington Secures his helmet before starting the riding course at Ml Logan Mkkle School s i m and better ' were so hard” she said “But I could just give them a note that said ‘Are you coming to the Dusts tormers meeting after school?’ and they would be like ‘Guys be quiet She’s trying to talk’” The Duststormers program has been crafted around motorcycle safety It speaks of wearing helmets and long-sleeshirts and gloves while teaching the basics of how to operate s motorcycle and preserve the environment Once the riders have been safety certified the program moves onto the trails ' Janiece’s husband Jason spoke of an overnight trek with his son up Cub River ride near the Great Canyon of a Salt Lake and of another to Old Ephraim’s grave And his stomach remembers the ovemighter when the boys were in charge of buying groceries and making breakfast French toast made with chocolate milk Yum “Needless to say both of the adults got a little sick” he said But Jason also talked about Barlow’s emphasis on fixing trails that have been rs tom up by other motorcycles and and of his reiteration of the principle “Make no mark” He also spoke of Barlow’s infamous math problem that the Duststormers have to answer before each ride On a recent trek up Logan Canyon the gtoup had to figure put how much rainfall the mountain could hold using buckets of water Though the program has been fund- ed in part by a : grant the bulk of the financial support has come from Barlow himself Ovpr the last three years he has purchased seven new motorcycles and si heap of gloveS goggles boots and hel- mets He’s token his own timA and money to get this program going” Jason skid “I would say he is the most compassionate man I have ever y ve 70-mi- le four-wheele- s 21st-Centur- relations between chil- met” " ' dren and adultsBut Edgington also spoke of progress in the For information on the Duststormers program look online at wwwduststormers com classroom r “I had two kids that r:V ' 't ' Vi- 1 I ' 1 ! ! ' c ' i V - V V "t - S v J |