So proud of my son!!!

[CaLizzyMom]

Yesterday my mom rode her bike from her house to my house (she does this on the weekends sometimes), a ride of about 13 miles.  When she got there my kids were eating lunch, she asked my son if he wanted to go for a bike ride, and I asked if he wanted to go to the drink store (nearby convenience store).  I assumed my mom had ridden her bike that had the tag-along attachment (a bike that actually attaches to an adults bike), but of coarse I assumed wrong.  By then it was too late, he wanted to go to the drink store, so mom asked if I thought he was ready and I told her why not, its not like its that far.  I guess the main concern was that it is on a two lane road with no shoulders, but he has to learn to ride on the big road sometime.  Then mom asked if I wanted to come along and hook up the trailer to bring my daughter (ugh...I wanted to say no).  So we  got under way (we had to turn around once so that we could raise his seat, guess what he's getting for Christmas?) and I realized that this was going to take a long time, he rides a regular single speed kids bike (another reason for a new bike, he is ready for gears) and unless he pedals really fast, he only goes at a speed a little faster than a fast walk.  Do you know how hard it is to ride a bike slowly?  I was fighting not to fall off.  He finally got the idea and kept a constant speed (enough so that mom and I were able to pedal occassionally).  We decided that I would be in front (with daughter) and son would follow with Grandma.  That way I didn't have to slow down on downhills, you need all the extra speed you can get with an extra 65 pounds being dragged behind your bike.  The only worrisome part was the 1 lane bridge.  It is actually about 1 & 3/4 of a lane, but most people wait for the oncoming traffic to cross the bridge before they go.  I went first because you go down a hill and over the bridge then up the other side, so I needed all the speed I could get.  Grandma and son followed with pick-up behind them (he didn't even try to pass) and he made it up the hill without having to walk.  The driver of the pick-up stayed behind them until they reached their turn, I was so grateful because he even yelled at another car to stop and yield the right-of-way to the bikes (the cars are supposed to yield for oncoming traffic, but being that they were on bikes he hadn't planned to until that guy yelled at him).  We all made it up the last hill and down the road in the bike lane, surrounded by college students in their cars (It is a newer road with several appartment complexes that cater to students, therefore the bike lane and the students in cars).  We stood in the turn lane (in the center of the road) to make the left turn into the drink store.  The reward for making it that far was a juice, granola bar, and a rest until we were ready to head home.  We did everything in reverse (except for the hill after the bridge, he had to walk because that side was steeper) and made it home with no more scares.  We had been gone a little more than an hour and had ridden 6 1/2 miles.  I was so impressed because he has never ridden his own bike that far,  of coarse now my legs are sore... 

My son on his first bike in Dec. '03, he is 6 now.

 

[MSugarKane]

Oct. 26, 2008 at 6:58 PM

thats so awesome!