Family Biking

How do two parents go on long bike rides with three kids under 5?  Here’s our guide.

 

A key component is that Kyla can ride solo now.  And you can imagine how good she has gotten over the last few days and several miles of riding on bike paths. Not only does she have to stay upright, but she has to follow the rules of the road.  And do her best to keep up with her older cousins.  We have learned it is best to put her in knee and elbow pads in addition to her helmet.  She has taken lots of spills and we counted more than 30 “owies” on her last night.  She is a tough cookie.  When we counted all her scrapes and bruises last night, she said cheerily, “I must be a really brave girl to have all those owies!”  Yes, Kyla, you are.

 

The rental house we are in bragged of 10 bikes in the garage.  Technically, yes, but about 3 are unrideable (um, no spokes in the tires, missing half of a handle bar) and half are smaller kid bikes.  But the treasure was one of those tag-a-longs for little kids to attach to an adult bike.  This is a Piper-size bike and I think we may buy one of our own as soon as we get home.  Piper loves it and Daddy calls her his little engine.  When we have to walk our bikes, she gets off and holds her half of the bike like Daddy does to cross the road.

 

Grandma and Grandpa rented a tandem for one day.  The bike and trailer behind it is for Wesley and I.  He doesn’t love wearing the helmet and I don’t blame him since I can’t seem how to fit it right so it won’t slide over his eyes when he leans back against the seat.

 

The trailer, which we are borrowing from my good friend, is like my minivan. It has a trunk in back of it for the snacks, toys, and diaper bag.  Kyla has actually fit back there (on her own accord, as she could have squeezed in with Piper and Wesley).  But here is its most practical use, created by Dan and Deborah:

When Kyla has had “too many ouches for a little girl”—or too many  miles—we tow her bike behind by putting the front tire in the trunk while Kyla rides inside with Wesley.  It looks lopsided in this picture, but it works great once in motion.  There’s a little extra drag, but that is why I have one of the few bikes with gears on it. 

And we always wear helmets.  Even if we wear little else.