Summer Memories 1: Kids taking to bikes

This was a big summer for Theo and Henry who both rose to new bike heights.  Theo quickly ditched his training wheels in the spring and spent the summer improving his biking skills.  Henry reached the size at 15 months when he could ride in the Bobike front seat (a Dutch design).  Like Theo did, he loves riding in the Bobike.  And we love all the things he points to, the exclamations he makes, and his delight with riding up high.  With him right between you and the handlebars the conservation connection is fantastic. 

Here is a picture of the crew biking about 1.5 miles to our favorite Midtown Farmers Market this June.

Catching up on Lost Time

It has been two weeks since I rode my bike to work.  Bums me out.  Between my work schedule and a sudden shift into winter weather without a psychological and bike shift into winter biking, I have been taking the bus every day.  Sure, Hillary and I are doing our short rides around the neighborhood- to daycare, the food coop, rehearsal, friend's houses, etc.- but I depend on that commute for exercise and extra peace of mind.  Even for a regular bike rider, once you get out of the commute groove it can be hard to get back in when you have a good bus alternative..and the onset of winter.

It has been five months since I posted to this blog.  Bums me out.  It is not for lack of things to share.  I frankly don't know where the time went.  It was a fantastic summer with lots of great family bike rides, trips, and time with friends and family.  As the Minnesota winter has settled in - it's 12 degrees F outside now with snow on the ground - I find myself looking back on many great photos of "Riding Phrius".  These are all ones that I took thinking they would be accompanied with their own posts.  But alas, that never happened.  So amidst frustration over my last two weeks of negligible biking, transition to winter, and a long Thanksgiving weekend, I have gathered some photos of a summer and fall of "Riding Phrius".  I will post one or two every few days to catch up on lost time.  I hope you enjoy.
 

"We're still in the garage"

Coordinating Friday afternoons with a family of four can be rather hard, especially when a thunderstorm intervenes in our best made plans.

I thought I might make it home dry skirting between the storm clouds.  But the sky opened up just before I reached our favorite summer restaurant, Sea Salt. I ducked under their roof alongside the mostly dry wedding party, the soaked teenagers, and the many others waiting for their prawns and Po' boys. With nothing better to do while waiting out the rain, I got a beer and chatted with some friends celebrating their 6th wedding anniversary. (I have been waiting for an excuse to stop here for a beer for years).  Faithfully, I texted my coordinates.

Andy: "Sea Salt refuge"
Hillary: "Reading books in the garage"

5 minutes later the truth comes out when Hillary calls.

H: "We're locked out.  I left my keys in the house in the quick hand-off of Henry from the babysitter to me. When are you going to get here? Are you having a beer?"
A: "Yes. I"ll be home in 20 minutes. I'm leaving now." [half a beer left]

25 minutes later I call.

A: "Almost home."
H: "We're still in the garage."

I bike up the alley and spy Henry toddling out from the open door of our garage then head back in. I creep up with the camera and find Hillary and the two boys still reading books. Good thing Hil had been to a book sale recently! We all made it inside before the worst of the storm hit.

Bike walk week with a little birder on a bike

Being three days into Bike Walk Week in the Twin Cities,  I was feeling bummed that my schedule had prevented me from biking yet this week. But at last yesterday morning I was able to bike with Theo to school and then to work.

It is such a treat to ride to school with Theo.  He is so excited about being able to ride his bike without training wheels  This morning's ride was through beds of fragrant, fallen catalpa flowers.  Later we collected a bike windshield-sized catalpa leaf that we propped up in his basket.  He thought that was funny. And he gained an impromptu show-and-tell item for school.

 

Note the binoculars ready for action...

Dad, look at the birds!  (They were starlings, but so cool nonetheless.)

Nice Ride MN at our favorite Local Eatery

 

 Bike Share is here in Minneapolis!  Here is a new Nice Ride station recently installed in front of the Birchwood Cafe.  

Date night on bikes

Hillary and I try to have a date night once or month of so.  On a recent Saturday night it was the typical handoff to the baby sitter and race out the the door whose timing rests on many ingredients including mild planning, luck, and I hope to think some parenting skill.   We usually take the bus on date night.  But for lack of at least one ingredient, we missed the bus.  Headed to the Guthrie Theater to see "M Butterfly",  we quickly realized we could ride our bikes.  What an excellent decision that was.  It was a beautiful night and our route was along the Mississippi River. 

Pedaling through the warm summer evening, wind in our hair,
We are pedaling faster, hoping to beat our missed bus,
Tent caterpillars descending from the trees above,
Cottonwood fluff ascending, wafting lazily on the summer breeze.

We pull up beside the Guthrie Theater and file in with hundreds to enjoy an excellent production of "M Butterfly."

Darkness has fallen, we pedal homewards discussing the play,
Sipping the cooling air with the wind in our hair.

What a date night!

The little commentator on two wheels

After Theo's last night of T-ball we couldn't resist the urge to bike a little further to Minnehaha Falls Park and have dinner at Sea Salt.  "Hey, Theo, do you want to go to Minnehaha Falls?"  "Yeah, there will be lots of cool bikes there!"

With Theo and Henry in the Roo and Theo's bike perched on top, we pedaled on over.  The falls were "turned on" as Theo put it, and flowing strongly.  He was psyched.  We bumped into Theo's best buddy from school - an added bonus.  The fish fry food was really good, and the beer too.  And the Sebastian Joe's ice cream was a treat for all.  The bike ride home capped the evening off.

Theo has quickly moved beyond training wheels and is really biking well.  After a half mile or so on the way home, he said, "I want to ride my bike".  He rode over a mile and half all the way home!  The commentary was particularly good (and loud, apologies to the neighbors): 

"Hey guys, you shouldn't go out in the street when you still have a child on the sidewalk."
"I'm going to catch you, Daddy!"
"Hey, look at the cool garden.  It has lots of plants.  That's another nice garden."
"Wow, look at that house.  It looks like a gingerbread house."
"Huh, what is this part of the neighborhood?  We haven't been here before.  Are you sure this is the way home, Mommy?"
"Whoa, look, a fire, let's go faster!"
"Oooh, it is spooky.  I think it is Halloween." (As it gets dark and we pass thick tree cover)