22 + 100 = One Proud Kid (and mom)

I can’t believe we are almost to the weekend and I haven’t written about our biking fun from last weekend. I could give you a day-by-day play-by-play but it would get too long. Here are a a couple of highlights instead...
We had a chance to take in some bike racing on Sunday - No, we weren’t watching Stage 1 of the Tour de France live, we were in Northfield, Minnesota watching the 11th annual Northfield Criterium bike races that take place in our town every 4th of July. Cayman, one of the guys from Valley Bike & Ski, saw us there and came over to talk to us and tell us a bit about what was going on. His behind the scenes knowledge helped us enjoy the races even more and we had a lot of fun!
Cruising down Division Street
Northfield 4th of July Criterium Races

After the races we took our bikes over to the Mill Town Trail that connects Northfield and Dundas and rode to one end and back for a total of six miles. Ryan rode the Trail-a-Bike, Rose her bike and Owen and I our hybrids. It was a great little ride. We ended the night with a great show of 4th of July fireworks put on by our neighbors. 
Owen didn't work Monday so we decided to join another family and hit the Cannon Valley Trail. Ryan insisted on riding his own bike. I was a little skeptical, our proposed route was 20 miles and he’s never gone that far on his own bike before. But he was determined so we decided to let him do it and hope for the best. It was a most awesome ride! The kids led the way somewhat loudly announcing our “train” of bikes to everyone we met along the trail. We sang songs. We talked. We stopped to eat Clif Bars and Shot Roks and the kids pedaled on and on and never complained. Soon we were at our halfway point and diverted 1/3 mile into the tiny town of Welch for ice cream.  Our trip back was a bit slower, Ryan was obviously tiring and so were the rest of us, but everyone kept their spirits up and kept pedaling and the miles breezed on by.
The kids enjoy awesome ice cream comes at our rest stop at the Trout Scream Cafe in Welch.
Along the way Ryan realized, much like I did last Friday, that his odometer had turned over to a big number - 100 miles! Rose noticed that her odometer had also passed up the 100 mile mark. That’s 100 Miles of Fun for both kids since they got their bikes a couple of months ago! Yay - here’s hoping for hundreds of miles more.
We ended up logging 22 miles and all felt like we accomplished something big by the end - we rode all that way in the heat and still had fun! We celebrated with a picnic lunch - indoors and out of the heat -  a perfect finish to a great 4th of July weekend.
Looking back I’m so glad we let Ryan ride his own bike. I was so worried he would get too tired to make it the whole way, worried that he wouldn’t have fun, that he would hold up the rest of the group. He must know his own strength better than I do because he actually set the pace for a lot of the ride and, with the determination of an eight-year-old who doesn’t want to be left behind, rode strong and well. Sure, he was tired by the end of the ride but when I see him pedaling those 22 miles in my mind he’s riding his tiny 6 speed Trek MT60 as proudly as if he was riding a Trek for Team Radio Shack in the Tour de France.  You know what? As his mom I couldn’t have been prouder of him if he had. 

Ryan after his 22 mile ride.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Ryan is so CUTE! I can't wait until our youngest can cycle with us also. It is wonderful family time.
July 9, 2010 at 8:16 AM
Myrna CG Mibus said…
Thanks - He is a cutie!
I never thought we would have so much fun riding as a family. You are right - riding is wonderful family time!
July 10, 2010 at 11:17 PM
Cassi said…
Talk about great photos - I LOVE the shot of you guys with the ice-cream and bike helmets. Priceless!
July 12, 2010 at 10:27 AM
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