Last week I finally took my bike down to the local shop to have a toddler seat installed. After using it yesterday for the first time, I'm kicking myself for not doing it earlier.
Even though I've never been a frequent biker, I was able to get Theo strapped in, balance the bike and ride at my usual speed in no time. I thought I'd stay on the local trail for a couple days to get acclimated, check brakes and so forth, but after less than 20 minutes I headed out on the streets in our neighborhood. I was able to ride around the neighborhood for at least an hour with no aches or pains as a result.
I'd suspected that Theo would chafe at being strapped into a seat and helmet, making the whole exercise a gigantic waste, but he had a GREAT time. He smiled at everyone we saw and never touched the helmet. When we stopped at the playground, despite all the other kids and his favorite slides, he was begging to get back in the bike 20 minutes after we stopped.
I'd been re-thinking our one car situation again lately. We don't get to the YMCA or the library as much as I'd like because we're on foot and even the easy walks, to Starbucks or the grocery will get tougher in the summer heat. On a bike, all those places will be an easy ride and I can even go for the mall downtown, the farmer's market or the zoo if I have the energy. If he's actually looking forward to bike rides, we'll be having a blast.
Alternate transportation is even more important on this tour because my wife's ship is in the yards. Having a single car was much easier when she'd be out of town with the ship for days and weeks at a time; now she's driving to work early five or six days a week and getting home late, so I have to plan farther ahead to have the car.
I am still thinking about that second car. My biggest regret right now is that I don't socialize at all with the friends we were most looking forward to seeing back here in Norfolk. The five miles to our old 'hood is as far away as RI when we don't have a car every day.
I promise photos sometime soon. Need to have Mommy home to take some photos when we go ride.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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2 comments:
I haven't been out on the bike with Sean in about 2 weeks. It's a mixture of kooky weather and lack of will power. What kind of seat did you get?
Some day Theo will be riding his own bike with Daddy. I really don't want my almost two year old daughter to grow up.
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