The sun was shining on Friday and I felt like being outside. When the sun comes out in Seattle, you gotta take advantage. But I couldn’t go running because I ran Wednesday and Thursday. I wanted to ride my bike.
I have a mountain bike. It’s been hanging in the garage for more than three years, which I realized when I did the math on my son’s age, plus pregnancy before that and…yikes.
Anyway, if I wanted to ride the bike, then I needed a bike trailer to tow my child with. I wanted one last year, but we had a gym membership, so I rode the bike inside. I did a quick search on Craigslist and found two for sale in my own town! A couple hours later, I had a bike trailer.
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Digging into his snacks and we haven’t even left yet! |
It took some effort to get my bicycle off the wall of the garage, and I had to be brave and figure out how to use Mr. T’s air compressor to fill up the tires, but I did it! And then I took the axle off and attached the necessary parts for the trailer. After I was done connecting it, we were ready to ride! Well, once I got T Junior some things to do, a snack, his music, etc. Then we were off!
The sun was warm. I had to take off my pink raincoat and stash it in the back pocket of the bike trailer (so handy!), so I rode in my pink You Go Girl! t-shirt and my black capris! The pink trees are blooming — they look like cotton candy and I love them. Their floral scent is light but strong, though, and when they bloom my nose is sort of suspended between sneezing like crazy and not sneezing at all.
I didn’t feel like loading the the bike in the van and going to the paved trail, so T Junior and I roughed it out on the gravel trail by our house. The trail that’s slightly downhill on the way out, which means it’s slightly uphill on the way back. For some reason, I didn’t think that would matter.
The way out was glorious. We were high on a new adventure! And we were going slightly downhill. I’d set my Garmin to “bike” and I was cruising with a 30-pound child in a who-know-how-heavy trailer behind me. Even the first three times I had to stop to see what in the heck he was whining about didn’t bother me. Mostly it was his helmet. (I took it off – we weren’t going alongside a road with cars or anything. What do you do? Do your kids wear helmets in the bike trailer?)
Anyway, I was feeling good and I was thinking we could go for more than a total of 5 miles. We were getting close to the 2.5-mile mark. But then T Junior started whining more. “Mommm-eee. My bottom hurrrrrrrrts.”
I turned around. “Mine, too,” I said. “We’ll go back now.” Poor guy. It was pretty bouncy on the rocky dirt and gravel trail.
On the way back, I was dying. Slightly uphill in loose gravel. I was spinning my wheels and barely moving. And my child kept whining, but I couldn’t hear him over the gravel. Just, “Mommmm-eeeee. Mommmm-eee!” Argh. “T Junior, be quiet. You can tell me when we get there!”
The smile had left my face. This was freaking hard! I was huffing and puffing, and yelling at my whiner in between. After about a mile of this, I’d had it. I slammed on the breaks to turn around and give him my “Mommy’s serious eyes,” but even though the bike stopped, my body didn’t and I had to sort of jump to the side and then the bike started falling on me and then…
I landed in the gravel on my left glute and elbow and hand, and sort of slide back. Luckily the bike trailer’s hitch has a swivel on it, so the trailer stays put if you fall. I jumped up and looked around. Thank goodness nobody had witnessed me yelling at my child, then falling off my bike.
Serves me right, though. I’m supposed to be working on patience and, obviously, that’s no going too well.
I got on the bike, my left hand stung, but not that bad…just three little scratches. I wondered what my butt cheek looked like, though.
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A picture of my hand scratches because you aren’t getting one of my backside. |
My glute muscles were screaming at me anyway, but somehow we made it back to the park, which is where I promised T Junior we would go.
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Happy to be at the park! |
Once we got there, I apologized to my son for yelling at him, then we headed for the slide. I texted Amanda, who is hard-core training for a tri, because I sort of felt like a badass for accomplishing the whole bike thing and “surviving” a fall!
***
Fast forward to Monday. I was ready to ride again. But this time we went to the paved trail. It looked like rain, so I put the plastic cover down over T Junior. He was better this time, but I still heard, “Mommmmma. Mommmmma.”
I stopped about 2-miles into it. Got off, went back. “Yes?”
“I don’t want to go by the Grinch.”
I was confused, looked around and saw this guy:
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Photo from almost exactly one year ago. |
I giggled. “Oh, that’s not the Grinch, honey. He won’t hurt you.” Back on the bike for a quarter-mile. Had to wait at a light. OK. Back on bike. “Mommmmma. Mommmmmeeeee.” I ignored it. “Mommmmeeee. Mommmmmeeeee.” Maybe something’s really wrong. Off the bike. Walked back there.
I lifted the plastic flap to the side. “Yes?”
“I want to tell you a story.”
OMG. I didn’t even say anything. Just put the flap down and went back to my bike, rolling my eyes and laughing inside.
The way out had been into the wind, and I was super excited to turn around. Guess what? The way back was into the wind, too. What the hell? I was slow. But I’m not out to win any awards, just a little cross training. But, HELLO, jelly legs! Quads were shaking so bad, I could barely get the kickstand down.
Biking is way hard, runners. Way hard.
When was the last time you rode a bike? How did it go? Do you think it’s more difficult than running?
18 comments
Oh man!! You had m e rolling!!! And yes, biking is SERIOUSLY WAY HARD especially on a mountain bike WITH A TRAILER!!! Sheeeesh woman!!! That is crazy awesome!! =)I love the trailer!! I got mine the exact same way, only yours seems much nicer!!! So what do you think? You going to head out for weekly rides!!!???
Awesome post!I pull my both my kids in a chariot trailer. They do wear helmets, but they're totally used to them. I haven't rode outside since the fall. We still have snow here, so I'm jealous. I'm optimistic that things will melt enough in the next week to take out my hybrid with the trailer.I got a road bike over the winter that I have yet to ride outside…To be honest, I think running is harder – if you aren't pulling extra weight. If you are pulling a trailer though, no question, biking is way harder. When I'm used to pulling the trailer, then go without, I feel like I'm flying!
TWO?! Deb, you are my hero.
I'll take your word for it! Sounds like quite the adventures. Good for you getting out there again after the first time!
hahahaha! i can hear my 4 year old calling my name and wanting to tell me a story…that is so cute.I actually just bought a new road bike. Biking is hard. I am such a runner, but I definitely needed to do cross training and that seemed like a good thing to do. I am doing my first tri this June so I am trying to get used to the bike. It is hard. Good luck!!!
Mommeeeee 🙂 It's funny when it's someone else's kids! 😉 Seriously, nice job Kerri! I'm waiting for it to warm up before I brave my bike! My rear is hurting a little just thinking about those first few weeks though!Glad you didn't get hurt too badly when you fell. (falling is my biggest fear).
that is amazing to do with a bike trailer. When my kids were little I made DH pull the trailer. I do the bike at the gym. That way I can quit when I want…you know when my tush is numb
I rode my bike this morning. I don't have a car right now so that, aside from the bus and my boyfriend, is my only transportation. it was a nice ride considering I was late for class, riding on sore legs from a 10 miler yesterday and, 28 degrees outside. I think riding the bike and running are equally challenging. Riding the bike on sore legs from running is hard. Running after riding the bike is almost as hard. A mountain bike is a lot harder to ride than a road bike, even if it is rusty and made in the 70s. Nice trailer! My mom used to cart us around in something similar to that in the early 80s. And when I say similar I mean almost nothing like it. They didn't come with covers then.
That is quite the saga. It sounds tough towing a little guy! I love “I want to tell you a story.” Craigslist can be so great!
LOLOL, Kerrie! The falling down the bike, scratches on hand, and screaming glutes are not funny, but LOVE how T Junior was desperate to tell you a story during your ride! LOVE that! Way to go for going out there on a bike. I need to get one of those bike trailer things. My friend uses it as a jogging stroller too! Happy biking, that is, if your glutes have forgiven you by now. 😀
Wow, you are tough! I can't imagine riding and towing a kid in a trailer. It's all I can do not to hit the poles that are to prevent cars from getting on the bike path.
LOL! This story is awesome. I fall all the damn time. Biking is hard! It's hard when you are tugging a rugrat and even harder when you use the clips. Glad u got back out there though cause falling either way stinks.
Honestly, I'm laughing with you, not at you! I never had a triler when my kids were little, but I had the little seat where they ride behind your seat. The last time I rode a bike didn't go very well. My bike had a flat tire (from years of non-use) so I decided to ride my husband's bike, which seems to have no “coast” regardless of what gear you're in. I planned on riding the trails near my house, but was exhausted by the time I got to the trail head! I barely made it home my legs were so sore!
nice little trailer you got. my husband and i bike a lot. last summer we went on an impromptu bike ride that lasted over 60 miles. my butt was so sore!
We have a bike trailer too. Fortunately, my hubby usually attaches it to HIS bike, and then I run alongside them. From all his complaining -me wanting to go further & he wants to turn around- I totally believe you!!! It's a hard thing to pull kiddos in while pedaling – especially uphill!Hope you're okay after your fall tough girl!!
That is too funny! I just tried biking for the first time in forever (seriously it's been at least 15 years!) and I thought I'd do that because it would be easier than running, right? WRONG! OMG! I was dying on the hills and loose gravel. Don't know how you pulled a cart and kid behind you! Way to go!!!
this was too funny!!! i have been biking for years. so, i find it more easier than running. but, that's just me.
Then they grow up. Sigh….