How to carpool without a car
Babybro's friend called him up today and wanted to meet at the park to go ride bikes. Mom got grumpy--to her, that means loading up the bikes and driving to the park, and then waiting for the kids to get tired.
It was a beautiful day, and I hadn't seen babybro out on the new bike yet.
"I'll ride with him," I offered.
He cheered. "Yaay!"
Mom made a face. "Don't worry," I assured her, "We'll take the side streets. He'll be fine." Mom moved to protes, but Dad now chimed in.
"He'll be OK," he said, tossing his head in babybro's direction. "He'll be with his brother. It should be fine."
We got ready to go: filled up our water bottles, checked our bikes, and pushed off amid promises to be careful and warnings to stay alert.
I took him on the street, but avoided most of the main arterials. We did have to cross Main Street at one point, but I had him dismount and take it as a pedestrian--no sense exposing him to the full force of a high-speed suburban highway just yet. We wound our way to the park through subdivision side streets closed to through (automobile) traffic.
We arrived at the park well ahead of his friend. We made a few laps of the park looking for him, but, seeing he had not yet arrived, we sat down under a tree. Finally, his friend did arrive, driven to the park by his uncle. I helped unload the bicycle from the car while babybro teased his buddy for being late-- "We rode here--and you drove--and we still beat you here!"
Now a small group of three, we made a few laps of the park and set off on a bike trail with no particular place to go. I let the kids ride off ahead and lagged back as a kind of sweeper. The trail now cut alongside a small creek and under a low, dark bridge. In the half-light, I saw something glitter.
" 'ware GLASS," I barked as they rode through. Shattered bottles everywhere, and I prayed that our tires would make it through OK. I called a general halt as soon as we were clear and inspected tires all around. No errant shards, no punctures--we were good to go!
Now that we're properly underway, the boys decide they need a destination. A basketball team-mate of theirs happens to live in the neighborhood, and we double back on the street (avoiding the nasty glass) to pay him a visit.
I ride sweeper and take a big chunk of traffic lane. The boys ride ahead of me and to the right. A quick sprint on a moderately busy street, a spin down the side streets and there we were at their buddy's house. The kids knocked on the door and called their buddy out. I sat on the curb and watched. Their friend eventually did come out to look at their bikes and watch them do a few no-hands runs down the street. Sadly, this boy didn't know how to ride, but invited the other two in to hang out and watch TV.
I left the kids to their TV and scouted routes home by myself, at more grown-up speeds. Discovered a traffic-free way back and rode back to get the boys. Picked up my charges at the appointed hour and led them through the route back.
The route back had a bit of a compromise, which I explained to the boys as we started off. No traffic, but one really long hill. Babybro shot up the hill like Marco Pantani on speed. His friend was obviously more of a sprinter than a climber, and I stayed back with him. Nobody should get dropped on his first proper outing, after all.
As soon as we crossed into his home neighborhood, though, our green jersey contender picked up the pace a bit and, as he rolled up to his house, lifted both his arms overhead as if he'd taken a sprint finish...and then grabbed for the bars as he wobbled in front of his driveway. We all had a good laugh and saw him off.
Babybro and I went back via sidestreets and gravel paths. "I never knew these were back here," he remarked to me as we rode back.
"This is why we ride bicycles," I told him. "We can take the same streets as everybody else--but there are places and ways that only bicycles can take."
We ended up back at home in time for tea. Total mileage? Probably under five miles, easy pedaling. But as we got back into the house, he was smiling.
"You know what?" he said as we put our bikes away. "We just got back, but I want to go out again!"
I promised I'd take him for an outing tomorrow.
It was a beautiful day, and I hadn't seen babybro out on the new bike yet.
"I'll ride with him," I offered.
He cheered. "Yaay!"
Mom made a face. "Don't worry," I assured her, "We'll take the side streets. He'll be fine." Mom moved to protes, but Dad now chimed in.
"He'll be OK," he said, tossing his head in babybro's direction. "He'll be with his brother. It should be fine."
We got ready to go: filled up our water bottles, checked our bikes, and pushed off amid promises to be careful and warnings to stay alert.
I took him on the street, but avoided most of the main arterials. We did have to cross Main Street at one point, but I had him dismount and take it as a pedestrian--no sense exposing him to the full force of a high-speed suburban highway just yet. We wound our way to the park through subdivision side streets closed to through (automobile) traffic.
We arrived at the park well ahead of his friend. We made a few laps of the park looking for him, but, seeing he had not yet arrived, we sat down under a tree. Finally, his friend did arrive, driven to the park by his uncle. I helped unload the bicycle from the car while babybro teased his buddy for being late-- "We rode here--and you drove--and we still beat you here!"
Now a small group of three, we made a few laps of the park and set off on a bike trail with no particular place to go. I let the kids ride off ahead and lagged back as a kind of sweeper. The trail now cut alongside a small creek and under a low, dark bridge. In the half-light, I saw something glitter.
" 'ware GLASS," I barked as they rode through. Shattered bottles everywhere, and I prayed that our tires would make it through OK. I called a general halt as soon as we were clear and inspected tires all around. No errant shards, no punctures--we were good to go!
Now that we're properly underway, the boys decide they need a destination. A basketball team-mate of theirs happens to live in the neighborhood, and we double back on the street (avoiding the nasty glass) to pay him a visit.
I ride sweeper and take a big chunk of traffic lane. The boys ride ahead of me and to the right. A quick sprint on a moderately busy street, a spin down the side streets and there we were at their buddy's house. The kids knocked on the door and called their buddy out. I sat on the curb and watched. Their friend eventually did come out to look at their bikes and watch them do a few no-hands runs down the street. Sadly, this boy didn't know how to ride, but invited the other two in to hang out and watch TV.
I left the kids to their TV and scouted routes home by myself, at more grown-up speeds. Discovered a traffic-free way back and rode back to get the boys. Picked up my charges at the appointed hour and led them through the route back.
The route back had a bit of a compromise, which I explained to the boys as we started off. No traffic, but one really long hill. Babybro shot up the hill like Marco Pantani on speed. His friend was obviously more of a sprinter than a climber, and I stayed back with him. Nobody should get dropped on his first proper outing, after all.
As soon as we crossed into his home neighborhood, though, our green jersey contender picked up the pace a bit and, as he rolled up to his house, lifted both his arms overhead as if he'd taken a sprint finish...and then grabbed for the bars as he wobbled in front of his driveway. We all had a good laugh and saw him off.
Babybro and I went back via sidestreets and gravel paths. "I never knew these were back here," he remarked to me as we rode back.
"This is why we ride bicycles," I told him. "We can take the same streets as everybody else--but there are places and ways that only bicycles can take."
We ended up back at home in time for tea. Total mileage? Probably under five miles, easy pedaling. But as we got back into the house, he was smiling.
"You know what?" he said as we put our bikes away. "We just got back, but I want to go out again!"
I promised I'd take him for an outing tomorrow.