Going for a spin

This weekend has given us some fabulous fall weather, and we took full advantage of it.  On Sunday, we took the boys out to Minor Park to see if they would enjoy mountain biking.  I wasn't 100% certain how it would go; when I had asked Noah a couple days earlier if he'd like to try riding his bike on some trails and he told me no.

We haven't been here in nearly two years, but it's a fun place that I used to enjoy coming to quite frequently.  This was the very first place I tried my hand at true mountain biking, and at one time, I lived nearby and used the trails extensively as a great after-work release.  The Blue River trails have something for everyone, with difficulty levels from beginner to expert depending on your tastes.  But even the "beginner" level for a 3- and 6-year old can pose some challenging obstacles.

Initially, I hadn't even planned on taking Elliot's bike along, figuring there would be: a) no way he could keep up on his bike, and b) no way he could keep going the entire way.  Turns out, happily, that I was wrong on both counts.  We took his pedal-less Strider with us, but not Mandy's bike.  Hers is not a trail bike, and we figured Elliot would poop out quickly and they could just walk in the woods.

Noah had no problems at all, and loved the experience.  Elliot kept up on nearly all sections, until the end, but he kept going under his own power until we got back to the car after more than two hours and three miles of biking.  We stopped to throw rocks into the Blue River a couple of times, but Noah always wanted to keep going.  We had lunch about halfway through, then crossed to the other side of the river to head back along some other trails.

Afterwards, we took the boys out for some ice cream and drove by where I used to live and where Mandy's first house was.  She and I both were more tired than the two Energizer bunnies we had with us, but we all had a great time.

First big downhill.

First big uphill

Elliot getting on it.

Keeping up with big brother

Rock break.  This is the same place we stopped and threw rocks two years ago.

They liked exploring the "lakes" they kept seeing from the trail.

Noah found a board that would be perfect for a fort, and was convinced he could take this board back with him on his bike 

Lunch!

Climbing down a steep hill.  One that daddy would have ridden down in his younger years. They couldn't even convince Mom to climb down it.

Exploring

Climbing back up

The last part of the trail on this side peters out into a railroad line.

Lunchtime visit & bike ride home

Last week we had the perfect storm for a bike ride to school.  Kids were up early and ready and the weather was nice :)  But, when we were in the garage getting our bikes ready Noah INSISTED that he wanted to ride his old, tiny 12" bike.  This bike is what he first learned to ride without training wheels when he was three.  It's Elliot's size.  I discouraged him, but he insisted.  So I told him he'd have to pedal a lot harder and we took off.  He was fine until we got on the Trolley Trail.  He was slower than usual and said he had to pedal harder.  By the time we hit QuickTrip he wanted to stop, but I told him we had to keep going.  The hill up 74th Street until you get sweet relief at Main was a struggle on that itty bitty bike.  After resisting singing "I told you so, I told you so!" I asked him if he'd like me to bring up his big bike and switch them out while he was at school and he did.

I showed up around 11:45, which is right when they line up from recess to go into the cafeteria.  The timing wasn't planned, but Miss Mary saw me and motioned Noah over.  He is a big rule follower at school and instead of running excited to see me, he was worried because he was supposed to be in line and was missing prayer before lunch.  He did want to show Elliot his cafeteria though.  So we followed him into the cafeteria.  Miss Erin gave Elliot a chocolate milk and we sat with him long enough to have some milk and have Noah show him around and then left.  It was a lot of fun for both the kids.  I wish I had packed a lunch for us and we would have stayed and just eaten with his class.

After school it was pretty hot.  Noah was doing much better on his bigger bike though :)  We stopped at QuickTrip on the way home for a treat.  Elliot chose an icee and Noah picked the biggest donut he could find.  I had a zone bar.

climbing a tree at QT

Heading home.  Our last bike ride of the year home from school.  Next time we do this, he'll be a Kindergartener.

Riding in style

"Do you want me to call 911?"  "No," I said through clenched teeth.  "I'm ok."  Said in the same way people do when they trip over nothing, and try to retain their dignity in the face of total humiliation.

Noah and I went for a bike ride Friday night, designed to give me some wind-down time after work, Noah some wind-down time before bedtime, and a chance for Mandy to get E down to bed after a long day.

We hadn't gone but a few blocks, and were heading downhill towards a roundabout when I warned Noah to slow down a bit.  For some reason known only to him, he decided to stop.  If I were driving a car, I would have been ticketed for following too closely (which would have been cheaper, in the end).  

I tried coming to a rapid stop without destroying my son in the process, and ended up on the ground so quickly that I couldn't tell how I landed.  My hand hurt like hell, as did my knee, and I could barely breathe.  As I stood back up, I looked to my left and saw a lady walking her dog, standing there with a horrified look on her face and getting ready to dial her phone when she asked me the question.  Noah looked at me with concern, and asked me what happened.  What happened was he stopped suddenly, and as I tried to do the same without running him over, I went down.

My knee - the same one I just had surgery on not too long ago - was already bleeding, and after I waved off the dog-walker and allayed Noah's fears, we got ready to keep going.  Inspecting my knee with concern, Noah said, "Dad, you're really brave.  I would be crying if that happened to me."

We ended up riding nearly four miles before coming home. Noah was more cautious afterwards too - not about crashing, but about his dad's ability to handle a bike safely.  As I was riding up behind him at one point, he heard me and veered off the sidewalk and across someone's lawn, saying, "Dad! You go in front of me!"  After I got him to bed, I noticed road rash on my stomach, and a splitting pain in my ribs.  I have no idea how I landed - I don't know if I hit the handlebars or the ground - but I clearly screwed something up more serious than my knee.

A couple of sleepless nights later, I finally went to the ER to get my ribs X-rayed.  The good news is it is either a bruised rib or an intercostal muscle strain, and not something broken.  I should be healed in a few weeks.  Unfortunately, it takes me out of my exercise groove for awhile.  Ironically, once I get on, riding a bicycle is the only thing I can do that doesn't hurt so I may be doing that for awhile.

Lazy day

The boys went to Silver Dollar City yesterday with Mandy.  They had a very full day and got home late, so we expected them to be extremely tired today.  Noah's a mess when he's running low on sleep, and he didn't disappoint.  We had to put him back to bed by 10:00 and he slept for over three hours.  The weather cooperated - it was dark, cool and rainy, and there wasn't much to do outside.

After naps, the weather and their moods were both much better, so we went outside to play.  I put a brake on Elliot's little bike while they were sleeping, and I intended to teach him how to use it.  The pedal-less bikes don't come with brakes, and the bike store says that most kids will use their feet to slow and stop themselves.  But they haven't met Elliot, who has crashed a couple of times now due to uncontrolled downhill speed.  We had to buy one of these for Noah's bike too, though more to save money on shoes than to keep that speed demon from crashing.  He literally burned holes in his shoes using them as brakes.

It wasn't a success.  Elliot tried, but only momentarily, and then reverted to the shoe-brake again.

Noah made these at school.  He asked his teacher if he could make another one for his brother.

I have no idea where this came from

Trying the brake out

Comparing war wounds. Noah was showing Elliot some old bike-crash injuries.

This little worm entertained them for quite a while, until they lost it in the grass.

Racing down the church driveway.

Swinging hard.  

Elliot wants so much to do everything his big brother does.

Awwww, playing together.

That didn't last long.  Momentary brotherly spat. 

Enjoying the weather

While Mandy was out running errands last weekend, I went for a bike ride with the boys to QuikTrip, for no other reason than to get a slushie.  Noah crashed once, a victim of the street vs. curb drop off, but we made it otherwise unscathed.

After QT, we went by the bike shop to see if they had a brake for Elliot's bike.  As Noah and I parked outside, Elliot went speeding down their backdoor ramp, into the store and did a loop around the bikes.  When I asked for the brake, the lady behind the counter didn't seem surprised after watching all that.

On the way to, and from, the shop, we had to stop and say hello to the Easter Bunny.  Elliot insisted on giving him high-fives. Noah tried to tell him it was just a person in a bunny suit, but I kept telling him to be quiet.

Signs of Spring

We have been completely maxed out lately in terms of free time, so we've let the blog lag, but we'll catch up soon.

In the meantime, we've been taking advantage of the summer-like spring weather and have been out riding bikes, skating and eating ice cream.  Also getting over ear infections, crashing into stuff and falling down, whining, and working too many hours.

Saturday morning pancakes.  These two can turn anything into a competition.

Do you think he got any of that ice cream into his stomach?

Banzai!!

Swinging on the...whatever those are.

Climbing to great heights!  With an inner ear infection!

Reversal of roles

Last week we had a day that got into the low 70's. It was still cold in the morning and I realized Elliot's helmet was left at a friend's house. So I drove Noah to school, but during the day, I dropped his bike off at school. Elliot and I headed out on our bikes to pick him up that afternoon.

Noah's been riding bikes since he was two and has always been fast and strong. But, something happened over winter. He is even faster. No exaggeration, I was pedaling my heart out trying to keep up with him. He'd look back every now and again to check on me. And, of course, he always followed safety rules and stopped at the blocks before crossing without me. Still, it was funny. We made it home FAST. And I needed a big drink of water when we came in. Elliot was cracking me up from his bike seat "Mom, where's Noah? I don't see him."

Of course, I loved every minute of it.  That kid is a machine.

Excited to go pick up Noah

"You still back there, mom?"

YMCA Park

I took the boys out last weekend to the park near the YMCA.  I don't think we've been to this one since last year.  It has roller hockey rink with a smooth, flat surface and a couple of goals in it. It's a perfect place to let them run wild since it also sports doors that lock.  

I tried to teach Noah to roller blade here last year, and he did pretty well.  He's forgotten it since then - we haven't practiced much in the last year - but he really wanted to do it again.  I turned Elliot loose with his bicycle, and after they both got tired of those sports, we played soccer.  

After a snack, we played on the playground for awhile, climbed trees, rode bikes and roller-bladed again.  While neither of them wanted to leave, I was pretty tired by the end of it.  

Crashes don't hurt!

Crashes don't hurt!

Getting the hang of it.

Crashes do hurt!

Snack time!

Snacking is serious business.

Playing, however, is not.

Roller blading back to the van.

Not letting Noah pass

Good climbing tree

Having a fun day

Helping Elliot have a look