The bikes are out!

The mundo is out.

G-Bear looks great on her new bike.

E-Bear is ready to go.

Buddy Bear loves his strider.

J-Bear loves her red and blue trike.

It is only mid-April, and we are already biking away on these lovely warm evenings, visiting friends,  enjoying the neighborhood, refreshing our souls.  We are quite a sight, with four on a bike with T and a nice belly on the Momma trailing behind ;)

Happily Ever,

Queen B

Our Tour of the St. Paul Classic Bike Tour

A few weeks ago, we joined over 6,000 bikers for the St. Paul Classic Bike Tour through the neighborhoods of St. Paul.  The Tour is easily one of the highlights of our month, a perfect capstone to our big summer of biking.

The Tour is not a race, but a ride, through the lovely River Road and Summit Ave vistas of St. Paul.  There are 15, 30 and 45-mile loops.  This year, as novices, we wisely choose the 15-mile loop option.  This was wise for another reason: G-Bear and E-Bear decided to bike their own bikes for the Tour!  We weren't sure if they would be able to bike the whole way, so I pulled our Chariot Carrier behind my bike just in case and T had room to spare on the Mundo.  But, to the great credit of E-Bear and G-Bear, they persevered.

The weather for the tour was spectacular this year.  We enjoyed two rest stops along the way, complete with live music, fresh fruit, drinks, pastries and cookies to ensure we were well nourished for our ride.  We invited another family of good friends to join us, which meant that we were all motivated by friendly conversation and camaraderie to finish the trek.

G-Bear riding the River Road during the St. Paul Classic

As a family of six with four kids and two riders ages seven and under, we received a lot of attention and positive feedback.  G-Bear and E-Bear were the youngest kids biking that we saw, but with the right motivation the ride was definitely doable for them.  Many kids could be seen tagging along in trailers or in peanut seats.  We only saw our Mundo, but hopefully we will see more in the future. The Tour was a wonderful family event, and the Yuba makes the ride so easy with kids.  We can't rave enough about our bike investment.

Our crew and friends at the end of the Classic

We finished the tour around noon, for a grand time of just under three hours.  Then, with tired legs and hungry tummies, we hosted lunch in our backyard with our friends.  What a perfect way to welcome the coming fall and celebrate a wonderful summer!  Classic, we'll see you next year.

Happily Ever,
Queen B

Do they really use that bike?

Last week, we got a new bike.  While I was a little intimidated at first, we are now totally hooked.  Yes, we really are using the bike.  All. The. Time.

First things first, both E-Bear and G-Bear have learned to ride their own bikes without training wheels.  E-Bear could hardly stand it that G-Bear was doing it herself.  He had been practicing on Buddy Bear's strider bike (awesome birthday gift from MoMo and Papa), and we noticed that he was already able to balance it by himself.  So, with a little encouragement from T,  E-Bear was riding his own bike in one Sunday afternoon.  This past week he rode his bike to school three days in a row!

E-Bear learning to ride his bike with help from T

 With the big kids riding their own bikes, the Mundo is much more manageable for me.  We have J-Bear on the front in her iBert and Buddy Bear on the back in the Peanut Shell.  The two big kids can easily fit between the monkey bars, but the bike gets heavy for me and harder for me to get on when they do.  T can easily drive the bike with all four kids aboard.  For me as a beginner, I prefer it with only two or three kids.

J-Bear, loving the iBert!

And we're off!  This was our first week with the Mundo:

Thursday: T takes G-Bear to school on the bike for the first time!  Super speedy, even faster the driving the car because he didn't have to go through the drop off parking lot.

Friday:  Mom takes all the kids the school on the bike, with the help of the chariot trailer.
We made it!

Saturday:  Mom's at a conference, so what did T do? Bundle all the kids on the bike (sans trailer), head to the splash pad.  When the splash pad is closed, he takes everyone across the neighborhood to get smoothies.

Sunday:  Rain, rain, go away.  We totally wish we could bike to church.

Tuesday: A special dinner night out!  We bike to the restaurant, E-Bear and G-Bear on their bikes, and then go for a 6 mile ride home down the river.  Wow!

Wednesday: Our Sienna minivan is in the shop!  Oh no! What to do?  We have so many things to do today!  Bike to school in the morning, then take the boys to their haircuts on the bike, drop E-Bear off for his last day of school and later go to his graduation sing along -- all on the bike!

Thursday:  To school and Mass on the bike for the last day of school!


Wow!  That is quite a first week.  Hopefully, we have many miles in front of us this summer!

Our New Bike

I has been over 10 years since I owned a bike. We just made a serious upgrade.

I don’t enjoy spending time in the car, but that is tricky with four kids to transport. We are fortunate to have many of our destinations within close proximity in our neighborhood. Still, little legs can still only walk so far and even if I have the energy to walk, I can only fit so many kids in our double stroller. Enter the Yuba Mundo bike. This cargo bike is awesome.

I met the Mundo through my husband and our local bike shop. I was inspired and convinced by this family of six.

Finally, this week we officially took the Mundo leap of faith and brought our bike home! T rode it back home from the store with the three oldest. The verdict? "This bike is so fun, Mom!"

Our Yuba crew

As you can see, the full outfit includes our attached chariot stroller, a front handle iBert seat and a back "peanut shell" seat, not to mention the "monkey bar" attachment for the big kids.   Admittedly, the bike will take some getting used to.  It is HEAVY with all the kids on it!   And, the kids feel super secure on the bike, which can give them a false sense of security.  I don't want them climbing in and out of the monkey bars without me, because of the danger of tipping the bike.  But, with the ground rules and a few miles under our belts, we are a super happy crew.

T and I can't wait to be out with the Yuba this summer!  We'll be sure to share updates on our Mundo escapades.  Cheers to warmer days and outdoor family travel.


Happily Ever,
Queen B

G-Bear on two wheels

Zoom, goes G-Bear on her bike.  

Today, she asked me to take off her training wheels.  

A little while later, she was riding her bike in the backyard!

A ride around the block solidified it.  Our girl is officially on two wheels!

E-Bear can't wait to make it happen for himself.  Hang in there, buddy!  Be patient.  You're almost there too.

Crew on the bikes

Any given afternoon when we get home together, a familiar chorus rings out:  "Mommy, can we go biking?"  G-Bear is trying her bike without training wheels.  E-Bear is storming the pavement, speeding away with courage.  Buddy Bear has switches off between trying his strider and pedaling the trike.  J-Bear is content in the backpack.

I love taking my kids to the nearby quad and watching them speed around, free as birds.  I am thankful that they love their helmets (an affection I never developed as a child) and for their bravery and persistence when they fall down.  We're a cautious group, but a determined one!

I can't wait for warmer weather and summer days.  Hopefully we'll see some training-wheel free biking, some striding, and maybe even a bike for me.......we'll see :)

G-Bear and her bike

Our princess is radiant. 

Our princess has fallen in love.

Hers is a love affair with a bike, 

her new birthday bike, a gift from MoMo and Papa.

She rode it for two days across our carpeted living room as it rained and poured outside.

She even invited our apartment maintenance men over to see it, asking them if they would inflate the tires for her.

Then this weekend, in the perfect Easter weather, she and her bike got to take a first ride.

G-Bear and her bike were off like the wind.

Her moment was extra special because she got to share it with her brother and cousins, all of whom were all on their bikes as well.  

Joy is a dish best shared.  With her buddies by her side, her joy was overflowing.

 I still remember when MoMo and Papa gave me a bike on my fifth Christmas.  I remember having my own bike love affair, pedaling my new pink bike on our carpeted living room for weeks, waiting for spring to arrive so that I could ride outside.  I remember the pure freedom I felt riding my bike for the first time, my dad later helping me learn to ride without its training wheels, the joy of having wind in my hair and the sidewalk ahead as my path.  All these memories came flooding back as I watched my sweet girl experience her own first bike moments.  The first bike experience of joy, determination, and freedom is as classic as childhood itself.  Thanks to MoMo and Papa for making it possible for me and now for G-Bear as well.

Go get 'em, G-Bear!

Root River Trail

We went on an adventure this weekend to bike the Root River Trail in southern Minnesota.  If you live in Minnesota, and even if you don't, you have got to make a day or weekend trip to bike this trail.  It is hailed as one of the most beautiful and person-friendly biking trails in the midwest, and now I know why.

The trail is 60 miles of fully-paved, double-wide trail that runs along the Root River, gorgeous 300 foot bluffs and several adorable,  small southern Minnesota towns (Fountain, Harmony, Preston, Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, Rushford, and Houston).   Fountain, the western-most city on the trail, is 35 minutes southeast of Rochester.

Since we are newbies at this whole biking thing, and we were hauling our two kiddos in our Chariot carrier, we only did 20 miles of the trail.  

We skipped Fountain and started our journey at Isinours Forestry Park (which is about 1/3 of the way along the trail).  From there we traveled east to Lanesboro and onto Whalan and then came back.  Our first time through Lanesboro we stumbled on their weekly farmer's market, with lots of local farmers' veggies and plants and several Amish families selling homemade jellies, salsa, woven baskets, blankets, breads and farm fresh eggs. I was dying that I didn't have any room to bring anything back with us in the kids' carrier (too many blankies, snacks and toys for the journey :).

There was a beautiful playground and lake there where the kids played while I perused the market.  

We made it to Whalan (purchased a pie at the "world famous Aroma's Pie Shop"), then headed back to Lanesboro, where we had lunch at the Lanesboro Pastry Shoppe.  I wish I had a picture of the restaurant--it was a perfect european-style bakery/cafe with awesome chicken salad, sandwiches, soups and homemade pastries.  

Then of course we had ice cream...

which E-Bear especially enjoyed.

  

T, my hero and prince, pulled the kids the whole way.

And as we headed back our merry way, we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the birds chirping....

because the kids had fallen asleep in the carrier.  

Ahhhh.....

The Summer of the Bike...

I have some proud-parent moments to share.  Last weekend, G-Bear started pedaling her tricycle and steering on her own for the first time.  Yes, she was going down a large hill when she did it.  But today she was doing it in our driveway.  Call me a sap.  I was bursting with pride.  Nevermind that according to pediatric gross motor milestones she is late in doing this.  Details, details.  Did I mention she pedaled on her own?!

Here are some pictures from our bike & playtime last weekend.  G-Bear had the bike, E-Bear had the fire engine (yes, it is the same Ficher Price one I used as a child).  T would carry him up the hill in the fire engine, set him down, and then let him roll down the hill.

The only thing more hysterical than the smile on his face as he flew down the hill was the screaming and tears that ensued the instant the truck rolled to a halt at the bottom of the hill.  Poor E-Bear, already frustrated by physics and he's only 17 months old.

One last detail....just as G-Bear is developing her biking proficiency, E-Bear has fallen in love with her tricycle.  I mean, head-over-heels.  It is now to the point that whenever we open the garage door he walks over the the tricycle in the corner and tries to get on it.  Then he looks up at me with his big brown eyes and says, "duck, sduck,  MOMMY! sduuuuuuuck" begging me to get it un-stuck from its corner in the garage.  Today I literally had to pry his little fingers off of the handlebar as we went out for a walk with T.  Broke my heart.  If his first love is green blankie, then the tricycle is a close second.  So, do I buy G-Bear a new bike, get E-Bear his own or just make them share all summer?

Like I said, the summer of the bike.....

Did I mention we are going for a bike ride this weekend?  The kids will be in the stroller.

Happy riding :)