Tour de France, here they come!

I think R. finally broke through a mental barrier today when it came to riding her bike. I don't really know why she has been so squeamish about it but she has generally avoided riding it for a long time. This summer she has finally been willing to take her years-old scooter out for a few spins but that's about it and her bike has sat collecting dust. The scooter was a Christmas 2003 present from Grandma and Grandad and she has been on it so seldom that it still looks as shiny and new as the day she got it.

A., on the other hand, loves her bike. She loves to ride around and around our big cul-de-sac and she can get going pretty darn fast. I wouldn't call her a daredevil because she isn't one to throw caution completely to the wind, but at the same time she is way beyond her older sister when it comes to taking risks. And, I hate to say it, but she just seems to have a bit more body awareness and gross motor skills in her favor when compared with R. She also demonstrates more strength and stamina when it comes to athletic endeavors. I have to wonder if A. will be our little athlete in the future and which sports would interest her the most.

Today, when A. asked to ride her bike I suggested we go over to the rail trail and she got very excited. Yesterday I mentioned that I took a walk there with E. in the stroller and she was so sad and cried because she didn't get a chance to ride her bike with us. So, I figured today would be a great day to fulfill that desire. R. was not at all excited by it but I explained that we can't always agree on everything and sometimes she gets to do something she wants to do and other times not. She got over herself quicker than I expected/is normal for her and that was a relief.

I promised that we would take the trip to the rail trail this afternoon since it was almost time for E.'s nap and then it would be lunchtime. In the meantime, I suggested they ride their bike/scooter around the circle for a bit. Once E. was snug in bed for her nap I took them out front and they rode around for about half an hour. After a few times around the circle I asked R. if she wanted to switch to her bike and much to my surprise she agreed! I grabbed her bike from the garage before she could change her mind and off she went. She did fantastic! She increased her speed (to almost the speed that A. has been going for quite some time...LOL) and she worked on figuring out proper braking technique on the "hill" (a 1% incline on the far side of the cul-de-sac). A. needed some help on figuring out her brakes, too. By the time it was lunchtime R. was doing better than I had ever seen her do on a bike. I let her know how great she was doing and I cheered A. on as she worked out the kinks of figuring out her brakes.

Bolstered by her new-found confidence, R. was now excited to be going to the rail trail. At lunchtime we discussed which area to the rail trail we should visit - the place with the beaver dam? the railroad bridge over the river? the tunnel that E. and I had gone through yesterday? After a few minutes they decided the railroad bridge sounded fun. Once E. woke up from her nap we finished up lunch, got our gear ready and off we went!

Today's rail trail visit was not nearly as serene and peaceful as yesterday's. I had little time to enjoy the view of the river or the warm gentle breezes. In fact, I felt more like a drill sargeant barking out commands to my troops:

"Stay to the right!"

"Slow down so I can catch up!"

"Watch the trail!" (as R. is coming very close to careening off the edge of the asphalt because she is too busy admiring some yellow flowers growing along the side of the trail, to which she responds "I am!" Yeah, ok.)

"See that yellow post and stop sign way ahead? You MUST stop before we get there!"

"STOP NOW!"

All in all, they really did wonderfully, but it was not completely without moments that caused me to grow a new gray hair or two. There were those moments when R. or A. looked like they might go off the trail and I realized that in certain spots the side of the trail had about a yard and a half of grassy area before it dropped into a sizeable ravine! Eek. I just cautioned them as calmly and nonchalantly as I could to stay on the asphalt and I prayed that they listened. They did. And they survived. They even had fun! There was also a hair-raising moment when A. couldn't figure out how to work her brakes on a small hill and I was jogging along behind her trying to stay calm in order to keep her from freaking out (even though I was starting to get a little freaked out myself) until I could get close enough to grab hold of her. She wasn't that far ahead of me. She wasn't going all that fast. And luckily I had E. in the actual jog stroller (which has not really seen much in the way of jogging-speed action since I've owned it) . From an outsider's perspective it probably wasn't that even all that hair-raising of an event. But, try to tell that to the mother of the child who's voice is quivering a few octaves higher than normal and who can't seem to pull herself together enough to slam on those brakes.

I think we managed at least a 2-mile round trip bike ride with no accidents, bumps or bruises and there wasn't even much whining or complaining. And both girls are already happily planning their next bike trip to the rail trail. Wait...are these really my kids?

Here are a few shots from our Tour de France training session:

All three girls not long after the incident of "A. and the runaway bike."


This shot just shows you how far ahead A. got at times - she's my speed demon!


My artsy-fartsy attempt at a shot of the railroad bridge.


E. keeping herself entertained with the safety clip-thingy of the stroller which mommy obviously neglected to actually insert through the stroller properly. Bad mommy. But, at least it kept her entertained!