I took my first bike ride with the trailer today. Actually, I took a test ride with the empty trailer once last week, but today was my first bike ride with both Brandt in his front seat and Baby Rijder in his car seat in the trailer. It’s hard! I even had to walk a block. It is going to take a lot of practice before I can make the ride up Stone…and Baby Rijder’s just going to keep getting heavier!

For the record, my only reason for biking was because I got a parking ticket at Revolutions Coffee last week (I tried to buy a parking sticker, but the stupid machine wasn’t cooperating). Of course it rained cats and dogs on us (ooh, I’ll have to teach Brandt that term–he’ll love it!). It wasn’t awful. The bike has fenders and the rain shield kept Baby Rijder dry, but I don’t think I’ll make a point of riding in the rain. I guess I’ll know I’ve become a true Seattlite when that changes.

We took our first whole-family bike ride today. Our 2.5-year old rode in the Bobike Mini on my bike and our 2.5-month old rode in his car seat in the Burley trailer behind Mr. Family Ride’s bike. The photo is from after the ride–he’s smiling because he liked it, not because he’s glad it’s over.

Our first stop was Canal Street Coffee. It felt just like being in the Netherlands: sunny, but cold and windy, and sitting in a coffee shop next to a canal. The WC was even decorated with Dutch reprints. The Night Watch hung in the prime location above the toilet, natuurlijk.

We continued along the Burke-Gilman Trail to the Ballard Farmers Market for lunch–Canal Street Coffee was more about the coffee and the view than food.

Heading home, the mile-long uphill of Stone Way was incredibly hard, but we made it without stopping. Funny to think I was in better shape nine months pregnant on the fourth of July than I am now! I’ll have to do a lot more riding before I attempt Stone with both kids on my bike.