I played tour guide this morning and showed a Phinney-Ridge-dwelling friend my lowlands route to Golden Gardens beach. She takes the crazy steep windy direct route normally, but has only gone with her husband pulling the trailer. I’ve decided to include more glamour shots of Seattle (or wherever) in posts because the same bike and kids has got to be getting boring…but I decided this after taking all of today’s pictures so here’s beach and kids:

Loading up the bikes I met a woman who recognized my bike from seeing it at Whittier Elementary (weekly half hour class for us, real school for her kids) and from the blog. [Hi, Karen!] She has a tandem trail-a-bike, but an older, non-folding version. I didn’t realize they can fold up, but I’ve always thought they were cool. And there are some great accessories on the website: a baby seat and back rest. Great options for getting small kids onto a normal bike.

I hadn’t planned to brave any extra hills today, but I was lured to the Phinney Farmers Market with four words: Half Pint ice cream. My friend led the way–not the crazy steep windy direct route, but her plenty steep route through Ballard. The ride wasn’t too bad at first, but the last block of 73rd before Phinney was a killer. My friend belatedly realized she usually takes a different street for that last block. The ride was harder for her on city bike with double trailer (and bigger kids). I normally only tow my double trailer with my road bike and fancy clicked-in shoes and it’s still a struggle uphill. However, I was very jealous of the double nap her kids took in the double trailer. We hung out at her house to escape the heat and wait for farmers market to start. The boys were excited to see their papa’s beach cruiser, which is currently taking up room in my friend’s garage after playing steed to her visiting brother.