It’s that time of year again! Our sweet friend who threw the most terrific very bikey birthday party upon turning five last year followed it up with a just-as-terrific event for age six this year.

It was amazing to see what a difference a year made. Last year the kids were cargo, but this year four little kids biked six miles from Gas Works Park to Magnuson Park. We stopped momentarily to watch the hired goats chow down on the blackberry brambles near the freeway and took a longer rest break (during which the kids ran and biked around!) two thirds of the way there.

The ride was primarily along the Burke-Gilman Trail which made for a very comfortable (and flat) ride, and the kids did great keeping to the right and stopping safely at numerous intersections. I lost my six-year old to the front of the pack for most of the ride and hung back with my slower four-year old. I tried my hand at giving him a boost while riding alongside and we pretty much got the hang of it, though I don’t think I could do it on a real hill. But on small inclines it was enough to keep him happy and pedaling the whole way.

Then we utilized the NE 65th St cycle track to reach the park. I stood atop the barrier to snap pictures as the party whizzed by.

New this year was a bike ramp and teeter totter! Like last year, more families met us at the park, most with kid bikes in tow. The kids zoomed around amphitheater both before and after sushi, cake, and bike decorating.

And finally the birthday-boy-led parade through the park!

We rode all around–past rugby games,

dog park, uphill, and down. Some ups and downs were steep and gravelly enough that the kids walked. My kids had a couple wipe outs in the gravel so for most of the parade I had one or the other kid and his bike on the Big Dummy. Maybe next year we’ll each ride the whole thing, but today it was nice to be versatile.