30 Days of Biking 2018: Day Nine

It’s April! That means 30 Days of Biking and biking every day and hopefully blogging about it each day.

We left home a couple minutes late so I took a more direct route to get to school on time. I’m still carrying my 10-year old on my bike until he realizes his foot isn’t sore anymore so it’s that much easier to navigate the busier streets. They both do fine following me, but I find it less stressful when I only have to worry about one extra set of wheels behind me. My 10-year old sits backwards to keep his weight as close to me as possible which also makes it easier for him to carry on a conversation with his little brother pedaling behind us.

Having the conversation going on behind me made me realize just how loud the direct route is. It inspired my latest post for my weekly family biking column on BikePortland: Humans, bike maps, and of course, Google: How to choose family-friendly routes.

After ditching the kids at school Pixie and I did a test run for the loop I’d like to lead for CycloFemme on Mother’s Day. I think it’s a winner! Having left yesterday’s parade balloon on my bike and showing up at a toddler-filled playground was not so smart, though, as I fled to a chorus of “I want that!”s.

Once I retrieved the kids, Pixie and I took them to the pet store for dog food and treats. And I learned my eight-year old is still in his “olden fashioned” photography period. And my 10-year old is pretty “I want that!” about the parade balloon, too.