The last day of August, one week before Labor Day officially shuts down summer, what better time to go for your first family bike ride of the year?
Bike riding is a fun way to enjoy family time together while getting valuable exercise. There’s hardly a happier, healthier activity for a family than riding bikes, so naturally we ignored the bikes collecting rust in the garage through the meat of summer. Happy and healthy sounds like a great combination for tomorrow, when we might have more time.
Tomorrow came on August 31. The more enterprising parent had disentangled the bikes from the garage before I got home from work. A few minutes for me to change clothes, then all we had to do was jump on and go.
If not for the tire issue.
No problem. I’ll just plug the $15 Target clearance air compressor into the car and we’ll inflate those tires in a snap.
There’s no snap, or any other noise. The air compressor’s dead. Fortunately, I have a newer, better, cheaper, $10 Target clearance compressor in the house. This one blows up half a tire before it follows its colleague to air compressor Valhalla.
On to the manual pump, purchased in the ‘90s, when both it and I were much less worn out. It’s good exercise though, pumping up four tires with a leaky pump. It’s a healthy sweat.
Ready at last. Where’s the trailer for the little boys?
Ah. Folded up in the basement. But it’s easy to set up, once you get it lugged up the stairs.
Oh good. Two more flat tires. Sorry, pump. I know you’re too old for this.
Okay, got the tires inflated and the hitch hooked up to my bike. Let’s go.
Where are the boys?
Playing down the street.
Big Man needs a new diaper. Buster should go potty.
Buster doesn’t want to go potty. He needs a drink. Every boy needs a drink. And maybe a snack.
That was refreshing. Let’s go.
Buster still doesn’t want to go potty. Let’s have debate with him about it.
Buster sits on the pot for some time. He says he pottied, but nobody heard any tinkling. It’s getting late; he must be trusted. Let’s go.
Get your helmet, Big Brother. Where is it? How should I know?
Helmet found. Little boys inserted into trailer and buttoned up. Let’s go.
Yes, Mommy, you’re right. You probably should change your flip-flops for some sort of real shoe. No, I don’t know which ones would be best.
Found your biking shoes? Great. I had to take Big Man out the trailer. He got tired of waiting and started to cry. I’ll put him back in now. No, he’ll be fine once we start moving. Let’s go.
Wait. I should probably lock up the house. Better safe than sorry. Be right back.
Okay, house is locked. Everybody’s on wheels; let’s go.
Who says he needs to go potty?
I think we did pretty good. After all, we were able to put it off until August 31.
Well, at least nobody missed their bed times because they were out too late biking.
Snoozing on the Sofa 
Big man & Buster look so cozy in there. Now that the bikes are disentangled & the tires are all pumped up, you have no excuse! Autumn is a beautiful time of year to cycle! Just sayin’.
I should probably shoot for spending more time on the bike than I spent pumping up tires. Good point.
Hahahah- yes- the “brilliant” ideas we have. Should be no sweat, always is a sweat involved. “…We must trust him.” Again, I laugh. Flips flops and mom and shoes. Hahaha, that’s me!
I can’t tell you how much I laughed reading every sentence and could relate to each one…And yes, we kept saying “we’ll take a bike ride…” that day hasn’t yet come. Shoot, it’s been so HOT in Southern CA, we’re dying.
I just forwarded this link to my husband for reading. I think he’ll really enjoy this.
If he used to enjoy riding bikes, he should be able to relate.
You can do all your riding in December, while I’m shoveling snow. Or maybe you’ll be in Idaho then, in which case we’ll both be shoveling.
Oh, I’ve been shoveling crap for years. Unfortunately, it’s year round.
This might explain why you waited until the end of summer to go on your first ride. Sounds like quite the ordeal. Hopefully the ride itself went well. We had plans all summer to go biking more too, but only went about 3 times. Now the cold is moving in, so we may be out of time soon.
I think you could probably get one more good ride in, unless you live in northern Siberia; then, your biking season may be over.
Oh, that would be awful. I don’t how people could live in a place so frigid.
Oh man I think I might have cried!
We could probably make room for you in the bike trailer.
Okay *sniffle*
So much to coordinate in order to get out on the road. I’m exhausted just having read about it. How do you do it, Scott? ;D
You pull the pump handle up, then push it down again. Repeat 20,000 times.
Sounds like aerobics. I think that’s like, its against my religion. 😀
Well, you may not have accomplished the experience you were intending, but that pic is probably worth all that work!
They can fall asleep in a chair without me having to do all that.
This reminds me of the book “If You Give A Mouse A Cookie”…been there, oh, my. But…what an absolutely adorable picture. Brings back sweet memories of the Burley that we would bike our littles around in ❤ Happy long weekend, Scott!
If you give a kid a bicycle . . . he’ll probably want to go on a bike ride. Kids!
Wow, Scott. Life, full cycle. ❤ You guys!
And we almost ran out of time for the cycle part.
The Universe was just making sure you didn’t have to pedal too far is all. 🙂
The Universe sure is good with the flat tires.
completely unacceptable, it’s been almost a week and no new post? I’m dying for something to read that isn’t the usual “mommy” blog. My favorites are failing me! Where are you?
Trying to get something ready. In the meantime, http://www.amazon.com/A-Housefly-Autumn-Scott-Nagele-ebook/dp/B00ZPQ05AO/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0C171GA7CDCCCD1MXMKM
Totally free to download Kindle version if you do it today (Sept. 10, 2015). If you haven’t downloaded already. Definitely not a mommy blog.
not that mommy blogs aren’t okay. Cuz, I’m a mom… I just don’t have the typical momster blog. 🙂 Sctott- I will check into the kindle thingy.
Agreed. Mommy blogs are cool, but Flop needs a little diversity now and then.
You know… sometimes you flip… sometimes you flop…other times you hop.
Judging by the response you got from this bike ride, I’d say your boys would love if Dad biked more. Sure wish I had someone to pull me around to lull me to sleep!!! Come on, Dad, get on that bike and pump with legs. Great exercise you know. Sounds fair to me. The boys konk out giving you some quiet and you get your exercise. Hmmmm …. a win/win situation if you ask me. 🙂
And this is exactly the reason why I train on my own. Besides, you think this was challenging, imagine kicking my family out of bed at five in the morning!
I’m going to have to side with your family on that one.
That’s exactly what she said.
She was right.