Sunday, March 22, 2009

Big Biking News!

Well as Spring breaks it is time to bring out the bikes. Dee was kind enough to give me her bike since it was just filling up space in her storage area, so now everyone in the family has a bike and we can finally go on Family Bike Rides. The biggest obstacle has been Justin. He will ride past two houses and then stop and take a break because he is SO TIRED. Anyway I find it extremely annoying. So I went out and bought one of those bike attachments. Justin LOVES it! We went out the first time and he laughed (rather maniacally) as we passed everyone. Jessica couldn't keep up with us she kept yelling to us to slow down. But here is the problem I could stop pedaling but Justin would keep on pumping and were cruising. Here are Justin and I on our bike!

Well nothing like a little competition from her little brother to get Jessica going. On one of our family bike rides Jessica was bemoaning the fact that everyone was going so fast without her. Marc told her that you go slower when you have training wheels. Jessica has had little interest in taking off her training wheels. We tried almost all last summer and she just didn't get it. Jessica has always sort of had her head in the clouds in many ways- so when biking she often looked around and chatted non-stop not really paying attention to the task. WELL when she heard that getting the wheels off would allow her to keep up with us she announced she was ready for them to come off. We didn't buy it. She insisted. Marc worked out a compromise with her to allow him to just raise the wheels up so they do less work. She went out and did great. So he raised them again and it became clear that she did not need them on the straight away. Yesterday, Saturday, we took them off for good. And let me tell you that kid can fly now- Justin and I pumping hard together can barely keep up with her. She is so happy.

Here is Marc taking them off...

Holding her trophies...

Look at her go!

She is so proud of herself and loved when a neighbor noticed and told her she was his Hero without her training wheels. We were all going to bike to Friendlys together today to celebrate, but it was a little chilly and definitely windy. But we will do it soon I am sure.

Not sure what Justin is doing here- he was doing some sort of dance with his chalk- he makes me laugh.

4 comments:

Bec Odell said...

Yeah Jess!! Oh and love the chalk dancing pic!

michelled said...

Yeah, Jessica~!!!!

Kelly H. said...

Yeah, Jess!! BTW the Hartzogs are looking for a bike rack for the van as we are shooting to bring all our bikes to OBX this year.

Bec Odell said...

Ohhhh, good to know. Emma has always wanted to. Adult bikes too? Or just kid?