Changing Gears: Our Morning Bike Rides
Those who read about our adventures from the home base of the Little Yellow House know that we – Giant and me – ride our bikes to and from school. As we zoom along, pretending to be rockets, Elf sits comfortably in the red, blue and yellow trailer behind my bike, holding her lovey close. At our school, we are one of a handful of families who bike to and home from school on a regular basis. We don’t do things like most folks when it comes to our caravan consisting of a kid-sized bike and a momma-sized bike and trailer following behind. Believe me, we have raised some eyebrows.
I must admit that I’ve recently been inspired by The Bike Fairy (pictured), the happy-go-lucky bike-loving sprite who doled out trinkets to kiddos who rode their bikes to school this spring in Seattle, but I just can’t seem able to get my Technicolor wardrobe organized in the dark hours of the morning. Shorts, a clean T-shirt and a baseball cap will have to do. And even without all of the neon, we still get noticed.
I don’t naturally love cycling or most things that make me sweat. However, while it’s good for the heart and body to peddle those miles away, I’ve also come to see a rather lovely side of cycling – getting to know the folks and animals who live and play in our neighborhood. Some of our experiences and encounters are funny, others quite touching.
Recently one of our neighbors called out to us as we headed down the road, “There goes the “Healthy Bus!” Another likes to tease Elf about getting to ride in her chariot. And recently we encountered a new family at the local pool who already refer to me as “The Bike Lady.” Who knew? Me, a local celebrity. Errr…maybe they know me because they see me huffing and puffing up the final hill homeward towing Elf in the trailer? I think I’ll take the former rather than later explanation to preserve my dignity.
We’ve been at it a year already and have met some lovely folks and pets. Let me tell you about some of our experiences and introduce you to some of our new friends*:
…There’s the day we moved a baby box turtle out of the roadway and the day we were fortunate enough to see six deer relaxing by a stream, hidden by mid-afternoon shadows.
…Mr. Duke who is always smiling and enthusiastic when he sees us coming, plastic bag in hand at the ready for his small and lively dog. In fact, Mr. Duke’s enthusiasm is simply infectious. I strive to pedal a little harder when I see him heading our way. How can you not? This is a guy who gives me a great big smile, a nod of the head and the following words of encouragement: “Wow! You’re even more amazing than the last time I saw you!”
…There’s our neighbor lady – Ms. Eleanor – who keeps track of our time for us. The other day, she noticed that we were leaving later than usual and wondered if everything was okay. That felt really good to know that someone’s looking out for us.
…Like most neighborhoods, some people in our’s follow strict morning routines. We seem to encounter several of our neighbors at the same time and same place on our journey. In fact, one of our neighbors always takes the time to step aside on the path, root Giant on with a cheerleader sized whoop and wish him a great day at school as he races by on his bike.
…Wait, there goes our friend Julia waving to us from the car as she goes off to school. “Have a great day!” she yells.
…We get friendly smiles from those we greet along the way…some of the people we chat with for a bit, others are comfortable sharing only a smile and a wave. We benefit from lots of fresh air and sunshine. Sometimes we see deer, a snake or a turtle. It’s a dose of the good stuff: the circle of connection to others and to the earth all before 8:00 a.m. I can’t think of a better way to start the day.
Hey, has anyone seen my bike? It’s time for school.
What and who’s out there in your own neighborhood, waiting to be discovered?
Photo source: http://carfreedays.com/2010/05/21/the-bike-fairy-and-bike-to-school-month/
*Names have been changed to ensure privacy.
