Theo joins me in 30 Days of Biking: the first 10 days

"Theo, do you want to ride your bike every day for the next 30 days?" I asked.  "Sure, Dad!" Theo replies.  I took the pledge for 30 Days of Biking and am so psyched that Theo, at 4 going on five, was up for it too.  He rode his bike to and from school the first day when the AM temperature was 35 degrees and there were still ice patches on the sidewalk.

Day 2: Late afternoon bike ride to the nearby school park.  Bobike for Henry.  Kids love the Bobike, Henry is no exception.

Day 3: Family morning ride to park for Theo to play with his friend.

Day 4: "Theo do you want to ride your bike to school today?", Hillary asked.  "Of course, mom, it is 30 Days of Biking!"

Day 5: I left the rusty, studded tire, sluggish winter bike (named "I.N.D.Y.": It's Not Dead Yet) in the garage and finally pulled the Italian Stallion out for the non-winter commutes.  Such a nice ride!   Theo made it to dinner time without riding.  So we took a beautiful evening family ride around the block.  Henry just loves the Bobike.  He frequently says, "Henry go on Bobike" and now gets upset if we try to divert him to the Roo.  In recognition of all the growing Theo has done since biking last fall, I raised his seat.  He was skeptical of the need, but did not resist.

Day 6: Theo bikes the mile to and from school again today.  "It's a beautiful day for a bike ride, Mommy.  Boy, it's a good thing that Daddy raised my seat."

Day 7: I was blessed with a beautiful view of a Bald Eagle flying along the Mississippi River Gorge during my morning bike commute. It landed in a tree further ahead on the bike trail.  I biked by it and there it was perched next to another Bald Eagle!  These are the wonderful moments that come with lots of time outside

Day 8: Fun to bike with Theo to school today.  He told me all about the erosion happening along the sidewalk on 31st Ave.  He spotted a Robin on the corner of a building.

I arrived home from my bike commute and met up with Hillary, Theo and Henry just as they were biking home from school.  Theo and I started a round of what I will call "Alley Cat".  This is a "game" we started last year.  It consists of biking circles and figure-eights in the alley behind our house.  We wind around whatever obstacles, trash cans, parked cars, in a low grade chase.  He loves it - it is a lot of fun.  Here I am in hot pursuit...

Day 9: Mommy, "Theo, we need to go to the post office."  Theo, "And we'll ride our bikes because it's 30 Days of Biking!"

Day 10:  More "Alley Cat" for Theo and me today.  It is actually a great game for practicing biking and testing your limits a bit.  Theo gets to practice tight turns and the braking and control necessary for them.  He has to deal with uneven surfaces and gravel.  He took a spill on the gravel  and luckily landed unhurt but all the better for the lesson of being extra careful with gravelly surfaces.  He blamed Hillary for distracting him and causing him to fall.  Another good lesson, there will always be distractions, one must stay focused despite them.

Theo is really into 30 Days of Biking.  Yesterday (day 12) he, Hillary, and Henry just missed the bus to the YWCA.  Theo quickly responded, "That is OK, Mommy.  We can ride our bikes instead because it is 30 Days of Biking!"  They had a great ride to the Y and got a bonus stop at the library on the way home.