Two Wheelin'

Last Spring, we got a new bicycle for our bean-sprout of a kid. He was way too gangly for the hand-me-down "dirt" bike with the training wheels from my nephew (thanks bro for the great bike!). The new bike is a bright blue with black accents (his two favorite colors) and all-terrain-tred tires. With it is a really cool silver helmet with visor.

The visor is key.

Last summer he attempted to ride it exactly once. And then returned to the too-small bike with training wheels.

Saturday, we went for a walk at a nearby nature center. The Sugar House was open, there was fire to play with, there was a pond to poke at with sticks and throw rocks into, birds to chase and trails to hike.

On our way home, we passed our neighbor and her two boys. The oldest is about a year and a half younger than ours. And he was zipping around on his two-wheeler like an old pro. His mom said the training wheels had come off two or three weeks ago and now she couldn't keep him off the bike.

Junior was inspired to pull his beautiful new two-wheeler out and get up to speed. A playdate with the neighbor yesterday gave him incentive to keep trying.

By the end of the day yesterday, he was doing great. He needs a little help getting going, but balance isn't a problem. Except on turns. And sometimes on the straight. And he as an uncanny knack of plowing into the only tree within a hundred feet. Fortunately, the kid knows how to fall, and also how to dump the bike. One of these days he'll figure out that he can use the brakes and then there will be no stopping him. And we'll be the ones riding all over at the nature center. Terrorizing small animals and clueless people in cars.

I can hardly wait.