During our trip to Chico, I made a pit stop and happened to glance at my bike computer. Total miles had just hit exactly 3000 miles since we got it last March!

Since the rear flat was one of the many culprits that ended our bike trip early, the Mundo went straight into the shop the following Monday. I had thought that the incredibly thick, self-sealing tube would hold for the 5 mile commute to Practical Cycle but while I was having coffee with my mama, the tire lost the battle. My mom graciously went back to my house to get the bike rack we had used earlier and helped me load up the bike again. I'm getting to be such a pro! I just take off anything that can be removed, including the seatpost and its stoker bars. The bike sticks up quite a bit on one side but with enough tie-downs, it is very stable.

Tim got right to work pulling out the tube. It was easy to find the hole from the leaking slime. One good thing to note is that you cannot patch a slime tube--I hadn't had a spare tube with me on the trip so I would have been in deep doodoo if that had been what I needed/wanted to do.

My demise had been caused by a chunk of glass. Common enough to find in any bike "path." I remember running over a good-sized chunk and hoping that the thick tube and liner would do the trick. That was also probably the sound I heard as I was pedaling. The glass was working its way deeper and deeper into my tire. Had I had the foresight to really take a thorough look at my wheel early on, I might have noticed it and saved myself one ginormous headache. But I didn't. I know that the thick tube did give me enough protection to allow me to continue riding far longer than I would have with a regular one. I will not put anything less on the Mundo from now on (unless it's just a temporary spare).

Next came the hard part. Tim and I decided it was time to retire the original Mundo wheel, a basic tire that still had enough tread left but a large divot from the glass, and upgrade to something better with more protection. However, 3000 miles with one flat is nothing short of amazing but anything I can do to avoid changing that back wheel, especially since there would be a good chance of the kids being on the back, I'm onboard!

I knew that Schwalbes were the way to go--Big Apples and Fat Franks were among the most popular among fellow cargo bikers. With tires you tend to "get what you pay for." FFs hold up to 130kg whereas BA active models are just up to 115kg. BA were about $20 cheaper but not enough protection in my opinion. We didn't have the performance model of the BA which is technically 100% comparable to FF. The FF, although they come in different color options(!), were just too fat for my liking at a whopping 2.35".

Tim recommended, without a doubt, what he has on his bike--the Mondial! A 140kg capacity, 2", plenty of tread, lighter than either the FF or BA but at about twice the cost. I quickly texted Jose who didn't hesitate--get quality, he replied. Mondial it was, along with another thick, self-sealing tube, and my original tire liner.

I had been worried that I would feel a drag from the heavier treaded tire but as I rode home at 12-15mph, I had to admit that it actually felt better than before.

And I LOVE the reflective sidewall!

Now I have to wait for my front tire to go out. With the amount of tread still left that might not be until next year! Enough time to save up for anothe Mondial. I figure that the small amount of money that I put into this bike, relative to a car, it's worth it to make sure that the parts are quality and will last.

Can't wait to see where the next 3000 miles takes us!

Home, one way or another, we're back. Today started well. We were out of the Travelodge with our panniers full of continental breakfast goodies. We even made it out of the hotel before 8:30 am. Things were rolling along smoothly until I noticed that the directions I had gotten for our route back to Sacramento had a confusion section. Looking up on Google and my iPhone maps, I still couldn't figure out which tiny farm routes were going to get us to the other side of the river and connect to the Garden Highway. Eventually, I realized I wasn't getting anywhere so I got my parents involved. We were all at a loss, myself literally. Big Brother and I went back and forth, around and around. I was getting more and more rattled and my Mundo was making some interesting noises. The brakes had been rubbing a bit, the fork was squeaking, and now there was a weird whooshing sound occasionally. The only way we could figure out my route was to get me over Highway 99. Three of the roads that my maps said went through dead-ended instead. The road I finally settled on ran out of pavement. Then, I realized the wooshing noise was my rear tire. It was a slow leak in my incredibly thick tube, very slow but it was there. It was that moment that I decided our trip was over. Calling my dad was so disappointing but right after I hung up, the exhaustion set in. 

We would have had about 45 miles more to go. As bummed as I am that we didn't get to "complete" our trip, I learned so much. This trip was our very first. It was amazing! Big Brother stayed happy and engaged the entire time. We saw wonderful animals, met new friends, and found out that this kind of trip is totally possible. I can't wait for our next adventure!!! 

Our trip was 213 miles total, four days of pedaling, hours and hours of a jabbering 4-year-old--it was heaven. If there was a way to get paid doing this, I'd do it forever. It was hard but it was fun. Now that we have our first Mama-Big Brother biking trip down, we'll be so ready for our next one. 

* I learned that 75 miles is too many, 40-60 is perfect. 

* Leaving "on-time" will NEVER happen. 

* We packed way too many clothes and too many toys. 

* ALWAYS carry an up-to-date paper map and plan our route beforehand. 

* I need a better handlebar bag and I'm not sure how well the Baguettes will last in the long run with BB's feet smooshing them all day long. . 

* The spandex may have done more damage than not. 

* Warmshowers hosts are way better than motels. 

* As long as the little guy was fed and entertained, we could keep riding forever. 

* A little fussing is fine, it happens when we're off the bike, too. 

* Rest days are necessary. Playgrounds are a must. Ice cream will solve ANYTHING. 

* The Mundo fits beautifully on a Prius, when necessary.

* Big Brother is amazing! 

It's amazing how much a good night's sleep and having the wind at your back can lift a biker's mood. We had a great time with Katie and Aren and his parents, Camden and Michael. They read books and played cars and dinosaurs with Big Brother. Aren was awesome enough to guide us back out of town, saving us from getting lost a million times and getting frustrated. Our hosts through warmshowers were the best! They were definately our favorite parts of our adventure.

With the wind at our backs, we cruised down the way we had come up. We had some time to stop and play a bit today since our destination wasn't as far.

Our food stash had run down to our emergency so we splurged on lunch at the Black Bear Diner. That was a huge mistake! The service was horrible, Big Brother's mac was from a box and flavorless, even the milkshake was watery. How do you mess up a milkshake??? Top it off with feeling yucky afterwards and losing an hour of our day, I was grumpy. I also dumped the bike on the way out. Big Brother was sitting in the Peanut Shell and I just lost balance while walking the bike back. He tipped farther and farther over and I knew I couldn't get him back up so I eased him all the way over. Someone walked over and I asked for help. The bike was upright in seconds. He wasn't hurt at all because it was such a controlled fall, in fact, he giggled the whole way down.

We had a few sprinkles off and on but nothing bad. The big guy rambled on the entire ride. I was exhausted and my tush was/is killing me. I couldn't find a comfortable position. But we made it. Just 52 miles into Yuba City, sneaking in right before dark.

Our final stops were to Corner Bike Shop because they had a Mundo out front. Yubas in Yuba City! It's an awesome shop with a cool free pump and hydration station. Somehow I spent $12 on a Clif Bar, single serve chamois cream (yes, it has resorted to that), and Nuun tablets. I was to tired to ask and hadn't realized until I was a couple blocks away. Checking into our motel, they asked if I could park the bike outside. I said no way! They don't even have racks out there. The Mundo is now happily squeezed into the room watching Spongebob with us. I'm hoping the last snacks last us until mornings for the free breakfast.

Can't wait to hoard up at the continental breakfast. I wonder if that can last us through the afternoon. If anyone feels like catching us, we'll be biking the Garden Highway home.

Today was rough! It was long, we got a late start, we were tired, and there was a headwind. I struggled to keep up a 9-10 mph pace, whereas yesterday, we were mostly trucking at 10-12, until the hills.

We had to say goodbye to Joe and Nikki after an amazing breakfast. They played with BB a I packed up the bike. Luckily, our things were dry and we had enough room for fresh mandarins from their tree. I hope we see them again soon!

Thankfully, Big Brother sat in the deck for the beginning of the day. It was so much easier having his weight upfront while climbing. However, he was silent and introspective and I knew something was up. He held on until the last hill where we stopped. Then, he told me he was too tired, 4 miles into the day. Sure enough, once he was buckled and bundled, he immediately put his head down and dozed for the next hour or so.

There's not much else to tell. We kept moving, stopping just a few times to briefly grab a snack or to potty. The big guy didn't want to move from the PS so he stayed there the whole time. It was difficult with him all the way in the back but that was where he was happiest and that's all I cared about.

We didn't make it before dark but luckily, we popped onto a bike trail right as the sun went down. With 3 miles to go, we did what any sane biker would do--buy ice cream cones!

I was right to be worried that our last 3 miles of directions took up a page and a half of turns. Even with my phone, I still couldn't tell where I was going. Just as I was about to try one last time, a biker stops by me and asks if I'm Elle! Our warmshowers host, Aren, had come looking for us! He led us through a maze of bike paths and side streets--I have no idea where we are! However, we are here! Warm, fed, sleepy. Aren and Katie, along with Aren's folks have been so kind. Aren's dad read to my little guy for about an hour and they all doted on him as he rushed around in a frantic energy release. I am exhausted, a bit brain dead, and super sore. My thermal leggings were a horrible choice and I was so grateful to have a warm shower to end the day with.

Seventy-four miles total, we got lost in Marysville, too. We finally made it to the house around 7 pm, 10+ hours on the road. Again, I am so amazed at my little man who woke up with a smile, ended the day in a fit of giggles, and now sleeps silently beside me. Shhhh.....

What a day! I'll go into more detail on my Crazy Guy journal when I return but in the meantime, enjoy these photos!

59 miles today! It was certainly an adventure! The big guy and I talked for the first 4 hours then he rested in the back for the next 3. He didn't take a nap but stayed cheerful and sweet the whole time! I am so lucky! He was pretty wild when we got here but he went to sleep as his head hit the pillow.

We'll see how tomorrow goes. It's an even longer day...

Tomorrow's the big day! We're heading out on our big adventure to Chico. Hubby and Little Brother are staying home while Big Brother and I search for dinosaur tracks. You can follow our adventure on crazyguyonabike.com. So far, it's just what we're up to and what we're bringing. Just by a lucky coincidence  the Mundo-specific multitool I had ordered from Antload up in Portland arrived this afternoon! 

Our route has been planned with the help of our hosts. I am feeling pretty comfortable with the distances and the roads. Now, I just have to pack it all on the bike! 

Big Brother and I were so lucky to get two chances this weekend to visit with other biking families. Saturday was our Kidical Mass ride. We had 14 brave bikers show up in the chilly morning. The bikes were awesome--two Mundos, a bakfiets, a Fr8, a custom ANT, and two Bike Fridays. We rode to Doughbot, using proper hand signals and following all traffic rules, taking the lane as needed. After filling ourselves up with delicious sugar, we rode over to the giant Southside Park to run around. 

I love getting a chance to meet up with other biking families in the area--checking out their customizations and how they keep their kids warm, what's working for them and helping to figure out any difficulties. It's the perfect way to realize how many of us are truly out there and that we're not really crazy for biking the way we do. Plus, they're really just fun people to visit with. 

After the playground, I zipped home to drop Big Brother off for lunch and his nap then cruised back out to have lunch with a friend. Biking lets me make multiple trips and do more fun things without feeling guilty about driving around town frivolously and excessively. 

Sunday followed with more family fun biking with our Mommy Group ride to Doughbot, again since the mommies couldn't make it the day before. I'm always up for a second round of doughnuts, of course. Sadly, when we arrived, they were out for the next hour! We biked down to Southside Park without our sugar high but popped back over for their next fresh batch. 

It was so much fun to ride with the Mommies (and a Daddy)! Another mommy had been riding her Mundo regularly, there was mom on her bike for just the third time since her kids' were born AND she was towing 80 lbs of kid/gear, one little guy was on a trail-a-bike for the first time, and another mama had her son in a kid seat that she had installed the night before! With that kind of range of biking comfortability, we still stayed together, rode safely, obeyed traffic laws, and had tons of fun! It goes to show that riding a bike is always better with friends and the perfect way to get used to everyday cycling. One thing that we all had in common was that we are all interested in biking more regularly and will plan to do this again soon!  

This was the perfect weekend to reenergize me for the coming trip to Chico. I had been feeling pretty nervous about the length of the trip and my insane decision to take Big Brother with me. However, looking at the maps, I've whittled down the mileage to about 60 each day, totally doable. We have very nice people to stay with through warmshowers. I've got special surprises for BB along the way, new books, and lots of snacks planned. I'm feeling much more prepared and very excited. Worst case, we're not going very far and we'll have lots of support if needed. 

I was amazed by the response I got to yesterday's post about the poor bike parking at local businesses. It's an epidemic! Amazingly enough, I got an almost immediate reply from Kaiser's member department asking for more information and whether they could follow up with me. Change! A business that wants to grow and support us! Fantastic! It almost made up for the overwhelming majority of people who had similar stories about the difficulties of shopping at their favorite stores. 

Today, I wanted to post two of my favorite local bike racks. 

This one is a beautifully and deliciously designed rack in front of Vic's Ice Cream on Riverside Blvd. 

This one is in front of Strands Salon and Spa on Folsom Blvd. 

Their bike parking is not only front and center, it's also visually appealing and attractive. It makes me want to come to these places more often. The racks actually contribute to the overall beautification of the neighborhoods and businesses they embellish. Art and parking in one! I'm sure the people who designed and installed these racks had a fun time doing so. In fact, well-designed bike racks could provide new local jobs. In Cleveland, Metro Metal Works has set up shop at a homeless shelter, employing homeless people and recently released prisoners while giving them a paycheck and skills to improve their current situation, all while also improving safe bike parking.  

Keep squeaking bike riders! Make it known that you are shopping by bike and that you need better access to parking. Kath suggested that you ask for help out at grocery stores with poorly designed bike access. If it is a burden on employees, they will be better advocates to facilitate change. Spend your money at places that welcome cyclists and thank them for their support. The more businesses realize that we are beneficial to their bottom line, the quicker we'll get recognized as an important form of transportation.  

It always surprises me when people are surprised that I do almost all my errands by bike. I take it for granted that not everyone is comfortable riding their bikes in traffic. I've had people tell me how they used to ride to work but stopped because it was "too dangerous," only to find out that their "too dangerous" is a route I take daily, with my kids, and find it to be quite simple. Studies keep coming out showing how bikers actually spend more money than car drivers because it is so easy for us to make a quick stop when we see something we like. We don't have to worry about parking and we see all the interesting things as we ride along, stopping at will. 

Unfortunately, in our car-driven culture, places are aghast at the thought of imposing on their more important car customers, refusing to give up "valuable" parking spaces in lieu of bike racks or bike lanes. Unless we come into their place of business wearing spandex and clomping around in clip shoes, they'd probably never know we had arrived by bike--skewing their perception of what their paying customers drive. 

Here are two examples that I came across today. These places are both fantastically easy to get to by bike but once you're there, it gets harder. The first is a Kaiser Permanente medical office. They love to tell you to get active, use your bike and walk, but I notice that they haven't taken the time to encourage the practices they preach. 

It is especially disappointing because this is such an easy fix. By putting out a nicely visible bike rack, they are showing that biking is a valued form of transportation and encouraging others to do so. 

The second location has a different problem. Trader Joe's on Folsom Blvd. has a bike rack. That's good, right? Nope! They have a bike rack that is so poorly placed that it is almost useless. They are making it so difficult to use the bike rack that it actually discourages people from biking because of the hassles and dangers of using it. 

Notice how shallow the space is provided. When we used to use the trailer, this was a nightmare. We would actually have to unhook the trailer and park it next to the bike, not easy if you're toting children and/or a full load of groceries. Our Mundo barely fits, and only if one of the side spaces is empty. However, that's not even my biggest beef with this situation. Do you see the giant CURB you have to pull your bike over to get to the rack? Without a curb cut, you're just asking for trouble. Easing a fully-loaded bike off that curb is really difficult, children or no children, and you're backing into traffic! They're basically saying: "yes, we have a bike rack but we don't really want you to use it." 

This is what I have to do to load my bike up because of the curb and the brick wall surrounding the bike rack. I have to go into the street, all the way around, park the cart next to my bike--in the parking lot with traffic zipping by, and then bring the cart back around. Try doing that while wrangling small children. I have to drag them into the parking lot multiple times because there is no sidewalk connecting the bike rack. 

Combine this terribly designed "bike rack" with their terribly designed parking lot and you have a recipe for disaster. Traffic is often backed up into the street and around the corner. People are stopping in the middle of the lot to wait for an open space while others get impatient and try to pass dangerously around them. Because there are so few parking spaces, one would think that Trader Joe's would be happy to be a bike friendly business, easing up the congestion already in the lot. I guarantee most of their shoppers come from a 2-mile radius, the majority being less than that. They are smack dab in the middle of two very bike friendly routes and they are missing out on a brilliant opportunity to help bikes and cars alike. 

Putting the effort to encourage bicyclist customers is a simple yet effective way to get more people on bikes for everyday errands. In just a single parking space, Insight Coffee has welcomed about 10 bikes. This is the way to become a bike friendly business and they are certainly benefitting from it. We want to welcome everyone into the world of cycling and we need businesses' help. Show us that you care and we will be incredibly loyal customers for life.

We're getting our layering down finally. Little Brother was especially obliging when he realized he could take his special blanket on the bike. We did get yelled at by a truck who couldn't figure out how to pass us at a stop sign--the correct way being to NOT pass us and instead wait his turn. A few extra honks (not directed at us) made me realize that 8:30am is a time where normally lovely people (I assume) become time-crazed drivers. Dorie pointed out that 5pm is another one of those times. Thankfully, the Traffic Skills 101 class reaffirmed my belief that it is imparitive for a cyclist to take their rightful, legal, and safest position in the road. We just let those angry people move about their angry day while we ride joyfully along. When Big Brother asked me what that man had said, I just explained that he didn't ride a bike enough. I think it's a scientific fact that the more you ride and the less you drive, the happier you are. Just try and disprove me!