It was one of those days today. It was hot and I was tired so when the guy in the truck almost backed into us, I yelled "Watch out!" 

This conversation ensued: 

"Whoops, I didn't see you."

"Watch out better, then."

"I was watching out."

"If you didn't see me, you weren't watching out."

"I was watching out."

"You weren't. I'm not invisible. Pay attention next time."

And by that time, I was far enough away that I couldn't yell loudly enough anymore. It's one of those "conversations" that make me want to gag. You can't miss a giant red bike in the MIDDLE OF THE TRAFFIC LANE and still think that you're actually seeing what's on the road. I really wish people would understand the difference between looking and seeing. Your eyeballs might technically be open but if your brain is not actually processing what said eyeballs are taking in, you have no right to be operating a motor vehicle.  

In other news, the Better World Club had been promoting this graphic: 

It bugged me that the #SaveALife was so flippant in a situation where #Don'tMurderPeopleWithYourCar would be more appropriate. Too often, the media portrays traffic deaths as inevitable and accidental so in that reality, an attentive driver seems almost heroic. 

Luckily, I have some awesome Twitter buddies and we made our voices heard. Here is the end result:

It's a subtle difference but it's a big one, not quite as good as my suggestion #dontmurderpeoplewithyourcar, but it's an improvement. Thank you for listening, Better World Club! 

April's Kidical Mass started at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that provides riders with the tools and the help to fix their own bikes for a $5 donation. They also sell refurbished bikes and scavenge parts from broken bikes to sell inexpensively and help cover operating costs. It's a great resource for our bicycling community and one that I have sent many people over to from Practical Cycle but I'd never actually been to myself.

The manager, Mike, was fantastically flexible and welcoming. Family biking tends to run on its own schedule and Mike was able to tailor a tour that suit our kiddos' ages and attention spans perfectly.

Little Brother was especially enamoured with the giant puddle out front and was soaking within seconds. Luckily, I had the Bullitt with the cover so he stayed warm and dried quickly as we rode over to the Midtown Farmer's Market. We tried not to overwhelm SABA's bike valet, Kenny, with our giant bikes so we parked in the space next to him. He was kind enough to still keep an eye on our bikes as we corralled the kids and picked up tasty goodies and produce and listened to the local band playing. We even picked up a few additional riders and ran into another Mundo while we were there. It was funny to see that the parking space could hold enough bikes for 20 riders (we're a condensed group) with room to spare OR one truck.

Our final leg took us over to the McKinley playground. We had about 22 riders and the shady streets were easy to navigate. The wind and debris in the air was another story! I was choking almost the whole way. I love spring but it's one of the hardest seasons to ride through around our beautiful Tree City. I need to always remember my Buff so I can keep breathing.

I'm looking forward to May Is Bike Month and our month of Kidical Mass rides! Next Saturday, we're headed to Fairytale Town! I love our group of riders and getting the chance to catch up or meet others who are interested in bike riding with their kids.

While last week was a blast, I had some time to sort out my summer ideas and I realized that I'd be able to more fully immerse ourselves in the Whine & Chocolate Epic Bike Tour, it would be better if we had some extra time to prepare. I have a lot on my plate right now and instead of trying to fit the trip into my life, I'm going to slow things down and make sure I can make this trip as epic as possible. It's a big bummer to not have six weeks of bike adventure to look forward in a few months to but I know that it's the right decision. This summer, we'll be staying closer to home with a few adventures thrown in, of course, and next year, we'll be ready to go! Maybe I can even get Big Brother pedaling on his own to help! 

In the meantime, I have some fun bicycle education jobs coming up and my station at my favorite bike shop, 
Practical Cycle. We also have Sac Kidical Mass tomorrow starting at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen, 9am. We'll be checking out their facilities then moseying on down to the Midtown Farmer's Market and McKinley Playground--something for everyone. In May, the Sacramento Kidical Massers will get to have a ride each weekend for May Is Bike Month (by the way, make sure to join Tiny Helmet's team and log your miles!). The goal is to try to incorporate new neighborhoods, families, and activities--starting with Land Park ride from Belle Cooledge to Fairytale Town on May 3rd. The great folks at Fairytale town, especially their grounds manager, David, have been really excited about our visit since they are incredibly bike-friendly and want to know what we think of their new bike racks at the front entrance. If only all businesses could be as forward-thinking as these guys. 

So now, for the first time in at least five years, I'll have a casual summer at home. I'm sure we'll be able to figure out something exciting to do. Any suggestions? 

This week, the boys and I decided to pop over to Lake Solano for an overnight trip. We had been planning on going to Humbolt for a more epic spring break but decided it was just too much work right now and I hadn't set things up quickly enough.



This time, I packed up the Mundo with our three sleeping bags, two sleeping pad (one of dubious quality that didn't make it back home with us), and the small Hubba Hubba tent. We also had actual planned meals, kitchen utensils, my little stove, and tableware. I went light on the clothing, figuring that we could layer as needed and that we'd only be gone for a couple of nights.

We set off around 9:30am with my dad who decided to join us for the ride. It was pretty easy riding through urban west sac, noisy along the Yolo causeway, then the wind started to pick up through Davis. There were lots of rest stops along the way for snacks and rock throwing, of course. It was slow going, sometimes only riding along at 7mph but at least we were moving in the right direction.

42 miles and one big hill later, we arrived at our hike/bike campsite. My legs were wobbly but my cheering section chanted "Go, mama, go!" all the way to the top and screamed "No brakes!!!" all the way back down to the bottom. These guys are awesome.

We were all thrilled to be off the bike. The boys set off exploring and checking out our neighbors, the resident peacocks, and I got to unloading the bike. My dad turned around and rode the 40 miles back home. I don't know which one of us is crazier but it certainly runs in the family.

I had a couple of ibuprofen to stave off the headache that was creeping in after the long day in the sun and the next morning I was totally fine.

I was pretty proud of myself for using the stove this time around and planning enough food to almost last our entire trip. They weren't the best meals but I'm lucky that everything tastes better when you're camping. We had pesto gnocchi for dinner, oatmeal for breakfast, scrambled eggs with tortilla and leftover salami and cheese the next night, and plenty of peanut butter honey pita bread meals tucked in between.

Thursday was our rest day but I'm convinced that off-the-bike days are actually more difficult for me. Wrangling two wild children, continuously filling them with food from our quickly diminishing stash, and making sure they didn't drown (all while I just wanted a big nap myself) was rough. We had forgotten to bring any books or toys but there was a slow river, a big playground nearby, and so many rocks and sticks that had to be picked up. There was also rampant patches of poison oak but so far, we're in the clear.

It was close quarters in the 2-person Hubba Hubba but we managed. The vestibules under the rainfly made for a nice storage area and the boys are small enough to mostly squeeze onto one sleeping pad--either feet-to-feet or side-by-side. The hyper peacocks had kept me awake most of the night (reminder: always pack earplugs) and these boys don't sleep in later than sunrise. At least they wake up cheerfully and excited to start the day.

On Friday morning, the boys ate our last two packs of oatmeal and I packed up camp. We were able to get out onto the road by 8am, a mere 90 minutes after waking up, possibly a record.

The ride started off with a steep but short climb and some rolling hills but we got to Steady Eddy's in six miles for the boys' second breakfast and my first for the day.

They were pretty excited about the flavored yogurt and my breakfast wrap filled me up for the windy ride home. I was less thrilled about sitting outside on a beautiful day watching the local crowd pull up to the cafe and leave their giant trucks idling (one for over 15 minutes!). We were back on the road fairly quickly.

The wind was tough in some stretchs. It was blasting from the side so there wasn't much relief. We all felt gritty and tired. There were more roadies out zipping past our 200 pound bike and its live cargo.

Gampa showed up right outside of Davis to ride back home with us. He brought some extra snacks and was great company for us all. After another playground stop in Davis, we were ready for our final leg.

The wind had shifted slightly so it was more of a tailwind which made for an easier trip across the causeway--a long, loud trail right next to the freeway across a bridge overlooking some of the most beautiful wetlands that the drivers miss as they speed along.

We took one final break at the end where the boys played mock-baseball and we chatted with a lovely couple from Portland on beautifully color-coordinated Bike Fridays (randomly enough, they were also at the Haul-a-day test rides at VeloCult and remembered seeing us there).

We got back to my parents' house where the boys were immediately stripped and thrown into the bath. I ditched them there for a slumber party and hobbled the final three miles home and fell asleep for the night at 6:30pm.

This trip was much smoother than some of our previous rides. We're getting our gear setup and packing figured out and gaining new camping skills. The boys are naturally pretty easy to entertain themselves and are able to sit on the bike for long periods of time chatting away and looking around. The route was longer than what I'd prefer to do on a regular basis (probably 30 miles max, fewer for hilly days) and the wind made it harder. However, it was low traffic and still short enough that we made it easily in the daylight.

Next time I need to remember earplugs, extra shoes for the boys if there's any chance of water being nearby, one more layer for warmth during the chilly mornings, and more fresh produce for meals. We have most if our gear figured out except for a good pot set and sleeping pad for the boys (sturdy enough for them but packable).

This was going to be a post about how we're about halfway through the 30 Days of Biking and we haven't done anything really eventful. It was much harder the first year when it was a struggle to figure out how and where we were going to bike. Now it's a breeze because we ride to go just about everywhere and have been doing so for over two years. This is our third 30 Days of Biking and it seems to get easier each year. I did miss one day this month but I ended up walking seven miles instead and I figure that should count for something. Maybe the biggest change is my decision not to push myself to bike/do something just because I think I should. 

HOWEVER, this afternoon the boys and I were riding home on the Bullitt and I asked the boys "alley way or non-alley way?" It's always alley way but it's fun to let them decide. As we rode past the liquor store on the corner (I know, alleyways and liquor stores, I live in a classy neighborhood), a woman in front smiled and I smiled back. Everyone loves the Bullitt so we get lots of attention. Then she said "my boyfriend just got one of those and wants to ride me around in front." I wondered where they would have found one of "these" bikes and just registered it as an odd comment. 

But when we turned down the alley, sure enough, there was a beige Christiania looking a little worse for wear parked in front of a house that's know for its hoarder-like tendencies. It clicked. This was the bike that I had vaguely glanced at this morning on my FB feed. A local non-proft had had their Christiania stolen last night. 

This next part of my story is not something I would recommend anyone doing, myself included. I'm not even sure why or how I did what I did. I pulled over and said "That's not yours, it's stolen, give it to me or I'm calling the police." One guy looked "shocked" and started asking questions but the other guy tried to call my bluff. When I said I could pull up photos in seconds (thanks FB), he tried to ride the bike away. I dialed the police as I watched him attempt to ride the bike and instead crash it into a nearby house 30 feet away while the other guy was yelling at him to stop and give me the bike. I then walked both cargo bikes down the alley and cradled the phone to my ear as I gave the runaway's description to the police. Sadly, he's a guy I've seen a lot lately around the neighborhood. The bike is now safe and sound with minimal repairs needed. All that was going through my head was that if this had been my bike, I would have been distraught and wishing someone would do the same for me. Once the adrenaline wore off, I realized what a stupid thing I had done with my kids onboard, being so close to my house, and with a very recognizable bike of my own.

So a word to the wise, don't mess with the Cargo Bike Posse, we will hunt you down and steal back our bikes. It may seem like cargo bike theft is on the rise but it's probably because there are more and more cargo bikes in town and they are incredibly useful to a needy and desperate community, not to mention they are highly valuable and sought after. This is another wake up call to ensure my own bikes are ALWAYS locked up securely and properly insured, even (especially) at home. 

After a couple of days of mulling the Haul-a-Day over, I still couldn't decide what to do. The bike is amazing but I was worried that I'd need too many additions that would push it over our budget and that it wouldn't carry all our things. Luckily, we were able to make another stop at the Bike Friday shop in Eugene on our way back home. This time, I was able to really take my time to test out the bike again and price out our options. We ended up staying there for about two hours, getting lots of great help from Walter who went above and beyond his customer service duties. 

I learned how easy it is to adjust the crossbar sizing, just two allen bolts and a push button. We use the OSATA bikes in the school fleet but I've never taken the time to check out how to change them. 

I had to double check that I really liked the new Bike Friday handlebars. I was tempted by their H-bars but finally decided that the swept back style is more my type. 

And of course, the ultimate test--a heavier load. While the Mundo has an unbeatable 400 pound cargo limit, we think the Bike Friday Haul-a-Day has about a 300-350 rider+cargo max. That still leaves plenty of extra weight to carry even with two boys at about 40 pounds each. I've taken adults on the back of the Mundo a few times and it's always interesting to get started. Once we're rolling, the bike stabilizes itself and we're good to go until we have to stop again. What surprised me most about the HaD was that we were rolling really quickly. I think it was the fact that the 20" wheels revolve faster than the 26" and so within a few pedal strokes, we were balanced. I actually didn't realize how far back Walter was sitting on the deck, usually I have to make people scoot closer to me so that the bike doesn't drag as much. I also had no idea that he was flopping around in back like in the last photo. I'm usually very aware of all the movements on deck. The low deck was easy for him to get on, it was even easy for Little Brother to climb on. I know Walter wasn't super comfortable as there wasn't anything for him to rest his feet on but he was a great sport. They do sell a set of foot rests to help that problemt. 

Little Brother was happy to get in on the action, too. 

There's no denying Bike Friday makes gorgeous bikes and since my dad has two and my mom had one before it got stolen, I already know that the bikes are high quality and the team will work with you to create a bike that truly fits your needs.

Long story short, I have an order number and a plan to head back up to Eugene via Amtrak next month to test out our newest trainable cargo bike!

I realize that this is the opposite of downsizing but we still have two bikes on the chopping block and we'll have to wait and see what happens to the third when its cuter, smaller baby sister shows up.

We drove all the way up to PDX to test ride this bike. After about a month of back-and-forth emails with our friend, Kidical Mass co-creator, and Haul-a-Day beta tester/consultant, Shane MacRhodes, I had some pretty high hopes that this bike could help fill the gap in transportation needs--a multimodal cargo bike. Being able to take the train or bus with the children and still have a way to get around when we arrive would be incredible. Our big summer adventure is coming up and there's still the issue of getting to our starting location and getting back home at the end. To take the Mundo on Amtrak would mean totally stripping the bike of everything removable so that it would fit in the generously-sized box AND be under 50 pounds. Also, with the local tours I'm planning for my starting business, my trips don't always start in Sacramento. If I could take the train or light rail to begin the trip, I'd be much happier and not feel like a big fake by driving to the starting point. 

So without further ado, the big reveal: 

And the action shots: 

My thoughts: 

This bike is great! It's light and easy to ride. Unloaded if feels like a standard bike, loaded it's even more stable. The little front wheel takes more attention than I'm used to and it felt a bit wiggly. The ride was an upright, comfortable position but that can be adjusted with the OSATA telescoping tube. The blue bike was closer than I would choose. The standard gears are just an 8-speed cassette and although that would be just fine for Sacramento riding, for longer tours, I'd want a double or triple chainring added. I did notice that riding around the shop and the little hills I encountered were fine to pedal through at the highest two gears, even with my little passenger. It was nice to have a low deck that Little Brother could climb up and down off of but the kickstand wasn't stable enough to allow him to sit unattended. 

The standard build up comes with a rear disc brake but only a front v-brake, I'd probably choose to add a front disc as well. The Bike Friday handlebars were very comfortable for upright riding and I noticed a range of widths so they're probably easily customizable. I like that it includes a flag mount for my usual pinwheel flag. The side bags were on the small side on the midtail whereas the longtail would have the Xtracycle freeloader bags. I think if I were to get the bike, I'd have to get another set of Carsick Design slings to fit. Sadly, the Mundo's would be too long. The midtail deck also fits an Xtracycle deck and all the accessories. It would be interesting to see how it would work because the deck would hang a little over the back of the frame. 

To continue the fantasizing, I would probably need to add their half Hooptie design and a Yepp Maxi for Little Brother. I think that I'd be able to fit the seat directly onto the new Xtracycle deck with the optional cutouts. I'd also want to get the stationary front rack since that's been such a bonus with the Mundo. One of the bikes also had a couple of quick releases mounted near the rear axle that turned out to be a new towing mount. They still haven't done much testing but it's possible that it could be a trail-a-bike option to allow for a second bike and pedaler. If it even just tows a bike easily, that would be great because with the Peanut Shell on the back of the Mundo, it keeps me from easily towing regular-sized bikes or adding a trail-a-bike. One final addition that I might consider would be a trailer hitch since my dad has a couple of Bike Fridays and a suitcase trailer. That would solve my one worry that a midtail would be too little space for our touring. We could add soft, bulky gear in the trailer without feeling cramped on the bike. 

This all leaves me with so many things to consider. The bike would fill a great void in our fleet but I would feel a bit excessive having the two big cargo bikes already. I'm not sure if I'm ready to totally give up the Mundo but I'm happy that it's being used and loved at the moment. One option would be to keep both cargo bikes and add the Haul-a-Day but allow for one or two of the cargo bikes to be rented out for the bike tours or borrowed by visitors and friends. The other option would be to sell the Mundo and add the Haul-a-Day so I don't feel so greedy. The other option, of course, is to not get the midtail at the moment and see how often we miss out on bike riding opportunities because we end up having to drive or leave the bikes then decide if it's something we really need. We'll be heading over to Bike Friday tomorrow on our way back home to follow up and chat about options and pricing, hopefully getting an extra test ride or else how will I fit in a day of riding for 30 Days of Biking? 

What would you do? 

We are taking a trip up to Portland this weekend for a variety of reasons, one being to test the highly anticipated Bike Friday Haul-a-day. Because we wouldn't need the Mundo for a few days, we dropped the Mundo off at our friends' house to play with. Our friend is a neighbor who has four of her own children, the oldest two are fairly confident riders but she has been looking into a solution to go riding with the whole gang. Since her kids are getting older and heavier, the trailer is becoming more and more difficult to use (a story we know very, very well). 

I had ridden Big Brother to school on the Mundo and marveled at how much I loved this bike. We haven't been riding her much because we use the Bullitt for most of our in-town trips. When I dropped off the bike, it was drizzly and we were late to head off to PDX. I kept remembering little tips about the Mundo's secrets that we've learned--start with the seat low, go for a quick loop around the block before putting kiddos on deck, keep the monsters from wiggling too much, etc. Tracey mentioned that she might go for a "little" trip to pick up her daughter from school, which I tried to discourage, thinking it would be too much for a first outing. 

Forty-five minutes later, I checked my Facebook page to see this awesome photo: 

They were going for it! 

For the next hour, I fretted and continuously checked Facebook for the return confirmation--not that I didn't trust them but I was so curious to find out how this first adventure had gone. I didn't want them to be disappointed with the bike. It seemed like such an ambitious attempt but these guys are amazing! When they decide to do something, they jump right in. Sure enough, here comes the victory photo: 

So incredible! The weather wasn't great, it was an unfamiliar bike, a new experience but they took the opportunity and rolled with it. I am so impressed! Turns out, Tracey rode about 10 miles total, a true feat for anyone, not just a beginner. And check out that cute load she carried--smiles all around before and after. I asked Tracey to share some feedback about her first experience with the cargo bike: 

I just can't say enough wonderful things about Tracey and her family. I am so excited that they're jumping into the world of family biking. While I'm still not totally sure if we're ready to sell the Mundo, yet, I'm really happy that it's in such good hands in the meantime and going to be getting plenty of use.