My "mishap" or as I call it "incredibly terrible lack of judgement on my part" has left me with a terrible mood and a yucky looking bruise on the bottom of my foot. Surprisingly, I'm not in a ton of pain which I keep thinking that I should be. The Dr. couldn't tell from the x-rays if anything was broken so she gave me the crutches and told me to act as if it was. I'm not very good at that. The swelling has gone down considerably but the purple is starting to shine through. I am, however, irritable, tired, and really irritable. Also, grumpy. 

I managed to not lose any biking days and rode 1 mile--literally around the block--the first day. Yesterday, I had a couple of bike trips adding up to 13 miles, including one where I hauled all my event supplies (including EZ-up canopy) across town. It's amazing to have a bike so comfortable and practical that I can do all that, even when I'm not in tip-top shape. 

Today, I was going totally stir-crazy and frustrated about being 50 miles away from my pledge with only two days left of May so I went on a 25 mile ride to Hagan Park with the boys. That was my limit. I definitely feel my foot now. Still pretty sure it's not broken because I can move it just fine and riding actually feels better than walking but that whole "don't overdo it" is ringing more true to me now. At this point, I am really excited about June coming and not riding with the same obsession that I've had this month. 

However, a new goal has come to light after these last two months of constant biking. I want to do a 365 day challenge! I'm excited about the idea of riding every single day for a year and see where it takes me--both literally and figuratively. At this point, it really doesn't seem difficult at all. If I can still get on my bike with a bum foot, there shouldn't be much that can stop me. My one hiccup is that I have a couple of overseas trips that I am taking this year and that got me thinking about how I would travel (especially by train or plane) with a bike. Amtrak doesn't allow cargo bikes which makes things difficult but an airplane is a totally different story. Packaging up a bike, paying insane charges, then putting it all back together at the airport is a bit beyond my abilities. I started perusing the bike section of Craigslist.org (which I actually do anyway, even when I'm not actively "looking" for a bike) and came across an awesome little folder--the Mobic. It is very reasonably priced and made here in California. They had some "demo" bikes available with some extra accessories and I got in touch with them immediately. I was set up to do a test ride this weekend but Michael's wife's water broke so we are rescheduling for next week. I love that the bike has some great components and folds easily. My folks ride Bike Fridays but they are well out of my price range. The reviews on the Mobic are pretty great and from my discussions with Michael, the founder and CEO, they are on par with Brompton and Bike Friday. It would be pretty great to have a little bike to go with my big bike. As my dad says "the formula for the number of bikes a person should own is n+1, n being the number of bikes the person already owns." I'm pretty sure that for all you bike lovers out there, there is always that "one other" bike that you are just dying to have. 

Anyway, enough drooling, I am very excited about having a new challenge to face and I plan on setting up some goals for the year--less about mileage and more about destinations and activities that I can go to/do by bike. I'm planning some more camping trips and explorations around the Sacramento area, really looking forward to doing some vacation/travel biking (hopefully on a nifty wee folder, maybe), and working on getting more car trips turned into bike trips. 

Also, if you're in the Sacramento area, it looks like next week the Mundo and I (with the wee ones if they cooperate) will be featured on News10 at 9 am! We're part of a section on the Cool California Challenge and they want us to talk about what we're doing to reduce our carbon footprint and how we're managing to lessen our car-dependence. Nervous! I think I'll let the Mundo do most of the talking. And Big Brother. They're really great at getting all the attention. 

I've been meaning to write this post for a while. A couple of things this weekend decided that it was time for me to do so. 

The first incident was when we were setting off on our Folsom trip and happened upon the scene of a recent, gnarly crash. Five roadies on one side of the trail, one down in agony and on the other side of the trail, a mother with her children still standing in the lane, a very dangerous place to be as it's on a blind corner right after a steep decline. We pulled off the road to see if we could offer support. Road rash galore. I went though my bag for some Neosporin and tissues. It was all I could really offer but was surprised that his riding group didn't have anything in terms of a first aid kit between the group. They were standing there waiting for the downed rider to make a decision as the whether he could get back on his bike or not. He was clearly slipping into an injury fog as the adrenaline of the crash was wearing off. I kept encouraging them to call someone to pick him up and they kept looking at him for direction. Finally, we headed back on our way as they were realizing the severity of the situation. This was an older gentleman who was clearly not capable of getting back on the bike (not that anyone probably should after an accident like that) and it was amazing to me that there was a distinct lack of knowledge about what to do in this situation. I'm definitely not an expert but I've taken first aid courses in the past. The truly reaffirmed my belief that a first aid kit and instruction booklet should be standard cargo in your biking bag. We all know not to leave the house without a patch kit, why do we forget about a patch kit for people? 

Some ideas for your kit:

• Bandages in various sizes
  
• Gauge pads
• Gauze wrap
• Bandage tape
• Antiseptic
• Hand sanitizer
• Benadryl/antihistamine 
• Styptic pencil/blod clotter
• Rubber gloves
• Handkerchief
• Rescue Remedy (homeopathic stress/trauma relief)
• Arnica (topical pain relief)

Or, a pre-made fancy one here and a simple one here. 

I'm guessing that one of the kids of the family had swerved into the other lane causing the roadie to swerve and slide out. Ouch! The mother was riding with a kid in a seat on the back of the bike, not buckled in and without a helmet. Her other kid was about 7 or 8, riding his own bike, no helmet, shoelaces dangling precariously close to the crankarms/spokes. They were a moving accident waiting to happen. The poster family for the need of Kidical Mass rides to teach families and children how to ride properly and safely, not just on the street but everywhere. Not knowing what actually happened, it is also safe to mention that there are too many bikers on the trail who also think it's their given right to go as fast as possible even though there is a stated speet limit of 15 mph. They seem to forget that families and slow riders also use the paths and plow right through anything not wanting to ruin their cadence. 

The second incident is a bit more painful to talk about. Not necessarily because it hurts that much but because it was caused by a hugh lack of judgement on my part. I wouldn't mind skipping over this completely but since this is part of my experience, you get the low down. 

Recently, I've been trying to teach my dog to run alongside my bike (right, I can hear you all sighing). I wanted to pick up my Linus from my folks' house and thought I would take the dog to the park and then we'd all ride home together. What's the worst that could happen? I ride slowly with him and stop if he gets distracted. What I didn't really take into account is that we'd be going on busier streets than he's used to and he's a pretty skittish dog. My next brainfart involved my choice of footwear: little flats that have a tendency to slip off. Put the two together and we get a dog that jumped in front of the wheel, I went to put my foot out to keep him from running into the wheel, my foot went into the wheel, shoe fell off, and my foot goes around with the spokes and into the fork. I swear I watched my foot fold in half. Somehow, I managed to get my other foot on the ground and we were safely across the busy street. I hobbled back to my car (about a half mile away) and drove home. Rest, ice, elevation, compression (RICE: see how that first aid training came in handy?). 

I have a big, fat swollen foot, funky spoke-shaped bruises, and a possible fracture. They couldn't tell from the x-rays so they have me treating it as if it was and put me on crutches. That's fun. I specifically asked if I could ride my bike and she didn't really say no. It was more like "take it easy." I can do that. This might be a week of drive-way bike rides, unfortunately. I'm at 536 miles out of 600 for the month--3 more days to go. So close! 
So, bike accidents happen to the best of us. Of course, I wouldn't have been as negligent with my kiddos on the bike but you never know what/who is going to cause you to swerve out or crash. The best you can be is well prepared and aware. I wouldn't have such a lackadaisical attitude if it had been one of my children in this position but hopefully, I learned this lesson the hard way so no one else has to. Dogs + sandals + bikes = a bad idea. Staying calm and together helped me enough to get home so I could treat myself as needed. Of course, if it had been worse, like the fellow on the trail who was dripping blood and laying prone in the dirt, other action would have been required. 

I wil be the first to admit that I got too cocky on my bike. I was too comfortable and letting my guard (and common sense) slip. Just as the drivers in cars need to remember that they are driving a deadly weapon and to treat it like one, I let myself get distracted and unsafe. Hopefully, not everyone has to learn to be cautious the hard and painful way but it is important to realize the inherent dangers of the things we do. I am thankful that I didn't hurt anyone else in the process and I am thankful that I didn't do more damage to myself, that could have been pretty ugly. 

I'm sure my next post will be about brushing off oneself after falling down and not getting scared away from riding just because something goes wrong. 

A major disappointment--the campsite I had reserved for our Memorial Day Folsom trip turned out to be unbikeable. It was on the other side of the lake and at least 50 miles to get there, the last 25 being on dirt forest service roads. I was not up for that this weekend and didn't want others to follow me into a situation that I wasn't sure about. I really like a challenge, but this time, I had to let this adventure go...for now. 

Instead of wallowing in non-biking pity, we planned an alternative trip for the day up to Karen's Bakery in Folsom. My parents came along and our favorite biking family joined us, at first thinking it was just a picnic trip to Hagan Park, but when they found out we were planning on continuing to Folsom they jumped onboard! I was totally impressed at their willingness to go farther with the kids than they had ever been. Jen only has a homebuilt Mixte with 8 gears but she took on the rolling hills to Folsom with ease. Randy pulled a trailer that they bought from Costco a few weeks ago. We all played a little bit of swapping children. Their 5-year-old daughter really loved being up on the Mundo's Peanut Shell since she was a little cramped in the trailer with her almost 3-year-old brother. We had a fantastic time chatting and singing our way to Hagan Park. Big Brother and his buddy hung out in the Chariot together giggling up a storm and wreaking havoc. They were wild together and having the best time. Little Brother took a bit of a rest in Randy's Costco trailer. 

At the park, we all took a break and the kiddos ran free. While we were there, someone called my name and I turned around to meet a fellow cargo biker, Seth, from Sacramento, whom I had communicated with via email. It was so great to meet him and his family in person! Have I mentioned how much I love being a part of this Sacramento biking community? It's a funny experience to be recognized from my website but great nonetheless. 

After the park, we loaded the kids back up. Randy took the crazy boys, I had Little Brother back in his Mini Yepp, and passed off my singing companion to Jose since we were about to hit the hills and I had never taken a 5-year-old up hills. Turns out that I shouldn't have been worried, the Mundo takes inclines like it's nothing and we flew up them without a problem. I could have easily carried more weight on the bike and I shouldn't wuss out so quickly next time. 

Once we were at Karen's we sat down to a fantastic lunch. I thought it was silly that while we were waiting for our food, I was snacking on the goodies we brought. Typical biking me--constantly eating. My burger was amazing with its blue cheese and wedge fries. Yummy! I got a s'mores brownie to go (which I've already eaten) since we didn't get to go camping and make s'mores ourselves. 

After parting ways with my folks and our friends, I was so happy to have had such a wonderful group of riders today. No one had complained or fussed (even the children). It ended up being about 56 miles in total, much more than any of us (except my dad) do on a regular basis, and Jen had never even done that much before. It brought me up to date for my May Is Bike Month pledge: 528/600! I have another ride out to Hagan Park tomorrow so I should actually make my goal! For awhile I didn't think I'd do it.

I'd imagine that we are now all off in our respective homes resting our weary bodies but I hope that they all feel the same amount of appreciation and pride in our little band of bikers as I do. I look forward to more rides with these guys soon! 

I am absolutely stunned that another month is about to pass by and I still haven't stopped riding. It is coming more and more naturally to me each day. We have things to do, we go by bike. It's that simple. Although, that's not to say that my body isn't sore each day or that sometimes I get a little frustrated that biking means I have to plan things out more than I used to. It just means that biking is cemented into our lives in a way that it hasn't ever been before. It is "normal." 

I had my first real "uh oh" moment this week when I had to drive to a work appointment in Elk Grove but my car was at my parents' house. I had run out of the door and zoomed to their house on the Linus thinking that I could leave it there and drive straight home--I had even thought as I ran out the door "I won't need my keys, I don't need to lock anything up." However, I got there and my parents weren't home and it was the ONE time I needed a key to their house. Bummer. A bit of frantic calling and waiting around for an extra 20 minutes while they cut their bike ride short for me and another call to my appointment telling them I would be late and that was it. The world didn't end because I messed up and it didn't shake my resolve to continue using bikes as our main form of transportation. Everyone was understanding and I just felt a little silly. Lesson learned--bring the keys anyway. 

Also, with May Is Bike Month and with my pledge sitting at 600 miles, I am struggling to reach my average of 20 miles per day. Of course, there are days that I go over that goal but more often than not, I am under. Right now, I'm sitting at about a day behind schedule. I have a bigger riding weekend ahead but I am certainly pushing my limits right now. During the 30 Day Challenge, it was hard enough to ride every single day. Now, I am riding every single day--A LOT! My body feels the struggle, I am sore each morning, and I am hungry constantly. Today, I pushed through 17 windy, heavily loaded miles just doing errands around town. It is, however, a good feeling to know that my body is working and moving. I am feeling stronger each day and noticing muscles that hadn't been used for awhile. 

The boys are still happily riding along as if nothing has changed. Big Brother loves to ask which door we will be leaving from and when I ask him which he'd like, he shouts "the back door!" We've all probably been in the car only 2 or 3 times this whole month. We haven't even had to put the carseats back in since Jose picked up screen doors two weeks ago. We come up with new games and songs every day along the road. Even our "1, 2, 3, OW!" song gets Little Brother shouting out "OW!" along with us. We are goofy and crazy and we don't mind who sees us. I love that we can be so close--Big Brother tickles my back and tries to put things in my pockets as I ride and Little Brother holds onto my thumbs and dings the bell. You can't do that in a car! 

Just like life, biking every day has its ups and downs. I will take down days on a bike over any day in a car, easily. 

Our Sunday was a lovely day of riding with friends, both old and new. We met up with some friends who had also ridden to church that morning and rode back together, stopping for some ice cream on the way. They are a fantastic family who has also recently put bike riding into the forefront of their transportation needs. Both parents have started biking to work as often as they can and the family invested in a trailer and helmets for their kiddos to ride around in. They're also planning on joining us for their first ever bike camping trip this weekend! I'm so excited and in awe of them! To go from not having/using bikes to being regular commuters is a fantastic step. An even better step, my friend got a pretty special Mother's Day gift in the form of Carsick Design's gorgeous hot pink pannier set! Now that is a supportive husband! I am so happy to have such wonderful friends who not only think that I'm NOT crazy but they decide to join me along the way. 

Jose got stuck at home with a case of the Sacramento Allergies so Big Brother and I ditched him and Little Brother (who was ready for a nap by 9am). After our ice cream stop, we waved goodbye to our friends and met up at Kit Carlson Middle School for Sacramento Kidical Mass. The goal of a Kidical Mass is to make kid-friendly group rides to help teach parents and children how to ride safely in the streets (Kids are traffic, too!). Sacramento has only had about three KMs and this was our first one. We spent some time decorating our bikes and a lot of time ogling other bikes (including Kate and Warren's Mundos. It's amazing how the same bike can become very unique for each individual family's needs). Another family pulled up in a Madsen cargo bike. There were kids with training wheels and those without, some on trail-a-bikes, some in baby seats. Big Brother was out running around on his Strider. They got to go around a little obstacle course with ramps and cones, there was a sllllloooooooooowww race, and then the group ride around the neighborhood. 

We had such a great time getting to know other biking families from Sacramento. Kate and I talked with the organizer, Warren (of the other Mundo), and we are planning to make it a regular event in Sacramento. There is definitely the need and the interest for monthly rides for families and I am excited to be a part of the planning. 

Big Brother was fast asleep by the time the short group ride was over. We headed home, visiting with Kate along the way. This is such a wonderful community to be a part of! 

Today is my birthday! Yay! I had an awesome ride planned to Davis for tamales and milkshakes. However, my favorite boss in the world scheduled a teacher training in Fairfield the same day. It's a good thing that she's my favorite boss in the world or else I would have been pretty bummed. She's so awesome that she let me come in late just so I could get my birthday ride in (she actually said I didn't even have to come but she's my favorite boss in the world so how could I refuse). Somehow, I managed to work it all out so I got to do both and, with a little help from Amtrak, turned it into a fantastic ride and work trip. 

One of my biking goals is to figure out how to do more of my work miles by bike. I've got my event trips down pretty well by bike now and I'm a pro at doing all my personal travel, errands, and family stuff out of the car but when it comes to my work miles, I usually can't show up super sweaty to a home visit or oftentimes, my meetings are at inopportune times--like late in the evening and/or too far to safely ride. These are basically the only times I am in the car these days. It's a huge reduction of mileage but I'd still like to be able to find an alternative for these last trips. 

Today's ride started by meeting up with my parents and a few riders from their 350 Sacramento bike team. It was a great group of enthusiastic, fun people. We took the bike trail into Old Town, adding a few extra miles to the day, pulled up in front of Practical Cycle just as Tim and Cassidy were opening up shop so we got a chance to chat. My brake cable is stretching out again and I casually mentioned that to Tim (who later called me up and told me to get my bike in before my brakes bottom out again). How awesome is it to have a Local Bike Shop that cares enough to track you down and keep you safe? I am so grateful to have Tim and Cassidy looking out for our well-being! We then ventured over the Causeway. It's incredibly noisy but safe and pretty to look at (at least the North side is). 

Once we got into Davis, we parked our bikes among the hundreds of others at the Farmer's Market and Bike Hall of Fame building. Davis has an amazing history of being bike-friendly. I believe it actually has the first bike lanes ever made in the USA! My parents remember a time when there were more bikes than cars and, unfortunately, that has changed drastically. Thankfully, however, it still has a great biking infrastructure and the sheer number of riders on the streets make biking pretty comfortable. 

Farmer's Market tamales are a tradition that go back to my childhood so we made sure to indulge there. Big Brother drank too much apple juice (also a tradition) which then all came back up while I was squeezing him (not a tradition and luckily I had packed extra shirts). 

My next half of the adventure took me to the Davis Amtrak station where Jose and I traded bikes. He got to rock the Mundo full of kiddos and I got my bachelorette bike--the Linus (I love the fact that we can swap bikes back and forth between the two of us without any change! Jose tends to ride fast, uncomfortable bikes but I know he secretly loves the luxury Mundo ride). 

Amtrak does not have the capability to allow cargo bikes onto their trains. The Capitol Corridor train actually has bike rakes in its cars but nothing for a bike that doesn't fit those dimensions. That leaves a huge group of folks without the means to travel with bikes. It is quite disappointing and can hopefully be rectified soon. Transportland does a beautiful job of explaining the situation. 

One stop later, I hopped of the train with my Linus and directions to the hotel for the training. Three different attempts and I was finally in the right direction. Riding in Fairfield was not very pretty. I know they have a bike trail but I didn't have the time to attempt to find it and I was afraid of getting more lost than I already was. That's an adventure for another day. 

I won't bore you with the details of my training but will say that it was fantastic and I'm glad I made it. There was even cake involved (did I mention that I have the best boss in the world?). I was able to catch up with some of my favorite people and meet with my team of teachers for our summer exchange program. Afterwards, I carefully remapped my route back to the station, found my way, and was there within 15 minutes. Much easier, although Google's biking map took me on Highway 12's overpass and that was a little creepy. There was a decent shoulder for most of it but it was not very comfortable or clean, and I know there were better ways to go (I had gone on them on the way there but didn't want to get myself lost again). Google's biking maps should certainly not be taken as the "best" route. I have often found them to be lacking and misleading. The are a good suggestion but definitely not always the safest, quietest, or greatest. 

Lots of super pretty bikes on the way home! I think I even recognized one as Rick Houston's. Since there was plenty of daylight left and I wanted to still get my milkshake, I got off at Davis again and rode to REDRUM Burger, formally MURDER Burger. They have the best milkshakes, ever! The entire bottom third of the cup ends up being left over whirled up candy from the shake. Yum yum!!! Into the cup holder it went and down the road Reese's Milkshake and I went. The tailwind gods were very kind to us and we zipped back over the Causeway, through West Sac and was greeted by the Tower Bridge, lit up in its golden glory by the setting sun. 

Then, as an added bonus to top of an already awesome day, Cassidy from Practical Cycle showed up as I passed Old Town. He was on his way to a friend's house near us so we got a chance to visit for the last couple of miles home. 

Super great birthday, indeed! 

This song is what I rock out to when I need a little unwinding while I ride. It's a good soundtrack for my post today. 

We all get them. Those helpful little words whispered (or yelled/screamed) out the window of a giant car driven by someone who hasn't been on a bike since it had training wheels on it (if even then) or maybe by some passerby, wandering around with no one else to direct their opinions towards. Helpful people who want to remind you that the bike lane/sidewalk/Mars is the correct place for you to be riding. They are the ones who think you are magical enough to plow through garbage bins, leaf piles, broken glass, or even their own car door that they just flung open. Maybe they just wanted you to know that you should use your turn signs because they can't understand what you meant by holding your arm out to the left with your finger pointing in that direction as you look over your shoulder trying to judge traffic so you can make a left turn from the proper lane. I think that maybe because we aren't protected by four walls of steel that somehow were are open to all sorts of ideas and suggestions about our riding. 

Don't even get me started on the ones who then want to criticize my parenting skills. 

Sometimes I wish that I could do the same for them. "Put away your cell phone!" "Use your own darn turn signal!" "Stop speeding up behind me, it's a red light!" "Don't you know that children under 12 shouldn't be in the front seat and babies shouldn't be given juice in a bottle??!" "Really, your kid needs their own TV to go to the store?" How would they like that? Doesn't make you feel so hot, does it? 

Today, I finally came up with the perfect answer to every single person who wants me to abide by their biking "rules": "I'm riding safely and legally and that's the best I can do." It's simple, to the point, non-confrontational, and exactly true (and I don't have to explain to my three-year-old what that word mommy just said meant). I will have you notice that I said safely before legally. Although I do not advocate breaking laws, there are a few laws that were made with cars, not bicycles, in mind and in a crunch, my children's safety comes first (also, sometimes we're not heavy enough to trip the signal lights and I'd be waiting forever to cross an empty street). 

However, it is a fantastic feeling that I get from the majority of people who shout out "You rock, Mama!" "Right on!" "That is so cute!" "That is so cool!" and so on. It's easy to focus on the negative people and feelings but it's so awesome to know that so many people are rooting you on--inside and outside the biking community and from all walks of life. So, keep shouting about how awesome I am and keep your negative opinions to yourself, I'm truly sorry if I made you 30 seconds late to where ever it was you had to get to in such a hurry (while you drive one handed, talk on the phone, and eat a cheeseburger at the same time as driving your deadly weapon). 

On a different note, I did get a chance to hop on the Linus for a quick trip to my folks' house and back (I thought I would have to leave a bike there and wanted one that was....em...expendable...sorry, Linus. I always do love riding it. I realized that the Linus is like an old best friend whom you never get to see anymore and when you do, you pick right back up where you left off and wonder why you never get to visit anymore. It reminds me of a time when I was free from children, work, and other duties (like shopping for an entire family, a dog, and three chickens). The cute little rack at the back tells me that it is not made for passengers and that makes me smile at it's uselessness (relative, of course). After putting nearly 1000 miles on the Mundo since mid-March, it's fun to have take a spin on the little sporty Linus. Tomorrow, I know that I'll be chugging along again on the old work truck/minivan. The Linus is already parked back in the shed. But I do love that bike and I just had to make sure that the Linus got a little shout out. 

And...we also made it into the Sacramento Bee. Although, no photo to admonish. 

I wish I could take all the credit for this idea but, alas, I stole it from another blog. Since I couldn't get my first attempt at sun protection to work, I scrapped that idea and stumbled upon a different version. After looking for the covers at REI and finding them out of stock, I searched the Great Internet to find them on sale at Rocky Mountain Trail for just $15 a piece. The blog had only shown them on a PeaPod (similar to a Peanut Shell) so I knew that Big Brother's seat was going to be a cinch but I took a gamble at trying to rig one for Little Brother's and bought two, just in case. Litte Brother was the one I worried about most as he is up front and more exposed to the elements. We had started using the Yepp Windshield again since I found a stick (yes, a stick) in the little guy's eye. 

It turned out to be incredibly simple for both seats to become covered. I tried out the Yepp's cover this morning by zip tying the back poles to the seat and then tucking it over the windshield. We rode around like that all day without much of a problem. I was worried that it would impair my vision of the road in front but it didn't. When I got home this evening, I secured the front pegs with some stick on outdoor velcro and it was good to go. The back poles will slide in and out easily for quick mounting and dismounting of the wee one. 

The Peanut Shell's cover followed the same instructions as Everyday Adventure's. I drilled in two 1/4" holes at the top of the seat and two more along the sides of the cross bar. My grommets were too loose so I used electrical tape to secure them. I didn't want the poles in the front of the bar because my big guy already gets stuck getting in and out from under it and I didn't want them poking him in the legs. I can't wait to give them both a go tomorrow. The weather is heating up and I think this will make them both more comfortable and willing to ride longer distances in less than perfect weather. Also, if I need extra protection from the rain or sun, I now have a support to add on the stroller shades/rain covers as needed. 

Mother's Day! CycloFemme! Ikea! 

What better way to start off a special day than to strap the kiddos onto the Mundo and ride down the road to my aunt's house (yes, the aunt who insisted on riding on the the back of my bike). We towed her newly tuned up bike to her house where she hopped on and joined us for a ride to our CycloFemme meeting point at Discovery Park. 

The CycloFemme ride was started by GirlBikeLove to honor the rich history biking has shared with the women's liberation movement and how biking still gives women a freedom that might not be otherwise accessible without it, empowering and encouraging more women to get out and ride, benefitting themselves and our health as a community and environment. 

“Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.”
-Susan B. Anthony  

Our Sacramento ride was a small one. Eleven of us showed up to ride a short 2.5 mile loop around Discovery Park. It worked well for our young riders and it was fantastic to meet new, friendly, biking families. I have great plans for our next ride now that we have had a trial run to see what worked and what didn't. 

This morning was the first ever Ikea Breakfast ride. Each Monday, Ikea serves its $.99 breakfast plate for free. It's a simple and safe 3.5 mile ride from Practical Cycle in Old Town and it's a great excuse to pick up a few "necessitates" for the home. I have a feeling that my loads are going to get larger and larger with each ride as I enjoy testing myself and my bike a little more than I probably should...and we need a new bed for the boys...

Since Jose is getting too close to me on our May Is Bike Month challenge, I decided to go the long way home and keep my lead strong. We also received our sunshades from Rocky Mountain Trail and I am looking forward to installing them and giving the boys some better protection from the elements. 

Today we hit a major milestone of 1000 miles since we started this journey in March. Almost all those miles are from the Mundo as I don't actually count Jose's miles since that would get too confusing for me and add one more thing I have to keep track of. I have never even hit 1000 miles in a year, let alone 2.5 months! It's amazing what you can accomplish when you decide to give it a go. What also surprises me is how many of those miles would have been car miles had I not replaced them with the bike. No wonder we were never staying within our monthly lease amount! Those little trips here and there really add up! It feels great to know that I am making a change for the better--for myself, my children, our family, and the environment. 

Today was our awesome Mommy Bike Ride! For weeks, our mommy group had been planning an epic (for us) bike trip and picnic. Many of the moms hadn't been on a bike since before their children were born and all of a sudden, they were dusting off their pedals and warming up for our group ride. Six of us moms and 9 children piled onto bikes of all different shapes and sizes, climbed into trailers, onto seats, and one even perched on a trail-a-bike with glee. We strapped on our helmets and rode off to the American River Bike Trail. It was the most amazing sight to see our Baby Bike Train riding along the road. We spanned about a block as we took to the streets--slowly and safely. Once we were on the trail, we relaxed a bit more and were able to chat and cruise along. After about 6 miles, we headed back to Sac State where the kiddos happily hopped off their rides and tore around the grassy area and we sat down for a much needed picnic. Rested, we pedaled the final 4 miles or so back to the park where we parted ways and rode to our respective homes. It was a fantastic outing that we are hoping to make a regular occurrence. I am so happy to have fellow biking mamas now and it was so much fun to have such wonderful company. For the first time since the start of May Is Bike Month, I logged my miles in as "recreation" instead of "errands."