I am pleased to finally announce my newest adventure: Whimsical Cycle Tours! For many years, I have been trying to come up with a way to combine my love of bicycle travel with an actual career that would allow me to share that joy with others. My tours will focus on the Sacramento area and we will be offering overnight camping trips that cater toward families and casual riders who want to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Right now, we are still in the very beginning stages but we should be starting to offer beta tours over the next couple of months. I could not have gotten even this far if it hadn't been for the help of some very special people, especially Sami for her encouragement and drive to turn this into a reality, my parents for being my very first investors, and Jen who created my amazing logo and website banners. 

Another happy announcement is that our Whine & Chocolate tour is BACK ON!!! It took some soul searching and some number-crunching but I've come to the conclusion that there's no better time than right now to start living our lives exactly as we choose. I want to be able to offer my boys a simple life filled with adventure and experiences. I want to be able to lead by example that one can travel and explore without the need of a minivan and highways. We want to relish in the slow-paced sights of nature and be able to immerse ourselves in purposeful wanderings. 

Many of the exact details of our summer trip hinge on the availability of our Bike Friday Haul-a-Day. Its production has been delayed until mid-June and I'd need some time to test it out and break it in before I'd feel comfortable taking it on a long-distance trip. I'm staying hopeful and flexible with ideas for a "long" option and an "abbreviated" itinerary. I am also hoping that once we can nail down some relatively firm plans, we'll be able to open the trip up to others to join and/or meet us along the way. 

There is so much that I am excited about and while I'm a bit nervous to be jumping into a brand new venture, I cannot wait to open Sacramento up to the world of Bicycle Tourism! 

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? 

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're fine! The crash did no lasting damage and I wasn't even very sore the next day. I haven't replaced the cover on the Bullitt, yet, but it's been 70 degrees this week and there's been no need. I still get a knot in my stomach each time I ride next to a parallel crack but I'm hoping that will dissipate over time. 

Since nothing else of note happened this week, here are some photos to catch you up. 

Big Brother's transitional kindergarten class has tricycles. I hate tricycles almost as much as I hate training wheels, especially for five-year-olds. Little Brother has found the joys of pedaling and has been trying to master the giant, horrible trikes though. 

However, he has also figured out a much more appropriate use for these things. We call it "triking." (Not really, I just thought of that right now)

In other news, last time I changed the Mundo's rear flat, I learned that that Mundo multi-tool, made by Mike Cobb of Antload, was the wrong size. I contacted Mike who immediately got back to me and confirmed that I wasn't crazy, there have been some v.4 Mundos that have a 19mm rear axel nut instead of the standard 18mm. Mine happened to be one of those. Unfortunately, Mike had been away from his shop and wouldn't be back until January. It's January and guess what's on it's way! He's also sending one to our friend, Lamaia, who rocks an orange Mundo in town--she had had the same recent discovery. 

Finally, in my preparation for our Whine & Chocolate Epic Bike Adventure, I've been gathering up our gear. I picked up a couple of the few things we need to add to our collection from Campmor at a heavy discount--a new Thermarest for me and a cookset. After much searching, I found this GSI "cook system." I had read the specifications as saying you could cook in the mugs. When it showed up, it was obvious that you can't, they're plastic. It's a really great set: large pot with straining lid, two insulated mugs with sippy lids, two bowls, two foldable sporks, and a carry-all bag that doubles as a sink. I am hoping to get a set that has at least one pot and frying pan. Since Campmor doesn't have free returns, I'm hoping to sell it. If you're interested, let me know. It's brand new with the box, super light and compact. 

On to a three-day weekend with few plans! 

While we don't have a polar vortex outside, it's still been chilly at night--usually about 30-35 degrees. Since this is much colder than we've ever gone camping in with the kids, it's been hard to get my nerve up and give camping a go. It's especially frustrating because the afternoons have been so beautiful and warm about 65 degrees. Big Brother was actually the one who thought backyard camping would be fun--"I know where we can camp AND had a bathroom!" This actually sounded like a great idea because if we realized our gear wasn't up to the weather, I'd rather be 50 feet from the backdoor and not 50 miles. So yesterday at dusk, we set up the big tent (our 4 person one as opposed to our 2 person Hubba Hubba).  

We are borrowing a Thermarest from my mom, who actually doesn't remember that it's hers at this point, and I have an older 3/4 length one from over 10 years ago that was a gift. A few years ago, I picked up one on my own at an REI sale but it got a burn hole on one of it's first trips out when Jose took it to BeerFest. I tried patching it once but used the wrong material that turned out to be porous. On our trip to REI yesterday, I picked up some specific Thermarest patches but it hadn't dried in time for us to head outside (*update on the patching--the kit has, so far, been useless. The patch curls up around the edges and the glue gets everywhere. I'm on my third attempt and it's involving duct tape). Instead, I brought out our  two newer Cat's Meow sleeping bags to use as a mat for me and I slept in my older (12 years) Cat's Meow. The boys both had their wonderful Deuter Little Star and Starlight bags, Big Brother on the longer mat and Little Brother on the shorter. 

The boys were thrilled to be outside in their sleeping bags and for a few minutes, this is what it looked like inside the tent: 

But then they quickly calmed down to this: 

And within about five minutes, they were silent. I was so proud! I, however, lay awake until about midnight. I was surprisingly comfortable because I had my cheapo airline u-shaped pillow that I picked up on my way to somewhere and have hated carting around ever since. This might actually work out well as a camping pillow. I was hyperaware of every movement and noise the boys made. I worried about them being too cold or uncomfortable or having to wake up to pee as the temperature dropped. When I checked my phone around 11:30pm, it said it was still 50 degrees but about to get to 36 within the next few hours. 

I tossed and turned, Little Brother fussed in his sleep a few times, Big Brother was silent. At some point, Little Brother sat up and said "Mama, I'm cold" so I scooped him up into my bag and took over his 3/4 Thermarest. The sleeping pad made a HUGE difference in my warmth. The sleeping bags just didn't cut it as insulation. Since we had the extra bags, I used them as additional warmth because Little Brother was flailing around in my bag and it was difficult to keep us both covered. An extra bonus was when Little Brother's diaper leaked and he ended up soaked. I took his pajama bottoms off and kept the diaper because I didn't have an extra in the tent. Big Brother, on the other hand, stayed snug in his bag, he never woke up except once to pee, and he never complained.


Of course, Little Brother was the first to wake up around 7am with a loud "IT'S MORNING NOW!" Big Brother stayed cuddled up inside is bag but awoke with a smile. We didn't stay in the tent long, it was nice to run back to the house for a warm breakfast and the heater. This was the perfect way to figure out what we still need to be happy campers. I was surprised at how comfortable we all seemed, however I don't think we can try to share two pads for the three of us longterm. The pillow is coming with me camping forever now. I'm also rethinking my original plan of using the smaller tent and stuffing us inside instead of carrying the extra weight for more room. The morning was pretty foggy and the bags that had been touching the tent walls were soaked. I realized that if we want to bring our gear inside during our tent AND be comfortable, the Hubba Hubba isn't going to work. Also, I don't plan on bringing three sleeping bags just for myself but I'll be using one of the newer bags because the older one has been pretty compressed and probably isn't as warm anymore. It will be good to have warmer nights during our Whine & Chocolate epic bike adventure. 

I just asked Big Brother what he thought about camping and he did say that he was "sad that no one was cuddling" him and that he had been cold but when I asked if he wanted to camp out again tonight he lit up and said "YES!" Pretty soon, we're going to be pros! Next step will be how to fit all this stuff on the Mundo and keep it upright! Even though I didn't get much sleep last night, I'm surprised that I'm not actually tired (I think I'm usually more tired and sore when I sleep inside). We'll see how it lasts throughout the day it's probably good that we're having a quiet day anyway. 

My big goal this year is to go on our Whine & Chocolate epic bike adventure in summer--Eugene to Vancouver with a side trip to Victoria. We'll be moving slowly with low-mileage days and plenty of rest days and detours. However, it will be quite a trying journey both as a solo parent for many weeks (although we won't be alone for much, if any of the time) and constant every day riding with kiddos in unfamiliar territory.

To help minimize the shock of the trip, we are continuing to practice with overnights as often as we can. I want to make sure our gear is useable and functional, that we're not over- or under-packed, and that we know our limits. I'm only planning 30-40 mile days but with a loaded bike and kids, it could sometimes feel like a double century.

One way I plan to practice touring is by having our bike "kit" packed at all times and ready to roll at a moments notice. We have most of the gear we'll need but are still looking into a few things such as a sleeping pad solution for the boys, cookwear, and wool clothing for me. I have come up with a list of things to gather. Let me know what you think and if there's anything I'm missing or you think is superfluous.

Whine & Chocolate epic bike adventure gear list (edited additions in italics):



Clothing:

Me--tights, pants, skirt, short sleeve, long sleeve, 2 socks, jacket, gloves, gaiter, hat, rain gear, off-the-bike shoes

Boys--thermals, shorts, long & short sleeves, jacket, gloves, gaiter, hat, rain gear, sunglasses, off-the-bike shoes



Kitchen:

Bowl, mug, spork each, knife, wooden spoon, ladle, cutting board, 2 pots, skillet, stove, gas, windblock, lighters, towels, spices, oil, baggies, foil, food stuffs, scrubbie, Hydroflask & Klean Kanteen bottles, cloth produce bags



Toiletries:

Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, Dr Bronners soap, sun block, Chapstick, hair ties, pStyle-like device, bug spray, baby wipes, towel



Electronics:

Phone, charger, lights, light charger, batteries, headlamp



Tools:

Multitool, pump, tubes, duct tape, zip ties, oil, wrench, patch kit, chain tool, lock, tie downs/bungees



First aid:

Band aids, ice pack, tweezers, scissors, gauze, bandages, aspirin, kid pills, thermometer, nail clippers, Rescue Remedy, antihistamine, Traumeel



Sleeping:

Sleeping bags, pads, tent, pillow for me



Toys:

Books, dinosaurs, Star Wars toys/cars/something little that they can play with for hours, notebook, color pencils/pens



Food:

TBD although lots of chocolate is a given!