Kidical Mass

5/22/2012

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.

Big Brother and his bike are packed up and ready to go!

Any proper bike riding day should include some ice cream. Why is my child the only one with an ice cream goatee?

Hot Pink and totally awesome! Carsick Designs makes some of the most amazing and quality panniers I've ever seen!

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!