Bike Riding Fun

This summer one of my goals was to ride my bike more. However, for a much of the summer, it's seemed that the weather was against me. For several weeks it seemed like whenever I had the energy and time to bike, it would be 90°F or more and often there'd be an air quality alert too. Still, there've been opportunities that come up from time to time.

Then, I started plotting with my folks in Wisconsin about doing some biking up there. Near where my parents live, there are lots of great trails. I've long thought it would be fun to go exploring. So, I got more serious about my biking around town here in preparation and I significantly expanded how far I was comfortable going. Now, lots more places are inside the my biking radius, offering even more motivation for biking (if only the weather would be nice).

Finally, it was time to travel up to Wisconsin. We loaded up and headed north.

I got to hang out up north for a few days so, even before the big Family Bike Ride Day, I went out exploring and making the most of having brought along all my biking equipment. My boys tend to wake up crazy early, and while this is rather a bother, it does make it easier to get moving on the day. So, one morning we took advantage of this and got in a good ride and visited a couple parks, all before lunch.

On Family Bike Ride Day, it dawned a little rainy and we were watching the radar closely. Despite the wet, we pressed on.

In the end the clouds cleared and it was lovely! My parents and my boys and I met up with my sister and her kids. Over the last several years, my dad's gotten into biking and it's contagious! So, we left it to him to find us a great route. This was one he's been looking at for a while and we finally got to go!

We stopped here and there to enjoy the scenery and to let the kids stretch their legs and check out the wildlife. One of my favorites was this cool walking bridge. It was one of those places that, if we'd been kid-free, I might have pushed to check out further, but it wasn't a very kid-friendly kind of bridge, so we only walked out a little ways.
Perhaps another day.  Still, I couldn't resist snapping a few pictures before leaving a kindness rock there.

Overall, it was a little more hilly than we were expecting, but we made it! There may or may not have been some occasional walking involved for us folks pulling trailers, but we emerged victorious. And there was a great park at the end.

The kids were happy, and the grownups were ok taking a break. Maybe it was that I was light several pounds since I only had Moon in my trailer, but I felt like I could have gone farther! I think I could get used to trail riding; it's a lot less stressful (no cars) and there's far less stopping and starting (no stop signs). Plus, it's way more fun to bike with company.

I'm definitely trying to think of ways to arrange my schedule to get myself back up there, soon, to go again!