Ride with Dean and Grant
10 year old Grant set the pace!
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ah... parenting
the joys of parenting

Saturday was spent at Ski Liberty
the warmer spring-like day had me thinking we would be fools not to get on the bike

there was some consideration of splitting the boys
doing two rides
a short one with young Grant and a longer one with older Dean
but after some consideration I figured we could try to balance the scales by having Dean and I on fat knobby tired bikes with one gear
while Grant would get to ride a skinny tire bike with lots of gears

motivation
we all have issues with motivation
the boys love riding their bikes
but it is a fight to make it happen each and every time

no family adventure does not happen without parental threats\demands\promises

before we were even out the alley my older son Dean was complaining that he had all sorts of homework...
while ten year old Grant was starting in on some complaints about a stomach ache


well... you can do homework when the sun sets
and that tummy ache? well... that sucks to have your stomach hurt on mile one of a 20 mile ride

pedal through
it is always better on the bike
push the pedals and I am sure you will feel better in a bit

this advice only agitated young Grant
but... this little man has a history of manipulation
he is no stranger to the tale of the boy who cried wolf
so... I ignored his complaints and forced the pace forward

sure enough... once the pedals were moving Grant started to feel better
in fact... he was moving fast and feeling good
it was a beautiful day and we were experiencing it on the bicycle
to my surprise... Grant even admitted to his exaggeration of his ailments 



all sorts of people in the park on the bikes
ran into old friend "guitar god" Brian Baker
Brian has recently found love for the road bike and long rides
very cool




just moments after running into Brian I ran into fellow DCMTB rider\racer Ron Edwards
who amusingly enough lives next door to Brian

even though I am stuck on the notion of "making good time"
keeping our heart rates up
exercise
I still wanted to keep it fun for the boys

where to go... where to go?
there had been thought to take a standard classic Beach Drive to the Capital Crescent Trail
there had been talk of ice cream in Georgetown
Dean was already petitioning for dinner at Moby Dick



but no... young Grant at ten is not the rider that Dean is at 12
there is a need for semi-frequent stops
so... I altered the route to offer up a little more chance for adventure
we stopped at the scenic overlook off Jones Bridge then headed over to Forrest Glen for some exploration on the ruins there

the boys enjoyed the chance to poke around
I gave them space
staying back with the bikes while they snuck around these ruins at Forrest Glenn


it was a good day...
a few times I had to split the boys
gave Dean instructions to loop back to a certain point and then reel us in
thus giving a 12 year old a work out at a frequently stopping 10 year old's pace

this was good... build fitness for Dean while not taking Grant past his personal threshhold

ah... what a day... what a day
what a glorious day to be on the bicycle!
it was a good father son day
a good ride with Dean and Grant

I just wish that they would initiate the desire to go for a ride
if only there were less fighting to get them motivated
the whole process of guiding them to get dressed, fill water bottles, and get out of the house
well... it can be exhausting

guiding the children and breaking up the fights is more exhausting than the ride itself
hopefully I can stay motivated in my desire to get the kids on bikes
honestly... it is hard enough for me to motivate myself
so... often I find it hard to motivate the boys
I try not to give into their resistance... but it happens