Tagging Along

The Second Little Nguyen is so tickled with himself. Last weekend, we finally decided to make the big switch...to the WeeRide! He is officially tagging along behind Dad or Mommy on bike rides now! Late Friday morning, the boys and I packed up lunch and headed to the pool on our bikes, the Second Little Nguyen riding with me. It was a beautiful ride to our neighborhood pool, which is a little over a mile away, and we had some fun water play with a picnic to follow. This excursion was a great idea in theory, but I forgot one important thing -- how tired children get after swimming. On the return trip, the First Little Nguyen was an absolute trooper on his own bicycle, and the Second Little Nguyen made a valiant effort on the WeeRide. But it's all uphill from the pool back to our house. The WeeRide is similar to a tandem, and one main principle behind it is that the rider learns to safely and gradually bike longer distances. He is able to stop peddaling and just coast along, which can be a good thing. But, on Friday's bike ride, the most difficult task was keeping the Second Little Nguyen from falling asleep! I was so tired when we got home, and the Little Nguyens collapsed on the living room floor. They earned an A+ for perseverance and determination! We might try it again when they are a little older.

On Saturday, we started a bit earlier and rode to have lunch. This time the Second Little Nguyen was much less sleepy! He rode for about 4 1/2 miles total...not bad for a little guy! He was very proud of himself. We can't wait to ride in Fall when the weather cools down a bit. One of our favorite treks is a stretch of the American Tobacco Trail, from Southpoint Mall to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. It's 13 miles total, but we get to stop halfway and eat lunch at one of our favorite outdoor spots at the American Tobacco Campus. We might have to park a car at the ATC and just ride the 6 1/2 miles, though. I think the Second Little Nguyen might actually fall asleep if we tried to do the whole 13. The scenery is so beautiful and it's so shady....