The Great Bike Ride… and back!
So when he announced that he wanted to ride his bike to the bus yesterday, I was surprised but happy. Of course we gave ourselves plenty of time – especially after Violet demanded that she tag along on her wonky little trike. Dash insisted on wearing his spanking new shiny blue mud boots, and taking his (handy dandy) notebook. 
A chip off the old block!!
I have no idea what he was notating… but he was happy. And busy. And very slow in getting that one kilometre journey under his belt!
And it wasn’t just the documentation of each highlight that held us up.
It was the corrugations…
Check out those wobbly wheel marks…Man, you could lose a child among these road ridges and not sight them again!
And there was the grid.
The big bad nasty shin-skinning, kid-swallowing grid… speed and accuracy and confidence is required to fly over it while staying atop one’s pushbike. Ask Jeanie about it one day – she had a kinda hate-hate relationship with the thing.
Previous excursions with my little ones had seen me take over bike duties as the kids nervously tippy-toed across the metal girders while clinging to the siderails for balance, but this time Dash actually insisted on crossing the grid, on foot, pushing his own bike! Slow but sure. My boy!
We were up to the 20 minute mark here and about two-thirds through our epic journey.
We made to the bus stop with three minutes to spare – just enough time to brush, spit into the grass, and swill from the water bottle. The smiles were white and wide! …
But wait, that’s not all! Not only did we make it UP to the bus stop in the morning…
We also headed HOME that afternoon the same way…
The double!
Meet the toughest chick on Granite Glen…
Violet had her 4-year-old immunisations in town – a needle in each arm – without flinching (let alone crying) thank you very much! And she was still up for a kilometre ride a couple of hours later! I did offer to pick her up halfway – to save her some of the corrugations and the uphill bit.
She scowled blackly at me and took off without a word…
You go girl!
I was so proud of them …
while they played outside, I decided I needed a strong cup of coffee and a lie down!
And as I nodded off, I wonder if I remembered to get those toothbrushes out of the car?
15 Comments
Debby
Oh, golly. You are so proud to see them mastering new things, but oh how hard it is to think of them growing up. Real conflicting emotions, hey?
Amber~ Care and Feeding of Wild Things
Beautiful parenting moment. I have an 11 yr old and a 13 yr old, and they are sooo grown up now, – I thank my lucky stars I have a one year old too… and all those fabulous things like learning to ride a bike (even brush his own teeth)! -all the little boy turning into a big boy things- that I still get to look forward to!
What beautiful children you have!
Pony Girl
That is so cute! What a BIG day for your boy. I’m assuming that grid is to prevent cattle from leaving?
I remember walking to the bus stop. We lived near the top of a big long hill, probably 1/3 of a mile or so long. I hated walking up it after school. It was always a race to see who was going to get home first. Good exercise, I suppose. Bikes would have been useless because it was too steep to ride up (although a fast ride down!)
Jayne
Wow, what a great milestone to conquer!
Before you know it Violet will be on a 2 wheeler racing Dash to the bus stop!
Was that you telling me to shush, BB ? 😛
Gina (Ks)
Such cute pictures. Enjoy these moments, they are gone all to soon. My baby is getting married in June. Gosh, where did the years go.
I really enjoy your blog. Love your stories and pictures.
Mom L
Wow, I always heard Aussies were hardy, even the kids! You’ve got a couple of gorgeous kids there. Tell Dash that he’s braver than the 130+ pound German Shepherd I had years ago in California. He came to a dead halt when we were walking across one of those cattle grids to check out a field. No way would he move on his own!!!
Nancy in Atlanta
jeanie
lol to the GRID. I will let you know, folks, that BushBabe and Pig often beat me both to the bike box and back home because of that bothersome appendage!
Oh, and I remember a time when there wasn’t a bike box but there were some very unfriendly cattle at the bus stop…
Congratulations Dash!!!
Pencil Writer
Joys mingled with anticipated, eventual having to let go. Bittersweet memories for me of my own children growing up. I’m just grateful they still call and keep me in their lives. Even the youngest who decided to call last night after 1 AM–guess that’s morning–to catch me up on his schedule so we could get together tomorrow when I visit the town he lives in!
PS BB, don’t visit Pioneer Woman for a couple of days, unless you’re ready for tears. Just trust me. Unless you’ve already dropped by. I’m just sayin’ . . .
Mindee@ourfrontdoor
Gorgeous documentation.
How do you teach a kid to take her shots like that? I had to chase my daughter around the room – literally and hold her down. When she was 12!
Sabra
What a great post. Your little ones are so cute and your photos are the bomb. I always get a little choked up when I visit here. You have a very poignant voice, BB.
Kate
So cute! I loved riding my bike when i was little, still do but it’s a lot more exercise now 🙂 That pic of the toothbrushes is so great. It really appeals to me for some reason… Dash and V are so stinkin cute! hey did you see that gorgeous Great Dane over at PW? Made me think of you 🙂
Debby
Oh, my gosh. That is just too darn weird. Your dog shows up at PW’s house…
Adventures Of A Horse Crazed Mind
Very cute epic journey! Here in Canada we call your “grid” cattle gaurds. I fell through one (one leg in, one out) when I was little…these days, my ginormous thighs stop that from being a problem. lol
C.
Bush Babe
Debby – I am determined to soak up every second of this time. Too soon they will be teenagers and scaring me silly. This I know.
Amber – thankyou. I think they are adorable, but then that’s my job!! Heh.
PG – sounds like you would’ve had an amazing butt. I need to walk our little hill with the kiddos – and how!
Jayne – yes. That WAS me. 🙂
Gina – welcome! And thanks…
Nancy – oh yeah. They can be scary – specially when you cannot see what is under them!!
Jeanie – we all staggered over it on foot for ages… I just like giving you a hard time!!! I shall pass on your congrats…
PW – gosh what is ahead of me!! And yes I have been to the ‘other’ PW… as you can now see!
Mindee -thanks. I can take no credit – Dash needed restraining but Violet was very stoic. Of course, there was certain ice-cream waiting for her when it was over and she does like to wear the Brave Girl badge loud and proud. Whatever, it worked!
Sabra – thanks, I think. I don’t mean to make you choke up. Honest. Well except the Cosmo posts. Then its obligatory!!!
Kate – a woman after my own heart – I was waiting for someone to mention that shot! I love it too – great bokeh!!!
C- ginormous thighs I can relate too. I am terrified that if I did fall in, my thighs would get wedged and it would take a tractor to pull me free!!!
🙂
BB
Gem
My two big kids are already doing the ride home from school. It is stomach churning stuff. It doesn’t get easier.