First Official Family Bike Ride

Ironic, isn't it, that on our First Official Family Bike Ride, that I do not have one picture of us on our bikes? Kind of hard to take pictures when you are actually wearing Big Clunky Amazing Wonder Camera and trying not to fall off your bike. Good times were had by all, however, whether they were documented or not. Such terrific weather and funny little bikers and nature. It's all a good combination, and I am going to have the doggone hardest time waking them up in the morning.

My sweet little Michael Berry (I am admitted Sap Mother) loves to pick flowers for me, and doesn't clover have the most delicious smell? I can remember picking flowers [read: weeds] for my mother growing up, and it just melts me when he does the same for me. He was so earnest here picking this clover.

This is so typical of Michael: he took his bike ride tonight on his brand new birthday bicycle. Surprise! His birthday is not until the end of June. However, Daddy did not do such a hot job of hiding [read: did not hide at all] said bicycle after purchase, and it was almost immediately discovered in the garage. Which will make for slim pickin's when said birthday arrives, but at least he might be a bit more motivated to get off those training wheels. After all, it is a Spiderman bike.

We left for our ride about 5:30 pm, so by 7:15 the chitlins were starting to notice their hunger. Thoughtful Daddy actually packed some Nabs and water (healthy dinner!). Where to stop? Where to stop? Click on the picture below to see where the boys chose to have their snack. "What's that smell?" asked Matthew.

You could see at both ends of the greenway where they are making plans to continue to lengthen it. The one end had a large gravel area where vehicles can turn off a paved road to use the greenway. There were large puddles in the gravel from all the recent rain, and the boys had a field day looking for tadpoles (like we haven't had one on the kitchen table at home for two months that has done absolutely NO leg growing) in different stages of frog life. Hopefully the puddles won't evaporate too soon!

No critters were allowed to come home with us. Matthew couldn't figure out how to capture one and ride his bike at the same time. Rats. Piece of advice: do not try to raise tadpoles to frog stage with your children. It takes forever. The water stinks. Again, you are the one stuck taking care of another life form. A life form that you think about flushing down the toilet on a daily basis. I only feel that way about my children once in a blue moon.

I have the hardest time taking pictures of my kids, with Matthew being the most difficult. First of all, they Do Not Like having their pictures taken. And then, bless his heart, Matthew has inherited the "Chandler Smile" from his mother. Do you know what I'm talking about? The episode on "Friends" when Monica and Chandler go to have their engagement picture taken and while Monica looks gorgeous in every shot, Chandler has a very stiff, awkward look. That's my Matthew. Yeah, and me, too. Gives Alan barrels of laughs to call me "Chandler". Thankfully, I am a forgiving wife perfect in every way. Wow. I'm getting away with myself here. The point is (finally), I love the above picture. That, THAT is my Matthew.

You see all kinds of scenes along this greenway like busy road, rushing creek, neighborhood pool and mini-Biltmore neighborhood, elementary school, and yes, horse pasture.

That Michael is a swindler. Towards the end of the ride, he would start getting fretful and slow down on his bike and inform us of how tired he is and convince his mama to ride with him. And once Mama coasted to his side, he would take off like a shot of lightening to catch up with Daddy and Big Brother and Mama was left in the dust. Stinker. Thank goodness he's so doggone cute. And, of course, that he Looks Just Like His Mother.

For a while, Matthew and I were riding together and Michael and Alan had zoomed on ahead. Matthew and I kept finding all kinds of things to take pictures of. Finally, when he just started pointing out the ragged plain green weeds on the ground, I convinced him it was time to cycle on. We'll be back, though, in July to pick the wild blackberries and in August to collect the milkweed and monarch caterpillars!

And, really, what wilderness adventure of mine would really be complete without discovering my wilderness trail completely smothered (well, off the bike path, of course) a plethora of poison ivy???