The family that rides together
 

Some of my fondest memories were from when my family would ride together on Sunday mornings. We were lucky living near the beach in SoCal, plenty of riding areas and dedicated bike lanes.

here's hoping some day my kids write something like that

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Pops was an old cyclist type guy, with an Allegro bike (that he still has) and a Peugeot ladies bike for my mom. Brother and I had like BMXs and kids mountain bikes later on. But we'd cruise the bike trail along the beach almost every Sunday when the weather was good.

This summer my kids and wife all rode several times together. I've been riding every day but many days someone goes with me. Many times 2 of them and a few times all three of them. It has been great. Like more than words can say good.

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Guy I knew who was running for political office, hired a consultant to put together his campaign, and make a TV commercial. Consultant told him to have he and his whole family go ride bikes together, to be filmed and used in the commercial. Which he thought was ridiculous, but I apparently that is the kind of thing that voters like to see that makes them more likely to vote for someone. Makes them feel warm and fuzzy, I imagine.

I'm really glad both daughters like to ride, and a bonus they like steel bikes ! Oldest moved to Seattle this summer though :( We just can't get my wife to ride but we keep trying

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You guys look like you're geared up to go a long ways.... We only go like 2 miles in our neighborhood. But it is one of the highlights of my day.

Family rides are amazing - I hadn’t been on a bike for 20 years and recently after teaching our 4 yr old to ride, we weren’t able to keep up with him, so it prompted my wife to learn to ride as an adult and I found two bikes for us on ebay and fb marketplace just in time for summer here down under! First ride together was an experience i’ll never forget.

So it's starting summer down there now? My wife reminded me of that that other day I think. I'm always amazed at how that is.

Off topic but some of the shows I watch are Australian and I really like them. I watched one called I think it was "Offspring". Was about a neonatal doc gal. Then there is "Wonderland". My kids really like that one too. They are teenagers. I watch "Nothing Trivial". That one is pretty good. There was one I really liked about a 20 some year old guy that ended up in a relationship with a 40 year old who had 3 kids already. That one I really liked.... "Step Dave". And then there was one about a Pathologist doctor in the 50's I think..... It was like the most popular show, but they got rid of it anyways..... Doc something... Oh what's the name of that one.... I forget.

Anyways... Oh, I'm watching MacLeod's Daughters too. That one is alright. Pretty good. I don't watch that one a lot. I'm almost done with the first season.

I apologize if any of those are New Zealand. I don't mean to lump you all together. I think they're all Australian but something tells me "Wonderland" might be New Zealand. I'm not really sure.

Nothing Trivial & Step Dave are both set in NZ

Several years ago the local bike club had a century ride. Among the participants were two tandems with near teen children, father and son on one and the mother and daughter on he other. doing the 70 mile option. Obviously, that family rode quite a bit.

Unfortunately not summer quite yet - we’re still in the middle of spring so the air outside is still fresh, but looking forward to summer around the corner.

While we’re off topic, if you haven’t come across it yet another show from here i can recommend is Upper Middle Bogan, which I think is broadcasted in the US as “Bess of Both Worlds”. And if you’re truly fond of Australian vernacular, well nothing beats Chris Lilley’s work - Summer Heights High is his peak imo.

Oh cool! I'll look those up. Thanks for the tips on the shows. Also, would love to see pics of you guys riding if you ever get a chance. It's always cool to see the different landscapes.

A little of the aussie landscape from some recent rides together:
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Wow, that is a gorgeous place to ride!!!!! We have some hard packed gravel trails by us that I've been meaning to go on. But they just follow the train tracks. I'm not sure there will be much to look at real near us. Now in other parts there is probably some pretty landscapes but I have to get a trailer or car set up to get the bikes there and I don't have one yet. I did look into putting a hitch on either of our cars.

Thanks for the pics!!! That is awesome. here's one from my ride on the 12th. I guess the moon was completely full on the 13th but it was overcast that night and I didn't see it. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f026123f0d.jpg

The only thing better than riding with your kids, is riding with your grandkids. When I retired I moved close to one of my sons so we could be part of grandkids life. Side benefit is being able to ride with grandkids and watch them go from trailer to Weehoo to tandem to their own bikes. It's like dejvu as I went through this with my boys (minus Weehoo). We now do an Annual Bike Trip with both my sons and their kids. Our last adventure was 4 days on the GAP with two tandems and a single pulling a Weehoo. Nothing better than riding with family.

You are a blessed man!!!!https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...471ff0ae8f.jpg

A pic from 2 nights ago.... It was so peaceful and beautiful I wish I had my good camera with me when I was there.

I don't seem to have any of all of us riding together, but for this one, that's a couple years old.
One of our favorite places to ride is at Norfolk Botanical Garden, they host Bike Nights after 4pm from May to October. Miles of wide flat, paved / graded paths, beautiful scenery, things to do, and no traffic.
My son has autism, which comes with some balance / coordination issues, and he's very uncomfortable riding in the street, so the Garden is a perfect spot for his three-wheeler.

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Little Sis has moved up from her training wheels to her 'Big Girl' 20" cruiser. ;)
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Great pics!!!! Sounds like a really nice place to ride.

We all went for a ride yesterday. I love it. And I was practicing my bunny hops. LOL Need to work on the technique. I did get both my tires off the ground and I have a video to prove it. Don't know how to dl a vid. LOL. It was not a lot of air and I hopped back on youtube last night to figure out how to do it better. LOL. I'm a total freestyle novice. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ae82ddda8.jpeg


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I had a great surprise this past Tuesday night when oldest daughter Aaryn who moved to Seattle this spring made a surprise trip home for my birthday. I was really caught off guard, being lead to an Olive Garden under false pretenses by my wife, youngest daughter and a couple we eat out with frequently. I had already signed up for a charity ride Saturday morning and both Aaryn & Liz were able to ride with me, having just enough time to do the ride & get her back to the airport for the flight back. The ride was "To Hell & Back" jokingly titled because one of the roads is Purgatory Rd. and the benefit is Vietnam Vets, many of whom have been to Hell & back.

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That is GREAT!!!!

Thanks for doing that ride you all.

Got my wife and teenagers riding the last couple of years, were having lots of fun. Sold our camper (travel trailer) cause we like bicycling more. We do day trips and one-night trips with just the truck. Usually get a hotel room or stay at a friend's place. Sometimes tent camp.

We are more active and get out more frequently biking than we did camping with the travel trailer. We can just throw everything in the truck bed and go a lot quicker with less prep. Pulling the camper was more work and non-productive time.

I've been thinking about how a pick up would be good. Not really in a position to buy one. But eventually my Daughter needs a car and maybe we could sell her one of ours and get a pick up. I like my car a lot though. I also might just get a hitch and a light trailer.

My dad taught me how to ride in the alley, but he didn't ride himself. Mom? Forget it. :(