Sunday 12 January 2014

On your bike!

The United Kingdom has been battered and blown about by gales and flooding for weeks now. As a Brit you get used to the damp and dreary weather, but every now and again the wet weather takes a day off and lets the sunshine have a turn. Saturday was absolutely glorious. Beautiful Winter sunshine, bright blue skies...a perfect day to take our daughter's new bike for a spin on the prom.

She proudly calls it her 'big girl bike', it's an upgrade on the trike she's been pootling around on for about two years. It's got stabilisers (thank goodness) and brakes she can't quite master, which makes for concerned looks from other prom-walkers...but so far we haven't collided with anyone or anything. She has to wear a helmet for the first time, one with Mickey Mouse ears to be precise.

I know the photos look sunny, but believe me it was freezing, so we had a pit stop outside the cafe on the seafront. Hot chocolates all round, we needed the calories!

Despite my daughter's cavalier attitude to braking, we had such a fab time. Once she mastered the steering and strength needed to make a bigger bike move forward, she was off like a rocket!

And, for the first time in ages, we all got some serious exercise. Walking with a toddler or pre-schooler can be a slow process, not just because their legs are little, but because the world is such a fascinating place we have to stop to look at everything, question why this that or the other does X, Y or Z and generally take in life at a (sometimes) slower pace. I like to walk fast, when my daughter was in her pram and then her pushchair, I power-walked everywhere. I didn't have a car, it was better (and cheaper) than gym membership and it was quite possibly the fittest I've been in my life. But once my daughter got too big for her pushchair, we've walked everywhere at her pace. Which is lovely in one way, to slow down to little-legs-speed, but it's not been great for my fitness levels!

So it was such a joy to put her on two wheels and chase about after her on the seafront. It opens up a whole new world to us as a family. We can go further with her on two wheels. Once she is confident and we don't have to walk along beside her making sure she doesn't flatten anyone, we can get on our bikes too. And then we're really off!

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

7 comments:

Coombe Mill - Fiona said...

I love her bike helmet she's looks fabulous in it. It's great when they become so confident,and as you say family bike rides are something to look forward to in the future. Thanks for linking up and sharing with Country Kids.

Sonia Constant said...

I LOVE her helmet, that is a great idea! :-) I cant wait to get Noah out and about on his bike!

Sonia Constant said...

I LOVE her helmet, it is fab :) xx

Unknown said...

Oh those blue skies are heavenly! Beautiful photos.

Unknown said...

Oh those blue skies are heavenly! Beautiful photos.

Unknown said...

I know exactly what you mean about going at their pace. F has a balance bike so she's not exactly speedy, but she's starting to master her scooter and I love trying to keep up with her as she zooms about on it!

Me, You and Magoo said...

Balance bikes are great, but we just missed the boat on that one..I was researching bikes before Christmas and once they get to about 4 years old I think they are too big for balance bikes & need a 14" wheeled bike. Sorry, can you tell I've been researching bicycles?!
I actually bought this with Tesco club card points & because I'd amassed so many and I did the "boost" thing where they double your points, this bike ended up costing us £1! What a bargain :)

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