Ask and you will receive!

It has been a few days now since we announced we were getting ready to sell the beloved Mundo. The responses we have received really helped cement a fighting spirit within us, that we do need to keep this journey moving forward completely and not let circumstances force us to part ways with something that has been and will continue to be (if all works out) a huge asset to our family. The outpouring of generosity (or you could call it love, or community spirit too) has been so utterly wonderful, beyond words really. A huge thank you to everyone who has chipped in so far to help keep the Mundo as part of our lives, and therefore this blog. The Mundo is far from being 100% off the chopping block, but we have a few more months so I'm hoping we can keep working towards making the ends meet. If you can or have helped out with a donation to the "Save the Mundo" campaign as it's been called, rest assured that if we end up not raising enough I will return all the funds in the paypal account.

When I'm talking to people about our move they assume that I must have family in England, as why else would we go, when I tell them we actually don't have any relatives that we are in contact with, they ask us if we will be lonely, obviously a totally valid question. I think there will be a lengthy period or readjusting to the British way of life, but I think we'll be too busy finding work and learning our way around to really have time to notice we're on our own, and also, as we travel with bicycles we take our community with us. I now know people all over the world that I feel a kinship with, and that I take with me anywhere I have an internet connection. 

We are so excited to move, it is such an adventure, a little intimidating at times but also it's a huge relief that things like healthcare will be available, and Cornish pasties too of course. Some of the other things I look forward to are far less explainable, like the air and smells of England. It's all very romanticized in my memory of course, images of hedgerows, small windy roads and little pubs whose very bones are permeated with the smell of good beer, but my inner sense also keenly remembers the sheer amount of rubbish/trash I saw at one particular railway station in Birmingham, it was knee deep!

In the spirit of ask and you shall receive, I have another favor to ask of my readers- If you happen to live in the southern part of England (draw an imaginary, fuzzy line between Gloucester and Colchester) or know anyone that does, could you please keep an eye out for the following:

Wanted to rent starting mid to late October:

1-2 bedroom, preferably partial or fully furnished, but not necessary. 
Can be small and compact, preferably economical
2 adults and 1 little boy
Ideally located in a town or easily accessible to town of no less than approximately 80,000 people (more the merrier)
Must have a secure spot to store two larger bikes (no third floor flats, unless they have a lift, etc.)
Non-smoking household, enjoy the greener things in life, pretty low key really (boring).

We can provide 2-3 months rent up front, excellent prior rental references. Currently, as you all know, I'm a stay at home Mum and Kyle is in banking and we both have a steady history of employment and are generally go getter types.

The email for correspondence and the "Save the Mundo" PayPal fund is youaintgotjack(AT)yahoo(DOT)com 

Thank you for your support and friendship!

Always trust your bike community to have your back. Always.

Always trust your bike community to have your back. Always.

Do bikes just attract decent people? I don't know, but it sure seems like it. Maybe it just comes down to people who like bikes see beyond the surface and notice the details between the lines, much like when we're riding, how we notice the little things beside the road that car drivers would never notice.

Here are the reasons I am selling the Mundo:

• It costs money to fly or ship the bikes and the mundo is a big bike, costing more than average.
• If we sell the Mundo it enables us to have a little more grocery and rent money for the period between paychecks, something we really need.
• Once we've landed, if we fly with our bikes they inhibit our ability to take public transportation.

I have been encouraged by many friends to reach out for help at this time, to not sell the Mundo but rather to ask for help in the costs associated with getting it to England. Would you help us?

If we could keep our bikes not only would they obviously improve our lives just by their very existence, but also they would enable us to have an easier time finding work, getting Jack to school, getting healthier, even aiding us in earning money, but mostly this journey is far from finished and this doesn't feel like how things should end.

Of course, taking the Mundo means we won't free up that extra money towards living expenses but I am seriously considering doing an art sale or possibly even a car wash to help raise some funds to give us a little more cushion and room to breath.

Ultimately I can't offer much more than my sincere thanks for all that has been given to me here within the cyber pages of my blog, but maybe this time a little hand written note of thanks would be an acceptable sign of my appreciation?

If you feel like you could help us in some way or with a small contribution to the fund,  please send me an email for directions or if you prefer you can use PayPal and our email address, which is youaintgotjack(at)yahoo(dot)com

I would never have dreamed of writing this post had I not been moved to, by my dear friends around the world who encourage me and support me, I have been told I should ask and I will receive, you know who you are. Much love and gratitude that my limited words will never be able to express fully.

Reader tips for staying cool while on your bike!

Do you need some advice on staying cool whilst riding your bike this summer? I did, so I asked some friends how they stay cool in the saddle. I didn't intend to share the responses, but they are too good not to!

"I have just been sweating. Trying not to go out when it's unbearable. Drinking a ton. Stopping often in the shade. Making excuses to go into shops with A/C. Eating a lot of ice cream ;) Going out in the early morning...when we can get our act together or late in the evening. I do love it when I get started and the breeze from just the riding movement whispers on my sweaty skin and I think, geeze, what was a sitting around in the heat for?" - Stacy, A Simple Six


"Lots of water and don't over exert yourself. Wear a hat with a brim and something to cover your neck." - Laura, Army Green Mama


"Wicking clothing. Merino wool (summer weight) is great. avoid cotton unless it's seersucker. Also, you can get less expensive technical fabric clones at Target or Wal-Mart." - Bruce


"I recommend a wrap that you can soak on cool water and tie around your neck. I know from experience that no matter how well a biker plans, we end up getting such in the heat. There will not always be a building with AC. I also, after my very last stop on the day soak a light shirt and put it on over the short I have been wearing. The breeze from the ride home helps keep me from overheating..." - Vicki


"I live in So Cal and just started daily riding this Spring. As it's getting warmer, I've been chilling a Takeya leakproof pitcher (Costco has them right now in a 2 pack) of water, then adding ice before I pack it on my Yuba. Don't even notice the weight. Then I just keep refilling my little water bottle as needed." - Melinda


"I started soaking a bandana in cold water and tie it around my neck, which lasts a half hour or more. I kept some ice in a cooler for over an hour yesterday with me on a parade ride. The cubes were refreshing to apply to my shoulders and arms, or to just eat one by one. I also wear the seersucker cotton, flax or linen short sleeve shirts that let the air through. a bunch of coping strategies." - David


As always, I'm impressed with the great friendship and community found within the cycling community. Do you have a tip for dealing with the hot weather you can share?

Epiphanies of a new cyclist and a little update-

Today it's raining like there is no end in sight. Jack had a playdate this morning and is now enjoying a much needed nap (needed by me, possibly more so than him, but hey...) I have been incredibly sick this weekend, and am just now starting to feel better, despite the fact that all the coughing and sneezing has now put my back out! Oh, if it's not one thing, it's another! Still, if there is one thing this last two months have taught me, it is to go with the flow and keep moving forward through it all. This too shall pass and we shall be out riding soon.

I added a new header to the blog a few days ago, and then above in the cross bar you will see a new feature- Epiphanies of a new cyclist . I will be adding to this list as time passes and ideas come, so check on it from time to time. If you have any comments or advice to add, feel free to leave a comment. Also, while you are here- drop over to my Facebook page and "like" it!

Bike To Work Day - Celebrating in a stay-at-home mum kinda way!

For bike to work day we celebrated with a ride to the local coffee shop and bakery, and then rode on to Kyle's work to deliver him and his coworkers some donuts. It's an absolutely stunning day, warm and sunny with a nice breeze, and certainly a great day to celebrate the bicycle in all it's wonders, even if you don't necessarily ride to work!

There's no doubt that it's hard to afford to be a one income household these days, we do however make what some might call sacrifices, for me they include; having a cell phone that just makes phone calls (odd concept, I know), not getting my hair cut every 6 weeks, shopping at thrift stores for clothing and other household items, being thrifty with name brand grocery products and using my bike as transportation. With the exception of bike riding, I did all those things before Jack came along. Now they are necessary and I'm happy to keep it up, the time spent caring for Jack is priceless and I firmly believe in these critical developmental years it is a priority, far above fancy clothes and vacations.

Speaking of fancy clothes, I picked out Jack's cycling jersey that we won courtesy of the  30 days of biking and Bike2Power- we got to pick out our choice from Kanu Bike and decided on this one HERE. We will look forward to seeing Jack sport it on in a few hundred photos sure to come soon!

I shall be smiling for days...

Jack waving his thank you! I took this picture yesterday on our grocery shopping trip.

I just had to make a quick post to heartily thank the people of 30 day's of Biking and Bike to Power! Visit their blog post to see why I'm smiling;) Click here!  I feel so privileged to be on this journey, thank you friends!

Interview with a cyclist - Rowan De Bonaire, his family and their bicycles

Tell us about your favorite bike, what do you like the most about it and why is it special to you? 

1935 Raleigh Carrier Bicycle, Restored by Rowan - Singleton Fire Station - Rowan

Asking me what is my favourite bike would usually engender a decent-length book as an answer, for there are so many. We currently have, after our spring clear-out, about 26 bikes in the household, split between myself (most of them) Raven, 3 (plus half of two tandems) and our student daughter Jessika who keeps 3 here. The concise but flippant answer to your question is "My favourite bike is the one I am riding at the time". Each has its own character - even two Raleigh Superbes will feel completely different - and each its own purpose, and niche in the collection. I do prefer bikes which are versatile though, and I do play the game of "if I could only keep one" (a good insomnia cure that one). The winner of that little game is always my custom-built-for-me Bob Jackson tourer. I've had it ten years and it's been all over Europe, as well as doing commuting and shopping duty, trailer-hauling, and even a jaunt over the 'Black route' in Dalby Forest (The UK's premier Mountain biking venue, in Yorkshire). I really couldn't live without some kind of cargo bike, though. I loved my Xtracycle and regret letting it go, we currently have 3 traditional English carrier bikes, and I'm lusting after your Yuba Mundo, made worse by the fact that the UK Yuba dealer is in our town! - (practicalcycles.co.uk).

Bob Jackson Custom Super Tourist - Kirkham Abbey, N. Yorks - Rowan

How has cycling changed your life?

Cycling has been a part of my life since childhood, where I escaped life in a northern mining town for the open spaces of the Pennines with friends or alone. My first tour was a 3-week exploration of northern England at age 15. Then as usual, cars came along! there followed a career in professional Rally driving, display driving, writing about and dealing in vintage cars, until three things happened in 1994. Firstly, the classic car market had collapsed (I was getting tired of the shallow people anyway), then I happened to spot the first 'En-cycle-opedia' (published in the 90s by a York co-operative, which is where i was looking at moving to), and my eyes were met by these wonderful machines. Recumbents, load haulers, child carriers and many more. What is more, these are things I could actually have a go at building! That same day, I was walking home (WALKING for goodness sake - Me?) and spotted a 1948 Rudge bicycle in a dumpster. All these signs could not be wrong. I soon found that the folks in cycling are nicer, bikes are cheaper than cars, and you can keep lots of them in the house! I had my new obsession!

Raven, Pashley RH3 - London - Rowan

Raleigh Misty, Mixte - Raven's Bike

I soon moved to York, and joined that enclave of enthusiasts centered around the publishing house, and I became a bike messenger, and parcel delivery rider for a couple of years. I have not regretted the change for a moment since. Bicycles have brought new friendships, a sense of community and belonging, adventure, health, and so much sheer joy I cannot begin to describe. In 2004 I founded BikeRescue, and then The BikeRescue Project, a charity based in York, centered around bicycle recycling, and incorporating youth work, cycling promotion, and expanding into infrastructure projects such as The HubStation, a cycling hub and bike park. I left York in 2010, but I still offer my experience to other organizations and cities, as well as restoring vintage bikes at home.

Raven's beautiful Raleigh Misty, Mixte, - At home - Rowan

Raven had been a cyclist in younger days (we are both just over 50 now), and had also been bitten by the rally car bug - she still drove a road-rally car when we met 2 years ago. A broken neck, followed by the development of Degenerative Spinal Disorder and Degenerative Disc Disease severely limits her ability to undertake bike rides. However, Raven's fighting spirit means she will not let excruciating pain deprive her of the pleasure of shorter rides whenever she can. We both get around by bike in London and take short countryside rides, sometimes making use of our two tandems. Raven's lightweight 'mixte' Raleigh has been adapted for an upright riding position, and her other two bikes are a Pashley carrier bike (mailbike style) and a vintage roadster, just nearing completion of a full restoration. Both of these bikes are perfect for someone who needs to sit up and take car of their back.

Kronan - York, U.K. - Jessika de Bargest

I do most of my bicycle maintenance in my kitchen (with my limited skills), where's the oddest place you've ever done bicycle maintenance or mechanics?

Orbit tandem & Bob trailer, Rowan and Jessika 1300 mile trip - Cornwall - Rowan

As far as maintenance is concerned, I'm not really in a position to speak to a novice on this, having as we do a well-equipped bicycle workshop out back. However, I have changed a bottom bracket on an Alpine pass in Slovenia (yes, I did have a spare with me, as I was hoping to make it to Ljubljana on the failing one). Serviced a tandem on Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, as this was the turn-round point in a ride round England with Jessika. I tried to fix a broken fork on a Moulton in France, but gave up and walked to a village, where there was a 'Brocante' sale. I bought a Dilecta 'porteur' bike, and a gorgeous 1953 Peugeot, with a Goeland for spares, for 25 euros! My V.W. camper-van was rather full for the rest of the holiday!
Oh, there was also the episode of fishing a dumped bike out of a Dutch canal, and getting it going on the street, in the dark, in order to ride it back to the hotel.

1985 Claude Butler Canyon - Heslington Hall, University of York - Rowan

I rely heavily on the advice of more experienced riders, what would be your first piece of advice for someone hoping to start cycling?

My advice to new cyclists would be 'don't be put off, don't be scared'. nothing is nearly so bad when you actually start doing it, as your mind tells you it will be when you're looking out of the window plucking up the courage. the rain always looks worse from indoors, hills are always steeper in your imagination, and drivers really DON'T want to kill anyone if they can help it, let alone damage their precious paintwork! When you are riding, and you feel tired, the headwind pushes you back, and you just feel like a failure at this cycling lark, do remember that every cyclist on the road is feeling the same.

Jessika and Scarlett, Pashley Picador - York - Rowan

Never, EVER let the macho-boy-racers intimidate you with their silly clothes and impractical bikes. They won't show it, but behind their alien glasses, under their silly pointy headgear, they are suffering as much as you, and are probably looking at you thinking 'if she can ride that old thing, in that coat and jumper, how come I'm so tired on my wonderbike in my lycra?'
Then there will be all the other days, the sunshine, the tailwinds, the 'cool bike!' shouted across the road, and you will realize you are a member of a community, the brother-and-sister-hood of the wheel! Hail and Welcome!


Do you have any cycling goals or aspirations for the coming year?

So what of our plans? At the moment, family care commitments are keeping us fairly grounded, but in the medium-term, our major plan is to sell-up, and go live a nomadic lifestyle with our pack of rescued dogs, either on our boat or in an RV. This is a lifestyle where bikes will play a crucial part of our everyday living. As we travel to new places and find a base, the bikes will be our sole means of exploring each new part of the world. We aim to spend at least a decade traveling like this, and it will be interesting to watch how the rest of the world copes with peak oil, climate change and the impending collapse of capitalism, while we tread as lightly as we can, with the clicking of our freewheels for company!

Pashley Pronto, Rowan moving house - N. Yorkshire - Rowan

Where can we hear more about your journey?

We have been toying with the idea of a blog for some time, as cycling is only one of our interests, alongside dog rescue and rehabilitation, green lifestyle, pagan ways, ancient and modern social history etc. In the meantime, you can keep abreast of our bicycle collection, and our adventures with them, on our flickr biking site; flickr.com/photos/velocipedinarian.

Back in the saddle!

Beautiful weather combined with finally having a reprieve from stress made for a lovely ride today. Jack and I loaded up the Yuba shortly after lunch, slathered on some sun screen and took off for a little rural ride, out towards the radio station I worked at in my early twenties.

I won a free pizza in a competition so we had to go to the station to pick it up, even took a peek at the studio I used to work in, it hasn't changed a bit!

Next door a beautiful new winery has been built in recent years, Jack thoroughly enjoyed making music by beating on the casks!

 

Sadly the winery wasn't open, so no tasting for me.

 

Jack obviously had a really fun time today, we both did actually. It was so lovely to get back on the bike, I had certainly missed it. I didn't even bother bringing the bike back in the house as I'm sure we'll go back out again later, it's just too lovely a day to limit ourselves to one ride, so maybe we'll go pick up our free pizza!

Day 30 of 30 days - Success!

That's it, I did it- I rode every single day in April. To be honest I'm amazed at my own will power and capacity for following through on a challenge. This marks the first time in my life I've ever actually succeeded at something like this and yes, I'm shocked...and pretty proud of myself too!

We took a left out of the driveway today, which is only the second time we've ever done so. Because the first hill wasn't punishing enough, we decided to cycle around the cemetery, which is on a hillside. In this picture (above) I'm recovering from the torture and having one of those "why the hell am I doing this again?" moments...short lived of course.

Tonight as we were climbing our last hill, my gears suddenly came to a grinding halt and then released again, causing my leg to slam down with full force on my ankle in a rather awkward angle. It wasn't too bad at the time so I just kept going, but as the ride continued it started to really hurt. I must have been overcompensating with my other leg, which in turn made that knee hurt. I was very relieved to get home and had a few moments of doubt in my ability to do so, but I had no options. Walking my bike is not a pleasant or easy experience, especially with a sore ankle and tibia. As Kyle pointed out, it really couldn't have happened on a better day.

I still thoroughly enjoyed this ride, the last of 30 days of biking. I feel a little sentimental about this month, it was special, it took me from a person who rides a bike, to a bicyclist. It gave me a passion that was not there before, it gave me support and community, it gave back so much for every ounce of effort I pushed into it. Most of all, this month has given me a solid foundation for the journey ahead of me, something to build on and move forward with. Thank you all for joining me, I have such a long journey ahead of me. I honestly couldn't do it without everyone that contributes here, the cycling community rocks!

Day 29 of 30 days of biking - All good things must come to an end

With the end of the 30 days of biking staring me in my face, I'm fully aware of how much I'm going to miss this experience. Of course there is nothing to stop me from riding daily regardless of challenges, personal or otherwise, but the 30 days of biking brought some excellent support people into my life and provided me with a perfect introduction into daily riding. Sure, I'd been riding for a few months by the time April rolled around, but nothing prior to this had cemented my new life quite like this challenge has done.

Today for our ride we visited the local grocery store and picked up a little picnic of pre-made sandwiches, veggie chips and a few oranges. I also picked up some probiotics and natural thyroid support supplement that I had wanted to try. We then cycled on to the park where we planned to find a shady bench and enjoy our lunch. I'm glad we took plenty of water because it was pretty hot out and I had to keep stopping for sips along the way.

We cycled just barely under 6 miles today and although it had some tough spots (on small hills), it was a superior ride. Our sandwiches were surprisingly delicious, it was very relaxing and we made a little diversion through the wetlands trail on the way home.

I added a new sign to the back of my bicycle this morning, it's subtle but hopefully people get the message.

Tonight the weather still remains warm, we're going to light a fire in our new pit and have a BBQ. Tomorrow we're hoping the weather stays nice and we can ride to the bike shop so the Yuba can get it's first tuneup, it would be the longest ride we've done, so hopefully its not as windy and rainy as is predicted.  

Day 27 of 30 days of biking - another victorious day

Another victorious day has come to a close and as challenges that might bore the more advanced rider still delight me, today's ride with a little off road adventure felt amazing. We thought we'd better get a ride in before dusk fell and as neither of us actually felt like riding, we left the house rather begrudgingly. As generally happens, once out on the road with the warm sun and crisp air we woke up and felt energized.

This picture above really captures the essence of the rural side of Walla Walla, big skies and beautiful sunsets. The cement square in the foreground is an access point for the irrigation that runs under the ground, you can hear the water rushing through. They are all covered with random pallets or pieces of wire and the whole thing doesn't seem very safe to me, but I assume no small children fall down them on a regular basis.

This little Quail sung us a beautiful song as we sat and watched him, we also saw a dear little Warbler in the wetlands that was more than happy to sing his little heart out, I'm sure the females of the species were their desired audience, but we enjoyed it!

You may remember I mentioned finding a little dirt trail a few days ago, we headed back there today and attempted to ride it. I was determinedly riding until I came across this little wooden bridge, and thought I'd just walk over it and the next little bridge because I wasn't in the mood for an unexpected swim.

There were a lot of Curly and Weeping Willows all around this area and Kyle saw some wild strawberries.

The ground was so soggy that we sunk into it, remember yesterday we had lake sized puddles! I was really working to cycle through this part and actually made it all the way without stopping. It's not a very long trail at all, but still a lovely little escape and sanctuary for wildlife.

Another overly wide road and sidewalk, I wish we had been here when a huge Dodge Truck decided to blast by us within an arms reach, they had aftermarket exhaust (very loud) and raced by us at about twice the legal speed limit, scaring and angering us.

I think we will find ourselves revisiting this beautiful area, it was so incredibly peaceful! I'd like to go looking for frogs and tadpoles, and explore a little. I'm sure Jack would love to get off the bike and poke around, although water scares me with speedy little toddlers, so I'll probably take his harness with me. Overall another beautiful addition to the 30 days of biking!

Day 21 of 30 days of biking - Bicycle races and cargo bikes

We had such a massively wonderful day, almost too much to write down at 9:30pm- but this is my first opportunity.  This morning we rode to downtown Walla Walla (just under 9 miles!) We went to meet a fellow cargo biker that found us through the blog and who lives in Tri-Cities, he had driven over for the day to enjoy the bicycle races being held downtown.

It was pretty hot and just a beautiful day, we used the sun shade with the additional sun block so Jack's arms didn't get scorched. We made good time and the ride, although a challenge, was far easier than last time. I can't tell you how accomplished that made me feel! 

This is Jack's reaction to seeing all the bicycles whiz by like a swarm of bees the first time! I had never seen bicycle racing up close before and was amazed at the hum all the bikes made and the gust of air that hit us as they passed.

In the picture above Jack is watching the scene in the picture to the right >  his face is pretty hilarious!
I think he was amazed by the cycling in one place, all the bikes and tons of people. He soon got into the action, yelling "go, go, go" as the racers flew by.

 

We called our visiting cargo bike friend, Ian and he met us a short time later, for a cold drink and a chocolate muffin to fuel the ride home. Ian was super cool and we were really happy to meet him. It was thoroughly refreshing to meet another cargo cyclist, and our group of bikes got lots of glances amid the sea of carbon-fiber frames and skinny tires. Whilst we were sitting there we got to meet Luke, another cargo-cyclist whom I had yet to meet in person. Unfortunately Jack was getting close to nap time and not very patient, but we did manage to take some time to kick tires and admire our bicycles.

Above is Ian's chilled ride- a Rans, Crank Forward design bike with an Xtracyle. This bike looked so chilled and relaxed. I asked Ian why he kept his bike computer back towards the rear of the bike, he said it was so he stopped paying attention to how slow he was riding and just enjoyed the ride; I thought that was clever advice for many of us! Below we see Luke's bike, it's a Kona Ute, and obviously a very beautiful bike too. It was great to meet some fellow cargo cyclist's today, I felt really uplifted by them- thanks guys!

We cycled home with a very tired boy, he feel asleep halfway home, so we decided to take the scenic route through the wetlands bike trail. The ride home is always so much easier as it's a slow down hill all the way home.  The sun was blazing and we hadn't brought any sunblock with us, I was glad Jack was pretty well shaded under his canopy. We were less than a mile from home when Kyle got a flat tire, we had taken the pump, but it needed to be repaired, so Kyle walked home. I rode on ahead with the sleeping child, I had just him tucked in bed as Kyle walked through the front door.

Here's a picture of downtown- lots of bikes today. And a few more of the races:

Overall- another awesome day, courtesy of the bicycle!

Day 20 of 30 days of biking - 2/3 done and the best is yet to come

There is something so rejuvenating about family bike rides. They are fun, relaxing, great family time, great couples time and on nights like tonight they are made even lovelier by warm breezes and the fragrance of spring in the air.

We set off late tonight and as you can see Jack was super excited to be going out after dark on the bike. I fitted my new kickstand today- this Yuba Stand-Alone Kickstand is a brute! Easy to install and simple to use, I'm in love with it!  I can't think of even a slightly good reason for not having gotten one months ago!

I love how solid this makes my bike, even on the gravel area of our parking strip. I took Jack's sun shade off for the dusky ride, as I thought that white PVC would show up well. I have some reflective tape I have been meaning to use on it, so maybe I can get that done soon too.

 

 Tonight was really a stellar ride!

I think we will be doing more of these dusk rides, it was so enjoyable, I really can't say enough how lovely it was. It made me realize summer is just around the corner and we will be enjoying every second of it with our bicycles. 

 

 It's hard to believe, but Kyle has only ridden my bike once, and that was on the test drive before we bought it. Tonight I stopped and said jump on, take it! He took it for a little ride and was immediately impressed by how "chilled" it was to ride. And also, that it was way easier to ride than he'd expected. Jack seemed to think it was fun having Dad drive him around. Overall today was very nice and tonight I'm going to go out with a girlfriend for a drink, so it's not even over yet!