Family Bike Ride

It was a beautiful day for a family bike ride yesterday. But why does it always seem so much easier planning it than actually doing it? Late afternoon was when all our schedules finally meshed, so we set a 3:00 departure time. Of course, it was 3:30 by the time we actually left. It always takes longer than you think to load up the bikes and drinks and round up the kids. We had gone no more than a couple miles down the road before two of the kids loudly proclaimed from the backseat that they were STARVING. Keep in mind this was not a spur of the moment trip. Shouldn't STARVING have set off some warning bells BEFORE we left??? Anyway, I ignored these declarations. Eyes on the prize people, we're going for a bike ride, not to eat out! Fast forward a few more miles and you can see that ignoring it didn't get me very far...

We stopped at a grocery store and they devoured two boxes of granola bars before we even unloaded the bikes...

Fast forward eating and another bathroom break and we're finally doing it! We made it past all the arguing, false starts, "this bike is too small" and "this bike is too big" complaints, and my husband spoke the final words...all of you just be quiet and enjoy the bike ride!

Of course getting everyone to stay biking in one direction feels like an exercise in futility.

But we're happy to be feeling the breeze, seeing the sun, and we try to ignore the three little riders squabbling over who is in the lead, who cut who off, and who doesn't know their right from left!

Forty five minutes later, we've reloaded the truck and are on our way home. Someone is again STARVING and I can't fathom cooking dinner. Guess we're going to be eating out after all! Amazing what a smile food can bring. Biking must work up their appetites because it looks like they can't get big enough bites!

Was our bike riding a success? Well, it was kind of like this adventure. Not quite what we pictured, but fun and special all the same! How about you? Have you been on any adventures with your kids that haven't turned out quite the way you planned, but it was all good in the end?