This month my firstborn turned nine. As I hold his image in my memory, the picture that comes immediately to mind is him, clad in his bright red helmet, patiently smiling for a biking photo. My sweet son has been my most enthusiastic and stalwart biking companion as I began this family biking journey, and … Read more
Family Bike Parking Problem #1: The Bike Pile Does anyone else have a “bike pile” in the garage? My kids’ bikes, scooters, helmets, tricycles, and whatever else – jackets, nerf guns, jump ropes–always seem to end up in a giant heap, with the desired bicycle perpetually at the bottom of the pile. After months of … Read more
It is with a touch of envy that I read Shawne Martinez’s account of an epic carfree multimodal adventure to Seattle with his kid. How exciting! And yet for me – a mother of five – how impossible! As Shawne recounts, part of his trip was dependent on getting a bus with an empty bike … Read more
I was inspired to create our own family bike camp after hearing about my mother-in-law’s stories of home-made summer camps. Too often, summer fun seems to be prohibitively expensive, but with a little creativity and effort, it can also be free. Here’s an idea for creating a Do-It-Yourself Family Bike Camp. All you need is … Read more
Disclaimer: Before I share our family transit adventures let me acknowledge my privilege: taking public transit is a choice for us. We have enough money to fund our old minivan and a typical driving life (or at least we did, before gas and food prices took a jump.) Many people don’t have a choice. They … Read more
Aren’t you loving these carfree summertime streets? We recently enjoyed Hillsboro’s La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival. Downtown Hillsboro’s main streets were closed to cars for the occasion, and instead filled with vendors, food trucks, children’s activities, artwork (including chalk art being created by professional artists), and even our personal favorite: Opera. Portland’s Opera … Read more
I had no intention of ever getting an e-assist bicycle. I put that in the category for grandmothers, and have been recommending one to my mom. I also thought they made sense for daily bike commuters, especially those trying to avoid showing up to work sweaty. But I’m a stay-at-home Mama who can wear whatever … Read more
I love family traditions: shared annual activities and ritual ways of marking the holidays. There is something soothing about the repetition of the seasons and their celebrations. Children especially look forward to these cyclical festivities. As we grow together, we continue to build our repertoire of family feast days and bolster our favorite celebrations with … Read more
Do you have any summer bike adventures planned with the little ones? Ready to put them in the trailer and go for a nice long ride? There’s just one problem: those tots have lots of energy! None of which gets used during a trailer ride. Likely as not, they take a sweet nap in the … Read more
Have you ever fallen for a bike at first sight? Ever seen a bike you instantly loved and wished was yours? Maybe you just got a glimpse as you passed and you’ve kicked yourself ever since for not stopping to make its acquaintance. Did you turn around and go back looking, only to be left … Read more
Family Biking isn’t always a smooth ride. It’s not like those carefully curated Instagram feeds. In real life, it can be bumpier, messier, and full of tears. We had one of those days recently.
If you want cycling to be a bigger part of your kids’ summer, here are some area bike camps to consider. I’ve also shared a family bike camping trip if you’re looking to check that off your bucket list. If there are camps I missed, please let me know in the comments. Summer, here we … Read more