In Which the Week Features Family Fun Rides

Me with grandson, ready for bike ride. Note he is not rudely gesturing, not only is it not that finger, he's pushing up his sunglasses.

What a week! Today was cool and partly cloudy, a rare day in summer in Iowa, a bit windy, but not too windy for some two-wheeled miles.

It was almost an ideal day for biking. In the morning, my wife, daughter and I rode to the Hiawatha Farmers Market. My toddler grandson rode on the Wee Ride seat on my bike. We shopped at the market, buying some cookies from the Sisters of Mercy and enjoying them at the park. I also found some peony roots for sale for $4, which is a pretty darn good price for a peony. The man said they are pink, and I’m hoping he’s right and that they bloom next spring.

After the morning ride, I met my sister for a long afternoon ride. We rode down to New Bo, where we had lunch at the NewBo City Market. It was Korean dumplings, and I could have skipped the soybeans in pods, but otherwise it was very nice.

Lunch in NewBo Market. If we take Jon and Nalena to lunch after RAGBRAI, this may be the place.

Even chickens have restrooms at NewBo.

My younger (not youngest) sister at NewBo, my biking compatriot on today's long ride.

NewBo Market, but it made me think of Jenny Lawson book.

After lunch, we did a loop around the Prairie Park Fishery and then headed down to Ely via the Cedar River and Hoover trails. Along the way, I noted that I hope to do at least one century ride (100 miles) in July before RAGBRAI. We plotted some possible routes, including a road trip to the Raccoon River Trail near Des Moines. We’ll see.

Circling Prairie Park Fishery on today's long ride.

Returning from Ely--have reached Cedar Rapids and Cedar River Trail. The kind of day it was.

Saw this large but young bird beside trail.

Nearing end of ride--view of Cedar Lake. What CR Biker post is complete without at least one image of Cedar Lake?

It was the end of a week of fantastic family bike rides. I made multiple rides with my youngest grandson in the Wee Ride seat—it’s a regular Wednesday thing with us to ride a trail for a while and then stop at a playground.

In addition, there was a “boys morning out” ride with that grandson and my oldest grandson—the older one on the Tag-A-Long while the 18-month-old rode in the seat. It’s nice to ride “the bus” with a couple of cute grandchildren—makes me more popular on the bike trails.

Besides the rides with the grandchildren, there was much other family fun this week. We took the kayaks out one day, and a daughter and her two sons rode down to Cedar Lake with me.

And on Father’s Day, three of my children, a son-in-law and my biking buddy sister all rode with me. That ride involved stops at both Lion Bridge Brewery and the Sag Wagon. It was pretty fantastic.

Ready to leave home on Father's Day adventure--two daughters, a son and son-in-law in photo. We rode over to my sister's house and the merry band was on it's way.

Two views of duck pond at Rockwell-Collins on C Avenue. Grandson loves to walk or ride there to check on duck family.

 

But, as they say on TV, wait, there’s more. That evening, a daughter, who has not been on a bike in more than a decade, decided to take the plunge and try an evening peddle with her mom, son and me (the son is the 18-month-old who rides on the Wee Ride). The ride went well, and we’ve been on a few more since, including the journey to the Hiawatha Farmers Market. Welcome to the world of biking, youngest daughter (and thank you, penultimate daughter for allowing your sister to borrow your bicycle).

June 25 rides, mapped. Fast and slow.

This week also marked my initiation in to the world of Map my Ride. I have a new cell phone with a plan that allows unlimited data usage, so it’s practical for me to download and use this ap. So far, my rides have fit into two categories—short, slow rides (usually means I am with a grandchild or two on the bus, Clarence), for longer, somewhat faster rides (Argent, the road bike, no passengers).

I wish I were getting more miles in—day times seem packed this summer. But I am getting rides in, and immensely enjoying the rides I am taking. It was a wonderful week for CR Biker—I hope your biking week was at least half as fantastic as mine was!