Evolution of a Baby Cyclist

Happy Leap Year everyone!  I wanted to dedicate this post to my daughter Neva.  Okay, I know that this site is pretty much already dedicated to her, but this is a specific account on how she has blossomed and evolved on the bike.  She has grown so much, at the tender age of 2, and I am so proud of her.

Neva in Iowa, on RAGBRAI tour

I think one of the best gifts I have been able to give Neva is the love for cycling.  Seeing my example of utilizing a bike, making bikes our main source of transportation for at least half of the year, and seeing other communities in Nicaragua, Davis, San Francisco, etc. integrating biking into their transportation network really has her excited about the biking machine.  She doesn't really know much else.  Sometimes when we try to leave somewhere which necessitates a vehicle, she will hop into the trailer, anxiously awaiting a hair sweeping ride.  Much to her chagrin, I pull her out and say, "Sometimes, we use the car, Honey".  Neva has become quite attached to bike trailers, and let's face it, who wouldn't be!  She is carted around town in luxury, pulled by yours truly.

The first time Neva was in a trailer, it is a Nordic Cab.  We are in Flagstaff, AZ in April, 2010

I started biking with Neva when she was six months old, bringing her with me on my commute to work at the Bike Trailer Shop.  We had a ten mile round trip commute on the main east/west bike path that will take you from one side of town to the other.  She loved it from the very beginning.  At this stage, she would smile and coo for a few minutes, inspecting all of the scenery, and before long, be sawing logs from the repetitive and melodic lulling of the sidewalk bumps. The straps inside the trailer are similar to the car seat, having a five-point harness and there are pockets for toys and a tasty beverage within arm's reach.  The transition is pretty easy as long as you have good weather and a good path.  It can be pretty chilly in Flagstaff, so we both fully suited up for riding in the cooler months, as you can see from the "A Christmas Story" reminiscent photo above.

Randy from "A Christmas Story" movie

As Neva grew older, she was able to enjoy more biking experiences, so I continued the trailer tradition.  We biked to pick up our groceries, biked to see friends, biked to the park, and pretty much went everywhere around town by bike, baby on board style.  With hundreds of miles under her belt, I decided to get her a first bike for the Christmas after she turned one.  She was just beginning to walk by herself, but was ready to try that coveted seat atop a self powered machine.  I got her the Y-Bike Pewi which was the only bike that was short enough for her at the time.  Her toes could barley touch the ground when she first got it, but she still used it with unbridled tenacity.

Neva on her Y-Bike, Pewi

 With Neva's love of the trailer, there was no question in my mind that we could easily transition from the 20-30 mile per day around town commutes to extensive touring.  We went on our first mother/daughter bike tour in Costa Rica and Nicaragua when she was 15 months old, accompanied by our good friend Cass who writes about his travels on his blog, While out Riding.

Neva and I in front of the touring set up.  We are headed toward Rivas, which is on the port of Lago Nicaragua, to catch a ferry to the Island of Ometepe

Our next tour was a last minute decision.  We had been invited by our good friends Todd and Ben to tour with them on the famous RAGBRAI ride about two weeks beforehand.  Logistics were complicated, but we managed to all meet up in Omaha, Nebraska, and proceeded to bike across the entire state of Iowa for the next seven days, when we reached the border of Iowa and Illinois.  We did the traditional dipping of the front tire in the Mississippi River, on the east side.  I can't take all the credit though, Ben offered to pull Neva for half of the trip, and we switched back and forth throughout the tour which helped tremendously with the rigid schedule we were on, the intense heat and humidity, and travel over difficult terrain. I don't have any statistics on this, but Neva might be the first 18 month old to do the entirety of RAGBRAI.

Ben and Neva stopping for a well deserved break on RAGBRAI (oh, and me in the background!)

Two months later, Neva and I were off again on the longest trip either of us had ever been on.  We biked for forty days down the state of California.  We started in San Francisco, and traveled east, almost to Lake Tahoe, to the border of Nevada.  The terrain was very mountainous, as we worked our way south through areas like Yosemite and the Giant Forest.  We kept south until we almost hit the border of Mexico and the US, and ended our tour in Pine Valley, CA.  This tour was also unique in that it was just the two of us.  We were able to explore on our own schedule, and met lots of friends along the way.  I have to admit though, there were times when having a strapping young lad like Cass or Ben offering to share the load up steep mountain passes would have been nice.

Neva in the trailer, waiting for the ferry at the Embarcadero in San Francisco, CA to take us to Vallejo, CA

Neva and I camped, went to museums, stayed with friends, enjoyed local foods, and really experienced many parts of southern California.  The best experience being the people we met and the connections we made.  It is very humbling to be out on your own.  We relied on the kindness of others, and received nothing but love and acceptance.  Here is Neva at a bike shop where we stopped for directions to the nearest camp site.  Rufus, a long time employee at the Golden Spoke Bike Shop in Placerville did one better, and offered his home and shower to us for the evening, and even took us out to Chinese food.

Neva's first time on training wheels.  She is soaking up the applause of her accomplishment.

Hospitality came in many forms, but sometimes it came through Warm Showers, a site dedicated to getting bikers together for the purpose of hosting other bikers, or being hosted while on tour.  We were hosted by three Warm Showers members, and are supremely lucky to have met such wonderful people.  One of our hosts were Gene and Ann who are in their late seventies.  They have a whole fleet of recumbent trikes that they wanted us to try.  Here is Neva experimenting with a recumbent.

Neva riding Gene's prized recumbent trike, the Vello Scorpion, the most expensive of the fleet.  It has over fifty gears due to the internally geared hub.

After 5 countries, 9 states, 3 bike tours, a 2 year birthday, and about 3,000 biking miles later, we decided to pull out Neva's going away present from the Bike Kid Shop, a Strider balance bike.  The balance bike focuses on building the child's balance instead of having them continually falling back to the tricycle wheels.  It is basically a bike with no pedals.  The child runs with the bike, lifts their legs, glides as long as possible, and then puts their legs down when they begin to lose balance.  Neva was very cautious at first, so I decided to demonstrate.

Then she began with carrying the bike, 

pushing the bike beside her, 

and sitting on the bike and walking it.  We decided to give her a little push and see what would happen.

Before long, she was gliding on it, and moving quicker and with more ease.  If the bike fell down,

  she would get back up.

Neva getting suited up

The word "bike" is in Neva's daily vocabulary, and she asks to ride on her bike every day.  The next step now that she is on two wheels is to get her a her own helmet.  While in the trailer, she has a full roll cage, and there isn't a need for a helmet, especially since the trailers are not made to accommodate a helmet (no matter what the features say, there is not a trailer currently on the market that has enough space for a helmet, the child will have their head pushed forward, looking towards their knees).  It is important that your kids see you wearing a helmet, so when it comes time for them to wear one, they think it's cool, and are ready to suit up in the appropriate biking gear.  Bell and Giro sell high quality helmets for around $30 a piece that should last until they need the next size up.  Nutcase also has some good helmets, but they go for around $60.  When buying a helmet, make sure to know the size of your child's head in centimeters.  Most helmets are sized this way.  Also, there is a difference in size between toddler, child, and youth helmets.  Make sure to pay attention to the specs and see what head size each one represents.   

In the near future, Neva will be on a trail-a-bike, probably one of Adam's Trail-a-bikes, since they are the best.  They are well made, and include folding options which make it easier to travel with.  You could even rent a bike someplace and carry the trail-a-bike on the plane as just another piece of luggage since it is much smaller than a full bike.  They can be expensive, starting out around $200, but they can last from ages 3-6 and 7-10, so you can get three to four good years out of it before the child outgrows it.  I would reserve the trail-a-bike for family trips, and let her practice on her own bike while in the neighborhood.  I am looking forward to sharing her next baby pedal strokes with you as she enters the next stages of cycling. 

Neva making sure my bike is off-road worthy

Home for the Holly days

For me, the holidays are a time to spend with friends and family, a time to appreciate what we have.  I find myself missing my large family which extends worldwide.  All of the people who showed us love and hospitality on our journeys are in our thoughts and hearts, and we miss you.

Here is a picture of Gregg and Neva.  Gregg lives in San Francisco with four other young professionals.  His hospitality, generosity, and knowledge of the city gave our trip a great kick start. 

Three of his roommates are artists.  The whole house has bits and pieces of each person.  It was a joy to spend two days around such diverse personalities in a beautifully eclectic environment.

My sister Vicki lives in Vacaville.  When I had come down with a cold, she put us up and nursed me back to health.  My sister and I grew up on a horse ranch, and this is Neva's first time on a horse.  It means a lot to see her up there. 

 

Leaving Sacramento, we had to climb quite a bit of elevation to get to Placerville.  We stopped in at the Golden Spoke Bike Shop, and quickly made friends with the staff due to our unique bike set up and tales of adventure.  Rufus, one of the shop employees, gave us a place to stay by Sly Park which backed miles and miles of national forest. 

Rufus dropped us off in Kirkwood in the early morning hours.  Fisherman were on the lake, the air was crisp and clean, and the view of Red Lake was pristine, it was a perfect day to ride.

We stayed in Walker, California after climbing multiple passes, the steepest being Monitor Pass, which summits at 8,314 feet.  Coming from Markleeville which is 13 miles away, there is a notable 3,000 foot elevation climb.  My legs were feeling quite overworked by the end of the day, when some passers by, Mark, Deb and JW offered a warm bed to us for the evening.  Deb later relayed to me that Neva and I had gone over at least 3 of the passes on the California death ride.  Neva got to stay up later than usual with new friend JW, and I got to relax on a comfy couch.  I also gained some insight for applying to grad school since Deb and Mark have a business, YouTern, which is directed toward helping students maintain a career path.

And then it was up and over Tioga Pass, thanks to Tony, Tony and Chris.  Neva and I spent the day in Yosemite Valley, and saw El Capitan along with the other majestic (and super touristy) places in Yosemite.

Some fire fighter friends of ours, (left to right) Justin, Jay and Matt housed us in Wawona after a long day of biking in the Valley.  Here they are, ready to head out to work.

We hurried down the mountain to lose elevation quickly in order to avoid the impending snow storm forecasted above 7,000 feet.  We made it passed Bass Lake, and stayed in the town of Auberry while it poured rain for a couple days.  The whole Seventh Day Adventist Church showed us wonderful hospitality.  Monte and Steve opened their home and their hearts to us, not to mention they are both vegetarian and Monte is a great cook!  Here they are, dropping us outside of Clovis after I had some tire problems on my way out of Auberry.

More fire fighter friend crew hospitality was waiting for us in Grant Grove, and again passed the Giant Forest.  We stayed the evening with Maury and her roommate Roxanne (second from the right).  Roxanne is headed off to work with part of her crew.

The giant sequoias were blissful to ride through.  I suppose it helped that I had a huge 22 mile descent once I hit the Giant Forest.  It is not nearly as touristy after September, so I felt like I had the whole place to myself.  With insight from the firefighters on the area, I was in even more awe at the majesty of the Sequoiadendron giganteum.  The pine trees and firs are dwarfed by these giants.  There are also some fire scares visible at the base of this sequoia.

  
In Auberry, I had met a cyclist passing through on a short bike tour.  She lives in San Francisco, and had about ten days to embark of a fun biking journey.  We crossed paths again in Lemoncove where we pitched tents together and decided to ride as a group, as we were headed in the same direction.  Motorist passerby, Nancy had stopped to ask if I needed help when I had a flat, and offered her house up to Liz and I once we had made it up the hill.  Here is (from left to right) Mark's father and mother visiting from the UK, Nancy, Mark, and Liz after dinner.  

Here is the delicious peanut, tofu Thai dinner that Nancy whipped up using mostly vegetables from her and Mark's exquisite garden.

We went up and over Ponderosa Road, thanks to Mark.  Liz had to make her way towards San Francisco after hitting Tehachapi, and I left the mountains and the Sequoia National Forest towards the flats.  Neva and I stayed in Lancaster with a couple from Warm Showers.  Gene and Ann were very hospitable, and very inspirational, biking at least 30 miles a week at the spry age of 77.  Gene and Ann love biking, and Gene can geek out for hours on bikes, gear, and routes.  It was fun looking at maps with him, as he was so knowledgeable about the area and had done similar rides himself towards Big Bear, which is where I was headed.  Gene has his tours and adventures chronicled here at Crazy Guy on a Bike.

We then started heading back into the mountains, toward Buckhorn campground in the Angeles National Forest.  The Buckhorn campsite was the nicest campground I stayed at on my trip.  The atmosphere really puts you right in the middle of the forest.  Big horn sheep also inhabit the rocky mountains which are just up the road.  While we were packing up in the morning, the Nevar family from L.A. made us a traditional Mexican feast for breakfast.  In exchange, I showed them the process of changing a tire puncture.  I couldn't have asked for a better nutritional start.  They even wrapped us up some burritos for the road. 

We continued on to Big Bear and stopped in Yucaipa on our way to Idylwilde.  Another Warm Showers couple, Tim and Kym, hosted us on a cold, foggy day.  Tim teaches acrobatics at the local YMCA as a hobby, and Kym has a dog training business.  

Neva had a hay day watching the youth partake in different types of acrobatics.  Here is a picture of Tim (far left, blue shorts) with his team of aerial acrobats.

Shortly thereafter, our bike trip came to an end in Pine Valley, CA.  We stayed with my mother and step father in El Centro, CA, and then headed out to Cuzco, Peru five days later.  In Peru, we stayed with Ricardo, who opens his home up to tourists, and offers a wide range of information on the area.  There is Jim (my step dad) on the left, and Ricardo on the right.

The views in Peru were spectacular, and I can't wait to share more pictures of the majestic areas of Machu Pichu and Pisaq.  Here is me with Neva on my back, and Incan ruins in the background, at the base of Wayna Picchu, the tallest point at Machu Picchu.

Since then, Neva turned two years old, we shared Thanksgiving with family, and Neva got to explore Lego Land.  Now, it's the holly-days, and Neva and I find ourselves in Denton, Texas.  It has been two weeks since we left California, and we have cozied down for some solo family time for the winter.  Here we are messing around in some fake snow playing dress up as Cindy Lou Who and Max the dog.

Happy holidays to all from Neva and I.  Stay tuned for some infant travel changes I noticed on our last few flights in November.

Such Great Heights

Biking through the sierras has it's ups and downs, literally.  We were nearing the highest point in our trip, slowly but surely.  Neva and I had climbed 1800 ft in elevation and then rolled  back down to Lee Vining, just a stones throw from the beginning of the ominous Tioga Pass, which is considered the back way into Yosemite, and summits at about 10,000 ft in elevation.  I decided to bike by to scope out what we might be in for the following day.

As I was turning around, Tony, Tony and Chris, who had seen Neva and I voraciously take to a late lunch at the market down the road, stopped to see if we wanted a ride up the pass.  They were no stranger to the rigors of Tioga.  The San Francisco locals try to frequent the area at least a couple times a year.  They informed me that the multiple lakes around the area, the variety of wild fish, and the option to fish remotely in the high elevations, defines the area as a "fisherman's paradise".  Chris even was able to take home the much sought after golden trout.

We decided to take the offer and join our new friends at their campsite on top of Tioga.  Neva and I were grateful for the ride up Tioga as we saw a cyclist on a double decker bike struggling at a snail's pace to make it up the pass, with nothing more than a backpack.  I saw a shadow of myself pulling 130 pounds of weight up the steep grade.  How my calves might burn, how my back might ache, and how my forearms might shake trying to keep the load steady while going uphill, I was indeed grateful at that point. As we continued to climb up steep grades, we saw confident men dressed in all black with helmets on, fly passed us on skateboards, gaining speed at an atrocious pace.  We cringed slightly remembering the fallen rocks in the road that are a typical occurrence on steep mountain passes.  We attempted a warning wave, but they were gone in the blink of an eye.

It was pretty cold at the top.  Eighteen inches of snow was in the forecast for the following week.  The guys extended their van to us for shelter that evening so we wouldn't have to pitch our tent.  It was early to bed, early to rise that day.  The low temperatures and strong winds rocking our shelter, and whistling through the trees made sure of light sleep and an ambitious start.

Chris started up the fire while father/son crew organized breakfast and loaded up the van.  I was quite impressed with Tony's (senior) ability to pack the van with enough camp gear and fishing gear for three grown men on a long weekend fishing trip, with the addition of a bike and trailer and two extra passengers.  As a bicycling tourer, I can definitely appreciate the skill of compact packing.

It was time to go.  Tony dropped us at a gas station where we would have a nice decent down to the village.  Upon saying good bye, I noticed Neva's doggie "Buppy" was missing.  Upon further contemplation, I believe it was possibly thrown outside of the cabin on our way to inspect Tioga pass.  It was a sad day knowing that this dog that had accompanied Neva to four countries, through 6 states, and on three bike tours is now on his own.  Neva had taken to a stuffed cow in the van that belonged to Tony's (junior) mom.  They extended the cow as a parting gift, and headed toward San Francisco.

I looked ahead of us.  We had exchanged a large climb for a large decent.  It will be a good day, possibly with an unusually high number of bug consumption.  Rest in peace Buppy.

The Daily Grind

Neva and I have been traveling for a good long  bit now, and we have met so many wonderful people.  I think about them daily, and the lovely community that has developed for us down the Sierra Cascades in California.

I wanted to get a quick blog up today, which I will try to update regularly which will have the date and location of where we are at so we can be followed down the map.

Here goes, pictures are coming soon.

Sep 16, 17, 18 - Austin, TX - ACL
Sep 19 - Leave Denton, TX on greyhound
Sep 20 - Flagstaff, AZ
Sep 21 - San Francisco, CA
Sep 22 - San Francisco, CA
Sep 23 - Vacaville, CA
Sep 24 - Davis, CA
Sep 25 - Folsom, CA
Sep 26 - Placerville/Sly Park, CA
Sep 27 - Placerville/Sly Park, CA
Sep 28 - Markleeville, CA
Sep 29 - Walker, CA
Sep 30 - Bridgeport, CA
Oct 1 - Tioga Pass/Yosemite, CA
Oct 2 - Wawona, CA
Oct 3 - Bass Lake, CA
Oct 4 - Auberry, CA
Oct 5 - Auberry, CA
Oct 6 - Toll house Road/Pine Flat Lake, CA
Oct 7 - Prather, CA
Oct 8 - Grant Grove, CA
Oct 9 - Grant Grove, CA
Oct 10 - Ash Mountain/Giant Forest, CA
Oct 11 - Lemon Cove, CA
Oct 12 - Springville, CA
Oct 13 - Johnsondale, along Kern river, CA
Oct 14 - Kernville, CA
Oct 15 - passed Bodfish, CA
Oct 16 - Tehachapi, CA
Oct 17 - Lancaster, CA
Oct 18 - Monte Cristo campsite/Tujunga, CA
Oct 19 - Buckhorn campsite, CA
Oct 20 - Big Pines, CA
Oct 21 - Crestline, CA
Oct 22 - Victorville, CA
Oct 23 - Big Bear Lake, CA
Oct 24 - Yucaipa, CA
Oct 25 - Yucaipa, CA
Oct 26 - Oak Grove, CA
Oct 27 - Julian, CA
Oct 28 - Pine Valley, CA - ENDED ROUTE
Oct 29 to Nov 1 - El Centro, CA
Nov 2 - Los Angeles, CA

Weather, It will Happen

The clouds are marinating over the horizon, immanent snow threatens the higher elevations.  Thunder whispers the possibility of precipitation in the distance.  The sun attempts to peak through the heavy blanket, with no success, leaving Bass Lake and the surrounding areas, including a tiny bicycle and trailer, in a large shadow.  It is almost silent, except for the symphony of different lake birds, and a construction truck, every now and then.  The stillness is almost palpable.  There is no wind today.  Every acorn and pine needle stay in place, and the trees stand, statuesque and strong with their evergreen presence.

View of the clouds when leaving Bass Lake

We have been running from the weather, going up and down in elevation, and back up again, hoping to escape the aforementioned forecast of snow above 7000 ft.  If we head far enough south, we may even escape the storm altogether, but I don't think my legs have it in me.  My rain coat is on, and my rain pants are within arms reach, for the anticipation of what is sure to come.

Neva eating a warm breakfast on one of the colder days

I don't mind weather so much.  It is fun to coast over miles of different terrain to see the golden grasses cover the land like a cozy afgan, and to climb up to almost 10,000 feet and see the land change into a forest of evergreens, so thick, you can barely see 3 feet through them, and the surrounding mountains linger in the background like slate colored top hats speckled with bits of green and white.

View from the top - the view coming down from Tioga Pass, roughly 10,000 ft in elevation

We stopped in at Slim's Koffee Shop in North Fork for a midday rest.  Scott, the owner, stood proudly in front of his delicious line up of teas, all chosen with meticulous care, and kept in large mason jars on a special shelf.  The locals who frequent Slim's came in the door one by one, and Scott would welcome them in by name with a big smile, and ready to whip up another delectable drink. 

Scott making some green tea

 I heard a 'ding' among the hustle and bustle of a popular small town coffee shop.  Our green tea had been steeped to perfection, and was brought to our table, along with a small piece of pistachio biscotti for a flavor accompaniment.  I sat and sipped my tea, taking in the ambiance.  With local art lining the red walls, the thick smell of warm coffees and teas wafting through the air, and the song "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes playing softly in the background, I almost didn't want to leave.  Neither did Neva, as she had befriended a local 3 year old with a glittery gold top and blonde hair.  We had to get going though, back to the crisp air that was so thick with moisture, you could almost pluck out a cloud like cotton candy and chew on it. 

Neva pondering life...or just digesting for a minute, either way, it won't last long

 In the evening, we stayed in the town of Auberry.  Taken in by a lovely church, the Auberry Seventh-day Adventist Church.  There were warm smiles, story exchange, and Neva's favorite, a full playground in back.  We ended up staying at a little hotel above a coffee shop just a few miles from the church.

I awoke in the middle of the night, and walked passed the window to hear the soothing sound of rain, pattering loudly over the entire landscape.  The rain continued to come in a steady stream, with no signs of slowing.  In the morning, we biked back to the church, decked out in rain gear, amidst the pouring rain.  Quick, cool breaths accompanied each pedal stroke, and a smile was frozen in place as my gloves and shoes slowly gathered water.

View from my room in Auberry - the rain had stopped temporarily

We spent the first part of the day with the children, talking about our adventure, and decided to take the day off to spend (sleep) in the lovely little town of Auberry.  I will talk about the hospitality we found in Auberry another day.

We continued our journey the following day, and the rain decided to follow us yet again, along with a visit from multiple flat tires.  The continued stopping gave me quite a chill, and we stopped for the night with a generous couple, Dave and Cheri who let us sleep in their motor home.

Dave, Neva, and Mini

Maybe we will be able to ride tomorrow, and we will see what weather we will be graced with then.  Soon, we will be climbing into the Sequoias, a 5000 ft climb in elevation from where we are now.  Shorts or pants, rain gear or sun screen?  We shall see.