Sylvan Island Mountain Biking with Kids: Flooded edition

I found these pictures while going through my camera.  These were taken in March/April.  It has been a long cool spring and the only place to ride off road was Sylvan Island.  I am fascinated by this place.  I love watching how nature fights back against man.  Aside from random chunks of metal/Rebar, bricks, and mysterious holes in foundations, it is a great place for kids.   

There is a great mixture of nature and man.  If you look at the left and right you see where the concrete walls are and that this is actually the base of an old factory building.  This particular foundation is a mind bender.  When approached from the other side, it looks as though it drops off.  It is a test of faith...as it has a nice ramp with logs to prevent the crushing of chain ring.

At first Digga wanted nothing to do with it.  He stopped and looked over the edge.  I did it so he could see that it was possible.

Reluctantly he did it and found it was not at all scary.  He also noted that it was fun.

No issues from the Chick.  She barreled over it without giving it a second though

And they did it again......

and again.........

and again.....all told they probably did this section about ten times making continuous loops.  Finally I was able to convince them it was time to go explore.

The Mississippi had been over it's banks in Davenport but I had not a clue it would submerge the western half of the island.  The trails were open, which is to say that the trails that were not underwater were dry.  So we turned around.

Again, we were foiled in our attempt to bicycle around the island.  It was fun just the same though.

The now closed for safety reasons bridge with a very high water level.  

I will most likely not get a chance to ride this again before we move on.  It is an amazing place to ride and I will miss it.  Especially since it tends to stay open when other parks are closed to MTN Bikes.

Mountain biking with kids: Digga at Sunderbruch

Digga and I have been doing a lot of riding lately.

Big and Small:  1UP USA rack will fit a fat bike and a 20" wheeled bikes.  It is a great investment.  If you are looking for a rack, stop and get one.  They have a roof mount option as well.

There is finally some green.  Digga rides like a champ.  There are some challenges and occasionally he has to walk his bike but what mountain biker hasn't.

He has an amazing amount of energy.  He found a gear that worked in all situations.  He may spin out on the flats, but he is a motor.

They have closed the bridge to Sylvan Island so we spend a lot more time at Sunderbruch Park.  The green rated trails provide a little challenge but do not overwhelm him.

OK, maybe a little overwhelming.  This was a blue rated trail.  We probably should have avoided this path but it is a decent route back to the parking lot.

He struggled through the mud and it through him off.  Father of the Year award goes to me for taking pictures before helping.

Success

Fly Fishing in Montana.  I did most of the fishing but they did a great job keeping up and being patient.  

Lately I have been focusing on teaching my kids about success and having high standards when it comes to achievement. Whether it is in school, sports, music, or whatever they attempt I want them to give it their all.  We have a couple of sayings in the house. My wife uses "champions adjust." I have been teaching the kids that they need to "breath excellence." While I love Ricky Bobby I don't necessarily subscribe to the "if you ain't first your last" mentality and I certainly do not subscribe to the every body is a winner atttitude.  I hate the idea that everyone gets a trophy for participating. Life does not give participation awards. The harsh reality is that some don't "win" whether it is there fault or not. Even good hard working people come in last sometimes, they don't get a ribbon. This is where being a parent and raising kids becomes a challenge; how do you teach success and a winning attitude without creating a sore loser or a person that resents me as a parent for to much pressure.

While I don't want to put so much pressure on them that they become resentful, I definitely don't want them to accept a standard lower than they are capable.  I think competition can be healthy; win or lose, a person can gain a lot from challenging himself/herself. Of course each kid is different and responds to a different motivation. Even kids in the same age group have different maturity levels that allow them to be good at different things.

As for my children, I want them to have the same opportunities. Swimming is an excellent example. Our two oldest have been on swim teams for several years. Most nights (especially in the winter) it is a struggle to get them ready and out of the door. The biggest complaint comes from the Chick is always about the water temperature. She is getting better, much better. Digga is easy to bribe. I have no qualms with "bribes," I see them as rewards for success just as I get a paycheck for working. He gets a slurpee on the way home (he is cheap).

All of my kids will be on a swim team and compete, as well as, learn to play the piano.  There is no guarantee that they will love these activities and make them life long pursuits.  How long each will do it will probably depend on any number of factors and will probably be determined by how hard household 6 and I want to fight the issue. They will at least be able to swim and read/play music at some level. Which is more than I can say for myself (I know nothing about music theory or how to read music).

What I can guarantee is that they will have better opportunities to excel than I did and I want them to know that nothing comes with out hard work. Sometimes you wipe out and get tangled up and there is no one to help you (or in this case you remain tangled until the father of the year puts the camera down). The teaching point in this is that it would have been easier to pedal a little harder to get over this obstacle than quit when you are halfway over.  I am not sure if she got the point or not.  I can say that we are out there, living life and learning.   

I Like Fall

I think that fall is by far the most beautiful season.  Spring still has the hangover of winter; it is not quite green, and is a little grungy and muddy.  Winter, though beautiful has the challenge of being cold which complicates outdoor activities.

I can't put my arms down!

Summer has nice long days but it has bugs and heat.  When it comes down to it, fall is probably the best season for riding or any activity.  I love the sound of the leaves crunching under my feet or tires.  I like it when a leaf becomes lodged in bottom bracket region of my bike and rubs on the tire creating a sound that reminds me of using a playing card and clothes pin to make motorcycle sounds on my BMX bike as a kid.

Here are some pictures from Sylvan Island, my new favorite location for Forced Family Outings (FFOs).  Though it doesn't provide a ton of mountain biking trails, the random nature of them coupled with the industrial obstacles makes it fun.  It is amazing how nature can reclaim itself.  While "scars" still exist from a steel mill, Sylvan Island still provides a healthy dose of nature.

 

My Daughter: Playing Chicken in the Alley

A couple of years ago, don't worry Vance wears a helmet

The other day I was out riding bikes with my kids. It occured to me that they love to ride. Olivia does very well on a bike, she cannot go fast enough. Although she seems to be in control she makes me nervous. Vance does not understand the concept of brakes. He goes fast and is out of control which makes me very nervous. Imagine if you will a 7 year-old girl and a 4 year-old boy racing in the alley. It should make you nervous.



At one point, Olivia thought it was fun to play chicken with Vance. Neither he nor I thought that was at all fun. What was fun though, is that we were all out riding bikes together. My kids love it. Our alley is paved and has the perfect slope for learning to ride bikes. I look forward to the day that Vance can ride without training wheels.



Every now and then, Olivia and I will jump on our bikes and ride to Wendy’s for a daddy/daughter date. I love sitting down with her and talking about life. Olivia usually orders a frosty for Emily which goes in her tattered handle bar basket (it is mostly zip ties due to the fact it gets crushed every time she wrecks). One day she crashed in the alley, it is a good thing that the hamburger tastes the same in a crushed from as it does in the non-crushed form.





I took her to a bike shop and she took a mountain bike for a test ride. She did surprisingly well with the brake levers. I am sure the crashes would increase until she gets used to them. She keeps asking about it. I see her riding some dirt trails by the end of the year. She also saw a handlebar bag with a zipper. She said "hey dad, if I had that nothing would fall out when I crash!" At least she is realistic.



I am glad that my kids love to ride bikes as much as I do. I hope they continue that trend through life.