Gear packed. Bikes loaded. New tent ready. Then, rain appears as my niece from Taiwan, daughter, son and I arrive at the trail head. The forecast had been for dry weather, but now it looked like it would rain on and off for the next 24 hours.
Let's go! We have fenders, rain gear and don't want to be wimps. If we're going to be bike campers, we can't let a little wetness stop us from having fun. This will be an opportunity for the kids to see that we can't wait for the right weather to enjoy nature. My niece agrees to go despite the rain too.
I spent hours preparing bikes and driving to the trail head; I don't want to waste that effort. After all both my kids have done early spring, 30 mile rides in hills, wind and rain . They can take it.
But would they enjoy it. Still raining after lunch. Thinking of my niece who had never camped out before, I wondered if my desire to soldier on wasn't affecting others willingness to go. On past trips, I carefully made sure the kids' experiences with bike camping were positive. Would this outing bolster their love of the sport, or make them less apt to go in the future?
I suggested we drive the hour home and come back another day. I could tell my niece was relieved. My son said he was glad because he thought it might be a "death march." My daughter protested my decision, but quickly fell asleep in the car.
Turns out it was a beautiful night. We roasted marshmallows in the back yard before the kids slept out in the new tent. I discovered I'd rather be a dad than hardcore biker.
3 comments:
So I actually don't know - what could someone do with your license plate number? I'm sure there are a million unpleasant mailing lists someone could add your email address to (which you choose to display), but what could they do with your plate?
Silly String
I thought it kind of was.
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