This Evening's Training Ride:
In the usual fashion I was prompt out the door at work. Still feeling ragged and sore from a holiday weekend with a wedding party I plotted my course the most direct route home; through Dupont, up 18th Street through Adams Morgan, and down the main strip in Mount Pleasant only to drop down Park Road and roll into my back yard.
I got home was greeted by the dogs and followed the various sounds of family from the second floor. There was commotion, but there is always comotion. Lisa changed a diaper as Dean explored my closet for non-childproof objects, such as a broomless broom handle which he was welding about like a sword. Lisa and Grant communicated in some language of coos and smiles that made me coo and smile, only not as cute when I did it.
Time pass, and some time had already passed as I could not pass a friendly face hanging in the park at Dupont, a freelance journalist named Patrick. His timing was perfect, the sundresses were out and the flesh parade of commuter traffic had begun. Our hello became a tangent of exchanges some about cycling, but most about life, well, women actually. A two second hello took us over half hour to complete, actually the hello was fast, but the good bye was long. So by the time I had held Grant and got invited into the creative and colorful world which is Dean I started to realize that Roscoe and Brutus still needed to take a trip through the woods. I was at the door with the dogs leashed up when a shirtless/shoeless Dean informed me that he was going with me. We discussed that he could go, but he had to walk the whole time, he could decide when we turned around, under no condition was he getting a free ride on Daddy's shoulders. I got a full promise and was confident that he understood both the concept and the seriousness of my agreement.
We had not gone far, as a matter of fact we had hiked twice that distance in the morning on the way to his pre-k at Rosemount Center. But, to keep his part of the bargin we headed for home. He asked to be put on the shoulders, before he could cry or whine, I reminded him of his promise, and explained how important it is to keep a promise. Then quickly distracted him to my promise....the he could ride his bike after we hiked. We hiked briskly, I am not sure, but I hope that the dogs both peed and pooed. And we were on the bike, headed up the hill on Park Road. Dean pedaled as I pushed, this is a tough hill for an adult on foot, on a bike, or in my 19 year old truck. We paced ourselves for a few seconds with a passing bike, I mistakenly taunted the rider as I told Dean to race him. Dean lit up and pedaled harder and released me from my duty of pushing, that was short lived, the other rider turned off, Dean pedaled forward and further.
Three quarters up the hill and Dean was off his bike and marchimg, not entirely unlike his old man. Then shortly after that he was walking, and my massive frame was hunched over his diminutive bike with 12 inch wheels, it was not even half a block till we were back on the flat and Dean was pedaling again. This trip was more about obedience and skills than anything else. The rules of stopping and waiting at corners and alleys was covered repeatedly. At steady clips I issued commands on staying alert and being respectful to the people walking back from the bodega, the bus stops, walking their pets, and heading out for a run. We made a quick stop at Zoe's house and managed to convince her to put on some clothes and get on her bike and pedal up the block to Lamont Street Park with Dean. It was an easy sell. She is a little bruiser of a tomboy! It took a little patience, but in not time I was playing sidewalk cop to two cyclists with 6 years between them. At the park Dean and Zoe circled the trees on the brick park and rode the handicap ramp up the stage, took U turns on the stage only to take the handicap ramp down. This too was not a lesson of thrills and skinned knees, this was about braking and control. My commands were verbal, while my assistance was minimal. Distance was granted as they solved the puzzles of balance and speed, only to step in when I anticipated danger or saw fear in their eyes. Dean was in control, Zoe was more speed and fear, and a third girl joined in that needed a tad more gentle encouragement.
It was a great ride and quite a work out.....
The trip back was all down hill, again...it was about braking, control, and respecting others on the sidewalk, and stopping and waiting at all corners and alleys.....
n\i realize that I did not wind this down in the original intended direction
but lisa grant and roscoe are asleep in the office
guess brutus and I will watch some tv
In the usual fashion I was prompt out the door at work. Still feeling ragged and sore from a holiday weekend with a wedding party I plotted my course the most direct route home; through Dupont, up 18th Street through Adams Morgan, and down the main strip in Mount Pleasant only to drop down Park Road and roll into my back yard.
I got home was greeted by the dogs and followed the various sounds of family from the second floor. There was commotion, but there is always comotion. Lisa changed a diaper as Dean explored my closet for non-childproof objects, such as a broomless broom handle which he was welding about like a sword. Lisa and Grant communicated in some language of coos and smiles that made me coo and smile, only not as cute when I did it.
Time pass, and some time had already passed as I could not pass a friendly face hanging in the park at Dupont, a freelance journalist named Patrick. His timing was perfect, the sundresses were out and the flesh parade of commuter traffic had begun. Our hello became a tangent of exchanges some about cycling, but most about life, well, women actually. A two second hello took us over half hour to complete, actually the hello was fast, but the good bye was long. So by the time I had held Grant and got invited into the creative and colorful world which is Dean I started to realize that Roscoe and Brutus still needed to take a trip through the woods. I was at the door with the dogs leashed up when a shirtless/shoeless Dean informed me that he was going with me. We discussed that he could go, but he had to walk the whole time, he could decide when we turned around, under no condition was he getting a free ride on Daddy's shoulders. I got a full promise and was confident that he understood both the concept and the seriousness of my agreement.
We had not gone far, as a matter of fact we had hiked twice that distance in the morning on the way to his pre-k at Rosemount Center. But, to keep his part of the bargin we headed for home. He asked to be put on the shoulders, before he could cry or whine, I reminded him of his promise, and explained how important it is to keep a promise. Then quickly distracted him to my promise....the he could ride his bike after we hiked. We hiked briskly, I am not sure, but I hope that the dogs both peed and pooed. And we were on the bike, headed up the hill on Park Road. Dean pedaled as I pushed, this is a tough hill for an adult on foot, on a bike, or in my 19 year old truck. We paced ourselves for a few seconds with a passing bike, I mistakenly taunted the rider as I told Dean to race him. Dean lit up and pedaled harder and released me from my duty of pushing, that was short lived, the other rider turned off, Dean pedaled forward and further.
Three quarters up the hill and Dean was off his bike and marchimg, not entirely unlike his old man. Then shortly after that he was walking, and my massive frame was hunched over his diminutive bike with 12 inch wheels, it was not even half a block till we were back on the flat and Dean was pedaling again. This trip was more about obedience and skills than anything else. The rules of stopping and waiting at corners and alleys was covered repeatedly. At steady clips I issued commands on staying alert and being respectful to the people walking back from the bodega, the bus stops, walking their pets, and heading out for a run. We made a quick stop at Zoe's house and managed to convince her to put on some clothes and get on her bike and pedal up the block to Lamont Street Park with Dean. It was an easy sell. She is a little bruiser of a tomboy! It took a little patience, but in not time I was playing sidewalk cop to two cyclists with 6 years between them. At the park Dean and Zoe circled the trees on the brick park and rode the handicap ramp up the stage, took U turns on the stage only to take the handicap ramp down. This too was not a lesson of thrills and skinned knees, this was about braking and control. My commands were verbal, while my assistance was minimal. Distance was granted as they solved the puzzles of balance and speed, only to step in when I anticipated danger or saw fear in their eyes. Dean was in control, Zoe was more speed and fear, and a third girl joined in that needed a tad more gentle encouragement.
It was a great ride and quite a work out.....
The trip back was all down hill, again...it was about braking, control, and respecting others on the sidewalk, and stopping and waiting at all corners and alleys.....
n\i realize that I did not wind this down in the original intended direction
but lisa grant and roscoe are asleep in the office
guess brutus and I will watch some tv