wheel day

today is wheel day for my son dean
not sure if it is wheel day for just my son's class
not sure if it is wheel day for the whole school
but I know it is wheel day and he is excited

wheel day is a day where the kids can bring in a toy with wheels
well... as bikes are not toys
and to a skateboarder a skateboard is no more a toy than a lacrosse stick is a toy to a lax player
for lack of better words they get to bring in a toy with wheels
a skateboard, a scooter, a bicycle, etc
dean brought in his bicycle

this morning we scanned the house for a matching glove
two pairs of gloves and no matches to be found
bicycle loaded in the car
helmet waiting with lunches by the door
cycling medal dangling around the next
ah... matching mesh glove
BONUS!
out the door for wheel day!

I wish I could be a fly on the wall
not a hover parent watching with great anticipation
not a hover parent trying to catch my son's fall
but a fly on the wall... just an observer
would like to see dean at school with his friends
watch the conflicts
watch the bonds
watch him ride his bicycle around the playground which is normally just a place to run and play

over twenty years ago I broke my first mountain bike frame in the playground of what is not dean's school
was riding home from work with Tim Whistler aka Puker
yes... the same Puker who was on the cover of Thrasher Magazine in 1981
we had run a few short loops through the woods and were trying our bikes on the embankments in the playground
I did not feel bad about not catching much air as Puker was not getting his Univega far off the ground
on one of my meager attempts for air I landed with a crack
that was the first of a what may well have been a dozen Mongoose frames to be broken than warranties
I also broke a few Bianchis, a Cannondale, and a Jamis
that was then
last year I broke a Colnago, a Jamis, and a Surly
hope dean does not break anything