**picture from www.yubaride.com**
The good folks at Practical Cycle in Old Sacramento were kind enough to let me take it out for a test drive. I easily loaded my 9 and 6 year-olds on the back and after a brief safety lesson - keep your hands and feet away from the spokes and no wiggling - we started off. The bike was not at all difficult to pedal and felt very stable with nary a wobble. Riding over the cobblestone street in Old Sacramento proved to be a bit uncomfortable and bouncy but not too problematic. Even making loose u-turns was not overly awkward especially considering the length of the bike - I didn't even need to put a foot down.
I am going to pick up one of my very own in a few short days and words cannot convey my excitement but I'll try anyway - I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. My bike is a lovely shade of blue and will carry at least three (I am hoping for all four!) of my kids and their stuff. I am planning on putting my almost 2 year old in a front bike seat that I already have and carrying my 3 and 6 (and possibly 9) year olds on the back. I am hoping to make preschool drop-offs, grocery store runs, gym trips, and boy scout meetings mostly car free ventures. Eventually, as my stamina and confidence increase, I want to make longer trips. I have visions of cruising along chatting to my children, pointing out interesting sights, and feeling the fresh air on our faces. As an added bonus - we'll be making our bodies and our earth healthier with every pedal stroke. I will definitely need to learn how to fix a flat tire though; as being stranded with three kids and a disabled bike is one of my worst nightmares.
I don't think that I will ever be able to go car-free but I absolutely can go car-less. Hmmmm. Perhaps car-reduced is less confusing. :)
Look for us in the bike lane!
Kate
