rides with boys
sunrise ride
The last couple weeks I've been trying to get out on rides with each of the boys separately. It's always fun to take adventures all together, but there's also something to be said for letting each of them ride at their own level. And also I appreciate having more chances to get out! For Elijah and Harvey, the best time is in the morning before breakfast. This past Monday it was Lijah's turn; he wasn't super enthusiastic, so I got Harvey to come with us. We did a couple miles on the paths around our house—delightful and relaxing for Harvey and me, reasonably challenging for Elijah (not too challenging because our neighborhood is dead flat: Strava tells us 0ft of elevation gain over 2.45 miles). Then Tuesday Harvey and I went to Landlocked Forest for a slightly shorter but rather harder ride on the hilly trails there. He, too, wasn't enthusiastic to begin with, but when he warmed up he was glad to be out. Both rides were under half an hour: what a fantastic use of time first thing in the morning! For Zion, though, first thing in the morning isn't really an option. He doesn't get up until second thing at the very earliest. So I need to find other moments. Like today after supper, when we rode up to town on an errand and then spent a half hour riding stairs and curbs around the high school together in the drizzly rain. I may make them do it, but at least I force them each into their favorite kind of riding!