Bikers

We went for our first Family Bike Ride last weekend.  M chose Grant's Trail to get Zozer started on what we hope will become something we do regularly.  Given my penchant for visiting the Custard Station regularly, exercise like this is almost required.

Anyway.

Judging by this first photograph, it appears that my family is a group of very, very serious bikers.  Yes, that is a Halloween shirt Zo is wearing (it has candy corn on it).  This experiment of letting her choose her own clothes is going horribly awry.  M didn't want to wear his helmet, but I made him so he'd be a good role model for The Daughter.  Perhaps that's why he's not smiling.  (We also had to have the role model conversation recently when he balked about going to the dentist.)

We worked on teaching Zoe bicycle etiquette.  She knows to stay on the right side of the path unless passing someone, in which case, you are to pass on their left and call out a warning, "On your left!" or "Passing on your left!"  Zoe rather enjoyed this, but is honing her timing.  The only people she passed were walkers, and most of them were pushing strollers.  She'd get right up next to 'em, look up, wait to make eye contact and cheerfully chirp, "On your left!" with a big ol' grin.  I think she's missed the point that it's supposed to be a warning call, but she charmed everyone she passed that day and one person even thanked her for her efforts.

There is a family member that you might think is missing from this scene.  "But where is Hoot?" an astute observer might question.  Oh, he's there all right.  He's tucked into that little pink bag on the front of Zoe's bike.  This bike was selected by her, in large part, because of that little zippered bag.  Always lookin' out for the Hoot, she is.

Final note: training wheels are loud.