Took my 2-yr-old son to the last of the Marymoor Velodrome summer series races tonight. He rode his tricycle up to watch from the top of high-bank turn and sat there, transfixed. It was a perfect late summer evening– dry and warm, with a lingering sunset. The Cat 1&2 races were fast and precise, and the two-wheeled machines looked perfect in the purity of the track form.
As we left, I asked my son if he had fun. He responded, redirecting the conversation as only a toddler can…
ME: “Did you like the races and the fast bikes?”
SON: “You ride your bike fast!”
ME: “That’s right, sometimes I ride fast too. I push hard on the pedals and go fast.”
SON: “Push on the pedals and go FAST! Push on the pedals and go FAST! ”
I believe my work here is done. The kid is going to be fine.
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I love this post, that is all.
@LA Dave - lovely response mate. Teaching, learning and riding.... this is the game of life.
Nice post Jim!
I've posted a similar photo before, but my 4y/o did his first 'kiddy kilo' a few months back. It was 2 laps around a 1K circuit. We hollered at him to stop at 1 ('cause it seemed quite a ways for him), but he yelled back "I'm still going!".
He even had a podium girl (and not even his mom!)
He also rides and cleans his bike most every day.
@scaler911
Awesome work @Scaler911.
I love including my kids in riding. I love how mine have taken to riding singletrack like it's no big deal. Just buying my eldest her first proper mtb with 20" wheels. Can't wait to see what the coming years bring riding wise with them.
@scaler911
Wucked eh bro! Want to give you grief (sure sure, that's your 'son', admit it you're a tiny tiny person) or it may be family resemblance.
@grumbledook
Great photo. That looks enormous and steep.
You all are outing me. I've waffled about track long enough, and I thought JiPM had got the jump on me. I have to do a guest article now.
Totally sweet. I can still remember my first proper ride with my old man. He'd left me to ride around with my chums in a park for a few months to get up to scratch. One evening he turned up just as I was about to go home and told me we were heading out on the roads. It was like a whole new world opening up.
Great stuff chaps, good to see the kiddy love going on - thank Merckx my two have just got obsessed in the last month or so, as I thought it would never happen (6 and 8 yoa, better late then never) - from anxiety, straight to refusing to wear a helmo and cranking round blind corners, now the anxiety is for me to suffer!
Lesson one - cycle in front of them - my daughter, inherently a show off, kept looking over her shoulder to tell us how fast she was going - I told her to keep looking a head, then thought, quick, get in front - too late, she lifted out of the saddle and buried it - and sadly herself - face first onto the tarmac - didn't put her off, and now big brither struggles to keep up - great to see them at it - now at our caravan park (no not Trailer Park) it is not cool to walk anywhere, so the bikes and scooters have taken over the shoes as #1 mode of transport - vive la velo!
Great to see the big growth in our club cadet rides (9-15) - they ride small front cogs (or disconnect the FD cable) to keep the speed down - fantastic in a scary parental sort of way - though I hope learning in group rides with a club will keep them safer longerterm
Inspiring stuff, friends. Makes me want to run out and get a kid..or a track bike. I think I'll go with the track bike first, see how that goes...
@Dr C
@drsoul
Somewhere under a mountain in Colorado, the Department of Homeland Security has put a "persons of interest" watch on alias "Dr C" for his reference to "kiddy love" and alias "drsoul" for his apparent plan to kidnap a child.
What is it with you doctors?