Meeting with a Photographer

The children have been real champs about going home from school without the van. I have continued to reward them with trips to the library on Tuesday and play dates on Friday. Yesterday they had another surprise after school. A photographer from the Herald Dispatch met us at Our Lady of Fatima to get images for a future article. The children were pretty excited to find out that they would be in the newspaper.

Sholten Singer for the Herald Dispatch kept running down each block to get shots of the family biking. I had to jeer him a little about how much easier it would have been if he would have ridden his bike.

This is the only bike rack our bikes ever see. They are difficult to find in Huntington, but we are thankful when they are there. Maybe I should make a map of bike rack locations?

Library time.

My First Yuba Mundo Ride with Our Children

Our bikes at school.

When I got off the plane on Tuesday I was reading Bike Snob and thinking about the new bike in my garage. Brent managed to pick up the Yuba Mundo from Huntington Cycle and Sport on Friday. I contemplated having him wait until I got back, but I also wanted him to show it off at Critical Mass that night, which he did. No modesty here.

In case you missed the clip from another post, here's the video of Brent's ride with the three boys during Critical Mass. London rode my bike along side. I believe Brent's brother Aaron shot the video for him.


Yuba Mundo Inaugural Ride from delano on Vimeo.


I knew this bike was amazing because I rode it in Columbus last month, but I had never ridden it with any weight or even up a hill. You can't pay for hills in central Ohio. Test riding cargo bikes along our section of the Ohio river is near impossible, but I did make a few attempts to track some down, to no avail. Brent gave me his opinion from his ride on how to stop and handle the balance load and turning radius. I had been reading dozens and dozens of blog entries and watching videos for a couple of months. 

When I got home, I took the Yuba out first thing. I didn't even bring in my bag. I went straight to the garage and road it around the block. It was too dark to see the shifters and I wasn't even sure of the street conditions. I was a bit wobbly and uncertain, but elated. Yesterday I spent time thinking about riding and finishing Bike Snob. Today I set my mind to pick up the children from school with the Yuba Mundo. Brent left one bike at the school for a child to ride home and I set up the new bike with the iBert and stared at it from end to end. There were several parts missing that I had ordered; disc brakes, wheel skirt, and double kick stand, and noted to myself to call the shop to get an ETA.

First attempt with three boys at school.

I loaded Oliver into the rear seat, as that was his preference and I practiced going around the block several times getting used to the weight and handling. I really do not like rear weight. It feels like the front tire is going to lift off the road on every hill. The height of my saddle was suitable, the space between the iBert and my knees was far better than the other bike and the rear child seat looks more comfortable than the front. I planned to ride Avery in the rear seat, Elliot on the deck and Oliver in the iBert, but I knew that London would beg to ride on the deck often.

Circling the parking lot.

Brent came home from work to ride to school with me just in case anything would happen. He's a worrier, but I was happy to have time with him. He decided to hook up the trailer to his bike so we could load the children's back packs, as I still haven't ordered saddle/pannier bags for the Yuba. Every time we ride to the school we argue. We just have a different opinion about which route to take and where to ride on the road. The first tiff took place before the first block was behind us. I like to turn up the first road, he likes to take the second. Because he was behind me and saying "go here" and I didn't know where "here" was, I stopped on a steep uphill and tipped the bike to the right, with Oliver in the back, just about to the ground. Hmmm, this was going to be difficult.

Having learned my first lesson, to put both feet on the ground and hold both brakes when stopping, I took the second turn with Brent, which was indeed less of a climb and easier to ride. It was also slightly more difficult to make the next left at the intersection but not impossible or dangerous. I climbed up Wiltshire without much trouble and we disagreed about which direction on Woodland to ride and whether it was safer to take the lane on Norway or to use the side walk. We compromised with going to the right on Woodland, looping back down Fairfax and taking the lane on Norway.

I was sailing well until the climb on the one way portion of Norway. Brent has been telling me to take the pressure off the chain when I shift gears and I have been practicing, but I am not very good at this task. If I take the pressure off, then I slow down and have to apply more pressure. While climbing Norway I was moving into a lower gear and the chain came off the front chain wheel completely. I wasn't going anywhere. This is why I was glad Brent was there. I was able to hold the bike while he realigned the chain. Had I to do this alone I would have had to remove Oliver on a busy street and figure it out. I couldn't even walk the bike up the hill, the chain was locked up. Lesson two, take pressure off the chain before shifting gears.

Once at the school with all the children retrieved I was feeling really anxious. I didn't do so well getting there and now I was adding two extra children to a bike I was still very uncomfortable on and unfamiliar with. We loaded everyone up and I practiced starting and turning and stopping in the parking lot. I think I did about six loops in different directions to figure it all out. I lectured the boys about moving and tipping, as this would injure us all. With Brent hauling the trailer full of back packs, London on her Junior Viper and me carrying three children on the Yuba, we set off down the hill toward the Bookworm's Attic. It was still Thursday, our bookstore day, and we were not going to get sidelined from our agenda.

Heading down the one way portion of Norway on the sidewalk.

Stopped to return books.

Parked out front of the Bookworm's Attic

Books and candy purchases, bodies cooled, we strode out again for home. During our ride I observed many things about the differences in riding this long tail verses the old mountain bike. The first was the balance. The second was braking and foot position. Third, chain pressure and shifting. Fourth was the impact of the rear passengers over bumps. They took a huge jolt even over minor surface features. There jostling around had me swerving the front end to keep my balance. I do think I was truly bothered by the terrible roads and sidewalk conditions for the first time since riding. Before they were just annoying, now they were dangerous. The fifth thing of notice was the need for smooth transitions between surfaces. This goes beyond jacked up sidewalks and potholes. This bike really needs those ramps at crosswalks. I couldn't take the curb and just bounce down them like with the other bike, I would loose control. Unfortunately a few spots on our route don't offer these ramps at convenient places, but I found ways around them. In some situations I used drive ways and others I went an extra half block back to use a ramp. While I realize my place should be on the road, if you were a driver on Norway, you would not be expecting a cyclist, especially a slow one with three children. The sidewalk is safer, but not by much. (Sixth) The Yuba also didn't like going through thick gravel where the side walk was covered in some portions. Wobbly conditions at best. I believe this is because all the weight was in the rear and if there were more on the front, it could have been a better scenario. Yet I don't have front racks or bread baskets at this time and this is the best I can do.

Panting up Norway.

Pushing up Fairfax.

This is deceiving, we were actually flying down Wiltshire.

This looks like a long list of complaints. Almost like buyers remorse. I am a complainer but these are just kinks I am working out. I have confidence in this bike and know that with more practice things will be easier. I can't do much about the route conditions (although I am considering filling out one of these forms) but I can keep trying and be patient.

To give the Yuba Mundo the praise it deserves, it was easier to ride up hills than my other bike. It was great to be able to carry three children at once. It was wonderful to sit more upright and my back is appreciative too. The shifting was smooth, except when I managed to thwart it's natural talent. It is certainly a show piece, and a fabulously functional one. I was going to have the children give the bike a name, as they have named our cars and it seems appropriate and a bit ridiculous. Suggestions for names? I will run it by the panel judges and let you know what they decide.

All these miles below are approximate because we haven't keep very accurate records since my departure last week. I hope to get my act together and record them better next week. The two miles on the bus was from Brent taking his entire class on the free downtown bus to get coffee at River and Rail yesterday. I would have loved a professor like this when I was a freshman, but it might have creeped me out as well....

Miles Walked: 0	Biked: 46	Bused: 2	Drove: 44	This week
53.7	358.8	12.6	539.2	Since August 14, 2011

It's Drizzling, We Biked, We Didn't Melt

We also didn't wreck, get wet, complain or do anything else I thought we might do, or would expect someone biking with four children in a drizzle to do. It was just a drizzle and only on the way to school yesterday afternoon. The ride/walk home was dry. Yet, it was a great introduction to biking in the rain for us. I like gradual transitions.

Attached rain cover on the trailer. Very handy. The hose was from us draining our rain barrel before the recent rains. Free lawn and garden water.

Murky skies. We love the rain. Brent was reminiscing about Vancouver, BC and I about Seattle. We are pacific North Westerns at heart.

Oil slick.

London snagged a photo of me with the three boys. Oliver in the iBert, Elliot and Avery in the trailer. I thought I would see if I could haul about a 160lbs of children and books. I could! It also proved that Elliot could fit.

London wanted to find out if she could do it too. She was wobbly for about a 1/2 block then decided she just couldn't see around Oliver, but she was strong enough! (We were also going downhill)

Leaves at the library. We have designated Tuesdays as Gallaher Village Library day.

Elliot reading the Guinness Book of World Records, Avery on the right getting a drink.

London was checking out a flyer for Bear Bucks. An incentive program for children.

Shared reading time.

 London ended up biking Elliot and Oliver home in the trailer. Avery and I jogged alongside or I piggy backed him home. We had a great time with the cooler temperatures, the library and the cloudy day.

I am also excited to report I spoke to three different companies about their bikes. Turns out our own Huntington Cycle and Sport is a dealer for the Sun Altas Cargo bike. I am heading downtown today to discuss with them ordering the Yuba Mundo for me. They were in contact with Yuba yesterday to see if they could resale for them, and they can! I could certainly order directly from Yuba, but I like the rapport and service we are getting with Tom and his family at the bike shop. We are also so inexperienced about all this bike stuff I needed an advocate. Maybe we can transform Huntington Cycle and Sport into a family and cargo bike dealer...How about it Huntington? Would you like to see more family bike options?

Miles Walked: 0	Biked: 14	Bused: 0	Drove: 8	This week
43.7	204.8	12.6	430.2	Since August 14, 2011

After School Enrichment & Some After August Plans

Oliver and I biked to pick up the children from school today. The trailer was already in trailer mode and I didn't feel the need to put it back in stroller form. I had no idea it was 90 degrees and humid outside. The windows were open and the cool morning air had maintained a decent 77 degrees in our house all day. With this heat, the ride up was rough. I had to stop about five times to let my muscles breath and just to catch my breath. I still partially blame the bike, as the last time I took Oliver up (on Brent's bike) I only stopped once for a short breather on the last hill.

When we walk home, sometimes the children (mostly London) complain. Mid week I know they are tired so we have tried to take the bus most of the way home and then walk a flatter shadier route. Last week I had the idea to give them something to look forward to each day to motivate them home, instead of threatening to leave them at school if they didn't continue forward. Before you get images of me cracking whips and forcing them up hills like mules, we do go at Avery's pace, stop many, many times for water and shade breaks and have only made it home once before 430PM, and we leave about 315 for the two mile trek. I think we certainly take our good sweet time. Yet I have raised a daughter not unlike myself, and she finds a lot to grumble about.

The Bribe
Mondays and Wednesdays we have to get home straight away for an early dinner with Brent. He has to return to campus for night classes so there is no time for any treats as we walk, just the usual breaks. Tuesdays we have decided, are library days. Gallaher Village library is on our walk home. There is a crosswalk at the corner and a lot of visibility get us over Norway. The library is also a very strong motivator for London. She's our bookworm. The deal is, no complaining on Monday or Tuesday and then we go to the library. So far it's working.

Today we spent about thirty minutes soaking up the A/C, refilling waters, snacking (outside), checking out books, reading magazines, changing diapers, and chatting with the staff. One of the gals said they were starting a Tuesday after school reading/activity group. I think this is something to consider. We might be able to get everyone there, get some homework done, have a snack and then enjoy an hour long library led session. I will let you know if we decide to participate. Tuesdays after school twice a month, we have Girl Scouts to contend with as well. So maybe the other weeks we could hang at Gallaher.

Snacking at the bike rack right out side the front doors of Gallaher Village Library

With Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays filled in, what were we going to do the other two? Thursdays we are going to use as our litter-gitter days. We are all appalled at the trash we pass on our way to and from Our Lady of Fatima. Avery always tries to bring some home. If I bring empty bags and hand sanitizer we can pick up what we deem to be "safe" to handle. I have been doing some of this, but the amount was just overwhelming to stop for every time I passed something, I wouldn't have gotten anywhere on time. If you have children, you probably realize that picking up garbage is not a motivator, but paying them for each bag they fill is. I offered them up a dollar each for every bag they stuff full. I think initially I might be out $3-$9, then maybe just $3, as we do have to carry it all home to dispose of. I highly suspect they will bore with this idea and I won't owe them anything, but I can continue my clean up efforts without them.

Fridays I am offering them play dates. Elliot is begging for friends to come home with us. This boy needs a jam packed social calendar. Every moment of everyday.  Provided they arrange them ahead of time and I can plan our transportation, they are each welcome to invite a friend over on Fridays. I think this will get them home quicker. The anti-complaint rule is also in effect. They can't complain Thursday when we are pick up trash or Wednesday when we just have to get home.

It's a good idea, but I don't know how much of it will work. The library seems to be having a positive effect so far, and we will see about the rest.

The Car-free Month is Ending, Won't We Just Drive the Children Home?
Brent and I have been in negotiations over our anticipated van usage after August is over. I am of the mindset that it's worked so far, why quit just because the month changed? Brent's more practical (thankfully) and he wants us to make a decision about using the car on an event by event basis, keeping in mind the comfort, safety, time and conveniences for our available modes of transport to each commitment.

We tried the other side of Norway today so we didn't have to cross back over at the intersection as well as making our cross back over to Woodland a more visible one. These poles are one excellent reason why we don't use this side of the street.

We don't fit. Thanks to a very observant and kind pick up truck driver, who stopped at Berry Hill Nursery (now closed), we were able to safely cross Norway to the other side and continue on our way home. The driver came down to us and stopped the car traffic in both directions to get us across.

The school commute has been the most dangerous and time consuming process this entire month. I have not given up on finding a better way to handle this situation, but as it stands we will most likely continue to carpool with friends, taking our turn to do some of the driving.