Weekend of Gs

Saint George's Greek Orthodox Church, the host of the Greek Festival this past weekend. We checked it out on Saturday, our fifth year attending in some capacity.

We arrived early to beat the crowds. Parked the bikes at the pole on the far right and wondered around for place to change a diaper, get some baklava, Turkish coffee and listen to the music. When we were leaving, the place was filling up.

London coveted those coin wraps other girls were wearing, but the priced tag of $25 was not something she was ready to pay. Of her own accord (and money) she opted for the $5 bracelet and left a happy girl. The hat she is wearing, she knit herself this past week during recess at school and when ever she could find the time. It's her first finished fiber project.

Brent waited in a very slow line for a $3 Turkish Coffee. This is all he came for.

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Our Saturday route above. From home to the Greek Festival, to Goodwill, to game shop, to bike store, to grocery, to home. 10.2 miles.

More light post lock ups. Goodwill at 11th street and Virginia Avenue.

Since we took just three bikes, we played music saddles all day. The big kids took turns on the Yuba Mundo and Junior Viper. Brent had to adjust the height on the children's bike at every stop. He is going to install a quick release soon.

Brent opts for sidewalks, but I really feel safer and more comfortable on the road, in the lane. Here he is taking Avery in the trailer down 4th. I just needed a load break on the Yuba. I was extremely exhausted all day and was breaking down often, mentally and physically.

I had no reason to go to the bike shop, but I just like going. Here, one of the owners came out to check out the child seat and discuss my transition to riding it with the children. They also said my last three parts should arrive this week sometime.

We planned to go for a full grocery run, but I just couldn't do it. We stopped at our mom and pop shop, Julian's Market, for milk and bananas and headed home. Brent took over the Yuba so I didn't collapse and I took back the MTB with the mostly empty trailer.

The evening was spent playing in the yard, napping upright on the couch for 20 minutes and reading stories.

We had played with bags of beans a couple of weeks ago and London planted them all over the yard, they were coming up everywhere.

I caught Elliot reading to the little boys.

It was a pretty jammed pack Saturday. I think my exhaustion was from not riding or walking much while in AZ. I got to bike Friday and my legs were so sore my children couldn't sit on my lap. Come Saturday and we had this long multiple-stop ride planned and I was a mess. We had to stop many times because I was stressed about balancing the bike with the children and carrying so much weight on the bike. I am usually much more relaxed but I couldn't shake the anxiety that day.

Sunday was much better. I didn't get much rest that night, but I was feeling more healed and calm. London and I took two bikes and the trailer to the grocery for a "big trip." Brent had spent part of Saturday fashioning all sorts of contraptions to the Yuba for hauling groceries in lieu of proper bags. Here's what we decided on:

Brent strap clamped two totes to the sides and loaded them with the heaviest things he could find.

He took the bike out for a quick test ride to make sure it wasn't too heavy and the totes wouldn't fall off.

Empties attached and ready for groceries. This set up allowed us to keep the child seat in the rear position, which we won't be able to do when our bags arrive. More on that in another post.

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London with the trailer and I on the Yuba. We set off down the PATH for Kroger.

I am happy fall has arrived, but this makes parking at Kroger more difficult.

We didn't want to be so close to the door and ramp, but they left us little to choose from.

I didn't want to buy too much so I bagged all my groceries as we shopped. Portion control?

All of this fit in/on two bikes, and I feel pretty confident I could have taken the trailer on the Yuba and gotten it all myself, but I love London's company and she was fantastic about hauling it all home.

I put all the lighter things in her trailer. I tried to keep most of the weight over the axle area. Her rolled up pants were so the flair bottom wouldn't get caught on her gears while peddling.

Loaded up. Totes were full so I bungee strapped my large soft cooler with milk and ice cream straight to the deck.

I had my doubts about my 9 yo being able to carry home groceries. When she started out she said it felt like she wasn't carrying anything. When we got to the via-duct she had to walk up the hill because we got behind a pedestrian on the sidewalk and couldn't get started on the upside once we stopped.

There she goes! A wonderful start to fall on PATH and my eldest doing hard work to feed the family.

We carried home 144lbs of groceries. I really didn't notice the weight on the flat surfaces and when I shift successfully into a low enough gear, I was able to take the hills slow and steady and without wearing myself out.

 Sunday also included a birthday party. We could have walked, but biking is so much fun for us. We put the eldest two on their own bikes and I rode Oliver and Avery on the back of the Yuba. I was finding on Saturday that the iBert was not a comfortable fit for me on the cargo bike. I haven't figured out quite why, but for now I am going to ride the littles on the back.

Oliver claimed a bike at the party and rode inches by himself and got a lot of help from Elliot. Of all the children, Oliver loves biking the most and he can't even peddle.

Our bike train before leaving the party. Is everyone picking at an orifice?

Avery and Oliver on the back of the cargo bike. Happy boys.

We tried several configurations of seating on the Yuba Mundo Saturday but we didn't move the child seat like we intended. I might play around with it this week during school pick ups. I am getting more comfortable riding it and figuring out the quirks and nuances.

I rarely allow Brent to have a go. Which means I am doing all the heavy hauling, but I don't mind a bit. It is a pretty sweet bike. If you see me out and about, stop me and I will let you have a spin. I was so happy to be stopped by a reader on Saturday at the park and give him a moment to check it out. Huntington Cycle and Sport can even get in touch with me for test rides, but soon they will have one assembled of their own for you to try.

Miles Walked: 0	Biked: 6.2	Bused: 0	Drove: 0	This week
53.7	379.2	12.6	547.2	Since August 14, 2011

Sister Sara's Wedding Day

A day of primping and prepping yesterday. I followed the wedding party around taking photos at their request.






Sisters and mom.






A lot of makeup and hair treatment.

















Mother of the bride and our stepdad.








Krysta and Becca, bridesmaids.








Dessert bar at the reception.








Apple pie cutting, in lieu of cake.







After cleaning up the reception, we wrestled a wedding goer into taking us out to Westgate for appetizers, drinks and dancing. Being the quite soul I am, I managed standing on the dance floor and stealing bites of spinach dip. Our late night party consisted of (left to right) Krysta, my sister Shannon, the wrangle friend of the bride and groom Jonathan, and Becca.






Jonathan and I at Margaritaville. I haven't stayed out till 2:30am in many many years.

I said adios to Becca this morning and my parents this afternoon. Now what are we going to get into? Probably a car. It has been non stop driving since I landed. Yet on the thrifty spending side of the story, I bought a sandwich for lunch yesterday then picked up the Starbucks tab for the ladies on the way to airport this morning.

While I was gallivanting around town last night, my family was taking our new Yuba Mundo bike on it's inaugural Critical Mass ride.


Yuba Mundo Inaugural Ride from delano on Vimeo.



Posted using BlogPress from Brent's Marshall University iPad

The Great Bike Debate

Nothing quite like a frustrating situation to propel a change. My anger and worry over our finances was the impetus for lightening our car burden and plowing into a bicycling life style. I have not had a regret since. It's been a very rewarding and exciting change for me and our family, despite my husband's worries over us biking to and from school.  He admits he worries when we drive there as well. Worry and anxiety is his nature, especially when children are involved.

I don't want to give up on my current life style choice. I set out to do one month because I like finite self imposed limits. If I has said "as long as I can," I might have given up at anytime. Anything longer than one month might have pushed my husband to the edge of his patience with my process and he too found he liked knowing that "if he could just wait it out till September..."

Interestingly, he didn't know that today was September first and as our friends who take our children to school were out of town, he biked the three children to school himself. He came home to leave me the trailer and reported the ride was relatively easy and fun, although he still thinks crossing onto Washington and Norway are very dangerous (I agree). I didn't ask him how he handled Washington, but he did ride the children on the side walk on Norway. No complaints from anyone till the very last steep hill just two blocks from school. It took them 30 minutes, and because we didn't leave enough time this morning to debate with London, they were about two minutes late.

School Commuting Troubles Continue
What I was getting at, was how frustration begets change. I have had several frustrating commutes home from school with the children. It is usually because one of them is very, very tired and I don't have enough room to transport more than two with the trailer/stroller/bike combos I have been using. The closest I came was yesterday when London rode my bike, towing Avery and Oliver in the trailer. Yet it was Elliot who was exhausted to tears for the first half of the walk. I offered him space in the trailer and putting Avery on the bike seat we could continue walking the bike home, but he declined. We actually jogged home together for the last quarter.

London towing Avery and Oliver and all the back packs, Elliot and I jogging home down Wiltshire Blvd.

Coming home from another 95 degree, 90 minute bike-walk-jog, exhausted and frustrated was yet another prompt for change. The research for a new bike has been in progress for a couple months. The past couple weeks it kicked up a notch as I test rode two bikes in Columbus last weekend and I have been in touch with two other bloggers, Car Free with Kids and Family Ride, who have been tremendous about helping me hash out different scenarios. I thought all I needed to know was on the internet, but between the forums, reviews, flicker pools, blogs, business sites, my lack of knowledge, lack of diverse bikes in the area, and our unique situation (location and family size), it's been daunting, and that is an understatement. The experience of someone who has "been there and done that" is invaluable. I can't thank these women enough for what they have done for me. The email exchanges with Car Free with Kids are continuing as I parse out options and considerations.

The Debate
The research process has led me to two bikes I feel will best, but not perfectly, meet our needs. I know that neither the Madsen kg271 or the Yuba Mundo will roll out of the box just as I need them. There will need to be some adjustments with seating and towing options and the consideration of an electric assist. Neither will fit on the bus bike rack. I looked at several different options that would allow us to continue using the bus but they were outside our price range at this time, but something to consider later when the children are older (as the scenario and cost would change). Despite some of these barriers, both of these cargo bikes are better than what we have now and would make the commute more pleasant for us all. I don't want our methods of transportation to be the only thing we think, talk and blog about, I want it to be a solution and means, enjoyable and safe, empowering and inspiring.

The Madsen contender (older model)

Yuba Mundo option.

While I will be purchasing one of these bikes soon, the possibility of purchasing them both has entered the equation. I displayed this option to Brent last night as I knew it would be one of the two and I couldn't decide. I asked him to sell his brand new bike and then consider getting both the Madsen and the Yuba, as having a team of bikes like this would certainly meet all our needs. His argument was that neither would fit in the elevator at work, like his current bike does.

How would you solve our problem? Pros/cons comparison to the Madsen and the Yuba? Do you have another option?

*As I finish up this post it has started to rain and has the potential for rain the remainder of the day. This will add a little spice to our home from school commute today and I will let you know what becomes of it.

Test Riding Bikes in Columbus, OH

Miles Walked: 13.9	Biked: 56.9	Bused: 2.1	Drove: 396.3	This week
37.7	112.9	12.6	399.9	Since August 14, 2011

Downtown Mechanicsburg, OH

Flat fields of Champaign county Ohio

 Grandma got settled at home in Mechanicsburg,OH  at about 1:30PM yesterday and I set off in my empty mini van for Columbus. I was meeting my dad at Handy Bikes in Grandview to check out a cargo style bike. I had only looked at their website and found they carried the Madsen brand, but I know now I should have called first. The ladies at the counter didn't know anything about a Madsen and said there were none in the shop, but the owner came out and said he happened to have a used one in the back that he was trying to sell. It was the older model, powder blue and ready to ride.

I do believe there's a hint of fall color here.

I took it for a couple of spins around block, checking out the gears and breaking. I wasn't able to add any weight into it, as all my precious cargo was at home. Over all it was a fun ride. It didn't have some of the features of the newest model, like front cargo rack, front disc brakes and parking brake-lock, but what it did have was good enough. It rode smooth and easy and more upright than my box-store bike or Brent's GT. I am not experienced enough with bikes to give any sort of review, but I did have a great time riding this box bike around Grandview. The owner said he would sell it to me for $1000, and seeing that a new bike retails for $1500 with shipping, it sounded decent, but it was the older model and it was used, AND I hadn't ridden anything else to compare it with.

I was testing out the Madsen

The Madsen in front of Handy's Bikes

When driving to Handy's Bikes, I had some extra time before my dad was to arrive so I went to WholeFoods on Lane Avenue looking for a lunch and ended up a little backwards going from the store to the bike shop. I am glad I got a smidgen turned around because I drove past a shop called Roll:, also on Lane. After Handy's, dad and I went to Roll: to see what they might carry. The shop didn't have anything I was looking to test ride, but was stocked with some beautiful bikes. They also sold the Yepp Mini front style child seat I considered before we bought the iBert. I think the Yepp Mini seat is worth a second look. It had a higher back which might allow for napping. There was a higher cushioned front bar for both comfort and sleeping as well as the seat itself was made from a very dense but modestly pliable foam.

Chocolate cherry trail mix from WholeFoods, aka lunch.

Roll:

The salesman at Roll: told me about a shop in the Short North that sold cargo style bikes so dad and I headed downtown. Paradise Garage had an electric assist Kona Ute bike in the window. The sales-guy gave me a run down on the specs, since I was completely unfamiliar with this long-tail style. Then he mentioned having a Yuba Mundo, something I had been researching. The Yuba Mundo long-tail cargo bike was one of two I had been considering, the other being an Xtracycle.

This Yuba was ready to be fitted with disc-brakes, something that dad, the salesman and I discussed and decided would be most beneficial to my riding situation. Two child seats could fit on the rear and one could fit on the front as well as two extra-large pannier bags for groceries. This bike was ready to haul 600 lbs. I took it for a couple of loops around the block and loved how smooth the gear transitions were. It was more of an upright seating position, something I am realizing is more comfortable for me. It was overall a very well built bike. The deflating moment came when I returned from my ride, had a conversation with my dad about how I might be able to talk the sales-guy into selling me the floor model and was ready to give my pitch. Before I could even make an offer he told me the owner would not sell this bike. He was keeping it around for test rides and as the company "truck" for events. Maybe in the spring, when the new model was released, I might be able to purchases it. Huge disappointment, but it held me accountable to my "I am only shopping, not buying" creed for the day.

Yuba Mundo at Paradise Garage

I came away from these two test rides knowing what a better quality bike looks and feels like. I learned a lot about what I need for my situation, how far my money might go and how long a bike will last post-children. There are a few more bike styles and brands I am looking to ride, so if you have something and are willing to let me give it a spin, I would be most grateful.

Dad and I had an early dinner at the Short North Tavern then we parted ways. He went home and I met up with a great friend who was in Columbus, coincidentally, for the day as well. We met at the Raisin Rack in Westerville and then she drove us to old downtown for some live music and espresso drinks at Java Central. Near 10pm we said goodnight and I drove home to collapse contentedly into bed at 12:45AM this morning.

Jockey style post bike racks were embedded all along High Street Columbus.

Beer bike! in the Short North

We didn't wait in line for Graeter's but I love this Ohio based ice cream

Java Central, Westerville

We stayed till the sun had long since set

Downtown Westerville, OH