Bode on a Bicycle

Bode has learned how to ride a bike.  Yes, we are bad parents in that we waited so long to teach him.  However, both in Ohio and in Colorado, we do not live on a street that was/is conducive to learning to ride a bicycle.  This is not to say we live in a heavily trafficked area.  Quite the contrary.  Here in Colorado, we live at the very top of a dead-end street.  Traffic is not the issue.  The large, 10% incline is what is troublesome to a first-time bike rider.  What got Bode on his bike sans training wheels?  Peer pressure.  There are some neighbors down the street.  They have a six-year old and a four-year old.  Bode saw the four-year old riding a bike, and that is really all it took, plus some encouragement (goading) by dear-old Dad.  Here are some action photos.

For the time being, we are staying in the driveway (which is still steep in some areas).  However, we did walk Bode and the bike to the bottom of the hill, where he was able to ride a bit further.  Also, we ate dinner at Grammy's house, and she lives on a nice flat street.  After dinner, we took a walk around the block.  Bode rode the whole way.  He's yet to have a major wipe-out...we have stocked up on band-aids and bandages knowing it will surely happen :-)

Ashley took the below movie.  Not the most thrilling of footage, but those riders who post videos of themselves on Youtube going off 20-foot jumps have to start somewhere.

We are both impressed how quickly Bode learned how to ride.  He did have one of those Stride-Rite bikes (pedal-less bikes).  He learned how to balance himself on that, so getting on a real bike wasn't that big of a difference.  We did have to work on using the bike's break as opposed to his feet, but we think he has that down.

Nothing too exciting in Colorado Springs--hot, dry, and fire-danger is high.  Makes us miss the humidity of the east coast (yes, really).  Pleasant week to all.