Doing it with kids

Last week was February half term, as those of you with children will know; and so the mid week ride was modified accordingly. Now, before you nod knowingly and start thinking shorter, less technical routes etc 'modified' was more about making sure there was plenty of inducement on board (sweets, chocolate anything will do) and being prepared for a running commentary from two sons, than anything else. Obviously I needed to be told the 'how, when and why' of every manoeuvre, route decision and technical problem encountered! This is my younger son - a mere 10 year old - making a better job of a stream crossing than I did shortly beforehand.

My kids have been on bikes since they hit 6months and became eligible for bike seats; they progressed to tag a longs and their own bikes in due course and so now I can hardly complain if they are challenging the pecking order in the family lewis bike scene. We have just booked our summer holidays which usually involves mountain biking in some shape or form. This year we're off to Kielder Water and then Dumfries and Galloway and the 7Stanes. We have mountain biked with kids in both these locations before and had massive fun so look out for posts on these areas at some point. Last summer we pushed the boat out and went to Canada and did some fantastic routes with the kids in places like Canmore, Alberta and Lake Louise but again that's a whole different post.

Anyway back to the local bike ride in February in North Yorkshire - all was going well and we were winding up for the ascent onto Ainthorpe Rigg when disaster struck in the form of a flat. No problem I thought as I whipped out a spare inner and remembered how to use my pump ... unfortunately I hadn't bargained on breaking the valve on my spare and shame on us we hadn't a puncture repair kit between us. Oh well lesson learnt for the half term holidays - take plenty of back up boys.