Free Wheeling

I think I was 5 or 6 the first time I rode a bike without training wheels. I remember the day perfectly- it was a hot summer day and I was on my brother's bike. We were at Westchester Hills and Kevin was running behind me on the tennis courts helping make my bike steady. He must have run behind me for miles that day- but as a big brother, that was his job. Finally after mile 10 or so, I got it. I steady myself and figured out how to keep myself from falling and I was free. Free of training wheels. Free to ride around the complex. Free to crash every day and get monster scrapes on the side of my leg that I still have the scars from today. It didn't matter how many times I fell, or almost got hit by a car- yeah, I was kind of accident prone as a kid- learning how to ride a bike with only two wheels was one of the most wonderful experiences of my childhood. 

A couple weeks ago I took Teigue to a park not far from here to hopefully learn how to ride his bike without the trainers. We have been talking about it for a while but my little safety captain just wasn't ready. He liked the safety that those extra two wheels gave him. He was content. Then he saw his best friend Avery riding without trainers. We took them off shortly there after. 

On the day that we went I was certain that Teigue was going to be like me and take 10 miles before he figured out the balance aspect. I was mistaken. He literally took 30 seconds to get it. He was free! Then he promptly crashed into a pole and fell off his bike. Yes- he is like me! But he got it- that day I ran behind him just at take off. He couldn't figure the whole pushing with his feet until he got enough speed built up to ride on his own. We actually has quite a few take offs that day because after the pole incident he was fall off his bike anytime anything remotely came in his path- benches, people, small sticks. He was so afraid that he was going to crash again that he would just ride into the grass and fall off. So, I ran after him again and again and again. Today, that changed. Mr. Fox is now 100% free of training wheels- and he is very proud that he is only 5 and can do it. Ask him. He'll tell you.