On the Wheels Again

A few weeks ago we were supposed to go to go on a bike ride with Blaubeere but plans got changed at the last minute.  We had a good time but that wasn't the ride I had been looking forward to for weeks and weeks.  But don't misunderstand.  It really was a good ride, the whole dy ws good and I had been content with the way things turned out that day.  But then we managed to find a time to give it another try.  Erdbeere was here with her kids and we decided to do the ride we hadn't been able to do before.  Erdbeere had brought her bike and trailer because she wanted to ride some of our trails around here.  We originally had planned to do a ride here in our area but then decided to go ride with Blaubeere instead.  Share the goodness of the trail, and all that.

So, once again, we loaded up the bikes and hit the road.

We started at a little park a couple of miles from where we wanted to ride to.  Everybody paused for a picture and then we were off on our ride!

We discovered right away that this trail, that ran along a river, was not a smooth, level trail. That is often the case right along rivers. First down a hill, the down another hill.  I'm thinking all the way that we were going to have to ride back up these hills.  Not a particularly exciting thought.  Nevertheless, we continued.

After a  little while the trail leveled out and actually became a very nice ride.

We, okay, I made the whole group stop along the way now and then for pictures.  I think I'm getting a reputation.

The wildlife we saw was pretty normal.  I  had been hoping for something a little more exotic.  But that's okay.  It still added to the ride.

I had studied the map quiet a bit before hand but still I had to stop a couple of times to make sure we were on the right track.  Especially when I saw the biggest hill we had encountered thus far on the ride.  But then, this was the part I wasn't sure about anyway.  The landscape had changed a bit since the satellite photo on google maps was taken so I wasn't entirely sure of this part of the trail anyway.

But we were on the right track and had to go up the hill and finally were able to make it to destination.  There was an old train on display so we rode around  until we found it.  Once again, took a few pictures and then on to the good part.

We found a shady spot near the playground and called a halt.  Everybody got out and hit the playground.

The kids had a great time, climbing, jumping, swinging, rocking, and running all over the place.

After a while we called the kids over for a snack.  We were not doing a picnic this time, just playing.  So it was snack time and then back to playing for a while longer.

Then the bad news - it was time to go.

So we packed everybody back in the trailers and on bikes and got ready to make the trek back.

Got everybody tucked in and buckled up.

One last, small detail.  Erdebeere paints rocks and leaves them around, the kindness rocks thing.  She comes up with some really nice ones.  The one she left here was one of my favorites.  But then, I'm a big M&M fan.

So we hit the trial back. Actually, the hills I had feared would be so bad turned out not to be so bad at all on the return trip.

Back we went and the going wasn't all that bad at all.  At least, not at first.

Seeing the sights on the return trip.

But then we came to the big one at the end.  It had been fun coasting down in on the way in.  Now it was time to go back up.

Brombeere and the Dragon smoked all the rest of us and just cruised on up the hill, smooth and easy as can be.

The rest of us, we labored up the hill.  Especially those hauling trailers.

But we all made it back, feeling good for the exercise!  It was a good trip, a good ride.  I'm glad we made it, it was a good time.  Actually, it has worked out very well that my kids and their families have been able to come and bring their bikes so we could do these rides.  Three rides with kids and grandkids.  Can't beat that with a stick!