Browsing some old photos I came across this picture of my youngest and I riding. This was taken at the Filinvest mountain bike trail circuit.

I clearly remember this shot. I was riding with him as his two older brothers were riding the tracks. The training wheels take the fun out of riding the trails for him so I stay on the pavement (closed road, no motorized vehicles allowed, except for security motorcycles) and ride beside him and match his pace.

In one of our laps he had this crazy idea of racing with me. I played along, riding in figure eights behind him — he’ll see me pedaling hard but he’ll still get the satisfaction of riding way ahead of Daddy.

Near the “finish line” I decided to ride level with him.

This shot was taken as he notices my front tire overtaking him, and soon he’ll be beaten in the race.

But he still won

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Yesterday, being a Sunday, late afternoon my boys asked me if they could ride their bikes. I allowed them to, and to be on the safe side I told them to stay on the rough road section that connects to the main cemented road.

The undeveloped road runs just outside our gate and is very seldom used by motorized vehicles.

The two older ones started getting their helmets. #2 started wearing his knee and elbow pads. I require him to wear the pads due to the fact he’s just learning how to ride on 2 wheels. He pleaded with me to take off his traning wheels and I obliged.

The youngest, who still had his training wheels on his bike, started to pull out some drama. Sulking, not acting all excited, not getting his helmet along with his brothers, etc.

After a while of comforting and finding out the problem (#2 told me why, it was because he won’t be able to ride in rough and rocky roads — his training wheels will just get him stuck) I whispered to him I will also ride with him and we’ll bike on the cemented road and go to the nearest store and I’ll go buy him a bottle of Coke. This produced a smile and excitement he was trying to keep inside.

So I got my bike, wore my biking shorts, got socks and wore my shoes, and called out to him again (he didn’t believe me the first time). Upon seeing me in my biking attire he went to get his helmet and pulled his bike all the way to the cemented road.

The 4 of us, plus my nephew to whom we gave the old small bike, kept on going back and forth along a relatively safe stretch of road. Still they perspired a lot and they were too tired to argue with me when I told them we had to go back home, just after one hour.

If it was just me it would be a real boring ride. But what made it a fun and satisfying experience is seeing the little ones pedaling hard, imaginations running wild, imitating Steve Peat or Sam Hill or Andrew Shandro, telling me what the running scenario is, seeing them huffing and puffing after a sudden burst of speed, and my 3 boys sharing 1 bottle of soda to replenish their energy, me playing mechanic with misaligned training wheels and chains jumping off chainrings.

When we got home we were treated to a fattening round of French toast and Coke, sponsored by my permanent sponsor (as listed in my list of sponsors) — my wife/the mommy!

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