Let's go ride a bike!

I learned to ride a bike when I was 4 years old - my best friend across the street got a bike and I wanted to learn how to ride it. So I did. (When I get it in my head that I want to do something, look out!) I can remember that bike - it was a boy's bike since my best friend at the time was David. It was orange. And it was too big for me. But I still did it. So for my 5th birthday my parents bought me my own bike. It was powder blue and had a banana seat.

Frodo got a red bicycle for his 5th birthday. It was his favorite color. He was petrified to ride it because it went "too fast". No biggie I thought. He'd get on it the next year.

The next year, he's six and he still doesn't like the bike. He doesn't like how it's tippy and the training wheels catch. He wants nothing to do with it. He still thinks it goes too fast. I don't push it. I get him a scooter instead so he has *something* to ride up and down the sidewalk.

The following year, he's seven. I go to pump up the tires on his bike and I bust one of the stems on the innertube of the tire. We go to the store and get a new innertube. I take the tire off to exchange the innertubes and pieces of the axle go everywhere - there are sprockets in my lap, a screw clanking on the ground, ball bearings rolling down the driveway.... Ack! He's been on this bike about 3 times and it's kaput! We go to the store again to see if I can buy new parts for the bike. It's cheaper to buy a new bike.... So he gets a new bike. This time it's a nice blue color. Hubby takes him to try and learn to ride it. They get home after hubby has lost any patience he had, and Frodo prefers the scooter. Actually, he LOVES his scooter. His friends are now riding two wheelers. He can almost keep up with them with his scooter! Hubby is getting irritated that his son doesn't know how to ride a bike. I tell him to lay off - eventually he'll learn. When he's ready.

Right now, he's eight. 2 months shy of turning 9. Today is a nice day, especially for January in the midwest. It's sunny and 45. There's no school today. I say, "we're going outside and enjoying this weather. Let's take your bike over to the school and I'll teach you to ride." Frodo sighs, puts his shoes on and down the street we walk....

We reach the school. I take the bike to the top of a small grassy hill. There's no training wheels on it. I show him the first step he's going to take - sit on the seat of the bike, give it a little push with your feet, lift your feet up a little, but don't put them on the pedals - just coast down the hill and use your feet to catch you if you tip. I went first. He laughed since the bike is waaaaay too small for me. Then he tries. No problem! I have him repeat the process many times. "How many times do I have to do this?" he asks. "Until you're comfortable" I say. He says, "What's the next step?"

"Next, while coasting down the hill try to put your feet on the pedals, but don't pedal yet. Just coast." Down the hill he goes. Feet go on the pedals! Then feet start pedaling.... He rides his bike on the grass in a big arc. I'm clapping and cheering. He's beaming and laughing out of pure excitement and pride. He brings the bike back and wants to go again. He does this many times with just a couple minor falls. He says, "It's hard to pedal on the grass." I tell him, "Yep. It's easier on the pavement." He says, "Lets go over to the pavement."

We walk the bike over to the pavement. I get on the bike again and demonstrate how to start to pedal a bike on a flat surface. He laughs again, telling me I look so silly on a little bike. I hand the bike back to him, and after a couple tries, he figures out where he needs the pedals to be to start, and off he goes. He rides in circles on the pavement for 20 minutes. I have him practice braking and starting, slowing and going faster. He says, "Now I want to go home and show dad."

We get home and have dad come outside. Aunt Jenn is here, and she's tickled pink to be present for this. Dad is flabbergasted. We were only gone for 30 minutes. Frodo now asks to ride down the sidewalk so he can go show his *sister* and her parents. I walk down with him. They get out their video camera and shoot a few minutes of him showing off his new skill.

When we get back home, Frodo says to me, "I think a miracle happened today."