Red’s friend received a new bike for Christmas, and was itching to take it out. Red, after a couple of weeks of a bad cold and coughing, was not keen to engage in anything like hard physical activity. Smalls was excited to get outside, but had never done this trail both ways without dropping his bike on the ground and declaring himself ‘done’.

Somehow my husband and I got all three of them up and down the trail. There was whining (from Red), crying (from Smalls) but also demands to go further (from the friend). It doesn’t take long before watching from the back of the group quickly becomes a desire to make it to line leader.  When I asked them after if they’d enjoyed the bike ride, they all enthusiastically said yes. So I guess that’s a win, then!