Slice of Life #20 Challenge Day 10/31: Bike Ride

Slice of Life #20 Challenge Day 10/31:

Bike Ride

"Mom! "Canwegoforabikerideplease?" 

My daughter had just arrived. She threw down her tote bag and violin in the middle of my kitchen floor. Her dad barely had the change to give her a goodbye hug.

The request for taking a bike ride together caught me off guard a bit. Typically, upon arriving to my house, my tween daughter immediately heads to holding her guinea pigs, hanging out with a neighbor friend, or I quickly lose her to You Tube videos. She rarely wants to be outside with me anymore. Lately, I have had to work for her attention. 

"Yes, we can go for a ride. It's a beautiful evening! But I think that we only have one helmet, so maybe just you can ride." I responded.

She dug into her tote bag and produced a black helmet with neon markings, "Nope! I brought my helmet from Dad's house! We can both ride! Can we go now?"

"Let's go!" I said and laced up my sneakers. 

We headed out to the garage. I put on my helmet and sat on my neglected Schwinn. 

My bike immediately flattened when I put my weight on it. Darn it! I could feel the rims on the garage floor. I wasn't riding this bike anywhere. 

"Uh oh, Alaina. I think that my bike has a flat tire." 

Her face fell.

"Don't you have a bike pump?" She asked.

"No, unfortunately not. It's another thing to add to my list to get the next time I get paid. Sorry, kiddo."

"Perhaps I can walk beside you as I ride?" I suggested.

"Yeah.. I guess."

She started out on her bike. She was smooth, fast, and looked so carefree. We got about a block. She had already circled me twice. Alaina was still way ahead of me; it would be a constant ride of her doubling back to stick with me. 

"Alaina, how about if I ran with you? Then I could keep up with you easier." 

"YES!" 

I returned to my house and dug out my running clothes and shoes from the Rubbermaid bin in my basement. I couldn't remember the last time I went running. It was at least since I had moved into my new place - nearly six months ago. 

By the time I had changed and returned outside, Alaina was decorating our driveway with chalk. Again, I was amazed that she still wanted to bike with me. She hadn't lost interest in taking the bike ride. 

I did a quick set of stretches in the driveway. We set off. Since I haven't run in a really long time, I alternated between running and walking. 

One block running. One block walking. Repeat.

As we moved throughout our neighborhood, she and I chatted about school, the weekend she had with her dad, and what she wanted to do this summer. Although I felt a bit winded at times, I loved every bit of this conversation. 

"I just LOVE riding my bike, Mom. Can we do this again soon?"

"Of course," I answered, knowing that a few sore muscles and the reminder of being out-of-shape was a small price to pay for this engaged time with my almost twelve-year-old daughter. 

6 years ago - Alaina riding her bike.
Per my daughter's request,
I am not allowed to post public photos of her very often anymore.
Although she's nearly 12 years old now, I still see my daughter as this five-year-old with training wheels... 

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