Transportation

The other day, we were all three riding our own bikes and Jeff was remarking to Alison how great it was that we could all motor on our own.

We've nearly worn out the detachable tandem we bought about 4 years ago. It's taken us down streets, along the canal and Monon Trail, downtown, up to Carmel, to school and to the movies. She's loved it, and it's always attracted a few comments.

Once I spent part of the afternoon giving her school friends rides around the parking lot when I went to pick her up.

Getting her on her own bike may have been delayed a little bit because she liked both the independence of nearly riding on her own but the ability to lay back a little and coast if she wanted. Plus, she was bothered with little or none of the balance or steering.

She's been a demon her birthday bike now for the past several weeks.

We were out on an evening ride the other day. She was "scout," which meant she got to decide where we went but she was also responsible for letting us know if intersections were clear to go through.

It's helping with her braking ability -- a bit -- but she likes it mostly because she gets to be in charge. (I'm not bossy; I'm a leader.)

So Jeff and I were hanging back and he was waxing poetic about what a great thing it was to do this as a family; to see her take off and be so independent. I only grudgingly accept that she's growing up. It's not my favorite thing, in all honesty. I revel in her spirit but I hate to think of the day she moves out.

Jeff shifted from entertaining me to address his charge.

"Alison, do you realize what it means that you can ride your very own bike?" he asked. "You can go anywhere you want to anytime you want to!"

Never missing a rotation in her pedaling, she shouted back with a huge grin: "Just like a book!" she said.

I love that girl.