Easy Rider

Saturday

A new family has moved onto our floor. Mom Rachel has become one of Sherry's morning running (and post-run coffee) partners. Ro has started walking to school with Mariana (12) and Josiah (7). They recently moved here from Oz, and just got bikes to ride to school on. Thus, Ro needed a bike, since he's a lot more agreeable on the way to school when he's with other kids, as opposed to shuffling along with Sherry. Sherry found a nice Hot Wheels BMX-style bike at the Warehouse for what we thought was a pretty reasonable NZ$75...some assembly required. In hindsight, we could have had a bike shop put it together for half of what the tools cost.

Ro lending Mark some moral support for the bike assembly last night

Ro's MegaBlock version of the SkyTower

Mark has to work this weekend, and all he heard at work all day was "Sucks that you're working, it's gorgeous outside." Indeed, with cloudless skies and temps around 20 C, it felt like summer had come early. A nice change from the chill and rain recently. Mark thought Sherry was being a little overly optimistic when she told him to leave the training wheels off of Ro's bike, given that it's been nearly a year since he rode a bike except the tandem. The experiment lasted longer than Mark expected, but after an hour of frustration in which both of Sherry's ankles were sufficiently bruised, she gave up and put the trainers on. Once that was done, she literally couldn't keep Ro home, as he spent all day riding all over town.

Mmmmm...tastes like freedom!

Ro's first stop was Drury Park, where it seems every child in town had converged on the brand-new playground there. Ro's favorite piece of equipment was the Witch's Hat, or as Sherry calls it, "The Revolving Tower of Death." He also enjoyed riding his bike off-road on the as-yet unpaved paths at the park, including racing down a small hill like a mountain biker. Falls included.

The Witch's Hat claims another victim


Ro channelling Johnny Knoxville

After stopping home for lunch, Ro rode to Mt Maunganui Beach to cruise along the boardwalk. Sherry kept having to tell him to slow down, but that didn't stop him from skidding on the sandy wooden path, nearly careening into a family who fortunately saw him coming. The father, eyeing Ro's helmet, elbow and knee pads, told Ro, "Well, at least you're well-padded," to which Sherry laughingly responded, "Yeah, but you're not!" After playing in the sand for a while on the beach, Ro headed back to Drury Park, then through the City Centre, and finally home for dinner. He passed out cold at 7pm.

Cruising around the shops in Mt Maunganui