This post has been a long time coming. Big Guy has really struggled w/ the whole concept of riding a bike. I blamed it on several reasons at first. But I finally had to accept that his problem was simple, he was thinking too much. He has always been a very cautious child. He looks and thinks through all the dangers of things and if it's too risky to him He just won't do it. So was the case w/ bike riding. Sure we would go through spells where he would wail and moan. Days when we would go outside & work for a few hours only to crash (or almost crash), then not ride again for several weeks. In my head I declared this summer would be different. Last week we had Bike boot camp. On Monday I announced to BG that we were going to work on bike riding every day this week. At the end of the week I felt we were still in the same place. BG didn't
think he could ride a bike. Never mind that he could go half way down the drive ( it was a coast for the most part but he could balance himself) or that he could make a half turn. He still didn't believe in himself. We camped a local state park w/ my dad over the weekend. My dad is an avid bike rider. So he mentions that he's going to bring his bike. BG asks if he can take his too. I said sure. Saturday morning BG decides to ride his bike. I told him to just keep close to the campsite. The next thing I know I don't see him. I run to edge of the road to see him speeding down the hill through the campground. I was shocked but not worried at first because he was keeping to the middle of the road. About 4 campsites down he wobbled & started veering to the side. This put a parked car right in his path. Now I'm scared!!! I know if he hits it he's going to be hurt (I mean like broken bone hurt). My next thought was we can't pay for the damages he'll do that car. (just being real). Big C takes off down the hill on foot trying to catch him. But he bobbles again & veers back to the center. There is a parking area by the lower bath house, He steers into it by that time Big C had caught up with him & was telling him how to stop. Which he did w/out a crash. From that point on we couldn't get him off the bike. He rode all morning long. By the end of the day he could go all the way down the hill, turn and come back about three campsites before stopping. then he could start himself and creep up the hill to our campsite. I'm so proud of him.
