All A Matter Of Perspective

So the xtracycle is complete.  We took it to the park over the weekend.  One of those gorgeous winter days that feels like spring.  We had a picnic.  We played without jackets on.

So here's the interesting thing.  The kids were absolutely ecstatic about riding.  Neither the trailer nor the tag-a-long have ever elicited a response like the ride to the park.  They were a chatter the entire way there pointing thing out, commenting on how well they could see around them, how nice it was to be riding...um, we ride all the time kids....a point that seems to be lost on them.  I don't know if it is the novelty of the "new" ride or the ride itself but time will tell on that suit.

I picked my daughter up from school on Monday on the xtra and zoomed to the pool.  Much nicer than the tag-a-long ever was.  A bike-geeky moment ensued.  "look daddy, she has the same bike as us" one of her class mates said as we loaded up.  Our school has a nice representation of utility bikes.  There were three lined up Monday.  In the summer I've seen 5 or 6 at a time.  A sight to warm my heart. As far as I'm concerned we should sell the trailer and tag and get another utility bike.  Weather is the only bugbear.  The trailer for all that I don't like about it does provide a dry (mostly) environment for the kids.  It's also warmer.  What is one to do?  I don't have the capacity for the thought process on that one.  I've always been of a mind to just say "it's raining".....we all know that ain't going to cut it in the long run.

Anyway, the "new" bike is well worth it.  I actually have had the whole thing for quite some time but it's been in the rebuild pile for a couple of years.  My son is still a bit young to ride alone on the back so it hasn't been an issue yet as it were.  Now he keeps asking to ride the xtra.  Maybe we should bag the trailer...