Sunday, August 26, 2007

Mini Me

For my first ride since Bastille Day I took the elder little artist for a spin in the Park early this morning. It was a successful outing, the first time she didn't need help getting up the hills. We stopped a few times, but in all she was a trooper and loved it and it was truly sad and delightful to see how strong she's grown.

As I figured she'd need me to hop off and on my own bike a few times, I rode the mountain bike I acquired during the first Reagan administration. That was odd. Heavy. No toe clips. The saddle was comparatively comfortable. But as I watched all the roadies whiz past us, I longed to ride again. I am blocking out time and hoping this will be my week.

More on that later, fellas.

2 comments:

VT Runner said...

"...it was truly sad and delightful to see how strong she's grown."

I know the feeling. My VTRunner the elder took off his training wheels about 3 weeks ago. Our kids are growing up.

Agricola said...

Oh jeeze . . . you guys . . .
How apropos . . . we were camping in the GMNF this past weekend -- one night with our kids and another couple. It was awesome. My kids loved it. But all the way home I was really introspective . . .

There will be no more first camping trip, first night in a tent.
We were in Middlebury, yesterday, on the bridge in the middle of town and there's a grate between the end of the bridge wall and a building -- child one grabbed my hand as she sidled up to the grate to look way down. It was a shot of love, of contentment and sadness. These moments are so precious, and so fleeting that it's almost too much take sometimes. Being a Father is the greatest thing in the world, but there is a serious undertone of melancholy in it.