Since February I have been training for the MS 150 Bay to Bay and have had to turn down my youngest of three daughters, Sereina, to take her out on a "bike ride". She gets a big kick out of riding in the bike trailer that I hook up to my mountain bike once in blue moon. Well I have to say, the trip was exciting and rewarding for the both of us. This type of riding really does a body good too. I should have been mixing in this type of riding more often as it builds a different set of climbing skills that I could have used for much of the ride last weekend. Sereina had a ball on our little 25 mile excursion to the Oceanside harbor from my place in Rancho Del Oro. I usually am reluctant to add more weight to my riding, but with the weight of the moutain bike, trailer, Sereina and all of our gear, I added what I usually don't and that is a wind/bug deflector on the front of the trailer. I found that it actually helps push the wind up and over the trailer and is a little more efficient with it than without. I'm so glad that I added it to the trailer because on our way back from the beach we went through the largest swarm of bees that I have ever hit riding. Luckily neither one of us was stung. I think the bees had another mission in mind than randomly seeking us out and stinging us. I'm sure the bug/debris deflector helped though and they seemingly swooshed right over the trailer and away from Sereina. It would have been traumatic for her if she were stung. I was at least a mile away from a road where I could have been picked up if she were stung multiple times like you hear about with the killer bees that loom around this area and I had no sting lotion on this ride as I usually do. I'm just thanking my lucky stars on the way we made it through the swarm unscathed. The only thing I could do at that point was just to warn riders going toward the swarm. Whew! I get all worked up just thinking about it knowing how many times I have already been stung this year...
The ride was a success and we both felt like we had some bonding time together I'm sure. We got to spend time riding and played on the beach at our half-way point, had a snack and ice cream at the harbor mart and watched the pelicans, sea-lions and seagulls play in the harbor. We also got to see the Oceanside Harbor Outrigger club whisking by us. The marine later clouds were a welcome site once we got to the harbor because it was already warming up and sunny just a half mile inland.
A perfect ride and time spent with my little Sereina and perfect start to the weekend. Now that my goal specific training is complete, I will definitely do more rides such as these with Sereina and try to get more of my family involved with this rewarding sport of biking.
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