Family Fun: Cycling in Melbourne

During the late spring, I started a tradition with the girls that I'm hoping to continue for our time in Melbourne.  We spend some time on a morning - usually Saturday, but it could be on a different day I have off, eating breakfast and cycling together.  Breakfast is always at the Crewe and Harpur pub, which is right next to the Swarkestone Bridge (known in our family as the Bridge of Doom, and about which I may someday write a blog post).

A colleague of mine from Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis told me that I shouldn't limit the culinary benefits of our move to the UK just to Marmite.  He said we should consider sausage, beans, and toast.  He was right.  Beans, scrambled eggs, and toast has become a staple evening meal of ours.  It's also the standard fare at the Crewe and Harpur.  On this particular morning, the chef generously included the hash brown, tomato, and mushroom.  Unfortunately Kristine wasn't there to enjoy the mushroom as much as it deserved.

Because Elise can ride her bike without assistance, she and I take a slightly longer route to get to the pub.  We drive to the cycle track entrance in King's Newton and cycle from there.  Here's the route (it's also about a third of my route when I'm cycling to and from work).

The cycle track here is hard packed dirt (this is important during the rainy winter and spring because the surface isn't as affected), nice and wide (this is important if, say, you encounter a couple riders on horseback that you need to get around), and walled on both sides by these lovely hedges.

This bridge is one of my favorite places to ride across.  It provides a lovely view of the surrounding countryside, both in the morning (as on this ride) and in the evening when I'm cycling home.

Once we turn off the cycle track onto the canal path, the going gets much narrower and less smooth.  It's pretty hard packed, so doesn't get that muddy during the rains.  There's just not many ways to avoid puddles.  I gave up trying after my first couple rides in February, and resigned myself to collecting the associated mud.  This was a clear day with no recent rain, so the path was nice and dry.

I really enjoy the serenity of this part of the ride.  Elise and I didn't pass anyone else on the Saturday we did this ride.  I'll pass the occasional cyclist, runner, or person fishing in the canal on other rides.  There are usually a handful of boats either docked or moving in the canal.

The routine with Charis and Clare is a little different.  We eat first, then drive to the canal lock where the dirt path Elise and I ride along connects with a paved cycle track into Chellaston.  Clare rides along the canal on the other side of the lock.  It works well for her little bike because it's flat and paved.  It's also wide.  This allows her head to point one direction while her handlebars point a different direction without much risk that she'll wind up in the canal.  The dragon on her bike was a stress buy on the house-hunting trip.  We were at Halfords looking for cycling gear for my commute, and generally feeling overwhelmed with the magnitude of the move.  We rationalized the purchase by saying it would a birthday gift (which it was).  The critter spends most of its time indoors as an honorary stuffed animal.  This was a rare venture outdoors.

Elise and Clare were with me one Saturday afternoon when we got to witness the lock in use.  They got to help move one of the barricades.  The grateful boat pilot told them that he knew someone who knew Father Christmas.  He promised to put in a good word on their behalf.

Charis and I take yet a different route from the lock.  We cross the canal and take the path toward Chellaston.  It's not as flat, but still paved, so gives Charis a little more practice.

We're working on the transition away from training wheels.  I found a gadget called a Balance Buddy in a local cycling shop.  I put it on Charis's rear axle, and I can walk behind her without bending over double to hold her seat or handlebars.  My balky back appreciates this greatly.

Here's one more route we did.  This was as a family (Kristine and I walking; the girls on wheels).  It's also from the King's Newton intersection with the cycle track, but goes the opposite direction.

I mentioned the head and handlebars not always pointing the same direction?

Elise was on the scooter for this one because her bike had suffered a punctured tire that subsequently blew out completely when I tried to pump it up enough to do this outing.

So there you have it - Saturday morning and afternoon excursions around the lovely village we call home.