Six Miles on a Bike?

Gus has been doing really well on his bike since taking off the training wheels. He's gotten better at starting himself off and isn't crashing into things to stop himself as much. So my husband and I have talked about maybe joining a local cycling club and possibly joining them for a family ride in September.

The ride would be six miles along a trail, no traffic. Since it is family-centered, I doubt it will be very hilly. I'm pretty sure that Gus could handle it. I remember a few years ago when he was around three, we did an autism walk that was two miles. He ran the last quarter mile and then went on to spend the rest of the afternoon in a bouncy castle. I think he's got the energy and stamina to go six miles on a bike.

My one concern would be the other riders. He's not always mindful of his surroundings and has difficulty navigating others' personal space (part of the sensory difficulties), but I think I may have a strategy brewing. If the four of us ride, if we ride behind the kids with them single file, each of use can flank each of them. I'll have to contact the organization and ask some questions about the expected number of participants and so forth, but if he was able to do a walk among thousands of people at three, I'm confident that he can handle this. And I think he'd enjoy it in addition to it providing him with something to feel good about.

He needs something to feel good about, especially now when it seems he's starting to notice his differences. I was reading Gus a story the other night and the phrase 'odd man out' was mentioned. He asked me what odd meant. I was a little apprehensive about the question, but I answered, explaining that it could have to do with numbers that didn't divide evenly or it could mean different or unusual.

His response: "I'm odd."

I replied that everyone is different and that he was awesome. He wasn't exactly upset, just a sort of resigned. But he went to sleep and was fine the next morning. So I think now would be a great time for him to feel capable and successful. Maybe a bike ride will go a little way toward that end.

Summer Safety Concerns

There's always a fine line that I find myself walking between doing too much for Gus, trying to protect him too much, and allowing him to learn things for himself. So I tried last weekend to let him ride his bike without hovering over him. He went down a hill, not a steep one, but steep enough to gain a decent amount of momentum. I was shouting for him to use his brakes, but apparently he's forgotten how since last year. He nearly ended up in the main road - he didn't even think to turn. His father was close enough to catch and stop him. We won't be taking that chance again.

So we took the bikes out again today and again, I tried to get him to use his brakes (on a secluded side road) and this time he went up on a curb and almost into a stream. Insert deep sigh here. I was a little frustrated by then, so I told him he would not be allowed to ride outside of our parking lot until he learned to use his brakes. Then I marched him, well, rolled him actually, back to said parking lot.

There was a group of teenage boys wrestling near the house. Amazing how at almost seven years old, he's already concerned about his image to the big boys because as I was trying to help him up the hill, he pushed me away.

Anyway, we practiced pedaling and stopping, or at least we tried to. I feel bad for him. He doesn't have the coordination to pedal backwards to stop, but doesn't have the hand strength to use the hand brake. It doesn't help that the brakes seriously need tightening, more than I can do myself. I'm predicting a trip to the bike shop in the near future.

Is it imperative for him to be able to ride a bike? No, not really. But he likes it and I'd like him to be able to do it. But I can't just let him run amok because he doesn't have the safety awareness to know when he's heading for trouble.

It's going to be an interesting summer.