This summer I made a deal with my son about ME getting a bike. He has his bike and really enjoys riding it. We live on the 3rd floor and I don't always want to carry his bike up and down the stars. But he is older now and so it was time for me to get a bike so he (us) to go longer distances. Walking and having him circling me, complaining that he wanted to go fast, was just about drove me over the edge.

Hence the deal! He had to carry his own bike up and down the three flights of stairs and I will carry mine. The first two times, there was a lot of tears and crying. From him, not me. I started to give in and carry BOTH bikes when I thought of the book Holes by Louis Sachar. 

In Holes by Louis Sachar, Elya was told by Madame Zeroni to carry a piglet up and down the mountain so that it could drink from the source. As the piglet grew up strong from the fresh air and water, so did Elya. He became stronger from carrying his pig up and down the mountain. So it was decided by that, my son would carry his bike. 
By the 3rd time, he was bragging how fast he was up and down the stairs. Thanks, Louis!

Today was an unusual bike ride. Behind our house is a little trail with a ditch that divides us from a middle school. The ditch is partly filled with water, wild flowers, and scurrying little fish. Once in a while, you might see a turtle or two. Today, we saw a beaver! I couldn't believe my eyes! I leaped off my bike and was bounding into the grass, not even worrying about dog poop. My son was right behind me but didn't see the rodent. The beaver swam under the bridge and disappeared. We hurried across the bridge to the other side and there he was. Gliding in the water with long ripples flowing away from him. Not fast and not a care to us. We tried to follow with our land legs along the bank. He never sped up because he need we couldn't catch him. He got some thick bushes, did a graceful dive, and was gone. 

Told my son, " Something worth writing about..."

The picture is from flickr commons. I didn't have my camera.