Along for the Ride

No jogging stroller running for me last week! I, along with at least half of America, was on vacation. My husband and I had the opportunity to travel to five of the National Parks in southern Utah: Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches. All were amazing. None were truly stroller-friendly. That’s OK for a few reasons:

1. My parents were watching my kids 2,000 miles away.
2. Terrain that cannot accommodate a stroller may be dangerous for children in general, so perhaps this is a good filter. i.e. high cliffs, sudden drop-offs, etc.
3. There are other options available because some of us are either crazy or very inspired to share the outdoors with our children.

So how else, besides a stroller, can one transport his or her child over distances and/or terrain that the child is unable to navigate him or herself?

1. Put his/her car seat in the back of your off-roading Jeep! I thought I had seen it all, but this was pretty common to see in Moab, UT last week.
2. Bicycle seat (front or back) or trailer. I can talk more about that another time.
   
3. Carry him/her in a backpack. I have a Kelty child carrier which has traveled many miles both indoors (shopping) and out (trails). I have an older model, so I don’t remember what it is called, but, yes, it does match my single jogger. Works great for the mid-sized baby/toddler. NOT FOR NEWBORNS. Seems obvious, but I saw a lot of tourists last week… And I have jogged with the backpack as well.

I found that jogging with my 30 pound child in the pack was awkward since I felt compelled to lengthen my stride quite a bit to decrease the bouncing. He liked it, though he did burp quite a lot. It was the only way to run the particular trail I was on – having tried the same course unsuccessfully with the stroller in the past and it was a fantastic quad workout. I would try it again except that I can no longer buckle the waist strap comfortably around my waist.

Anyone else run with their child carrier backpack for longer than it takes to cross the street? Did it work for you?