Sled Dog Mom

How did I not think of this last winter when we were buried under feet of snow? Sorry no pic, but while the trails are still covered in snow and ice, rather than trying to shove the stroller over the bumps and ice, I've been pulling two kids on the plastic sled. It glides smoothly on the snow - even the leafy melted spots- and I get to pull instead of push which is a welcome change for my shoulders. An even greater advantage now that I no longer have a double stroller, is that I can fit two kids in the sled which is great since preschool Christmas vacation is already in full swing. Downhill is a little dicey, but that is part of the fun :)

Marine Corp Photos

Click here to see pictures of me and Roger running in the Marine Corp marathon in October.
I think it will only last until October 2011, but in the meantime...

Bike Stroller

So, you might say that the mourning period has passed for the loss of my double stroller. Moving on to greener pastures, I have bought my first bike trailer! A fairly consistent road biker for many years, I am learning to mountain bike. Child #3 is coming along for the ride! At just 2 years old, she is a veteran of the jogging stroller and we will, of course, continue with that as well, but we are adding more variety. I have ridden with my other kids in a bike seat that mounts between the handlebars and the rider, but none of my current bikes can accommodate the seat.

Many of the considerations are the same for choosing a bike trailer as a jogging stroller. The wheel diameter choices are 16" or 20". You can choose a double or a single. There is, of course, a range of prices from over $900 (Chariot) to under $100 (inStep). All come with a wind screen which is important for protecting against flying debris from your back tire. Burleys are a great choice, especially for bumpier trails, but I went with the cheapest one: InStep. For occasional use and a small child (under 40 lbs), it seems like a great starter trailer. I could even buy a second one and still spend less than the next brand up.

The 16" tires won't roll quite as smoothly as the 20" ones, but they will be compatible with the tires and inner tubes I already have for my jogging stroller. Once this train is rolling forward, not much is going to stop if anyhow.

The bike trailers also fold up much smaller than strollers so my garage likes this too.