I got a little lawn mower mini bike given to me earlier this year. You know the kind; rigid frame, dual shocks on the seat, brake pedal pushes a metal pad onto the tire tread. Well, my nephews (10 and 8) think it's the greatest thing in the world. They both tried it out about a month ago in a field at my house. Simple stuff, just them looping around, and around with no obstacles.
Yesterday, I was planning an afternoon ride at a local gravel pit. I asked my brother if either one of his boys would like to come along? Justin (8) was chosen.
We worked at the farm until 6:00 then headed off to the pit to meet up with my wife, my daughter and her boyfriend, my niece Cheryl and her husband Dave, and a number of others for an evening ride.
We unloaded and Justin and I went on our maiden voyage. I now know how nerve-racking it can be to be the parental figure behind a mini rider. Everyone is a threat to his safety, and he is oblivious to everything but the dirt in front of him. My job was to run interference. I’m proud to say he handled himself very well. He negotiated the sand, gravel, and woods trails (what little there is there).
After about 20 minutes I wanted to get out of first gear, so I suggested that he let one of the other children present try the bike. No grumbling, no crying, he just looked at me and said, “OK.” J He hung out at the pickup, while I went and rode with the “big guys” for a little bit.
Once two or three other children had tried their luck at the mini, I decided that it was Justin’s turn again. He put on his gear, and we headed out again.
I knew immediately that this time was going to be different than the first run. He was riding more aggressively. He was still in control . . . but at times just barely.
Allow me to describe the riding area. It’s about 7 acres in size and includes a little bit of woods, sand, loam, and gravel. It’s a real hodgepodge. There are a series of man made hills in the center, some upwards of 25 feet in height. It’s these hills that Justin had his eyes on. :eek:
Justin wanted to try his hand at riding downhills. Two of the hills at the pit have low angle ramps, where the dump trucks back up the hill to dump their loads.
Justin figured out the mini had the power to ride up these ramps, and once on top, he could catapult himself down the side of the hill! I would go first. He would wait for me to signal the ‘all clear’, and he would rocket down the hill.
No fear
Once he conquered the first hill, we made our way over to the bigger of the two earth mounds. Here’s where his true colors shine. This is a pretty tall, and steep down hill, especially for someone riding basically a shrunk down hard tail. At the bottom of the hill are two whoops. Then there is about a 25-30 foot run-out before you need to choose left or right to go around a 10-foot tall mound of dirt that is in the way.
Justin’s first attempt at the hill was good. The bike stalled on the downhill, and he got a little squirrelly in the whoops, but he handled himself like a champ and rode it out to a successful finish. He restarted his bike, and went right back up to the top of the hill (using the truck ramp of course :silly: )
The second attempt began the same as the first, except this time the engine didn’t stall it was held wide open! He doubled the whoops like a champ!
“Ok,” I said to myself, “Turn now.”
Full throttle
“Slow down and turn!” my head screamed, as Justin headed towards the 10-foot tall mound of dirt.
Full throttle
“SLOW DOWN!!! TURN!!! . . . Oh my god he’s going to hit it!” :scream:
Justin hit the side of the hill going about as fast as the governed bike could possibly go. He didn’t hit the center of the mound, but rather the side, where there was a natural ramp about 3 feet tall. The two of them (rider and mini) sailed about 4 feet in the air, and covered about 6 feet of ground before contacting the earth again.
(Side note: if he had been going just a smidge faster he might have made it.)
The bike came just a bit short of the other side of the mound and bucked Justin up in the air into a perfect flying W. He sawed the handlebar back and forth a couple of times trying to save it, but in the end gravity won and he was thrown from the bike.
I looked on in horror! My nephew was lying in a lump in the dirt. By the time I got over to him he was moving a bit, but I still expected to find a badly broken little boy. What was I going to tell my brother?
I couldn’t have been more wrong!
Before I could find out if he was hurt, he stood up, looked at me, and raised both arms over his head and cried out to all that could hear, “WHOOOOHOOOO!!!!! Uncle Keith, Did you see that?!! that's the farthest I’ve ever jumped on any bike!!!!” He then proceeded to do a little victory dance! :yeehaw:
I, meanwhile, was busy putting my heart back into my chest, and trying to make it beat again.
He started his bike back up and rode to the pickup. Once there, we had a little discussion about the virtues of being in control of the bike vs. being out of control, and the difference between the two. I think he understood. I hope he did!
All in all, our first real ride was a success. I found out what a coronary must feel like, and Justin felt the thrill of riding, jumping, and taking the occasional dirt sample.
I feel bad for my brother; I think I may have just unleashed a monster. :thumb:
Yesterday, I was planning an afternoon ride at a local gravel pit. I asked my brother if either one of his boys would like to come along? Justin (8) was chosen.
We worked at the farm until 6:00 then headed off to the pit to meet up with my wife, my daughter and her boyfriend, my niece Cheryl and her husband Dave, and a number of others for an evening ride.
We unloaded and Justin and I went on our maiden voyage. I now know how nerve-racking it can be to be the parental figure behind a mini rider. Everyone is a threat to his safety, and he is oblivious to everything but the dirt in front of him. My job was to run interference. I’m proud to say he handled himself very well. He negotiated the sand, gravel, and woods trails (what little there is there).
After about 20 minutes I wanted to get out of first gear, so I suggested that he let one of the other children present try the bike. No grumbling, no crying, he just looked at me and said, “OK.” J He hung out at the pickup, while I went and rode with the “big guys” for a little bit.
Once two or three other children had tried their luck at the mini, I decided that it was Justin’s turn again. He put on his gear, and we headed out again.
I knew immediately that this time was going to be different than the first run. He was riding more aggressively. He was still in control . . . but at times just barely.
Allow me to describe the riding area. It’s about 7 acres in size and includes a little bit of woods, sand, loam, and gravel. It’s a real hodgepodge. There are a series of man made hills in the center, some upwards of 25 feet in height. It’s these hills that Justin had his eyes on. :eek:
Justin wanted to try his hand at riding downhills. Two of the hills at the pit have low angle ramps, where the dump trucks back up the hill to dump their loads.
Justin figured out the mini had the power to ride up these ramps, and once on top, he could catapult himself down the side of the hill! I would go first. He would wait for me to signal the ‘all clear’, and he would rocket down the hill.
No fear
Once he conquered the first hill, we made our way over to the bigger of the two earth mounds. Here’s where his true colors shine. This is a pretty tall, and steep down hill, especially for someone riding basically a shrunk down hard tail. At the bottom of the hill are two whoops. Then there is about a 25-30 foot run-out before you need to choose left or right to go around a 10-foot tall mound of dirt that is in the way.
Justin’s first attempt at the hill was good. The bike stalled on the downhill, and he got a little squirrelly in the whoops, but he handled himself like a champ and rode it out to a successful finish. He restarted his bike, and went right back up to the top of the hill (using the truck ramp of course :silly: )
The second attempt began the same as the first, except this time the engine didn’t stall it was held wide open! He doubled the whoops like a champ!
“Ok,” I said to myself, “Turn now.”
Full throttle
“Slow down and turn!” my head screamed, as Justin headed towards the 10-foot tall mound of dirt.
Full throttle
“SLOW DOWN!!! TURN!!! . . . Oh my god he’s going to hit it!” :scream:
Justin hit the side of the hill going about as fast as the governed bike could possibly go. He didn’t hit the center of the mound, but rather the side, where there was a natural ramp about 3 feet tall. The two of them (rider and mini) sailed about 4 feet in the air, and covered about 6 feet of ground before contacting the earth again.
(Side note: if he had been going just a smidge faster he might have made it.)
The bike came just a bit short of the other side of the mound and bucked Justin up in the air into a perfect flying W. He sawed the handlebar back and forth a couple of times trying to save it, but in the end gravity won and he was thrown from the bike.
I looked on in horror! My nephew was lying in a lump in the dirt. By the time I got over to him he was moving a bit, but I still expected to find a badly broken little boy. What was I going to tell my brother?
I couldn’t have been more wrong!
Before I could find out if he was hurt, he stood up, looked at me, and raised both arms over his head and cried out to all that could hear, “WHOOOOHOOOO!!!!! Uncle Keith, Did you see that?!! that's the farthest I’ve ever jumped on any bike!!!!” He then proceeded to do a little victory dance! :yeehaw:
I, meanwhile, was busy putting my heart back into my chest, and trying to make it beat again.
He started his bike back up and rode to the pickup. Once there, we had a little discussion about the virtues of being in control of the bike vs. being out of control, and the difference between the two. I think he understood. I hope he did!
All in all, our first real ride was a success. I found out what a coronary must feel like, and Justin felt the thrill of riding, jumping, and taking the occasional dirt sample.
I feel bad for my brother; I think I may have just unleashed a monster. :thumb:
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