Meet the Bike Riding Fruit Loops

It's getting warmer. I like to think that springtime is our reward for surviving the chill of winter. Warmer weather means I'll be able to put away the snowblower and dust off my lawnmower. Not only that, but I'll be able to spend a little more time outside and maybe even get the chance to ride my bike again.

My Bike Riding Days

My bike was my vehicle. It was my way of exploring.

Bike riding was a constant hobby of mine when I was growing up. I took my 18-speed bike everywhere, even places I probable shouldn't have, but that's a story for another day.

Me on one of my first bikes, Christmas Morning.

My bike wasn't just a mode of transportation, it was also exercise and recreation. My bike was my vehicle. It was my way of exploring. I remembered the route I took when my parents drove me to school. On the way, I would look at the streets we passed and asked myself, "Where does that street go?" On weekends and school vacations, I would take my bike around and find out. Some streets were dead ends. Some streets led me to other neighborhoods, other parts of town, and other towns.

Recently, I joined a gym. I'm trying to take some weight off and bring back sexy. My time at the gym begins with cardio. That means riding a stationary bike. I spend 30 minutes on the bike, usually cranking out 8 or 9 miles. I'm excited to get my bike out on the actual pavement and see what I can do in a real-world atmosphere.

The Boy likes to Ride his Bike

The Boy's mode of transportation. 
The sock is a makeshift handlebar
to replace one that broke.

My son has also taken a liking to riding his bike. He got a new bike over the winter. He rides his bike to school and back home with his friends. After school, the boys are on their bikes around the neighborhood and beyond. They ride to the park, to the store, back to the schoolyard. The crew hangs out and then heads back home.

It's something that entices him to get out of bed and is a great incentive for him to get to school on time.

Bike riding is something they all enjoy doing. I guess being able to ride off somewhere on their own brings a sort of independence. In addition, they're all having fun with their friends. I guess it's a combination of a lot of things: A sense of freedom, hanging with friends, the high you get from the endorphins after a workout.

I'm glad my son liked bike riding. He's excited when he leaves the house, and I also like that he likes taking himself to school. It's something that entices him to get out of bed and is a great incentive for him to get to school on time. The Boy is getting to school and getting exercise. The bike ride is also a great way for him and his friends to hang out together in the morning and in the afternoon.

The Fruit Loops

The Boy can be a strange one sometimes. All of his friends can. They love finding random things when they're outside and showing their finds to their teacher. No matter how many times she tries, they insist she accepts the treasures they find. Those treasures are on display for everyone to see on her desk. Wife and I were at a recent conference with her, and she told us of our son's unnecessary generosity.

As she told the stories of The Boy and his friends, she told us she said in class they were a bunch of Fruit Loops. This term has since been adopted as the official moniker of this lively crew of young men who come into school on wheels and leave the same way they arrived.

Off to meet the Fruit Loops.

I can just imagine how the Fruit Loops make their presence known to the school. It's not just the school. Do they wave "Hello" to the people they pass by? Have these boys become an unofficial part of other neighborhoods and a fixture for households they pass going to and from school I have no idea. When The Boy leaves and returns, I try to ask how the ride was. Who do they see when they're on the road. Honestly, the answers I get are the same ones I get when I ask how school was or what did he do that day. The day was good and nothing happened. I would like to know a little more about the ride and what happened along the route. Unfortunately, it's left to my imagination. At least I can be happy that my son is getting exercise and fresh air. Hopefully, he will love bike riding for a long time. It's a lot of fun, and it's a fun way to see what is out there.

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