Cycling to the EOH

The family cycled together to the U of I Engineering Open House today. Well, the almost 5 year old and 1 1/2 year old rode in the Chariot bike trailer, but the just turned 9 year old son rode his new bike from his birthday the almost 3 miles there and almost 3 miles back. He is learning how to ride defensively on the street. My husband had his bike with the little ones in the trailer in front, then our eldest son, then me pulling up the rear. It was good to watch how our son rides and what he needs to work on since riding in the street is often safer than riding on the sidewalk, but it takes practice (on sidewalks it is easy for cars to pull into driveways or out of driveways or turn down streets without ever seeing the cyclist). He is very cautious and good at looking for cars and staying to the right without getting into the curb or debris at the side of the road. He needs to work on getting a little more comfortable crossing streets, but this will come. It is good practice for us to all ride together. When I with by myself I keep him to the right of me, but I can't pay as close attention to him as I can when my husband is also with us. It was a nice day, sunny and in the high 30's when we left and possibly in the low 50's when we returned home.