The Big Wheel Olympics

There are the four major sports, throw in NASCAR if you think driving fast is a sport, and there are the X-Games. These are great for adults and the teenagers who are into these things. There exists though, nothing at all for the five and under group. A competitive event involving big wheels was inspired recently by my three year old Caroline.

For Christmas, all Caroline wanted was a big wheel. Though, she called it "a bike with a big wheel on the front" we knew what she meant. So Christmas day, there it was, adorned with a bow under the tree. She was very excited. Since there was snow on the ground most of the winter though, Caroline had to settle for practicing her big wheel skills in our cluttered basement. Part obstacle course, part demolition derby. It worked.

Its March, the snow is gone and the weather is ideal for big wheel riding. The other day, my wife took the kids for a walk to the "water park and the flower park." Now, they don't really go to a water park, there is a water tower there, and its not really a flower park, although in the fall, the weeds grow tall and sprout colored flowers. Nonetheless, this is their favorite destination. Caroline decided she wanted to big wheel it to the water park flower park which I thought was too far but she was determined. I figured at some point, Daina would be pushing a double stroller with three kids and holding the big wheel with the other hand. I was wrong.

Caroline pedaled the entire way to the water park flower park and back on the big wheel. The entire way. This may not seem all that impressive. I thought it was a pretty good feat, maybe a half a mile round trip. I had to know for sure.

After church on Sunday, we drove to the water park flower park and reset the trip odometer on the car. We drove back to the same route they had walked. I even got in trouble with Daina for driving on the walking path, but I needed this to be accurate.

2 MILES ROUNDTRIP!

Two miles. Unbelievable. I have a hard enough time running that distance, and yet there she was after she had pedaled with her little legs for two miles, running to the back yard to play some more.

As a child, Caroline's preschool asked us one word to describe Caroline. My wife and I agreed on the word "Determined"