We ride bikes. Always. Well, I guess most of you know that. Only, during the winter months, we just ride to school and work, because everything on top of that feels like tough work, while during summer, we go on extended trips and enjoy them.
So, winter is officially over - we´re back in the saddle :)
Today we rode 50 kilometres, with no training, and it was terrific! Really, it was.
We didn´t exactly plan it. After a while of riding, we just came to a point where it didn´t make sense to turn around, so we just rode on. At some places, the roads got so steep we had to push our bikes, and at others we could ride downhill so fast I was scared they´d break their necks.
We came past sheep (with little lambs!), and goats, and chicken and geeses and horses and cattle and beehives. Stopping ever so often is one secret of keeping kids on the bike, by the way ;)
We had a picknick after one hour or so, and a stop at a restaurant after three, because we all were frozen.
And then, finally, we reached the castle you can see above, which simply developed into our destination while we were on the road, because it happened to come closer and closer - and because it´s cool when you´ve got a goal, isn´t it?
We treated ourselves with a ride on the cable car, which is really stunning. It allready existed when I was a kid, and when my mom was a kid, too, and it always gives me the creeps, that´s why I love it. Also, because you get a fairy-tale scenery. And because there´s a bunch of positive connotations in my mind with this castle - they hold regular art-fairs, and since my parents were freelance artists, we came there - once a year - until I was around 14. I still remember little me being fascinated by the whole bunch of creative free thinkers, wool-spinners, willow-weavers I met there. I still remember imagining myself being a medieval maid.
I loved sitting next to Mehmet, with him holding my hand, and us both being equally thrilled.
On the way back, we came past a dam:
We took the opportunity to a) throw the message in a bottle we had prepared in advance,
It didn´t just take until the sun set to get home.
It took us until it was pitch dark, and the stars were out, and I couldn´t take pictures anymore. Amazingly, the darker it got, the more motivated and happy the three little ones became - they were super cute excited about how this finally was a real adventure.
And it was.
I mean, riding a bike over a very thin, muddy track with stones and intersecting fords in between, with hardly any light and the river right next to you, well, that is an adventure. As is crossing the railway without a proper crossing path in the dark, fearing the train might come any minute. Ronnie´s bike chain tore on the last 5 kilometres, and Tim and I took turns pushing her - or she just ran. She is freakishly sporty - after a 45 kilometer ride, she still can run, and loves it. And will talk while running.
Alltogether, we´ve been on the road for almost 8 hours. I totally loved how we bonded, how we had time to talk and marvel at the landscape - I suppose I can´t count how often I exclaimed about the beauty of everything. I loved listening to Miro and Ronja planning their farm. My legs are okay now, but I guess we´ll talk again in the morning, and I feel thoroughly aired. And everyone upstairs is now sound asleep, which is a sweet bonus.
Music:
Oh, they are great together! I saw them live once, I think in 2007, when the twins were just very small babies - it was my first concert after them, and the only one in their first two years, but Alison Krauss - hey, I just had to go. Also, it´s pretty pedaling music :)
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