Saturday, July 23, 2011

Back on the bike


Team clutterpunk are back on the bike!

Well, most of them are IN the bike. Can you believe there are three kidlets in there?


I stopped riding in February when I hit the seven-months-pregnant mark. We were asked to car-sit for a friend for 5 months, which was a wonderfully-timed provision: we had been discussing hiring a car for a few months to ease our transition to five, to make sure I could get to hospital quickly during a blink-and-you'll-miss-it type labour and to give me a bit of postnatal recovery time. We gratefully accepted the car and sent Hudson to be bike-sat by a local family who were keen to try him out.

So in these last months we've had time to test out whether it's time for us to buy a car. 
The answer? Not yet! 

We appreciated many things about driving again, particularly the ability to be more spontaneous about visiting people and places further afield. But there was so much NOT to love, beyond the obvious environmental issues. The stress of getting three kids in and out of a small car; the parking difficulties and time-limits; the car-sick-prone child; the money-haemorrhaging. We've decided to opt for the mild inconvenience of having to plan ahead with public transport or car hire for a few more years, while the kids are still small and life continues to be slow and locally-oriented.

Anyway, Hudson is home! And set up for riding.

Here's how it works: the two boys on the bench seat, and the baby in a car seat which we've fixed securely in the front section.


Everyone is snug-as-a-bug. Susannah seems comfortable enough in her car seat and it certainly provides a good amount of restraint and shock-absorption. 


I love being able to put one kid at a time in the bike and leave them there while I fetch other things. I love that I can park right next to our front door in bad weather. I love parking right next to kindergarten, or church, or a friend's house, rather than three road-crossings away. I love that I can pull up outside the bakery and duck in while 'leaving the kids in the car' without breaking the law. I love being able to stop quickly and comfort the baby, break up a fight or fetch a dropped book. I love the Melbourne mizzle on my face and the bracing air while my kids are toasty and dry under the prairie hood. I love hearing the boys chatting and singing and calling out to passers-by.


I love being back on the bike.

23 comments:

  1. THis would have to be the cutest little bike buggy side thingy I've ever seen.
    And 3 cheers for you to sticking with the bike over the car. Enjoy!

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  2. I bet you love it! Your kids must love it too, what a wonderful way to get around.

    x

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  3. I love the tiles on your path.

    Everything you love about the bike is what I hate about taking the kids out in the car (not that I have one on weekdays). Getting them both in and out. Not being able to duck into the shops just for a minute while they're still strapped in. Argh! I get so much use out of my double pram. It's lucky I can't afford to sit around in cafes because most of the ones around here have doors too narrow to get the bloody tank through the door, let alone navigate it around packed-in tables.

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  4. It really is a fantastic bike - it is the coolest thing around! I'd be loving it if I were you too. So many benefits. Although there are far too many hills around here. I could barely push the double pram up the hill walking Goose to school. Thankfully they all walk now.

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  5. That is SO good... You are amazing... The energy and tanacity with three little ones.

    Way.to.go

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  6. aawwww that is fab well done you ;-)) Enjoy being on the bike this weekend the weather is going to be lovely, dee x

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  7. good on you. I really want to get one of these bikes now we're i a small country town, for now I can just push around town with the pram and I love it!

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  8. this is just the best sight ever. i love it.

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  9. You know you are so cool it's not funny. Three in there!
    You are giving me biking ideas girl :-)

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  10. We are with you on the no car yet front. A bike offers more freedom.

    Xo Steph

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  11. Inspiring Gina :-)

    Looks like much more fun than the car.

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  12. oh my dear, i am having such wicked bike envy right now!!!!
    i am on the verge of having to buy yet another bike trailer because we didn't have a garage until a month ago, and the sun here ate right through the straps on our ONE YEAR OLD trailer. of course, you have to replace the whole danged thing. such as things are these days.
    your rig looks much higher quality. i'd ask where you got it, but surely it's an Aussie co...
    enjoy that mizzle!

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  13. This is so incredibly cool - I push the double pram with the third perched on top ... but now I've seen your hot wheels - I have vehicle envy -LOVE!!

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  14. Yay for hudson! xx
    oh & do you give adults rides?

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  15. go you! that's the best rig ever. we're at the top of a huge hill now and i miss being able to get places under my own steam.

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  16. Oh that looks so snuggly in there! Good call, I say. xx

    PS. Miss Polly, who you sent be many moons ago is being loved all over again with Maisie. She loves her :)

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  17. love it. we're a little family with three small ones and were car free when no. 3 was born.
    and have gone down this road here. Life is good with the bike!
    here's my three http://radishandruth.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/the-new-people-mover/

    love your blog by the way.
    xxx
    Bec

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  18. Just wanted to quickly pop in and say Hi! What lucky kids, that looks like fun for them - and killer thighs for you....
    E xxx

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  19. You must have very strong legs to be pushing all that cargo. I have been dreaming of bike trips with my kids but with four (and none off training wheels) I can't see it happening any time soon. I like this cargo bike option though. Visiting via Little Eco Footprints x

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“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
~Albert Einstein