Today I couldn’t face saying goodbye to my xtracycle. If I would have, I would have cried, in front of Terry & Ralph and maybe they would have thought me a fool, and I just couldn’t face it. So I took an extra-hot shower while Ralph wiped the bike down and took it in to trade in at the bike shop. And now it’s gone and I even walked in my garage thinking it was there, already, and felt a pang.
This bike was a big, big part of my life, and of the kids’ life, for over five years. I could and did take my children everywhere on this bike (as well as lots of other kids and a few grown-ups!). I was biking the Hogachillun on it up until today. In fact, Phoenix – for the first time – rode with her brother on the back, just the other day. Fond memory: biking around Lake Quinault and SMOKING two city-cyclists with their fancy gear and fancier bikes – while going uphill, and while hauling my child (and that may have been how I ruined my knees! so: comeuppance).
I don’t know if anyone reading understands, but in this moment it is difficult for me to move on after several years of packing the kids around, all marsupial-like.
Goodbye, X. You were an amazing family vehicle.
***
My new wheels:
The upgraydd is a Trek 520, with Ortleib roll-top pannier bags. Today, with the trade-in of my bike, we paid off the layaway. I took the new bike on a couple rides, about ten miles total. Just like my first day with the X, this bike felt new and strange. Very different stance, very different weight, handled differently. I did manage to carry books, my purse, a camera, and a potluck chile relleno. It made me feel like maybe I still had a cargo bike. Kinda.
X is awesome! Wow. What a bike, man. So you can put 2 kiddos on that?
Bye bye, X!
@Melissa
Yes! That is why I originally got it. SUCH an improvement over a trailer. Nels was very wee so at first I had a seat installed but I quickly got rid of that and just rode the both of them. They’d climb around and stand up and all sorts of things. I could carry the kids and a week’s worth of groceries.
@Paige
Do you still have your cargo bike?
Dude! I am trying to buy one right now. LOL.
@BexG
Good luck! I’m sure you will find some great possibilities in Portland!
What an amazing bike (but then, so is the new one)! I never had a bike like your X, but the thing I miss most about Rowan’s babyhood–by far–is toting him around in the sling. It was the best ever. I think I understand a little bit of your sadness at not physically carrying the kids around anymore in one form or another. Five years is a long run of great times on the bike!
@Medr1e
It’s very similar to saying goodbye to the baby-sling days. Except my kids are old enough to articulate in words how much they loved the bike times and how much they miss them so it’s all the more poignant.
I got to carry a baby the other day and rock it to sleep… such good times. Also reminded me I don’t have the “baby-wearing” muscles like I used to!