2006 Bridge Pedal

The 2006 Bridge Pedal has come and gone. I have been meaning to participate in the ride for the past 3 years and finally did this year. Unfortunately, this is also the one year out of the past three that I have hardly had any saddle time prior to the event. For this reason, I rode the 6 bridge ride which equated to roughly 14 miles.

Riding across the bridges was fun, but something I had done twice before on previous Bridge Pedals. What I would consider to be the best part of the ride was the people watching. Not only was it interesting (and inspiring) to see people with various body types and levels of fitness out riding around, but the new dad in me found it amusing watching the kids on their own bikes, on the tow-behind bikes or trailers.

Here are a few unscientific stats:

• More dads were pulling kids behind them on bikes or trailers, although, I did see a few mom's doing the legwork too.


• I noticed more mom's riding with kids on their own bikes.


• I heard one boy say to his mom while riding through a congested section of a bridge "...maybe you should ride on the sidewalk." (In the mom's defense, she was likely distracted/nervous because she was trying not to run into someone while at the same time attempting to keep track of her son who was riding somewhere behind her...)


• Kids love to speed up and unexpectedly slow down or stop.


• Adults love to speed up and unexpectedlly slow down or stop.


• I saw two kids biff it while crossing railroad tracks at acute angles. (No obvious serious injuries.)


• I saw one Xtracycle Sport Utility Bicycle


• I saw more Burley Trailers than any other brand.


• Most everyone had fun (or will at least admit it after a day or two of rest!)