Monday, April 16, 2007

Disaster of an outing

(written by Lindsay)

It was a simple enough plan. I have a bike trailer, but no bike (yet, it's coming on the boat) so I thought I'd rent a bike for a few weeks. I could get out a little more, see more things, take Cavan out on fun adventures. There is a bicycle rental place downtown next to the train station, so I planned an outting today to take Cavan down via the metro/train and ride home on a rental bike.

I push Cavan in the bike trailer, which doubles as a stroller, and we find our way to the rental place downtown. I rent a bike that also has a baby seat on the bike. The "mechanic" guy from the shop comes out and helps me get the trailer attached to the bike so I can wheel it home, and shows me how to operate the wheel locks, etc. "Okay, Cavan, let's get in and go home. But first you have to put your helmet on......"This is when all hell breaks loose. Putting a helmet on this child, you'd think I am poking him with a hot brander. He screams and screams and then screams some more - and I still have to adjust the strap on his helmet. So I spend about 5 minutes doing this while he continues to scream. I manage to wrestle the helmet onto his head and buckle the straps. Cavan is lifting up on the helmet as hard as he can - so hard his whole head might just pop off.

Okay, Plan B. Let's put him in the bike seat and THEN put the helmet on. Once he realizes how cool it is to be sitting on top of the bike, he won't notice. WRONG.

Okay, Plan C. I'll put him in the trailer and then put the helmet on. WRONG.

Okay, Plan D. let's just go and once we start moving, he'll realize how fun it is, and will leave the helmet alone. WRONG.


So I am pedaling around on this bike, which turns out is way too large for me anyway - I'd have to jump off to reach the ground. There is a roundabout so I go around it once. Twice. I don't know where to turn. Cavan is still screaming bloody murder. That's it. I'm done. I'm ready to scream. We're taking the bike back. I stop at the corner and Cavan has already managed to wrestle his helmet off, and is still screaming/sobbing in the trailer. We go back into the bike shop and I explain the situation and ask for my money back. The guys there are nice and give me no problem. They can probably tell that someone's going to lose their head if they tell me no.

Once the money is refunded, I hold Cavan, and push the trailer back to the train station. We are both stressed but relieved that that ordeal is over with. There is a McDonald's at the train station so we stop for nuggets and a coke. After all that, I need something familiar. Cavan is happy sitting in the chair and eating his nuggets and seems to have forgotten all about the helmet.

Until the next time.

3 comments:

Geri said...

I know it wasn't funny at the time
but I had to laugh when I saw the picture. The music started running through my head.
Hope you can figure out how to overcome this problem. Maybe a little cheese bribery.
Mom

Jenny said...

I only laugh because I "know". As unfunny as I'm sure it was at the time, I hope you can laugh about it now. That picture made it even more hysterical.

Hope the little guy wasn't too traumatized. Good you got your money back.

Sara said...

I laughed, but I totally understand too. Hopefully Cavan will adjust to the helmet and will make life easier when it comes to biking. All in time!
Hugs!