The blogs I usually write are travel and sports related but this was such a magical experience that I wanted to write about it. Romilly has learnt to ride a bike – and she’s 3! I can still vividly remember learning to ride a bike myself when I was five – we had a short wall along the side of the block of maisonettes we lived in and I would balance with one foot on the wall and push myself off.
Romilly has grown up on the back of a bike and has always enjoyed it. It’s such a great way to get around and being the independent kid she is, she of course was keen to learn too.
In June last year, Romy’s cousins kindly gave her their old balance bike. A busy train back from Canterbury and an incredibly slow walk home along the towpath with Romilly on and off it and we were almost wishing we hadn’t taken it! It sat unused for a few weeks on the back deck before all of a sudden she was super keen to try it out again.
It took a fair while to figure it out and we went on many, many 5 minute outings where she’d go 10 metres, stop and throw it and then carry on running up the towpath. We persevered. The River Lea is full of great spots to ride. Even though it was hard she was excited to keep taking it out and within a few weeks she had figured out a rhythm and was able to confidently sit and walk with the bike. Her feet weren’t coming off just yet but she was starting to pick up speed.
We kept at it and before too long she was lifting her legs off the ground. We moored at some perfect cycling spots that year including Cheshunt and Markfield Park, and taking the bike out became a daily outing and a really fun way to get to places.
It all really clicked when we moored at the Filter Beds in Hackney. Not only were there the marshes to explore but an awesome playground with a trampoline was a 10 minute cycle away, up and down a bridge across the canal. Romy loved it there so that was a great incentive! Catherine was also pregnant with Maggie and was finding it hard to keep up with her on her scooter. She would often suggest taking the bike, although after she had learnt to pick up her feet, she got fast quickly and soon we both had to jog to keep up with her!
After a while there was a lot of talk about pedals. ‘When I’m taller daddy I want pedals like you.’ She talked about pedals a lot, at all hours of the day to anyone who would listen, often completely out of context. So a few months later when we asked her what she would like Santa to bring her, the answer was an emphatic ‘a green bike with pedals’! And Santa delivered!!
After lots of research we settled on a Woom bike – it’s the lightest on the market so great for carrying across the park when she’s had enough and light enough that she can push it up a hill. It also has wide handlebars to help little ones balance. Catherine found a secondhand one on FB marketplace in Kent which Katy and Jason kindly brought into London for us. I stored it in Dyl’s bike shed, collecting it on Christmas Eve and we spent a good little while and many rolls of wrapping paper wrapping it up!
There was much excitement on Christmas morning and once opened, and after an initial disappointment about it being green and not red, Romy wanted to take it out immediately. ‘Maggie I’ve got pedals!’ It was still dark, but at first light we headed in to Victoria park.
On our first few trips to the park Romy would only pedal backwards. After some research we discovered this is a common stumbling block. So, we set up a training camp in the kitchen. We raised the back wheel with some building blocks and duck tape and off she went … backwards! She was super determined and asked to pedal ALL the time. It took a few days and then one morning between a piece of toast and a bowl of Cheerios something had clicked and she could pedal forwards!
Back to the park at first light we went – I helped her on, supported her by holding under her arms for a few seconds and when I let go, she was off – 1st time !!!!
I felt so proud and just in awe of this wonderful little girl who was now riding through the park. She had been so determined to learn, and it was so special to share this with her. The look on her face was priceless as she rightly looked so pleased with herself. She rode a little then we hurried home to tell Mama and Maggie.
Fast forward a week and she was going round corners, fast forward another week and she was riding along the towpath and into the park! Not long after I was having to jog to keep up!
We enjoyed a wonderfully fun 3 months riding in the park every day and to the playground and The Hub cafe for a well earned babyccino. We cycled to the laundrette and the library, to Tesco and the nail shop to watch through the window and we’d often stop at the barbers where they’d pop out with a lolly for the amazing little girl who loved riding her bike down Roman road! And her next aim is ‘when I’m a bit taller, I’m going to ride with no hands and eat a lolly at the same time!’
We’re now living in Folkestone where it’s a lot hillier, with roads and kerbs to navigate. But in true Romilly style she’s stuck with it and she’s doing it..mastering her brakes and ringing her bell all the way to nursery, bringing a smile to everyone who walks by.
