Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

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Linkpin
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Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by Linkpin »

There are plenty of examples on the internet of people taking their children on huge adventures across the world - bikepacking across the Andes, overlanding across Africa, underwater kayaking through caves using straws for propulsion and twine to navigate, that kind of thing - but everyone has to start somewhere. So I, Dave, and my mate, also Dave (keeps it simple, see), made plans to take our kids up into the Black Mountains for an overnight bike-based adventure.

Whilst I loaded up my trusty On One Bootzipper (not much chance of packing light with two people's kit per bike), Dave wheeled out his new toy - a Benno Boost e-cargo bike. After I'd stopped laughing at the idea of him riding it up a mountain, I realised I could use the motor on it to my advantage and we agreed that he would take both kids (my three year-old and his four year-old) as well as some of the camping gear. Even loaded up like that, as we set off up the first climb it became clear that his racing snake body shape and Bosch power would leave me for dead on the uphill sections. By this stage the kids were already loving it - they were sitting together on the back of the Boost taking in the scenery and waving at everyone we met like a couple of minor royals.

ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr
ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr

Cruising around the lanes and gravel tracks of the Black Mountains is always a joy, but it was especially fun with the kids on board, whooping and hollering at every hint of a descent and cheering the dads on up each incline (Dave tolerated this patiently; I relied on it to make the top of each climb).

Before rolling out on the open mountain grassland, we knew the route we had planned took in a 1km climb at a steady 20% gradient, which neither of us were sure we'd be able to ride all the way up. Electric Dave gritted his teeth and fired up Turbo mode, and managed to persuade the Benno to the top without a single dab - not a feat to be underestimated despite his motor as he had to maintain a minimum speed, steer the cumbersome bike around the roughest patches and keep the kids entertained at the same time. Purist Dave brought up the rear, and I pushed myself hard to keep moving, nearly bending the shifter the whole way in the hope that an even lower gear would somehow spring up on the bottom of my cassette. The only respite came when a bottle of beer fell from the Benno and, miraculously not breaking, rolled down the hill and stopped under my tyre. I made a note of the deduction to Dave's packing points, strapped it to my bar bag and pressed on. This climb finally done, and pouring with sweat, we bumped through a gate and onto some glorious doubletrack high in the hills.

ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr
ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr

I think there is a misconception that young children are only interested in Paw Patrol and chocolate. Whilst both of these things are admittedly true for the children on this trip, they also fell in love with the views and the feeling of whizzing over gravel and grass up in the hills - more that once they mentioned that they felt like they were flying. Suddenly the tiredness from climbing the hill vanished and was replaced by that feeling many of us crave through this hobby - a sense of space, beauty and endless possibilities.

We made the most of the first of these possibilities and, as it was beginning to get to dusk, chose our spot to pitch under a stand of mountain ash trees festooned with lurid berries. I wanted the kids to feel the same sense of adventure and involvement I get from a wild camp, so they helped us to put up the tents and fire up the stove before they got their hot chocolate. They wanted a fire and some marshmallows but we gave them a potted description of the Leave No Trace principles and they seemed satisfied with that.

ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr
ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr
ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr

Once the kids had been zipped into their sleeping bags, still brimming with excitement and hot chocolate, it was time to settle in and watch the sun dip behind the hills. A full moon lit the way to our viewpoint just above the tents and it seemed the birds and grasshoppers were ready to bed down too as their chirrups and crackles faded away with the last of the light. We were just thinking about popping the cap off the beer I'd rescued on the climb when Dave's little girl announced that she was scared of the dark and wanted to go home. There was some debate about this amongst us as Dave wanted her to get the full overnight experience but didn't want to put her off camping; in the end my wife came to the nearest point by road and Dave dropped her off and came back to our spot without her. Although we were all sad to see her head off early, she was impressively articulate in her reasons for wanting to go and Dave and I both felt it was the right decision to give her agency and not leave her with a negative association with camping. She'll be back next time, I'm sure.

ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr
ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr

After that it seemed rude not to see off the beers - and a little 15 year-old Glenlivet for luck - before turning in. Early next morning, before full light, we dropped the tents and tried out a new home made pre-mix porridge whilst we watched the sun come up in glorious fashion.

ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr
ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr
ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr

Thanks to our efforts the previous evening, the route home was mainly downhill and, despite a slightly pant-filling, feet-skidding moment where my pads started smoking and the brakes ran out with my lad on the Shotgun seat down a big descent (not to be mentioned to the wives, of course), we all found ourselves back at home with big grins on our faces. The kids were reunited and enjoyed a second breakfast together while the Daves washed the sheep muck off our bikes.

Without kids, our trip would have been the smallest of micro-adventures - with kids, it felt like a voyage into the unknown. We came home feeling like we'd completed an epic adventure and, most importantly, so did the kids. They were still telling people about their 'expedition' days later, so mission accomplished. Hopefully we have lit the fire within them of getting out into nature and riding their bikes. I look forward to riding with them over and over again until they're old enough to carry their own gear (and maybe some of mine too).

ImageKids' first bikepacking trip by David Pearson-Smith, on Flickr
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Bearlegged
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by Bearlegged »

That's great! Love the thumbs up in the last picture!
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Verena
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by Verena »

Absolutely bloody brilliant :-bd
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TheBrownDog
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by TheBrownDog »

You win the Internet this week. Lovely.
I'm just going outside ...
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benp1
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by benp1 »

What a great write up

Kids wanting to stop/go home is a tough one, have also faced that on various things. Sometimes I've stopped, sometimes I've carried on. Hard to know what the right answer is. Ultimately, the adventure is there for another day

Love the use of the cargo bike, that really is a cracking idea. Keep saying I'll use mine for a bikepacking and kids trip but haven't actually got around to it!
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RIP
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by RIP »

Fabulous! I'll bet they'll remember that for the rest of their lives. Really makes this a Cheery Friday!

"The only respite came when a bottle of beer fell from the Benno and, miraculously not breaking, rolled down the hill and stopped under my tyre. I made a note of the deduction to Dave's packing points, strapped it to my bar bag and pressed on" - his loss, your gain :-bd
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

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frogatthefarriers
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by frogatthefarriers »

RIP wrote: Fri Sep 03, 2021 4:06 pm Fabulous! I'll bet they'll remember that for the rest of their lives. Really makes this a Cheery Friday!
^ This. Made me smile all the way through reading it. Your kids are at the best age :-bd
Konia kują, żaba noge podstawia...
robsmuddygloves
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by robsmuddygloves »

What an absolutely wonderful trip! Sowing the seed for future adventures, they looked ecstatic. Brilliant work.
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ledburner
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by ledburner »

I this you get the best Dad awards for this month, for both of you.
I hope you think you know, what I might of exactly meant.
Warning - may contain value odded typos & ither mythspellings..
BobCatMax
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by BobCatMax »

no word of a lie, i think i must've got a bit of dust in both my eyes after reading that.

Mine are 6 and 18 months, and i'm itching to get them out there. the eldest is not quite able to be away from mum for a night yet so i'm still waiting.

great adventure and a brilliant write up. thank you, you've made my saturday.
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Charliecres
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by Charliecres »

Marvellous! :-bd
Linkpin
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Re: Mini-bikepacking trip with mini people

Post by Linkpin »

Thanks everyone, glad you enjoyed reading about our little excursion. We're already planning the next adventure, perhaps a little further afield.

If you're thinking about doing a trip with kids, do it - it's ace! And hopefully this write-up might help someone get it approved by their slightly less adventurous other half at some point...
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