5 Reasons to Join a #YVRFamilyBiking Ride

Two dozen plus Vancouver Family Bikers joined the 2015 Easter Bonnet Ride

Thought I'd round up a little inspiration to encourage people to join us on the next rides. I have kids, I know it's hard to get three or four or even more people dressed appropriately & out the door to any organized activity. But there are many great reasons why it's worth the effort! Here are my top 5:

1. Make friends! You'll meet other families & maybe make some new pals & potential playdate partners. I have made friends on organized rides like this--Tonya Louie, the other main organizer behind #YVRFamilyBiking met on the Twilight Crow Roost Ride just over a year ago.
2. Try new stuff & talk to the experts! Every family who comes to the ride has different seats/trailers/kid bikes/trailerbikes/cargobikes/e-assist bikes for you to ask about & often even test ride. Don't be afraid to ask! It's a great way to see what other options are out there & hear how they work from a family who's actually been using them, instead of a sales person in a bike shop who may have zero experience with family biking.
3. Learn new skills & try new routes! Many parents in our group are very experienced cyclists with years of bike commuting, touring, & all kinds of riding under their belts. If you're new to biking in Vancouver, riding with a group & other cyclists who know the rules & routes will help you learn to be a more confident rider. You can relax & not worry about navigating, just enjoy the ride.
4. It's free! Our rides are always free & we sometimes even provide treats or bike decorating supplies. We generally plan to picnic at our destination, so you can pack a lunch & don't need to spend a penny on the day. 
5. It's fun! We try to keep our rides accessible--they're not fast, we don't leave anyone behind, & we try to include quiet AAA (all ages & abilities) routes & destinations with as many baby & child-friendly amenities as possible, like washrooms, playgrounds, food service. Rides are often themed with opportunities to dress up & decorate bikes: Easter Bonnets, Halloween costumes, Valentine's Day hearts for Family Day, Canada Day. We like to visit some of the incredible natural wonders right here in our own back yard too, like the heron colony, or the sand bars during the lowest tide of the year. 

I could also add a #6 to the list: you don't have to have children to come on the ride. Aunts, uncles, friends, grandparents, whoever is willing to ride at a kid's pace & join in the sometimes goofy fun is welcome on our rides.

The next ride is this weekend: Sunday, March 27th we're hosting our second annual Easter Bonnet Ride. We meet at Science World at 10am (here's the first part where you'll have time to meet people & ask about bikes) & ride at 10:30. We're heading to Jericho (in full Easter Bonnet regalia, of course) to see the bunnies & have a picnic lunch. Full details, including route map, stops, & RSVP (so we know how many treats to bring!) on the Facebook East Bonnet Ride Event Page here.

Follow Spokesmama here too: