Bikes

Went Saturday to look at bikes with the wife.  She has been on me to get bikes so that we can ride with the kids.  We dropped the kids off at her parents house and we went to a bike shop in a nearby town.  They had a bike to fit my wife but the one I wanted they didn't have in my size.  Had to wait about 30 minutes while they put one together.  We walked them behind the shop for a test ride.  I haven't been on a bike in about 17 years and it has been at least that long for my wife.  I was like a little kid again.  I was riding around the parking lot giggling while I popped wheelies.  Boy did this take me back a few years.  Now my wife was not quite as adventurous but she was having fun.  We bought the bikes and a couple of helmets and went to pick up the kids.  Of course the kids wanted to go for a ride so we went home to get their bikes.  Now my boys are 5 and 3.5 years old.  We have a gravel driveway so we normally take their bikes to a parking lot to let them ride.  This time we decided to go to a different parking lot to ride.  We start riding around the parking lot and all is good.  The little one needs help to start pedaling sometimes.  Give him a little nudge and away he goes.  We get to one end of the parking lot and it goes down a small hill.  I emphasize small here.  I don't think anything about it.  I am side by side with the 3.5 year old.  He starts down the hill and gets going a little too fast.  I calmly tell he to put on his brakes.  He picks up speed.  I tell him again, put on your brakes.  He continues to pick up speed.  I am pedaling beside him the entire time.  I am starting to get a little nervous now as he continues to pick up more speed.  It is at this point that I realize, he doesn't know how to use his brakes.  He had always been riding on flat ground before and had never had a use for brakes.  At this point I realize I am a bad father.  Luckily, he is headed for a grassy patch.  Unluckily, there is also a rocky ditch beside the grassy area.  He is out of control at this point.  He hits the grassy area thank goodness and begins to bounce all over the place.  It is here I forget just how scared I am at this point because the little fellow is hanging on like a bull rider.  I have a proud moment until I realize again that he is out of control.  Thankfully, he slows down enough and lays the bike down on it's side.  He jumps up and yells yeeeehawwww.  Turns out he wasn't nearly as nervous as I was the entire time.  After wife comes down to check things out, we decide that we had better head home for the night.  Now that it is over and he isn't hurt, it really was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.  I hope my wife isn't readng this.