A Family Who Learns Together…

Their early forays into the world of cycle touring were fraught with errors and miscalculations borne of inexperience. They were also the stuff from which memories are made. Beth and Dan Amundson, along with their 9-year-old son

Kris, completed their maiden voyage in October 2006. They worked hard, they weren’t always comfortable, and there were times when they fought for every mile. But they would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The Amundson family pedaled away from their home in Silver Spring, Maryland to follow the C & O Canal towpath for three days. Although theirs was a short tour, it was rich with memories for all three. They can laugh now, but when Beth had a near accident as she hit a bridge railing rather than two old ladies, or when they found a snake in their campsite, or when Dan’s bike nearly fishtailed out of control in the mud, they weren’t laughing. But all of those events worked together to make “the trip”, a trip which was magical in many ways. This was no tour where the parents set out to teach their child, it was one where all three learned together. Not one of the three had been on a self-supported tour before, and the learning curve was steep. Each day brought new adjustments, new packing techniques, and new challenges to deal with. But the family brainstormed together, working out the kinks, until they found a workable solution. Even though their trip didn’t always go according to plan, all three are eager to take off again, to experience the thrill and exhilaration of life on the road. They aren’t sure exactly when that next trip will happen, but I bet it won’t be long!

Dan’s Tips for Parents

Dan has a lot of good advice for newbies that more seasoned cycle tourists tend to forget or overlook. He also repeats a lot of ideas that seem to come up every time we talk about touring with kids….

Plan reasonable distances for kids. This is particularly true if your kids are riding independently
Plan your tour as a series of shorter segments to points of interest, even if they are minor points The younger the kids the more essential stops to play tourist are to alleviate boredom and fatigue
Snacks are important - both for necessary energy and for the psychological lift.
The strongest rider should always ride last so they can be available for any problems that occur. Also if any backtracking is necessary they are in the best position to make the extra trips.
Probably part of #1 is the advice to new tourers to always ride within their abilities. In other words if you're riding with kids, try not to ride to the point where you are exhausted. Tired parents have a much harder time adjusting to the needs of their kids. If some problem occurs it is good to have some extra energy or some extra miles in you to deal with the situation. Additionally, from previous backpacking and canoeing experiences I have found that people who are tired make more mistakes and are more likely to get hurt.
Tell your kids about upcoming changes or difficult things so that they can be prepared.
If your kids are riding single bikes I would suggest mountain type bikes. They are more forgiving of the way kids ride as well as the things they ride over and through. You can always switch to narrower, slicker tires for a road tour.
Make sure your kids bikes are properly adjusted - I can attest to the fact that the bike that was perfect 2 weeks ago will suddenly be too low after your kids growth spurt.v
How much gear and which gear your kids should carry is a very individual choice. I think everybody should carry a spare tube and probably some tire levers. The last person in the group should have an air pump and it never hurts to have more than one pump among the group. If kids are riding singly they should have their own water bottles and may carry some of their own gear if they are strong enough. It seemed like Kris would have felt even more a part of things if he was carrying some of his gear.
Unless you feel comfortable about being able to handle extra miles I would suggest some mechanical self sufficiency on longer tours.
Don't forget any necessary medications. In addition to required medications, you should carry some kid version of acetaminophen and ibuprofen which go a long way in handling minor aches and pains, discomfort from sunburn or saddle sores, fevers, etc. You can pick up one of those multi-day pill holders and store different medications in each compartment rather than lugging along separate bottles of each. Depending upon where you are going, some anti-itch cream or salve for poison ivy might be helpful. Also petroleum jelly or diaper rash ointment can be a big help with chafing or saddle sores. Carry some stuff for road rash, small cuts, etc. Pepto Bismol or similar medications might be useful on longer tours.
If you haven't done a fair amount of camping before your tour, you should take family and gear on some overnights in nearby parks. That will help you debug your gear as well as help everyone adjust to camping out.
Similar to point 10, if you or your family don't ride a fair bit do some family fun rides leading up to the tour. How hard you train will depend on the route you will ride as well as your family's overall fitness level. While you don't need to be Tour de France ready, everyone will be a little happier if they are more accustomed to riding some miles.
Feed kids often. They burn calories faster and since they have smaller stomachs they get hungry more often. Obviously nutritious, healthy choices are best, but keeping up the flow of calories is the most important. Hungry kids are whiny, ugly children!