The
Wild Ones
The rules are rewritten on a
family bike Trip To SandbankS provincial
DESTINATION
THE BIKES ROLL INTO TOWN in tight for- mation and come to a stop in a diner’s dusty parking lot. Like a good henchman, Mike goes in to case the joint and see if it’s big enough for our gang and a good place for the bosses to take their meal. Heads turn to watch our entrance.
The server takes a deep breath and ap- proaches cautiously. She can see there is a power struggle going on and that things could get ugly. Luckily, when the bosses sit down, there is no kicking, bit- ing, or screaming. Our gang includes a four-month-old in-
fant, a 20-month-old toddler, a one-year- old and three newly initiated parents. We had rolled out of Kingston, Ontario, that morning to do a four-day September bike tour to Sandbanks Provincial Park in Prince Edward County. You have to travel a little differently
Roll’um easy. PHOTO: MIKE PAYNE
10 FAMILY CAMPING
when under the ever-vigilant eyes of the bosses. There can only be so much time spent looking for picturesque wineries
and beautiful picnic lunch spots. In- stead, they have us on constant lookout for farms, big trucks, playgrounds, even a supermarket on a rainy day to run around in. One of the keys is constant movement, which makes a slow-rolling vacation per- fect for a young family. And rolling slowly is the best way to
travel in a convoy such as ours. Pedalling is noticeably harder on bikes burdened with panniers full of camping gear and the extra weight of the space-age pods we are towing. Today’s decked-out bike trailers, with their inflatable tires, sensi- tive suspension systems, infant slings, bug meshing and wind screens decrease the top speed we can maintain, but they ensconce the kids in comfort and as new parents we know that when the bosses are happy, we are happy. Riding on any of the three routes from
Picton to Sandbanks Provincial Park is normally quiet and safe outside July and August, but today, in no hurry, we choose
The rules are rewritten on a
family bike Trip To SandbankS provincial park
PHOTO: GREG LEGGE
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