Life on Two Wheels

Written by Dino Nowak

This article is courtesy of HomeLife.

Though you won’t see kids getting a day off school for it, May is national biking month — and the perfect time to make bike riding part of your family-fun routine.

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Benefits of Biking
Biking increases muscular stamina and strength while improving cardiovascular endurance. It’s also a great non-impact way of controlling weight and works wonders to lower stress levels and improve overall emotional health. Biking for 20 minutes or more three days a week has been shown to lower blood pressure levels and improve a person’s ability to get a restful nights’ sleep.

Riding as a family has an important relational upside as well. As you tool around the neighborhood or a vacation spot together, you’ll create lasting memories for your children. How many kids fondly remember days of television watching at home? Yet ask them about the times the family went exploring on bikes, and the stories flow.

A Ride to Remember
One of the best ways to enjoy family biking is to incorporate it into your next family vacation. Headed to a family resort, campground, or state park? Take bikes or rent them at your destination. Try these creative ideas for family biking adventures:
• Ride bikes to the beach or the lake from your hotel or vacation condo. (Make sure everyone wears helmets and shoes that cover the toes.)
• Bike along a trail, stopping for short hikes, scenic views, or picnics.
• Have a scavenger hunt on wheels, complete with prizes for the winning individual or team. Use disposable cameras and take pictures of items from a predetermined list, such as a purple flower, a dog on a leash, a car with a license plate from a faraway state, a hamburger joint, and a porch swing.

Great Biking Vacation Destinations
Sometimes, choosing the right destination is the key to a successful biking vacation. While your trip is in the planning stages, keep in mind the biking trails and national parks in your area or within driving distance.

A great resource is www.gorp.com. Click on the “Activities” tab, and scroll down to the biking section under “Other Activities.” The “Community” tab provides great family ideas, as does the biking link under the “Know-how” section.

Virtual Biking Trips
Can’t get away this summer? Virtual biking excursions make logging family biking miles at home fun for everyone. Go online to www.maps.yahoo.com or www.mapquest.com, and search from your hometown to your desired destination. How many miles is it to Washington, D.C.? Put odometers on your bikes and log the miles until you reach your virtual destination.

Pin a map on the kitchen or garage wall to track your progress with a highlighter.

Celebrate your accomplishment with a real trip or new equipment for your bikes.

Dino Nowak is a fitness expert, master trainer, and author of The Final Makeover (Charisma House).