Happy Birthday and the Little Voice

We were getting ready to bike thru Itasca State Park in North Central Minnesota. As many know, Itasca State Park is the headwaters of the Mississippi River. At that time, biking the entire park consisted of 6 miles of a bike trail from the Park entrance to the headwaters and then a 10 mile scenic one-way thru the Park which was shared with automobiles. Speeds were restricted and the road was easily wide enough to accommodate bikes and cars. Also, the scenic one-way was all up and down with some pretty steep hills to climb.

Our son was 6 and our daughter 10. We had gotten into biking as a family a few years earlier when the kids were 3 and 7. At that time, I played tennis a couple of times a week and on that specific weekend in July I had played in a tournament. My doubles partner and I won doubles and I took second in singles for my level. After playing tennis Friday night, all day Saturday and most of Sunday I got home late afternoon. My wife took one look at me and said “you had a fun weekend”. At that time she was a stay at home mom and I worked all the time, normally 50-70 hours a week. She was right. I had been selfish and neither a good father or husband. So, I put my tennis racquet away and never played again and Monday morning I bought bikes for the whole family. And that’s how we got into biking.

The first two years my son rode behind me and then at age 5 he rode his own little bike. Every other weekend we went to Park Rapids, MN and rode the Heartland Trail, one of the first Rails to Trails in Minnesota. At age 6 he rode 20 miles. It took us awhile but we got there. His older sister was incredibly strong from being in a professional dance company so she and my wife were always in front with my son and I bringing up the rear.

So as a family we decided to ride Itasca State Park. [That’s a stretch, we just told the kids we were going to go bike in Itasca.] The first six miles went well, we took our time and had plenty of snacks and water. After wading in the headwaters we started on the 10-mile scenic loop. On the first hill my son had to get off part way up and walk the rest of the way. When we got to the top he said to me, “I bet my sister had to get off and walk to the top also”. Sibling rivalry starts early.

I said to him, it does not matter. I then said I believe everyone has a little voice and if you listen to your little voice it will tell you if you can do something. If it says you can do something, then you can. If your little voice says you have done your best, then you have.

So off we go and he never to off his bike again, no matter how steep or long the hill was. We passed a lot of adults who were walking their bike up a hill. I suspect it is depressing to be walking your bike up a hill and then have a little kid one a one speed come chugging by you.

Anyway, we go to the end I said great job. He said, “dad, my little voice said I could do it and I did.”

That’s not the end. Fast forward a number of years after had finished his first year in college. He had worked construction that summer and I suggested he quit a week early and do a week bike ride in Western ND with me which he had done with me two summers earlier. Anybody who thinks ND is flat should do a bike tour in Western ND. Most of the days are filled with big rollers, long 2-6 mile gradual hills. It was the 5th day and we were going south into a light south wind. Climbing was tough and there was enough head wind so it was not possible to coast down.

Anyway, we were 50-60 miles into the day going up a long hill and he was behind me. There were over 400 riders on the tour and we were towards the front some place. We were about half way up the hill when he caught up to me. He turned to me and said, “dad, you remember the story you told me about the little voice.” I said yes, silently pleased that he remembered it after all this time. He looked at me again and said, “that was a bunch of crap you told a little kid so he would ride up a hill, you should be ashamed of yourself.” I literally had to get off my bike I was laughing so hard.

We did a total of five tours together including a mountain bike tour in Copper Canyon, Mexico and a tour from San Francisco to Salt Lake City. Wonderful memories.

Now he has a beautiful wife and great kids and is making memories with them. I’m sure he has pearls of wisdom to pass on. If he does use the little voice story, I would hope he would let them know this bit of wisdom came from his father, their grandfather.

Happy Birthday, Bud!!