Joan Mikeska Bike Rodeo

Saturday morning, Braeden, Carsen and I headed out to the 7th Annual Joan Mikeska Realty Bike Rodeo in Temple. It was our first time going, so we didn't know exactly what to expect. We got there and got registered. They fitted the boys with bike helmets (FREE) and t-shirts (FREE). Then they took their bikes over to make sure the tires had plenty of air.After getting all set, we went and got some donuts and milk (FREE) since we had about 45 minutes before everything started. Oh, and we found a friendly frog!

... And a duck

We were some of the first people there, and as more kids arrived and discovered the duck, I was reminding them to be gentle with it. I don't know what it was, but the duck must have thought I was protecting it, because when I tried to walk away, it followed me. As I moved away further, she came closer... finally she was so close that she was standing on my foot. She stayed with me like this for at least 20 minutes.

They finally got the kids all together, split them up into age groups (1st grade being the youngest - so Carsen got to be with Braeden).

When Gaven and Jason arrived, we noticed that they had a bunch of helmets left over and were fitting the little brothers and sisters, so even Gav scored a new helmet.

In order to teach the kids safety, they were teaching them skills needed to be safer on their bikes. One of them was getting up to speed and being able to stop between certain cones. It took a couple of runs, but they figured it out.

They also had a course where the kids had to make right and left hand turns.

There was a station where the kids had to ride in a tight circle staying inside the outside cones and outside of the inside cones. Come to find out, they also gave out owies (FREE). Carsen got going a little too fast and when his front tire hit the outside cone, he bit it. (SEE VIDEO AT THE END)

A little more duck time before they did the bike drawing. They had about 15 bikes that they gave out for free. Braeden was convinced that he was going to win one because he's getting to big for his other bike. He's right, he IS getting too big for his other bike, but unfortunately, neither kiddo won a bike!

I took a video of the duck following me. You see, as I stop, it stops to check and see what I'm doing, but then I walk again, and it follows.

I didn't realize that I was taping Carsen's crash until we got home and looked at pictures. This was a great video to show them the reasons we wear bike helmets. Parents, PLEASE make your kiddos wear their helmets. I don't even want to THINK about what would have happened to Carsen's head had he NOT had his helmet on!