Reames, the biker boy

No- seriously.....

Michael and Reames- they buddied up to ride the Lumpkin ride.

He takes his sport VERY seriously!

Getting ready to take off on his first BIG road ride!

Reames did the route in GOLD-yikes!

My boy, Reames, has finally settled on a sport he loves. And if you know Reames at all- you know he gets all-consumed when he LOVES something. I have gotten QUITE the education on biking in recent months...way more than I want or need to know to support him in his new habit.

But I am very proud of him. He approaches life with an "all in" attitude and does everything to the extreme. Over the last couple of months, he has worked on the cycling merit badge with some guys from his troup. They are nearly finished but I can tell you that Reames could have earned this badge twice over. He has accomplished every requirement at least 2 or 3 times and this past weekend he rode in his first BIG ride outside of scouts. (he did a triathlon of about 10 miles this summer).

The Fair on the Square bike ride in Lumpkin, GA. He had the option to ride 20 miles, 50 miles, or 100 KM. He chose the 50 mile ONLY because his mother wouldn't let him do the 100KM. And RIDE it he did! The youngest rider and he finished in 3 hours 38 minutes of ride time. And I swear it was uphill the whole route!

I have been quite pleased at how friendly the bike community is around here- this is a subculture I hardly knew existed until Reames elbowed his way in. It can be hard to find safe places to ride for a kid of 13 so I was worried-- but he's found ways- the weekly group ride with folks from one of the bike shops in town (Hi- Ride On Bikes!!), rides in the country while we are at horseback lessons, rides with other groups of MY friends that have offered for him to come along, etc. I was initially bothered that Reames had chosen a sport that was so "individual"-- I'd like him to have more social opportunities but I've been surprised by how social biking really is. It's a generous group of people and very willing to pass on their love to the younger set.