She has been clamoring to go for one all summer long, but it seems by the time Mom gets home from work and we have supper, we are pretty much out of energy.
So Mom, Kenzie, Cash, and I were all set to go when - at the last minute - Cash changed his mind and decided he wanted to stay home. Mom offered to stay with him, so Kenz and I hit the road.
Initially, we were just planning on biking to the N (this is what Kenzie calls the large N of shrubs NCTC has over by the river, about 1.5 miles from our house).
As we biked, and Kenz had a blast going down "hills," which were really just small slopes in the road, I was reminded of how many bike rides I used to go on with my parents when I was younger. I even remember sitting in a bike seat behind my father. By our house Red Lake Falls, we had what amounted to a large rectangle. We would take Third Street down past what is now Homark in RLF all the way down before taking a left and heading south through what is now the industrial park in RLF (Barry's Welding is down there as is Woodmaster's headquarters. Then we'd take another left onto the road that runs east past what is now the pool. Then we'd take one more left, and complete the large rectangle.
I recall on one occasion, when I still was struggling to ride my bike, I fell off and skun my knees. Dad comforted me and then took me to the DQ on the way home from our ride! That was about as good as it could have gotten for me.
So when Kenz and I biked to the "N," I asked her if she wanted to go back home.
"Nah," she said. "Dad, let's check out the dock on the other side of the river."
So we biked across the bridge to a small park where there is a large wooden dock where people fish. Several were actually fishing, so we decided not to bother them.
"How about if we bike the River Walk?" I asked Kenz.
"Sure!" She said.
So we biked the River Walk along the river until we came to where it intersects with Highway 59 over by the Eagles. We waited for traffic and walked our bikes across the road to the small park with the fountain by the river. Kenz had a blast going down the hill there and picking up speed as she zoomed by the river. We even got to go beneath the railroad bridge on what used to be the emergency underpass.
Soon we were at the bridge by Hugo's.
"Should we keep going?" I asked.
Kenz just nodded. She was really looking forward to a big first for her: pushing the cross walk button on the stop lights.
Again, we walked our bikes across the intersection, and we were back on the River Walk, zooming along the river by Hugos and following the path all the way down to Lions Park, where there is a walking bridge to cross the river, which we took.
It was at the point that I informed Kenz that our DQ was only a block away.
The smile that spread across her face will always be one of my most treasured memories.
To say she was excited would be a gross understatement. "Dad!" she declared, "this is the best bike ride ever! You make the best moments."
Then she added, "Don't tell Mom I said that though." Ha ha. Bless her heart!
After ordering us a couple of Blizzards, we took a table and relaxed. I couldn't believe how sore my legs were getting, which made me a little worried about Kenz, but she was fine and ready to do more biking.
When our Blizzards came, I gave her all of my whipped cream, which she was only too glad to gobble up.
She wanted me to send Mom a picture of her. Of course, Mom and Cash back home thought we were just going for a leisurely bike ride around the neighborhood, not trekking across town to the DQ!
After finishing our Blizzards, we headed back, though we were not taking the River Walk all the way back. We decided to take a much more direct (and shorter) route: Duluth to 8th street to home.
It was growing dark on the way home as we crossed the bridge on Highway 1 (about 1.5 miles from home) and as the street lights clicked on, I again was amazed at the things Kenzie noticed. After all, I had run this same route all last summer, yet I never noticed any of the things Kenz did.
"Dad, look at the rings around the lights," she said looking up at the street lights.
"Dad, look at the sparkles in the street," she said as she eyed the individual grains of mix in the asphalt.
When we hit the final stretch, which is about a quarter mile from home, Kenzie kicked it down. Honestly, I had to work to keep up to her. She was all business at that point, hurting home to tell Mom about our journey.
It was funny that the highlight of Kenz's summer was an impromptu bike ride to the DQ, not the fair or our trip to Minneapolis a few weeks ago. Like if definitely what happens to us while we are busy making other plans. I hope Kenz thinks of our trip to the DQ as fondly as I think of my bike ride with my Dad to the DQ all those years ago.
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