The hardest ride ever

[fortytwo]

Today I went on the hardest ride in my 20 years of mtbing. I pulled my son up Blackstar to Beek's Place on a trailer bike. My bike is 25 lbs, the trailer bike is 20 lbs, Peter is 50 lbs and he only pedals when we're going downhill and I'm trying to brake, so it's like riding a 95 lb bike. My legs have never burned so much. We took 2 breaks on the way up; a long one at the "Indian Rocks*" and a short one about a half mile from the top when I felt my head would pop if I didn't stop.

We used to ride Whiting once a week before the fires, but that's just a warm-up compared to this. Ridiing up Blackstar on my single speed in under an hour is a piece of cake compared to this. Well, there's nothing to compare this to. 5 hours later I'm still light headed.

What made it all worth it was when we were almost back to the car and Peter said "That was fun Daddie. I want to do that every week. Your my best friend." That's a lot of straight talk from a kid with high functioning autism. I wouldn't trade those 4 hours for anything in the world.

* Indian Rocks is my name for the rocks on the right at 5 miles where the road levels off. The rocks have holes that look like they might have been used to grind up grain. If anyone knows the right name, I would like to know.

[maxwell]

Very COOL!!

He'll always remember those FUN TIMES!!

[Blue Rat]

Thanks for sharing your adventure with your boy ... must be something in my eye, it watered a bit.

[xhuskr]

Saw you out there today and was very impressed! Way to spend some good father-son time!

[Zonacat]

Beautiful. Teared up with what your son said. Enjoy those moments.

[tbowren]

I saw you guys today when I was riding down. Made me think about towing my son up there one of these days.

You are a good dad, keep up the hard work!!!

[kanga]

Wow... good work. Also good training for "take a kid mountain biking day" coming up in October this year.

http://www.imba.com/resources/kids/

Last year, CORBA sponsored an event in Calabasas and it was a blast for all the families present. Made all the kids appreciate why their mountain biking dads where gone two nights a week and one weekend day (at least the OTB club riders).

Thanks for sharing, and remember those words... that's what it's all about.

[superwow]

Good work. Thank you for the post. Great to hear. I can't wait for the day if/when my children will share the joy of mountain biking. I, too, have a son with mild autism (ASD) and it's always joyous when he makes strides and says those "normal" kid things.

[jake]

I don't know the real name for the Indian rocks but I've always heard them called Native American grinding stones or just grinding stones. There were quite a few of those stones in Temecula not far from the house where I grew up. There's a grinding stone site very close to the Hurkey Creek campground too.

[sasquatch9billion]

That's awesome. What kind of bike trailer is it and how old is your boy?

[Elisheva]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Star_Canyon

Yes, this site is registered as a California Historical Landmark. Those are grinding holes and were part of a huge Gabrielino Indian Settlement. Oak trees offering acorns and a fresh water source is located nearby. Additionally, there is much folklore about Black Star Canyon being the site of the bloodiest battle ever fought in the Orange County area. In the 70's it was a haven for hippies and satanic worship. Still has an erie feel to it but definitely offers the most beautiful views in all of OC.

You can also take a hike down to the waterfall and climb down in between the boulders.

[Singletrack Angel]

What a GREAT day! One that can be especially appreciated by families with an autistic child. It is so hard to live with autism...

Since 1 in 150 kids has autism, I'm sure there are a number of our STR families dealing with autism (we are one of them).

I want to let everyone know about TACA - Talk About Curing Autism. There are several chapters here in southern California, and they have made an incredible difference in our son's life and ours.

It is possible to recover, in whole or in part, from autism, so don't believe the doctors when they tell you it's just something you're born with and there's nothing you can do, other than some therapy. Our son is living proof that recovery is possible, and there are many, many families who have fully recovered children right here in southern California.

TACA helps families find quality services, doctors who will treat autism medically, legal help, help families deal with school districts, and even help pay the bills when the money runs out. They connect you with other parents who will take you by the hand and guide you through the journey, give you answers to your questions and a shoulder to cry on.

Please help support our families dealing with autism by signing up for the Toad Festival on June 7th. You support TACA, get to enjoy a fun ride and win great raffle prizes!

Warrior's Society Toad Festival

Toad Festival Goodies!

[fortytwo]

Originally Posted by sasquatch9billion

That's awesome. What kind of bike trailer is it and how old is your boy?

It's a Giant Halfwheeler. It's aluminum and the lightest one I could Find. Peter is 6 and we've been riding together for 2 years.

[fortytwo]

Here we are going up Mustard last year.

[strobelite]

thanks for the story! got me a lil choked up!

[KeepsWhatHappens]

+1 on what singletrack Angel said.

When my son (who is also a high-functioning autistic child) rides on the trail-a-bike behind me he loves it. Nothing beats his big smile and look of contentedness and wonder when we ride together. I just can't wait until he is riding without training wheels so we can ride side-by-side.

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Here's a short video clip of Ryan on the trail-a-bike.MVI_6281.MP4