Seven years ago, my husband and I biked the thirty miles from Flat Creek Inn in Jackson, WY, to Teton Village and back. It’s a trip we still reminisce about fondly. Now, spring is here, and our family is doing it again. But here’s a twist: this time we’ll be biking with kids: our three girls, ages 5, 3, and 1!
We plan to bike the Jackson Hole Community Pathway System. This path is an extensive network of paved trails (over 65 miles!) in and around Jackson. It connects neighborhoods, schools, parks, and public lands across Teton County. Luckily for us, this trail runs right in front of Flat Creek Inn, giving us an easy access point and allowing us to avoid busy roads with our girls. This trail is paved, mostly flat, and incredibly scenic. On our previous visit, we were told to look out for moose and other wildlife. Unfortunately, the wildlife were not obliging, but we’re hopeful for this visit!
This path is ideal for biking with kids because there are places to take breaks, it’s a trail shared by bikers, walkers, and runners, and it’s not too remote. If we run into problems, we’re not far from help, and there are bike repair stations available periodically for any on-the-go tune-ups.
The setup
This is where it gets fun. We have a toddler bike seat on the back of my bike, and a Thule bike trailer that connects to Ryan’s bike. Our 5-year-old is not confident enough of a rider to make it on her own (and frankly, we don’t want to have to listen to her whine about not riding in the trailer), so she’ll be riding in the trailer with our baby. It is absolutely imperative that we separate our 5 and 3-year-olds, or we’ll all be dead before we even start. Besides, our 3-year-old loves the freedom and perceived danger of riding in the bike seat.
Our first time on this route, it took us just about two hours and forty minutes, not including a lunch break. This time, as we're biking with kids, we’re planning for a longer ride. More breaks and bathroom stops. We’ll probably spend more time throwing rocks into the river, more time picking dandelions, and more time eating snacks. But that’s okay. We’ll stay flexible. We’ll listen to our girls and follow their rhythm.
This trip is not about biking 30 miles. This trip is about showing our girls (and ourselves) that we’re capable. That we’re strong. That we do fun, adventurous things as a family. It’s about slowing down and experiencing something new together. It certainly won’t feel like that pre-kid ride, and success for us won’t look like it did then either. We’re going to embrace whatever happens and enjoy making this memory as a family.
What we’re packing
What we pack is what will make or break us. We also have to carefully plan and pack since we won’t have a lot of space and backpacks will be challenging. Here’s what’s on our list:
- Helmets (not technically bringing, but wearing)
- SNACKS. So. Many. Snacks.
- Water and electrolytes
- Lots of layers and clothing options (weather in May can be very unpredictable. We’ll watch the forecast in the days before)
- Diapers and wipes
- Change of clothes for everyone
- Entertainment (bubbles, small toys, light books)
- Sunscreen and a small first aid kit
Could biking with kids end up a disaster? Sure. Am I concerned about all the ways that this could go wrong? Definitely. But we’re doing this anyway (barring terrible weather, injury, or sickness). We don’t need perfect conditions to have a beautiful day as a family.
Stay tuned to see how our adventure turns out!
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This post is brought to you by Flat Creek Inn, which makes a great base camp for all your Jackson Hole biking adventures.
