Looking back on Spring Break 2016

So, I was riding my bike uphill yelling “Tim...Tim… it hurts...I can’t... I’m not going to make it…” then suddenly I felt a push right before my legs gave out; which would have sent me, and my helpless 2 year old in the trailer behind me, rolling backwards all the way back down the hill. This was my memory of last years spring break. How did I get to this helpless point?

It all started because we wanted to do something as a family. We did not plan much out, just that we wanted to go for a bike ride. We thought we might try to spend the night somewhere but had no set course. We drove out of the city, set up our gear and took off. (Yangpeyong 양평 heading toward Yeoju 여주시)

It was a cool day out, perfect for a ride. The kids had a blast pointing out all the birds, trees, mountains, & rivers. Tim was enjoying a simple easy paced ride and I….well, I was going slow; Tim was hardly working and was practically walking his bike. He was just in front of me the whole time, except when it came to hills… he would chivalrously drop behind so he could come alongside me with a push! I knew he was frustrated, but he had extreme patience with me and understood my lack of bike experience.

We went about 20 km out and then stopped for a snack. Sadly, I needed to turn back, so we made our way back to the car. Once at the car Tim still couldn’t believe how difficult it was for me. He decided to hop on my bike and ride it for a minute to see why I was complaining so much… well, as it turns out MY BRAKES WERE RUBBING MY WHEEL!  #newbymistake #newatcycling

While I took some time to recover and stretch from such an intense ride, Tim seized the opportunity and took off running, turning the day into a nice little brick workout. (All while the boys contently played in a pile of dirt.)

We were not able to fix my bike right away, but we did not let that stop us though. We loaded back up and headed toward Chuncheon. A beautiful lake city (made by dams) surrounded by mountains.  It ended up being an amazing 3 day trip, we explored, ate some awesome food, even met up with friends one evening (their family was on a 2 day bike trip to Chuncheon and our 2nd hotel was near the one they stopped at). We found our hotels as we went; Tim biked from one hotel to the next as we made our way back toward Seoul. I could go on and on about this spontaneous spring break getaway! Thankfully we took many iPhone pictures to remember it by (see below). This getaway encouraged us that it is possible to go on a trip on a whim, in a “foreign” country, where we do not speak the language, find random places to stay, and to simply explore our surroundings!

Everyone needs a little push every now and again. This trip showed me that I do not always have to be the one pushing myself. Having people around you to encourage you and help to push you up hill (whether physically or not) toward a better self, a better attitude, or just over the difficult moments, it makes life that much more enjoyable. 

So, what do you like to do for spring break? Do you go on vacation? Do you have a staycation? Do you have to work and therefore do not get a spring break (sorry all you non-teachers out there!)? For us, we have done both and each has its benefits. This year, considering my bike is fixed  (I have also ridden it a lot more and have more confidence on it) we want to try to explore a new area in Korea by bike again; maybe we can head farther outside the city!

We encourage you to try something new this spring break! Whether it is going on you first family bike ride or taking a trip to a new destination, don’t let anything stop you from exploring this amazing world we live in! Let us know where you are headed or what you plan to do by #familyfirsttri on Facebook and Instagram with your pictures and stories!