What better way to get started again with blogging, than to just dive right in there.
Another long over due post, although I admit, I have snuck a few in just recently, that had been sitting in my draft bin just dying to get out - it was either do or die. Take a peek if you like.
So, let the summer blogging begin as well as this post!
So what exactly is a Nihola, you ask? As you can see, it's a bike. It's kind of like a Tricycle with a box in the front to cart things around. In this case, kids. The Nihola is from Copenhagen, Denmark and is the most common form of transportation. It has various names -- I call it my Family cargo bike -- and if you want to read more, click on that name. Basically, this is the SUV of bikes-- and as described, it is a human powered vehicle!
I first saw one, when my youngest sister posted something similar on my facebook page several years ago (with some kids in it - wearing helmets and sunglasses). She told me I needed one. At the time I really had no idea what I needed and had no idea just really how common it was in other parts of the world. It wasn't until the triplets second summer when I was pushing them around in their long triplet stroller, when I spotted something like what my sister had shared. It was a big "Oh wow" for me and realization that these things really do exist. The name of it was a Christiana, and when I looked it up, I found that there was a dealer in the city. But, that is as far as it went.
After a brutal winter that year and spring arriving and now three two-year-olds, I asked my husband if we could go take a look at one. We did, but never moved forward. We didn't know exactly where we could park it and our local garages weren't interested in renting us a space. Plus, I thought, I just could continue to be on foot, so I got a Radio Flyer wagon, and let the idea go.
That spring and summer were filled with lots of local park outings for my little two-year-olds, and I was loving getting around with their wagon. But then ... summer turned to fall...and then another bitterly cold and long winter with many below zero temps. I again began to plot, this time with three three-year-olds. I did not want to spend another summer in the same parks pulling my heavier little group. It was time to branch out and discover more parks and more things to do, so I made the call. I called my dealer (ha ha) and I old him that I needed to buy that Christina cargo bike and I needed to buy it now! That is when my heart sank and I began to panic. He told me he just sold his last one and that he would not be making any more. I yelled out "OH NO" and proceeded to beg him to please just make one more: that I was the mother of three-year-old triplets (yes, in this case feel sorry for me) and I would surely die if I didn't have one. After calming me down he assured me that he would come up with a solution and would be back in touch. And he did. The conversation and back- and -forth emails started. He found me a bike. Got my okay to have it built. End of story!
It was the first week in May that I got the call that my bike had arrived from Denmark and it was ready to be delivered. Woo hoo! I was so excited to see her and when my dealer delivered her to my doorstep, it was love at first sight!!! I ran to her with open arms, yelling, "Oh How I love thee!" I instantly saw a bright summer ahead!
So, as the days continue to warm up (it's been slow in coming) and I prepare to branch out, will you brace yourself, and come along with us, for the summer ride? Discover all the places you can find and do living this crazy city life with my big guy and my three little guys, when you are driving a Nihola!
So, let the summer blogging begin as well as this post!
When I became pregnant with the triplets and my husband moved out of his suburban home, (with a little encouragement) to live an urban life, I don't think he realized how I really pictured that life. I had no interest in getting a SUV to cart my children around: even though I think we might have one, or something like it, AND as much as he trys to get us to jump in, I would just prefer to jump on this. Really. It seats 5.
Meet my Nihola.. pronounced ..Knee--hole...la
Meet my Nihola.. pronounced ..Knee--hole...la
So what exactly is a Nihola, you ask? As you can see, it's a bike. It's kind of like a Tricycle with a box in the front to cart things around. In this case, kids. The Nihola is from Copenhagen, Denmark and is the most common form of transportation. It has various names -- I call it my Family cargo bike -- and if you want to read more, click on that name. Basically, this is the SUV of bikes-- and as described, it is a human powered vehicle!
I first saw one, when my youngest sister posted something similar on my facebook page several years ago (with some kids in it - wearing helmets and sunglasses). She told me I needed one. At the time I really had no idea what I needed and had no idea just really how common it was in other parts of the world. It wasn't until the triplets second summer when I was pushing them around in their long triplet stroller, when I spotted something like what my sister had shared. It was a big "Oh wow" for me and realization that these things really do exist. The name of it was a Christiana, and when I looked it up, I found that there was a dealer in the city. But, that is as far as it went.
After a brutal winter that year and spring arriving and now three two-year-olds, I asked my husband if we could go take a look at one. We did, but never moved forward. We didn't know exactly where we could park it and our local garages weren't interested in renting us a space. Plus, I thought, I just could continue to be on foot, so I got a Radio Flyer wagon, and let the idea go.
That spring and summer were filled with lots of local park outings for my little two-year-olds, and I was loving getting around with their wagon. But then ... summer turned to fall...and then another bitterly cold and long winter with many below zero temps. I again began to plot, this time with three three-year-olds. I did not want to spend another summer in the same parks pulling my heavier little group. It was time to branch out and discover more parks and more things to do, so I made the call. I called my dealer (ha ha) and I old him that I needed to buy that Christina cargo bike and I needed to buy it now! That is when my heart sank and I began to panic. He told me he just sold his last one and that he would not be making any more. I yelled out "OH NO" and proceeded to beg him to please just make one more: that I was the mother of three-year-old triplets (yes, in this case feel sorry for me) and I would surely die if I didn't have one. After calming me down he assured me that he would come up with a solution and would be back in touch. And he did. The conversation and back- and -forth emails started. He found me a bike. Got my okay to have it built. End of story!
It was the first week in May that I got the call that my bike had arrived from Denmark and it was ready to be delivered. Woo hoo! I was so excited to see her and when my dealer delivered her to my doorstep, it was love at first sight!!! I ran to her with open arms, yelling, "Oh How I love thee!" I instantly saw a bright summer ahead!
So, as the days continue to warm up (it's been slow in coming) and I prepare to branch out, will you brace yourself, and come along with us, for the summer ride? Discover all the places you can find and do living this crazy city life with my big guy and my three little guys, when you are driving a Nihola!
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