Bike Riding by the Potomac

Atley may never ride a bike again after the trauma he experienced today. The weather was amazing so we decided to throw the bikes in the back of the truck and drive to one of the many bike paths along the Potomac River. We packed a picnic and Atley was so excited to start riding his bike. Scott had Nash on his bike, Atley was in the middle, and I was in the rear. Atley has been riding a bike for over a year but we realized much to late that in that time he has almost always been on a very flat surface. Not today, this bike path was full of rolling hills bordered by the river on one side and a busy street on the other. Scott was at the bottom of the first hill. I made Atley stop and I tried to explain to him what brakes were and he seemed to understand. The bottom of this hill required a careful turn onto a bike bridge or a dangerous splash into the icy waters of the river, or of course a close up view of the cars and trucks speeding by on George Washington Parkway. Atley set off down the hill, picking up speed like an 18-wheeler that had lost its brakes. Scott couldn't jump off his bike to save Atley without sacrificing Nash, so I had to ditch my bike and make a run for it. I finally reached Atley right before the bridge, which he would have missed and he most likely would have rolled into the river at break-neck speed. Our momentum sent us both rolling face first across the bridge. Atley's reply, "What is wrong with you? Why did you tackle me like that?" Needless to say we will practice more before returning to that bike path.