Bex Sharratt tows daughters Casey, 5, and 3-year-old Brooke behind her bike. Photo / Bevan Conley
Bex Sharratt tows daughters Casey, 5, and 3-year-old Brooke behind her bike. Photo / Bevan Conley
When Bex Sharratt tells her daughters to put their shoes on ready to go out they tend to ask whether they should put their helmets on too.
Leaving home doesn't mean getting into the car in their household. Whenever possible the family will go by bike - to kindergarten, themarket, the swimming pool, the beach, the supermarket.
The children have their own bikes and scooters for trips to the dairy or to visit nearby friends.
"If we get this right we will never have to use the car at all," Mrs Sharratt said.
She likes cycling for the freedom, the fresh air, the sights and the ability to stop for a closer look.
Replacing car trips with bike trips is an easy thing the family can do for environmental sustainability, she said. It also saves on petrol.
Her girls, Casey, 5 and 3-year-old Brooke, travel belted into a trailer and wear helmets. If one of them is missing and there's a spare seat their friends like to share the ride.
When children aren't in the trailer Mrs Sharratt uses it to haul the family groceries up St John's Hill.
"Sometimes it's quite heavy. It's a bit of a hill, but not a big hill when you've come from Wellington."
Bex Sharratt tows daughters Casey, 5, and 3-year-old Brooke behind her bike. Photo / Bevan Conley
When she's towing the children cars and trucks usually give her lots of space, and curious people turn to see what's inside.
She's especially safety conscious when towing.
"There are not many cycle-friendly roads in Whanganui, but there are always ways to map ourselves through."
She uses quieter roads, underused footpaths, and will get off and walk through scary intersections like Great North Rd at the bottom of St John's Hill.
She has to especially watch out for drivers who don't expect a cyclist to move fast.
Mrs Sharratt was a sporty young woman who got serious about cycling in her mid-20s. She and husband Brendon have competed in cycle events - but she said anyone could do what they do.
"No one needs a fancy bike to be able to do this. What we do with a bike as a family around Whanganui is just so very achievable for anyone."
