Biking with Grandma by sales-abramsbooks

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For all intrepid grandmas and grandpas and the adventures and wisdom they’ll share with their grandkids —C.S. For Lyn and Rob —V.T.

The illustrations for this book were made with digital paint and watercolor. Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress. ISBN 978-1-4197-4804-2 Text © 2022 Chris Santella Illustrations © 2022 Vivienne To Book design by Heather Kelly Published in 2022 by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. This is an advance, uncorrected proof. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, Not for resale, duplication, or mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

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I don’t get to see Grandma Rose very much because she travels a lot for work. She goes on adventures and writes about them.

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Now she’s writing a book about great places to ride a bike. And this time, she’s taking me along!

Mom and Dad made me promise to write from every place we visit. They didn’t have to remind me!

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Dear Mom and Dad— Greetings from Albert a! Grandma and I are riding through the most beautiful mount ains I ever imagined at Banff National Park Across a meadow, we . saw a grizzly bear. Gr an dm a to ok a bunch of pictures . . . but we st ayed a safe distance away. We took a hike to see a waterfall an d slept last night at an old hunting lodge. Grandma had caribou for dinner. I think I surprised her when I asked for a bite—I ki nd of liked it! Love, Sam

P.S. Tomorrow we ride twenty miles. My butt isn’t sore . . . yet!

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Howdy, Partners—

Hills, ng through the Black di ri e e’r W . ta ko Da h ut lson Today I write from So e riding on the Micke e’r W . ys da en old e th in ol which feels like we're a bike trail. Pretty co ’s it w no t bu d, oa ilr ra and Trail—it used to be a d pronghorn antelope— an p ee sh rn ho big st pa one day recycling! We cycled e Memorial, which will rs Ho y az Cr e th d te si warrior, bison, too. We also vi y Horse was a brave az Cr . rld wo e th in e ur S. be the biggest sculpt e, the Lakota, from U. ib tr s hi d te ec ot pr and we learned how he king their land. soldiers who were ta Giddyup! Sam od. in the town of Deadwo n loo sa al re a at illa ar P.S. We drank sarsap ot beer. It tasted like spicy ro

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Hey, Shredders— That’s a word Grandma and I lea rned from our guide, Haley—it means you’re a good mountain biker! We ’re now in Canyonlands National Park in Utah, riding a gnarly trail called the White Rim. We camp outsid e every night. There are hardly any oth er people around, and it’s really quiet. The air is so clear here. I’ve nev er seen so many stars! Good for thinking. Stay rad, Sam

P.S. You should see Grandma sh red down the steep trails! P.P.S. I heard a rattling noise thi s morning as we broke camp—it was a rattlesnake! Haley said they rattle to warn you of their presence. I was warned, and backed away slowly.

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Hey, Parents— Did you see any killer whales today? We did! We’ve been riding arou the San Juan Islands nd in Washington state. W e ro de to the top of a mountain this morning —we had to walk our bikes part of the wa because it was so st y eep. We made up rhym in g so ngs to pass the time. Grandma’s best was “Who cares about a hi ll/Riding down will be thrill!” In the aftern a oon, we rented kayaks . T ha t’s when we saw the orcas. They’re not re ally whales, but they ’re the largest membe the dolphin family. W rs of ho knew?!?

P.S. Calves are what baby orcas are called!

Your calf, Sam

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Aloha, Mom and Dad— We arrived on the Big Island of Hawai‘i on Tuesday, which is the largest island in the Hawaiian chain, and it’s still growing. There’s a mountain called Mauna Kea that’s sacred to Native Hawaiians. It has snow on top and red-hot lava at the bottom (that’s the growing part—when it hardens, it creates new land!). We started riding at a cattle ranch. I didn’t think there’d be cowboys in Hawai‘i—they’re called paniolos! Yesterday, we rode to a huge hot spring that’s heated by a volcano. This morning, we rode around a lava lake in the center of another volcano, called K¯lauea. Then we snorkeled near sea turtles. Aloha, Sam P.S. Aloha means both “hello” and “goodbye” in Hawaiian!

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G’Day, Mum and Dad— Today I write from Down Unde r—way down under, because we ’re in Tasmania, an island south of Australia. We’re riding through Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park. We are seeing som e fantastic animals: wombats, wa llabies, and a platypus, which has fur and a duckbill—and it can lay eggs! We also saw Tasmanian devils. We took a hike yesterday to Dove Lake to see Cradle Mountain—it was ref lected perfectly in the lake! Grandma was speechless, and you know tha t doesn’ t happen very often. Peace out! Sam

P.S. Our guide says Tasmania wa s connected to Australia 10,000 years ago, until the ocean levels raised du e to melting ice.

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Chào bô´ Me— ˙ That’s Vietnamese for “Hi, Mom and Dad!” Our guide, Binh, has been teaching us how to speak Vietnamese. We started in a big city called Hanoi. It’s very busy with cars and motorcycles and bikes. Very old buildings called pagodas are right next to big skyscrapers. Ther e are rice paddies in the countryside, and farmers have water buffalo. Binh helps us have conversations with people we meet along the way. Gran dma makes friends everywhere she goes. Ta m biêt, ˙ ˙ Sam P.S. There are food carts everywhere. I loved a sandwich called a bánh mì, which has crunchy bread!

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ou-san— Konnichiwa, Okaa-san and Ot ich is home to 37 million wh o, ky To in d de lan We ! pan Greetings from Ja of pedaling put Thisan isy an advance, t a few miles proof. r city! Buuncorrected he ot an th re mo le— op pe Not for resale, duplication, or tiful pink sed cherry trees with beau pas We . ide ys tr un co e th in us reposting. Please do not quote without opped at a Buddhist temple we st y the erda st Ye ul! ef ac pe so comparison to finished book. s— om ss blo eling a little homesick, fe s wa I . nd po i ko e th us ed and the priest show ppy. Every night we went in ha me de ma s ue at st ha dd but the smiling Bu t, Japanese inn. It was very ho l na itio ad tr a , an ok ry r ou the hot spring at od for her old muscles. but Grandma said it was go Sayonara, Sam andma try. umming. The musicians let Gr dr iko ta s wa e er th , ht nig P.S. After dinner to d. good, but the musicians smile ry ve s wa e sh ink th n’t do I

re, an et Papa— s so good he ll e m s It . Bonjour, Mam e c Fran ot to the south of in g in id t night we g r s a d e L t . r s a ld t s ie f e ender Yesterday, w s it’s the lav y a s a cret way to m e d s n a a r e G m — h d t e a w b ma sho like a bubble owling. Grand b n w la wler? We got o e b k li n w is la h n ic io h p ham play boules, w was once a c e h s w o most famous n k is h u o f y o e id d m o — s ll made throw the ba ight, ent Van Gogh c in V e r ! Tomorrow n e y h a w d o g t in e d il m a u b s the to visit the painted looks e h t a h t y r e scene paintings. Th . an old castle in y a t s o t Au revoir, we’re going Sam SUPER fast! s a w is r a P m we took fro P.S. The train

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Buongiorno, Mamma e Papa! That means “hello” in Italian, and it’s what everyone says as we ride into the small villages of Tuscany ! There are olive and fig trees everywhere. And grape vines, too ! The food is excellent, though we didn’t eat pizza. But we had som ething called bruschetta that was almost like pizza, and just as goo d. We took a cooking class at a farm and learned to make hom emade pasta. Mmmmm! Some of the hilltop villages are 700 years old —imagine all that’s happened ins ide those stone walls! Ciao, P.S. The ice cream is the best— they call it gelato.

Sam

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Dumela, Mme, Rre—

. the national language is Setswana ere ana, wh We're in BotswThis is an advance, uncorrected proof. We’re elephant trails! aling onduplication, pedresale, beenfor e or Grandma and I hav Not led es cal are wonde reposting. do rfu notl tre quote without and therePlease on the savanna, are comparison toesthe book. life. There of finished baobabs—some call them the tre tching hyenas. “I bet there are lions wa ra, zeb , ogs rth wa es, aff gir re: animals everywhe ed. Our after my grandkid,” Grandma cri e com y the if e ubl tro in be ll us,” I said. “They’ arged at huge herd. One got mad and ch a t pas e rod We . nts pha ele favorites are the nt?” I ould you save me from an elepha “W s. wa it t fas how e iev bel ’t another. We couldn nk eye. the nearest the elephant the sti ing giv ly, iet qu d sai e sh ,” try asked Grandma. “I’d Go siame, Sam

Buenas—

vida”—pure life. a ur “p s ay s ne everyo Rica now, where re. ta os C in e ar e W h beautiful natu uc m o s s e’ er th ide. at’s because wing down its s lo f va Grandma says th la ad h at lcano th ma aw a distant vo s e w , ay er rafting. Grand rd at w te e s it Ye h w t en w st and ree-toed sloth, to the rain fore in th e a d d ro an e w s an en h uc T saw to orge, paddle. We J we’ll e, d ui g r ou d loud. Tomorrow, y ar c and I helpe s e ’r ey th elling— owler monkeys y h rd ea h e w d an f! ight try to sur m e W . h ac be e bike to th Con amor, Sam p! made Jorge jum e h S n. io at on rs key impe reat howler mon g a o d an c a m P.S. Grand

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. abot Trail C e h t g — bikin and Dad re nd. We’re la s I Dear Mom n o t orld. The re w B e e h p t a C in n ,o , oads esterday nada again ettiest r Y a r . p C r e e in h h t t e o ’r f We the ne o ot Ocean on hat it’s o t ic t d n a LY big! Pil e la r L t A A a E e m R h d t e n r a d Gr se a e an f us. Moo of fiddle n one sid o o s t t s n lo in o a r t ’s f n e ad in Ther are mou g, morning! ss the ro o r is c h a t out dancin d e b e e a r lk e h a r t w u s w e so e sa a moos t. I’m not er, and w h g un!” ig ig n b o n t e g v e so m e f cin ee v n r a a a h d s o d le t n a la w h w High u ho l show yo e’re going ’l I W . . m e a r S e oad, , h music too shy hit the r e a ’r t u t o o G “Y , ma said but Grand Sam e song whil d a s a g san dlers and id f e h t e of s with on d n ie r f e ma mad ! P.S. Grand so pretty s a w t I . ed they play

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Hi, Mom and Dad— Almost home, but we have one mo re ride to go: the Blue Ridge Par kway in North Carolina. Grandma say s lots of professional riders com e here to practice because of the hill s. I’m glad we came for the mo untain views . . . and the hills aren’t too hard. On our last day here, we took a break from riding and went roc k climbing. Who knew Grandma was a climber? She’s always surprising me. I’m sure going to miss hanging out with her. See you soon! Sam

P.S. The “blue” in the Blue Ridge comes from a chemical called iso prene that the trees release. Go figure!

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es, y bike rid a— il m a d d n r a u r o G iss Dear h over! I m is ip r bikes wit t ir r e u h o t t e a h id lieve t But most Dad to r .) d k n a in h m t I can’t be o m, I gM than the en gettin e yed r b e e id v r a r h e tt ay you pla e w b but I e a h t ’m , s (I k. rie er d the par funny sto r u o y ail. Whoev , r e me aroun t il m e s ik b r u o tain e. iss you—y the moun n w o d uraged m d o of all, I m e c n m e o o u z o y d ut drums an I didn’t! B ? s e il m the taiko e hos pedal all t ’d I t h ies. g u , tho at memor e r g Much love e h t ll a r o Thanks f Sam venture?!? d a t x e n n our g to do o in o g e w are P.S. What

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