- Welcome Message and select excerpts of our first year blog
- Our New Blog
- Contact us
- Travel Advice
- Guidelines for travel agents
- Flying-all you need to know before you book your next plane ticket>
- Cruising-planning the perfect cruise>
- Car Travel
- Traveling by bus...in style
- Hotels-Creating the ideal autistic friendly hotel room>
- Packing -101>
- Ask away -Autistic Globetrotting Free advice service>
- Tid bits-travel advice from our readers in 100 words or less
- Autistic Travels' Golden Rules
- Guidelines for travel agents
- Autisticals-a personal view of autistic travel
- US 10 best in
- The 10 best of Boston
- The best 10 of Hilton Head,South Carolina
- The 10 best of New York
- The 10 best of Alaska
- The 10 best of Texas-San Antonio and Galveston
- The 10 best of Santa Fe and the surroundings
- The 10 best of Arizone-Grand Canyon
- The 10 best of Colonial Williamsburg,Jamestown and surroundinds
- The 10 best of Washington D.C.
- The 10 best of Las Vegas
- The 10 best of Boston
- International 10 best
- Mini autisticals- the darnest travel stories you'll hear
- The Sleeps-our biased and un biased hotel reviews
- The Eats-Tasty challenges from around the globe
- The Shops-what you can buy next
- Collector's Corner-How did these travel trinkets become a collection
- Recommended products
- Giveaways
- Monthly news roundup
- Interviews
- Q&A with Jackie Longino founder of Aspietravel
- Q&A with Tal managing director of ALUTEVA-autistic hotel in Israel
- Eva Bronstein-Greenwald-special needs travel agent and founder of We Belong
- Q&A with Trip it's
- Q&A with David Intercontinental Tel Aviv
- Keri Bowers- film producer of 'Normal people scare me'
- Jamie Grover-Autism on the seas
- Peter Shears
- Clive-guide dog extraordinaire
- John Brown of 'Devyn and Dad' -an inspirational adventure across the United States
- Rose Niehaus Olsen Morris inventor of the safety sleeper bed
- Annette White,counselor for Camp Autism
- Colin Brennan-Canada's new singing sensation
- Dennis Debbaudt-autism safety expert
- Gisela Sedlmayer- author of 'Talon'
- Q&A with Jackie Longino founder of Aspietravel
- Inspirational travel stories by our guest writers
- Danette Schott's-Revisiting family vacations
- Brian R. King-Meltdown at the airport
- Joy's visit to the Aquarium
- Denise Klipsic-An incredible encounter with Princess Tiana
- Tanya Savko- Hope on a river
- Tiffany Robison-Great Wolf Lodge
- Fiona Westner Ramsay -Making-room-for-autism-in-your-canoe
- Laura Shumacher-Traveling with autism: a true story
- Phyllis Fanzo Lombardi-s -Vacation Time with Joey
- Kristina Chew-18 Miles On the Bikes At the Beach
- Jeff Katz-Chicago
- Margaret Ann Franklin's visit to the Great Northern Carousel in Helena Montana
- Claire Sarcone-Chessington the aspie way
- Elaine Hall-Tips for summer vacation
- Steve LHeureux -Autism "Outings" need to be planned and appropriate
- Kelly Green-The Gardens of Gilroy
- Wolfie Blue-Tips I learnt by traveling with my family
- Gluten free Disney cruise experience
- Danette Schott's-Revisiting family vacations
- North,Central and South America-pictures,videos and AG's tips
- Arizona,The Grand Canyon
- Alaska Cruise-USA and Canada
- Florida,Orlando-Universal Studios-looking for Harry Potter
- Florida,Orlando-Macy's mini parade in Universal Studios
- Florida-Everglades Park ,Miami,Key West
- Hawaii's big island with a glimpse of Pearl Harbor
- Louisiana,New Orleans-French Quarter,Christmas Parade,Nanchez Steamboat
- Louisiana,New Orleans-in the footsteps of Katrina,Garden district
- Massachussetts-Boston ,New England Coastal towns of NH and Maine
- New York-NYC
- New Mexico-Santa Fe and Bandoliers National Park
- Pennsylvania-Philadelphia
- Texas-San Antonio and Galveston
- Canada-Niagara Falls,Montreal,Quebec,Toronto
- Caribbean-Bahamas- the Atlantis resort
- Caribbean-Castaway Cay-Disney's bahamian paradise
- Caribbean-Roatan,Honduras>
- Caribbean-Grand Caymans-Hell,Turtles,Wild Hens and Stingrays>
- Mexico-Cabo San Lucas(Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Puerta Vallarta (Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Acapulco and Manzanillo
- Mexico-Mazatlan(Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Playa del Carmen's Xcaret eco park>
- Mexico-Tulum and XelHa Eco Park
- Yucatan,Mexico- Chichen Itza,Cozumel's Paradise Beach
- Arizona,The Grand Canyon
- Europe,Asia,Australia and New Zealand,Cruise ships-pictures,videos and AG's tips
- Australia-Sydney and Melbourne
- Austria-Salzburg
- Belgium-Antwerp ,Brussels
- Canary Islands-Lazarote
- Croatia-the walled town of Dubrovnik
- Denmark-Copenhagen
- France-Normandy's D day beaches>
- France- Cannes,Nice,Eze
- France-Paris
- Finland,Helsinki
- Germany-Munich,Dachau
- Germany-Romantic Road
- Ireland-Dublin
- Ireland -Cork,Blarney,Kinsale>
- N. Ireland-Belfast>
- N. Ireland's Giant Causeway
- N.Ireland-Carrick -a -Rede-rope bridge>
- Italy-Venice,Pompeii,Rome
- Italy-Florence,Messina and Taoramina
- Israel-Jerusalem>
- Israel-Masada and the Dead Sea>
- Israel-Tel Aviv>
- Morocco-Casablanca
- New Zealand-Rotarua
- New Zealand-Fjord Park,Dunedin,Christchurch
- New Zealand - Auckland and sheep farm
- The Netherlands-Amsterdam,Delft,The Hague,Rotterdam,Madurodam
- Sweden-Stockholm and the Archipelago
- Russia-St Petersburg's Palaces
- Scotland-Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh
- Scotland-Edinburgh>
- Scotland-Inverness>
- Scotland-Loch Lommond,Luss,Sottish sheep show>
- Spain-Barcelona
- Spain-Cadiz and Seville
- Spain-The Alhambra Palace,view of Malaga
- Tasmania-Hobart
- UK-Liverpool and the Beatles>
- UK-London>
- UK-Stonehenge,Bath,Warwick Castle,Stratford on Avon,Oxford
- UK-Guernsey>
- Carnival -Legend
- Aboard the Carnival Legend
- Carnival -Ecstasy
- Carnival- Fascination
- Carnival Spirit
- Celebrity-Century
- Crown Princess>
- Sapphire Princess
- Royal Caribbean-Brilliance of the Seas
- Royal Caribbean-Mariner of the Seas (parades)
- Royal Caribbean- Mariner of the Seas
- Australia-Sydney and Melbourne
- Monthly guest's -Travel videos and pictures
- Web sites and blogs we follow
- Face Book discussions
- Guest Book
Kristina Chew-18 Miles On the Bikes At the Beach
![Picture](/uploads/4/4/4/8/4448415/8097475.jpg)
Kristina Chew is a Classics professor and mother of a 13-year-old son, Charlie, who’s on the moderate to severe end of the autism spectrum.She is a successful translator and teacher of Latin and ancient Greek as well as an accomplished blogger .You can read her blogs at My Son Has Autism/Autismland (2006-2008), Autism Vox (2006-08) , Change.org(2008-09) and Care2.com.(2010-present). She is currently writing a book about life on the long road with Charlie.
![Picture](/uploads/4/4/4/8/4448415/3962336.jpg)
I can't remember the last time that we, who are very much a 'beachy' family, went to the beach. (It was a couple of weeks ago at the end of August; good thing I write this blog so I can just look it up, right?) We got so into traveling to trails and other places to ride bikes this past summer that we more often found ourselves choosing not to go to the beach. Plus the tendency for there to be lots of traffic (even on the back roads) to get 'down the Shore' in the summer curbed our enthusiasm. Charlie himself had seemed to get into a rut about our beach visits sometime during July so that, even though he always likes being at the beach, he almost seemed to treat going as something he had to do— a 'job,' Jim remarked—and not to treat it with the vivid joy he so often has. Since we started to make those trips last winter (the off off-season for beachgoing), we've started to think of going to the beach as a year-round activity, rather than one strictly for summer. In many ways, the beach is at its nicest—no crowds, beautiful light, not scorching hot, water still warm—in September and October, as Jim, who was spending a sabbatical there 18 years ago, can attest.
Charlie said a hesitant 'yes' when Jim mentioned the ocean Sunday morning. They did a morning bike ride around the neighborhood, then we loaded up the car with beach bag and bikes and got to the ocean in something like an hour and ten minutes. .Hallelujah for the off-season, oh yes.
Charlie wasted no time getting his boogie board and running out to the beach. Jim and I stood on the sand and directed him with a few words and lot of hand signals and elaborate pointing to stay clear of the rock jetties, and he was very amenable. He got in at least one fairly long ride on his board and went under a couple of waves, and then was quite happy to run around on the sand in and out of the waves' edge (it was nearing high tide), somewhat like he used to when he was little and was simply entranced by the movement of the water and couldn't take his eyes off of it (or himself out of it).
After swimming, we got a late-ish sushi lunch and then.
And then.
Charlie and Jim biked from one end of the beach to the other. That's around 18 miles.
The wind was somewhat at their backs and Jim moved them around here and there to better avoid any traffic. I drove up to our pre-determined meeting point and found a spot with a lovely view of the water, the sun coming in over people fishing and boats going back and forth. Jim texted me when, after 1 hour and 40 minutes—meaning they did something under a 5:30 minute mile the whole way—their arrival was imminent and reminded me that I had to make a really big deal of this Charlie-triumph. You can be sure there was clapping and cheering and, oh, maybe even a little victory dancing (by yours truly–I believe in showing my enthusiasm).
And for once, I think I caught Charlie's feelings about the great matter of his achievement on camera, above.
*First published on Kristina's blog, "We Go with Him" on September 9,2010.
http://autism.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/18-miles-on-the-bikes-at-the-beach/
Charlie said a hesitant 'yes' when Jim mentioned the ocean Sunday morning. They did a morning bike ride around the neighborhood, then we loaded up the car with beach bag and bikes and got to the ocean in something like an hour and ten minutes. .Hallelujah for the off-season, oh yes.
Charlie wasted no time getting his boogie board and running out to the beach. Jim and I stood on the sand and directed him with a few words and lot of hand signals and elaborate pointing to stay clear of the rock jetties, and he was very amenable. He got in at least one fairly long ride on his board and went under a couple of waves, and then was quite happy to run around on the sand in and out of the waves' edge (it was nearing high tide), somewhat like he used to when he was little and was simply entranced by the movement of the water and couldn't take his eyes off of it (or himself out of it).
After swimming, we got a late-ish sushi lunch and then.
And then.
Charlie and Jim biked from one end of the beach to the other. That's around 18 miles.
The wind was somewhat at their backs and Jim moved them around here and there to better avoid any traffic. I drove up to our pre-determined meeting point and found a spot with a lovely view of the water, the sun coming in over people fishing and boats going back and forth. Jim texted me when, after 1 hour and 40 minutes—meaning they did something under a 5:30 minute mile the whole way—their arrival was imminent and reminded me that I had to make a really big deal of this Charlie-triumph. You can be sure there was clapping and cheering and, oh, maybe even a little victory dancing (by yours truly–I believe in showing my enthusiasm).
And for once, I think I caught Charlie's feelings about the great matter of his achievement on camera, above.
*First published on Kristina's blog, "We Go with Him" on September 9,2010.
http://autism.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/18-miles-on-the-bikes-at-the-beach/