Biking Acadia National Park at 54. Why I’ll Choose an E-Bike Again.

There was a time when keeping up with my kids meant chasing them around a playground. These days, it means trying to keep up with 3 grown men in their 20s.

Recently while we were in Bar Harbor, Maine, we decided to spend a day biking through Acadia National Park. I reserved bikes for the family ahead of time, but I had one more important decision to make. What about our puppy Ruby?

For just $25, the bike shop rented little trailers for small dogs, so I reserved one and figured she'd get to enjoy the adventure with us.

When we arrived, it was the day after we'd spent time hiking in Acadia. The hike itself wasn't difficult, but it gave us a good look at the carriage roads and all the rolling hills we'd be biking the next day. That's when Scott looked at the dog trailer and said, "I think pulling Ruby on a regular bike is going to be a lot harder than it looks."

The employee smiled and said they had one e-bike left.

Perfect. Or so we thought.

Scott took the e-bike and pulled Ruby's trailer while the rest of us headed out on regular bikes. That plan lasted until the first big hill. I was walking my bike uphill wondering what I had gotten myself into, while Scott was effortlessly cruising along with Ruby behind him. He turned around, came back down the hill, and said, "Let's switch."

Best decision of the day.

The pedal assist made all the difference. I still pedaled every mile, but it took just enough of the edge off that I could actually enjoy the ride instead of worrying about whether I could survive the next climb. We ended up biking 20 miles through one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, and I felt incredibly accomplished by the end of the day.

Ruby loved riding in her little trailer, happily taking in the scenery while everyone who passed smiled at her.

Along the way, we stopped at Jordan Pond House for lunch, a spot the bike shop recommended. They're famous for their popovers, and I ordered the lobster salad popover. It was every bit as good as everyone said it would be.

The funniest part? Scott ended up working a whole lot harder than I did after we switched bikes.

I've decided that if an e-bike is an option in the future, I'm choosing it without hesitation. A younger version of me might have thought that was somehow cheating. But the goal isn't to suffer through every hill. It's to keep saying yes to adventures, to spend the day laughing with my family instead of worrying about whether I can keep up.

Along the trail, we passed more than a few exhausted kids in tears as parents encouraged them up another hill, and that's when it hit me: movement doesn't have to be miserable to count. Whether you're walking, lifting weights, playing pickleball, riding an e-bike, or taking a 10-minute walk after dinner, it all adds up.

At 54, I'm not trying to compete with my boys. I'm simply trying to stay healthy enough to keep saying yes when they ask, "Want to come with us?" Those are the moments I'll remember long after my legs stop being sore. And if a little pedal assist helps me make more of them, I'm all for it.