Sea Otter: Bikes, Babies, and the Best Weekend of the Year

Our annual trek to Sea Otter is a family tradition that started before our oldest was even born. In fact, she’s never missed one—and technically, that includes the year I waddled around the expo 8 months pregnant, finding random places to sit down instead of racing to the finish lines.

So, what is Sea Otter?
If you’re not familiar, Sea Otter is basically Coachella for bike nerds. Held in Monterey, CA, it’s a four-day cycling extravaganza that includes every type of racing you can imagine—mountain biking, road, gravel, dual slalom, e-bike…you name it, someone’s flying through dirt doing it. And then there’s the massive expo, where gear companies show off their latest and greatest, pros rub shoulders with groms, and parents like me do what I call “tactical parenting” (equal parts snack bribery, ice cream shuffles, bike juggling, and backpack gymnastics).

Why Sea Otter means so much to us:
Back in 2012, my husband and I met at a mountain bike race in grad school. Bikes have always been part of our relationship, and Sea Otter holds a special place in that story. We got engaged the same weekend as Sea Otter 2014 (technically not at Sea Otter, but that Sunday night), so every year we get to celebrate our engagement anniversary surrounded by the sound of freehubs and cowbells. Romantic, right?

Pre-kid glory days:
Before we had kids, Stewart and I both raced at Sea Otter—me in the mountain bike races (once with gears, twice as a single speeder—yes, I am stubborn) and even the road circuit race on the Laguna Seca track. I absolutely made race car noises. No regrets. I even made it on the podium one year, and Stewart has done even more events than I have. One year, while pregnant, I helped him run a booth—and that gave me a whole new appreciation for the hustle behind the scenes.

Now we do Sea Otter with kids—lots of them:
Sea Otter does an amazing job of including families. There’s a full-on kids’ zone with pump tracks, races, games, and Easter egg hunts. Every booth seems to have something shiny or snacky to lure kids in. Our kids pedal around the expo like they own the place—and honestly, they kind of do. They get cheered on, handed stickers, and high-fived by strangers. This year, both of our older girls came home, unloaded their stash of stickers and immediately grabbed the bigger size bikes that they have either been to scared to ride or avoided completely. We haven’t been able to get them off their bikes since. Mission accomplished.

Solo parenting at Sea Otter (aka CrossFit Mom edition):
Since Stewart is usually working the booth, racing, or in meetings, I’m on my own with the kids. This year we camped in the paddock near the entrance—which, let me tell you, was a game changer. This is the third time we’ve camped at Sea Otter and this was the best spot so far. Easy access, plenty of other families, and not nearly as loud as I feared. I’ve now got a system: backpack carrier > stroller. I wore the toddler, occasionally switching him to the Trail Magik on the front, strapped on bikes with bungee cords, and somehow didn’t throw out my back (just my hips, which is basically a win). At one point I was carrying 80+ pounds of gear, children, and bikes. Who needs a gym?

Gear MVPs:

• Backpack carrier – Total lifesaver. Hands-free, booth-friendly, and lets me help the girls with their bikes.
• Trail Magik – I will never stop raving about this. The ability to carry a toddler on the front while my middle kiddo sleeps on my back = rockstar status unlocked.
• Bungee cords – Because at some point you will carry more bikes than people.

This year’s highlights:

• Watching all three kids race—yes, even the toddler!
• The girls biking nonstop for four days and making new bike buddies.
• Seeing my husband in his element, surrounded by people stoked on the bikes he helps create.
• Surviving the majority of the trip solo (minus one cranky drive home).
• Feeling like a superhero with kids napping on me while I still had both hands free to snack.

Sea Otter isn’t just a bike event for us. It’s where our love of cycling, our family story, and our passion for the sport all come together. We’re already counting down the days until next year.