7-year-old bikes from Geneva to Algonquin and back with dad

Jim Noonan thought he was simply indulging his 7-year-old son's wish to spend a little time outside on a warm Sunday afternoon.

What started off as a fun family bike ride for Noonan and his son Jacob, however, soon turned into a 60-mile trek from their home in Geneva to Algonquin and back. Father and son took the Illinois Prairie Path/Fox River Bike Trail the entire way, pushing each other to see how far they could go.

While most 7-year-olds might get tired or lose focus, Noonan insists it was Jacob motivating him until the very end of their 5-hour, 40-minute ride.

"Jacob really started getting into the ride as we were going and he pushed me. He didn't want to give up. He told me, 'Come on Dad, we have to finish it,' " Noonan said.

Now Jacob is known throughout the neighborhood as "Little Hercules" and friends jokingly call him the next Lance Armstrong. Besides biking, Jacob also plays guitar and is fond of rock climbing.

According to Noonan - who has always had an interest in road biking - Jacob wanted to get a bike and ride like his dad. About a month ago, Noonan bought his son his own road bike which Jacob wants to ride nearly every day.

When father and son finished their 60-mile ride they ate plenty of food and went to bed to rest up. According to Noonan, Jacob is ready for an another biking adventure of similar proportions.

"Jacob woke me up at 7:30 a.m. the next day and wanted to do it again," Noonan said.