My Bent Up Cycling Journal

To the Market

2012-02-19T15:16:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday...I want to ride...and I have to go to the market. So I rode to the market. I don't know why I didn't ride to the market before today. It's only a 15 mile round trip. I stretched it out to 20 miles with 1,042 foot gain and an average 11+ mph. I also have planned out a route that will take me on a 25 mile ride with an 1,800 foot gain which makes for a better ride.

I'm guilty of not taking advantage of my love of cycling to get out of the car and do some errands. It seems like we get into such a routine that we go into auto drive when taking care of our regular chores. With the big cavernous Ortlieb panniers that I keep on my Expedition I can load up with a consider amount of groceries. I also put together two large stuff sacks that I can hang from the side of the trike when needed for extra stuff.

Pedaling up our hill headed for home with my panniers full of enough groceries for the week to feed six people.

Where to next? How many others errands can be done without fossil fuel?

Tour-California South Coast, The Plan

2012-02-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

No reason to wait any longer. Body and mind say start touring. The plan is to start from Ventura California on Monday, May 28th and spend five days working my way down to San Diego and the Mexican border for a photo op. Carrie and the kids will drive down to San Diego to meet me on Friday the 1st of June. We'll all then head over to my sister's home and spend the weekend eating, drinking and playing games.

Planned details:

- Follow the Adventure Cycling Association route on their Pacific Coast Section 5 map.
- Total miles from Ventura to San Diego is 225 miles.
- Total elevation gain is an easy 7,116 feet
- Day 1, 32 miles to Leo Carrillo State Beach and set up camp.
- Day 2, 44 miles to Redondo Beach and a motel stay.
- Day 3, 63 miles to San Clemente State Park for the second and last camp out.
- Day 4, 56 miles to Pacific Beach and another motel.
- Day 5, 30 miles to the Mexican border to meet up with Carrie, Byron and Leili and then back to San Diego.

I plan on averaging 10mph. I average 8mph when I'm towing Betzi in hilly conditions. Since I won't be towing Betzi I figure 10mph is a good estimate mainly because I'll be riding in traffic, slow bike trails (especially through Venice Beach) and generally crowded conditions. After all I won't be riding in the open country. This is a city to city, town to town ride with a sprinkling of open space. The northern Malibu coast and Camp Pendleton are the largest open space areas. This is not a good tour for those that feel uncomfortable cycling in traffic.

I mapped out the route on Ride with GPS. The ACA Section 5 starts in Santa Barbara, I'll be starting in Ventura.

(see - Ride with GPS - ACA Pacific Coast Section 5

Once I've completed touring the California South Coast I plan on cycling the rest of the ACA Pacific Coast route. This includes the California Northern and Central Coasts and the Washington and Oregon Coasts. The South Coast is not my first, second or even third choice of Pacific Coast tours. I'm doing it because it's short, I familiar with the So Cal Coast and I want to get it done and then move onto the rest of the California Coast. That being said my primary motivation is that my sister and her hubby live in San Diego and the trip ends with spending time with them.

Route Rut

2012-02-08T15:18:00.000-08:00

I fell victim to taking the same ole route with Betzi time after time. It was time to change things up a bit and map out some route changes using Ride with GPS.

Yesterday while it was raining I figured out a new route to take Betzi on. What I ended up doing was generally following the same old route that I've been riding with Betzi for the last year but adding a bunch of detours. I ended up adding on 4 miles for a nice 20 mile ride with a 2,000 gain. I've lived in the Conejo Valley for 17 years and I found neighborhoods and streets that I've never known about. It's interesting how we can get into a rut and not know what exists virtually around the corner.

This part of the new route included hills and some Lupines by the roadside. Climbing is good...it gives you time to smell the flowers.

Keep Climbing

I'm probably not familiar with this street because the homes are a little to high end for me. I've never had a reason to venture this way. It sure is a beautiful quiet street. Makes for a nice cruise with Betzi.

Oh yeah downhill!

I tried to get a picture of Betzi but she's looking back so all you get is my pretty face.

They're Looking at Me

2012-02-04T15:11:00.000-08:00

The circus is coming to town or at least it must look that way as people stare at me as I ride my trike with Betzi in tow. Yep...that's what it looks like, flags, streamers, lights, funny looking trike and a crazy dog sticking her head out of her circus trailer.

Does all the attention from passing motorists bother me? Not in the least. On the practical side attention translates into safety on the road. For some the public display of deviating from the norm might drive them to the medicine cabinet for their anti-anxiety meds. I am not asking for attention and I would prefer to not have people looking at me and scratching their heads. But it is only human nature for people stare at the unusual and I simply ignore it. It happens, I can't blame them, I'm use to it and it doesn't bother me. I don't want life to pass me by because I care about how I look while riding my trike.

Riding a traditional bicycle is no longer comfortable for me. Actually riding a "normal" bicycle has never really been comfortable but it's what we're expected to ride (A little bit of cycling history). Right now riding any kind of bicycle, including a recumbent, doesn't appeal to me as much as riding a trike. Trikes are fun and there is a trike for every style of riding. My Catrike Expedition is for cruising, errands and eventual touring. My Catrike 700 with it's 2.25 inches of ground clearance is for speed. My mood dictates what I ride.

Regarless of which trike I choose to ride I attract attention. Cars slow down to allow their occupants time to digest what is before their eyes. Others will sit at a stop sign longer or be slow to continue on when a signal turns green. With very little exception all the attention is positive.

Not only cars but pedestrians give me a look of puzzlement for which a wave and a hello break their trance. I make contact with every pedestrian and cyclist I cross paths with. I can't say that everyone makes contact with me but I try. I consider myself sort of an ambassador for alternative human powered vehicles.

Recumbent riders have broken away from the main stream cycling community's expectations of conformity. We have chosen not to let the cycling industry lull us into thinking that sitting on a bicycle with a tiny seat up our rear end and hunched over a set of handle bars with the weight of our upper torso over our arms is the only proper way to ride a bike.

Whether recumbent riders ride for the comfort, the competitive edge or both we ride to enjoy life.

Let the people stare at me while I ride my trike. Let them watch me enjoy my life. I can only imagine how many of the gawkers wish they could break the mold of conformity and enjoy their life in a similar fashion.

Go ahead and tell me I'm not having fun!

New Cycling Plan

2012-02-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

Back on August 27th I scribbled out a post (Three Year Cycling Plan) about my touring plans and declared that...

…since I’ve turned 50 which was seven years ago I’ve had knee, shoulder, back (2x), left hip and now right hip surgery. Nothing else can go wrong…right? Right. All the breathing and circulatory apparatus is in great working condition.

Oops...my " circulatory apparatus" turned out not to be "in great working condition" (Heart Attack 12/25/11). Just when you think all is going well shit happens and plans need to be re-thought. I'm physically in good health. I'm only taking one prescription med compared to the four that I was downing after leaving the hospital. I'm ready to go. The only thing I'm still trying to wrap my head around is the lingering feeling of being vulnerable and how it plays into venturing out into the great unknown. I also don't feel like being away from Carrie and the kids for any extended time.

I still have a burning desire to get out and tour so here are my thoughts for now;
1) I'm currently planning different 3 to 10 day tours that don't take me more then a days drive from home. Some of those rides will include touring the Pacific Coast. In the end I want to complete the entire Pacific Coast tour from the Canadian border to the Mexican border but do it in segments.

2) As for doing a Trans Am...that is still a dream of mine. On the practical side, I may be considered retired, but I still have some business responsibilities that I need to manage for a few more years. In addition I realize now that I can't just leave Carrie and the kids behind for three months. In eight years form now I will have minimized any business that needs my attention and the kids will be out of school. That leaves Carrie who, with a little luck, will meet up with me occasionally along the way to share a beer or two. I plan on making it more then a dream some day. I need to stay healthy and keep cycling so in eight years from now when I'm 65 years old my old bones will still be well greased. Keep your fingers crossed.

More to follow as I figure things out. Ride on.

Byron, Carrie and Leili at Cambria, CA

Joy of Life

2012-01-26T15:25:00.000-08:00

For me there is nothing quite like the thrill of a well orchestrated symphony of mind, heart, lungs and muscle propelling me forward under a canopy of trees backlit my a clear blue sky.

Today was a warm winter day. It was one those day's when everything seemed just right and the joy of being alive brought tears to my eyes. I've had many obstacles thrown in my path but with each adversity I struggle to overcome my joy for life deepens. None of us ever asks for tragedy or pain in our lives but when it does come our response to it's lesson determines the nature of our soul.

Enjoying the ride on Kanan Road under the shade of the Coast Life Oaks in Thousand Oaks.

On a short trail at Oak Canyon Community Park in Oak Park.

Taking a break at Oak Canyon Community Park.

Letting Betzi walk as I get ready to do some hill climbing in a quiet residential area in Agoura Hills.

Rear Rack for the 700

2012-01-23T15:36:00.000-08:00

The 700 looks really good when it's unencumbered with add on stuff...

but I needed a some storage for tools, first aid and a few odds and ends so I added the Catrike side bags...

and then came longer rides so I ended up taking the Expedition more often then the 700 so I could load it up with creature comforts like food, thermos of tea, winter outer gear, general stuff and Betzi in her trailer ...

then I started missing the speed and thrill of riding the 700 so I compromised on the 700's look and put a rear rack for those long rides. The pictures below show the end result.

I had an Old Man Mountain rear rack that I had laying around. It has a clean look so I used it. To secure it in place I bought a pair of 13" Old Man Mountain extender bars (Old Man Mountain extender). The dull gray bars looked lousy so I painted them black, red and white to match my rear American Classic rim.

It seems that the end result is a reasonable compromise of looks and practicality. When I need the extra space I can throw on a small pannier.

Pannier Folded

Pannier unfolded and ready to pack

Now the only choice that I have to make is whether or not I take Betzi for a cruise with my Expedition or go solo for a fast ride on the 700. Either way I now have room for "stuff" on both of my chariots.

Note about the panniers:

The small silver panniers on the 700 are an older set made by Topeak. They're okay but I would not recommend them because the attachment mechanism is poor and I use some elastic bands from DiNotte lighting to secure them down. On the positive side they flatten up nicely when there is nothing in them.

The large red panniers on the Expedition are made by Ortlieb. They are simply big waterproof bags with a good attachment system. They work fine for loading up with groceries and other stuff.

DeNotte O-Rings securing the pannier from behind. The dirty thing on the left bottom is my rear wheel.

Egret by the Road Side

2012-01-18T15:23:00.000-08:00

I met an Egret by the side of the road while riding today.

Miles and Elevation 2011

2012-01-17T15:24:00.000-08:00

In 2011 I rode 1,090 miles. It's not a big number but most of those miles included towing Betzi. At first I estimated the weight of the trike, trailer and dog to be about 130lbs. After hooking up a scale it came closer to 150lbs. The total elevation gain was 81,206 feet. Everywhere I ride is hills. Unless I want to ride circles around the lake in Westlake Village there is no flat place for an extended ride. Even with the low mileage for 2011 I got plenty of climbing done. The mileage also includes two breaks for two hip surgeries and of course a heart attack which put an end to the last few rides of the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Heart Attack - Final Word

2012-01-12T11:14:00.000-08:00

1/11/12

This will be the last post devoted exclusively to my ticker. It's been a little over two weeks since I had an heart attack and I've started riding my trikes again with no limitations.

It's time to move on and start blogging about cycling stuff. Before I do I want to share the results of what happened to me on Christmas day 2011 with the hope that others may benefit and learn from my experience. (The details of the day I had my heart attack are posted here Heart Attack and a short follow up here Bored and Drugged.)

It is only natural that we want to find a reason why someone takes a fall and to be assured that the reason does not pertain to us and that we will live a long unencumbered life. Sorry to disappoint but there was no outstanding risk factor prior to my heart attack that raised a red flag. Over the years I have avoided the risk factors associated with heart disease. I exercise regularly, my weight is under control, good diet, no family history of heart disease and blood pressure is good. Even though I have now been told that there is some history of high cholesterol in the family my cholesterol levels were good. To top it all I took two physicals (including EKG's) in 2011 in preparation for hip surgery earlier in the year. Everything checked out good.

So how does someone who is in good shape and exercises regularly have an heart attack while exercising? Even though there is no history (until now) of heart disease in my family I still managed to build up a plague deposit in one of my coronary arteries, the LAD to be exact. While watching my cardiologist repair my LAD in less then twenty minutes with an angioplasty and two stents, he found no evidence of plague buildup in any of my other arteries. The offending artery had a good size buildup of plague. Plague buildup in the artery is characterized by a soft center surrounded by a hard shell. Under the pressure of blood flowing through my artery, while cycling hard that Christmas day, the soft inner plague broke through the outer shell and blocked my artery and lead to an arrhythmia (irregular heart beat). Even after the blood flow was restored to my heart it took another ten hours for the arrhythmia to settle down.

Even with a 100% blockage of my LAD I suffered no permanent damage to my heart muscle. I got help reasonably fast (I should have called 911 for a faster response). About 40 minutes passed from the time I started feeling the intense pain in my chest and the pain radiating down my left arm until Carrie got me to the fire station. A couple of aspirin, a little nitroglycerin and an IV in my arm and the pain started to ease up. This was shortly followed by a code 3 ride over to the hospital.

Another factor that played into getting me through this mess without any heart damage was my fitness level. Even with a compromised coronary artery I have managed to build up a strong heart and vascular system with years of cycling and hiking. Even with a blocked artery and arrhythmia my heart muscle was still receiving just enough support from the healthy arteries to keep my heart "alive" until I received help.

I now know that all my arteries are in good condition. While performing the angioplasty my cardiologist took a little time to examine the rest of the arteries around my heart and gave me a thumbs up. In the future I will be taking stress tests every three years to determine the health of my heart. It seems to me that anyone over the age of fifty, has a family history of heart disease or is a competitive athlete should be taking a stress test. Doctors tell us that after you turn fifty you should have a camera stuck up your behind every few years to check for problems in the colon. How about a stress test for your heart every few years? A stress test is the most effective way to determine if you have fat filled arteries.

In hind sight I should have paid more attention to the discomfort (not pain) I was having in the center of my chest when cycling hard. What I though was my lungs working hard may have been a "how do you do" from my heart that I ignored. The discomfort wasn't outstanding enough to give me reason to be concerned. I am no longer experiencing that discomfort while cycling. In addition my legs are less sore and my breathing seems easier while riding. I'm also recovering faster. Again...a stress test would have been an effective way for me to know if my heart was compromised.

It'll take a little time to get used to such mundane bodily functions as the pressure of a burp working it's way up and out... it ain't a heart attack it's just that burrito I ate for lunch.

For many a heart attach would be a wake up call. Having a heart attach and getting through it was a confirmation call that I've successfully prepared for this "shit happens" moment. Being physically fit does not come easy for me but over the years I have put forth the effort to stay fit and it has paid off. I can't predict the future I can only stay strong and be prepared for whatever I'm dealt. My cardiologist says I'm good for the long run but when my time does come I will accept my fate knowing full well that I did the best I could do to be part of the lives of those I love and who love me. Until that time comes...

RIDE ON!

1/12/12

Here's an easy to follow guide about heart disease.
Visual Guide to Heart Disease

Heart Attack - Bored and Drugged

2012-01-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

Heart Attack - Original post from 12/28/11

It's hard to walk past my trikes in the garage. I'm mentally ready to hop on and take a ride but first things first. The insertion point for the angioplasty in the artery in my right leg needs to completely heal so I don't take a chance of popping open it open. I popped it open in the hospital shortly after surgery. Got to love those nurses...they wasted no time stopping the flow of blood under my skin that was inflating by groin. In the end I was embarrassed that I didn't listen to their instructions about taking care of the ole artery and I was left with a bloody bruise.

Everyday I get to look at my trikes just sitting there waiting for me.

Also the stink'n drugs keep me light headed. Two of the meds are to keep my blood pressure low while healing. I can't wait to get off those things. My blood pressure is normally right on target. With the meds I have to stand up slow because there's not enough pressure to quickly move the blood into my head. Result...I get light headed without having to have a couple of beers. Yes...I still get to have a beer or two. I'm not dead yet just sidelined.

I see my cardiologist on the 11th. I plan on riding on the 12th.

Heart Attack

2011-12-28T15:36:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas day 2011 and I'm six miles away from home. I'm riding my Catrike 700 packed with a change of clothes to meet Carrie and the kids at a Christmas day party. It's a short 12 mile ride from my home in Agoura Hills to Calabasas. At the six mile mark...BAM...by chest feels like an elephant just parked it's ass on my chest. I'm having a stinking heart attack and I'm not quite ready to accept it.

The day started off simple enough. It's Christmas Day and we're invited to a party. It was a beautiful day and I didn't want to let it go by without taking a ride on my trike. What better to do then ride to the party and meet up with everyone.

I loaded up the trike and pushed off at 11 am. Right about at six miles I wasn't feeling good...my chest was hurting and feeling heavy. I pulled into an empty parking lot of an industrial building hoping to get some relieve by taking a rest. After 10 minutes I put aside my ego and called Carrie to come and bail me out. The idea of something more sinister then just "not feeling good" crept into my thoughts. At 12:45 Carrie and the kids show up and I painfully tie the trike down to the top of the car.

Once everything was loaded into the car I looked at Carrie and said "take me home I don't feel good". It was when we were driving home that the pain in my chest became overwhelming and my left arm was starting to feel an odd pain. I put aside denial and gave into reality and told Carrie to go straight to the hospital. The hospital was some miles away and I wasn't doing well so Carrie got off at the next freeway off ramp and took me to our local Fire Station 89.

Once in Station 89 the EMT's took over and I knew that I was in good hands and actually started to relax. They hooked me up to an EKG and told me with no uncertainty that I was having a "heart incident". In the mean time one of the firemen took the kids on a tour of the station to keep there minds at ease. An IV and a few drugs later I was taking a code 3 ambulance ride over to the hospital. On the ride over my EMT no longer minced words and while spraying nitroglycerin under my tongue said "you're having a heart attack and this is what to expect when we get to the hospital..."

I never lost consciousness so when I arrived at the Los Robles Hospital I laid there in the ER and watched the well choreographed circus unfold around me. I eventually ended up in the "cath lab" and watched my doctor insert two stents into my LAD vein that supplies blood to the muscle of my heart. In less then 30 minutes I was on my to recovery and after a three night stay I made it back home.

From the time I entered the fire station to the time I existed the "cath lab" I never felt that my time was up. The folks involved in my care exercised such a high level of competence that I felt at ease the entire time. The firemen and paramedics at Station 89 are proof of why I happily pay my taxes each year.

In the end it was determined that the LAD vein supplying blood to the heart muscle was blocked. It was alone in it's attempt to bring me down. While scoping through the rest of the arteries around my heart my doctor said everything else was open and clean and there was no damage to the heart muscle. In addition to not ignoring the problem and getting help reasonably fast my fitness level was a major contributor in preserving the integrity of the only heart I own.

Then why...genetics? Why only one vein? I'm 58, 6'1", 190 lbs, low cholesterol, low blood pressure, exercise by cycling regularly and I get regular physicals. I can only file this heart attack under "shit happens". And when it does happen be prepared for it by keeping your body healthy and strong. As an avid trike rider my heart was strong and was able to compensate for a temporary loss of blood to part of my heart muscle.

On the positive side I now know what is going on inside my heart and it looks good for the long run.

If you ask me what is the one thing that stands out from this whole ordeal it is the doctors and nurses telling me that my whole family filled up the ER waiting room. I love them all!!!

New Cassettes

2011-12-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

I changed out the cassettes on the Expedition and the 700. My shortest route around my home town is 12 miles with almost 1,000 foot gain. My 50 mile ride has well over 4,000 feet of gain and I don't even ride in the Santa Monica mountains just to the south of my home and I still have to do all this climbing.

The 34/11 cassette on my Expedition gives me a little more leverage for when I pull Betzi uphill in her trailer. Some of the hilly roads that I ride with her have a lot of cars and even worse big ole SUV's buzzing around. I don't feel comfortable letting her walk on these hills so a 34/11 cassette gives me a little extra climbing power. In addition the Expedition still has the MTB crankset and it's working well. (New Crankset)

The 34/11 on the 700 also helps with the hills when I get to the end of a ride and the legs are spent. Plus the 34/11 cassette I originally bought for the Expedition seemed a little bit light so Dana at Bent Up Cycles sent out a more basic heavy duty cassette for the Expedition and the lighter one went on the 700. The down side is that I now have a pricey Sram X Glide super light 34/11 cassette that is not being used. I'll try out the new cassette for awhile before selling the X Glide.

Old Cassette

New Cassette

DiNotte Lights

2011-12-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

In the two years that I've been using DiNotte lights It's common for me to get a comment about how bright they are when I use them during the day as running lights. Typical comment..."I could see you from a mile away".

They're worth the price.

400L Headlight

400L Taillight

DiNotte Lighting

I personally prefer to keep my lights on a high steady mode rather then flash. I believe it's easier for oncoming traffic to judge my speed, distance and position while in a steady mode.

The price of being safe on the roads...$400 plus. It's worth it.

Crazy Dog Sign

2011-12-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

Ma doggie may look cute but when she's confined and tethered in her trailer she gets a little protective of her space. If someone other then me goes to pet her while she's in her trailer the chances are that she'll show her pearly whites. Outside of her trailer she'll whine, put out her paw and want attention.

So...I made a sign for those times when I leave her alone to make a pit stop.

I came up with this sign idea after a couple kids, standing with there parents, would not listen to me and kept trying to put there hands in Betzi's face. The parents were useless and said nothing. Now if those kids want to get their fingers chewed off I have proof that they have been warned as they run off to hire a ambulance chasing attorney.

awe...don't take it personally girl

Grumpy Grandpa Needs to Ride his Tricycle

2011-12-06T14:00:00.000-08:00

I know that it's time to take a ride when I start getting "grumpy". I let the wind that we've being experiencing here in So Cal get the better of me and I haven't been on a ride for the last 5 days. Wind or not I was going riding today. I woke up to silence...yea no wind. Being an early riser I woke up to early morning darkness and 32 degree weather. The stars were shining and I knew that it would be a good day regardless of the temperature. I waited until the sun popped out and the temperature warmed up to a cozy 42 degrees before starting today's ride. As my ride progressed a breeze picked up but nothing that a "real man" can't handle.

The Simi Hills as seen from Thousand Oaks are behind me.

The endorphins kicked in and I'm feeling good and now Carrie will let me back in the house. Being active and getting outdoors is the best drug for what ails ya.

No Black Friday for Us-Gone Trik'n

2011-11-25T16:07:00.000-08:00

Today was just way to beautiful of a day to end my ride. So...on the way back from my ride with Betzi I picked up Leili at the bottom of our hill and together we went to the local school to meet up with Byron. He had gone on ahead in his trike and was already at school working on his parkour/freerunning.

__________________

But first...

While everybody is filling the shopping malls the day after Thanksgiving I take off for a trike ride.

All it takes is a little push and I'm headed down our hill.

I love autumn!!

_______________________

I ended up at the school with Leili and we played with Betzi while Byron went off to find obstacles to overcome.

Leili and Betzi

Byron doing what Byron does

One last pole before calling it a day

I'll be 58 this December. Having younger kids challenges me to stay fit. Eating right (kinda), exercise and having the right doctors to make repairs is important. I might not be able to keep up with my kids but at least I won't die trying.

Long Shadows of Fall

2011-11-21T12:00:00.000-08:00

Autumn in Southern California is my favorite time to go cycling. There is nothing that can match a cool, crisp and sunny November day.

When I started my ride it was a sunny 37 degrees and by the time Betzi and I made it home it was 55 degrees and the sun did not let us down.

Post ride workout...taking in the sun with a cup of tea, dog and Leili behind the camera.

Why I Blog

2011-11-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

This quote is from an active poster on a recumbent cycling forum in response to a poster who said that he didn't get blogging.

"Seems to me, these have to be desperately lonely people who are seeking solace in convincing themselves that someone out there actually gives a rat's patoot about their pathetic little lives."

My first thought about this comment is how ironic it is coming from a person who is actively posting their thoughts about life on an open forum. I guess this person feels that their life is an exception and is worth a "rat's patoot."

In a follow up post the person quoted here confessed to having a bad day when these words of wisdom flowed through their keyboard. However it did leave me with asking myself...why do I blog?

When I entered the world of recumbent cycling I needed information. I found various personal journals, blogs and forums provided me with what I needed and wanted to know. By reading through the wealth of information I no longer felt like I was the only crazy person who wanted to ride a recumbent trike. I was not alone in this small but passionate niche known as recumbent cycling. Reading about the joys, trials and pains of other folks in my small new world of laid back cycling helped me to more appreciate my joys and accept my trials and pains.

I've been a private person all of life but I soon felt compelled to share what I knew and felt about recumbent cycling and to share some more personal parts of my life. I share with the hope that others may find some benefit from what I have to say just as I found benefit from what others have to say about their life.

We are a social creature and each of us interacts with others in a way that is comfortable and meaningful.

Blogging is just one way many ways to share information...information is the power to make thoughtful and educated decisions. It's up to each individual to decide what information is relevant and honest.

Information sharing at its finest - 30 recumbent trike and bike riders participate in the Cool Breeze Century 2011 Cool Breeze Century

Future Cyclists - My Grandkids

2011-11-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

My nemesis "age" is still playing tricks on me. My hip is a little sore from surgery two months ago so while I take it easy for a few days I'll take the time to showoff my grandkids.

Here's my post from July, 2009 showing off my children. (My 5 Kids)

My daughter Jamie and her husband Matt just handed me the newest addition to our family.

Me with my new Granddaughter Olivia

Leili and Carrie join me

Byron with Olivia

Jamie and Matt

_________________________________________________________

My son Danny and his wife Jill with Alyssa and Aadin.

Danny with Alyssa

Jill with Aadin

__________________________________________________________

My son David and his new bride Emily join the family with Shanna, my new step Grandchild.

David and Emily

Emily and Shanna

Trik'n and Free Running

2011-11-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

It was a sunny day with morning temps in the high 40's and it was time to break away from our cozy fireplace and get outside. Byron and I took our dog Betzi on a short ride to the local school so Byron could do some free running while I played with Betzi and just enjoyed the day.

On our way to the school

Changing cycling shoes for free running shoes

Warm up wall jump

Bye bye Byron...hopping the face and disappearing onto the school grounds for more walls, posts and anything else that can be navigated.

Betzi and I just play around while Byron does his thing.

Scott Wayland and the Winky-Eyed Jesus

2011-10-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

"..."Looked she cried "When you tilt the pitcher, the eyes open 'n' close!" Back and forth , Alice wiggled the Son of God who winked and winked and winked...

I felt like I was spinning, losing it, a lost character who'd stumbled into a David Lynch movie. I had to ride it out, stay open, let the narrative unfold."

From the "Winky-Eyed Jesus and other Undescribales" by Scott Wayland,

Scott's book is available at Amazon.com

Scott Wayland aka the "elite, feral recumbent cyclo-tourist" dropped in at Bent Up Cycles today to share stories from his new book The Winky-Eyed Jesus and Other Undescribales. The book chronicles his 2007 journey across our great country. It's a fun read written from a human perspective. By the time you get to the last few chapters you feel like Scott's an old friend.

Scott telling his story to a group of enthusiastic recumbent groupies.

Scott reads "The Winky-Eyed Jesus" excerpt from his book. Funny stuff!!

Trike Squadron leader Glenn Frank joined the recumbent groupies at Bent Up Cycles in No. Hollywood, CA to meet Scott. He is busy pulling out some $'s to buy Dana's latest Bent Up Cycles signature jersey. Bent Up Cycles New Signature Jersey

Before our elite, feral recumbent cyclo-tourist heads off into the sunset he demonstrates his homemade Pepsi can alcohol stove.

Close up this cool little homemade low cost alcohol stove.

Many videos on YouTube demonstrate how to make a this little gem.

Time to finish the last few chapters.

Available at Amazon.com

The Perfect Ride

2011-10-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

Perfect clear, cool autumn day and just a hint of a breeze. It doesn't get better.

Not a Perfect Ride but Still Good

2011-10-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I took my Catrike 700 on my usual 40 mile weekend ride. It's a nice ride with a 2,600 foot gain. The last time I left my Catrike Expedition and my dog Betzi at home in favor of a ride on my 700 was three weeks ago. Unlike when I ride my Expedition, on the 700 I push myself and I wanted to get on the rode. Within the first mile I realized that the new rear derailleur cable I installed a few weeks ago had stretched just enough that I didn't have my low gear and on top of that my chain wasn't making it down to the high gear on the rear cassette (nice going dufus always adjust your derailleur shortly after installing a new cable). I pulled over and took a look at the situation and decided to ride on thinking I'd take a break later and make some adjustments (never did).

I was cruising along nicely with the gears I did have and started my first real downhill of the day. I screamed past a spandex clad youngster at 50 miles hour. Dang it I can usually do 55+ mph on this hill, now I miss my high gear...you lazy bum you didn't want to take the time to adjust the rear derailleur.

Next I started a steep climb but I was still fresh and didn't miss my low gear...to much. The climb was followed my another good downhill run. I make these climbs so I can get an adrenaline rush going down but again not having my high gear kept my speed a little lower...you lazy bum you didn't want to take the time to adjust the rear derailleur. As a punishment for being lazy the water bottle I keep behind me popped out of it's water cage towards the end of the downhill and I didn't notice it was missing until about a half mile later (that's what that sound was). It was starting to warm up and I needed that water bottle. I took a short ride uphill to retrieve my precious bottle of H2O only to find that it had sprung a leak but was salvageable.

It's now a good two hours into my ride and it's time for a short break. I check for my power bars and they're not there. Oh...that's right I left them in my Expedition. No problem I'm close to a local bike shop and I'll stop in, say hey, and buy something to snack on. They're still closed and won't be open for another 15 minutes. I decided to wait because experience has taught me that if I don't eat and drink in a certain manner I tend to cramp up...and that's not fun.

After downing two very dry energy bars I continued on my ride. The weather was warmer then I anticipated and I was not prepared with the proper nutrition to keep my 57 old furnace functioning at maximum level and sure enough in the last couple of miles I felt the ole quads trying to cramp. I eased up my pace and all was well.

The last one third of a mile is a steep, very steep grind up to my home. Without the aid of my lowest gear I didn't want to take a chance grunting my way up the hill only to get cramped up...you lazy bum you didn't want to take the time to adjust the rear derailleur. I called Carrie and she bailed me out with a short ride home.

It wasn't a perfect ride but it is still great to ride.

When I ride my Expedition (usually with Betzi in tow) I ride relaxed and just watch the world go by and wave to folks. When I put my butt in my 700 I want to ride as hard as my repaired and aging body will let me. The only time I stop pedaling is when I can't keep up with the downhill speed of my trike or I'm taking a break. I get cheap thrills out of passing or at least staying ahead of capable looking riders. I'm 57 years old, take it easy old boy...when I ride the 700 I can't.

PS; Sorry no pictures I forgot my camera. Oh well.

Foggy Autumn Ride

2011-10-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

The trees that gave me shade during the summer now pelt me with over sized drops of liquid fog. The moist foggy air condenses on the leaves and the resulting drops have only one place to go...on me. Betrayed I continue my ride hoping that the sun will soon burn away the moisture laden air and warm my cold aching legs.

In true California style I started my ride today under-dressed for the cool foggy morning that laid ahead. With Betzi in tow my cold legs struggled to make the climbs. The sweat I worked up while climbing became my enemy on the windy down hill runs.

Right as I was finishing my ride a glorious white hot orb in the sky defeated the misty gray monster and all was good and warm again.

WHAT A GREAT RIDE!

iPhone GPS Update #2

2011-10-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

I think that I have the iPhone set up the way I want it. In addition I now have speakers (Biologic Speakers) so I can listen to some tunes...classic hard rock for climbing and music that's easy on the ears for cruising.

I took off the RAM mount (iPhone GPS) and put on a Biologic (Biologic iPhone Mount) water proof and shock mount and case. A bit of an investment but I feel that it should be worth it. After all, this whole tech exercise is to prepare for touring. The Motion X GPS (iPhone GPS) has not let me down and it's nice to have a little music on board. With the external speakers, as compared to headphones or earphones, I can still hear the traffic coming up from behind.

Picture of my iPhone in the Biologic case. On the cross member is the Biologic speaker with an 6 foot earphone extension. The speaker sits below the red steering rod on my Catrike Expedition.

Brunton Inspire power pack (iPhone GPS) connected to my iPhone with a six foot power cord extension. When riding it's tucked away in the Catrike side bag.

Overview

Another look.

My decision to use the the iPhone and the Motion X app for GPS is based on some poor reviews of the newer model Garmins especially the Garmin 800. Why spend the bucks? If the Motion X app fails me on a tour I'm out $3.99 for the app (assuming an app and not a iPhone fail) but I will still have a phone, music and good ole paper maps which I have not forgotten how to read. In addition it's one less device that I have to carry around.

The details:

-Brunton Inspire power pack

-6 foot power cord connecting the power pack to my iPhone

-iPhone

-Biologic Bike Mount for iPhone 4 to protect my iPhone from water and some vibration

-Biologic Cycle Tunes Speakers (the speakers won't blow you away but the unit is light and works well)

-Large O Ring from DiNotte Lighting to secure the speaker. The elastic band that is supplied with the speaker isn't large enough for where I put the speaker.

-6 foot earphone cord connecting the speakers to my iPhone.

Note: The RAM mount is a good mount but the iPhone is left at the mercy of the elements including spray from the front wheels when going through something as mundane as a puddle of water from over irrigated California lawns.

One More Note: I bought an extra Biologic mount (no case), power cord and earphone cord for my Catrike 700. The Biologic iPhone case, speaker and the Brunton power pack transfer easily between my two tirkes

Update 10/17/12 I've used this setup on three rides now and I'm very happy with it. It took a little while to get used to the nuances of using the iPhone for tracking and playing music at the same time. The speaker is a little weak but adequate. Also it's best not to change settings using the touch screen while bouncing around on a rough road.

Ride with Byron in Ventura

2011-09-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

My son Byron and I drove out to Ventura to catch the beginning of the Ventura River Trail and head up to Ojai along the Ojai Valley Trail. The marine layer cleared just as we began our ride and it made for a great day. The ride didn't go as planned but...just look at the pictures.

Although the Ventura River Trail (VRT) parallels the Ventura River the predominant view is of an industrial nature. At one time this area was home to a substantial oil field. Old straight drilled pumps dot the area. Some are still pumping but slowly. Riding along on this old rail road bed next to worn out tanks, oil pumps, trucking, industrial fabricaters and so on provide an interesting glimpse into the past history of this area. The ride along this area in the cool ocean air can at times seem surreal. Why does Mad Max come to mind?

The Ojai Valley Trail was closed. Come on folks you didn't post this on your Ventura County Parks Facebook page. With the VRT behind us I was ready for a nice ride under the trees to Ojai. Think, think...let's go to the beach and have a picnic.

Making our way back down the VRT to the beach.

Wow!! This ain't so bad. A day at the beach with my son, a picnic lunch...

...and a Long Board competition to entertain us.

Beautiful day.

Time to pack up and head home. Some of the best times in life are a result of a detour.

iPhone GPS Update

2011-09-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

After 6 rides the Motion X app on my iPhone (iPhone GPS) works very well providing the tracking information I want. The next problem to tackle was battery life. For $59 I purchased a Brunton Inspire power pack. It claims to be able to fully charge a smartphone 2 to 3 times. Brunton makes larger power packs as well if you like spending money. On my first ride with the iPhone/Brunton setup it kept my iPhone at 100% battery life while using the Motion X GPS for 2 1/2 hours of riding. A the end of the ride all four blue lights on the Brunton were still shining indicating between 75% and 100% battery life remaining on the Brunton.

My iPhone hooked up to the Brunton Inspire power pack using a 6 foot charger cord.

iPhone mounted on my Expedition and connected to the 6 foot charger cord.

I ran the charger cord from my phone back to the Catrike frame bag where the Brunton is happily tucked away. The charger is zip tied to my derailleur cable.

With GPS going, making calls and doing useless stuff on my phone I figure I should have two full days of riding before having to charge everything up again. When it comes time to tour this should work out just fine. Time will tell.

Check out Bicycle Traveler Magazine - Home

2011-09-23T13:09:00.001-07:00

New online bicycle touring magazine.
Check out Bicycle Traveler Magazine - Home

New Catrike Seats

2011-09-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

My old style padded Catrike seats were all twisted up and it made my trikes look cheap. Even though they performed well, for what I spent on my rides I at least expect the seats to fit properly. The seats on my Expedition and 700 twisted in opposite directions thus eliminating the thought that I have a twisted riding style. Furthermore the twisting issue was not exclusive to my trikes. After doing a little research I discovered that the first generation padded seats were having a problem with twisting. I contacted Catrike and they asked me to first try to make some adjustments...which I did. It didn't work and in addition some of the adjustment buckles on the back of the seats were maxed out...no more strap to tighten. In the end Catrike sent me new second generation padded seats for both my Expedition and 700. THANK YOU CATRIKE!

The Old Seats

The New Seats. No Twisting After One Ride.

Good Start!

UPDATE 9/26/11 - On my Expedition I've taken the new seat for four rides already and it's holding it's shape. Yea!

iPhone GPS

2011-09-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

I may have been down and out for awhile but my brain didn't stop working...uuuhhhhh. During the time that I wasn't able to ride I did some mapping for a Pacific Coast tour that I want to take in May of next year. I'm old school and I like to have a map in hand as my primary guide, no batteries required. However I'm not from the Paleolithic age so having a little technology along on the ride is welcomed. What's hard for me to stomach is the high cost of dedicated GPS/tracking devices with all the bells and whistles costing hundreds of dollars. All I want is a device that can track and it's already in my pocket...my iPhone. I read good reviews for Motion X a GPS tracking app for $3.99 (a little cheaper then a Garmin). I tried it yesterday for a 12 mile ride ( I'm Back ) and it worked well. I'll keep trying it until I'm confident that it is dependable for a longer tour. There is still a chance that I might fork over some big bucks for a dedicated GPS if the Motion X app doesn't measure up.

Motion X GPS app on iPhone

The Basics:

I start off by mapping out a ride on Ride With GPS ( ridewithgps.com ). I then load the GPX track file from Ride With GPS to the Motion X app on my iPhone via iTunes. When I ride I simply turn it on and pick the right menu choices and then follow my pre-mapped track. You can also record a track while riding with the Motion X. Battery life is short with the Motion X running. I calculate that you use up to 75% of my battery in less then 4 hours. I'm now researching auxiliary batteries and charging systems.

It is not my goal to end up with a load of electric equipment so I'll figure out what works for me over the next month or two.

The Mount:

RAM bicycle mount for iPhone mounted on my Catrike 700. The band at the top of the phone is an O ring for a DiNotte light. I use it to secure the iPhone in the cradle. The cradle itself is tight but I'm afraid a good size pot hole might encourage the phone to pop out. I bought a bunch of small and large O rings from DiNotte. They are strong, flexible and have a ton of uses.

A view from underneath. The cradle can be removed from it's base when it's not used.

One last look from a different angle. The stub that holds the iPhone and Computer is an add on I purchased at Bent Up Cycles when I bought my trike.

I'm Back Riding Again

2011-09-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

Being 10 days out from hip surgery I took my first real ride since August 7th (I'm not counting my token ride at the Cool Breeze Century). I took a short 12 mile /899 foot gain ride with Betzi in tow.

Looking good in my Bent Up Cycles jersey!

All systems go:
1. Cardiovascular system surprisingly in good working condition.
2. Strength is better then I anticipated after sitting on my duff for the last few weeks.
3. No pain during the ride and minimal pain after the ride. Nothing a couple of ibuprofen can't take care of.
4. A little rusty on putting my water bottle in it's holder behind my head. Oh well...who's watching anyways.
5. The endorphin rush is still alive and waiting for a downhill on my 700.
6. I gained a couple of pounds sitting around but that won't last long.

It was a great morning for a ride and it was good to feel the breeze on my face again.

Cool Breeze Century - Picture of Yours Truly

2011-09-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

This picture of ME was taken at the start of the Cool Breeze.

Thanks Joel for sending the pic.

My picture of the photographers.

Another Hip Surgery

2011-09-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

I had my hip sliced and diced yesterday and today I hooked my CycleOps up to my Expedition and did a little spinning. I should be taking easy rides within a week. YEAH! I heed my doctors words, he told me that I can't do any damage by exercising, I'll only feel pain. Pain I'm okay with if I'm headed in a positive direction.

I can't end a post without a picture so here's one of my hip...from the inside.

The fuzzy stuff is the torn cartilage in my hip.

Byron Gets a 700

2011-08-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

I finally gave in and bought Byron his own Catrike 700. Changing the setup on my 700 so Byron could ride it was becoming a hassle and it was wearing out the front derailleur cable. Awhile ago I bought him a standard diamond frame bicycle but he still preferred to ride the 700. He rides a mountain bike on the dirt but on the road and trails the 700 is too much fun to ride.

With about $300 worth of parts that I had already accumulated for Byron to use on my 700 (boom, crank, pedals and front derailleur) and an old headrest I was was able to keep the cost under control with Dana's help at Bent Up Cycles.

JV handing the 700 over to Byron

Yesterday we ventured into the depths of the San Fernando Valley with it's triple digit temps and terrible traffic that caused some colorful language to escape my pursed lips and find it's way to Byron's innocent teenager ears. Finally we walk into an air conditioned Bent Up Cycles to be greeted by JV and Kate. Off to the side sat Byron's new ride. We packed the 700 into my car and reluctantly said goodbye to JV and headed back into the bowels of the San Fernando Valley and headed home. We soon left the San Fernando Valley and entered the cooler temps of the Conejo Valley and our home in Agoura Hills with Byon's new Catrike 700.

Three Year Cycling Plan

2011-08-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Leili, Carrie and Byron

Now that I’m forced to stay off the trike for the next 4 or maybe 5 weeks waiting to recover from hip surgery I can use the time to take advantage of the ole brain to plan future rides and set goals. So while I’m still on the younger side of being old I want to get out and tour. Even though I would be leaving Carrie and the kids behind for awhile it’s easy to stay connected and it'll make coming home all that much sweeter.

Ready to ride up the coast at the
age of 19. I had hair then and cool socks.

Okay yeah so…since I’ve turned 50 which was seven years ago I’ve had knee, shoulder, back (2x), left hip and now right hip surgery. Nothing else can go wrong…right? Right. All the breathing and circulatory apparatus is in great working condition. I have minimal to no arthritis and drinking good beer and margaritas haven’t done any damage.

There are two rides that I want to accomplish, first I want to tour the Pacific coast in May of 2012 from Oregon to Ventura, California (any further south of Ventura is too much City to ride through). Then for my 60^th birthday I want to ride a TransAm starting in the late spring of 2014. I turn the big 6-0 on December 20^th 2013.

Home away from home...yeah right it
use to be until the ground started
getting hard.

I have no intention of having support on either ride. Personally the trill of accomplish is diminished by not having to carry my own “life support” with me. Furthermore the option to bail out and hop in a carbon burning vehicle when the going gets tough is too easy. Being unsupported on a cycling tour means camping, cheap motels and an occasional splurge on lodging. As I get older the ground seems to be getting harder so I will try to avoid camping as much as possible.

I'll probably ride alone for the one very simple reason…I find that I always win any argument that I have with myself. If I want to stay an extra day in some cool place and “smell the roses” then that’s the way it'll be. If I want to make a stop at a micro-brewery that adds an extra day to the tour then that’s the way it'll be and so on. That being said anybody want to take a ride?

In between tours I plan on doing event rides such as the Lighthouse Century along the central coast, a century in the wine country and other rides where I can discover more of California and possibly Oregon.

When batteries die there is always good
ole reliable foldout maps.

Ready to go!! Well soon.

As for right now I have a few weeks to do nothing but sit, think and plan. I already have the Adventure Cycling maps and I’m starting to map the Pacific coast ride for my gps. The pain of recovering from hip surgery may stop me from riding my trike but it won't stop me from thinking about riding it.

UPDATED 2/2/12
New Cycling Plan

Cool Breeze Century - Video by Glenn Frank

2011-08-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Bent Up Cycles

at the Cool Breeze

A great video, as always, from Glenn Frank.

Cool Breeze Century - The Ride

2011-08-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

Bent Up Cycles

at the Cool Breeze.

It was a great day for a ride. A marine layer at the beach kept it cool. I'm not sure how many "bent" riders actually showed up but it seemed to be close to 30 and I can say we made a good showing. Of course we got our share of looks but from my prospective it all seemed positive. All in all Joel Roberts did a fantastic job of pulling a bunch of riders together.

Bents start showing up for the ride.

Pictures being taken. There's a Cruzbike in our group. See it?

Joel arranged to have the whole thing put on video. Video cam on the left.

Joel is leading the choir...not really, just lining everyone up for a group photo.

Joel still sharing words of wisdom.

Ready to go!! There's Joel standing in the middle waiting for me to get back so he can take a picture. I'm a coming.

We be ready!!

Uh...can we go now?

JV is in no hurry.

We're moving!!

Make room boys..."bents" coming through.

We made it to the official start line. More pictures and video being taken or the two folks in middle of the street just like to sit in traffic.

Finally on the road...well bike path.

Now we're on the road.

Back onto another bike path that runs along Hwy 101.

More pictures and video links coming soon.

Joel, let's do it again next year!!

-----------------------

I cannot tell a lie, I only road for 5 miles and then turned back. Two weeks ago my right hip bit the dust (back in April it was my left hip). I'll have surgery in a couple of weeks. I did not want to miss this large gathering of "bents" so I at the very least I showed up to meet everyone, take photos and take a short ride before turning back. Having to turn around and watch the rest of the riders disappear off into the morning gloom was very disappointing and hard to do but I couldn't get much cooperation out of my lousy hip. It was a lonely ride back. Two months from now I'll be as good as new (well at least in working order) and I'll be ready for next year's round of Century rides.

Proof that I was at the ride. Nobody has tell how many miles I rode.

Cool Breeze Century - Last Minute Info

2011-08-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Cool Breeze Century

There will be 31 "bent" riders at the Cool Breeze Century. All riders should have received an email with last minute information.

If you haven't seen Joel's email here it is:

Email sent from Joel - Friday the 19th.

Dear Fellow Bent Riders,

We are thrilled to have with us you for our first ever Recumbent Invasion at the Cool Breeze!

Here are a few last minute reminders:

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER -- If you're in town, we're all meeting at 6:00 at the Ventura Beach Marriott Hotel, Pacifico's Restaurant (in the hotel) 2055 East Harbor Boulevard · Ventura, California 93001 USA. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/maps/travel/oxrvb-ventura-beach-marriott/. From the 101, take Seaward Ave. exit towards the water, turn Right onto E. Harbor Blvd and it's about 100 feet down on your left. Can't miss it.

DON'T WORRY IF YOU CAN'T BE THERE AT 6. WE'LL BE THERE FOR A WHILE, AND PEOPLE WILL BE ARRIVING PROBABLY UP UNTIL 8PM. JUST COME WHENEVER YOU CAN!

SATURDAY MORNING MEETING POINT - GROUP PHOTO -- 7:00 AM -- VERY IMPORTANT! -- at the official "Ride Start" location: Ventura Unified School District Education Service Center located at 255 W. Stanley Avenue, Ventura, CA 93001. Here's where we're meeting --

As you drive through the VSDESC gate, we'll be about 150 feet straight ahead on a grassy area on your left, at the far end of a big building. (NOTE: As you drive through the gate into the parking lot, you'll probably be directed to go to the right to park. However, even though you can't drive straight, the road through the gate continues straight and there're vendors on in and a big building on your left where the meal will be at the end of the ride. We'll be stationed at the far end of that building. It's a small area and really easy to find -- just look for the flags and the trikes!)

Be sure to arrive at the location early and take care of your registration and unloading before 7. Bring your rig to the photo shoot and we'll all ride out together from there.

DIRECTIONS TO THE START POINT PARKING LOT -- To get to the VSDESC, take HWY 101 to HWY 33 toward Ojai. Take the first exit, Stanley Ave., turning right onto Stanley and immediately left into the VUSD facility. (Alternate Route: Ventura Avenue, west on Stanley Ave. VUSD is on your right just before the freeway entrance.)

PHOTOGRAPHY -- We have a professional still photographer AND a professional videographer coming to capture us in all our glory. They'll be with us all day but right before the ride out is our one chance for a great group shot, so be there or be square! And don't be surprised if you're asked for a brief, on-camera interview at the rest stops or throughout the day. We'd love to hear your stories and find out more about you and your beloved rig.

Also, remember to WEAR LAYERS. The forecast calls for a 10 degree rise in the temperature, from 60° - 70° over the course of the day. Personally, I think the fluctuation could be wider. Last year, I started with three upper layers, gloves and long tights, and ended up in shorts with my jersey unzipped!

RIDE OUT -- 7:30 AM. We'll all ride out together and capture this on video, until we divide up into the different routes.

BRING CAMERAS! -- Please take photos along the way - especially of all of us on our rigs. We'll be creating a Flicker site so we can all share these photos with each other. And, with your permission, we'd like to be able to use some of the shots on the Bent Up website and in our Cool Breeze movie.

SATURDAY EVENING DINNER -- We're going to be having dinner at 5:30 at Capriccio, 298 East Main St., Ventura, CA, 805-643-7115. http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=capriccio+restaurant+ventura&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Inexpensive, casual but excellent Italian food. There's a parking lot nearby on Main Street. If you're still in town, please join us!

That's it for now. Can't wait to see you all!

We've got 31 riders!

Joel

Cool Breeze Century - Registration Resale Site

2011-08-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Cool Breeze Century

The Cool Breeze Century registration is closed but riders can still purchase a spot from the CIBC Cool Breeze resale site (Cool Breeze resgistration resale site)

Cool Breeze Century - Facebook Page

2011-08-09T21:31:00.000-07:00

Cool Breeze Century

The CIBC Cool Breeze Century now has a Facebook page that they started on August 3rd. Check it out.

Cool Breeze Facebook page

Cool Breeze Century - Ride with JV

2011-08-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

Cool Breeze Century

JV (aka Jim Verheul) from Bent Up Cycles and a member of the 2010 Bent Up Cycles RAAM team will be joining us to ride at the Cool Breeze in less then two weeks on August 20th. It'll be great to have Jim join the "bent up" gang

Maybe JV will let us draft him for a little while.

Cool Breeze Century - Past Recumbents

2011-08-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

Cool Breeze Century

I checked out the CIBC website to see if I could find pictures of recumbents from previous Cool Breeze Centuries. Here they are...all two of them.

2010 Cool Breeze

One trike surrounded by wedgies

Here you go...a close up. See her now?

I don't know who this young lady is but hopefully she'll show up for the 2011 Cool Breeze. At least she won't be a lone triker this year.

2009 Cool Breeze

I don't know who's riding this LWB bike but hopefully he'll come out for the 2011 Cool Breeze as well.

Maybe there were more "bent" riders in past years but the pictures don't tell much. This years pictures should tell a different story. We'll have plenty of bent up cycles for the lens to capture!!

Our "bent up" leader Joel has also arranged to have pictures taken. I also expect a cool video out of Glenn Frank from Orange County. Take a look at Glen's Videos

Cool Breeze Century - Group Contact Info

2011-08-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

Cool Breeze Century

After signing up with the Cool Breeze Century stay in touch with the "bent" riders group by sending Joel Roberts (our "Bent Up" leader) an email and let him know you're ready to go. Joel will communicate with the group about meet ups and whatever else he has on his mind. He's also keeping track of how many riders will be in our group and the route they'll be riding.

If you're not signed up yet and have questions about the ride and our "bent up" group please contact Joel and ask away.

Joel's email is:

joelroberts@mac.com

Information to include when contacting Joel:

Contact information

Route that you will be riding

Are you arriving Friday evening or Saturday morning?

Hotel where you'll be staying (if arriving Friday)

What will you be riding?

Anything else that's on your mind

______________________________________________________

Other general information

According to the Cool Breeze registration site some of the routes are over 80% full.

Meal tickets are available for non-riders at $15 per person.

Registration price increases on August 14th.

The Cool Breeze organizers know that we're coming so let's not disappoint them. It'll be fun so if you haven't already signed up go ahead and sign up now.

If you're still not sure about signing up then contact Joel and ask those questions. The Cool Breeze has a route for everyone!

Cool Breeze Century - Recumbent Style

2011-08-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

28 "bent up" bike and trike riders have already signed up for the Cool Breeze Century in Ventura, CA and more are expected!!

Registration is still open

Ride date: Saturday, August 20th

Read more about the Cool Breeze and sign up here: Cool Breeze Century

Thanks to the efforts of Joel Roberts and Dana at Bent Up Cycles recumbent riders from Ventura to Orange County will be joining the ride. This is a great opportunity to show off our rides and to let everyone know that we're cyclists too!

Click here for: Cool Breeze routes.

The Mini Metric and the Metric seem to be the most popular for the "bents" that have signed up already.

Mini Metric 38 miles, 300+ gain

Metric 60 miles, 1500+ gain

Century 100 miles, 3,500+ gain

Double metric, 124 miles, 8,500+ gain

I'll post updates as we approach the ride date Saturday, August 20th.
___________________________________________

Bent Up Cycles RAAM Announcement

"Official RAAM team announcement. Dana Lieberman, Allan Duhm (FL), Chris Kaiser (NC), and Larry Graham (OH) are forming a team to compete in RAAM 2012. Alex Miller (TN) is our first alternate and Team Administrator. Watch for more announcements in coming weeks and ways you can get involved. Woo hoo! Here we go again! :)" Dana Lieberman

Picture from 2010 RAAM

Tattoo Break Again

2011-07-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

Took a fast paced ride on my 700 last Sunday knowing that I won't be riding again till this coming weekend. Why? Another tattoo break. Tattoo Break July 12th

Two to three times during the week I usually take Betzi on a ride. She'll have to wait till next week. I've decided to sacrifice our rides this week for 5 hours of pain and 3 days of healing. That doesn't make any sense...does it? Oh well, if we're always trying to make sense out of what we do, life can get pretty dull.

Next week girl

Picture of Betzi courtesy of my daughter Leili

Beach Bums on Trikes

2011-07-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

Byron and I headed out to the beach today to ride trikes with some new friends. We started our ride in Venice and soon passed Marina Del Rey and ended up in Manhattan Beach. The overcast of clouds kept the ride cool. Excellent summer day at the beach.

Leaving our meeting area and headed to the beach

Riding through the park at Marina Del Rey

My boy Byron cruising through the park

Still in the park but not for long

Ahh...the beach bike path and headed to Manhattan beach

Beach bum #1, my son Byron

Beach bum #2

Beach bum #3 being pursued by the rest of the gang

Beach bum #4 followed by beach bum #5

Beach bum #5 (aka Joel Roberts) with his beautiful wife

Back home and ready to unpack...soon

Just Another Sunday Ride

2011-07-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since I last rode (I had to let the tattoo heal). I took my usual weekend 34 mile ride with over 2,000 feet of gain. I averaged over 14 miles per hour. Nothing to brag about but it was a respectable average with a 2,000+ gain. The best thing about climbing is going back down. My maximum speed was 50mph. It's not my fastest, I can only spin up to 40 mph and then it's all gravity after that. I need bigger hills! Regardless it feels incredibly stable on the 700. With the 700's low center of gravity and with me sticking my big ole head way outboard I can keep good speed in the curves. I can't imagine that there is any trike that can perform better at speed.

I had nothing better to do then take these pictures of my 700 while taking a break and chomping down on a power bar.

Tattoo Break

2011-07-12T08:31:00.000-07:00

Just finished sitting for another 4 hours of pain. 8 to 10 more hours to go. Down side of getting inked is that I have to take a break for 3 days from riding my trikes...can't get dirty and sweaty.

If you ask why I can only say "because I can". I could get all zenny and spiritual but the bottom line is that many years of roll playing as a builder and developer of industrial buildings are over. I retired from roll playing many years ago and I'm enjoying life, family and crazy looking recumbent trikes.

Rob Hill at Tattz.com

Smoked by Handcycles

2011-07-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

On my second loop around Westlake on my 700 I passed these two guys on their handcycles. I'm doing about 18 to 20mph and the next thing I know they're coming up right behind me on the flats and passed me. These two guys with their rock hard arms proved that they're out to play and play hard. They were drafting each other and at times it looked like they were connected. It was Awesome!

After they passed me we settled into an easy rhythm and that's when I took this picture. Eventually the grade changed to an incline and I had to say goodbye as I passed them and continued on with my ride.

Regardless of what we ride we're all cyclists and it's all good. So why are there still some ad plastered roadies who still won't give you the time of day unless you're riding a traditional bike? Ahhh...who cares!

RIDE ON

Cool Breeze Century

2011-07-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

I signed up for the Cool Breeze Century (Cool Breeze Century) after getting a call from Joel a local (I use the term local loosely) trike rider. He's putting together a few trikers, with the help of Dana at Bent Up Cycles, to ride in the Cool Breeze in August. Originally I wasn't going to sign up because I thought I might be the only rider that prefers to sit on his butt instead of his nuts.

I look forward to meeting new bent up folk, especially ones that prefer three wheels.

Sunscreen Time

2011-07-07T15:27:00.000-07:00

I've gotten four rides in so far this month and they've all been sunny and hot days. My poor white skin would be fried by now without sunscreen.

Odds and Ends Fixes

2011-07-04T12:55:00.000-07:00

My water bottles have been trying to work their way out of these fancy Bonrager composite material (plastic) water cages on both my Expedition and 700. More so on the 700 because of faster speeds and less cush over rough pavement. So I replaced them with the more standard Bonrager "hollow 6061-T6 aluminum tube" cages. You can make anything sound cool with the right description.

Expedition

700

Note: The cages are mounted to the frame using a Catrike Rack Adapter Kit from the Hostel Shop. That and a piece of old tube secure the cages nicely in place.

Next Fix

The Airzound horn on my Expedition has a lousy mounting system. It's a great horn and I wanted to keep it. Simple fix...I used a, DiNotte lighting, large rubber O-ring to hold it in place. Works fine and comes off easily when necessary.

New Crankset for the 700

2011-07-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

I replaced the 50/34 FSA SL-K compact double with a 52/39/30 FSA SL-K triple. The lowest gear is 27 gear inches with the new triple versus 31 gear inches with the old compact. It's the edge I needed for the steep grades on long rides. The highest gear is now 137 gear inches versus the 132 gear inches with the old crankset. Nice!

If you ask me why I went with another expensive carbon crank I could go on about weight and maybe other tech stuff but the truth is it just looks reeeeally good. I sold the old compact so the damage to the wallet wasn't that bad.

Still no Sun

2011-06-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

June gloom is hanging over my head.

Had a little bit of mist hitting my face as I began my ride but not enough to stop me from getting the last ride of the week in on my 700. I enjoyed a fast paced ride and now I'm ready to be with my kids on this Fathers Day

That's all I have to say. Bye.

June Gloom

2011-06-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's not always sunny in Southern California. I've been wussing out the last few days and giving in to Southern California June gloom but I needed an endorphin fix. Instead of taking a long ride on my 700 I opted for a shorter ride with Betzi on my Expedition. Still a wuss I wanted to be closer to home just in case it got wet. I loaded Betzi in her trailer and we took a cool but much needed ride.

New Crankset for Expedition

2011-06-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

I needed to do something to smooth out the shifting on the crankset and still be able to easily tow Betzi on her many rides. Replacing the 24t low gear with the a 26t (26t chainring installed) smoothed out the shifting a little bit but it was far from ideal. SO...I put on a mountain bike crankset.

I stopped guessing the weight of my Expedition and actually put a scale to it. With all the luxuries it tipped the scale at 60 plus pounds. Now add 30 pounds of trailer and 40 plus pounds of pooch I'm grinding 130 plus pounds. So I took a whole new approach to setting up the crankset...I put on a mountain bike crankset. I now have a 44/32/22 triple crankset which gives me a sweet low gear at 18 gear inches and high gear clocking in at a whopping 104 gear inches. Now I spin out at about 27 mph. The old high gear was 123 gear inches and I would spin out at about 35mph. No loss...I'll use the 700 when I have a need for speed. I shouldn't be going that fast with Betzi hanging on in her trailer anyway. The gear inches are more in line with what you get when you buy a stock trike with a 20" wheel.

New crankset specs:
FSA V Drive MegaExo
781 grams
44/32/22
170mm cranks which all of my 6'1' is comfortable with and I feel gives me more power.
Q factor is 170mm which is typical for a MTB setup. My old crankset had a Q factor of 157mm. For those of us stuck in the old world it means that there is 1/2 inch more width between cranks.

I took a 17 mile ride today with the new setup and it was nice!! Smooth shifting and the low gear is a luxury up hills. The larger Q factor was barely noticed. Although a few more rides will tell if the larger width (all of 1/2 inch) between cranks has any impact on my aging infrastructure.

Lighthouse Century

2011-06-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

I signed up for the Lighthouse Century (Lighthouse Century) for September 24th, 2011.

It's a ride along the central coast from San Luis Obispo to Cambria, Ca. I love this part of the California Coast. Obviously other folks also like this part of the coast because the ride sells out within a few hours. The only way to be part of the ride and it's support is to wait until someone wants to sell there spot on the Lighthouse Century transfer sight.

Now the only decision that I have to make is whether to ride the "flat" 100 mile century or the "hilly" metric century. The "hilly" metric century is the front runner. The climb may be a little tough but the downhill on hwy 46 would be too much fun to pass up. Or...I should do the "hilly" 100 mile century? Time will tell. (Lighthouse Century routes)

Estero Bay with the Family

Just North of Cayucos and South of Cambria

This is typical of the coastline along the route of the Lighthouse Century
_____________________________

Update August 2011 - I sold my reservation to the Lighthouse Century because of my a scheduled hip surgery. Next year..

Road ID Bracelet

2011-06-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

When County Rescue is scrapping you off the ground after Ms. Soccer Mom in her giant gas sucking SUV with tinted windows and chrome wheels turns you into road kill it would be nice for someone to know who you are. Just kidding...the windows aren't tinted.

Cool ID I found out about from Backpacker magazine.

Click here Road ID

Carrie Sending Me Off

2011-06-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

My honey sending me off on one of my adventures.

Carrie

Betzi - Time to Walk

2011-05-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

The ride today was our usual 17 miles and 1,463 foot elevation gain. Cycling feels great on the hip but walking long distances is still a pain. "Bent up" is the way to go!!

We've come to our first hill and I just took Betzi out of her trailer. She's ready to walk.

Betzi is taking a water break after walking up the second hill. I'll put her back in the trailer for a nice downhill run. I only let her walk the hills in residential areas. On the busy streets she stays in the trailer and that's when I get my exercise as I grind up the hills on these main streets while pulling Betzi. It's all good.

My Thoughts on Recumbent Cycling

2011-05-23T20:36:00.000-07:00

In two and a half years I've had shoulder surgery, lower and upper back surgery and now hip surgery. The thought of having to ride a traditional bicycle who's technology is over 100 years old causes me pain just to ponder the idea.

Recumbent cycling isn't just about old farts like me who are falling apart and refuse to give up an active lifestyle. It's first and foremost about state of the art cycling that is not limited by the archaic rules of the UCI which governs bicycle racing today.

On April 1st, 1934 recumbents were banned from racing in UCI sanctioned races. They had an unfair advantage due to their aerodynamic shape. They were simply to fast. As is human nature change is not easily accepted and rules were established that strictly defined the dimensions of a racing bicycle and thus the recumbent was destined to suffer many years in obscurity.

Photo above: Francis Faure breaking the world hour record in 1933. Photo from "Human Power" vol 11 no 3

All human powered speed, time and distance records are held by recumbent cycles. Here are just a few:

Sam Whittingham world speed record set at 81 mph.

Barbara Buatois women's world speed record set at 75 mph.

Christian von Ascheberg 24 hour distance record in a Velomobile trike, 766 miles averaging 31 mph.

Maria Parker womens 100 mile time record with a time of 4 hours and 27 minutes averaging 22.5 mph.

____ ____

On another note my local bike shop owner Dana and his Bent Up Cycles team placed third out of 11 teams in the under 50 - 4 man team in the Race Across America (RAAM).

Even though I ride for reasons other then being competitive and setting records (like not wanting a bicycle saddle suck up my butt and shoulders, back and neck getting sore) I ride with good company in the world of recumbent cycling. Thanks to people like Dana at Bent Up Cycles and many more, recumbent cycling will never again pass into obscurity.

One could only imagine what the Tour de France would be like if the racers could choose the bicycle technology that is best suited for each race segment.

Short, Fast and Sweet Ride

2011-05-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

I had a small window of time to take a ride this morning before having to move onto other activities for the day, so I took a short 10 mile ride on the 700. The old hip is recovering nicely. Even after having to stop at four red lights on the downhill I averaged 15 mph over 770 feet of elevation gain.

I had hip surgery April 7th and started riding on the road again May 11th. This is my 4th ride since Dr. T repaired my hip. After every ride I pay for it with a bit of increased hip pain that lasts for awhile. In the long haul it will pay off.

Riding without pulling Betzi in her trailer behind my Expedition feels like flying.

Sorry girl, I'll take you next week. Tomorrow it's just me and the 700 again.

On the Road Again

2011-05-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

Today’s ride didn’t suffer the calamities of Wednesday’s ride, the first ride since I had hip surgery (First Ride with Repaired Hip). I rode a modest 12 miles with a little over 900 feet of elevation gain. It was enough for me to determine that after five weeks of not riding, my aging infrastructure hasn’t deteriorated as much I though. Spinning in the garage probably helped.

I woke up to rain and I submitted to the thought of not being able to ride today. I went back to sleep only to awake later to discover that the rain had moved on. Sure enough by 8:30 I was on the road with Betzi with scattered clouds dotting the clear blue sky and a cool breeze. The day turned out to be the nicest day of the year.

Short MUP through the park

As I came closer to the end of my ride I found myself going slower. I wasn't tired I just didn't want the ride to end. The weather was perfect and there was very little traffic. I even encountered some friendly drivers. Not wanting to push my recovery from surgery I inched my way home enjoying the last few moments on the road.

I refused to let the perfect day go to waste so after my ride the kids, Carrie and I spent most of the day hanging in our back yard playing with Betzi. I spent the last hours of the day with Carrie sharing a jug of beer from a local micro brewery while listening to Byron make Leili laugh somewhere inside the house.

First Ride With Repaired Hip

2011-05-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

It was a bad start to my first ride since my hip betrayed me on March 22nd. It’s been five weeks since arthroscopic hip surgery and it was time to stop spinning in the garage and hit the pavement.

Ready to go with Betzi in her trailer...hold on not so fast!!

Before heading down the hill from home I took a quick ride up my street to make sure the trike was shifting properly after changing out the 24t granny with a 26t gear and installing a new chain. Long story short…I spent 20 minutes adjusting the front derailleur while all the time Leili was taking pictures and a video. The video I won’t post because I was using some colorful language.

I thought all was well and I headed down the hill. After focusing on the adjustment between the middle chainring and the low one I neglected to test the adjustment between the middle and high chainwheel. The derailleur was hitting on the chainring guard so I decided that I could do without the large chainring for this ride and kept going.

During the ride I had about a 50/50 chance of the chain shifting down to the granny gear without falling off. I can live with those odds. I didn’t want to give up on my ride so I kept going, knowing that I could fix the problems later when I return home. At home I will be able to take the time to adjust everything right.

All things considered I was having a good ride until about two miles away from home the new chain I installed broke. With a couple of well chosen words I got off my chariot and looked at the damage. Luckily there was no damage to the front or rear derailleur. I parked the trike and took Betzi out of her trailer and proceeded to fix the chain. Fixing the chain is easy the challenge comes trying to thread what seams like 100 feet of chain through both derailleurs, tubes, idler and over sprockets and chainring without it getting it kinked and dirty. At home I can stretch out the entire width of chain on a clean garage floor and just pull it through without kinks. I wasn’t about ready to clean the public sidewalk so it took a little longer then usual to get the job done.

When I got home I took care of all the problems and now I'm good to go again. Regardless of the events of the day it was good to get out. I did a slow 10.6 miles with 782 feet elevation gain.

Leili - my official photographer.

26t Granny Gear

2011-05-02T14:49:00.000-07:00

Even though I said that I was going to stick with the 24t granny gear (Review of Grandpa's Granny Gear) I went ahead and put on the 26t granny gear. I'm just getting plain ole bored waiting for my hip to get to the point where I can stop spinning in the garage and get out on the road. I also put a new chain on to accommodate the outward boom adjustment that should put less pressure on my old and battered hips.

As soon as I get back on the road I'll decide if the 26t gear makes shifting a little smoother without sacrificing the ability to climb steep kills with a heavy load...like when towing Betzi.

Spin Spin Spin

2011-04-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

Recovery from hip surgery is slower then I expected. I plan on taking the trike off the Cycle-Ops in a couple weeks and take it to an area when the hills are a little kinder. For now I'm just spinning in the garage.

Hip Surgery

2011-04-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

OUCH

Arthroscopic surgery to my left hip on April 7th.

Saw the doctor today, April 14th. Words used to describe the condition of my hip cartilage were torn, shredded, delaminated and folded.

No riding for awhile but I started spinning in the garage on my Catrike Expedition.

Piriformis - huh?

2011-03-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

Piriformis is the name of the little sucker that as caused the pain in my butt and my old nemesis "sciatica" to rear it's ugly head. Unlike my last bout with sciatica which was a spinal issue that was corrected by a skilled surgeon (as opposed to a butcher) this latest little problem is under my control.

Through my research and reading the BROL forums I have discovered the secrets of the Piriformis. It's a muscle that makes up the group of muscles called the Gluteus Maximus. A small percentage of us are unfortunate enough to have the sciatic nerve run through this small muscle.

Riding a recumbent cycle not only strengthens the piriformis along with the other muscles taking up residence in the butt region but it can also cause irritation and down right pain. For the few of us "lucky ones" when this muscle is sore and irritated it can cause pinching of the sciatic nerve sending pain down the leg. Bad news is that both of my muscles are sore. Good news is that the piriformis is only messing with my sciatic nerve on my right side. Yippee!

But wait...there is more good news...really ...there is! The problem is not beyond being managed.
The remedy:
1. Stretch before and after riding.
2. Stretch everyday even if not riding.
3. Strengthen core muscles (alot of fun).
4. Take easier rides for awhile. For me this means pulling less weight and leave Betzi and her trailer at home or find rides with less elevation gain.
5. More stretching.
6. Take Ibuprofen cause I'm getting too old to suffer.
7. Patience.

UPDATE 3/30/11: Left side pain turned out to be torn cartilage in my hip. Slice and dice time.

First Ride of Spring

2011-03-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

It was raining on the first day of Spring
so I took a ride on the second day of Spring.

Review of Grandpa's Granny Gear

2011-03-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

Cruising in Low Gear

I’ve now been riding my Catrike Expedition with the 24T granny gear since I installed it back in February of 2010 Granny Gear for Grandpa. It replaced the stock 30T small chainwheel. I also have a 26T chainwheel that I bought at the same time as the 24T. It was my intent to try the 26T after messing around with the 24T. I never did bother testing the 26T. I’ve become comfortable with the temperamental shifting of the 24T and we finally understand each other.

The 24T gives me the ease of climbing hills while towing Betzi’s trailer and in return I give it the patience needed when shifting from the middle 39T chainwheel down to the 24T and back again to the 39T. In particular the drop down to the 24T from 39T takes a little care and faithful fine tuning of the derailleur to avoid the chain dropping when making the plunge. No speed shifting allowed.

The Granny gear makes it easy to go as slow as 2 miles per up one of our steep California hills and still maintain a comfortable cadence.

The low gear on my Expedition is in sharp contrast to the lowest gear on my Catrike 700. The Expedition’s low gear is 19 gear inches and the 700 with its compact double is 35 gear inches. The weight difference between the two machines makes up for the lack of a super low gear on the 700

Time to Ride Again

2011-03-12T20:22:00.000-08:00

6 Days Later

The pull in my butt muscle or more appropriately gluteus maximus is 80% better. I didn't want to wait any longer to get back out on the road so I hooked Betzi's trailer up to the "beast" (my Catrike Expedition) and away we went. My hind end was still a little sore when I got back from my ride but nothing to cry about. Old muscles just take a little longer to heal.

Byron giving me a hand getting Betzi in her trailer.

I did a slow 17 mile ride with a little more then 1,400 feet of elevation gain. If it wasn't for the 1,400+ elevation gain and 115 pounds of trike, trailer and dog a 17 mile ride would feel like a walk in the park.

Ride with GPS

Pain in the Butt

2011-03-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

Yep, Just a Pain in the Butt

I'll have to stay off the trike for the rest of this week. I pulled a muscle in the ole gluteus maximus. Lesson learned...even when there is only twenty feet of very steep hill to climb riding a recumbent is all about gearing and planning ahead to be in the right gear when the elevation takes a quick turn for the worse. I can't just stand up and use my weight to move the crank. It's especially important to choose the right gears when you're cranking 115 pounds of trike, trailer and dog. Since backing up a trailer is difficult at best, Next time I'll just get off my butt and change the gears by hand.

Because of my semi-advanced age, 57 to be exact, it will probably take about 3 to 4 days to get "bent up" again.

Sorry Betzi but I'll probably take a ride over the weekend without you and your 45 pounds worth of dog and 30 pounds of trailer. You'll have to find another way to occupy your time. How about the piano?

Ride Through Suburban Wasteland

2011-03-08T13:06:00.000-08:00

Into the Waste Land

The words waste land will generally cause a person to envision our beautiful Southwest deserts. So wrong...the waste land is just a few miles from my home. I cycled a different route today with Betzi in tow and encountered the waste land. It was a disturbing vision of human waste...(see by Family Journal for my Rant)

http://mybentupjournal.blogspot.com/2011/03/into-waste-land.html

This is one of many large homes with very very large lawns. Slowing cycling through this area gave me plenty of time to take in the overwhelming waste. For a lack of better words it gave me the "creeps" to see how our limited resources are being wasted to water lawns, very large lawns!!

I had the chance to clear my head by taking my usual short cut through the open space area.

Cycling gives us the opportunity to truly know the world

around us.

Passing on the Left

2011-02-27T15:15:00.000-08:00

When I ride my Catrike 700 I can maintain speeds that allow me to hang with or pass many traditional bicycles. Passing some of these riders can be comical. Their reaction always brings a smile to my face. No rider worth his or her wieght in spandex expects a three wheeled chariot to pass them. Sometimes we’ll meet up down the road at a signal and have a short light hearted exchange. It’s all good fun.

BUT…there are times when it is not so comical such as today. On a bit of a downhill I was waiting for a break in traffic on a busy street so I could pass a rider. I cranked it up to 40mph and went into the traffic lane to pass. The rider, wearing the proper couture, decides that he’ll have nothing to do with an old man passing on a trike of all things. He starts pumping like a mad man. Needless to say I was in the traffic lane for much longer then I planned. Luckily I had some good speed going and the cars behind me were slow to catch up. In the end, as I was starting to pull ahead, he must have realized that he was no match for the old guy and his trike and he backed off. He quickly became a speck in by mirror.

It was one of those “what the hell you doing” moments. I have never nor will I ever race someone that is passing me. I make sure that the passing party has a little extra room and wave them on by so they know that I see them and won’t do anything stupid.

My "Bad" 700 and my "Sweet" doggie.

Good Day for a Ride

2011-02-17T19:19:00.000-08:00

After spinning in the garage for the last two mornings watching the rain fall I woke up to a clear but cold day by Southern California standards. I hooked up Betzi's trailer and took off.

Windy Ride

2011-02-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

I was all set to take my 700 out for long ride today but I woke up to the sound of wind.
.........................

Instead...I topped off the tire pressure on the Expedition and took Betzi out for her third ride this week. I rationalized that if the wind was going to slow me down I might as well be slowed down with Betzi while still getting a good ride and workout.

I used the granny gear a little more then usual while headed into the wind

No Blizzard Here

2011-02-01T19:03:00.000-08:00

Another fine day of cycling in...

California

THIS IS NOT California

700 for a Ride

2011-01-29T12:45:00.000-08:00

I took my Catrike 700 for a fast paced 22 mile ride with a respectable 1,292 elevation gain. It's the first time in a few months that I've been on the 700. It has been set up for my son Byron for the last few months so I've been riding my good ole reliable Catrike Expedition and usually towing my dog Betzi.

I'm not one who usually quantifies enjoying the outdoors but flying on the 700 and getting up to a little over 59mph at one point sure helps my 57 year old ego. It must have been all those 11 mile rides with Betzi in tow and the 891 elevation gain per ride that has put me in better shape then I thought. All this time I thought I was just having fun! The Expedition with all my gear, trailer and Betzi tops out at 115 pounds before I put my butt in the seat. The 700 is 35 pounds when ready to go and has much less rubber on the road.

I felt like I was flying on my 700 without all the extra weight. I passed a dozen DF's with only one youngster in the proper couture passing me. Of course I would have passed him later but I had to make a right turn...at least I would like to think that I would have passed him. :)

The Catrike 700 is very stable, fast and nibble with its direct steering. Being low to the pavement with only 2 1/4' inches of ground clearance keeps your center of gravity low, very low.

Sorry Betzi, you'll be riding with me only on weekdays. The weekends are for me, my ego and extra miles.

Winter Cycling California Style

2011-01-27T12:56:00.000-08:00

"California dreamin'

On such a winters day"

Temps in the 60's and the sun is shinning.

Doesn't get better!

Top of Lindero Canyon Road

Oak Canyon Park

If Betzi could use my camera I would have her take some pictures of yours truly. Even Border Collies have their limits.

"Bent Up" Family Ride

2011-01-17T13:04:00.000-08:00

We woke up to a sunny winter day with temps in the 70"s.

So we loaded up the trikes and went to the Ojai Valley Trail.

Who needs a monster SUV? I can load all our Catrikes on my Ford Escape.

Needless to say we got a few looks. We even had our picture taken by a car load of baby boomers while going 65 on the freeway.

Starting off from Foster Park.

Byron and I stopped by the Ventura River waiting for Leili and Carrie to catch up.

Here comes Leili with Carrie right behind.

Picnic at Libbey Park

Again we stopped at the River on the way back to Foster Park.

Parallel parked along the Ventura River.

I can't get my kids back on a traditional diamond frame bicycle. Going "bent" especially on a trike is just to much fun. Byron may go bent on two wheels later on but for now the Catrike 700 enough fun. The kids are also getting a kick from comments that come from some of the less enlighten cyclists who feel conformity is more important then comfort and fun.

There was a moment when I passed a couple on there DF's with my loaded down Catrike Expedition. Well the guy left his girl friend in the dust as he tried to catch up to me. He passed me as I slowed down to ride along with Byron who was ahead of me at the time. Girlfriend...better start looking for a guy who puts you first before his ego.

Leili gets a Catrike

2011-01-14T19:20:00.000-08:00

Leili gets her Catrike Dash

and she deserves it. She has accomplished much in her 11 years and we're proud of her.

Dana at Bent Up Cycles sets Leili up.

Now its time to hit the Ojai Trail!!

I Messed Up My Crank

2011-01-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

Picture says it all.

The threads on my carbon fiber crank are completely messed up.

Instead of finding and reading a manual to remove the left crank of an FSA SL-K crank, I read a blog post instead that was wrong. I hung up the screwed up crank where I can see it whenever I do work on my trikes and bikes.

Dana at Bent Up Cycles ordered me a new left crank for $130. Better then buying a whole new crank set for $500.

First Ride of the New Year

2011-01-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

I started the new year with an 11 mile ride with Betzi in tow. The morning started off in the high 30's and sunny. Cold for Southern California.
Click here for a map of my ride with Betzi

Ojai Valley Trail

2010-11-24T08:19:00.000-08:00

Great Day for a Ride!!!!

Cycling with my son Byron on the Ojai Valley Trail.

Clear and cool autumn day.

Flag by Purple Sky Flags

Sometimes the mind needs a rest from all that's happening around us.

Taking a break.

Picnic time.

Going Nowhere Fast

2010-11-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

I wanted to get back on the road but it's raining. Instead it's just me in the garage with my radio and dog spinning to nowhere. The garage door is open and I'm watching my neighbors watering there lawn with their automatic sprinklers while the rain pours down. Where's my baseball bat?!

Picture courtesy of my son Byron.

Been a Long Time

2010-11-18T15:54:00.000-08:00

Haven't been cycling since early October.

I've been taking advantage of the cooler weather to get caught up on some projects at home.

Time to get back on the road and suck fumes from all the SUV's. Gotta love California ...home of the clueless SUV soccer moms and truck driving investment brokers.

Betzi Likes Her Rides

2010-09-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

The spoiled princess is back in her trailer at the top of the hill. I let her walk beside my trike as I grind up hills. Now it's time for a downhill chill on this cool September morning.

"LETS GO!!!!"

"Yes dear."

Betzi gets to ride at least once a week.

I made the mistake of figuring out how much weight I'm towing. Trailer loaded with K9 is a touch over 80 pounds. Now the darn thing seems heavy. Before I didn't really pay much attention. Oh well...it's all fun.

700 Bling

2010-09-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

New flag from PurpleSkyFlags.com.

Dana at Bent Up Cycles added a little bling to my front tires...

...black spokes with red nipples.

Another Ride with Betzi - Taking Shortcuts

2010-08-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

Betzi is ready to go...

...and now the movie!!

Taking a Ride with Betzi

2010-08-14T13:19:00.000-07:00

Riding with Betzi

2010-08-12T14:01:00.000-07:00

Another ride with Betzi. She jumps right into her trailer when we go for a ride.

It's a steep climb to get home. So........Betzi walks instead of riding in her trailer.

Good for her and better for me.

Getting there.

Home at last.