Byron Gets a 700

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

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

Bent Up Cycles

at the Cool Breeze

A great video, as always, from Glenn Frank.

Cool Breeze Century - The Ride

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 to tell how many miles I rode.

Cool Breeze Century - Last Minute Info

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

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

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

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

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

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

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