Finally...A Ride With Betzi

Other then a few laps around a school parking lot back in February the last time I took ma doggie Betzi on a ride was September 19th of 2013. I had my first hip replaced September 31, 2013 and the second hip replaced December 23, 2013. Finally it was time to test the new hips with Betzi in tow. I hooked up the Doggyride trailer to my Catrike Expedition and hit the road with a slow 8 mile (503 feet of gain) ride. I was not anxious to tow 100 plus pounds of dog and trailer with my new hips but all went well. I'll be doing more rides with the ole girl.

Ready to go!!

Woof

Watch out folks the circus is back in town

Just like the "old days" taking a break at Oak Canyon Community Park

Ready to head home

Riding Again With My Trik'n Buddy

First ride with Betzi since I had my hips replaced. During hip recovery I've been riding the 700, it's light and oh so fun. Towing Betzi is a big step up in weight. It's been exactly 8 weeks since getting my new left hip and 4 and 1/2 months for the right. It's time to get my triking buddy back on the road so I took her out for a short ride today. So good to have the ole girl join me on a ride!!

Ma Doggie

My rig...Catrike Expedition and Doggyride trailer.

Happy dog working off a few lbs she gained over the last few months.

Happy dog...happy triker...that's all folks.

Early Morning Shadows

Earle Sunday morning ride. I'm loaded down with a large thermos o'tea, camp chair and my buddy Betzi and her dog stuff. We're headed for the duck pond in Oak Park to sit with a cup of tea and watch the world go by.

It's a tough life.

Empty roads on a Sunday morning. Ride on!!

Duck pond...time to get busy doing nothing.

My Expedition in the background. Plenty of parking.

Ma faithful K-9.

A Little MUP Will Do

Sometimes all ya need is a little time off the road to re-boot your brain. In this case a 1/2 mile local MUP that I occasionally escape to and then back to the sights and sounds of the morning traffic.

Pic of the Day - Betzi's Rig

Riding the short MUP through Oak Canyon Community Park in Oak Park

Where's Betzi?

Thar she be...with Byron riding in the morning gloom of June.

Betzi's Ride on Video

I'm curious as to what Betzi is doing back in her trailer while I'm grinding away towing her big butt. So I set up the video and took off on one off our regular rides.

The results:

Another Day...

...Another Ride with Betzi.

Our routine two to three times a week. Sundays, and an occasional Friday, are my day to go solo on the 700 but the rest of the time it's usually the ole girl and me.

Betzi vs Snake

No rides for the next few days for Betzi, the ole girl is recovering from a rattle snake bite. She stepped on a baby rattler Friday night. She backs off when she sees a snake but this little venom shooter was right outside our back door and Betzi was in a rush to bark at the howling coyotes and she didn't see the pint sized rattle snake  and she ended up getting tagged on the bottom of her paw.

This how Betzi spend most of the day yesterday Saturday after picking her up at the animal hospital.

Finally she moved outside under the lounge I was resting on.

Swollen right paw and Betzi licking the shaved area on her left paw where the IV was inserted.

Betzi is ready to play today.

Betzi's turn

I've been spending a little to much time with the new Catrike 700/20 (if that's possible). It was time to take Betzi on a ride an have another picnic.

Cool Autumn Day

Finally the cool of Autumn is here and I can get out and ride...ride...ride. I spent the morning meandering around the hills of home with Betzi. With a total gain of 1,840 feet and averaging a whooping 7.2 mph I spent three hours on the rode towing 90 lbs of dog and trailer...loved it! The morning sun started to soak up the fog just as I was putting the longest and steepest stretches of climbing behind me. 

Last week I rode the 700 three times. When the forecast is for heat followed by more heat I take the fast 700 out so I get some miles in before the sun kicks into high gear.

The shrouded hills of home.

The wide open and foggy road that leads me into the hills.

Betzi gets to walk this one.

Snack time at the amphitheatre in the park in the cool sun.

Taking a long cut on a dirt path .

Betzi Wants a Ride

As soon as I put my cycling clothes on Betzi will not leave me alone. Many times I have planned a ride without the ole girl and many time I have given in and taken her.

Betzi Has a Good Run

Byron and I decided to take Betzi down to the local elementary school that's out for summer vacation and let Betzi have a good run. I hooked up Betzi's trailer to Byron's ride of choice for the day. He'll take his Catrike 700 next time because the ride up our hill is tough on a traditional bike...he walked it up. The hill we live on is the steepest one in our city of Agoura Hills. A guy...no helmet.. recently died while going 80mph down our hill on two wheeled scooter type thing. I'm guilty of going over 50mph. Coming back up is a sub 3mph grind that I take three times a week.

Headed on down.

Don't worry, that's not Betzi's tail sticking out. I though a fake tail sticking out might be another way to get attention while riding laid back a few inches off the pavement.

 That's my boy charged with the burden of towing 90lbs of dog and trailer.

 Yippeee...freedom!!

 Once the ole girl gets going she runs beside me...she's fast!

Cush for Her Tush

I wanted to give Betzi a little softer ride in her trailer. I folded up a old sleeping pad and put it underneath her soft doggy cushion on the floor of her trailer. No complaints from her majesty on our ride today so she must have enjoyed her renovated digs. I also keep the pressure low on her trailer tires to give her a softer ride.

The folded and duct taped pad on the floor of her trailer. 

Seems pretty cushy back in her trailer.

The added padding allows the ole girl to sit a little higher and to more easily  look around.

Oh... the things we do for our critters.

Crazy Dog Sign

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

No Black Friday for Us-Gone Trik'n

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

Me

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.