Instagram Post - E Trikes on NPS Trails

Long hikes are a memory from the past as age tightens it’s scaly clutch. But now the National Park Service allows e-bikes (pedal-assist only) on trails where bikes are currently allowed. The Santa Monica Mountains NR defines a bike as pedal powered with 2 or 3 wheels. Yup...3 wheels is getting legitimized. So my e-trike can get me off the surface streets and back onto the trails. Well at least the tame fire roads for now. But that’s good enough for me.

Click here for National Park Service information for the Santa Monica Mountains

"Mountain Biking in the Park"

Instagram Post - Hidden Valley

Cruising along Potrero Rd in Hidden Valley. A short but welcomed escape from suburbia.

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Lighthouse Century 2019

Let me start by saying that the ICE Sprint FS E8000 was an absolute joy to ride in the e-friendly/recumbent friendly SLOBC Lighthouse Century. I rode the half century (50 miles) with 2,156 feet of gain. I'm was more than happy to let others proof their physical prowess and do the century with it's 6,331 feet of gain while I enjoyed the ride along the coast keeping up other DF riders who were doing the same. On the climbs I could easily go 9 mph at half energy while the DF riders were slogging up at 4 to 5 mph. Wanting not to be obnoxious I usually scaled back, only passing the slowest riders early in a climb.  For the ride I took along an extra battery. I probably could have squeaked out the 53 total miles on one battery but why stress. I changed out the battery at the halfway rest stop. During the last 10 or so miles I used more assist than normal as my right calf was starting  to get tight. Yet another reason for having e-assist.

Since I no longer live in Cambria, on the Central Coast, I decided to check back in with the beauty of the Central Coast and join in the Lighthouse Century ride sponsored by the San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club. SLOBC's Lighthouse Century has always been a recumbent friendly ride. Many of it's members ride recumbents. Now the Lighthouse Century is an e-bike friendly ride. So I packed up the ICE Sprint FS E8000 in the car and Carrie and I headed to Morro Bay for the ride. Me to ride and Carrie to visit the beach and antique stores.

HWY 1 from Morro Bay up through Cambria has been repaved with plenty of good shoulder as the rumble strip is along the white line leaving plenty of room to ride and pass.

Conclusion...I would not have done the ride without the e-assist. I was able to enjoy the ride without the worry of physical limitations.

 First long climb of the ride on the new pavement. Although overall less climbing than I usually do on local rides.

First rest stop at Harmony

Climbing the hill through Cambria

Riding back to Morro Bay and the end of the ride

Helmet off and end of the ride. Time for lunch with Carrie.

To finish the day a dinner with Carrie overlooking Morro Bay and Morro Rock

Back on the Central Coast

Carrie and I took a drive back up to the Central Coast to get a breath of fresh air.

HWY 1 North of Cambria, CA

 The boost on the Shimano Steps E8000 wasn't needed much but when I did need it...oh so nice! There are a couple of short road sections along Hwy 1 North of San Simeon where there is no shoulder and poor visibility. Throw in trucks bringing massive boulders to stabilize parts of Hwy 1 and it's good to have the E8000 to get me through as fast as possible.

Looking North to the Piedras Blancas lighthouse.

Us

Another Day Another Ride

Another day another ride. Again with the Santa Monica Mountains as my backdrop.

I opted for my Catrike Expedition today. After missing so much riding over the last 4 months I needed the tame low gears and more upright comfort of the Expedition. It'll take a few rides before what's left of my old legs to be back in shape to start taking faster rides on the 700.

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Back Riding Along the Santa Monica Mountains

I'm so out of shape from not riding during the move back to Thousand Oaks, CA. Experienced some mild cramping in my left hamstring. I haven't had that happen in years, but I also haven't laid off of riding for so long. I'll be staying put in Thousand Oaks for a long time so I can focus on riding and whip my old legs back into shape. Even with a little cramping it's soooo nice to have the wind in my face again.

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