Last ride of 2007

Today I got my last ride in for 2007. 15.6 miles with an average speed of 11mph on my ICE T. It was a cold windy day but, the sun was shinning. It was great to get out. My statistics for the yr as follows:

Total miles for yr 3328.20
Total rides for yr 109
Average speed per ride 11mph
Average mi per ride 30.5
Average mi on T 2800
Average mi on Stratus 500
Average mi on Rocket 28

It appears I finished 1516 of 7524 riders on Bikejournals log. Indicating I am in the top 20% of riders. This is considered a large online bicycle journal, so I am quite impressed. It also appears I have finished in the top 25% of Bentrideronline riders 76 of 284.

It has been a great yr. Most of my rides have been on the trike and I suspect that will increase next yr. My total rides per yr has increased, but my average mi per ride has decreased. I think this is due to age as I no longer due centuries and reserve metrics for special days. 30-50 mile days has become quite satisfying.

Tomorrow will be a new yr and I hope to start it with a ride. It has been a fun and interesting yr. I have been blessed with 2 children's weddings, a grandchild on the way and a wonderful understanding wife.

I look forward to what new adventures lie ahead for 2008.

KEEP RIDING!!!

Visiting an old friend

Today I decided to take my old friend for a ride. My 2000 Stratus has been collecting dust since my purchase of my ICE T. I recently read an old review from Bob Bryant of RCN about the Rans Stratus XP. It got me thinking how much I loved my Stratus. It has about 18,000 mi on it with no changes other than component maintenance. I did change the Crank to a 165 Suguino 26/36/46. Love that crank. This bike fits like a glove and has been my favorite ride of all time.

Today, the day after Christmas, I decided to dust off the cob webs and take this baby for spin. Actually, I just aired the tires and away I went. I new no adjustments were needed. It has always performed beautifully and required little maintenance. It was as I expected. Like putting on an old shoe, comfortable and predictable. I glided 28 miles through the cold crisp air singing "Old Friends" by Simon and Garfunkle.

The Stratus is by far the most comfortable bike I ever rode. With its long wheel base design, it eats up road vibrations. It almost feels like a suspended bike. The Rans seat is considered the standard in mesh seats. The steering does have tiller effect and climbing steep hills takes practice and requires lower gearing. Both of which I have become quite practiced in. This bike has proved itself many times climbing over the Blue Ridge Mt's weighing 50 lbs with accessories. It was very rare for me to walk a hill. In fact, one time I drafted off a guy who was walking. For me slow and steady wins the race.

The Stratus has been my best cycling friend. It is always there for me and has never let me down. It is and always will be a keeper.

It's getting tougher all the time

December 1st, temps 32, wind gusts, God knows. All I new the sun was shinning and I had to get out for at least a 15 miler to hit 3200 for the yr. I know I advocate riding all yr round, but putting on all that garb for a short ride is a hassle. 2 sets of wool socks, my favorite sneakers, long sleeve synthetic shirt, light cycling jacket from France(a gift from my daughter), fleece and nylon windbreaker. and of course my XC pants. Also included a balaclava, wool cap and fleece mittens. Everything worked well. I probably could have used 1 more pair of woolen socks, but then I needed bigger shoes.

This was my old time favorite loop when I thought I was a big shot doing 15 mile rides. Now I do this ride in my swim suite taking a break from my in-laws.

It's tough having to put on all these clothes for such a short ride, but that is how I must survive the winter so I can keep on
Enjoying the ride.

King Grips from Rivendale

I went out on a limb and decided to try the new King Grip Pedals from Rivendale. They advertised large platform with excellent gripping power without the need for special cycling shoes. They went as far as to say they could be used with flip flops. They also had the cool factor, a figure 8 design. I have had my Odyssey triple traps on all my bikes for the last 8 yrs and saw no reason to change. They are a bit heavy but grip very well with all shoes and just work for me. Sitting home on a cool wet day I became intrigued with the King Grips and thought they might make a great addition. They arrived yesterday and I was excited to try them out. I weighed them in comparison to my Odyssey and found them grams lighter. So far so good. They are definitely longer than the Odyssey, but are much narrower. I thought that might be a concern. What was a greater concern was my feet were all over the place. No grip what so ever. On a recumbent that could be catastrophic. I have always enjoyed the Gorilla Glue type grip of my Odyseeys and the King Grips had none. I thought the cool factor would be worth the $50, but not at the expense of comfort and safety. So I stay with my Odyssey's and return the King Grips. Only to keep

Enjoying the ride.

What a Difference a Day Makes

It has been a full 2 weeks since my last ride. I was very sad. I suffer from seasonal affective disorder. It seems the Gods did not shine upon me and I have been plagued with rain on all my days off except November 11. My daughters wedding and an absolutely gorgeous day. The Gods were smiling.

I was fortunate this year to get both Thanksgiving and Friday off. Rain was in the forecast for Thanksgiving, but was supposed to hold off till late afternoon. I was hoping to get an early ride in before the family gathering. I awoke to a beautiful sunny morning with highs in the mid 60's. It was so balmy I did the ride in my favorite clothes. A T shirt, shorts and sneakers no socks. Since I didn't ride for 2 wks and I needed to get back early for my In-laws, I decided a 30 miler would be perfect. It was so warm, I worked up a sweat casually riding ensuring I wouldn't over exert my unused bent muscles. Obviously it was a great ride and I could smell the kitchens of families preparing their festive dinners. Once home I enjoyed my families company and gave thanks for a great days ride and the traditional family feast.

Today, Friday, I awoke to a different scenario. Temps mid 30's and windy. I rode wearing many layers, my XC pants, a balaclava and a wool hat. I thought I would be shedding some layers but it didn't turn out that way. My clothing was spot on except for my feet. The wool socks and sneakers were not enough. After 35 miles my toes got cold and numb and I had to stop multiple times to regain circulation and warmth to my feet. This is my biggest problem for cold weather riding. I use big BMX pedals so I can wear different shoes, but I still cannot come up with something warm enough for my feet. Despite my cold feet I did a 50 miler. The Maple trees that still had leaves were a brilliant yellow or red. Instead of smelling food cooking for Thanksgiving I could smell the warm wood burning fireplaces.

These 2 days have been a gift and I am fortunate to have 2 great and different days of cycling.

Enjoying the ride.

Annual mileage goal

I hit my minimal annual mileage goal a few days ago. 3K. This year started off slow for the 1st few months and it took a while longer till I got in the groove again. Sometimes life just gets in the way. I should finish with a few hundred more before years end. Last yr was excellent at 4300mi and that was with 4 weeks of non cycling vacations and no week long cycling events.

Yesterday, I got out for a 30 miler in the brisk fall weather. Temps 40, minimal wind, and perfect fall foliage. A great relaxing ride. Cool weather riding does bring down my average, 1/2-1 mph, but I don't care. I still need to get out.

This yr 99% of my miles has been on my ICE T trike. It is so easy to just hop on and go and if need be I can put it in the trunk of my Accent with minimal effort. The T is a great winter ride as I don't have to worry about wheels sliding out. The only problem with trike riding is it does not fair well with other cyclists including bents. It is a bit slower and sits lower making conversing with other riders difficult. All my trike rides this yr have been by myself except for 1 ride with Joel, another trike rider. Unfortunately, my Stratus is collecting dust and has only enjoyed 2 rides. One with old cycling friends on a tandem and one 50 miler by myself. To tell the truth I like the solitude of solo riding. Even when cycling week events like Bikeva or GOBA, I still prefer to ride by myself, at my own pace and let my mind wonder. I do become a social butterfly once we hit tent city and later at the local pubs.

I am starting to think about what rides I might do next yr. Bikeva is always a favorite. I am also considering doing a multiple day self contained trip.

This year is slowly coming to an end and I look forward to what great cycling adventures lie ahead.

KEEP RIDING!!!

$100 Cycling Pants

I can't believe I did this. After a few days of rain and no cycling I searched the web and came across Sporthill XC pants. The reviews posted from various sites intrigued me. A great form fitting pant without being tights. Warm and wicking with zippered pockets and legs. Also sewn in center crease, making them look good off the bike as well as on.

I am not a clothes horse and prefer tank top, regular shorts and sneakers. I use large footprint BMX pedals on all my bikes. I find my wicking T's at local dept stores for $10. My idea is to keep it simple and inexpensive and easy to get out and ride. Comfort and fit are most important to me, so spending $100 on a pair of pants was against my religion.

My 2 favorite cycling pants are a pair of sweatpants from the boys dept 4yrs ago and a pair of women's stretch workout pants. It seems for me, mens work out clothes are made for the tall lanky types. A small sweat pant for me fights waist wise, but has a crotch that hangs down to you knees and a length for a 6' tall person.

I have done 3 rides with my new XC pants and I love them. My wife says for that money they should come with a top. I agree. The fit is on the money. I chose the medium short. The waist is perfect 30-33 and the lenght is a 27" inseam, again perfect for me. When I get off the bike to go into a store I don't feel like I'm from a Halloween costume party. I have used these pants in 40-50 degree weather. I think they would be most comfortable between 35-42.

All in all these pants have an outstanding fit and comfort and are a welcome addition to my winter cycling in spite of there price.

KEEP RIDING!!!

Utility Miles

I wrote this article for my bike club a few years ago. Now that fall is here and winter is upon us, I thought it might be a good time to post.


I have been bike riding for 20 years now and before I joined a club I have come to learn that most of my miles were termed utility miles. I had a Mongoose hybrid that I equipped with inexpensive day panniers and fenders. I even added a Zzipper fairing. (Quite a site in those days) Working off shift I had many opportunities to ride. I would go to the mall, run errands and if I bought something I had room to carry it. As time went on I bought a more expensive road bike and later joined my local bike club, but I still used my Mongoose for local errands and took it camping.

Today I have 4 bikes in my stable. 3 recumbents and 1 Dahon folder. All bikes are equipped with racks, fenders, lights, fat tires and panniers. I do not use clipless pedals, as I prefer to wear different shoes. I find the trick to utility miles is to make your bike user friendly.( non-biking clothes if need be). That Dahon folder is quite nifty. Instead of taking my gas guzzling van to the beach, I take my economical Hyundai and throw the bike in the trunk. A few miles around the shore in flip-flops and no shirt really adds to the ambiance. The other day I did a 35 mile round trip to work for a 3-hour class. I new that it would be difficult to find parking, so I took my bike. Yesterday, I went furniture shopping for my son’s new apartment. The couch did not fit in my panniers. Later that day I went to the dentist. I have been known to carry a pizza pie home bungee corded to my rear rack. 1½ miles of slow riding and the cheese was still intact.

You don't have to stop riding when the temperature goes below 50. A 10-mile ride in the mid 30’s is quite exhilarating and a stop at Dunkin Donuts hits the spot. Local discount dept stores have a nice selection of inexpensive synthetic wicking shirts. If you are somewhat height impaired as I am, you can find inexpensive women’s workout wear. (Far more choices and less money than men’s) Sweatpants work well also. Sandals can be quite warm in the winter. You can layer socks, loosen the straps as needed, and your feet won’t sweat. Hard sole hiking shoes on fat BMX pedals grip well. Fleece mittens also work well on cold days. Another reason for panniers is a place to store those layers after you warm up. My trike is my winter ride of choice. No worry of falling over on slippery roads.

Most bike enthusiasts have more than 1 bike. Get that old clunker and dust it off. Change those tires to a fat slick, add fenders and inexpensive panniers, or treat yourself to an Ebay special and your out the door.

SO KEEP RIDING!!!

Update on Tioga Comp pool tires

I just received my Tioga tires and mounted them on my ICE T. There is nothing like new tires to make your vehicle shine. Fall is here and winter will be arriving and all that extra ruble on the road. I probably could have got another 900 miles but, decided not to chance it. I chose these tires for price and smooth soft ride. They are treadles slicks which offer the least rolling resistance. A plump tire at size 1.75 but, are probably closer to 1.50. These tires have been known to have the fastest and best ride according to RCN magazine, BMX and Ian Sim's of Greenspeed. I first enjoyed them on my now sold GS GTO. I couldn't believe how great they were compared to my bullet proof Kenda Quest's.

At over 4100 miles on my Scorcher TR's, I still had some dimple left. These are some great tires and I have had only 1 flat. Excellent rolling resistance, easy on off mounting and great ride. The Scorchers are rated at 100psi. This is too high for a comfortable ride. I found the best pressure to be between 65-70 with no lose in average speed. Trikes are a different breed. Your weight is distributed between 3 tires requiring a lower tire pressure without compromise.

So why did I not replace with the same wonderful tires? Price! Geenspeed knew the Tioga comp pool's were a great trike tire and I believe they wanted to capitalize on it by making there own. GS makes some of the best trikes and accessories and are devoted to there customers. I admire that and do not fault them for making a profit, but at twice the price.

Both brands are made in Taiwan and appear to have the same rubber compond and compare in ride quality. I chose the TR's(thorn resistant) over the regular Scorcher for the kevlar belt which might account for my 1 flat. My Tioga's do not come with a kevlar belt. I am not flat prone so I don't expect a problem. Having used Kenda Quest tires on my other bikes I am not use to replacing tires annually. Tiogas at half the price of Scorchers make it more palatable.

The true test is time and there is no hurrying that.
At least I am enjoying the ride.

My 1st responce

Hi Kim,
I am new to Blogging and you are my 1st response. Thank you. If you are familiar with NJ, my tour starts from my home in Englishtown and rides out to Upper Freehold twp and Clarksburg through Assunpink park and back.

I have toured Florida, Va, NY, OH and many other states. Va is the most scenic and bike friendly state, but, very mountainous.

IMHO NJ offers some of the best cycling secrets from flat shoreline to beautiful rolling hills and mountains.

Marty

A Transitional Day

Finally after not riding for a week, I was able to get out for my favorite 50 miler. Weather prediction warm in the 70's and winds up to 20mph with showers late in the day. Nothing worse than wind and rain. I new that a bad day of riding was far better than a good day at work. At 9am it was warm and sunny, so I put on my favorite cycling clothes, tank top, shorts, and sneakers. I brought my light rain jacket to ward off the evil spirits. I decided I was going to enjoy the ride and not push it. Slow and steady wins the race. The 1st half of the ride was against the wind. I just geared down and took my time taking in the change of seasons. The leaves are changing and falling. After about 7mi I was in the groove, taking in the sent of fall. I love the feel and sound of acorns popping under my tires. At one point the leaves were swirling and it was like a kaleidoscope of colorful gigantic snow flakes. In years past I use to dread fall. Short days and cold weather. Today I embrace the changing seasons and look forward to new cycling adventures ahead.

35 miles into the ride I was stopped by a charming couple. The wife who had difficulty riding a 2 wheeler bike was in the process of purchasing a recumbent trike. She was looking at a Greenspeed GT3. I of course, tried to talk her into an ICE T. They needed foldability and a small size to fit her. After a half hour chat I said the GT3 would make a great trike. I could talk forever about recumbents, but alas, I still had to finish my ride before the rain hits.

The last 15 miles the wind maintained, but, it was now at my back. I finished the ride just short of my normal average. The sun was still shinning. As I sit here sipping wine, writing this blog, I can't help felling blessed for this day.

I no longer dread the short days of fall and winter, but, look forward to the new inspiring adventures ahead.

Tires for my Trike

I have over 4100 miles on my Scorcher TR's and it's time to replace them. The Scorchers have been great with only 1 flat, but, at $36 ea plus shipping, they are quite expensive. I opted for Tioga Comp Pool which I had on my old Greenspeed. Both have treadless design and a supper soft ride. In fact Greenspeed copied the Tioga design advocating these as the best rolling resistance tire for trikes. The Tioga's do not have a kevlar belt as the Scorchers. I am not a flat prone rider so I don't expect more flats with the Tioga's. At $60 shipped for 3 tires it's a good deal. I am considering the Schwalbe Big Apple for the rear. Again, an expensive tire.

Being home unable to ride on this rainy day is not good. I wind up searching the web for cycling items. Not only did I buy the tires, but, I bought a pair of winter cycling pants for $100. http://www.sporthill.com/product.php?TypeID=2100&gender=m
I will give an update as the tires and pants arrive.

KEEP RIDING!!!

My ICE T

This has become my favorite ride. It is made by Inspired Cycle Engineering in the UK. It is called a Tadpole trike as it has the 2 wheels in the front. This is my 3rd trike and by far the best. It is a touring trike and sits higher off the ground with a wide stance allowing greater stability. It has rear suspension which smooths out the ride. I equipped it with fenders, rack, small side panniers, dual mirrors and have added battery operated rear speakers and an MP3 player. I have also become quite the mechanic and have upgraded my drive chain with gearing more suited for me. To date I have 4,000 miles with the original Scoorcher TR tires. I love these tires, made by Greenspeed and hope to get another 1000 before retiring.

There is no turning back once you rediscover cycling and then venture into the weird world of recumbents. Once you try a trike, you develop an unyielding addiction. It takes a few months to develope your bent legs and then your off. Recumbents, especially trikes weight more than most regular bikes, but the added comfort is well worth the trade off. They say bents can't climb. That is so untrue. You just have to gear down. Trikes on the other hand are the best climbers. If you get tired on a hill you can stop rest and restart. You can go as slow as you want and not tip over. People fear you are too low to the ground and cars can't see you. A flag is a definite and because you are such an oddity, cars tend to give you a wider berth.

If you are a hammerhead into speed then trikes are not for you. They are about as a fast as a MT bike with smooth tires. If you like to stop and smell the roses and have extreme comfort then I highly recommend.

Since rediscovering cycling 20 yrs ago I use my car less. I take my trike to the store, doctors, my son's house and just about anywhere weather permitting. I ride all year except in rain if possible and extreme cold weather. Sometimes I don't use my car for days. It is a great way to get some fun, exercise, and serene quiet time.

KEEP RIDING!!

Trip to Nova Scotia

We just got back from a 2 week tour to Nova Scotia in our RV. We went to New Brunswick (NB), Canada, Prince Edward Island (PEI) and then Nova Scotia. The scenery along the Fundy Trail in NB was breathtaking. PEI is a must for anyone traveling in that area. It is one of the most beautiful islands we visited. It has a spectacular coastline with great restaurants over looking the water. We followed the Cabot trail and stopped for whale watching. It's amazing how many Pilot whales there are.

I didn't get to do any cycling there, but was amazed at all the self-contained cyclists we saw. The coastline is very mountainous with small shoulders and no shoulder on the steep uphill grades where it becomes 2 lanes for truck passing. Anyone riding there had to have legs of steel.

We changed course heading west through Bangor, Maine on our way to New Hampshire. It was there that we had our first moose sighting. We had travelled in moose areas before and began to believe those moose crossing signs were a joke, but there on the side of the road, larger than life, was a moose. It was one of the highlights to our trip.

Finally in Gorham, NH I got to ride 10 miles on my bike. Very hilly with tiny shoulders and not bike friendly truckers. In Vermont we stumbled across a guy who made beautiful wood carvings of birds and purchased some for gifts. He also suggested visiting the Cabot Creamery, which had great cheese samplings and a very interesting tour. We finally finished our trip in the Catskills and home.

Another adventure to remember. 6 states, 3 Provinces and 2400 miles and the best traveling companion and navigator, my wife, Janie.

Laid back and loving it

Laid back and loving it
An intro to getting Bent
By

Marty Garnick

In 1998 I was becoming a real bike enthusiast. I road 5000mi, my most mileage in a year. I had a Bianchi road bike, which I loved but just couldn’t get quite comfortable. I swapped out the stem, seats, and tires. Still no luck. That’s when I discovered recumbents. I bought my first compact long wheelbase (CLWB). a Bikee. It was a new mass- produced recumbent, and could be found in most bike shops. It also had no learning curve. Within no time, I was riding in comfort.
Recumbents offer the rider comfort with it’s reclined large seat. No more back, butt, neck and wrist pain on long rides. It also offers a panoramic view. No more straining to keep your head up. You notice things not seen on routine rides. The only thing hurting after a long ride are your legs.

I think the reason recumbents are not more mainstream is that there are so many styles. Long wheel base (LWB), Short wheel base (SWB), Above seat steering (OSS), Under seat steering (USS), big wheels, small wheels, same wheels, different wheels, 3 wheels. It is initially confusing and intimidating. Recumbent manufactures are also smaller. Bikes are hard to find and test ride. Fortunately the WWW has made our world smaller. One great site is http://www.bentrideronline.com/ where you can find reviews, classifieds and general discussion groups. Another great source of information is http://www.recumbents.com/.

One misconception is recumbents are hard to ride. While some do have a small learning curve, most can be mastered in a few minutes. Be aware that “Bents” use different leg muscles than Diamond frames(DF). It takes a few months to get up to your usual speed. Recumbents are more stable at speed with their lower center of gravity. In spite of their lower height they are actually more visible to cars and are generally given a wider birth when passed. Can bents climb? Some bents climb better than others. Usually a High bottom bracket(SWB) climb better than a Low bottom bracket bike(LWB), but not always. I think climbing has to do with the motor and proper gearing. I think most road bikes are geared for Lance and not your average rider. Why do you think those heavy mountain and touring bikes climb so well.

Recumbents cost more than a standard bike. They usually start at $500 and go up depending on groupo and frame material. $800-$1500 will buy you a good quality bike. Some larger bent manufactures are building oversea with excellent quality , helping keep costs down.

Unfortunately there is nothing like a hands on test ride, and NJ has only 2 shops I know of;
Northeast recumbent, Fairfield, NJ (Very knowledgeable and helpful, good selection By appt only)
Economy bikes, Hamilton square (no info)
Jays pedal power, Philly, Pa ( Nice selection, some knowledge)

Recumbents are a great way to add to the excitement of cycling and that perpetual recumbent grin. When searching for that next bike why not consider Getting Bent.

Be SAFE and KEEP RIDING !!!!!

Questions, further information and test ride of my 2 bents
Mgarnick@optonline.net

By the Seat of our Pants

*(I wrote this article 4 years ago in 2003.)

I have always wanted to do a self-contained tour. Not being able to take three months off for a trip across the country, I opted for a four-day, three-night excursion around southern New Jersey. I picked southern NJ because it’s flat and I didn’t know how well I could ride with a loaded bike. I approached my 21-year-old son, who was very excited about the idea. We decided the last week in August would fit into our schedules. I purchased a Hagstrom Southern NJ map and Geograhia Quickfinder Southern and Central laminated maps. (Very good, I might add). We decided that the state parks were the most economical way to go. We mapped out a triangle from Englishtown to Bass River to Parvin to Lebanon (now Brendan Byrne) and back home.

Over the years I have purchased tents, panniers, air mattresses and sleeping bags, all with the purpose of being light weight and easy to carry on a bike. We packed Sunday and rolled out Monday at 7:30 am with my wife and in-laws taking pictures and wishing us luck. The bikes and equipment weighed well over 50 pounds and I was a bit nervous as to how well they would handle over some hills. We were pleasantly surprised.

The bikes we used were a 2000 Rans Stratus fully equipped with fairing, fenders, rear rack, Lights, compass, and battery radio. I used Arkel 2550 cu in panniers, which are cavernous. I did not use front panniers, as I like the fairing. I also felt the bike has too much tiller up hill when riding below 5mph. I felt panniers in the front would make it worse. The other is a 2001 Rans Rocket; equipped with fenders, rear rack and computer. I had an old pair of Cannondale panniers, I use for every day and a Rans Aero bag behind the seat.
We arrived at Bass River at about 80 miles after many stops to check our maps. We set up our tents and showered and were ready for dinner. Unfortunately state parks are in secluded areas. We had to travel another seven miles to town for food. We found a local tavern and had great burgers and cold beer. The seven miles back in the dark was interesting. I must say the Cateye micro lights are quite good and we used them as flashlights too.

Tuesday, at 7:30am, we headed west to Salem county and Parvin State park. It was 20 miles before we found a place for breakfast. We were a big hit as the locals admired our loaded recumbents. Eight miles before Parvin we had lunch in town and purchased sandwiches and drinks for later. We took all the equipment out of the Aero bag and jammed them wherever we could. We lined the Aero bag with plastic and put 12 cans of drinks and a bag of ice, our own cooler. My son was having trouble handling the Rocket with the high center of gravity caused by our cooler. The front end was light and twitchy. Next time we will use an under-seat rack and panniers. At 60 miles we hit Parvin.

Wednesday we headed northeast to Lebanon. This was by far the most scenic country in the southern area. Five miles into the ride, the crank came loose on the rocket. I brought some tools, but did not have a socket to tighten it. We were in nowhere land and we knew it could be another ten miles before we reached civilization. Fortunately, we found a mobile glass shop just 3 miles down. An employee of the shop fixed our bikes and advised us of a great diner down the road. He was right and we were right on track for our quest for Lebanon. Two miles from the park it started to get dark with thunder and lightening. Just as the first few drops hit we saw a country market and tavern. We had a great lunch and then the rain had stopped. Three miles more and we had set up shop at Lebanon. 60 plus miles for the day. We later went back to the tavern for dinner. We talked with the locals who had a horseshoe contest and reminisced over our perfect day.

Thursday we headed home, a bit sad it was over, but excited about our accomplishment -- 271 miles in 4 days. Great trip, great company. An experience we will cherish forever.
In closing I would like to add, the Stratus is by far the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden. It performed flawlessly. The Rocket will work for loaded touring, but needs under-seat racks for stabilization. I feel loaded touring requires 2 sets of panniers and under-seat racks are the way to go for recumbents.

My First Blog Post

Welcome to my Blog! I hope you enjoy reading about my experiences riding my recumbent around NJ.