12 Out Of 10

Today's ride was a bit better than yesterday. The temps were a little cooler, the winds a little lighter and oh yea, no driver attitude. I guess it was a John Denver Day. Sunshine On My Shoulders Makes Me Happy.
31 miles of cycling bliss.
KEEP RIDING!!!

Horsing Around Allentown

Today was one of those glorious days. 11 out of 10. It brought back memories of riding with some old friends. It seemed back then all rides lead through Allentown. So today being a Marty Day, with no place I had to be, I headed to Allentown. It's one of those old small historic towns that draws bicyclists, motorcyclists and antique shoppers. It's a great halfway point to take a break and snack by the lake. Unfortunately, they are doing some construction on the bridge by the lake so the park rest stop is closed. It still conjured up some old wonderful memories. One of my favorite things to do, when I rediscovered cycling over 20 yrs ago, was to ride down roads I have never been on before. Feeling like a kid again I did just that for my return trip home. The problem was over the yrs there is no road in this area I have not gone. Be that as it may, it was a fantastic 51 miles.

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New Bling Ordered

I just ordered this Veltop from Cyclo System in France. I caught wind of these rag tops on The Recumbentblog. It again caught my eye when checking out Rafael Giraldo's Ride for the Republic. He has made 2 epic tours in the US totaling over 6400 miles with the Veltop and swears by it. There are promotional videos done by him on Veltop site which are very impressive. One of which is while he is riding in the rain. It has been triple H lately and I have been utilizing any shady spots I can find for respite. This seems like the perfect solution for sun, rain and cold protection in a light and versatile package. I look forward to getting and reviewing this product so I can
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Like A Mini Cooper

I was finishing up a 35 miler when I came to a stop in Englishtown. A blue Mini Cooper convertible pulled up next to me at the light. We exchanged cordial conversation before he turned in the opposite direction. I was amazed we were almost at eye level. I felt as if I was talking to someone on another trike. If my engine was a little stronger we would have made great riding partners.
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Back In The Saddle

I finally was able to get a 26 miler in today. Boy did it feel good. The last 6 months have been a literal Pain in the Ass. After trying many non invasive measures, I had to bit the bullet and have a surgical procedure done. Fortunately, it was able to be done same day out patient. The Doc advised me to stay off the bike for at least 1 week. It's been a week today and I decided to test the waters. It was a beautiful hot day with a little break from our recent heat wave. High today 89 instead of 90 and winds under 10 mph. I got out early so temps were a bit cooler and there was some cloud cover. I was feeling pretty good, but, decided not to push it. I still have some issues that I hope will resolve in time. I hope my belief in slow and steady wins the race will continue to let me,
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Another Bike Story

In 2001 I rode Bikevirginia on my 00 Stratus. It was my 2nd Bikevirginia and the 1st time with my new recumbent. It was the usual very hot and hilly, but well organized ride. I had made a lot of friends the year before, but always chose to ride by myself at my own pace. I would later meet up with my friends and party. It was one of those grueling HHH days and the ride was 70 plus miles. We climbed a pass over the Blue Ridge Mts. I climbed for miles into the sun at speeds below 4mph. Not an easy task on any bike. After dinner my new friends and I gathered around my tent. We were about 15-20 spent cyclists. At the time I was smoking and drinking beer when a young 20 year old sat down next to me and asked if he could join us. I said of course and offered him a beer. He looked at me strangely as if to say what kind of cyclist are you smoking. I turned to him and said " I did the same ride you did today, I am more than twice your age, on a bike that weighs more than twice yours, and you are at my party drinking my beer. Who has the problem"? We all smiled and laughed. After all was said and done we were just a bunch of loving cyclists.
Just a note I no longer smoke and rarely drink, but I still ride.
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Going Postal

Today was triple digits and HHH. I ventured out for what was to be a 26 mile ride armed with only 750 ml of water and my phone. After listening to weather reports and how dangerous it is to be outside, I was concerned about doing this ride. My daughter-in-law asked me how I ride in this weather. I just smiled. If it's not raining it is a good day for a ride. Single digits to triple digits is OK for me. I am getting older and was a bit skeptical about how smart it is to be riding in such heat. I am a cycling nut so I went for it and decided if things were too bad I would just do an easy 16 mi loop. When I first headed out I was a bit overwhelmed by the heat. I then just took my time with the attitude of slow and steady wins the race. At the 5 mile mark for my short route turn off I stopped, had a drink, and decided to go for it. I am sort of a camel but decided it would be much smarter if I stopped more frequently for shaded drink stops. Needless to say there were no other cyclists out and less traffic than usual. There was calmness in the air. I am a cycling junkie who has to watch his insanity in order to;
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No Weight Weenie Here

I recently read an article from Bryan Ball of Bentrideronline. He talked about becoming one of those geeks who has all the extra bling on their bikes. He was reviewing an HPV Scorpion fs(full suspension) trike. He bought it with all the bells and whistles. Total weight 44lbs before he added his own accessories. He loved it even though it was heavy and refused to reweigh it after his add-ons.

I have been doing a great deal of riding and I keep track of my mileage and average speed. I have been averaging about 10mph. I thought I should be averaging more as that is the same as my winter rides. For sh_ts and giggles, I decided to weight my trike today. It weights a whopping 50lbs. 4 lbs is my Radical Pod bags and contents. Additional weight is due to fenders, lights, batteries, speakers, Ipod, mirrors and extensions and heavy pedals. All these items are necessities for me and complement my riding style. I will not change a thing. So now I know what slows me down and I don't care.
Just a note, I am in the market for a short wheel base bike that I can use for faster club rides and convenience when riding with other non bent riders. This bike will be bare bones and have only a computer and small bag for flat tire repairs.
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6 Month Mileage

This is turning out to be one of my best cycling years in over a decade. On June 30 I hit 2,250 miles, just 750 miles short of my annual goal. 99.9% done on my trike. Since getting back into cycling over 20 years ago, I always tried to use my bike for errands and things. Adding the trailer, has increased my utility miles significantly. I spent the last 3 months being as car-free as possible and will continue enjoying that trend. The weather has been cooperating too with minimal rain fall. I can take the heat, cold and even wind, but I tend to draw the line with rain. It's just not enjoyable and makes for more mechanical and cleaning issues. I ride for pure enjoyment but the health benefits are not to be discounted. I hope to continue my efforts.
KEEP RIDING!!!