#116
Wednesday, October 12th
I didn't do a whole lot of riding today, but I sure talked a lot!
I chatted about trikes to a random stranger on the trail, and then when I was back in the parking lot I encountered a group of three trikers (leaving on their ride), then after my grocery shopping, I ran into (not literally) my parking-lot-acquaintance, Al (who, if you've noticed, is the ONLY person ever mentioned by name in this blog. Why, I have no idea. Just the way it is.).
The three trikers were a couple of guys out again with Mom. (no, I
don't know whose Mom Mom is and does it really matter? I didn't think
so). Videos they've made can be found on this Youtube channel. Hop on over and take a look! I've seen the guys before, but did not attempt to identify them then.
I try not to be a know-it-all but I do have opinions so when some
random fellow wants to check out my trike and ask me questions, that's
Cool. It is fun to see someone as excited about trikes as I was before I
even got one.
My acquaintance with Al started off that way, and now he has himself a splendid shiny Cattrike. Very sharp in black and white.
No I did not get a picture.
He has loaded it down with all kinds of gadgets: a radio, a bell, a cyclecomputer, bottle cages, bags, lights. The works.
We had a long rambling conversation about riding and trikes and people and all that. It was a great end to a very short ride.
How short? about 5 miles. I'll make it up on Saturday.
I had set off through Folsom's bike trails, intending to go down at least to the hospital if not all the way to Folsom Blvd, but when I got to the park near Houston Circle I was surprised to see a couple of maintenance trucks completely filling the trail.
So I boogied on over to Pond View and started taking a short cut, decided that I had spent enough time out already (conversations are fun, but can run long) and headed back to the parking lot.
If I'd gone farther I would have missed out giving the triking videographers a kudos, and would have missed seeing Al's new ride. So I'm glad it was a short ride.
CU
12 October 2011
09 October 2011
Sproing!
Ride #115
9.5 miles on the American River Trail
Sunday, October 9th
I set out with the intention of going up to Beals Point, then back down and around Lake Natoma. Hey, at least I did the climbing part (I ended up skipping the lake today).
I set off from old Folsom across the bridge and up the trail to Beals.
A very pretty Nor Cal fall day. Not a lot of rain yet, so the hillsides give a nice contrast with the always-green oaks.
After the newish construction at Folsom Auburn Road, there is an encouraging sign.
Of course, it is 1 mile of hill but I got to the top and took a snack break by the lake.
Coming down Beals I still did not quite reach 30mph (29 today, 27 point something the last time). Today, since I had planned to go around the lake, I went all the way back down Beals to old Folsom.
There is a lot of rough trail (tree roots) and I have no way to avoid it. I used to stand up on the bike when I encountered these things. Now on my recumbent I had to just sit there today and let the suspension take the hit and try to remember to keep my teeth from snapping together.
Then there was a sudden rattling! Oh no! My rear fender stay came unstuck. The Gorilla Tape I'd 'repaired' it with had given way. The rattling was driving me NUTS so I did a U-turn and headed back. I'm going to avoid that rough section from now on. Too hard on me and the trike.
Coming back on the bridge there were multiple groups of walkers, including one family who had the BEST way of keeping their kids to one side of the bridge (the interesting side), "Hands on the railing!" Thanks, folks. Made me much less nervous going by them with oncoming bicycle traffic. My trike looks WIDE but it is really not. It looks even WIDER when I'm on a ped/bikeway with high concrete on one side and a high fence on the other.
So my task before Foxys on Saturday is to get a mirror and a flashlight and see if I can see underneath the fender to figure out how the stays are supposed to "stay" (ha ha) and FIX it. I think there is supposed to be a hex nut under there.
I don't really want to ride around Davis/Vacaville/Winters with Gorilla tape stuck to my beautiful trike.
Oh yeah, and last ride I had a soft tire. I pumped it up. This morning it was FLAT. So I stood around in the parking garage changing the tube. I had TWO holes in that stupid tube. So after my ride, when I got home, I sat around and patched it.
grumblegrumblegrumble
Stupid thorns!
9.5 miles on the American River Trail
Sunday, October 9th
I set out with the intention of going up to Beals Point, then back down and around Lake Natoma. Hey, at least I did the climbing part (I ended up skipping the lake today).
I set off from old Folsom across the bridge and up the trail to Beals.
A very pretty Nor Cal fall day. Not a lot of rain yet, so the hillsides give a nice contrast with the always-green oaks.
 |
| That's the backside of Folsom Prison on the far hill. |
After the newish construction at Folsom Auburn Road, there is an encouraging sign.
Of course, it is 1 mile of hill but I got to the top and took a snack break by the lake.
 |
| These trees looked neglected so today was their photoshoot. |
Coming down Beals I still did not quite reach 30mph (29 today, 27 point something the last time). Today, since I had planned to go around the lake, I went all the way back down Beals to old Folsom.
There is a lot of rough trail (tree roots) and I have no way to avoid it. I used to stand up on the bike when I encountered these things. Now on my recumbent I had to just sit there today and let the suspension take the hit and try to remember to keep my teeth from snapping together.
Then there was a sudden rattling! Oh no! My rear fender stay came unstuck. The Gorilla Tape I'd 'repaired' it with had given way. The rattling was driving me NUTS so I did a U-turn and headed back. I'm going to avoid that rough section from now on. Too hard on me and the trike.
Coming back on the bridge there were multiple groups of walkers, including one family who had the BEST way of keeping their kids to one side of the bridge (the interesting side), "Hands on the railing!" Thanks, folks. Made me much less nervous going by them with oncoming bicycle traffic. My trike looks WIDE but it is really not. It looks even WIDER when I'm on a ped/bikeway with high concrete on one side and a high fence on the other.
So my task before Foxys on Saturday is to get a mirror and a flashlight and see if I can see underneath the fender to figure out how the stays are supposed to "stay" (ha ha) and FIX it. I think there is supposed to be a hex nut under there.
I don't really want to ride around Davis/Vacaville/Winters with Gorilla tape stuck to my beautiful trike.
Oh yeah, and last ride I had a soft tire. I pumped it up. This morning it was FLAT. So I stood around in the parking garage changing the tube. I had TWO holes in that stupid tube. So after my ride, when I got home, I sat around and patched it.
grumblegrumblegrumble
Stupid thorns!
08 October 2011
Doodly squat
Meander #114
less than 5 miles in Folsom, CA.
Saturday, October 8th.
My sweetie has been having back and hip problems (for which he has had testing, and we are waiting on the results) so he was willing to indulge my desire for a ride with him, but not willing to go very far.
I removed my rant and replaced it with a nice trail picture.
So not too far we went.
It was a beautiful day, sunny and about 65 degrees. A perfect day for a ride. No excitement, no close calls, no falling down, just a good time.
After my last ride, I had decided it was time for a new chain (although it may not have been, but then I like supporting my local bike shop). So I rode today with a new chain. Worked great.
One is supposed to measure chain wear with the chain under tension. And the easiest way to do that is to apply a little pressure to the pedal, but not move the trike. Then you measure 12 sets of chain links which should come to 12 inches. Not 12 and a little bit.
Now, finding 12 inches of straight chain on a trike liberally decorated with chain tubes was not easy. Like, not possible. So I dug out some calipers and made my best guess across 6 inches of straight bare chain. And my guess was it was a little worn.
A worn chain will wear the cogs faster. And I can replace the chain myself, not to sure about the rear cassette! So I replaced all 12' 1" of chain.
Tomorrow should be as pretty as today, so I will head up to Beals Point, I think. Then a short ride or two later in the week and fingers crossed for good weather for Foxys fall century on Saturday!
less than 5 miles in Folsom, CA.
Saturday, October 8th.
My sweetie has been having back and hip problems (for which he has had testing, and we are waiting on the results) so he was willing to indulge my desire for a ride with him, but not willing to go very far.
I removed my rant and replaced it with a nice trail picture.
So not too far we went.
It was a beautiful day, sunny and about 65 degrees. A perfect day for a ride. No excitement, no close calls, no falling down, just a good time.
After my last ride, I had decided it was time for a new chain (although it may not have been, but then I like supporting my local bike shop). So I rode today with a new chain. Worked great.
One is supposed to measure chain wear with the chain under tension. And the easiest way to do that is to apply a little pressure to the pedal, but not move the trike. Then you measure 12 sets of chain links which should come to 12 inches. Not 12 and a little bit.
Now, finding 12 inches of straight chain on a trike liberally decorated with chain tubes was not easy. Like, not possible. So I dug out some calipers and made my best guess across 6 inches of straight bare chain. And my guess was it was a little worn.
A worn chain will wear the cogs faster. And I can replace the chain myself, not to sure about the rear cassette! So I replaced all 12' 1" of chain.
Tomorrow should be as pretty as today, so I will head up to Beals Point, I think. Then a short ride or two later in the week and fingers crossed for good weather for Foxys fall century on Saturday!
02 October 2011
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Ride #113
Sunday, October 2nd
47 miles on the American River Bike Trail and in Folsom and Gold River and and and...
I had one taker for my "good idea" ride this morning. As last time, the ride makes a loop with a handy bail-out point at 22 miles. Which is where my companion bailed, leaving me to slog on to the turn around for the 47 mile ride.
No pics since I'm a lazy creature.
The annual Princess Promenade event was going on today. The trail was not closed, so I saw plenty of women and girls riding up and down the trail with various bits of girly princess-like attire. Mostly seemed to be sparkley crowns and pink tulle. Some women had bunches of tulle (netting like in tutus) stuffed in the back of their helmets like odd tailfeathers. Not my idea of fun. I did kind of like the grass skirt. Mostly because it was NOT PINK.
The other odd thing I saw was what my companion dubbed a "techno mohawk": a fellow who had strapped his small bike pump to the top of his helmet. Maybe Tech-mo-hawk?
And not odd, but Team Revolutions was out in force today. I have never seen so many of their jerseys out in one day. I wonder what their ride today was?
Oh, and I saw the unicyclist again. I was standing in the parking lot after my ride, trying to muster the mental and physical energy to shovel the trike into the car, when I noticed a couple trying to work out a path over the new bicycle interchange at the Hazel bridge. I stepped over and asked "Which side of the river do you want to be on" and the answer was "The other side" (not a chicken joke). So I was able to say "See that unicyclist? Follow him. See that regular bike? Don't follow him." Easy as pie.
I'm pretty beat today (came home and took a nap) and I think it was a mistake to change the seat configuration and then go on a long ride.
Normally (like, for the last 1500 miles) I have the seat tipped up as far as it will go (so I am sitting as upright as possible). I have a range of 33 to 42 degrees. Today I split the difference between the two extremes. I like it, but my legs were not ready for that much time in a new position. My achilles tendon on the left complained and my right knee complained about 38 miles in, so I hopped off and put the seat back to the usual position, then gingerly carried on to the end of the ride. I iced when I got home. Should be better tomorrow, but I might ice again.
I think the more reclined position effectively puts my feet farther away from the pedals, meaning I have to flex my ankles a bit more while pedaling. My left leg acts like it is shorter than my right (because of my hips) so that ankle has to flex more, and my right knee is the 'bad' knee. So I'm not surprised. Just grumpy.
My rear tire required a little tweaking after the flat of last ride. The valve stem was not straight from the rim. It was easy enough to deflate the tire (still on the bike, thank you) and scootch the tire and tube around until it was in the right place. It was refreshing to pump up a tire with a floor pump instead of a mini pump.
My shifting is quite noisy again, so it will be time to reapply my favorite lube, Boeshield T9. I'd better also check out the rear derailler and make sure it is all clean and tidy.
Foxy's in two weeks, I'll take some short rides between now and than and pamper my ankle and knee.
Sunday, October 2nd
47 miles on the American River Bike Trail and in Folsom and Gold River and and and...
I had one taker for my "good idea" ride this morning. As last time, the ride makes a loop with a handy bail-out point at 22 miles. Which is where my companion bailed, leaving me to slog on to the turn around for the 47 mile ride.
No pics since I'm a lazy creature.
The annual Princess Promenade event was going on today. The trail was not closed, so I saw plenty of women and girls riding up and down the trail with various bits of girly princess-like attire. Mostly seemed to be sparkley crowns and pink tulle. Some women had bunches of tulle (netting like in tutus) stuffed in the back of their helmets like odd tailfeathers. Not my idea of fun. I did kind of like the grass skirt. Mostly because it was NOT PINK.
The other odd thing I saw was what my companion dubbed a "techno mohawk": a fellow who had strapped his small bike pump to the top of his helmet. Maybe Tech-mo-hawk?
And not odd, but Team Revolutions was out in force today. I have never seen so many of their jerseys out in one day. I wonder what their ride today was?
Oh, and I saw the unicyclist again. I was standing in the parking lot after my ride, trying to muster the mental and physical energy to shovel the trike into the car, when I noticed a couple trying to work out a path over the new bicycle interchange at the Hazel bridge. I stepped over and asked "Which side of the river do you want to be on" and the answer was "The other side" (not a chicken joke). So I was able to say "See that unicyclist? Follow him. See that regular bike? Don't follow him." Easy as pie.
I'm pretty beat today (came home and took a nap) and I think it was a mistake to change the seat configuration and then go on a long ride.
Normally (like, for the last 1500 miles) I have the seat tipped up as far as it will go (so I am sitting as upright as possible). I have a range of 33 to 42 degrees. Today I split the difference between the two extremes. I like it, but my legs were not ready for that much time in a new position. My achilles tendon on the left complained and my right knee complained about 38 miles in, so I hopped off and put the seat back to the usual position, then gingerly carried on to the end of the ride. I iced when I got home. Should be better tomorrow, but I might ice again.
I think the more reclined position effectively puts my feet farther away from the pedals, meaning I have to flex my ankles a bit more while pedaling. My left leg acts like it is shorter than my right (because of my hips) so that ankle has to flex more, and my right knee is the 'bad' knee. So I'm not surprised. Just grumpy.
My rear tire required a little tweaking after the flat of last ride. The valve stem was not straight from the rim. It was easy enough to deflate the tire (still on the bike, thank you) and scootch the tire and tube around until it was in the right place. It was refreshing to pump up a tire with a floor pump instead of a mini pump.
My shifting is quite noisy again, so it will be time to reapply my favorite lube, Boeshield T9. I'd better also check out the rear derailler and make sure it is all clean and tidy.
Foxy's in two weeks, I'll take some short rides between now and than and pamper my ankle and knee.
29 September 2011
Don't ask me, I'm not in charge
Ride #112
Thursday, September 29th
21 miles on the American River Parkway
So excited!
Another assistant organizer for the casual bike group I belong to has started posting rides.
He says it is because his doctor says he should get exercise more often than 2 times a week (and that's true for everybody: even you, dear reader) so he figured if he was going to go on a ride then he might as well post it for the group.
We started at Watt avenue and went West to the very end of the trail, mile 0. I've been there before but I do not regularly ride this section of the trail.
Our leader has lived in this area for 60 years so he knew everything about everything. It was great having a guided tour of what was over the hill and out of sight of the trail.
This trail runs along the American River and this river tends to flood in the spring. The bike trail used to run closer to the river (which I did not know) and it was rebuilt a little farther away in some sections.
We got to ride on an old section on a detour. The levee is being worked on, so that's why the detour.
Discovery Park, the far point of our ride, is a lovely large green park right on the river.
All the bathrooms were locked (Ahhhhhhh! Crisis!) but the incredibly filthy porta johns were not. I think a shrub might have been less traumatizing.
We turned around and headed back, taking a break at a picnic table along the way that was in the shade.
I promptly got a flat tire (darn thorns) and demonstrated changing a tire for the two others on the ride. It was the rear tire and I'm very glad folks were there to hold the trike up when I was struggling to put the wheel back on. Two tries and it was ready to go!
I tried again (more successfully this time) to experiment with a more laid back posture. I found it more comfortable this time, so I think when I unfold my bike (I took the sedan today) and put it back together for the next ride I will use something between the most upright and the most laid back posture.
Next ride this weekend and it will be that 41 mile ride again! Yay!
Thursday, September 29th
21 miles on the American River Parkway
So excited!
Another assistant organizer for the casual bike group I belong to has started posting rides.
He says it is because his doctor says he should get exercise more often than 2 times a week (and that's true for everybody: even you, dear reader) so he figured if he was going to go on a ride then he might as well post it for the group.
We started at Watt avenue and went West to the very end of the trail, mile 0. I've been there before but I do not regularly ride this section of the trail.
Our leader has lived in this area for 60 years so he knew everything about everything. It was great having a guided tour of what was over the hill and out of sight of the trail.
This trail runs along the American River and this river tends to flood in the spring. The bike trail used to run closer to the river (which I did not know) and it was rebuilt a little farther away in some sections.
 |
| Old trail segment |
We got to ride on an old section on a detour. The levee is being worked on, so that's why the detour.
 |
| Yes, the tree really is that large |
Discovery Park, the far point of our ride, is a lovely large green park right on the river.
 |
| Little-raised drawbridge |
All the bathrooms were locked (Ahhhhhhh! Crisis!) but the incredibly filthy porta johns were not. I think a shrub might have been less traumatizing.
We turned around and headed back, taking a break at a picnic table along the way that was in the shade.
I promptly got a flat tire (darn thorns) and demonstrated changing a tire for the two others on the ride. It was the rear tire and I'm very glad folks were there to hold the trike up when I was struggling to put the wheel back on. Two tries and it was ready to go!
I tried again (more successfully this time) to experiment with a more laid back posture. I found it more comfortable this time, so I think when I unfold my bike (I took the sedan today) and put it back together for the next ride I will use something between the most upright and the most laid back posture.
Next ride this weekend and it will be that 41 mile ride again! Yay!
27 September 2011
Sonoma Skeddaddle II
Ride #111
Monday September 26th
8.5 miles around some vineyards in Sonoma County, California
We set out just before lunch, a picnic distributed among the various riders (I was in charge of the bread), toddler in tow, to visit as many wineries as we could before the inevitable 3.5 year old meltdown. We hoped for 3 winerys and would have settled for 1, so the 2 we visited was the perfect number.
Fappiono's was the first where they had both whites and reds to taste.
I surprised myself by choosing a rosé to take home. I am normally a red red red person.
We had a nice self-catered lunch accompanied by a bottle from the tasting room.
I successfully packed a bottle in one of my rear bags, and Mrs. Host's Mom's (the happy person toasting the camera) bottle in the other. The extra weight was noticeable, especially slogging up the hills to the next winery.
Our second visit was on Limerick Road, to Collins Vineyard, with a very talkative counterman who waived our tasting fees since we had arrived on bicycles.
Now with three bottles in my bags, the effect that had on my suspension, the realization that the toddler DID NOT want to leave the shade of a tree, AND the uphill dirt roads to the next two possible wineries, we made a wise decision and headed back.
I need a stiffer spring or some adjustment to my rear suspension for heavier loads than I usually carry (like for touring), and I also want to get a 22 tooth ring in front instead of my 26. The trike handled wonderfully with the load, rolling down hills like it was on a greased track.
Tomorrow I head back to my usual life of local bike rides, and to getting ready for Foxy's in mid- October.
Monday September 26th
8.5 miles around some vineyards in Sonoma County, California
We set out just before lunch, a picnic distributed among the various riders (I was in charge of the bread), toddler in tow, to visit as many wineries as we could before the inevitable 3.5 year old meltdown. We hoped for 3 winerys and would have settled for 1, so the 2 we visited was the perfect number.
Fappiono's was the first where they had both whites and reds to taste.
I surprised myself by choosing a rosé to take home. I am normally a red red red person.
We had a nice self-catered lunch accompanied by a bottle from the tasting room.
I successfully packed a bottle in one of my rear bags, and Mrs. Host's Mom's (the happy person toasting the camera) bottle in the other. The extra weight was noticeable, especially slogging up the hills to the next winery.
Our second visit was on Limerick Road, to Collins Vineyard, with a very talkative counterman who waived our tasting fees since we had arrived on bicycles.
Now with three bottles in my bags, the effect that had on my suspension, the realization that the toddler DID NOT want to leave the shade of a tree, AND the uphill dirt roads to the next two possible wineries, we made a wise decision and headed back.
I need a stiffer spring or some adjustment to my rear suspension for heavier loads than I usually carry (like for touring), and I also want to get a 22 tooth ring in front instead of my 26. The trike handled wonderfully with the load, rolling down hills like it was on a greased track.
Tomorrow I head back to my usual life of local bike rides, and to getting ready for Foxy's in mid- October.
Sonoma Skedaddle I
Monday, September 26th
16 miles around Wimdsor and Healdsburg, California.
My usual small digital camera has a severe allergy to rechargeable batteries, so I'm using my phone for pictures.
I'm staying with some friends in Sonoma County this weekend.
My hosts' toddler had preschool this morning, so all four of us set off across Windsor to drop the child off.
My hosts take their child to school via bike whenever they can. She (the child) is loaded in the trailer with juice in one side pocket and toast in the other. I suppose it is easier to turn a trailer over and shake the crumbs out then it would be to invert a mini-van. AND this child will grow up with bicycling being a normal thing. Yay!
Mr. Host went home with the trailer while Mrs. Host and I headed up to Healdsburg to stroll around the town square playing empty-pocketed tourists.
This bridge did have a sidewalk, but we took the lane to get across. Coming back, I thought the railroad bridge (that looks like this one) was our left turn but I figured it out eventually. That would have been amusing, but bumpy.
We did buy a loaf of bread for our upcoming picnic, then spent some time admiring the gazebo.
We also got some tasty pastries: she had an apricot cherry pocket and I had a delightfully gingery ginger cookie. We peered in the window of the fan museum, admired the vertical fountain (water and spoons) and then hopped back on our cycles to head back to the house.
We will wait there for Mrs. Host's mom to arrive, for Mr Host to retrieve little hostlet from school, to swap around bikes and trailers and bags and baskets, then off to our mini cycling wine tour.
I've decided that my phone is OK at taking pictures in broad daylight without too many funny shadows (what I expected) and that my phone will not do as my sole source of internet posting while on tour, since there seems to be some problems with photos, phones, uploading, and blogger. Not to mention that I would have no way of satisfactorily editing the photos. Looks like it might be netbook or tablet time.
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