trike-ab-trike-2019

2019 mileage: 3727.3 With the early onset of winter—unseasonal cold, and the 10-inch snowfall we had dumped upon us on Veterans Day—I've not been able to ride outside since the first day of this month! However, today it eased up enough that I was able to be outside. By diligently riding the stationary bike at LA Fitness, though, I've been able already to best my previous annual high in mileage (3572.4 in 2016). Today it was 38° when I began just past 10:00, and, riding under partly sunny skies, I saw that temperature climb to 47° by the time I finished. Nevertheless, the fleece I wore over my hoodie felt good ... but the gloves I had brought "just in case" were able to stay tucked away in my pocket. On a busy day, however, although I wanted to do a more substantial ride than this, I was forced to limit it to a modest single round trip to Marsh Park (10.2 miles in 1:18). That was all I could squeeze in on a busy day: piano practice first thing this morning after ...

2019 mileage: 3438.2 Each of the last two days I was driven inside to work out at LA Fitness because of significant wind combined with low temperatures. So I was eager to ride outside today, particularly in light of the fact that temperatures are supposed to plunge over the nest 24 hours, with tomorrow's high reaching (perhaps) 35°. Today when I set off at 12:30 in 39° gray gloom, everything looked fine on the trike, and I headed down the hill from our complex. But it seemed to be riding slowly and with difficulty, and when I reached the intersection, waiting to cross Oak Valley Dr., I understood why, as a man pointed to my left front tire and said, "Hey, you've got a flat!" I could see it then, even though I hadn't been able to a few minutes earlier. So I walked it up the hill back to our garage, pumped it up, and it stayed firm, leading me to believe that it had gone flat due to the cold rather than a damaged tube. But anyway, my drive and gumption was gon...

2019 mileage: 3398.2 After the rain forced me inside to LA Fitness the last two days I was glad to be able to get outside again today. However, the weather affected today's ride in a big way, too. Originally, I had intended to ride my 20-mile round trip to Baker Rd. However, unseasonable early cold has clamped down on us in a big way, and when I began at 12:30, the 39° temperature and 13 mph wind out of the west-southwest convinced me to shorten it by about half, and just ride the round trip to Marsh Park. But then, even that proved too much, and I ended up riding a loop through the Silo Ridge subdivision before returning home, for 6.5 miles in 59 minutes. Also, before my ride, I was happy to be able to get a new wardrobe item from the mail. When I got my new trike in  May 2016 *as a trade offered by TerraTrike in exchange for my problematic traveler model), TerraTrike's employee Stowe brought me a TerraTrike cap, and I've worn that every...

2019 mileage: 3361.7 After taking Sunday as a rest day (a frequent occurrence), I then needed to take yesterday as a rest day, too, due to a perfect storm of reasons. To start with, it was a relatively busy day, with numerous errands to address. And then physically, my feet were hurting me considerably. Even worse, though, I was so sleepy that I was almost falling asleep on my feet. At any rate, today I was glad to get back on it, and rode another round trip to Baker Rd. But I was plagued by an equipment malfunction. Just before I reached Baker Rd., to turn around and start back toward home, by phone went dead. This would be no surprise during a long ride such as this, were it not for the fact that I had it plugged into my auxiliary battery, and had checked it before starting to make sure it was working and charging. I could tell  it had gone dead, though, because the music I was hearing on Spotify abruptly stopped, and then when I stopped to check in out, the phone w...

2019 mileage: 3341.7 When I left for my ride just before 8:00 this morning, I intended to ride the big loop over to and around St. Joseph Mercy Hospital (roughly 28 miles). However, it didn't take long to determine that I'll either have to wait on that long a ride until next spring, or else dress more appropriately. It was 38° when I began (though up to a toasty 41° at ride's end), and although my torso was OK (clad in a fleece over a hoodie), my extremities were quite cold. I need to trade in my cotton socks for heavier wool ones, and break out my heavier, quilted winter gloves - which are warmer, but considerably less comfortable, than the cloth ones I wore today (pictured below). So, instead of that longer loop, I rode the Platt-Packard Square (which I also rode yesterday), giving me 13.9 miles in 1:45. As I was finishing up, I passed a sign that I hadn't noticed before, which reminded me of my wife and daughter, as Michelle and Christy both work at Emerso...

2019 mileage: 3327.8 Today I bucked my usual preference of a morning ride, and left at 3:30 instead (by which time it had heated up to 48°, a temperature that remained constant throughout my ride). I did the Platt-Packard Square, a 13.8-mile route, in 1:35.

2019 mileage: 3314.0 Today I wanted to and fully intended to ride my 20-mile round trip to Baker Rd. But an unforeseen complication vexed me. When I got ready to go, my phone was only at about 70% battery charge, which is considerably too low to make that ride unassisted. So then I plugged in my auxiliary battery for is, which I carry clipped to my belt loop during long rides. However, it did not charge. I then realized the problem was either with the battery itself, or with the cable. So when I went out to the garage to get my trike, I stopped at the car and retrieved our other cable (which we usually leave plugged into the car.) This cable did not work either, though, so I figured I'd better limit myself to a more modes ride, and, accordingly, just did a round trip to Marsh Park (10.2 miles, in 1:12). It's cooling right down, too. I rode in good fallish conditions - when I started, at 9:45, it was only 44° (up to a toasty 47°, however, by the time I finished) MUCH col...