Breaking in the Tailsok

Today's excitement was to find the entrance of the I-205 bike path. This path's entrance is hidden in a neighborhood. I didn't have any trouble finding the bike path but I did get lost shortly after leaving the house. The GPS needed batteries and I stopped at a market on the street where I needed to turn. I got the batteries but forgot to turn. Really got my barings messed up. I asked 2 people where the street I was looking for was and they each pointed in opposite directions. I decided to turn back and do the route as originally mapped out. Everything was going along fine when I started to notice that most everyone I was passing was far too serious. It made me feel like something serious had happened in the world and these people decided to go on a bike ride anyway. Even the recumbent riders were serious - very odd. After a stop at Taco Bell for a snack I went to Performance Bike hoping someone there could help me with the rubbing disc brakes. It's a very slight rubbing but I'd like it better if it wasn't there. These guys said not to worry about it - eventually the pads will rub down enough to clear the discs. I've heard this twice now and am willing to let it go. I also picked up some Cliff Bars, which I have yet to try, and a vertical rear blinky for the new tailsock.

All throughout the ride I noticed that the hills were so much easier on the trike. I am so pleased with this bike. I feel like hills are no longer an issue. What a great feeling to not have to worry about that. I continued down the 205 path to the Springwater trail. Gave Shawn a call to see if he was around but no, he was kayaking. Got down to the Esplanade and decided since everyone was being so serious it was time to put on the headphones. Biking with music is great. I have a lot of classical music recorded. Mostly Bach, Stravinsky and Chopin. It seemed like as soon as I tuned out I started getting more positive reactions from people. There were families with kids out on the Esplanade and they seemed to get a real kick out of the trike. I got to the Steele Bridge and headed up Interstate. There's a long gradual climb up this street and I had Carmina Burana playing - very fun music. I was on my way to Barbie's house when a guy on a homemade trike pulls up. His trike looked like it was built from an erector set. He was pretty excited. As we were talking a young kid comes up to ask about the trikes saying he is looking for ideas for next years college human power vehicle contest. The trike guy goes off on him saying he needs to build bikes for older people to get them out of their cars. He started telling this kid about all the global warming issues his generation will have to endure. It was a little much. The kid finally cut him off and said he had to go. Luckily, my turn was the next street. Had a nice visit with Barbie while she was taking a break from painting her house. What a job!! After that I made my way over the Interstate Bridge and back home. Once I got to Vancouver I got a lot a people pulling up and telling me how much they liked the trike. One car full of kids were screaming how much they loved it. Very fun. I had Bach's Italian Concerto playing on my way up the Hazel Dell hill. Terrific!! All in all a good day!!
52 miles.