TOT 2015

Krispy Steve's logo design

TOT (Trikes Optional Tour, aka Tater TOT), is a yearly event that has been going for many years. There were probably 100 trikers taking over the Guest House Inn in Kellogg, Idaho this year. People came from all over with lots of trikers from Alberta, Canada, Oregon, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Florida and Colorado.  Many arrived by motor home parking in the hotel lot and more stayed in sites at various local RV parks. Watching everyone arrive hauling trikes in every way you can imagine was fascinating. Trikes in pick up truck beds, trailers, big vans, mini vans, on racks, double racks, trikes stuffed in cars, on top of cars, RVs and folded into trunks. The sight of so many trikes was very impressive. I really enjoyed seeing all these crazy trikers again. There were also a number of velomobiles. Beautiful, super fast machines. And, of course, lots of 2 wheelers joined in the fun as well.  

Trying out a Velomobile, woohoo!!

Velomobiles

TOT takes place on the Trails of the Coeur d'Alene which offer 70 miles of continuous smooth paved biking trails with gorgeous scenery. The event is for a long weekend but most people come earlier and stay longer.  I arrived at the Guest House Inn, getting a lift with my friends Dave and Edna, on Thursday staying until the following Thursday. Many of the surrounding towns are old-timey quaint and a lot of fun to explore.There is so much to see and riding to do I could have stayed longer. 

All the towns in the area are rich in mining history. A good group of us took an afternoon to do a tour of a gold mine in Kellogg. Outside the temperature was 108 and inside the mine was a refreshing 48 degrees. The history was very interesting and everyone was happy to get relief from the heat. Even with the heat, some people also tried panning for gold and stones from some tubs set up outside the mine. 

Gold mine tour

TOT isn't an organized event. There are certain rides that happen every year but, mostly, I wake up, see if anyone has a ride planned and join in. Often there was a breakfast ride to Wallace or the Snake Pit. Sometimes I ate breakfast at the hotel fueling up before a longer ride.  Some people got up extra early to ride the 144 miles of trail out and back. Edna did a century training ride in the heat to prepare for STP (Seattle To Portland).  I chose more manageable, shorter rides like to the end of the trail in Mullan and back.



This year, the weather was searingly hot and this shaped much of our riding decisions. Every day the temperatures were in the high 90's and even over 100 degrees. Brutal! The weather channel said there was a heat dome over the entire Pacific Northwest. An early start was important in order to be back at the hotel before we all melted. In years past, people would congregate at the entrance of the hotel, setting up chairs and yakking late into the night. Not this year. Everyone made sure to get up earlier to ride before the heat was overwhelming. There were a couple of night rides I joined to Wallace for huckleberry shakes which were great fun. We returned after 11 pm and the hotel was eerily quiet. 

Center of the universe is in Wallace.

View from the trail.

Night ride to the spaceship at the Red Garage in Wallace

One of the most popular rides is the Trail of the Hiawatha which starts in Montana high up on an old mountain rail trail. The ride crosses into Idaho in the middle of a very long tunnel. The trail is 15 miles downhill with spectacular scenery riding over trestle bridges high above the trees. Buses at the bottom give cyclists a lift back to the top, even trikers. Even though the ride is all downhill there is so much to look at most people take hours to complete the trail. The path is hard packed gravel with larger stones and a much rougher surface for the last few miles. Without suspension, the ride can be teeth rattling. Many people rent mountain bikes with suspension instead of putting their trikes and bodies through the tougher terrain. 

Cataldo Mission and Parish House

There are lots of group rides and 2 that go over passes, Dobson and Thompson.  Some people get a lift to the top and ride down. I did Dobson last year, and loved it, but this year was simply too hot. A few of us did a ride to the beautiful Cataldo Mission which is one of the oldest buildings in Idaho and very well preserved. People would come back from rides and show off pictures of moose and baby moose, herons, egrets, eagles and elk they saw on the trail. I never saw any moose but enjoyed other's pictures and excitement. One of the big rides is from Harrison to Plummer on gorgeous Lake Coeur d'Alene. Everyone loads up the trikes driving 45 miles to the trailhead. There's a fantastic bike path bridge that crosses the lake and has a fabulous view. The turn around point for the ride was a veteran's park with a tribute to the Coeur d'Alene tribe.

Bridge across Lake Coeur d'Alene

Boat Houses and Lily Pads

Turn Around at Plummer

Lake Coeur d'Alene

(click above arrow to view video in full screen↑)

Snake Pit buffet line

The Snake Pit restaurant put together a nice buffet dinner of bbq chicken with all the fixins for the whole group. We all rode the 6 miles there and the parking lot and grassy area outside the restaurant was full of trikes with colorful flags. This was also the second year a fundraiser pig roast dinner took place on the trail just outside the hotel. Lots of fabulous salads and pulled pork. There are also many really good restaurants in the area. This year I tried the Fainting Goat in Wallace which has a big time chef trained in New York and Italy. Great food. The Silver Mountain lodge is across the street from the hotel. They have a ski lift where mountain bikers can put their bikes in a gondola to the top of the mountain and come down on single track trails. The lodge also has a restaurant with good food offering lots of healthy choices. This is my 3rd TOT and there are still more restaurants I want to try.

Snake Pit parking

Buffet at the Snake Pit

Just like last year, I made reservations for next year before I left. Next year's TOT will be a week earlier in June and, hopefully, cooler. Many thanks to Edna and Dave for giving me and Myrtle a lift - there and back. It was fun hanging with you too.

Resolving Health Issues

The last 6 weeks or so have been tough physically. It has, seriously, been one thing after another. I'm not used to being sick so this has really worn me down. First I had a cold that took a couple of weeks to get over and then there was the flu. I think I threw my back out throwing up. Once I felt better I was so excited I went out and played tennis and then cleaned the house. I knew I was in trouble when I couldn't get the vacuum cleaner up the stairs. I still played tennis even though I was having trouble standing up. Actually, I played a couple of doubles matches wearing those heated Thermacare pads and

somehow we managed to win. It probably delayed recovery though as I have been to the chiropractor, message therapist and acupuncturist countless times over the past month to get relief. It is finally loosening up and I'm almost 100%. Last weekend I managed a 32 mile ride with a good group of OHPVers and the slugs. It was a gorgeous day. I think the biking helped. I've also been swimming and taking epsom salt baths. I going to start working on my abs and doing some strength training this week. I'll be taking it slow to insure there aren't any relapses.

Quiet time

Yesterday, I took my cat Ro to the vets to be put down. She has been a dear, dear friend for over 16 years. What a love and a little sweetie!! Her kidneys and liver had been failing for the last 6 months and it seemed she was in a lot of pain whenever she used the box. Animals tend to have a higher threshold for pain and I'll bet she was in more than she let on. Thursday afternoon the pain appeared to be worse than before and I couldn't take it anymore. I called the vet to make an appointment to talk about putting her down. I wasn't sure it would happen on Friday but in the morning I went to the bathroom and discovered Ro had sprayed diarrhea all over a wall. Poor little thing!! That was a clear sign it was time to put her down. Larry Pike met me at the vets. It was nice to have his support - not having to do it alone. The vet gave her a shot and she was gone within seconds. I think she was gone before the vet finished giving her the shot. She quietly fell asleep in my arms. It felt very humane. Crying as we left the room, I gave her one last kiss, sniff and pet. I know she will always be with me. It sure is quiet around the house without her.

JaVa LaVa

This was a recumbent ride starting in Camas. It was supposed to start at the Java Coffee House but that has closed since the last time this ride was offered. Java House is now Sushi Land. Luckily, I recognized someone in the parking lot as I looking feverishly for a coffee house. About 10 people showed up at the start and others joined in later. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. If anyone had said it was going to be 63, sunny with no wind I would have said they were crazy. The weather before and after this day was typical grey and rainy. What a day to be on a bike!! We meandered our way to the downtown Java Coffee House and met a half dozen other riders. There were additional bikers enjoying a break from thier own rides. The place was hopping. It was Diana's birthday and her husband Jeff pulled a package of cupcakes out of his panniers for everyone to enjoy. After coffee and sweets we headed down River Road and out to Vancouver Lake where we met up with some more riders. A few guys were out there preparing for the upcoming Jack Frost time trials. Most everyone decided to do the 12 mile Jack Frost route but Diana, Jeff, Jim and I headed back to Camas. We put in 32 miles by the end of the ride.

Worst Day of the Year

Now that was an event!! This was a charity ride benefiting the Community Cycling Center. There were 2 ride choices offered - an 18 mile SE neighborhood family ride and a 40 mile 'challenging' ride. It was my first time trying it out and I chose the 40 mile challenge. Being February - the weather can be unpredictable. This year saw sunshine, rain, wind and then cold heavy rain. The 40 mile option took some of the 1500 riders from the Lucky Lab Brew pub in SE Portland to REI in the pearl to REI in Hillsboro and back. I got there early to get going with the first wave. Waiting for the official start I found myself with 2 other trikers. We had a good time yakking it up. There were lots of people with decorated bikes and in costume. The drummers sent us off regally through a flurry of bubbles on an easy ride to the REI in the pearl. Sipping on a delicious chai tea I ran into some recumbent rider friends. These are all very strong riders and didn't expect to see them again on the ride. I hopped back on Myrtle and started climbing a pretty steep hill. Reaching the top, I turned the corner to find myself climbing even more. Entering Washington park I had a flat and pulled over where another biker was just finishing up fixing his own flat. It was nice having the company as he helped and gave me pointers. So many people passing offered to help - very comforting. Back on Myrtle, we kept climbing and climbing. I couldn't believe how big this hill was. A couple power walking passed me and we all had a good laugh. Then I passed a couple of teenage boys one who hissed at me like a cat - he even extended one of his hands out like he was taking a swipe at me with his paw. Well - I, of course, hissed back even louder. I think he got a kick out of that. I did too. The climbing continued on and on and up and up for miles and miles. It started to rain lightly on the way up. Almost at the top a guy on a regular bike passed and we exchanged a few friendly words of encouragement. I noticed he was taking a very long time waiting at the lights and pretty soon I caught up with him. He would set out and get to a light and then wait. Eventually we were riding together. We arrived at REI in Hillsboro - the half way point and had some snacks, chai tea and rested while I had a mechanic check my tire to make sure everything was ok and there was enough air. I started back and the guy that rode in with me started riding back with me. I am so slow this must have been difficult for him. It was sure nice having the company. Pretty soon we were back to climbing what turned out to be an even bigger hill than the one on the first half of the ride. I was riding 3-4 mph - I don't know how this guy stayed upright. He must be very stong to keep riding with me. He didn't really talk much and I finally got his name - Carter. What a nice guy to hang with me. As we got to the top of the hill it started raining very hard. The view was lovely and we stopped to catch our breath and enjoy it. Then came the screaming downhill. I'm still squimish about downhill riding. I've gotten to 30 mph and then I panic and start breaking. This downhill was very steep and winding, there was no shoulder, lots of traffic and it was pouring rain. I think I got to 32 mph. I knew there were riders behind me that couldn't pass and I'm sure they could have ridden much faster. After we crossed the Broadway bridge I got another flat tire. At this point my buddy Carter rode on - oh well, it was nice having his company. The wind was really blowing and it was cold. This flat was annoying, it took me awhile to find the glass buried deep in the rubber. Luckily I was only a few easy miles from the finish and my car. By the time I made it back I just wanted to get home and take a warm shower. All in all, I was very proud of myself for completing this ride. At first when I realized what kind of climbing was being asked of us, I couldn't believe the organizers would create such a difficult ride. This was a charity event after all. Much of the roads we took had quite a bit of traffic and most didn't even have a shoulder. That really surprised me. But once I finished the ride I couldn't believe I had done it. I felt good at the end physically and mentally. And cold. This was one of those confidence building rides I'll remember for a long time. It really felt like if I could do this ride any ride was possible. I may be slow but I'll get there.

New Year

I just returned from visiting my aunt in LA. She was in a play at the Odessey theater. The play was called 'The Oldest Profession' by Paula Vogel. My aunt played the madam in a brothel of senior citizen prostitutes. She had a solo song and dance routine. Not bad for an 81 year old. I really enjoyed the play. Everyone worked together so well. One by one they each die off and go to harlot heaven. I'm really glad I went down to see it. My aunt and I always have a good time together. We also celebrated my cousin Carissa's 23rd birthday. We talked about my plans for the future. Eve really wants me to move to LA and go to law school. I'll give it some thought. I don't have any idea what my life will look like after my bike ride. I'm not opposed to her idea. It would be fun living close to her and the rest of the family again. LA? I'm not so sure... My cousin Jim wants to join me on my bike ride when I get to San Francisco. He was so envious of my plans. Wait till he sees how slow I am. Slow as a turtle. Of course, I'll have over a month on the road before we meet up. Plenty of time to get my speed up. I've been reading alot of journals of people biking in Mexico. It's peaked my interest to the point I've enrolled in a spanish class at the local community college. I've also been working on my mascot.

Introducing...

Myrtle the turtle.


















Once I get a PO box and figure out how to forward my mail I'll be designing a business card and clear stickers with Myrtle on them to give away. The yellow band is for the Lance Armstrong's Livestrong foundation that I'll be fundraising for. I'm not exactly sure how that works - something else to figure out. But, I figure, if I'm handing out cards I might as well give the web address of where to donate.

Many, Many Rides

I've been riding almost daily since the beginning of the month. I started keeping track of the miles on Bike Journal and already have over 200 miles accumulated for the month. The weather has been so beautiful and promises to continue for the rest of the week. A week ago Saturday I did the loop around Portland paths and met a lot of people. I also got stung by a wasp. It stung bad for about 20 minutes and then turned into a 3 inch welt on the side of my thigh. I was wearing regular shorts and the wasp flew in. Yeow!! This ride was 45 miles and I did it on Sunday too. I stopped into Performance bikes shop to get a lock and when I used it I set it up wrong and it was useless. Sunday I went back to get a replacement. They were nice about it and gave me one at 1/2 price. I also got a flat. This was my 2nd flat on the road and the same tire. Its the tire that rolls closest to the edge of the road where most of the debris is. My biggest problem with riding isnt the riding or the hills but keeping track of my stuff. Seems like I can't be bothered to zip up my rear rack bag after I use stuff. Luckily I started using a yellow rain cover so I didn't lose anything. Sometimes I look down at my fanny pack and its wide open too. So wierd!!

I need to get a new phone. My current one still works but to has broken in two peices. I'm thinking about getting a phone to send and recieve emails and has wi-fi. Mostly, I thinking about next summers bike ride. Getting a phone to keep the journal up to date instead of getting a computer. Still thinking about it...

I rode out to Battleground Saturday. It wasn't supposed to rain but about 20 minutes in the rain started. The weather is supposed to be nice for another week and I haven't put the front fenders on yet - what a mess!! I stopped at Battlegrounds for a soy latte and let my jacket dry out a bit. The idea was to go up Kelly Rd hill - I'll get there next time. I also lost traction going up a short very steep hill on the way back. Not good!! I ordered a new tire with tread and kevlar belt for the back tire and a rain jacket.

Yesterday I went for my yearly MRI and blood work appointment. I'll get the results on Thursday and see if the tumor removal and hormone levels are still doing good. The surgery was over 3 years ago and every year I've felt better and better. Especially emotionally. I don't have the ups and downs I used to have. The only issue left is weight. I'm hoping all the biking will help. I just cracked 200 and the numbers are going in the right direction. It feels doable - maybe I'll lose wieght riding around the country - you think?

Now I'm off the watch the c and b city league teams.

Back to the Business of Biking

I've been biking frequently since the New York trip and its about time to document. Here are some pictures from the latest rides.

This cow was pulling on a branch shaking the tree to get the apples to fall.













On my way back past the same farm there were many more cows looking for hand outs from the smart cow.


Yeah, what do you want to do about it?

This house had birdhouses all around it.

I've started expanding my rides and looking for more routes. I found a route on the randonneuring website and another on the blueberry's. I tried out the Blueberry route today which went through Hazel Dell and Salmon Creek or atleast that's as far as I got. A bridge was closed on Salmon Creek and I got lost finding my way back to the route after the detour. It was a beautiful day and I didn't mind. This will be a good route once I figure out how to get around the detour. Actually, I think I did today - if I can remember what I did. Its supposed to be a beautiful weekend so I think more biking is in store. I managed to do 41.5 miles today with many hills. Even the Felida hill- good stuff. I might try the other route which goes through Battleground and on up St. Helens. The route is 124 miles so I'll probably go 20-30 miles and then turn around.

What a week

Eve and I had such a nice visit together in New York. We got along so well and laughed a lot. I hadn't been to New York in about 18 years. The city is so much cleaner and quieter. The last time I was there the smell of urine was everywhere. There were used condoms, needles and rats all over. The city was so noisy I just couldn't stand it. The difference was amazing and welcome. The weather was also really good. I had such a good time being with family. We met up with cousin Helen at the Met museum. She is an intense woman who has a tremendous passion for music and the arts. After walking around a show we walked a couple of blocks to a restaurant for lunch and met up with Jodie and her friend Serit from Isreal. It was really terrific to hang out with the family. They were all talking about family relationships bringing up names I'd never even heard of. Everyone had such a good time. Eve and I left there and headed for the TKTS office to see what tickets were available and ended up seeing a show about Mary Lincoln. It was the most disappointing show we saw all week. To be fair, it was in preview but I don't think it showed much promise. Lots of holes in the story, the costumes were poor, the direction was boring and the music wasn't interesting. Everyday we would have breakfast at our favorite deli and then go exploring eventually finding our way to TKTS for the evenings entertainment. We ended up seeing a piano recital, a musical (Spelling Bee), an opera (Semele) and a really great play (The History Boys).










Eve and I at the Met Museum








Eve at the Opera











Eve and Jodie

Wedding of Weddings

Eve and I went out looking for breakfast and found a wonderful deli that became our favorite for the rest of the trip. A bagel and lox/cream cheese schmear with a latte. There was so much lox in the cream cheese and the schmear so thick Eve could only eat half. I, of course, ate the whole thing. We took the 96th st crosstown bus and then down 5th ave to the Guggenheim. There was an exhibit of an woman Iraqi architect - Zaha Hadid. The drawings were astounding. Every drawing had so many angles it was really hard to see what the drawing represented. Even when there was a model of the drawing I couldn't follow it. The angles in the drawings and the spiral ramp going up the museum had me feeling a bit of vertigo where you lose your sense of space. I had to look away from the drawings to something that made sense to keep my sense of space. It was cool. We had a terrific lunch at the museum cafe and then walked up 5th until we needed to get back to our hotel and get ready for the wedding.

Eve took a nap while I watched part of the men's semifinal (Roddick/Youzhny) on tv. We got ourselves all made up and headed out. We, again, took the crosstown bus and then headed down 5th ave. We joked that our earlier trip had been a dress rehearsal. The wedding didn't start until 8 pm and we got there on time. I hate being late so this was important. The wedding was at the Pierre Hotel. Not a big hotel but very elegant. The wedding took place in many, many rooms and the first was an entry room. It was round with a dome ceiling and 2 sweeping staircases painted in light blue with a cupid like theme. In the middle of the room was a small round table with an enormous, gorgeous flower display. There were intricate long flower garlands that went up both sides of the sweeping staircase. On the table were envelops set in brass holders with everyones name on it. The envelop had a dinner table assignment number in it. Eve kept the brass holders as a keepsake. From here it was a few steps up to the wedding room. It was absolutely beautiful. There were flowers everywhere. Garlands draped over everything that would hold them. The walkway down the aisle had these giant palmtree looking creations that were at least 15 ft tall and made entirely out of flowers. They also had small oil lamps hanging from them. Since it was a Jewish wedding the ceremony was short and sweet. Everyone looked terrific. There was a small orchestra playing classical music throughout. The glass was broken and it was time to go into the next room.

It was actually a series of 3 rooms. The orchestra broke up into trios and quartets and spaced themselves throughout the 3 rooms. Each room had a separate full bar and a ton of food - all appetizers. Veuve Cliquot was served throughout the evening - with a strawberry. There was a guy schucking oysters, a whole wall with sushi chefs making sushi to order, a wall of italian dishes, rack of lamb, lobster tails, king crab, mussels and, of course, tons of veggies. There were people walking around with more fancy looking tidbits. Again, the flower displays were absolutely amazing. They were intricate and hugenormous. I met Jackies' kids in line for sushi - so sweet. Shawn is 14 and Elana is 12. I hadn't seen Shawn since his bris. Ralph treated me like we had just seen each other. He is such a nice guy and so handsome. It felt really good to be here seeing some of the family.

About an hour of eating appetizers the doors to the wedding hall opened. It was truly an amazing sight. Again, the flowers were just stunning. The room was huge and completely covered with flowers. Every table had a display of flowers that was atleast 8 ft tall. There were enormous flower balls hanging from the ceiling too. We all starting dancing right away. A different band was playing in here. They had the usual band musicians with a whole horn section and 5 singers. The music was really fun. I probably danced for a full hour before sitting down. Dinner was served sometime around midnight. I had a beef dish and they also served sea bass. Sea bass must be making a come back. It seemed every restaurant we went to throughout our visit was serving it. The mashed potato thing served in the hashbrown cup was amazing too. Our waiter made sure everyone's Veuve glass was constantly full. The room was so beautiful that it was actually a bit overwhelming. It became very clear that this was no ordinary wedding. The bill for the flowers alone had to be a few hundred thousand dollars. I'm surprised there are any roses left in the city. People at my table pulled out roses from our display. Everyone took 1/2 a dozen each and you couldn't see that the display was missing anything.
These pictures are the best I could do - it was really dark in there. So much of the light was from the little hanging oil lamps. Are these flowers amazing or what? Doesn't Eve look elegant?

US Open and Rehearsal Dinner

Awoke early as I was a bit worried how I would get to the US Open, how long it would take to get there and how long I would be able to spend there. I figured I needed to be back at the hotel by 4:30 to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. It was women's semifinal day and there would only be 2 matches in the main draw. I didn't really want to spend a ton of money to see one match and hoped there would be some matches on the outer courts. Perhaps juniors or seniors? Everything turned out great. It was a breeze to get there. The 7 train dropped me off right at the grounds. I got a day pass ticket - for $75. There were junior matches going on and the first match was with Donald Young. This kid has been touted as an up and comer for a few years I have really wanted to see him play. He has tried repeatedly to win matches on the pro tour with no success. As I approached the court, I stopped to reorganize my stuff and found myself standing next to Nick Bolletteri and Donald Young's couch. American Express had a big presence at the open and gave away a radio if you could present a card. I picked up the radio and from where I was sitting watching the junior match I could see the giant screen showing the Henin-Hardenne vs Jankovic semi-final. The radio worked great. Jankovic looked to be winning the match, convincingly, when she suddenly imploded emotionally. It was so dramatic and appeared that she couldn't handle winning. Jankovic went from winning the first set and being up in the second to losing the second set and the third at love. Donald Young also won his match. It wasn't easy though. Donald is a scrawny little guy. He's already 17 and will hopefully have a growth spurt to have any chance of a pro tour career. I also watched to #1 girl take out her opponent in 3. She was more impressive than Donald. She was from Russia (what a surprise) and had an impossibly long name. After watching these matches I walked around the grounds and found the practice courts. Andy Roddick and Jimmy Conners were out there. Boy was it fun to see those guys. If I came during the first week I'd probably spend a lot of time hanging out there - you really see the players in a relaxed atmosphere with their coaches and hitting partners. After that I walked around some more and headed to the gift shop. I wanted to get Nancy and Yumi t-shirts for helping me out taking care of Ro and my car. A simple tank top was $50. I just couldn't do it. I picked up some caps, visors and rubber duckies. Checking the time it seemed like time to head back to the hotel. On the way out American Express was handing out subway metro cards - score!!

Eve and I took the crosstown bus and headed down 5th ave to the rehearsal dinner. It was on the top floor of a building overlooking the 59th street bridge. We watched a big orange moon rise from our table. It was amazing to see relatives I haven't seen in about 12 years. As I entered the room I ran into someone I play tennis with - Sue Abrams. We looked at each other and I said 'What are you doing here" Sue said she was a cousin of Jodies and responded that I was a cousin of Jodies!! Really wild. I recognized her mother and we had a lot of fun catching up. Eve and I ended up sitting with Sue and her family. It turned out that our family had little representation since we were all from the west coast. The food and atmosphere were terrific and I was little sad that I don't know my family better.

Happy couple - Lauren and Dana.








Jody and Eve.













On the way out, all the out of town guests got a bag of goodies. This bag had biscotti, cookies, water and lots of chocolate. Eve and I ate from these bags everyday and I still had chocolate when I left New York.

Going to a New York Wedding

My aunt Eve called to chat and tells me she going to a wedding in New York. I ask her who's getting married and it turns out to be my 2nd cousin. She suddenly hits on the idea that I should go with her and I can't think of anything else I'd rather do. The wedding is going to be a swanky formal affair which means I'm going to have to do some shopping. We decide to spend an extra week in New York after the wedding to see as many plays as possible. My aunt is an actress, 80 years old and still working. Isn't that what everyone wants - to be 80 and still being called? I find her to be a true inspiration and am really looking forward to spending 10 days with her in New York.

First, I need an outfit for the wedding and 2 more for looking sharp at plays. I'm not really comfortable with formal so I head to Nordstrom. Usually someone there can help me. I did find some outfits but felt I could do better. The saleslady sent me to the store at Washington Square. My friend Amy volunteered to help me and we drove on out there. At first, the salespeople had me trying on halter top dresses and other sleeveless items that were atleast $300.00. My arms are not ready for baring and so we went to another department where the saleslady really got what I was looking for. We found a terrific outfit for the wedding with a pair of spanx. Spanx is a word I can't help but say outloud everytime I see it. We also found a perfect pair of little strappy shoes. Better, it was all on sale!! A couple days later I went shopping with Annie and we found the perfect outfits for the going to plays. Yeahh!!

My aunt and I took a look at the online registry at Bloomingdale's for the happy couple. We agreed on a set of coffee cups and saucers and had them giftwrapped. Got that out of the way. Next is a haircut, pedicure, browwax, message and acupucture session. You know what else? - I'll be in New York during the US Open - now we're talking!!

Eve gets to fly direct from LA - I get to fly to LA and then New York. We arrive Thurday night within an hour of each other. Alaska airlines sucks. There was no one in LA to tell me where to go for my next flight. Turns out I have to take 2 buses to get to the next flight. Lucky for me I have 2 hours. Upon arrival in New York, I call Eve to find out where she is and take the air train to meet up so we can split the cab fare to our hotel. It's about midnight when we arrive at our lovely 2 star hotel but we need to get something to eat. No problem, it's New York - lots of restaurants are open.

Recovery

I didn't realize how sick I was until I got home. I had the runs for another 6 days and didn't get my strength back for an additional week. I'm still not drinking alcohol for fear of more stomach problems. Apparently, there is a virus going around with all of the symptoms I posed. At least it wasn't caused by too much biking on an out of shape body!! Last weekend I went for an easy ride up the Springwater to Jazzy Bagels with Amy. The ride totally wore me out. The next day I played 3 sets of doubles and I was done by the 3rd set. The next day I couldn't do anything I was so exhausted. The recovery has been slow and I've had to be very patient. Finally, this weekend I did a 45 mile ride with a bunch of recumbent riders with no ill effects. It felt good to be out biking. These riders are very strong and they set a pace that was far beyond me. I started to get cranky thinking that if I was going to ride by myself I could have just ridden from my home instead of driving over an hour to meet everyone. But after an hour or so I looked down at my computer and noticed I was riding 3 mph faster than I normally do. I realized these riders were pushing me and I was responding. Riding by myself I typically ride in the 10 mph range. Yesterday, over a moderately hilly terrain I rode 12.2 mph average over 45 miles. Not bad - not bad at all!! The day was perfect for riding and the scenery was lovely. Most of it was the same route I took 2 weeks ago to the coast. This time we started just before Vernonia and rode to Birkenfeld for an all you can eat brunch buffet. I've been to this restaurant before and they do an outstanding job and serve a ton of food. All and all a good day!!

Getting There is Only Half The Ride

I really didn't sleep very well. There was a family with 4 little kids next door playing a game very late. I heard another camper ask them to keep quiet but it didn't really help much. I finally popped an Ambien. Over the past few days I had been feeling a little sore throat thing happening. It wasn't enough to even mention much less hold me back. Friday morning I started feeling much worse. I took it easy and drank a lot of gatorade all day. Maybe the ride took more out of me than I thought. Edna, Mandy and I went to Costo and Freddies to get food for dinner and the retreat Potluck. Everything I did took so much effort - not good. We returned from shopping and started dinner. We feasted on rib-eyes and veggies. It was excellent!! We had also picked up a case of beer and 6 bottles of wine. I started to feel so bad I couldn't drink - definitely not a good sign. I said 'good night' early and went to bed. Saturday I woke up feeling worse and my stomach was acting up too. Good thing my campsite is right behind the bathroom. I decided to go on a 25 mile breakfast bike ride. I was slower than usual and I'm usually pretty slow. Barbara was nice enough to ride with me. I know her from some of the slug rides in Portland. We made it to the Pig 'n Pancake long after everyone else and I had settled into some delicious blueberry crepes. After an embarrassing trip to the bathroom we headed back to the campground. I told Barbara about my stomach woes and she offered me a ride home Sunday if I thought I needed it. Very generous. I was beginning to think that was a good idea. I met Michael Wolfe almost at the campgroung and he was very encouraging telling me I deserved to be tired. Everyone seemed to think I was tired from the ride from Portland. I think I was suffering a flu virus of some sort. I made it back just in time for a pit stop and then the annual picture. All the recumbents meet at a semi-circle of a campground parking lot for a panaramic picture. There were 118 bikes this year- a record. Afterwards, lots of people took turns riding my trike. Everyone was having so much fun. As the day wore on the runs to the bathroom increased. We did the poker run in record time. The retreat organizers give out a map of the bike trails with x's marking spots where a box of cards in envelops are located. The trails are all over grown and lush. The box is hidden somewhere in the wildlife. It's a fun way to ride the trails. Everytime we find a box there's a lot of wooping and hollering. I ended up with a set of 4's. The bike trails around the campground are extensive and very beautiful. We all went to the retreat potluck where I ate very little and had to run to the bathroom a couple of times. I was also starting to get feverish. The lighted bike parade was next on the agenda and is the centerpiece of the recumbent retreat. It is hillarious!! Everyone adds lights to their bikes and we ride through all the loops in the campground. The campers love it and many come back every year just to see it. It is so psychedelic. This parade is just down home, clean, good fun. The bikes are decked out in flourescent lights and appear to float along. As a rider there is almost a sense of vertigo. Greg, also on a trike, had music from the 20's and 30's accompanying us - it was perfect. I wish I had pictures of some of the bikes but it takes all my concentration to make sure I stay on the road and don't run into anyone. The parade takes about an hour. I was laughing trying to find my way back to my campsite. It was so dark I couldn't find the entrance to my loop. I ran into Kathy and Kirke who graciously lent me a headlamp to use to get to my camp. PPhheeww!! I was exhausted and needed to sleep. I settled in my tent and tried to go to sleep - no go. Soon I was up running to the bathroom. My fever increased and I started freezing in my sleeping bag. My whole body was shaking and I still had to get up and go to the bathroom. Is there much worse than camping with the runs? I knew there was no way I was riding back to Portland. Sunday morning, blurry eyed, wearing every peice of clothing I brought with me, I told the people I rode with I was going to need a ride home. Everyone came up witha solution in minutes. I couldn't believe how easy it was to get me and my trike back. Mike called his wife and had her hide my keys outside and put the trike rack out on the grass. It was decided Mandy and Chris would take my trike and I would ride with Edna and Dave back to Mike's. We broke down camp for the last time and left after the poker run prizes were given out. The drive back to Mike's was uneventful. It was over 90 in Portland and I still was wearing my jacket. After dropping me and my trike off at Mike's I was grateful to get home. The runs continued for almost a week - I lost some weight. It took another week to get my strength back. At first I was worried that biking might be too much for me and I would never be able to do a long distance ride on my own. As the days progressed and my health improved I decided I was just sick and if this happened on the road I would have no choice but to sit tight until I felt better. I'm still really excited and proud of the riding I did and really want to build on it.

70 miles to Ft. Stevens

With the help of Ambien, I had a good nights' rest. We all broke down our camps and had breakfast. We ate the freshly picked blackberries with our oatmeal - nice treat!! Tea doesn't really do it for me in the morning but I knew we would be stopping in Birkenfeld shortly. Dave and Edna got going before Mike and me. As I started riding a pain in my knee had me taking notice. I remembered feeling something as we ended our ride yesterday but figured it would alright with rest. As we rode on the pain increased to the point I was worried. After about 5 miles I asked Mike to stop so I could adjust my cleats hoping that would help. It did somewhat. I decided to make another adjustment in Birkenfeld. Boy was I upset. I'm sure someone driving to the retreat today would have been able the pick me up but I really wanted to ride. I made another adjustment, popped some Advil, drank a latte and that seemed to do the trick. I'll bet that extra speed yesterday put extra stress on my knee. It was a great relief to be able to continue on. Just before we arrived in Birkenfeld we past a field with a long line of blue rooms set up for the Hood To Coast run. It was a beautiful day with temps in the high 70's . Temperatures in Portland were expected in the 90's so we were grateful to be climbing the coastal range with the lower temps. Last year was my first year on a recumbent and I had to walk alot of the hills. This year I made it with no problems. One of the nice things about riding a trike is you can stop and get started again anywhere. Edna and I rode together and gabbed our way through the day. It was very comfortable. We stopped about every hour for a rest and a snack. The riding was very quiet. I expected more logging trucks. We were stopped once by some logging operations but that was about it. The terrain is beautiful and lush. As we crested the top of the mountain the landscape become more stark and rocky. The ride down was very fast. Dave had flat after he rode into a pot hole. I was surprised he was able to keep such good control of the bike. He had it fixed in no time and we continued on down the hill into very lush, thick overgrowth. The temperture dropped at least 10 degrees but still very comfortable. This year we went into Astoria around another way. I liked it better. There is something about riding by water that I really like. It feels so clean. We refilled our water supplies and took a potty break at a restaurant just before the Astoria bridge. This bridge has a sign that blinks caution lights for bicyclists crossing. All the roads around Astoria were pretty flat and had good shoulders. We made one more pit stop before arriving at the Ft. Stevens campground. I found my site and set up feeling very proud of my riding. This is a big accomplishment for me. After setting up camp and taking a shower I rode around and saw there were already a number of recumbent retreat riders. Everyone was excited to see each other. I liked getting there a day early.

Ride to the Big Eddy Campground

I was so nervous about this ride that I had trouble sleeping for a few nights before starting out. I don't know why I get so nervous and it totally overwhelms me. Everything was packed and organized so there really wasn't anything to be worried about. I called Mike the day before we left for directions to his house and to talk about what we were going to cook for the first night's dinner. He gave me ideas and suggested a stove and cookware set to buy. I don't have a lot of experience camp cooking so I really had to think about what kind of food I needed to pack. Smoked salmon and couscous took care to the first dinner and oatmeal for breakfast. I decided tea would be easier than coffee. Camp cooking just doesn't sound very appealling to me. Maybe after a long day of biking anything will taste good. I made another trip to REI. The next morning I headed out to Mike's arriving around 9:30. Dave and Edna drove up shortly thereafter and we all set about getting our bikes set up. Mike is very organized - he even had maps copied for each of us. After a trip meeting and pictures we were off. Mike lives at the top of a mountain and for the first four miles we screamed downhill. At the bottom I realized I had lost my flag. This flag was expensive and I had put in considerable time adding reflective tape - bummer. Edna suggested Mike call his wife to see if she could drive down the hill to look for it and, viola, within 10 minutes I had my flag back - good move. We found trash along the roadside to help tie it down. Dave found some crepe paper wedding bells that had multicolored ribbons which worked really well. As the day progressed we added a number of streamers to it. This flag wasn't going anywhere.

Our first 20 miles flew by. I was so surprised how fast I was riding. Here I was fully loaded with an extra 50 pounds and I was riding 2 mph faster than normal. I've heard people say they always ride faster in a group. I think I could be pushing myself a bit more on my solo rides!! We made our way to Banks in search of the Banks-Vernonia trail. Somehow, Mike and I missed the very beginning of it and turned off to wait for Dave and Edna when we did. I found some low hanging blackberries and set about picking a bagfull - easy pickins. Here was desert for tonight!! The trail continues on paved for a few miles and then turns to gravel. We knew this and were hoping for hard packed gravel. I'd call it medium packed. I was on a trike so stability wasn't an issue but this trail really was suited more for mountain bike riding. I don't know if I could have done it on a bicycle - I certainly would have been very stressed out. It was alright for the first 3-4 miles and then it started getting old. Off road riding is hard on your equipment and your body. Then the gravel started getting thicker. I wasn't happy about it but the trike handled it just fine. Dave and Edna both almost wiped out and had to walk some of the deeper sections. Mike was so far ahead I don't know how he did. The scenery was gorgeous. We were riding under a canopy of overgrown trees and heavy, thick, lush underbrush most of the time. It smelled good too. Edna and I rode together gabbing away and noticed that the trail was also slightly uphill most of the time. Our speed was somewhere in the 4-6 mph range through the gravel patches. Then we came to the washed out train tressle with a very steep downhill and then walked up an even steeper uphill. Walking with a trike is difficult. My lower back was crying out trying to push this beast up the hill. Luckily, the guys came down to help. I was starting to swear pretty regularly by this time. Everyone else really wanted to ride the whole trail to see what it was all about so we continued. How much longer could it be? There were a few paved sections but mostly it was gravel. We went through one section where the gravel turned to big rocks and we had to move some of them out of the way. There was another steep uphill we all had to walk and by now everyone was ready to be done with this trail. We also passed a section where a new state park is going in. This park should be ready for next years ride. Towards the end of the trail we met a group horse back riding. I wonder how they managed the steep uphills? It wasn't too much longer and we finally got to pavement. It was heaven. From here on out anytime we came across rough road the response was always - " Atleast it is paved!". We stopped at a market in downtown Vernonia and then rode the last miles of the day to the Big Eddy campground. Even after riding all that gravel my average speed was still faster than normal - amazing!! I put out some cheese, salami, and crackers while we had showers and set up camp. Then everyone set about cooking dinner. We really had a lot of food and it turned out to be a nice meal. Mike is so organized with his food. Every meal is labeled what day it is for. I took notes of his techniques. I also tried out my new Snow Peak stove which is the same one Mike has. It is so small if I didn't know it was a stove I doubt I would know what it was for. It worked great although I don't know if I would make couscous again. I especially liked the Jenny Craig pasta dish Edna heated up. Another good idea for the future. We built a blazing fire and enjoyed the evening.

Bridge Pedal and Packing for the Big Ride

Road down to Annie and Shawn's late Saturday afternoon. Everyone tried out the trike. Shawn got it up on two wheels. Ellen road with a huge grin on her face. Annie was giggling the whole time she was riding. A neighbor and his son also tried it out. Annie, Shawn and I went out for dinner and ice cream yakking it up the whole time. Before bed we played a game of clubs. It had been a long time since we played cards. Shawn killed us.

Got up at 5 am Sunday to get ready and head out to the start of the Bridge Pedal. I was surprised how quiet the esplanade was. I thought it would be crowded with riders also heading to the start. It was early. I arrived at the starting line around 6:15 behind at least 1,000 other bikers. It felt funny to be surrounded by upright bikes - everyone was so tall. The ride was good. I was a interested to see how I would handle the hill up to the St. John's bridge. It looks intimidating just driving past it. Dropped the gears down and spun my way to the top. I wasn't much faster than the people walking to the top but I really didn't care. Met a woman I know from the recumbent rides as we road up and she asked "When did I get that thing?" and then "When did I switch?" meaning when did I stop riding my fold rush. She asked me a bunch of other questions which showed her displeasure that I was riding a bike different from what I had been riding and different from the bike she is riding. So wierd!! At the rest stop following the big climb I discovered that my flag was gone. Immediately I suspected someone had taken it but as I thought about it more I realized that I could have lost it if I rode under a low hanging branch. The pole would have bent and the flag may have got caught in it. Whatever happened someone has a really nice flag. At some point riding up the St. John's hill I thought someone had yelled "Nice pole!!" but decided I had miss heard them. Turns out I heard right. It was easy riding from then on to the finish. A guy road past me yelling "You are the future - You are the future!!" 3 1/2 hours to complete 36 miles. I stopped at New Season's for lunch on the way home for a tuna sandwich and a chance to get off the trike. About 2 miles from home I got a flat. I was on the phone with Shawn at the time - pretty funny. This was my first flat to fix by myself. I was actually kind of excited about it. As the bike came to a stop I could feel and hear air coming out of the tire. I felt certain it was a piece of glass but when I took out the tube and felt around the tire I couldn't find anything. I put in a new tube knowing the cause of the flat still lurked. Sure enough, the new tube flatted 1/2 mile down the road. I found the hole in the wheel but still couldn't see anything. I started digging in the tire with a key and found the glass. It took awhile but I finally got it and made it home.

First thing Monday I order a new flag for overnight delivery. I liked the way that flag looked and really wanted it for the ride to the coast. Then I went back to the safety store for more reflective tape to add the new flag when it arrives. Next stop was to drop off my car to have a hitch installed at Rack Attack. I already purchased a rack for the trike. This way I could drive over to Mike's house Wednesday morning and ride with the others to Vernonia. From there I walked to NW and my massage appointment with Jessica. It was a really nice message. My body is doing so good and so much better than when I started body work. After that I met Gloria at Mio Sushi. It was really good to see Glo and the sushi was good too. We walked down to REI so I could pick up a couple things for my trip. She drove me back to Rack Attack to get my car. I don't think I've ever seen an Audi A4 with a hitch. The hitch looks alright. Made a couple of other stops on the way home and set out to start packing for the trip. Put the trike rack together and installed it in the new hitch. Very fancy!! Took the tail sok off and packed it up so I can put it in Edna and Dave's van so they can take it the retreat for me. I can't use the tail sok with the bags - yet. I've got some ideas how to make that work and I'll be talking to Robert and Pat of Terracycle about putting those in play. Put the fairing back on the trike which I haven't used since returning from Kentucky. I didn't get nearly as much done as I had hoped but I still have tomorrow.

Goin' to Annie and Shawn's

Ro started throwing up today. The vet warned me this would happen. I'm not ready to lose her so soon. It's so hard to know when to put an animal down. Maybe she will rally and maybe she is sicker than I thought. She also hasn't eaten today. Usually she's pawing at me in the moring to get out of bed to fill her bowl. Poor 'ol girl. I hate to think she is suffering.

I'm getting ready to take the trike down to Annie and Shawn's in preparation of tomorrow's Bridge Pedal ride. I really want to start the ride around 6:30. 23,000 bikers rode last year. By starting early I will hopefully get ahead of the families and kids. This way I won't have to get up so early. It's about a 6 mile ride to the start from thier house and close to 20 miles from my house. I got a new mini lawn flag and put some reflective tape on it for additional visibility. I'd like to stop off at Mallory's to get more reflective tape and I'll also stop at New Season's market to pick up my registration packet on my way down today. It will be good to see Annie and Shawn - it has been awhile.

Rowena Doesn't Get Her Teeth Cleaned

Poor 'ol girl!! I took Ro to the vet this morning to have some bloodwork done. The vet needed to check on her kidneys before we could talk about having her teeth cleaned. Turns out her kidney's are failing and the vet didn't want to chance putting her under. I asked how much time Ro had left thinking it would be about a year. The vet said it's possible but more likely just a few months. This cat has been such a good friend. It will be hard to say goodbye. We've been together for over 15 years. She was a stray when I found her and could have been 3 years old at that time. I guess she's had a good long life. There's no treatment for her condition I'll just try to keep her comfortable. To be honest, she doesn't really seem that sick. I've noticed over the last couple of years she's been drinking more than eating but she doesn't seem to be in any pain. Here I was worried about a little gingivitis. She sure is a good sport!!

I also went to the dentist and got my teeth cleaned. They are looking good. One of my implants has come loose so I'll be going to my old dentist tomorrow to have her tighten it up.

Later in the day I got my bloodwork results from my new doc at St. Vincents. My prolactin levels are 28. Yaahoo!! This is great news. The last few times I've had this test done the levels were approaching 50. They are supposed to be under 25. The doctor also wants me to lower my dosage of synthroid. My thyroid apprears to be stronger as well. About 2 months ago I started using progesterone cream with good results. I noticed that I was feeling calmer - inside. Much less anxious. Could it be affecting my prolactin and possibly thyroid hormone levels? Wouldn't it be great if these two problems could be eleviated with an over the counter cream?!?!? This will motivate me to keep using it.

I also took the time to change tires on the trike today. I'm so glad I did. It was hard but I did it. On the first try, the tube got a snake bite puncture when I pumped it up. Then I couldn't get the patches to stick to the tube. Maybe the patches were old - I used patches from another kit and those worked just fine. Then I changed out the rear tire. It also took awhile but I finally got it. At least I know I've done it once. I tell you those 20" wheels are hard to get the tires off of!!

Sauvie Island

A ride was proposed online for a trip out to Sauvie's Island. The rider's that responded are so strong and fast I decided to meet them on the road. If I started with them it would be the last time I'd see them. I headed out from my house just after 8 am and after 23 miles of riding still hadn't seen the others. I pulled into a 7-11 to use the bathroom and pick up a snack. I'm trying to remember to take the GPS off the bike everytime I stop. It would be too easy for anyone to steal it. While I'm at the counter waiting to pay for my snacks, I set the GPS on the counter and promptly knock it to the ground. Great!! I've only had the unit for about a week and it was very expensive. Not only for the unit but the extra larger memory chip, maps and the DVD player I had to buy to use the maps. As I'm finishing my snack the rest of the gang rides by - I yell at them to stop and we all regroup. All but one was on a recument bike. There was one upright, 6 recumbents and me on the trike. As we get going I notice all I'm getting on the GPS is elevation. Something is wrong. We get to Sauvie's Island and one woman who I'll be riding to the coast with decides she wants to go back. I decide to ride back with her so we can talk over our camping and route plans. It really is a lovely day. We're riding on Hwy 30 which is pretty flat, it has a lot of traffic and a wide shoulder. We try to carry on a conversation but the traffic noise is too loud. Almost back to NW Portland we stop at a subway for a snack and the restroom. I'm messing with the GPS and can't figure out what is wrong. Edna and I talk over plans for riding to the coast and we decide to leave a week from Wednesday and set up camp at the Big Eddy Campground. It's really exciting talking about this ride. We will be going with Edna's husband Dave and Mike, a guy I rode with last year. Dave and Mike can ride at a faster pace and Edna and I can keep each other company at the rear. We'll come up with a menu for Wednesday night so we can divvy up the food and gear to share the load. Edna has just bought a TI Rush frame set and needed to go over the Coventry Cyclery to pick out components - very exciting!! REI was just a block away and head over there to see if anyone can help me with my GPS. There had been a big bike ride earlier in the day and REI was packed. Somehow I managed to get 2 guys to help me. I went outside with one guy and then he passed it on to another after he couldn't figure out what was wrong. At one point the second guy asked how old the batteries where. I replaced them yesterday and I asked if maybe the batteries got jostled but he said there was clearly power and so everything looked ok with the batteries. After walking around and pushing buttons for about 20 minutes he suggested I take the unit back to where ever I bought it. He said the units are expected to sustain 5 foot falls. The drop from the counter to the floor couldn't have been more than 3 feet. Boy was I bummed - I bought it on EBay and didn't know if there was any kind of warranty. All that money and now I'd have to spend more. Would I even have it fixed for the ride to the coast? As I'm riding home I start thinking about what someone would suggest I do before sending it somewhere to get fixed. Certainly, they would want me to put fresh batteries in it. This got me to thinking I should check the batteries to see if they were seated firmly. Sure enough, one of the batteries had come loose - just a bit. I felt it click into place, put the cover back on, and voila, the GPS starts to work perfectly. Yeahh!! Wow, what a relief!! I'll have to come up with a better system for how to handle the unit off the bike. The ride overall was really good. The temperature was close to 90 and I was slathering on the sun screen all day. I'm using a 50 spf and surprised how much color I'm getting. At least I'm not burning. For someone so fair, I'm actually getting tan. Not exactly attractive tan lines though. I was stopped a few times by people asking about the trike. At Zupan's on Hayden Island I stopped for a snack and talked to a few people. The ride through Vancouver was surprisingly quiet. Got home around 5 pm.

Something around 60 miles for the day.

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.

Back on the trike

After doing a few trial runs to make sure I had put the trike together ok I went on a real ride. Last Saturday, I rode to Amy's house in Waverly for her pool party. I got a pokey start to the day. Made a few stops and didn't even get going until after 11 am. One stop was to the Community Cycling Center to visit with my buddy Larry the Mechanic. He had offered to come over and help me put the trike together if I had trouble. Luckily, that wasn't necessary but I wanted to show him the beauty. All the mechanics were so interested. Larry helped me with a couple of small adjustments I needed including getting air in the AirZound. Turns out I had filled it but somehow had also turned the volume all the way down. They had some bad news as well - the Vancouver CCC will be closing its doors on August 17th. Everyone will be going back to the Portland shop. As I continued on my way one of the highlights of this trip was to find the entrance to the bike path over the I-5 bridge and then Interstate Ave from the other side. I made it across the bridge easily but somehow made a wrong turn before finding Interstate. It was a beautiful day and the ride was fun. Drivers gave me plenty of room and people gave me plenty of thumbs up. Very fun!! Made it to the party by 2:30 and was really hungry after riding 25 miles. Ate and yakked it up for a few hours and then headed back about 6:00. It was much later than I had planned to return. My only eventful moment going home was trying to find the path leading to the I-5 bridge. There are paths that wind around and cross and I took the wrong one. I kind of brokedown mentally and cried for awhile. I was really afraid I wouldn't find my way. Mostly, I was worried about losing sunlight without any lights on the trike. I just wanted to get home. This didn't last but a few minutes before I found my way and made it home just after 8:30. It felt really good to go out and do this ride. I was really tired when I got home. 50 miles for the day - not bad.

On Tuesday I went for a 40 mile ride with the Vancouver Bike Club. A weekly ride that starts at the Oxford Athletic Club and meanders east to Bad Boyz Cycling shop in Camas. There were about 20 riders. I was the only one not on an upright bike. Everyone took great interest in the trike. Most of the bikers were older men - many who do this ride regularly. Good guys!! I was definitely the slowest while we were climbing otherwise I hung in there alright. A couple of guys stayed back with me. We did one short steep climb of 11 %. It wasn't too bad as I just spun my way to the top. I was tired but felt good after this ride. I think I'll attempt it again next week. They said it was the longest ride they could remember ever doing. I'm trying to get my miles up for the ride to the coast in a couple of weeks. I'd like to be able to do 50-70 miles 2 days in a row. Maybe I can do the first 2 days of riding this weekend. What I really need to do is practice changing the tires on the trike at home before it happens for real.

I also sent a package to Deborah. I bought a new digital camera so I sent her the old one. I also finished a couple of books she lent me. The most important part of the package was a letter telling her I'm not moving the Kentucky - at least not now. Hopefully, she'll understand.