Slow Spokes Thursday Night Ride - Zoned

I had a really good ride. but if you know the route and look at my GPS data you will see the I made two route extensions one intentional one not. The first wat to the Visitors center because the ride had gone there last week but it did not this week the second was because I get Zoned something when I ride - I just get so into the riding the pumping of my leg them movement over the ground that I do not always keep track of the route. and I missed a turn one I have made many times before. Oh well it just made a great ride a little longer - lol.

I recorded a new low weight today 332 pounds 78 pounds lost now.

My GPS data is HERE

My pictures are HERE

Greenfield trainning ride

Do to the predicted 80% chance of rain the Team CBC ride was canceled and I understand doing that but it turned out to not rain at all as far as I know. So we could have ridden but there was no way to know that and it looked really bad this morning. So when the sun really came out I went to Greenfield and rode. I like Greenfield but it is kind of like a trainer except it is out doors after a while if gets old. Karen did make it out there also it was nice to see here and nice to have someone else out even if you only see them twice a lap when we passed.
Oh I almost forgot to tell you about the WIND. It was extreme. There were some placed that I believe if I stopped pedaling it would have stopped me and blown me the other direction. Of course this made for some truly assume tail winds also.

My GPS data is HERE

Selma Cyclepaths - Winded at Windell - almost.

Some how I got the time for the ride messed up and arrived there about 5 minutes after everyone left. So I got ready, borrowed a que sheet and took off at 9:23. I am doing better with the depression or I would not have ridden with this happening. I enjoyed my ride, I get sort of zoned when riding and do not pay close enough attention to the que sheet and the roads so I missed a few and had to go back then missed one completely and wound up off the course. At about 20 miles I just decided to take Buffalo Road back to the start. At this point there was no way I was going to catch the group so I just turned it for home. I had a pretty good chance of catching at least some of the group until I made the wrong turn.
Turtle was preforming beautifully. The time I spend working on her Friday night was worth it. I tried to find a way to mount the new bracket for the new power side idler pulley I just bough from Utah Trikes but in spite of what Ashley told me I could not find a way to make it work. I am beginning to believe that a lot of what he tells me is subject to interpretations and that his and mine offend differ. For instance he was sure I would have no problem with using their three pulley system, however I could not find anyway for the chain not to hit the seat and seat frame. When I move the seat forward if I ever get my new boom and HS drive I will check again about mounting the idler. Moving the front derailleur almost as high as it can be mounter does allow the chain to not hitting it in the big ring - shifting is not as easy but at least I can see it and tell what is happening also I no longer have the plastic shield under my seat and the chain is not hitting it or the frame of the seat. The nice quite ride I was use to is back and it felt good.
I did have a first time experience for me today. I was pulled over by a North Carolina State Trooper. I have read some real horror stories online about cyclist being hassled by the police so I was a bit apprehensive. He pulled up behind me and turned on his lights then pulled on side of me and pointer to a entrance to a parking lot of a church I think and I nodded to him and followed him in there. I did not know if I should have gotten off the trike or not so I just sat there. He was very pleasant, polite and almost apologetic. He told me he had followed me from a distance for a bit and that he had not seen anything wrong but that there had been a compliant called in there there was this person riding a three wheel bicycle down the middle of the road and blocking traffic. He said he had no way to know if it was me or if I had been doing that but that he had seen no problems. He said that since there was a call he had to check it out. He asked me if I knew I was going 20 mph. I told him that I had been going 20 mph and was that a problem, he said no it was not a problem. I thanks him and explained to him that I do somethings ride toward the center line of the road because it is usually the most flat part of the road and flat is more comfortable than the edge which usually has a crown to it, but that I tried to never impend traffic and do whatever I can to stay out of the way of motorist. I got the impression I was not what he was expecting to find out there. I think he got the call and expected to find someone older than me on one of those adult tricycles(one wheel in the front, two wheels in the back with a very upright seating position) wander around all over the road. He asked me a few same questions about the trike that almost everyone asks and wished me a good day. And that was it my first incident with the law on my trike.

My GPS data is HERE

Slow Spokes Thursday night ride.

This was a good ride. Nice group of cyclist, good weather good roads so why was I not enjoying it. I am tired and cold even after my hot shower so I am going to bed. Maybe I will write more Friday.

My GPS data it HERE

My pictures are HERE

Greenfield - training ride.

I did two rides tonight an 18 miles training ride - pushing as fast as I could all the time almost never not pedaling and a 12 miles recover/recreation ride with Bryan and Jo. Both a lot of fun.

My GPS data is HERE

My GPS data is HERE

I was just wearing a jersey and shorts and it was nice outside about 70 degrees but by the time I got off the trike it was 62.5 degrees - I got so cold I felt like a turtlecicle. The Hot Hot shower felt so good. It made the road rash feel better - it did not like the cold either.

Team CBC - Brewery Ride

From my forum post -

I had a really good ride to day we had about 20 folks on the 16+ 42 miles route and I sweep the route. It was really a nice ride and such a beautiful day.

My GPS data is HERE

My Pictures are HERE

We had about 75 cyclist riding this Sunday and it is only April - cannot wait to see how many will show up in Augest. We had a really nice group stay after the ride for beer and pizza. Looks like we are going to have a real good year.

Two other things - I have a new low weight today of 333.2 pounds so I have now lost 77 pounds. Also I took my damages cycling short back to REI having been told they would take them back and replace them and the did. Even through I fell and dmamged them they said that they were not satifiactory to me and therefore I could get them replaced - on problem. This amazed me I may never buy cycling clothes anywhere else again.

Selma Cyclepaths - Winded at Wendell - 26.6 miles

From my forum post -

I had a real nice ride this morning. I liked the route pretty well and the roads were mostly good. I was still having a bit of pain but ti was not too bad. Funny it hurts less to ride than to stand, walk or drive my van. Was nice to see so many out to ride today. Looking forward to next week.

My GPS data is HERE

My pictures are HERE

So you may be wondering 'Where did the pictures come from - did he not say his camera was a vicitum of the storm at CNC Spring ride' Well he did and it was. I remembered that I had bought a video camera to do ride videos with but had found that even through it shot pretty good video on the trike there was just to much movement for it to handle - the videos came out like flowing water. I remember today that is also takes 5 mega pic. still pictures. It is harder to use on the trike and half the resolution of the HP Photosmart R967 but it is working so I have pictures again - enjoy. This one is a Aiptek GV5.

Slow Spokes Thursday night ride.

Just did not have good legs tonight - guess the crash last night took more out of me than I knew. I did have a good ride. I was hurting a good bit more than I wanted to admit but I really did want to ride tonight. I did find myself a bit shy of the down hills and hard corning. Guess it will take a little while before I am comfortable as I was before. Saw RoverDave tonight - great to see him again. He looked like he had lost weight and when I asked him he told me he had lost 20 pounds. I told him how glad I was for him and that I could see that he had reduced. I also asked about his mom and got even better news - her treatments have worked and she is Cancer free - so wonderful.

My GPS data is HERE

Oh Melo Velo and how to flip a Turtle - Ouch!

Most Wednesdays I have dinner with my Dad which means I am not available to make this ride but he was not around this week so I decided to do the Oh Melo Velo ride. I had heard about it for a long time but somehow had gotten the idea it was just for very fast riders and if you were not very fast the cyclist who did this ride wanted nothing to do with you. Well I was right and wrong. These folks do ride very fast at least most do but there were a few I could just about keep up with most of the time. What I was wrong about was that these folks were very friendly and supportive, now they were riding their own speed but did not mind that I was slower. On the way out, it is an out and back ride, I keep pretty much to the back knowing everyone would have to past me if I was near the front at the start. Those that did pass me were pleasant and most said something friendly or supportive when they passed. Not what I had expected but very nice. I do not know where I got my ideas about this ride but I was wrong. When I am able I will do it again. I of course did not know the route or most of the roads. There was a cue sheet which is fine. One very steep down hill was almost disastrous. It was steep and was an S curve. The trike would not change direction for some reason it just did not want to steer the other way than it was going, I think this was do to the front wheels losing traction at high speed when trying to turn or at least that is what it felt like. I did manage to get it to turn but I came very close to hitting a car head on. I was going about 40 miles per hour. Guess I will need to limit my down hill speed to 35 mph or less. That caused me to slow down a bit for a while. The roads were pretty good with some but not a lot of traffic. On the way back the same hill gave me trouble but this time it was climbing it. I could not get the trike to shift to the smallest chain ring and even through I was still climbing it I got really worried about how much torque I was putting into the drive train. I was climbing in the middle chain ring and am sure I could have climbed it in the small but I stopped worried about breaking something again. To date I have broken the chain seven times, bent three chain rings and broken the boom. So I pushed it half way up that hill. A number of the cyclist came by while I was doing this and again I got words of support and compassion for having to walk up the hill. Stopping the trike on the hill and then getting off of it on that hill was not easy. Pushing it up the hill was not hard, While on my way back I missed the turn from something Farm road to something Olive road but figured that out and got back on route. Later the GPS disagreed with the cue sheet or seemed to and I made another wrong turn but this one I caught at once. About this time Ed "Crash Eddie" drove up looking for me and told me I had just made a wrong turn. I told him I had figured that out and was about to turn around. I was going down a slight hill and went to make a u turn around the island in the middle of this road and I was going too fast and the road was banked the wrong way and I turned to sharp and the next thing I knew me the Turtle were on our sides sliding into the curb across the road. Ed saw the whole thing and said he was surprised how fast it happened. I must admit I was surprised also - I have made turns that shape and at that speed before - it had to do with the speed , sharpness of the turn and the bank of the road. As far as I could tell Turtle was just scratched a little and I rode her back to the car with Ed following me - it was dark now and he was concerned for me - Thanks Ed. As for me I am hurting. My elbow it bruised and cut, my leg is cut and has road rash, my shoulder and palm are sore but not cut but the worse is a hand size road rash on the side of my hip. My biggest lose was my one week old wore twice cycling shorts they were totaled. I will take a closer look at Turtle when I have some daylight but she seemed fine during the ride back. I sure am glad I had my cycling gloves on or my hand surely would have been cut. Some trike riders do not wear gloves and some not even helmets. I did not hit my head or helmet but do not wish to take a chance of it. Will I do this ride and route again - sure - once I get the Schlumpf High Speed Drive back I will not have these climbing problems.

My GPS data is HERE

OK well after getting the data from my Edge 500 seems my max speed was 54 mph - it had to be on that down hill and explains why I was having trouble with the handling on the trike. IT is a new top speed for Turtle and I will not be trying to beat it or even repeat it. I like going fast but it has to be safe too.

Nice laid back recovery ride with Peggy, Jo and Bryan. Jo and I drove there. Peggy and Bryan had done a 40 mile ride scouting a route for Bryan before they got there.

Turtle was making a few noises so I made some adjustments after the ride. Moved her power side idler back a bit, and was able to remount the water bottle cage, adjusted the faring, fix the V3 cycling computer mount, tighten the seat straps.

Looking forward to trying the O'Veleo mellow this evening - hope I do OK.

My GPS data is HERE

CNC Srping 2010 Sunday

Today was a very nice day. Got up rode Turtle down to the park and met up with the group. Leah, Chris, Perry and I all when to a little shop in town for Breakfast, I had a really good bisect with egg, sausage and cheese with orange juice for about 5 bucks - nice. We then got together with Jeff, Tim and Wayne. Wayne was riding with some other friends so the rest of use took off on the 52 mile route with the plan that if we felt like it we would come back after the ride packup and maybe do another shorter ride. This route was different than the 50 miles rotue from the first two days and included crossing a long bridge with a rise in it. There was one rest stop that we used at about 17 miles and we hit it again on the way back. Nice ride better roads than the other 50 but we still had winds today even through the weather had been predicted to be calm. I enjoyed this ride. The weather was very nice except for when the wind got to blowing. Perry had me try pulling and found that even through he did not get as much of a draft off of me he said got a pretty good one and it was more than enough to be helpful and since I cut through

My GPS data is HERE

CNC Spring 2010 Saturday

No problems today at all unless you count the people who arrived and setup their camp at the indoor camping at about 12:34 AM, they really did not make much noise, or the lady who inflated her air matters with a noisy electric pump at 4:33 AM. I slept pretty well maybe it had something to do with being up since 4AM in the morning or the nice 64 miles ride I did. I got up around 7 AM so I could get ready and meet the group for the Boy Scouts pancake breakfast. It was pretty good and included sausage so I got some protein. The pancakes were good also. Jeff and I were planning to do the 50 mile route and everyone else was doing the century. Jeff and I were ready and since the routes are the same for a while we departed with the group. It was a fun group and Chris had us really moving. I got to the first rest stop with an average of 16.8 mph. I was drafting a good bit of the way. Jeff was feeling better when we got to the rest stop he asked if I would mind if he rode the century with the the group. I was pleased he was feeling better and riding well and told him to please go ahead a do it - it was nice of him to ask. I found out at dinner that they had picked up Tim at the rest stop and he rode with the them, I did not even know Tim. I rode solo the rest of the day which was fine. I got to have a nice breakfast and a good 17 mile ride with the group and enjoy my solo run also. I was really pushing it. Everytime I would see a rider somewhere ahead of me I would find myself trying to bridge to them and pass them. They of course were just riding but I did enjoy passing them. I do not pass many cyclist most of the time. I must have passed four dozen cyclist it was fun. The first rest stop was at 17 miles and the second and last was at about 35 miles. I knew this battery would give out at about 29 to 30 miles and it did tank at about 29.5 miles. I was ridding pretty well so I just kept on riding without it. I dropped in speed a little and it took me longer to accelerate back up to pace but otherwise I did just fine until I hit the WIND. When I left the rest stop I lost about one mph on my average speed by the time I got through town. I had been trying to get it back up since I left the town. I had it up to 16.4 when the battery went out and I was about 6 miles from the rest stop. Without the Bionx and due to the head wind I lost .5 mph on my average speed by the time I got to the rest stop. And I was tired but they had PB&J - so wonderful - I ate one and a half. I put on the second battery and took off - surprise surprise no head wind and a tail wind to boot. I rolled into Edenton at 16.4 mph and was down to 16.0 mph at the end of the ride. I finished the ride with half a battery of power left - I was tempted to kick it up to level two but did not. I have ridden the whole trip so far on level one. I have been ridden at level one most of the time since I put the Bionx back on the trike. I guess I can think I am improving because I use to run it on level two or somethings three last year. If I am thinking about this correctly I only need to improve my power to mass ratio by increasing it 25% - mmm still sounds like a lot. One thing today I left the transmitter of my heart rate monitor at camp so I could not monitor it. I just tried to keep myself just below the panting breathing. It was a very pretty ride but a lot of it was the same as the 60mile route however since it was so much better weather today it was sort of like seeing it for the first time. After the ride I came back to the camp and rested then showered and went down for dinner. Saw Perry, Rick, Jeff and Wayne. Never saw Lear or Tim. Had a lot of questions and comments about Turtle. Several people sat on her and a couple took a short ride. Then back here to get ready for bed and write this. I had a really good day. Looking forward to Sunday. Well they have turned out the lights and I am ready sleep so until later.

My GPS data is HERE

Sorry no pictures that are worth publishing.

CNC Spring 2010 Thursday - Friday

One thing is for sure my first Spring CNC ride will not be hard to forget. I had decided to camp. I found a site with access to electricity and once allowed setup my REI Hobbart 6,. I really liked this tent and it was not too hard setting it up for the first time. I had taken it down once but it was setup when I got to the MS Tour for Cure in 2009 Tim and the crew had it setup already. The wind made it a challenge but I did OK and set it up solo. I then had a nice dinner with Leah , Jeff and Wayne. Went to bed about 10:30PM. The wind was really blowing but the tent was handling it well. With all the noise and movement of the tent I took me a while to fall asleep. At 1:37 AM I was awakened when it started raining. It seemed to be raining pretty hard sometimes but again the tent did well. At 4:07AM I was awakened again by a BIG noise, the back and both walls to sides were pushed into touching me then suddenly the tent collapsed on top of me. I do not know what the wind was but is seemed to be ten time bigger then the wind that had been blowing and that was a good wind before. I sat there for a few minutes trying to understand what had happened. There were several people walking around looking at the damage and asking everyone if they were OK. I got my keys and my iPhone and headed to the van. I was raining but not to hard at the time. It rained heavy and lightly until about 4:30 AM then it slaked off and almost stopped. I went back to my campsite to see if the tent had just collapsed and if so could I get ti back up so I could start cleaning up and getting things to start drying. There must have been two dozens tents down and a Pine tree that just barely missed landing on a camper in their tent. I quickly discovered that several of the tie down points and several other attachment points were tore off and there was a split across the top above one of the doors. The tent was destroyed. I still set it back up as best as I could so I could unpack it and pack everything back into the van and just go home. Several of my friends came by and asked if I was OK and if there was anything they could do. I stated I was just doing home since I had nowhere to stay and someone suggested I just go up and camp indoors. I have no idea why I did not think of this but I did not shock maybe. I also stated at how upset I was that I had lost my tent and that I did not know how I was going to do the MS Tour because I could not get another tent. Well several people told me that since I had an REI tent I could just take it back and they would exchange it. I find this hard to believe but several people have told me this so I am hopeful.

I got everything packed back into the van and went to find the indoor camping place. Once there I unpacked what I would need to Indoor camp and everything that I wanted to or need to get dried out. This was no small task. Once setup and with everything spread out to dry I assumed it was way past the 10AM departure time we had set the night before but checking my iPhone I discovered it was just 9:03 AM so I got dressed for cycling in some pretty wet gear and rode Turtle back down to the meeting point for 9:45 AM. Turtle had spent the night safe and dry in the van - sometimes I think she is smarter than I am. Jeff got there a little before 10AM and we found Leah and Wayne leaving the coffee shop and we were shortly on our way. By running the Bionx on level one the whole ride I was able to conserve enough power to have battery power for all but about 4 miles. I did well, when we got back to town before we had to slow for driving through town I was averaging 15.8 mph, pretty good for me. It was a good ride but it was a bit cold and it did rain on us three times once hard enough to get us a little wet. I did clear off for about the last 17 miles or so. I rode with Leah, Jeff, Wayne and Chris.

After the ride I came back to the indoor camping place and cleaned up, got a shower, took my drugs, straightened up some of my stuff and then rode Turtle down to meet Leah, Jeff and Chris for dinner It was a good meal and a nice time.

So what do you think, A Day to Remember???

My GPS data is HERE

My pictures are HERE

You will notice that the last of my picture are fuzzy or out of focus - as near as I can guess my trusty little HP Photosmart R967 is one more victim of the weather event of this trip. It just stop focusing. Everything else seems to work but it is a auto focus only camera so if it will not focus it is not much use. I also lost. these just disappeared, the power supply for my iPhone, tooth brush, empty insulin bottle, and maybe a cellphone. My S-Cam DVR was water logged and I am pretty sure it is ruined. The GPSs seem to be fine.

Team CBC ride from the Bass Lake Draft House

From my forum post-

Truly a great ride - really enjoyed it. I lead the 26 miles group meet some really nice people and we had fun. Started out with six of use and we picked up Bob during the ride.

My GPS data is HERE

My pictures are HERE

W

MisFits MS Spring Fling 04-03-10

I had a great ride. One of the best I have had in a while. This was a great ride for me. It was bit short but I was not able to do the 50 so the 25 had to do. The event was well organized, well staffed, the route was great - some of the best roads I have ridden on and blasting through intersections because they seem to law officers at every intersection was really cool. The rest stops were great and the people friendly. The food at the end was good and there was lots of it. I enjoyed this ride.

Knowing this was a pretty short ride I decided to really push it after the beginning when there was a big crowd I got in the biggest gear I could turn and really pushed it. I had my cadence up above 70 a lot of the time and was pedaling about 95% of the time. I even pedaled though some to the wide corners. it was great and felt good. I only stopped at the first rest stop for a nature break and only at the second long enough to eat two pieces of banana and three pieces of orange. I passed a lot of people. I never compare myself to other cyclist because of the Bionx but it was fun. Most of the time I am at or off the tail end of the rides I do but not today. I love going fast or at least what is fast for me. I feel I got a pretty good workout inspite of the short milage my caffs and quads are achy and a bit tired - which is what I wanted.

My GPS data is HERE

My pictures are HERE

My video is HERE and HERE

Turtle is back together for now.

Terratrike came through - they sent me a new Boom 2nd air. I got it Wednesday so I spent Wednesday evening reassembling Turtle. They sent me the standard Boom and because they had not gotten the boom I sent them with my Schlumpf they could not have removed it. I am getting another boom from the but it is the one they get for their tandem. It is 2 to 3 inches longer and I hope will help with my seat position problem. It does not have the extra arm on it for the front derailleur because the tandem has the front derailleur on the stokers pedals. But with the Schlumpf drive I do not need it so it will work for me. THey will prepare it to receive the Schlumpf High Speed drive and install it the ship it to me I do have to pay for it but it is less than I could get one made for and it will have the Terratrike logo on it and should be a close color match I hope.

I put the original bottom bracket in the new boom and installed the original triple crank on it, installed the original front derailleur and the front Grip-Shift. I had to add just one chain link to get everything the right setup, some adjusting and everything seems to be working. I then put the Fairing back on and she is ready to ride, I could not test it - it was dark and I was real tired so I will take her to the Thursday night ride and hope for the best.

I changes my goal weight today, not because I did not want to get to 250 pounds - I really want to get to 200 pounds but when working on setting up the Zone diet I needed to know my lean body mass. I weight 355 now with 31.5% body fat. So my lean body mass is 335 minus 335 times 31.5% or about 230 pounds meaning to get below that I have to lose muscle or bone or something else which I prefer not to do. Ideal body fat for a male is 15% I dought if I can do that I have heard as one ages it get very hard to get to 15% so I amd going to target 18% and doing the math that makes my new goal weight about 270 pounds. 18% of 230 pounds is 41.4 pounds which is 230 plus 41.4 equals 271.4 pounds and I like 270 as my goal, it still seems like a lot to be a proper weight. So I changed my goal. Feels like I am cheating but I really am not but it feels that way. I hope I have not done anything worng with this.