Fifty Plus (50+) - Trailer Trash

I guess Arkansas is getting to me. I just became trailer trash.

I bought a Bikes at Work trailer. I chose the 64AW. It's fairly long and it's wide.

http://www.bikesatwork.com/bike-trailers/wheels-fenders-axle-200x207.jpg

I don't really need a trailer on a daily basis. The groceries for a single person fit easily in a backpack and a bike rack, but I was coming up with larger needs such as carrying a ghost bike for the Ride of Silence and acting as a camera dolly so I could shoot scenes of riders on bike paths etc. after my folderol with the van, this is a well thought out purchase.

Can you outfit it with some gear to live in it? :D

Can you outfit it with some gear to live in it? :D

Hmmm, a bike trailer you can pitch a tent on.......sounds just like the kind of redneck pycho-invention that would work. Bound to work better then my selling burned white bread toast with the image of Elvis on it, on E-Bay, or that time I was going to put on the redneck production of Oscar Wildes "The Importance of Being Ernest" starring Jim Varney. Know whut I mean Verne?

The real reason to own a trailer in Arkansas is this: next time a tornado comes through, it will hit your trailer, and spare the bike.

Wise purchase!

I have an old bike in my front yard up on blocks with the rubber tyres off, do I qualify for red neck trailer trash?

Bound to work better then my selling burned white bread toast with the image of Elvis on it, on E-Bay,

That wasn't fake?!!!! I'm going to have to sell it quick!

I have an old bike in my front yard up on blocks with the rubber tyres off, do I qualify for red neck trailer trash?

Long as it's an old Schwinn Sting Ray or other muscle bike. :p

Well, I just took the first test ride towing it behind my Hard Rock. Despite its width I'm not quite as far out in the street as I thought. But I can tell that there are some streets around here where it's going to be a mighty tight fit.

I haven't ridden it with a load yet, but unloaded, it doesn't seem to add that much drag. I noticed a little shuddering sometimes, but realized that was the right wheel bumping along the edge of the road.

I took it on a little hill climb and it seemed to be stable uphill and down hill.

The packing box said 45 lbs. I'll bet that 42 lbs of it is trailer. It took me about 4 hours to assemble, working slowly and steadily. Most of the parts were high grade aluminum, just a few sizes of bolts and locking nuts. Thoughtfully, there were a few extra bolts of each size which was good because I got one wrong and it broke when I undid it. Everything fit, but there was a little flash on where some of the holes were drilled which left sharp edges.

I have to arrange some kind of floor for this. Light plywood I assume. There are holes drilled so I can mount it and a gap in the frame so it can be slipped right in. I need to get some reflective tape. I suspect that the reflectors that came with it will get broken quickly because I have to store it on its rear end in my bin. I also have to figure out how to mount the flag and the Planet Bike blinkie as well.

They say that you are a real cyclist when your bike is worth more than your car. But what about when your bicycle trailer is worth more than your car and your bicycle? Trailer trash?

You could fix it up like the Presidential Library!
http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/images/0501clintonLibrary.jpg

Instead of plywood, you might want to look at a fiberglass board. They did stock full 4 x 8 sheets at Home depot. It was developed for dairy house, permitted hose down for cleaning. Now shows up on Fast food bathrooms and car wash walls. Should be ok to pile stuff on, although I wouldn't try to stand on it. Only 1/8th thick.

You could fix it up like the Presidential Library!
http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/images/0501clintonLibrary.jpg
It does look like a trailer with the wheels removed and too high to install underpinning. I have fond memories of my first trailer but I would not want to move into another one. I'm too old for that sort of thing now.

The real reason to own a trailer in Arkansas is this: next time a tornado comes through, it will hit your trailer, and spare the bike.

Wise purchase!

In Arkansas, a divorce and a tornado yield the same results; In either case, someone's going to lose a trailer!!

In Arkansas, a divorce and a tornado yield the same results; In either case, someone's going to lose a trailer!!

Darn, I knew I was doing things wrong. I got the divorce, then a close call with a tornado and then I get the trailer. Timing is so important. ;)

You could fix it up like the Presidential Library!
http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/images/0501clintonLibrary.jpg


That would be a great idea. Especially since it will be in front of there for Earth Day.

I bought one about five years ago. I have not owned a car since 1989. I don't use the trailer all that often, but when I need it, I really need it. It works great.

http://12.152.111.66/joeybike/bike_on_trailer.jpg

I bought one about five years ago. I have not owned a car since 1989. I don't use the trailer all that often, but when I need it, I really need it. It works great.

http://12.152.111.66/joeybike/bike_on_trailer.jpg

Thats inspirational. Like you, I don't predict daily use, but the times I'll need it, I'll really need it. Its first planned uses are Earth Day, the Ride of Silence to carry a ghost bike, and as a camera platform. Who knows what else. :D

Do you keep the hitch on your bike when you are not using the trailer or attach it each time?

Hmmm, a bike trailer you can pitch a tent on.......sounds just like the kind of redneck pycho-invention that would work. Bound to work better then my selling burned white bread toast with the image of Elvis on it, on E-Bay, or that time I was going to put on the redneck production of Oscar Wildes "The Importance of Being Ernest" starring Jim Varney. Know whut I mean Verne?

Somebody did that already!

http://www.tonystrailers.com/nomad/

Lol.

Well, I didn't get a chance to make my trailer look like the Clinton library, but yesterday I got to do my first big ride with it to take it to the Earth Day celebration by the President Clinton library.

The first hurdle was a long steep down hill. I kept my speed down by repetitive braking and it seemed stable. But I knew I'd have to come back up on the way back.

It was easy on the Rivertrail bike trail but when I got in town, the bike route traversed the sidewalk and took some tight and quirky turns. The anti-motor vehicle posts were the trickiest to get through. Downtown traffic was easier than I thought, though I took care to avoid the trolley tracks. But I learned that I had to be very careful in starting up or the big aluminum boom connecting the trailer to the bike would give me a severe case of heel strike and catch my foot between it and the road with 50 lbs of torque. OUCH!!!!

At the Earth Day exhibit, I got a lot of questions about it. It was nice to see that people were interested. Though the others at the exhibit told me that next year I get to carry the tent. ;)

After Earth Day I had to go over the river to the Alltel Arena to work the Jumbotron during the Arkansas Twisters game. I parked the trailer and bike next to the loading docks using a U-lock and locked the wheels and bike with cable locks. (That's right, the trailer is worth more than the bike)

The ride back was the most interesting part. Downtown Little Rock was in party mode on late Saturday Night. I easily kept up with the Twisters owner through traffic. He in his Mercedes, me with my trailer. After I got out of downtown, I realized that I needed water. All the convenience stores were closed and I spent 5 minutes trying to buy some water from the vending machines outside the Harvest Foods store. Eventually, the only machine that was working was the High volume water machine. So I bought a gallon to fit into my bike water bottle. It was hot at first, but cooled off and the water was still pouring out when I filled my bottle and closed the door.

Going back down the the Rivertrail was much different at night. There were no lights. I took the trail farthest from the road because I didn't like the looks of some of the Escalades with 22 in spinner rims. It was pretty isolated.

I rode on through the darkness, surprising 3 skunks and 3 deer, eventually coming back to the long steep hill I had flown down in the morning.

I didn't know what would happen. I can ride up the hill without stopping if its cool. But dragging the trailer, I assumed I'd be walking it up the hill.

I got a little way up and decided to take off my helmet and gloves for better cooling. After starting up again I realized that there was absolutely no traffic and not likely to be much so I took the road over, and started zig-zagging back and forth across the entire road to make the road less steep. And what do you know, I got the trailer all the way up.

Just a little bit more, the rolling hills back to my apartment. All went smoothly except the moment when I found my self face to face with a police car with its headlights off and all the flashers going blue, charging straight at me in my lane. I looked for a place to pull off fast!

I store the trailer in my mini storage place across the street from my apartment. But as such a late hour, I had to pick up the trailer and carry it up the steps and wrassle it into my living room. It's taller than my door so I had to lift it and rotate it to get it inside.

Who knew that dragging a trailer could be an adventure?

I have an old bike in my front yard up on blocks with the rubber tyres off, do I qualify for red neck trailer trash?

It depends on how many loose dogs are running around it.

I rode past the Clinton Library this afternoon. I mentioned its resemblance to a trailer which was not well accepted by one Clinton supporter. No sense of humor. In real life it really does look like a trailer.

Well, here it is.

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/Bike&Trailer1.jpg
http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/Bike&Trailer2.jpg

It also has a flag and a Planet Flash blinkie that fit in the rear left-hand side.

Gee that thing is almost big enough to carry a spare car.:) Nice though

You guys with them trailers must live in the flats. Loaded you will never get those rigs up a hill. Or maybe you guys have stronger legs than I do. Have you tried pulling an ulra-light camping trailer. Some of those, without a bathroom, only weight about 1200 lbs or so.

That thing'll carry a lot of beer on it. You know what I mean?

That a nice looking rig!
Good to see bikes put to work doing big jobs.

Hey, you got a great rig, when you need it...sounds like you are enjoying your new 'toy'. Hope it does a lot of work for you. Once you get used to using it you will find all kinds of things to carry. AND you will be getting more exercize...if that is what you wanted. If not it will just be more work.

Bill could carry Hillary on that thing. Just sayin...

The real reason to own a trailer in Arkansas is this: next time a tornado comes through, it will hit your trailer, and spare the bike.

Wise purchase!

That made me laugh, my brother was actually caught in a run for your life car get away from a tornado in Clinton Ark.