Jon from the Big Island of Hawaii
09-25-12, 08:54 PM
#1
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Jon from the Big Island of Hawaii
Just joined the forum. My wife and I retired just over a year ago and moved from Puyallup, Wa., to near Keaau, Hawaii. I'll be 59 on November 1st. I had joined a gym just before turning 50 and belong to a gym here also (Aloha Fitness in Hilo Hawaii). We acyuarlly kind of inherited our current bicycle as it came with the house we bought here. It's an inexpensive Chinese made bike called a Next. It's a 21 speed and more of a mountain bike with front and rear suspension. The good news is it seems to be set up well and shifts very well and the brakes look good.
I started riding it recently as I have been going to our daughter's place each day to feed their 20 chickens and 3 cats. It's about 6 miles each way and there are lots of smaller hills and valleys on the roads. I'm not trying to break any records here. It's taking me about 35-37 minutes each way. Coming back has more uphill and more sweating on my part. I can see I'll need to get maybe some kind of fingerless riding gloves as the bike has twist grip type shifters and my sweaty hands can't reliably grip the shifter grip.
I am planning on working my way up to a round trip into Hilo and back. Hilo, at least where my gym is, is 12 miles each way. It's mostly on a main highway. Bike riders can ride on a full lane-width shoulder most of the way. The shoulder is used as a car lane in the early morning commute. The return trip doesn't have a complete lane,but still a decent shoulder.
I think maybe I'd better carry some tools and a patch kit and small pump, so I'll be looking for these items. The trip from my house to my daughter's place is all within a huge development and there is only a deep grass shoulder here that is about impossible to ride on.
Anyway, for now this bike is all right for me. I may decide to get something else later, but first I want to be sure I'm going to stick with riding. Gas here is a lot higher than on the main land (as is our electric bill!), so riding the bike is a win-win situation. Helps keep this old geezer in shape and saves money on gas.
Anyway, just thought I'd check in.
Jon in Keaau, Hawaii
I started riding it recently as I have been going to our daughter's place each day to feed their 20 chickens and 3 cats. It's about 6 miles each way and there are lots of smaller hills and valleys on the roads. I'm not trying to break any records here. It's taking me about 35-37 minutes each way. Coming back has more uphill and more sweating on my part. I can see I'll need to get maybe some kind of fingerless riding gloves as the bike has twist grip type shifters and my sweaty hands can't reliably grip the shifter grip.
I am planning on working my way up to a round trip into Hilo and back. Hilo, at least where my gym is, is 12 miles each way. It's mostly on a main highway. Bike riders can ride on a full lane-width shoulder most of the way. The shoulder is used as a car lane in the early morning commute. The return trip doesn't have a complete lane,but still a decent shoulder.
I think maybe I'd better carry some tools and a patch kit and small pump, so I'll be looking for these items. The trip from my house to my daughter's place is all within a huge development and there is only a deep grass shoulder here that is about impossible to ride on.
Anyway, for now this bike is all right for me. I may decide to get something else later, but first I want to be sure I'm going to stick with riding. Gas here is a lot higher than on the main land (as is our electric bill!), so riding the bike is a win-win situation. Helps keep this old geezer in shape and saves money on gas.
Anyway, just thought I'd check in.
Jon in Keaau, Hawaii
09-26-12, 12:09 AM
#2
Formerly Known as Newbie
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Cheers Jon, thank you for the intro and welcome to Bike Forums!
--J
--J
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To err is human. To moo is bovine.
Who is this General Failure anyway, and why is he reading my drive?
Become a Registered Member in Bike Forums
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09-26-12, 12:28 PM
#3
Galveston County Texas
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: In The Wind
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Hey Jon,
Welcome to Bike Forums from 70 y/o Texas road rider.
Welcome to Bike Forums from 70 y/o Texas road rider.
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Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
