hopperja

Yet another trip to the recycle center and to Goodwill. I recently learned of a new (Android) app called RunKeeper that I used to keep track of the ride. 1 hour 28 minutes of riding, average pace 7:21, 12.05 miles total. I have no idea how much it weighed, but my speed certainly improved as the weight reduced. I'd guess around 150 pounds of disposable cargo (recycles + Goodwill).



My youngest son, in the bin in the second trailer, rode for part of the way. He's only 4 years old, so he thinks he can ride farther and faster than he really can. Beside him on the trailer is his bike... not something I purchased (a Next), but a bike that was given to him. I let him ride about a mile on a paved trail on the way there. And, on the way back we stopped by a school (it was Sunday, so not in session) with a large paved playground area on which he rode a bit. He wanted to ride more, but unfortunately, time constraints led me to keep him in the trailer on the rest of the way home. He's ridden 4 miles on his own with me before, so he could have ridden more, but I didn't want to wait for him. Maybe next time...

I was very impressed with RunKeeper (Android, though I believe it's also available for Iphone). I've now used it for bicycling and running. It's nice because it tells me every 5 minutes and every mile my time, average pace, and total distance. I've found this helpful both while running and utility-cycling. It uses GPS and/or cell towers so it keeps a nice map as well. I've used Google Tracks and my wife uses Edmundo (for running). RunKeeper is better than Google Tracks (IMHO) and as good as Edmundo. However, RunKeeper is free (as is Google Tracks), where as Edmundo isn't.

Youaintgotjack

We went to Home Depot on Sat, then hosted a family ride event on Sun. Ive been riding everyday in April- loving it...can't remember why I ever stopped riding.

Brockster

Ran to Cub Foods to get enchliadas for dinner. Rode the Specialized Hard Rock that I picked up for $20 last week through Craigslist. It needed tires, tubes, rim strips, a good cleaning, and some tinkering to fight the apparent neglect and rusty hardware. It's rims are noticeably lighter than my white Huffy's. On the stand, I can get it to barely shift to all three front cogs, but on the road, no dice. I'm thinking that the front guide has been tweaked. The bike will need front shifter and front brake cables soon. The cloth on the seat is trashed so it has a bandana to keep the foam particles off me.

The mint in the half-barrel behind the bike has been passed along in my family from my maternal grandfather's garden - can't find that particular version in garden stores. Makes awesome mint ice tea.

The second run was from a spousal directive. She was feeling under the weather from a doctor's visit, so I rode the Schwinn to Kroger for Diet Pepsi for her and Diet Black Cherry Soda for me. Also grabbed a cold Vitamin Water since once again I forgot a water bottle, not to mention my Camelbak. Someone put a 'G' decal over the 'N' on the word 'No' on the No Skateboarding or Loitering' sign.


I've lost about five pounds and am down to 230 (again).

ocsawdust

did the Los Angeles circlavia in downtown LA sunday, heard there were 100,000 people. another one in oct.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRN-PCRy14A

Chesha Neko

Got a reverse brake lever delivered today. Didn't realize until I opened the box that it needed a MTB brake cable, and all I had on hand were Shimano and Campy road cables. Had to ride to the LBS to buy some MTB cables. Rode back home and installed new brake lever and rewrapped the moustache bar. Linked up the Burley and made a run to Target. Bottom bag was able to fit 18 liters of water, top bag help sundries.

Fasteryoufool

Picked up 120 Lbs. of compost for our garden today.

Singlespeed92

Didn't remember the camera,but yanked the trailer to Food City today for the weekly groceries,wouldn't have needed the panniers also,but it filled the trailer purdy goodly

noglider 

Yesterday, my calendar rang as usual at 6:30pm and reminded me that I had a rehearsal in one hour. Oh no, I forgot my car is in the shop. The church is 11 miles away, and I still hadn't eaten or walked the dogs. I had never ridden a bike to the church, since I didn't have good headlights until recently, and it's a very hilly ride over some pretty bad roads. I had to do it, and I knew I would be late.

I took out my 'cross bike, a 90's Bianchi Volpe and rode it as hard as I could. I said it's a hilly route, but it's also uphill the whole way to the church. This is a paid job for me. I'm a paid church choir member. I'm not even Christian. I left at 7:12. On the biggest hill, I passed a guy walking down the hill. He said, "You make it look easy." Nice compliment, but I replied that it's not easy.

I arrived at 8pm. The choir director is very laid back and doesn't get annoyed when we're late, which is good. He said he was surprised to see me because he thought I was still on vacation. Then he said I looked like I had gotten some sun. No, it wasn't sunburn, I was red from the exertion of pedaling like mad up those hills.

Riding home in the dark was OK. I bombed down the big hill in the dark, over potholes. Pretty nervy of me, but this bike handles like a train at high speed. On the rest of the ride, the drivers were kind to me except in one stretch of a narrow, curvy 2-lane road.

Then on that stretch, I got a flat on the rear tire. I stopped and thought for a minute. It was 10:30 at night. I was 3 miles from home. I almost called my wife and asked for a ride, but then I said no, I'm trying to toughen myself to commute self-sufficiently in all conditions, so fix your own flat. I was at the road edge of someone's front lawn. I put one of my headlights on low intensity and pointed it at my work. I didn't use it much, and I realized that like tying my shoes, I can actually do this with my eyes closed. I wasn't in a hurry, so I took my time. Not seeing didn't make it harder, but it did make it slower.

In the middle of my repair, the house owner came out and asked if he could help. I think he was really asking what the heck was going on. I said no thanks, I'm just fixing a flat. He said, "A flat? Oh, you're on a bicycle." I said I'm OK and sorry if I scared him.

The rest of the ride was uneventful.

Sixty Fiver

Took the trike out today to drop packages at the post and pick my daughter up after school... it is such a handy thing to have for these little errands and my house mate often takes it on 20 km round trips with his co-pilot... my Shih Tzu.

pick

hmmm, a "dog is my co-pilot" on a trike?? I resemble that remark!! LOL!! (from this mornings usual 12 mi RT to the Post Office and park stop)

Singlespeed92

Rode with my son down to the city library today,they had a mobile museum of the Civil War. Besides having a good time (despite the thunderstorm/downpour that only lasted what time we were out,LOL),he gets extar credit in the only class he needs it in at school,History (Ca average in that,otherwise straight A's)

Fasteryoufool

Took 4 loads of laundry to the laundromat today. Sorry, no pix.

Sixty Fiver

My dog loves riding on the trike or in the baskets I have made up for my extrabike... when she was a puppy I just dropped her in a pannier and we would ride everywhere.

Fasteryoufool

That's a dog?! I thought it was a mop-head without a stick...

noglider 

What ever happened to qmsdc15? He hasn't posted since about November.

pick

Ahh, how great is that?!!...she looks very comfy out with Dad!!

badmother

Cute dog great legs sixty. Keep riding .

Brockster

On Saturday I checked out the silver Huffy Strider 10-speed that I bought for $10 that had a recent service, new handlebar, grips, and a nice seat. The previous owner never picked it up! I put a new tube in the rear wheel and rode it to Advance Auto for more shop rags and hand cleaner. Donated it to an acquaintance later that afternoon to a friend that has a lot of contacts in the recovery community. It will be someone's transportation to a job so they can eventually leave the shelter/rehab/halfway house where they are staying. I was really tempted to keep the seat, but I figured that it was not my decision to make.

Today I rode a 26" Magna Power Climber 10-speed mtb that I received from a co-worker friend for free. She also gave me a ratty Murray 24' girls' mtb, and a 24" girls' Roadmaster mtb with shifting issues. the Magna's bottom bracket had nearly zero grease in it.

I replaced the bearings with a better set - but these cleaned up well after soaking in in a bucket of parts cleaner. The wheel bearings and head stock are going to get greased next.
I am surprised at the quality of this older Magna. There is a sticker with the date of 1996 and the bike seems to be at least as solid as an older Huffy, compared to the current Wally World Magnas.
It looks better in the photo than in real life. Much more cosmetic rust on the rims, stem, seat post, and cables, but I really like the wide flat bar.
This will be the 10-speed beater since I am attempting to convert the Huffy to a 15-speed, or at least a 12. I notice a big difference in the bikes that only have 10 speeds on the hills.

Took it to Aldi (pictured in store) for a small groc run and to Cub Foods to replace the mint Milano cookies I commandeered from my daughter last night (ahem).

Fasteryoufool

Square Foot Gardening Project:



A total of 520 Lbs. of compost, potting soil and top soil, (260 lbs. in each planter) most of it hauled in the trailer.

Plants, seeds, trowel and supersoaker (to keep the cats out) also, but no pix, sorry.

Singlespeed92

Nice!

hopperja

In one load? If so, welcome to the 500 pound club. I'm sure there aren't many of us...

Fasteryoufool

Oh hell no. I pulled about 400 lbs. of it in my trailer, and not in one trip. Two trips of 120 lbs. each, one of 160 lbs. I'd attempt it, but my trailer isn't up to it. My next one will be though.

hopperja

Nice job anyways.

BTW, I'm not aware of any bike trailer that can hold 500 pounds. I use two trailers, in tandem, to achieve those kinds of weights. I've probably had close to 400 lbs on my BAW trailer, but never more than that.

That being said, because the BAW is modular, you could probably build a double axle/4 wheel BAW trailer that would support 500 or more pounds. I've never heard that anyone's done this though. You'd have to contact BAW to find out if they'd do it for you.

Fasteryoufool

I was kind of thinking of building one myself with angle-iron and two axles. I want one that's long enough for me to haul lumber home, as I'm a carpentry hobbyist.

pgerhardt

Rode the BikeE to Hardware store, grocery store and library. Took the backpack over the seat back and one plastic grocery sack. Got salad stuff, DVD's and some magnets for the road bike cyclometer. Great day and saw bunch of the 'townfolk'