plustax

Hobbies? Why cycling of course!

I like to study math and grow plants as well. Other than that, relationships and work take up most of my time....

enigmaT120

Machka, what kind of trailer are you looking at?

https://www.tonystrailers.com/kayak/

https://www.redbayfarm.com/bicycles.html

Will you carry the bike in the boat, or lock it up and come back for it?

Machka 

At the moment, we could walk the canoe to the water, but if we were to go further afield, we'd probably lock the bicycles.

Roody

I didn't mention it before, but canoeing is one of my favorite hobbies. All of my outdoor hobbies seem to involve movement. Bicycling, hiking, canoeing, rowing. I used to like cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

I haven't done much lately, but traveling is another hobby. I enjoy bus, train and plane travel. I would even like an old fashioned road trip (automobile) if I didn't have to drive. The last road trip I did was about seven years ago, just a short trip around Michigan's Thumb and lower Lake Huron. We took a tent and had a blast. I did all the driving then, but I wouldn't want to now.

Machka 

One of the canoeing adventures we did in our previous location was a sort of triathlon ... we would ...

1) drive to the head of the river (about 25 km away) with the canoe, and put in there.

2) canoe down the river back to our town (about 35 km, because of all the twists and turns in the river).

3) dock and hide the canoe, and then walk home (about 3 km).

4) hop on our tandem and cycle to the van at the head of the river (about 25 km).

5) load the tandem into the van and drive home, drop off the tandem.

6) and finally, drive to the river to collect the canoe.


It was great fun!!


Now while we were canoeing down the river, we debated about ways to do that without the van ...


Canoeing photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-...7623927024320/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-...7627624047039/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-...7633177977500/

Machka 

What about sailing ... do any of you sail?

Rowan

Yes, but you knew that already.

On the agenda is a double sea kayak for Machka and me to explore the coastline around where we live, apart from the river. It's not too much of a stretch to put a kayak in and be in the world heritage listed wilderness zone in South-West Tasmania. Then to the east are various bays and the Tasman Peninsula. But there's also the D'Entrecasteaux Channel between the mainland and Bruny Island (where I am also fortunate enough to work).

This sort of kayaking appeals to me a lot -- it's much like cycle touring, and we have so much of the gear already. And I have been really inspired by the adventures of two of our friends (who are also cycling fanatics).

Roody

The only sea kayaking I did was a day trip in northern Lake Michigan. It was fantastic. I also did some open water canoeing in Lake Superior years ago. The Great Lakes region is great for kayaking and canoeing.

Rowan

Lake Superior was stunning just for the size. I wasn't quite prepared for that when I visited. But I can see how it could be a great location for sea kayaking as well as sailing... well, any sort of boating, in the summer.

Ekdog

Roody

Wow...fold the boat and unfold the bike...origami rules!!

wahoonc

My hobbies are pretty varied. I enjoy tinkering with just about anything mechanical, I enjoy cooking, eating and camping. I guess you call the farm a hobby too. The on true "hobby" I have is probably model trains. I have two layouts, an HO and N. I also build N-trak modules, this has been a rough year and my cycling and model train hobbies have suffered. Hope 2014 is better.

Aaron

Machka 

Well ... I've signed up for two evening classes!!

I can walk to both of them from work, so that part will be convenient.

Roody

I'm learning French on an app called Duolingo. So far the app seems good, it's self-paced, and it's free. You can do as much as you want, but 10 to 20 minutes a day is encouraged. It is cutting into my Candy Crush time, however.

Machka 

Do you have a canoe, and do you get out quite often in the summer?

Do you still like cross country skiing and snowshoeing? How is the weather there for that? Can you carry your snowshoes on your back to cycle to a snowshoeing park (or a ditch in the countryside or wherever)?

What about travel? Can you catch Amtrak where you are? Sometimes you can take your bicycle on Amtrak (usually in a box, and you'd have to do some research, not all stations allow loading and unloading of bicycles). Maybe you could take a trip southward to a warmer location for a couple weeks ... do some exploring, get in some decent cycling. Or maybe fly over to France, Italy or Spain ...

Machka 

I've started them both ... and they are convenient enough for walking. And one is a photography course. So hopefully that hobby will take a step forward.

Another course I may take later is far enough away, I'll likely have to take a bus at least one direction.

connor11

Cycling I think is the most popular hobby as an alternative to cars and especially for those who are active. Cycling has really gained much popularity not just as a sport, as well as a hobby and as a means of transportation for some. I have seen people in different countries show a lot more interest in it. Friends and family who are into cycling say they enjoy the open-air ride as well as the opportunity to minimize their carbon imprint on the earth because it is environment friendly without the gas. I too love cycling but I do not always get the chance to go for longer rides.

MikeRides

Outside of bicycling, I love to cook and fixing things. I'm a huge DIYer. Being a big DIYer started when I got tired of being hosed by "professional" auto mechanics charging $90/hr for a 20 minute job! I figure for that cost, I can learn how to fix my own cars/bikes/home. Even if I f*ck it up, the cost to redo it still comes out cheaper than the rates for the common laborer.

Roody

For me, the ideal recreational day in summer time is to ride my bike along the Rivertrail about six miles to a county park. There I will mountain bike on the trails for a while, then rent a rowboat for an hour and cruise around the lake. I finish this off with a cooling swim at the beach before riding home. I usually pack a picnic lunch or stop at a restaurant on the way home. I enjoy doing this alone, but it's even more fun when my son and/or grandson go with me.

In the winter, I enjoy going to the same park and then riding on the ice of the frozen lake. For a real expedition, I can also ride or walk for several miles on the frozen Grand River south of Lansing. I have seen a lot of wildlife in the snow along the riverbanks, even a bobcat just a few yards away!

ro-monster

I think I only have three hobbies. Reading, which is obviously pretty easy anywhere. I do like to take the bus downtown to the library and then take a book to the coffee shop or the rose garden in the park. It's close enough to ride, actually, but I kind of enjoy the bus trip, and not having to move my bike around with me.

I like to play MMORPGs, though I don't really have the free time to do it lately. This one is also easy, since it involves staying home.

The last one is the one that gives me trouble -- backpacking. I usually end up going with other people, taking public transit to a station that's convenient for them to pick me up on our way to the trailhead. But I really like solo trips, and those are hard to pull off without a car. There are a couple of trailheads I know of that are reachable by bus. I'm intending to do a multi-day trip from one of them this summer. I'll basically ride buses out to the trailhead and walk most of the way back home through a chain of national and state parks.

fietsbob

as a Musician , on the bike the mandolin hauls easier, than a guitar, or the double bass Viol.

For my tour of Ireland and Scotland I found and brought an even smaller than normal, Pocket Mandolin .

found a few Pub Sessions to sit in on, along the way ...

Machka 

Now that is something I'd like to get into! I have this dream of building the whole set ... hills, trees, village, etc.

Last weekend we went to a Dollhouse and Miniatures show/fair ... and it is amazing what they've got, and how small some of the things are. Quite fascinating. Most of those things weren't train-related, but lots of it could work for the villages.

And of course, I ended up buying a bicycle ... a small (but not really miniature) penny farthing.

timmythology

I like to tour, camp, hike, but these are just a process for my photography. While in town I have found that the Timbuktu LG photo bag is a perfect accommodation. Especially when in the basket on front. I also use a Sm Timbuktu and have a smaller insert for it. Both bags accommodate my DSLR, with a 55-250 lens attached. The primary barrier with photography has been carrying a tripod "conveniently". I am planning on use PVC tubing to build a scabbard for my front rack, and have it attach similar to a bucket pannier on the side. I am also considering adding my smaller camera insert from an old bag into a bucket pannier for the other side of the rack for longer rides.

I am a life time member of the couch society, and prefer to watch a shadow grow than work on my own time. I enjoy sitting on my bike and letting my dogs "assist me" through the neighborhood. I have recently started to volunteer at a bike collective and have been pretty active as a volunteer. I have a strong interest in understanding how to accommodate "bike fit" for individuals with disabilities.

Machka 

Do you have a picture of that photo bag?
And you must post a photo of your solution for carrying the tripod!!


I usually carry a small P&S on the bicycle, but occasionally I'll bring my DSLR in a pannier. So far, however, I have not brought my tripod while cycling.

cooker

I'd like to see a sport similar to biathlon or triathlon, where you bike, hauling a kayak or canoe along a trail to a body of water, launch the craft and toss in the bike, paddle to the other side, then continue on bike. Or maybe you could haul a light raft or barge, and when you get to the water, toss the bike on it, and swim across while towing the bike.