Advantages in being close to the ground

I was coming up the hill on my way home the other day, in my right place, the cycle part of the pavement, next to a row of bushes. At that slow speed and being close to the ground (compared to an upright bike) you're able to see all sorts, but I didn't expect to see a little Finnkino cinema ticket holder lying in the undergrowth. I pulled it out, and sure enough, there were two so-called company tickets inside, valid until the end of May! These can be traded in for real tickets for any Finnkino film. So last night my dear lady and I had an evening out at the movies. Nice!

Taking the long way home

Tuesday was such a nice day that after work I decided to make a detour instead of going home by the shortest route. Heading roughly northeast, I reached the park, and turned in a more northerly direction, arriving at the same destination as on my No day off.

Most of the snow has gone, but there was still a ski track circuit passing close to the café there, obviously maintained by the local authorities, and quite a number of skiers still making the most of it (I'd already hung my skis up long ago!).

The paths in the park on my way home were mostly snow-free, if a bit soft in places where there was run-off from snow melting beside the path, and once or twice a patch of rough snow to plough through. Apart from that it was a very enjoyable ride!

Missed a day - but made up for it the next!

I had a day of rest on Saturday (10th), but when during Sunday morning the weather brightened up and the clouds cleared away, I couldn't resist the thought of a ride with Beaatrice.

I thought I'd head northeast first, on the same route as to the airport for light aircraft, where I've triked a couple of times in the autumn. Then I'd take the road east, to a suburb where my friends M and K live (names changed to protect identity).

The going was good in places, but there's still some grit on some pavements from when we had ice and snow, and they haven't got round to clearing it all away. Where it had been cleared, it was a refreshing change from the constant noise it makes as it rattles round with the tyres, under the mudguards. It even flies in all directions, so it's a good thing I've got goggles!

When I reached my destination, M and K weren't home! M was visiting friends just up the road, and K was on afternoon shift. Some other time, then. I could have rung first before I left home, but it made a nice round trip anyway, as I made my way home on the main eastern artery leading into town. Well, not literally on it, as bikes aren't allowed (unless they have a motor!) but on smaller roads and streets, however I could find my way in the general direction of the centre.

It was quite a long trip, almost all in one go (without a decent break for a rest and regain some energy, which I would have got if M and K had been home), and by the time I got home my legs felt like they'd had enough!

It just ain't natural!

Thursday evening, being well recovered from my flu, I decided to resume visits to the local gym. With the gym being only half a km away, it was too short a ride to do on the trike (and anyway I wouldn't want to risk leaving it parked outside the place for any length of time), I decided to go on my old DF (diamond frame) bike. I hadn't ridden it for over 3 months, and as I set off, it felt really awkward, sitting so high up in that upright position, leaning over to the handlebars and trying to steer in a straight line. I wasn't used to having to keep my balance. I almost felt clumsy!

I did my stuff in the gym, keeping it short for this first time after almost 3 weeks' break, mounted my rusty steed and headed for home. I feel I could never go back full time to what feels like such an unnatural riding position.

Hola hombre!

I think it was Tuesday afternoon, I'd just started down the street from work when I passed a somewhat familiar-looking pedestrian heading for the train. He thought I looked familiar too, as he stopped and turned, just as I had. (I don't know how he recognised me in my disguise, goggles and all!) Sure enough it was J, whom I hadn't seen for going on for 3 years! We had a brief chat, and I invited him to try the trike, which he found fun, and he took my picture with his mobile (must have been a good one, as the picture turned out quite good).

As you can see, we still have some snow about, but it's unlikely to stay for much longer. I'm just looking forward to when the temperature no longer drops below freezing, so I can switch back to 'summer tyres', and hopefully by then all the grit will have been swept up off the pavements. (Yes, that's an old dish-washing brush on the back, handy for removing excess snow in rougher weather!)

No day off for Triker!

Saturday 3rd brought temperatures hovering just above freezing, and it being so mild compared to earler, I was very tempted to get out on the trike for pleasure, for a change (as opposed to using it for commuting to work). (So much for taking a break from it!)

I decided to avoid the paths in the park, as the snow on them would probably be softening, and would make the going very heavy. Instead I took to the pavements of our local streets, past the ice rink and headed north. I took a diagonal left turn, thinking I'd that way do one side of a triangle instead of two. I didn't exactly get lost, but probably ended up doing more than three sides of a triangle after all, as I tried to find my way through to the road I needed to be on!

Despite a gentle snowfall, I kept going and eventually made it to my destination, a well-known sports centre on the edge of the park about 6 kilometres from home. I like that trip because there's a café where I can rest and have something to eat with tea or coffee, and watch the skiers making the best of a bad job on the wet ski tracks.

The next day I again couldn't resist going out for a ride, although a day's rest might have done me good! In the afternoon I rode over to T's place, about three kilometres away. Again it was trying to snow, but it was wet stuff, and didn't amount to anything of any consequence. He asked me in for a cup of tea, after he and his daughter had a short test ride and he took a couple of pictures.

Cobbles!

The snowfall we had earlier in the week didn't amount to much, but it was enough to create the effect of cobblestones on the pavements where hundreds of pedestrians had walked, so riding the trike over that was a bit rough, to say the least. Where suitable, I switched to the road/street, and let the traffic sort itself out around me.

The zero Celsius temperatures we had later in the week meant that the going was rather wet, and I had to make detours of large puddles, or slow down enough not to splash when going through them if I couldn't go round them.

The great thing is that at last when I leave home in the mornings it's daylight, and it's still daylight when I leave work! Great that the days are getting longer!

At one point on my way home there's a busy intersection, and after crossing it there's a gentle uphill. As I make my way up it, there's often a queue of traffic waiting at those lights, and I get curious looks and smiles from drivers and passengers, and even bus drivers wave to me! Trikes are still such a rare sight here. It's amazing how traffic will stop for me at pedestrian crossings, most likely because of their curiosity (if I were on a DF bike they wouldn't, they'd make me wait!).

Three wheels on my wagon

Yes, that's right, I've got three wheels under me, and it doesn't matter how slippery it is here in winter, on a three-wheeled recumbent tricycle you can't fall off (or over) unless you take a bend too fast (which I haven't yet)! It's what they call an HPV (human-powered vehicle).

Drop by here any time, to see how I'm getting on with Beaatrice, as I christened my new Trice QNT, shortly after she was delivered. I intend this blog to reflect the fun and adventures that my new hobby rewards me with. Cycling had never been as much fun before! (I may from time to time describe other events, or discuss other topics I feel strongly about, anything I feel I'd like to share with others.)

To put things into perspective:
It was maybe a little over 2 years ago that I tried a recumbent (bent) bike when I met a guy on his way to work in our neighbourhood. I was surprised how easy it was to ride (e.g. balance was no problem) and I found it to be a most enjoyable and satisfying way to ride a bike. One feels very 'laid back' in the seat of a bent!

Beaatrice was given production number 6344. She was the 344th trike to be manufactured in 2006. She gets her name from those numbers, which look like letters in certain fonts (similar to car registration numbers), with the word 'TRICE' added on, appropriately, that being the name of this model.

She arrived at the beginning of October, 2006, and after a couple of evenings putting her together, I've ridden her to work almost daily ever since.