Rigged For Night Running

 

Song:  Moonlight Sonata

Original Composer:  Ludwig Beethoven

Rendition:  Brin Addison

First...

my younger sister and I decided to catch another sunrise from just down the street.

Sunrises and sunsets are just one of the many great simple pleasures in life...

and they are free.

Now on to my trike.

Although I got my trike back from the shop...

I still must learn how to operate the trike motor settings on the motor computer.

I have my Insta 360 camera mounted on the bike mount stick.

It doesn't matter the angle it is at...

as it is a 360 degree video that it produces.

The light green rope is a tow rope that I would try by towing my younger sister on her trike...

however, even through the rope worked well...

my motor settings weren't set correctly on the computer.

As I towed her up an incline...

I had become so bogged down that I had to stop often to rest.

I was just testing the feasibility of towing up an incline...

but, without motor assist...

I wouldn't want to attempt that.

On a gentle incline or even ground...

it is no problem towing without power assist.

I installed a light bar and light just above the motor...and facing forward.

My control panels for riding trails.

The trike computer is on the left...

and my iPhone is on the right.

I have some off line usable maps loaded into an app...

and the phone has GPS function as well...

so even when I am away from usable cell service...

I can still use it for wilderness navigation.

I got a small bell for riding on bike trails.

My view of my computer from the seat of my trike...

and of my navigation unit (iPhone).

Just to demonstrate my night lights...

and as I was working on the trike...

my extra wide concave side mirrors came in...

so, I installed them.

The rear tail light emits a lazed pattern on the ground...

 besides having red leds which indicate a rider at night while on the streets.

The laser painted pattern is especially good as it indicates the width of the trike.

Now I may safely navigate streets at night...

if I so wish.

My Elder Sister Triding To A Sunset

 

Song:  Soul of the Sea

Group:  Heart

On this day...

my elder sister accompanied me on a sunset tride just down the street.

As her trike is still being put together...

she trode my younger sister's trike to where I often go to view the sunset.

As it is chilly outside...

my elder sister bundled up well.

My sister maneuvered the trike to where she had a comfortable sitting view of 

the unfolding sunset.

As I had to order a few extra parts for the e drive mounting...

I have to take my trike in next week to have it installed...

after which I will install the other options on it.

My elder sister and my younger sister have similar leg length...

and so...

they can easily trade trikes to try.

This is where I often go to get a nice view of the sunset...

and get some exercise as well.

I now have about everything I could want

to live out my retirement in great comfort while living

my main passions in life.

Soon...

I will have a 360 video camera to vlog with...

and in combination with my still camera...

and my trike...

I will be wandering the many lake and mountain trails in search of more adventures.

For those of whom have yet to retire...

work hard while young...

invest your time and finances well for your retirement years...

it is so worth it.

Sunset is my favorite time of each day...

just as the sunset years of each of us should be the favorite time of our lives.

Test Ride With Trailers Installed

 

Songs:  Sylvan Song / Dream of the Archer

Group:  Heart

My elder sister and I took the trikes with the doggy trailer 

and the palanquin attached...

 for a test ride to check for stability of the towed units at speed 

and during turning maneuvers.

I staged the trikes on the driveway so we could just get in and tride.

We only went up the street until the road stopped and a mountain trail started.

  

Although this is my younger sister's trike...

my elder sister was here today.

My elder sister's and her husband's trikes will arrive today.

They are also getting the same doggy trailer for one of their trikes to haul during 

our triking adventures.

This wheeled palanquin is what I will haul when my mother accompanies us on our outings.

Each of the trailers have quick connections...

so it is a matter of a few seconds to connect or disconnect them.

Each also folds so as to easily fit in a car.

This wheeled palanquin also comes with quick connect front wheels

 for use as a standalone wheel chair.

The side panels zip off for free air flow during nice sunny days...

and a full front panel with window may be quickly unrolled 

for cold days, or if a sudden rain hits us on the trial.

Notice that it also has a seat belt and a water bottle holder.

This palanquin holds up to 200 lbs...

so it is built of sturdy materials.

My mother will be able to ride in it with great comfort while 

we trike along rivers and among forests.

My mother will be able to ride as did princesses of old...

in her wheeled palanquin.

This is what it will look like with my mother in tow behind me.

My elder sister said it was very comfortable inside.

My elder sister ready to ride back.

It was a successful test.

The trailers tracked true during the whole ride.

And, the drag was negligible...

of course, they were unloaded...

but, especially on level roads...

it shouldn't be a problem at all.

I am very gratified with the solid construction of both of these trailers.

The dual trike carrier is on its way.

As we all have our cold weather gear ready...

we are ready for our Christmas light tride in a few weeks.

Addendum:  

Today, a few days after this original post...

I had my elder sister ride in the palanquin as I trode up the street 

with her in tow.

She said it was a smooth and comfortable ride.

Although, since I was pedaling uphill...

I did feel the extra load, but, it was not overwhelming.

Especially since I will mostly be going on flat routes with my mother in tow...

and I will soon have e-drive assist to help me on uphill tows in the future...

if necessary.

The wheeled palanquin tracked nicely in the turns and I gathered some speed

before trying out the brakes under extra load.

The test was a complete success.

It is a quality product which is durable, safe, comfortable...

and is almost unnoticeable being towed so far as handling characteristics.

The 'Pedicruiser' is also surprisingly inexpensive...

starting at just $430.00 new...

to $459.00 ($497.00 w/tax and delivered) on Ebay (our purchase)...

to less than $600.00 at other stores...

including Walmart.

If you have are a biker or triker and have someone who is elderly...

but who also loves the outdoors...

this is perfect for them to ride in comfort while they enjoy 

the scenery and fresh air as well.

Again...

it also comes with two quick connect front wheels so it converts to a standalone wheelchair

in less than a minute (the tow bar also quick connects as well).

And...

as happy as I am with this product...

my mother will surely love it even more.

Accessories - Plan For The Future

 

Song:  Treat Me Well

Group:  Heart

I will be ordering this double trike rack to transport my younger sister's and my trike

to distant trails.

This will not only allow only one vehicle to transport both trikes...

but it will still leave the inside free to transport the below accessories...

and extra passengers.

My elder sister and her husband have a truck...

and so...

they will be able to carry both of their trikes without a hitch carrier.

This is a towed dog carrier which will carry my younger sister's dog...

as well as my mother's.

My younger sister will tow this behind her trike.

At first...

the two dogs will be running beside the trike as she rides...

and when they get tired...

they can ride in comfort inside of their dog carrier.

This is the wheeled palanquin I will be towing behind my trike

while on bike trails, so my mother will be able to 

experience the outdoors with us as we tride.

And yes...

I purposely misspelled the word...ride.

I childishly combined the word trike and ride...

and yes...

this will make us triders on the trails.  :)

This will allow my mother to enjoy the great outdoors with us as we trike

besides rivers or in the mountains on improved bike trails...

or other hard packed surfaces.

It is a comfortable and safe carrier...

which has completely covered sides for use in inclement weather...

or which has the ability to only have the roof sunshade up...

but with the side windows rolled up in sunny weather.

This is what my mother will be riding in during our Christmas lights tour 

of the neighborhood...

as well on our spring, summer, and fall bike trail rides.

My elder sister's and her husband's trikes should be arriving soon...

and we will then all be able to tride anywhere...

and at anytime...

at will.

Tomorrow...

my elder sister and I will test out towing these two carriers empty

to ensure basic stability and handling characteristics before we load them

with my mother and the dogs.

I will have to be careful when towing my mother...

especially when turning.

I will be the one towing my mother because my trike has special low gears meant

to overcome obstacles and steep inclines in the mountains.

As such...

my trike will be able to handle

the weight of the palanquin...

of which will require extra torque

to pull from a dead stop...

and especially when going up inclines...

besides my trike having the most traction and stopping power.

----------------------------

Although my mother is of an advanced age...

and her ability to walk has greatly deteriorated...

with this palanquin...

she will be able to enjoy the same great outdoors

(minus unimproved or otherwise rough trails)...

that the rest of the family will.

She loves natural beauty...

of sunshine and fresh air...

all the while being accompanied by her family.

We will be taking her on our rides as often as possible.

-----------

I had also ordered her a skiing bib...

a balaclava...

and heated mittens for my mother to wear to ensure her comfort 

on chilly days (she already has a warm jacket).

I had ordered myself a ski jacket and bib...

winter gloves...

a balaclava and beanie...

and sunglasses...

in preparation for cold weather rides...

and some summer clothes and a hat for hotter weather riding.

---------

My younger sister and I will also be trying some more desolate

and rough trail riding.

One will slowly follow in the car...

 whomever is triding at the time...

and we will then switch off as the other becomes tired.

That is the beauty of the double carrier...

we will be able to switch places quickly and easily.

With the vehicle just behind the trider...

emergency medical equipment...

water and food...

trike repair gear...

etc...

may be readily at hand.

----------

However...

I will also be going on a lot of rides alone.

Besides scouting out trails ahead of time

for full usage feasibility towing the doggy carriers...

or the palanquin...

my younger sister's trike cannot go everywhere mine can.

Plus...

one of my main reasons for my triking...

is to keep in shape.

I will be pushing myself far harder than will she be able to.

And so...

why I will often be hitting the trails alone...

besides of my love for solitude in the great outdoors.

I now have about everything I need...

other then the 360 camera setup.

And so...

in the meantime...

I will be publishing some of my musings on life in subsequent articles...

of some of my previously published articles from a now private blog of mine.

And...

every so often...

during my rides of the trails...

I will talk of many basic thoughts of mine that I consider important.

I won't discuss politics or trending topics...

but only of the most basic of thoughts...

mostly in the realm of philosophy and psychology.

---------

One explanation of the music I put at the top of each article.

It is not only for the reader to listen to something as they read...

as I write...

whether it be an article or a novel...

I always listen to music.

It sets the stage for the movie of the mind to flow...

and what I put on the top of each article

is the actual song I listen to over and over as I write it

(and it is not so much about the words of the song...

but of the resonance and flow of the music that tells the story).

While the mind may print out the words...

it is music that establishes the creative flow from which the movie is made...

and from which the mind merely describes using words.

And so...

this blog is designed to take the readers on a journey of the mind...

as well as one of the mountains.

The Beginning - ICE Full Fat Trike

 

Song:  Morning Calm

Composer / Performing Artist:  James Toller

My name is James Toller.

I am an author and an amateur musician.

And starting recently...

I am an offroad recumbent triker.

It is in solitude that I find balance and inspiration in life.

I will be presenting many of my prior and future musings on life...

as well as on various topics within the realm of psychology and philosophy.

I will be presenting some prior blog entries from a now private blog...

if they fit a particular theme for my entry in my new blog here.

Sometime this spring...

I will also be making a new YouTube channel...

with vlogs from my trike adventures.

I will include the videos from that channel here as well.

I am going to purchase a 360 degree camera to record my mountain and forest 

journeys for those interested.

Just a few weeks ago...

I bought an ICE Full Fat RS Recumbent Trike.

This not only keeps the body healthy...

but the mind.

As my particular trike is made for off road use...

I will be using it primarily on improved and unimproved trails...

mostly in the mountains of the Sierra Nevadas.

To experience the great outdoors is to be able to become one with it...

at least for a while.

My ICE Full Fat trike with rear suspension

has 3 x 26" x 4" off road tires capable of riding in sand / snow...

as well as other off road...and some on road...riding...

and a total weight capacity of 275 pounds...

and so, I will be able to pack a lot of necessities on the luggage rack...

in waterproof bags.

I eventually plan on riding long distances with it...

although I will start out on small rides.

I had bought very important upgrades from the beginning...

chiefly the rear hub and luggage rack.

You will notice that there is only one gear up front...

and one in the rear...

yet I will have 14 gears...from mountain gears to highway gears.

I bought the Rohloff 14 internal gear hub so there will not be a stack of exposed gears 

or a derailleur.

This is important...

not only to keep everything as maintenance and trouble free as possible...

but in rough terrain...

an exposed derailleur can easily become bent...

or otherwise damaged...

leaving me stranded in dangerous territory.

I have full disc brakes on all three tires...

and in the waterproof bags I had bought...

I will carry a lot of water, some food...

bike and tire repair kits...

along with an inflator...

and other items...

depending on where I will be going.

I hope to one day go on multi day journeys

with a sleeping bag and tent also strapped to the trike.

I will also carry my bass flute to play songs whenever 

I feel the calling of the mountains...

lakes, rivers, or the night desert sky.

Believe it or not...

this whole bike will fit into the back of the car...

with but a quick seat removal (quick releases).

In loose sand or gravel...

I will just deflate the tires some for more traction...

as fat tires are specifically designed to run at between 3 to 5 PSI to run 

on snow or loose sand...or at up to 20 PSI for hard roads.

This trike model was designed for, and used, on a record breaking ride 

from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole.

It has a chromoly frame...

and a rugged suspension system in the rear...

as well as indirect vertical grip steering.

In a few weeks...

I will be 64 years old.

And although I can no longer carry a heavy pack on my back for long hikes...

I will be able to trike very long distances in the great outdoors...

until the day I die.

Although I will continue to age...

I never wish to become feeble.

I am a man...

and the day I can no longer truly live life...

is the day I should die.

With this...

I will still have what I value most...

personal freedom.

And being self mobile in the great outdoors...

is freedom.

I will soon begin vlogging on it...

of the many beautiful on and off road bike trails...

fire roads...unimproved roads...

the great beauty which surrounds us

in the mountains and forests...

and even deserts.

I haven't yet fully outfitted it...

but I will begin to record some of my outdoor journeys

while riding it and living life...starting in spring.

I ordered reflectors, lights (I plan to do many night rides as well)...

an emergency electric drive (in case I need to go back to the car in a hurry)...

or to help me up steep inclines...

travel bags...bike computer...phone holder...etc...

but my primary mode of power will come from my legs.

Why a recumbent trike?

My knees can no longer sustain any long distance running, walking...

or standard biking.

Besides, as I continue to age...

I will eventually become unable to do many things.

However, I will be able to continue to exercise using this...

and to continue experiencing the great outdoors.

Even though I won't have my 360 degree camera and set up until spring...

I hope to make my first vlog riding it as I enjoy the neighborhood 

Christmas lights using my handheld Canon GX-3.

It will probably be rather an awkward shoot...

as I will be pedaling and handholding the camera...

but once I get the 360 camera and setup...

things will look much better.

Just as in life...

I will be taking the road not often traveled...

and I shall be doing it alone.

Solitude is so underrated in our overrated

and overly saturated socially connected world.

I ordered various options for my trike.

Right now...

the trike is in a shop installing a Bafang 750 Watt E drive...

and battery for emergency or very steep hill usage.

I will take pictures later with the options and accessories installed.

We will be taking my mother out to see the Christmas lights around our area...

as she rides in her wheeled palanquin in a few weeks.

My younger, and my elder and her husband also bought trikes to ride.

My younger and elder sisters will be pulling doggie trailers...

and I will be pulling a wheeled palanquin with my mother inside.

My younger sister on her trike.

These shots are from just down the street...

and it is from where I will go for some sunset shots every once in a while.

My elder sister and her husband are still awaiting the arrival of their trikes.

Although we will be going on many trike rides together...

I will also be doing many trails alone.

Again...

I am now almost 64 years old...

and so...

in my sunset years.

Just as I love beautiful sunsets...

I love my sunset years.

Most of what I say will have come from my experience in life...

and from my reflections upon them.

This is what I love about solitude...

it is there that I download my visions of the past...

where I codify, simplify and generalize them...

so I may apply them in life.

This will be one of my central themes of this blog.

My usage of good ole country common sense

has been my guide through life.

This blog will incorporate my many musings on life...

and of my continued experiences...

from the seat of my trike.