Three Wheeled Tow Trike?

Some days you get the feeling that leaving the house was not the right thing to do.

Today started with a trip to the tire store to have a nail removed. This was possibly the positive highlight of the day. No actual damage because the nail was short and no charge for the tire check & rotation.

Since our Best Buddies ride is coming up in May, see http://trikelandblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/best-buddies-challenge-ride.html for information, we decided to start "auditioning" the additional bikes we'd need for the ride. Four riders and only two trikes leaves two people walking. So I visited our local bike shop, Bikes @ Vienna, and reviewed their rental options. After testing a Barcroft Columbia recumbent tandem, a Rans Crank Forward and a Rans recumbent, I decided to take the single rider recumbent (only 3 riders today anyway). Once the rental bike was secured on my truck it was back to the house to meet up with the family and prep the trikes.

Finding balance on two wheels after months of riding the trike took a bit of adjustment. Then about 5 miles into our ride the right pedal started to wiggle. Quick pit stop, resetting the pedal and we were off again. Only to have the pedal work loose again. So we decided to head back to the bike shop for a quick repair. Unfortunately the pedal and the distance we needed to go didn't agree and it came flying off in mid stroke. Shaky recovery but no wipe out. Now we're over 5 miles from the bike shop and without a pedal. Should we walk it back? Call for assistance? No, let's rig up a tow!

So one of the trikes was pressed into service as a tow vehicle. We attached the security cables from the rack on the trike to the frame of the bike and towed it back to the shop. Ever ridden a tandem and felt like the person on the back wasn't peddling? Imagine not only knowing they weren't pedaling but were actually using the brakes to keep their distance and the tension on the tow strap. We never exceeded 6 miles per hour but we did get back to the shop.

Quick loaner bike (the Rans Crank Forward from the earlier test ride) and we were back on the road to the house. But alas, there was the matter of the first hill. This time we learned first hand about chain tension, trying to shift with pressure on the pedals and just how much torque a chain can handle. The result? SNAP! We broke our a chain. There's that old "weakest link" again.

So my wife took the three wheel scooter back to the shop while we pedaled home, retrieved the truck and went back to rescue her. Even though the shop was pretty busy the trike mechanic repaired the chain quickly and it was ready by the time we got back to pick her up. That saved a trip on another day.

We're laughing about it already but we would like to have gotten another 25 miles on the trail today. It was just too beautiful to stay indoors.

Check back, I'm sure there will be plenty more adventures & misadventures in Trikeland.

Best Buddies Challenge Ride

Involvement with Best Buddies (www.bestbuddies.com) has been a life changing event for my sons and ultimately my family.

On May 30, 2009, my family will do an extraordinary thing (at least for us!). We will be traveling to Hyannis Port, MA and will ride our trikes for at least 50 miles in the Audi Best Buddies Hyannis Port Challenge in support of the 250 million people living with intellectual disabilities. The ride will be physically challenging, but the reward will be like none-other; the chance of a life-time to change the life of another, while positively changing our own.

Please "join" us on this ride by making a donation to support the cause. I would appreciate your support on this endeavor. Every donation will be critical. Please share with anyone that you think might be interested. In order to ride, we need to reach our fundraising goal of $3,500. Any amount you can give will ensure Best Buddies continues to provide critical services and job integration for people with intellectual disabilities. And, your donation is tax deductable!

We choose to ride for Best Buddies because 100% of the funds raised will go directly to their programs. Which means any contribution you give for our challenge directly affects the lives of those living with intellectual disabilities. Best Buddies is a non-profit organization founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989, dedicated to helping people with intellectual disabilities form friendships and find jobs in their community. The Audi Best Buddies Challenge events are a strong symbol of the lasting friendships and open community that Best Buddies fosters throughout their programs.

Here is how you can donate: You can donate easily and securely by clicking on our personal fundraising webpage link located below. Here you can read more about the Audi Best Buddies Challenge, see our fundraising goals, and read why it is more important than ever to support Best Buddies Programs. We will also be posting updates & information on our blog at www.trikeland.com.

We are so excited to participate in this ride! With each day, we train harder and longer. With each dollar you donate, you bring us one more mile closer to our goal. Thank you in advance for your generous support!

Follow This Link to visit our personal web page and help us in our efforts to support Best Buddies International.

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Merry Christmas - 25 miles on the 25th

It was midday before the gifts were opened, the trikes & bikes were ready to roll but we managed to hit the trails today. Before we finished we'd racked up over 25 miles on the 25th!

We took the took trikes and a mountain bike from the house across town to the W&OD trail and east to the trail head. The weather started around 45 degrees and cooled down as we neared the end of our ride. All three of us pushed through some rough spots and managed to never give up, no matter how badly we'd timed each climb.

It was great to spend a few hours away from our electronic tethers and moving with our own power.  We've never been the family that played "backyard" football on holiday events. Maybe we'll become the family that squeezes in a quick ride instead.

Merry Christmas everyone!