My Most Recent Ride 2011 (Part IV of the series)

This is one of our most popular threads. So start filling it up and tell us about your recumbent rides this year (2011).

Note: If you enjoy this thread and would like to read of similar travels, check out
My Most Recent Ride 2010 ( Part III of the series! )​

 

My second most recent ride and

Saturday morning 4:57 Took off from east Dandridge toward Jeff City. Kind nipplely and wet as water. I figered if my Frog Togs could keep everything but my crotch dry long enuf for me to get to walmart;i would by a cheapy pair of rain pants,cut the legs off, and use them as shorts to cover the area left vulnerable in the Toggs.
Not one vehicle on the road for the first 3 miles. Then only two at the light in front of Dandridge Food City; but still not going my way. Finally ran into s few cars at the I40 junction but by then the shoulders are way wie enuf to make the traffic a non issue;even in the heavy rain.
Stopped for the breakfast of champions at Mickey D's in Jeff City, then turned North East on A.J. Hwy and headed for Wally World.
Upon reaching walmart; while locking my gloves and helmet in bags i realized i had a change of drawers and a pair of convertable pants and a fairly large plastic trash bag. I then utilized the restrooms to change and made a diaper from the bag, kept my money and headed down Chuckey Pike to old town. Traffic was still all but non existent except right around walmart.
Stopped at my old work place where i still have a key, went inside to warm up made a huge mug of spiced cider hot chocolate. Checked e-mails while sipping the surprizingly good concoction, then headed across Carson Newman campus back toward Dandridge. Arrived back at church approximately 10:45....Really felt good to ride again. Should have used Buddies helmet sheild invention to keep the heavy rain from punching mudholes in my face on the decents. Other than the 4 miles or so from start to I40, and from I40 back to finish; approximately 3.5miles i have no ideal of milage, time in saddle or speed. Sorry. Realized i like riding in falling snow WAAAAAAAy better than rain.
All and all it was good and got me in the mood for my last most recent ride today after Sunday School. Just a quicky up to Mickey's in Dandridge. Was probably about 7 miles round trip with a bunch more traffic. Dry but cold weather.
Can't wait till tomorrow.........

 

Hallelujah!!! I finally got to ride yesterday. Weather was FINALLY sunny and over 40 degrees. I suited up in my winter gear and off I went for a glorious 14 mile ride in early afternoon. (It took that long to heat up to over 40 degrees.)

I was grinning from ear to ear but you couldn't tell because I was wearing my balaclava which covers my mouth.

Saw 4 other bicycle riders on the trip. (Others must have had cabin fever also!) A group of 3 chased me down after 3 miles then asked me about my recumbent. They were a lot younger than me and looked like they ride year round.

Anyway, hope to get out today also because the rest of the week looks c r a p p y! In addition I am putting together my year end company financials to get ready for taxes and that ALWAYS puts me in a bad mood. Need lots of endorphins to ward off the evil tax man blues!!!!

O before I forget, both tires had air in them and keep air after I blew them up to proper pressure AND I didn't get a flat along the way. Maybe 2011 the "Give you a flat God" will smile on me and go back to bothering Dave!!! I have my fingers crossed!!!

 

Gene, I'm with you! Snow is much better than rain. Nothing I like better than riding in a light snowfall with no cars around.

I rode last night on the Venom 33 miles. First ride with the Windwrap XT fairing. GREAT! My plan was just keeping my feet warm. I can keep everything else warm but no matter what I did the toes felt like ice cubes. So, last night it was 50 degrees when we started just about sundown, quickly the temp dropped and it was about 38 degree when we finished. The toes were just a little cold.

It changed the entire ride characteristics of the trike. Not really faster but she glides better and on the only steep downhill so much smoother. One of my few complaints with the Venom was the way the front end became very light and twitchy on fast descents. With the fairing it was so smooth. Not twitch, no feeling of lightness on the front end. The original plan of only using it to keep my feet warm might lead to keeping in on all the time.

Even better, it wasn't just my feet that stayed warm. My hands were sheltered by the fairing as was my chest and legs. I thought that I wasn't wearing enough layers when we started but I was actually hot until we stopped an hour Into The Ride. I might play with the height as where I had it position the wind came right off the top of the fairing and hit me in the eyes.

Anyway, nice ride. We rode with Scott (the former trike owner) on his modified kestrel time trial bike. Average was around 15.5 mph but we weren't really paying it too much attention. We did see 5 other cyclist which is a lot for a cold winter night here in Columbus

 

A MIRACLE!!! Rode for the second day in a row. While I was riding I came upon Paulw from our group. He has got recumbent fever bad!!!! He told me if he can't ride in a day, he gets grumpy! (Sounds like me!!!)

Anyway, another beautiful day above 40 degrees. A cold and wet system is coming through Knoxville, so I doubt I will be able to ride the rest of the week.

 

Not missed a day this year (5 hrs. 10 min.).

 

Five days now....rained out after 2 miles.

 

Way to go Buddy!!!!

 

That rain turned to 2" snow. The granddaughters and Mary made snowmen
and threw snowballs. I took pictures.

Hope it is off the roads tomorrow. I have fenders on a bike.

 

6 Days this year. It was cold, rode around Tusculum
college. Could not ride fast because of wind chill.
Loaded it in the van after 4.33 miles. I'll wear "WoW"
helmet next time. Date may be off on camera, but
I took them today.

 

My last ride took place yesterday at 5:30 am. I ride most mornings for an hour downtown in the city where I live it is well lit and I of course have lights, reflectors, and a flag. I ride year round exept if it is raining or snowing. I seem to upset dogs in the winter more. I guess with all of my winter protective gear on either they don't recognize me or it covers my scent. I love to ride so temperatures in North Carolina is usually at least 20 degrees at that time of the day so riding is invigorating

 

PUlled out around 9am on the Venom, cold and clear with a strong wind 15-25 mph out of the WNW. We decided to take on the headwind first hoping it would hold for a tailwind later. Thirty-five miles in we stopped for lunch at Newt's Fried Chicken to load up on some grease. Properly refueled we headed home with the wind pushing us. One stretch of road we kept our speed between 22 and 24 mph on the flats while pushing over the hills relatively easily.

The fairing worked extremely wellkeeping my feet nice and toasty. I really enjoy how stable the trike is on downhills with it on. I am sure that its providing downward force which keeps the front end from feeling light and twitchy. Those are the major benefits I don't see any increase in speed much at all.

A total of 63 miles in 4 hours 4 minutes ride time.

 

You are a young animal. Where are the pics?

 

Make sure you sign up on bikejournal and link to our club (Recumbent Riders International) so our whole group can see your miles and you can see how you do compared to others in our group.

 

WHERE IS YOUR GREENWAY AT LOOKS LIKE A NICE PLACE TO RIDE ? KEEP ON RIDEN BUDDY