My New Toy and Fun Getaway Item.

[oldsparkey]

My New Toy and Fun Getaway Item.

I walk 1 1/2 miles a day and am getting good at reducing the time for the walk , was 30 minutes and now down to 20 minutes but still need to pick up my heart rate to get back where I was before the Heart Bypasses.

Really tired of looking at the same scenery everyday but have meet some really nice folks on my hikes. Plus I want to increase my distance so I figured a bicycle would do the trick. One problem I want one that is adjusted and fit to me and not something off the K Mart Rack , I have had to many of those.

Off to the local Bike Shop ( Bike Works ) and lucked out. The salesman ( Carlos ) does biking and his last run was from Fargo Georgia to Key West a trip of 8oo miles or in that neighborhood , I really was not listing to the mileage till he mentioned it. NO , NOWAY do I want to do something like that.

Florida is putting in bike paths where the old RR Lines were all over this state and eventually a person will be able to go from the East Coast to the West Coast on The Rails to Trails Path.

Later this month I am going to do 3 days at a state park that has a lot of paths and camping. They have paved sections and also the Florida Trail which is a dirt foot path. My camping will be in luxury with a cabin with a AC Unit , bathroom and shower plus a screened in front porch. The cabin was built in the 1930 by the CCC Corps and considered Historical. To dam hot at night for anything else so why not be comfortable. This way I will be able to check the State Park out from the top to the bottom and have some fun.

I want to do is some runs around the area and eventually use the bike to do some camping ( this Fall ) which I understand bike camping is a lot of fun. About like canoe camping or backpacking but on a bicycle. So I had the perfect person to show me which bike would be good for all the things I want one for.

I had one in mind and tried it , one round trip and back. Then I tried the one Carlos suggested , after 6 or 7 trips around the area where Bike Works is located I knew his suggestion was spot on. Now in place of walking or with some walking I can also ride the back roads and one particular one I drive now and then I see deer and wild turkeys , on a quiet bike I should be able to see more of them.

My Transportation........

I had them put a rack on the back and order me a trunk to fit on the rack so I have a place for spare items. The bike is a Specialized Crossroads 2014 Hybrid bike
All Aluminum frame , Shimano running gear , Alloy double wall CNC Rims , 29 inch tires and lots of other goodies. The bike is really lightweight and one real pleasure to peddle , it just glides along.

Had to get a bike rack for the Jeep and nothing but a spare tire mounted rack will work , fortunately there were several to choose from but only on the web. UPS is bringing it to me.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Bikes are very efficient transportation. Pedaling 3-5 miles equals a mile of walking. You can walk and get sweaty, climb on a bike and ride a bit and go into shivers from the cooling air. Tire pressure and seat height adjustment are commonly out of whack both will almost always be too low.

I have a couple of folding bikes, that fit into the back of my little Subaru Outback and the plane. There are lots of interesting, little burgs around where I can drive or fly to, unload the bikes, and ride into town. Exploring on a bike is way faster than on foot, cheaper than a car, and wayyyyy less frustrating than trying to drive around a little town. Easy and fun.

I use ExpertGPS (available at expertgps.com, lifetime subscription, shows 3 views: topos, aerial photos, and a simple street map). In aerial photos, at about 500 ft or 250 ft it shows biking/hiking trails as a white, dashed line. A surprise is, that when you look at the map of towns you are familiar with, there are trails where you did not realize there are trails.

This program (for a computer, not an app for a phone) interacts with your handheld GPS unit. You can pre-plot waypoints and combine them into routes easier on a computer, then download it to your handheld. Works up the other way too.

 

[tx river rat]

Chuck
That is a good looking rig. Folks don't realize how much it improves the experience of riding when the bike is setup for you correctly. M ex sil was a bike racer so he taught me while he was setting up my bike.The railroad right of way into a hiking riding trail is an awesome ideal, wish they would do that in Tx.

 

[oldsparkey]

So far we have 49 Rails to Trails for a total of 709 miles. If a person can not find one to ride they are in a world of hurt. :lol:
You are right , a bike adjusted and fit to the person sure is nice and makes you want to ride it more.

Jack......
You are correct , riding a bike is way faster then walking. There some bike riders who pass me , every morning , when I am walking and they are always smiling and enjoying there rides.
Around here I have a 3 mile distance to the grocery store ( one way ).
One back road makes a loop from my place about 10 miles , round trip , with very little traffic except the locals , living there , who I know. Plus there is one other loop which is about 18 miles and could be longer , a lot longer , depending on which road is taken , all back roods with little traffic , especially during the week days.

Weekends you usually find large groups of bikers peddling along in there expensive , skin tight , bright biking outfits , helmets , and special shoes with there racing bikes. They go fast and cover a lot of distance. :?
Before you ask , Nope I would not fit in with them , Everyday shorts , short sleeve shirt , hiking shoes and a nice , large brimmed tilley hat as a sun shade. I have the weekdays , they can have the weekends. :lol:

Chuck.

 

[Wannabe]

Last year a friend of mine gave me a large Schwinn bike. After cleaning the dirt, dust and grime off it and airing up the tires it was a great looking bike. I rode it around two blocks and I thought my legs was gonna fall off. I keep tilling myself I need to make a block a day for a week, then two blocks for a week ect. When my grandson was doing triathalons he would run 5 or 6 miles one day and bike ride 20 the next day. I admire him for that but I do NOT want to do that. My idea of extra excerise has always been, jill the bathbub up with water, take a bath, pull the plug and fight the current. :mrgreen: M ore power to you Chuck. I do need to be doing the same.
Bob

 

[tx river rat]

Bob
At your height I bet the seat was to low, that will kill the big muscle on top of your legs.
Ron
PS Does your wife know you have Jill in the tub with you?

 

[oldsparkey]

Bob
Does your wife know you have Jill in the tub with you?

SHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh Ron.

I don't think his wife knows that Jill takes a bath with him , the sly old Fox. :roll:
If she finds out I bet he will use the excuse of saving bath water. You know because of the water shortage some of the states are having and after all Bob is conservation minded. :lol:

Chuck.....

 

[Kayak Jack]

Another tip that can save anguish, are self sealing inner tubes. Only has to work once or twice to be worth the money.

 

[loafer]

Chuck
start slow take that 10 mile trip several times before you try that 18 mile jaunt
and think about putting a LED flashing light on the back and maybe one on the front too !
even lightly traveled roads can be a danger
you're in for a new and enjoyable pastime
and yes you will sneak up on a good bit of wildlife

LOAFER

 

[DCRICE]

Chuck, I started the bike thing about 1 year ago. Like all things, I wanted to build my own. After 3 frames, 4 seats, and 3 handle bars, finally last November I put together one that has stuck. Besides the seat and seat height, the tires are the key. Michelin city 32mm do the trick for old bones. No flats in 2500 miles. Also Rock N Roll Gold chain lube every week.
I eat lunch most days with some old geezers, and I made a deal with myself, No bicycle, then no lunch. It works out to 10-15 miles per day. The speed average is up to 15.3 mph.
I like it.

 

[Wannabe]

Not Jill---FILL
A dislexatated Bob :lol:

 

[Kayak Jack]

Bob, you'd of been better off letting these geezers think it was Jill. Hell- Gaye knows it wasn't a Jill. (She's likely known that for YEARS!)

;-)

 

[oldsparkey]

Chuck
start slow
LOAFER

Did about 4 miles today , nice loop around the neighborhood on the sidewalks , and man my legs know it , it's been years since I rode a bike and can clearly see it is going to take some time to get back in shape.

One day at a time and I should get back into it but not as much as when I was a kid ( Back in the dark ages , Really dark ages ) for the fun of it a buddy and I did 40 miles in a round trip on two old single speed bikes just to go to the Sanford Zoo and see the animals. 8)

The bikes were our transportation , for fun and even to go to school on. School was a good 4 to 5 mile ( one way ) ride. By using the bikes we could stop at the Rexall Drug Store and have a fountain coke after school then on to our respective homes.
Back then a person might meet 2 cars on the way to school or going home and they would swerve way out and around you , the traffic was not like today. :evil:

"O" Well so much for the old days , now I am going to hobble out to the lazy boy and sit down. Tomorrow mornings ride should be interesting. :lol: No Pain , No Gain.

 

[texastom]

Hey Chuck, it sounds like a fun new adventure for you. You'll get your legs and lungs up to speed in no time. As you add miles you might think about mountain biker shorts so you can have the benefit of padded tush, without the skin tight shorts. They are baggy and not unlike "normal" shorts except a built in pad. Make sure to put keys, wallet, etc... in a zippered pocket though. My wife and I have cycled for many years, but have to get reacquainted at the beginning of each spring. We usually find the tush slower to break in than the legs.

TRR - Dallas has a good rails to trails program in place with more miles added fairly regularly. I just checked and found 2 in the Waco area.

Here is a link that allows search by City, ST. Might be useful to others: http://www.traillink.com/

 

[oldsparkey]

Did not know about the Mountain Bike Shorts with the padding , will check them out. I believe in COMFORT.

Have a trunk for the back rack to put stuff in that I do not want to lose. Made by Topeak and it clips on the rack so it can not come lose till I want to remove it. When removed there is a shoulder strap so it can be carried along with the person , or taken into the home.
A good place for all the incidentals , wallet , car keys , snacks , bear spray , pistol , rain coat , even a bottle of water.

Chuck............

 

[DCRICE]

We are moving in the same direction. There, she sits on the ready rack. Daily use means that she is never clean.
When I started, it was 3 miles to lunch. Take some time with the guys and then 3 miles home. Now I try to do about 10 miles before lunch, then what ever errands necessary on the way home. I need a destination. It allows me to push a little harder if I know how far that the trip is.
Last May and June, the average was 12 mph. In November it crossed from 14 to 15 and is still creeping up.

 

[oldsparkey]

YEP...

We are in the same book and on the same page .

Chuck.

 

[DCRICE]

Chuck, I know this is a forum for paddlers, not pedalers. But I have one item that works so well for me. A bicycle spoke (this one is .080"), 2 pair of pliers,and a inspection mirror from Harbor Freight. If I ride away from the house without the helmet, then I immediately return to get it. Not for the helmet, but for the mirror. I like to keep up with things going on around me. It is scary without it.

 

[oldsparkey]

I can stick to sidewalks around here ( It appears that no one uses them except for me ) everyone likes to use the streets. If a street is necessary here in our community the traffic is next to nothing and I stay off the major roadways.

I get in better shape ( for Peddling greater distances ) I will get a helmet and one of the mirrors since I would be on and off the main drag and definitely want to see what is going on all around me with traffic.

Just got in a book on The Rails to Trails here in Florida and it has nothing but the paved Bike Paths listed. All of them are restricted to vehicle traffic , Walk , Skate or Bike and some are even for Horse Back Riders. A few of the paths require road travel between sections.

As far as the forum , Yes the main interest is boats but we do deviate from the format with other pleasures and hobbies we have. In defense of bikes , there is one article where a guy rigged up a trailer for his Uncle Johns Pirogue so he could tow it behind his bike to the water. I guess bikes and boats are related by more then just there 1st letters. :wink:
Now , I'm not sure if Jack has a folding Kayak in his Plane but he does have a couple of folding bikes so bikes and aviation go together and even boats if he has a folding one in the plane.
Ron's Travel trailer or should I say travel trailer's. Again camping , paddling boats , bumming around the country. Heck everything is related to boats in someway. :lol:
If it is an outdoor activity and something one or more of us like to do and counts as Recreation and Relaxing ( R & R ) which is really the idea behind the forum.

 

[tx river rat]

I have owned several different bikes but this is what I want


http://www.utahtrikes.com/UT2-UTWHATISATRIKE.html
But dang there expensive.
Ron