First Family Night Ride of the Year

This post is about the first night ride with the family. The one thing about a group ride is that it is takes some organization and time intensive in getting everything loaded and unloaded on the vehicle.

You have to make sure you have everything that you'll need for the ride. Forgetting one crucial item can make or break a ride.

• Bikes
• Trailer
• Bike kid seat for the second bike
• Bike pump
• Bike car rack
• Bike shoes
• Helmets
• Water bottles
• Baby supplies
• Bike lights
• First aid kit (get the extra large band aids)
• Bike emergency accessories (extra tube, tools, etc.)

All of these items (except for the first six) fit quite nicely in the back of the trailer. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour getting everything ready and loaded.

Instead of doing the normal route of starting at Newtown Ohio I decided to move it up to Milford Ohio. This shorter route (20 miles) would give us enough time to play at the park and eat at the local restaurant in Loveland. We left Milford around 7 PM and arrived at Loveland, Ohio at 8 PM.

We kept a speed of 9-12 mph on the way up to Loveland, Ohio.

Shawn would look back and see where his mother and sister would be.

Maya looking back as my wife pass us by.

At the playground I attached some lights to the trike, one main light in the front and two on the child seat arm bar.

In the trailer I attached a small tent light, so that the kids wouldn't be in the dark on the ride home. It gave enough light, but not too much to blind them or prevent them from sleeping.

Jack wasn’t in the mood that night in getting his photo taken at the restaurant.

Maya actually finished off her bowl of fruit and cheese sticks.

A view from the restaurant patio (The Works), looking at the parking lot and the bike trail in the background.

Back at Milford.

June Night Ride

June 30th, the last day of the month and one of the most perfect days this year. Low humidity, sunny and temperatures in the mid 70's was the menu of the day. The only downside was that it was on a work day and I was at work. Riding after work means that my ride would be a night ride.

I decided to do a long ride. My plan was to ride past Loveland and turnaround at South Lebonan, Ohio. This route will make my total ride to about 45 miles.

I'm not satisfied with the quality of the video. I may re-encode it later. It's about 5 1/2 minutes long.

Roadies keeping a pace of 18-20 mph.

Past Foster's Road the pace quickened when a couple of roadies pasted me and I trailed behind them.

The two roadies turned arounded past the Peterson's Ammunition Factory. I trailed another roadie up until I reached my own turnaround point at South Lebanon, Ohio.



What's in my cycle bag? Bottled water, two bananas (fuel for the ride back), sunglass case, fanny pack to hold my keys and wallet, and the normal emergency tools and extra light equipment.

Light coming from my secondary bike light.

Just as it turned dark and 7 miles from the car, my main bike light ran out of juice. Luckily, I carry a backup or secondary light. It's not a true bike light, but it puts out 600 lumens and lights up the trail well enough like my primary. My secondary light is reviewed in one of my older posts.

2 hours and 57 minutes I arrived back at the car. At 45 miles the ride became my second longest ride of the year and most liked.

The Perfect Ride

Did you ever have one of those rides where everything just clicks? It could be finding the right gear to pedal, you feel energized, the trail is not crowded, the sun is not in your eyes, the wind is on your back, your bike is running smoothly or accompanied by friends and family, that could fill the requirement for a perfect ride.

Yesterday was one of those days, were enjoying the ride was not about how many cyclist you can out pace on the trail or how fast you can go. Riding just an hour before dusk, the golden rays of the setting sun hitting the landscape made for a picturesque scenery. I found the right gear to pedal at a fast, but comfortable pace. And all the while I just took in the sights and sounds of a beautiful day slowly transitioning into night.

Caught in the rain

It was one of those days that sooner or later mother nature was going to catch you on your bike and shower you with love. Make that fear and panic, when I got caught on the trail, as thunder, lighting and rain coming down like cats and dogs. The droplets actually felt like rubber bands stinging my face. I actually had to shield my face with my hand, as I raced back to my truck.

These fellow cyclist turned back one mile from my turn-around point. I think they had the right idea.

Skies started to darken as I set out from my starting point.

Another view from my starting point.

Just a mile from my turning point, the skies took a turn for the worst.

One thing I need to remember is to bring an extra pack of clothes just for situations like this. The sad part was, as I arrived at my truck and put everything away, the sky cleared up.

2011 Reds Opening Day Parade

This would be my socond year participating in the Reds Opening Day Parade. The weather was very cold this year, that is why I didn't bring the kids with me this time. The Cincinnati Cycling Club was line number 140. Unfortunately, being this far back in the parade we didn't get to be on TV.

This group was not in our cycling group. They had their own line number.

Me, all bundled up for the cold weather. I cannibalized one of those Reds car flags and clipped it onto the stem of my trike flag.

This cyclist brought his goat bike to the parade.

The fellow on the left was a returning participant, with his folding bike. The fellow on the right is Jim Coppock, the organizer for our group in the parade.

This cyclist is a returning participant from last year. I learned that he's finishing up his last year in college at UC.

Folding bike cyclist showing to the crowd how compact and portable his bike is.

Hiatus

It's been over a year or so that I've posted. Things are still too hectic for me to post on a regular schedule. I hope to start doing so this cycling season.

While I'm away here are a few recumbent sites to satisfy your thirst.

• Recumbent Journal


• Recumbent.tv


• BentRiderOnline


• BentBlog.de


• Ligfiets.net


• Velovision.com

Hope to catch you on the trail later.

Reds Opening Day Parade

Every year the Cincinnati Cycling Club took part in the Reds Opening Day Parade. I always wanted to be in the parade and for the past several years tried to be in it. Riding with the Cycling Club was not a problem. The major factor was the weather, it was either too cold or raining. This year was different, the weather was forecasted to be in the 60's and partly sunny.

The kids and I waiting for the parade to begin. Jim Coppock in the upper right corner.

Logging in to the Cincinnati Cycling Club's forum site, I posted a question on who is the contact person for the Opening Day group. I soon got a reply that it was Jim Coppock and the rest was history.

The weapon of choice was my Catrike Speed hauling my two kids in a Trek GoBug trailer. It was sure to be a hit at the parade.

Former Cincinnati Councilmen Jim Tarbel (right) waving to the crowd at Findlay Market.

At the begining of the ride the kids were actually waving to the crowd, but I guess they just got overwhelmed.

One of the group cyclist, showing his foldable bike.

2010 Reds Opening Day Parade from glenn m on Vimeo.

We had a blast at the event! I saw two coworkers, one high school classmate and one acquintance. After the parade allot more people informed me that they saw me. If the weather repeats it's self for next year I'm sure my kids and I will do this again.