As shown above, at least the picture of my bike is better. I drove to the Sundial Bridge in Redding yesterday and headed out on the trail for the first time. Things started out badly without my knowing it, as I left my two water bottles on the rear bumper. Heading out in 80 degrees was not a good idea without water. I planned on 90 minutes to 2 hours total, regardless of the mileage, then accepted an hour first ride as I didn’t have water with me.
I had my first crash at 0.5 miles. Recumbent bikes fall over if you go too slow up any incline. It turned out that the electric motor was set to turn off after 5 minutes. I thought is meant 5 minutes without use…….nope, five minutes and it shut down. I was then stuck trying to go up an incline, with no peddle assist and no throttle. I dumped into the bushes, thankfully pea plants and not berries.
The first half of the trail was up and down with small hills and dips. I learned that the throttle was my best friend as I never would have completed the course without the throttle. If 25 year old healthy kids can throttle up slopes, so can I.
After crossing the river on a beautiful bridge I stopped to watch two lizards either doing a mating dance or a territorial dispute. A guy on an ebike, coming from the opposite way, stopped and watched the lizards, and we ended up chatting. I was going to reverse my direction but he told me if I continued the circular route, I would end with a much flatter road.
After saying goodbye, I was able to travel a few miles using a small electric assist and using my gears, and throttle LOL. Fortuitously, as I was about to make a many extra mile wrong turn, the guy I had talked to came around the corner, from the opposite direction and told me to take a hard left. I did make it back to the parking lot.
I was exhausted after 9.0 miles and 1:15 on the clock. I took my chair out and sat. A crew working on the vegetation in the parking lot was concerned about me, asked me if I was okay, and then asked if I was sure!! They said to contact them if I got worse. I told them that if I was taking a nap on the concrete, then I probably wasn’t napping LOL.
I’m taking a rest day today, and I’m exhausted. I’ll go out tomorrow and try for 12 miles, to 15, and accept more or less. It is time to take it slow, even though I’m behind where I should be, in my mind. I will be riding every other day for 5 trips in 9 days, trying to slowly increase my mileage a few miles each ride.
So, for all, Tight Lines and Inflated Tires.