2018 mileage:1596.7
Yesterday I could not ride, as a big chunk of my day was occupied by a trip to the dealer (Jack's) in Dearborn to have a set of TerraTrike's Wide Handlebars put on. I only found out about these last weekend from fellow riders, as a way to alleviate the pain I've experienced by my left thigh scraping across the inside end of the handlebar, constantly reopening the wound that this scraping first visited upon me early in the spring.
The difference to the eye is slight (the top picture here shows the old handlebars, and the bottom picture shows the new ones), but the difference in comfort is IMMENSE, as I was able to ride pain-free this morning for the first time in months.
I rode consecutive round trips to Marsh Park for the first time since gritting my teeth and forcing myself on July 4. This 18.4-mile ride took me 2:24.
A new app I've recently discovered (Relive) shows the ride:
2018 mileage:1578.3
Today's ride was exceptionally slow and uncomfortable (even painful). Foolishly, I had begun with the optimism that perhaps I could push myself to do two round trips to the park.
However, the problem I've been experiencing in recent weeks (since being able to ride consistently in shorts) cropped up once again. My left thigh is scraping against the inner end of the handlebars with every upstroke, and this has opened up a wound.
For a while over the weekend, I was optimistic the problem could be easily solved, as I learned that the manufacturer of my cycle (TerraTrike) offers a set of Wid Handlebars that provide an extra 2.5 inches on each side of the cockpit. But, before ordering them, I sent a message to the company to be sure they'd be compatible with my model of trike. To my surprise and dismay, they said they are likely not compatible, due to changes in the structure of the trike over time. But they asked me to send a picture of the steering mechanism so they could confirm, and I have done that and now await a response. If, as I expect, I am out of luck with the Wide Handlebars, I'll simply take the trike back to the dealer in Dearborn along with an explanatory note, and see what adjustments they may be able to make.
At any rate, I set off at 11:15, in 82° sunshine, and rode a single round trip to Marsh Park in the glacial time of 1:27. The slowness comes about because most of the time now when riding, I have to ride with my leg leg angled in unnaturally so as to try and avoid as much contact with the handlebar as possible. It simply is not possible to attempt to push for speed. The trike is slow to begin with ... but I can usually do considerably better than today's average speed of 6.8 miles per hour.
2018 mileage: 1568.4
The problem I have been experiencing in recent weeks persists. My left thigh rubs (scrapes) against the inside of the handlebar on the pedal upstroke, and this has opened a wound which is increasingly painful the longer I ride.
Yesterday I posted about this situation to two Facebook groups of which I am a member (TerraTrike Owners, and Michigan Recumbent Trikes), asking for advice or suggestions. Several people replied that the manufacturer of my cycle (TerraTrike) makes a set of Wide Handlebars. They add 2.5 inches of space to either side of the trike's cockpit area. So now I have sent a message to TerraTrike to confirm that they'll be compatible with my model of trike before I order them.
Assuming it works out, this sounds like an ideal solution for me! In the meantime, though, until they arrive, I've decided I'm going to allow myself to settle for a daily short ride of a single round trip to Marsh Park. This morning I left at 6:00 in unseasonably brisk conditions (51° -- but also calm and sunny) and rode this 10.4 miles in 1:14.
2018 mileage: 1558.0
I am despondent about my riding. A more perfect day that today could not be imagined—calm blue skies, and a comfortable temperature (63° when I started, 70° when I finished) with pleasantly low humidity.
When I set out at 8:30, I intended to try for three round trips to Marsh Park, which would have been my first time doing that since October 20. But I was once again plagued by the pain from the sore on my left thigh where it rubs (scrapes) against the inside end of the left handlebar on my pedal upstrokes, and so I cut the ride down to a single round trip, completing this 10.2 miles in 1:24. I'm simply going to have to figure out some solution for that situation.
2018 mileage: 1547.8
The terrible humidity which has plagued us this week finally broke overnight, and this morning's ride was extremely comfortable. I left at 6:00 a.m. (up to 69° when I finished) and rode a round trip to Dexter (Baker Rd.), covering the 20.6 miles in 2:46. Also, it was terribly nice to have once more a rear-view mirror -- I had smashed my previous one when I rolled the trike over on June 24, just before our recent vacation. But yesterday I put the rack on the car to take the trike over to Wheels in Motion, and had them put a new one on for me.
2018 mileage: 1527.2
The forecast today is for heat and thundershowers to arrive by midday, so I figured I'd ride early to avoid those conditions. I left at 6:15, intending to ride again consecutive round trips to Marsh Park, as I did yesterday. But just after reaching the park and turning back for home, rain began to fall, increasingly heavy, and not long thereafter I heard the rumble of thunder. It was still several miles distant, but nevertheless it was enough to convince me to alter my plans and settle for a single round trip, completing the 10.2 miles in 1:17.
2018 mileage: 1517.0
After having been gone and away from my trike for over a week, it felt awfully good to get back to it today. I left at 6:30. in order to beat the head and humidity Michigan is currently 'enjoying,' and rode consecutive round trips to Marsh Park, finishing the 18.5 miles in 2:15. It also put me over a new mileage milestone for the year (1500).
As I was nearing the end of my ride, I saw a fellow recumbent trike rider whom I first met last summer, and then saw again on May 30 of this year. To my embarrassment, I can't remember his name! But he was riding with his wife, Chris (who was on a regular bicycle), and he introduced me to her.
In recent weeks, I've become terribly fond of the song Grace Wins by Christian artist Matthew West. So I put it on my phone this morning (on repeat), on Spotify, and enjoyed listening to it for over 2 hours. I felt as if this was doing good things for me, both musically and spiritually. 😇
