166th ride - 12/2/2015

I waited today, as is becoming my pattern on these colder days (39° now, at 2 p.m.), and rode at noon. I headed to Marsh Park, and then on the way home, feeling an uncommon (for me) desire for variety, I cut down to Saline via Wilson Rd. and looped around the high school, nearly replicating the route I rode on Saturday, but just a bit shorter, and returned home having finished 12.5 miles in 1 hour and 21 minutes.

Today's ride had two components of adventure. First, a little over 8 miles into the ride, the center catch on the frame released so that my rear end began to lower to the ground, and the trike began to accordion on me, with the front and rear of it folding up. Fortunately, this occurred when I was not riding fast at all, and I managed to bring it to a halt, release my feet from the clips, and slowly and laboriously struggle up an out of the seat to a standing position. This has happened before, but not since early summer, so I was concerned that it might be some new condition. But I was able carefully to lock it back into proper position, and then, holding my breath for a long time, was able to make it home successfully and without incident.

Second, as I was nearing home (less than half a mile), just before crossing Oak Valley, I had to ride through a thicket of downed branches from a tree the sidewalk passes under. And one of them (about 3/8 inch in diameter) got stuck in my rear gear, bringing me to a halt. Once more I released my feet, though, stood up, and soon had removed the branch from the gear, and was on my way.