I had intended to ride three round trips to Marsh Park today. But I have been making good progress on the Requiem I am composing (my biggest piece to date—a seven-movement work for chorus, organ, harp, flute, oboe, violin, and cello), and could feel that calling me to return and work more on it. So I cut myself back to doing only a single round trip, and finished this 9.5-mile ride in 54 minutes.
I usually like to ride as early as possible in the morning—when "all is calm, all is bright." (Well, not too bright when riding real early at this time of year!) But this morning at 8:00 it was still only 30°, so I decided to devote the morning to composition, and wait to ride until early afternoon, and was rewarded for this decision by an enjoyable ride at 12:15 p.m. in 45° sunshine.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Friday, November 13, 2015
150th ride - 11/13/2015
I rode a round trip to Marsh Park this morning, in seasonably fallish conditions—40° and windy (though not nearly as dramatically windy as it was yesterday, or it's supposed to get later today), with quite a lot of water on the asphalt trail from all the rain we received yesterday and last night, and that sprayed me. And they are saying that 'wind-chills' (BOO!) are in the twenties. I am struck by how strikingly different it is riding now than when I got the trike and had my first ride on it, back on May 2 (shown in this picture).
I had considered doing two or even three round trips, but ended up concluding that after an eight-day layoff, it would be more prudent to break back in more moderately. The several extended layoffs I've endured this year have certainly cost me the outside hope I entertained of making 3000 miles (I'm now at 2171.8), but 2500 should certainly be very feasible unless an unexpected heavy big early snow rolls in
I had considered doing two or even three round trips, but ended up concluding that after an eight-day layoff, it would be more prudent to break back in more moderately. The several extended layoffs I've endured this year have certainly cost me the outside hope I entertained of making 3000 miles (I'm now at 2171.8), but 2500 should certainly be very feasible unless an unexpected heavy big early snow rolls in
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Thursday, November 13, 2015
Today has been a day. Last evening, Jack's Bicycle called me to say that my trike was ready to pick up, so I went over this morning and brought it back to Ann Arbor. But by the time I began to assemble it, about 11:30, I was dismayed to find that I could not attach the seat, because the posts that extend from the bottom of the seat hook into posts that extend up from the rack on the back of the trike ... and that rack was missing from the new rear end that TerraTrike had supplied.
After a bit of head scratching, I finally decided I might as well head back to Dearborn, since I could do nothing without their assistance. So I loaded it back into the car and headed back there. When I arrived and explained, Richard (with whom I have worked consistently since I first went there to research options back in late March) said that when he put it back together yesterday, he hadn't realized what was missing since he was not the one who had taken it apart. (I took it there last Friday, and Fridays are his day off.) Anyway, a few minutes later, he had me all set.
By the time I got home, though, and got the trike assembled (with all its parts there as they should be this time), it was nearly 2:00 p.m., I was tired and discouraged from all the maneuvering today, and the weather was not promising (47°, with steady 27 mph winds, gusting to 42, and steadily increasing), so I decided to cave in and give myself the day off.
After a bit of head scratching, I finally decided I might as well head back to Dearborn, since I could do nothing without their assistance. So I loaded it back into the car and headed back there. When I arrived and explained, Richard (with whom I have worked consistently since I first went there to research options back in late March) said that when he put it back together yesterday, he hadn't realized what was missing since he was not the one who had taken it apart. (I took it there last Friday, and Fridays are his day off.) Anyway, a few minutes later, he had me all set.
By the time I got home, though, and got the trike assembled (with all its parts there as they should be this time), it was nearly 2:00 p.m., I was tired and discouraged from all the maneuvering today, and the weather was not promising (47°, with steady 27 mph winds, gusting to 42, and steadily increasing), so I decided to cave in and give myself the day off.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Jack's Bicycle - 11/6/2015
This morning when I went to ride, and sat down on the trike, I heard it SNAP, as the center joint collapsed to the ground, and immediately once I was able to get up I could see that the clamp had come detached. So, thanks to Michelle's schedule flexibility, and the assistance of my friend Doug Tidd who ran me out to Michelle's school so I could get our car, I was able to take it to my good friends at Jack's Bicycle in Dearborn.
I was hoping for a quick repair, since something similar had happened once before—but they quickly took a look and told me this was something more serious. Due to metal fatigue, the frame around the hole where the pin for the center clamp seats itself had broken completely, so the whole rear end of the frame would have to be replaced. They took a picture and sent it to TerraTrike, to set that process in motion.
Following is the somewhat unbelievable list of all the problems that have caused me to return to Dearborn since researching the purchase on March 28, test riding it on April 11, and then actually buying the trike on May 2.
Numerous friends have told me that they ought to give me a new cycle, given the long number of problems. I don't necessarily disagree, but I don't see any way to force their hand on this issue, so for now I continue to exercise what Michelle calls my "gift of patience," and hope that we are slowly, gradually, exhausting the list of possible problems as we work our way through them. And, to be fair, while TerraTrike (the manufacture) may be culpable, Jack's Bicycle has been exceedingly good to me, doing the work expeditiously and usually at no cost; and when it's working (which is obviously somewhat rare) I like the trike a lot.
I was hoping for a quick repair, since something similar had happened once before—but they quickly took a look and told me this was something more serious. Due to metal fatigue, the frame around the hole where the pin for the center clamp seats itself had broken completely, so the whole rear end of the frame would have to be replaced. They took a picture and sent it to TerraTrike, to set that process in motion.
Following is the somewhat unbelievable list of all the problems that have caused me to return to Dearborn since researching the purchase on March 28, test riding it on April 11, and then actually buying the trike on May 2.
Tues., 5/12/15 Problems with
center joint
Wed., 5/13/15 Shredded front
tires caused by misalignment
Mon., 5/19/15 Flat tire
Sat., 5/30/15 Getting
replacement bolt for seat clamp
Mon., 6/1/15 Further problems
with center joint
Tues., 6/2/15 Damaged
derailleur—had to replace it
Thurs., 6/11/15 Another flat tire
Tues., 6/16/15 Damaged plastic
tubes that encase the chain
Mon., 6/22/15 Need new tires,
after front left blowout
Mon., 8/10/15 Several issues
(seat, lights, computer)
Tues., 8/11/15 Center joint would not fold out; minor NC
adjustment
Sat., 8/22/15 Center joint “broke” after Kal-Haven
ride;
Got it back
on 8/31/15 with new frame
Thurs., 9/3/15 Flat tire
Fri., 9/25/15 New front tires and realignment
Thurs., 10/8/15 Derailleur issues
Mon., 11/2/15 Clips on pedals, and reworking center
joint (which wouldn’t fold; clamp was bent)
Fri., 11/6/15 Frame broke, middle clamp fell out
Numerous friends have told me that they ought to give me a new cycle, given the long number of problems. I don't necessarily disagree, but I don't see any way to force their hand on this issue, so for now I continue to exercise what Michelle calls my "gift of patience," and hope that we are slowly, gradually, exhausting the list of possible problems as we work our way through them. And, to be fair, while TerraTrike (the manufacture) may be culpable, Jack's Bicycle has been exceedingly good to me, doing the work expeditiously and usually at no cost; and when it's working (which is obviously somewhat rare) I like the trike a lot.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
149th ride - 11/4/2015
Our unbelievable stretch of weather continues, as today marked the third of three consecutive days of record high temperatures (today 76°). I went out this afternoon and rode consecutive round trips to Marsh Park—the first consecutive ones I've done since getting my new pedal setup on Monday. I did this 17.5-mile ride in 1 hour and 33 minutes. (This was a good time by my overall standards, but well off my record of 1:29:49 set on October 21.)
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
148th ride - 11/3/2015
On a brilliantly sunny fall morning (41°), I rode a round trip to Marsh Park again this morning. I was thinking I'd do 3 or 4, but once I got going I felt the call of composition pulling me back home. I may, however, do an additional ride this afternoon (I hope I do), but for now, I've done the 9.5 miles in 54 minutes.
Since Sunday afternoon, when I attended a lovely performance of the Requiem by John Rutter, a work I have both sung and conducted, I have wanted to start a large multi-movement choral work. I have done a lot of thinking about it, and making tentative plans—but I think now is the time to start sketching some of it out a little more concretely.
On an absolutely gorgeous (summery) fall afternoon, with unbroken sunshine and a temperature of 77°, I rode another Marsh Park round trip, in 55 minutes (for a daily total of 19 miles in 1 hour and 49 minutes). I didn't realize it was that warm until I got out there, so I wore the sweatshirt ("St. Olaf College Dad") that I wore this morning, over a long-sleeved t-shirt. (The t-shirt was one I got when I was still running, and ran the Ann Arbor Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving Day 2008, finishing the 3.1-mile run on the North Campus of the University of Michigan, where I used to live during 1981–82, before Deb and I had children, in 30:39.) But it didn't take very long at all to come to the conclusion that I needed to remove the sweatshirt and leave it in the garage.
Since Sunday afternoon, when I attended a lovely performance of the Requiem by John Rutter, a work I have both sung and conducted, I have wanted to start a large multi-movement choral work. I have done a lot of thinking about it, and making tentative plans—but I think now is the time to start sketching some of it out a little more concretely.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON
On an absolutely gorgeous (summery) fall afternoon, with unbroken sunshine and a temperature of 77°, I rode another Marsh Park round trip, in 55 minutes (for a daily total of 19 miles in 1 hour and 49 minutes). I didn't realize it was that warm until I got out there, so I wore the sweatshirt ("St. Olaf College Dad") that I wore this morning, over a long-sleeved t-shirt. (The t-shirt was one I got when I was still running, and ran the Ann Arbor Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving Day 2008, finishing the 3.1-mile run on the North Campus of the University of Michigan, where I used to live during 1981–82, before Deb and I had children, in 30:39.) But it didn't take very long at all to come to the conclusion that I needed to remove the sweatshirt and leave it in the garage.
Monday, November 2, 2015
147th ride - 11/2/2015
I went to Dearborn this morning and got from Jack's Bicycle new shoes ("Specialized" brand) that clip into the cleats they put on for me in place of the pedals. (The old pedals were returned to me.) I was concerned about my ability to clip into them—a blunt V-shaped tongue on the underside of each shoe clips into a groove on the cleats, and you then push down to lock two pegs into place to hold it—so I had Richard take extra care to show me how they worked, and take time to explain the workings to me. But when I got home early this afternoon and put the trike back together, and put the shoes on and went out to ride, I was pleased to discover no problem at all. (Maybe it was just beginner's luck.) The first picture below shows the shoes, and the second, a closeup, shows one of the cleats. They are actually quite small—only about two inches square.
Also at Jack's, they had a second issue with which to deal. The center joint would not fold up, so that I could not transport the trike in the car as usual. But I was able to brainstorm a way to make it work, by putting one of the back windows down and letting the rear wheel hang out the window a few inches. At Jack's, they were somewhat befuddled initially, having never seen quite this condition before. But they gathered several of the mechanics together to brainstorm it, telling me that the clamp had become bent (though they couldn't say how), and soon had it working properly again.
It was an unseasonably warm and gorgeous afternoon, and I had to remove the fleece I'd worn this morning and don a t-shirt instead, to ride in sunshine in the upper sixties. I wanted to ride two round trips to Marsh Park, figuring I'd break the new clips in slowly—I'm certain they will provide a vastly more secure and comfortable ride as I get used to them, but I'm still in process on that. However, the second of two 'adventure' components today made me decide to cut it down to a single round trip, whose 9.5 miles I did in 55 minutes.
The first 'adventure' was at the park, just after I had reached it and started back toward home. The left leg of my pants caught on my headlight and ripped it off of the bar to which it was clamped, so that it went clattering onto the trail behind me. This necessitated a stop, unclipping from the pedals (you merely turn the foot a bit, "like a ski binding"), and going back to retrieve it. Reattaching it was no monumental task (although anything mechanical is challenging for Dr. Borton,
thoroughgoing musician). But I was able to accomplish it, as well as reattaching my feet to the pedals ("good practice!" I figured), and then continued the ride.
When I got back to Ellsworth Rd. (near our home, and the point at which I turn around when doing consecutive round trips), the second 'adventure' component came into play. I noticed that the seat was beginning to wobble, so I stopped, unclipped my feet, and went to retrieve the large Allen wrench (a special size, that came with the trike) in order to tighten the clamp. But it was not there, in the zippered pouch on the side of the seat, where I keep a few tools. After double- and triple-checking, I decided I'd better head home, because I certainly didn't want to get miles from home and have a problem with the seat and no way of fixing it. When I pulled into our drive, I looked carefully in the area where I had assembled it a short time earlier, after returning from Dearborn, thinking perhaps it had fallen onto the ground. But it was not there, either, so I told myself (disconsolately) that I'd have to head over to Lowe's and try to 'eyeball' the right size Allen wrench, probably making several trips between there and home in order to 'trial-and-error' it to get the right size. (Sadly, without the wrench, I had no way of disassembling the trike so I could take it to Lowe's with me to make checking easier.) But then, when I put the trike away in the garage, and started to head into our home, I spied the wrench sitting on the trunk of our car, where I must have lazily laid it instead of putting it in the pouch where it belongs.
Anyway—the bottom line is that I think that I shall be much better off for riding now, and I look forward to proving that tomorrow morning.
Also at Jack's, they had a second issue with which to deal. The center joint would not fold up, so that I could not transport the trike in the car as usual. But I was able to brainstorm a way to make it work, by putting one of the back windows down and letting the rear wheel hang out the window a few inches. At Jack's, they were somewhat befuddled initially, having never seen quite this condition before. But they gathered several of the mechanics together to brainstorm it, telling me that the clamp had become bent (though they couldn't say how), and soon had it working properly again.
thoroughgoing musician). But I was able to accomplish it, as well as reattaching my feet to the pedals ("good practice!" I figured), and then continued the ride.
When I got back to Ellsworth Rd. (near our home, and the point at which I turn around when doing consecutive round trips), the second 'adventure' component came into play. I noticed that the seat was beginning to wobble, so I stopped, unclipped my feet, and went to retrieve the large Allen wrench (a special size, that came with the trike) in order to tighten the clamp. But it was not there, in the zippered pouch on the side of the seat, where I keep a few tools. After double- and triple-checking, I decided I'd better head home, because I certainly didn't want to get miles from home and have a problem with the seat and no way of fixing it. When I pulled into our drive, I looked carefully in the area where I had assembled it a short time earlier, after returning from Dearborn, thinking perhaps it had fallen onto the ground. But it was not there, either, so I told myself (disconsolately) that I'd have to head over to Lowe's and try to 'eyeball' the right size Allen wrench, probably making several trips between there and home in order to 'trial-and-error' it to get the right size. (Sadly, without the wrench, I had no way of disassembling the trike so I could take it to Lowe's with me to make checking easier.) But then, when I put the trike away in the garage, and started to head into our home, I spied the wrench sitting on the trunk of our car, where I must have lazily laid it instead of putting it in the pouch where it belongs.
Anyway—the bottom line is that I think that I shall be much better off for riding now, and I look forward to proving that tomorrow morning.
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