not biking this week

Why I'm not biking to work.

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Winter Ride

One nice thing about Delta trikes is that one person can transport two or more of them alone. We had these two in for a tune-up on the disc brakes. I rode a third trike to work this morning, then dropped it off on my way home and picked up the two that were done. The only problem was that the snow started a little earlier than I had hoped.

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Minnesota Cycling

Where can you ride more than 100 miles past lakes and farmland on wide asphalt bike trails, mostly with the wind at your back? The Central Lakes Trail and Lake Wobegon Trail from Fergus Falls to St. Joseph, Minnesota take you more than halfway across the state. You're never far from food and lodging, thanks to the proximity of Interstate 94, but you're far enough from the traffic to enjoy the birds and flowers. 

Bike route 743231 - powered by Bikemap 

"Roll Over America"

For 4 weeks in late July and early August 2011, 43 velomobile riders in 3-wheel vehicles powered by 2 pedals will cross America from 1 ocean to the other. We were excited to learn that the route -- originally planned along a more southern alignment -- has been changed so that it will come through our home town Minneapolis.

Riders from Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Italy will be joined by a contingent of North American velomobilists, starting in Portland, Oregon and crossing the United States to Washington, D.C.

Click on the header for a link to the Roll Over America website.

The photo is from a velomobile rally in 2005 in Giessen, Germany. Many of the velomobiles and riders from that rally will be coming to the U.S. for this exciting event.

Stop to Shop

We have been doing most of our grocery shopping on the way home from work. With a couple of co-ops and several Oriental groceries as well as some regular grocery stores, we enjoy a wide range of choices. The VeloCase and CityBox panniers can hold enough for a day or two, and if we need more, we take a trike and trailer

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Cycling in Copenhagen

Copenhagen Cargo Bikes from Streetfilms on Vimeo.  This video really brought back some memories. 

It's just a year since we visited Copenhagen and rented a Winther family trike to ride around the city.  We also had a micro-folding bike from Pacific Cycles (small enough to carry in an airline-size duffle bag), and for one longer ride we rented an ordinary bike from the hotel where we stayed.  This video from Streetfilms really captures the atmosphere of Copenhagen.  Despite cold, rain, early darkness, the streets were full of cargo-carrying bikes and trikes. 

St. Paul Classic

St. Paul, Minnesota hosts a traffic-free loop ride around the city every September.  We joined some 7000 other riders on Sunday, September 12 for a day of cycling under blue skies, with ideal temperatures.  The St. Paul Classic features live music and good food at the rest stops.  It's a family-friendly event, with many trailers and family tandems.

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The Fourteen-Hour Century Ride

My 100-mile September 11 ride this year took 14 hours -- but with a number of diversions along the way.  It ended up being 100.28 miles, with the first 42 and the last 30 miles solo, but with my husband Dale along for the middle part.

The first section took me along Victory Memorial Drive -- a long boulevard planted with hundreds of trees to honor the Minneapolis boys who died in World War I.  My dad's cousin Virginia was one of the schoolchildren who planted the trees, and when I ride that way, I always think of her, and of my grandfather who fought in France.  The original trees have almost all succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease, but their replacements are starting to fill in the gaps.  The drive has been a favorite cycling route for many years.  Back in the early 1960's, before the bike trails were built, Minneapolis would close it to cars for occasional Sunday bike rides.  

In the middle of the day, we met up with triking friends at a community parade in Hopkins and rode a few blocks at a very slow pace.  We were led by a Dixieland band and accompanied by lots of kids on bikes and trikes, and teens on roller skates.

Riding back to Minneapolis with our friends -- all on delta trikes -- we took the Midtown Greenway to the Mississippi River, where a majestic bald eagle flew up just ahead of us.  We stopped at Minnehaha Falls and ran into a couple more friends, who surprised me by hollering "happy birthday."  (I hadn't realized that they knew.)

The sun set as I finished the ride at 14 hours -- by no means my slowest 100 miles, and not all that bad for a 60th birthday.

Endomondo Cycling Workout

Endomondo Cycling Workout: "was out cycling 8.78 miles in 52m:18s using Endomondo." 

I'm uploading segments of the ride to Endomondo.  This is the first.  The link goes to a map and profile of the start of my planned 100-mile ride. 

100-mile ride

Eight and a half miles into my annual hundred mile ride for. September 11, I'm at Minnehaha Falls.

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