Posted: 09 October 2008 at 11:52am | IP Logged

I hear you Peabob. 

Life rough spots seem to come in patches.

From time to time I hear those motivational speakers, . . . you know the preppy Type "A" over achieving personality types.  Well I've taken enough to get the message that we should all set personal goals in life. 

Mine are to not be homeless and hungry.  After that, all is gravy.  Somedays one wonders about keeping food on the table and a roof overhead, ... but so far so good. 

Been raining for a few days here, missing my ride in the country.  Sadly these windy wet days have turned the glorious autumn gold to bleak black barren trees where a few brown and withered leaves are hanging on.  (somedays I can identify with those leaves). 

Heading into our Thanksgiving Weekend (In Canada if we waited until November we'd be celebrating the harvest in a foot of snow).  So maybe I'll get in a good long ride this holiday and learn to be thankful for all we do have. 

Take care.

Posted: 09 October 2008 at 5:00pm | IP Logged

Whoa - talk about Health and Safety Bureaucrazy going overboard! That is the worst case of buracraticism I've read recently - and I work for government  ( yep, your humble civil servant at your service here). 

Looking for a bright spot TowTug, at least you were not told you needed to come into a city that is a three hour drive each way.  I'm off to see a Dr. next Wednesday, and it is over three hours each way, and I had to wait over a year for this appointment.  It's free medicare free but not necessarily quick. 

Posted: 13 October 2008 at 12:05am | IP Logged

Enjoying the Thanksgiving weekend, daughter and her beau visited for a few days.  They slept in the trailer,  "roughing it".  Had the turkey yesterday, turkey sandwich week coming right up.

Set a new land speed record (for me) I blew past my sweetie doing 30.5 KPH,  better watch out, I was in a 30K speed zone. 

Bought a trailer at Canadian Tire, year end half price clearence.  A Schwin two kid version.  For $124 we couldn't pass it up.  We'll find a way for our three furry "kids" to fit into the trailer.  On the down side it was blue and not red (my dearly beloved so likes things to match). 

Assembling it tomorrow, will have to snap a pic to post. This pic from the Canadian Tire website (where it still lists at $249).

PS:  Next day we did get it together: it is all assembled, the trailer itself just folded up and snapped together quick as a wink, but it did take a bit to sort out the trailer connection bit that you put on the back hub of your trike.  But all was well, a couple of the dogs have already had their first ride.  We'll still need to sort out how to get three (little) dogs into a two seater trailer. 

Posted: 23 October 2008 at 5:00pm | IP Logged

Missing you Peabob - hope you are managing OK.

Got in a short run yesterday (4K) but my trike has developed a strange squeek (see my post in "regular maintenance" thread).

Hope to hear from you or Tree sometime soon.

Posted: 24 October 2008 at 3:30pm | IP Logged

Good to hear from you, and hope things settle down soon so you can enjoy a few more rides before the snow flies.

I'm off to Calgary next week (about 600 K each way - 372 miles).  When I'm in the big city I'll have to check out stationary recumbent cycles.

Hope this windstorm passes so that tonight, or tomorrow we'll get in another ride and maybe a pic of a fury baby in the new trailer.

Posted: 24 October 2008 at 6:00pm | IP Logged

First ride was a killer, once around the block, and I'm asking myself, "what have I done!?"  $4000 spent (we bought his and hers Catrikes) so I have to make this work.

Second day, I made it all the way around again, ... and it still hurt.

But three months later I'm going for a 5 km ride, longest ride is 7 km and my fastest speed is 30.5 km.  (if you don't have a cycle-puter do get one, it is encouraging to see your progress, even if it is just increasing your distance by a half a K or your average speed by a kph.  

Posted: 10 November 2008 at 9:20am | IP Logged

Nov 10,  hello friends and neighbors.  Well as of last friday the dr. gave me the ok to use the arm full out.  wouldn't you know it i woke up this moring to fluffy white s**t.  snow not much but cold temps and fws. not conducive to a good ride.  but thats just the way it goes.  just wanted you all to know im still checking in once in a while and ill be posting again regularly soon. take care and thanks for you support..your pal peabob

Posted: 10 November 2008 at 11:46am | IP Logged

Good to hear from you again Peabob.

We've had a dusting of the white stuff, but freezing rain on the weekend has turned any and all outdoor flat surfaces into skating rinks.  Even my dogs slipped on the back deck.  No cycling here.

I'm back to thinking I'll have to buy one of those training wheel thingamagigs as my venture into the exercize shops demonstrated how un-recumbent recumbent exercize bikes are - and they arn't recumbent at all. 

Now where do I put it?  In the garage?  It is unheated but a space heater and warm clothing could make it manageable in all but the coldest days.  But that means my wife's PT Convertable will be outside all winter - might be a tough sell. 

In the basement, which is already so over crowded.  Would have to take something out before the cycle went in.  Anyone want and old fridge for the rec room?  We hardly use our "beer fridge" - given no one in this house drinks beer. 

Well, once I figure this out I'll post an update. ...

Posted: 10 November 2008 at 12:08pm | IP Logged

hi all ,tomorrow is the big day 7am report to hospital for the big operation gastric bypass have been reading all your stories and the weather here is slowly getting hotter so can go for 10k rides .

the weight is still comeing off but very slowly am down to 142kg

doc said will be off the gt3 for 3 weeks because of getting in & out not the riding so my daughter will have to wate for my chert to heal .

just went outside to check on the bog ,she was makeing a lot of noise only to find she had been let out of the front gateand it was open yes you guesed it some ba!!!!!!rd has pincher her bike .

its ok it was a one i had picked up on hard rubbish day on the side of the road a 16inch job but she loved it she is only 7

xmas is comming so the wife said we will get her a new one early so she can ride with me

my gt3 is ok locked up in the shed

will have to pot lock on the front gate (another key) whats the world comming to

well i had better go for one last ride the take the little one to school

will keep you all posted how the weigt loss is going and is it worth all the agrevation going to this doctor and that doctor

by for now keek peddling hope to be riding soon stephen

Posted: 14 November 2008 at 10:00pm | IP Logged

Hi all out there thanks for the posts have just been released from hospital today only stayed 3 nights . doc was very happy with the recovery he also took a foot of small intestine out as it didnt look too good he said .have jost got on the scales and yes now an only137 kgs i guess its not eating but today an alowed a small meal for tea 2 tadle spoons of vitamisea vegetables yes thats right thats all i am alowed per meal for 6 weeks . then on to 3 to 4 tabel spoons for the mext 6 weeks then a small auntre size meal .Ill be thin in no time

just to let you know on the way home from the hospital went past by my girls school then home and found a kid riding her bike rang cops yes they were tooooo buisy to deal with until monday ,rang the principal of her school and said i knew who took it .and she came around picked me up and went and confronted this boy and his parents.they said he found it uno usual story well it has ended well with kathleen back with her bike and the boy still has to front up to the principal and explain why he didnt report it to the police

im tired better go and have a rest thanks for your consern cheers to all stephen

Posted: 17 November 2008 at 10:18am | IP Logged

hi all well just weighed myself 134 kg the weight is realy dropping off and off to anaconda [bike shop ] today to get a bike lock yes i will get 2  one for kathleen and 1 for me they are on special for $15  about 50% off not too bad

all that spam is realy annoying isnt it well must go and get the little one ready for school take care stephen 

Posted: 24 November 2008 at 5:52am | IP Logged

hello friends and neighbors.  well i got good news and i got bad news.  for the good news.  i have healed. made it since august and have not broken the dam elbow again.  still sore and stiff but im working on it.  as for the weight issue its been a bad few months.  i am back up about 18 pounds oh sheeeeeeesh when i got on the scale it did groan.  Now it ran away and i cant find it.. the good news is i am not over 300 pounds again but i am at 295.  that was discouraging.  especially since i have put up the trike for the winter.  more good news is that mom is having her surgery for the neurostimulator the 10th of december. hope that helps.  i have been starting to walk again at work and at home. the diet kind of went out the window with all the time restraints and stuff.  Hopefully im back to posting more regularly.  hope all who have thanksgiving have a happy one.  I will keep in touch and thanks for being here.  Now if we could get rid of all the dang porn.. how did it get here.  keep in touch winter wont last for ever but it does seem like it. so take care god bless your pal Peabob.

Posted: 08 December 2008 at 11:38am | IP Logged

Hello all;

Good to hear you are on a recover path Peabob

Been a while since I check in with this blog.  Glad to see the stolen bike story has a happy (well happy for you) ending.  We bought good locks when we bought our trikes.  When my son was about 13 we bought him a new bike for his birthday, it was raining that day and for a few days after, ... the first sunny day he went to get his bike out of our garage for his first ride - and no bike, (and a few other things, including all our tanks of gas for the mower etc).  Sad son that year and we were not in a position to immediately replace the bicycle.  So we learned our lesson and always lock it.  Like they say; "Lock it or Lose It"   Son is now 26 and seems to have recovered from the ordeal. 

Off sick today, just a cold, and it is cold out there and getting colder, just 3° F above (-16° C) and heading for a subzero F weekend (-29° C). We have a foot or so of snow already, heading for more. 

So what to do with the Catrikes? The basement is the most obvious choice but between the big hockey game (think small pool table), my wife's office (she works from home) and my model Railway and workbenches, ... it was a bit of a tight squeeze.   The unheated garage was an option, but my wife wanted to keep her convertable in there for the winter. 

So while I was away on a four day Conference in Edmonton my dear wife rearranged the living room to make space for two trikes; yep, the living room.  Now keep in mind I'm in a 50+ yr old little house on the prairie (under 1,000 sq feet) no dining room and a space saver kitchen (aka tiny).  Good thing we are going away for Christmas, no room for a Christmas tree this year.

Meanwhile, in Edmonton I stopped into United Cycle.  The saleman said he could not guarentee that any of the rear wheel trainers I was looking at would work with a 20" tire.  The one he knew would work was out of stock. 

But this would work: The Trek Ecotrack  (and they had three left, on sale for $199 from $299)

So it was bought as a Christmas present for my wife but when I got home she had the living room Trike ready.  So she got it early and I didn't have to figure out how to wrap it. 

Notice the roller under the trike.  What you cannot see is that her trike faces the TV, mine faces her trike and the fish tank.  The rubber mat under the trikes were puchased for $44 from Canadian Tire - they "snap"* togther (*with the help of a rubber mallet).

My trike is inside, but will wait until 2009 for it's trainer, in the mean time we can easily move this Ecotrack Trainer.  The trikes just sit on the rollers and you spin away.

Will keep you posted.

Posted: 14 December 2008 at 12:22am | IP Logged

well heres an update now weigh 127 kgs down 7 kgs from my last post have been checking the sugar levels and is at 5.1 thats without medication for the last 6 weeks

the specialist is very happy with the surgery but i must admit it is a bit of a strain only eating 4 table spoons of food at each meal but i guess the end result is worth it

the weather here is great and am able to ride most days .School has finished so kathleen (daughter)and i can go on longer rides and have a picnic (not much food to carry)we have a great bike track along the river torrens which runs through adelaide also called the linea park bike track goes for about 40 kilometers thanks to all best wishes for xmas and the new year

sorry to hear about all the snow some of you are getting but keep up the exercise it will be worth it in the end well must go for tea now regards stephen

Posted: 08 January 2009 at 8:30pm | IP Logged

Actually started riding inside, ... hope to be back in riding shape by the time the snow leaves.

and consider this discusion bumped forward.

Posted: 10 January 2009 at 1:45am | IP Logged

-- And bumped forward again: this is one topic I don't want to lose.

Today we are about 10 miles* south of the snow/sleet line.  The temp is 28 as I write, and I just might give it a go for an hour or so.  Alternately, the rear wheel rollers beckon.

Anyway, good to see all the faithful writers in this topic.  Chin up for 2009, it's going to be a great year.  We'll make it that way.

Larry

* That's 16 km for the rest of the world.  Aussies, Kiwis, Canucks, Irish, Danish, and others, I know: sorry about that.  We got started converting to metric in the 70s, and then the politicians took over.  Result: it's us and the Brits against everybody else.

Posted: 14 January 2009 at 8:24am | IP Logged

Hi everyone.  seems the spam gods have taken over here.  Just a shout to you all that im still around.  I have some great news.  As of yesterday we have become grandparents for the first time.  We have a boy, 7 lbs 1 ounce and 19 inches long.  Mother and son are doing just fine.  Grandpa on the other hand is not lol... dam diets anyways.  talk soon take care and dont give up on this site. your pal Peabob.

Posted: 14 January 2009 at 10:30am | IP Logged

Nice to hear from you again, Peabob.  I was hoping you'd be back.

A few things have happened since your last post, and the most important is that the spam gods have been dethroned! What now drivels in I'm dealing with on a two-or-three-times-a-day basis, and Digitalmouse is working on a solution that keeps bogus user registrations from being made in the first place.  Join in the conversation: I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Regarding your news, congratulations on becoming a grandpa.  I have four grandchildren and I've discovered it's as much fun as the first time around, except you never have to be the bad guy.  If a cross word needs to be said, you can always pass the kid back to the parent.

And in the good guy department, your grandson will be the only kid on the block who gets a tricycle -- and then rides it with his grandpa on his own trike!  Better start counting the days until that happens, it'll hit you before you know.

Regarding the diet, that's probably good news, too.  After all, you're still here and writing.  Not a bad state of affairs, when you consider the alternatives, and the diet and exercise probably had something to do with that.

And you're either riding or looking forward to it when the weather heats up a little, too.  When you consider the alternatives, that's not so bad, either.

Hang in there, my friend, it's going to be a great spring.

Larry

Posted: 19 January 2009 at 4:52pm | IP Logged

Great news GRANDPA - we are still waiting for that first grand child, ... well my wife is anxiously waiting, ... I'm way too young to be a grandpa. 

I've started a course of physio-therapy in the pool.  In the water I can do things I cannot do out of the water.  But the next day my body tells me I bent it in ways that it ain't been bent for a long long time.  sigh.

I bought my roller set, the fancy pants version of my wife simple roller.  http://www.tacx.com/producten.php?language=EN&lvlMain=16 &lvlSub=59&ttop=Rollers  to see the Antares Rollers I bought, paid $299, list was $439.  My annual "wellness allowance" from the office paid the first $300.00 - so i just paid the sales tax on this one.   My wife got her's first, but she got the Trek Economy version. 

Will post pic later. 

Posted: 19 January 2009 at 9:33pm | IP Logged

This is the Tracx Antares Rollers under my Catrike. Paid $299 (Cdn) on sale from $439.  They are much larger rollers than my wife's ones (Trek Ecotrack) and they are more adjustable.  When I put my wife's rollers under my trike the front roller was right where I put my feet when getting into and out of my trike, ... not good.  The front roller on this one is well under the trike. 

So here I am, cycling my heart out in a corner in our living room.

Copied from my Facebook page - curiously if the photo is tagged in facebook (shows the name of the person in the pic) then it does not seem to allow me to post it in forums like this? - curious? discovery.

Posted: 07 February 2009 at 10:39am | IP Logged

Well I've been trying to find a few minutes to cycle each day, ... not always successful.  Given that the cycle does not really have much resistance I wonder if there are exercises I should be doing to build up my leg muscles for the riding season.  I do not do much of that (exercise) but when I tried some leg raises I found that my left leg is much stronger than the right.  I'll have to ask the physio therapist or Dr. about that but I'm thinking I need to start some leg exercises. any recommendations.

Posted: 07 February 2009 at 1:33pm | IP Logged

Hi FKD, I had a similar imbalance in leg strength from an old injury to my left knee. For that particular problem, I did sitting leg lifts with a bit of extra weight on my left ankle to reinforce the muscles around my knee. I was also advised to try walking without a limp, which im my case meant walking slower for a while. :) It took a few months for me to get out of the habit of limping.

I'm very wary of giving precise advice on physio for others, but for triking exercise try using just the weaker leg when using the Tracx. Do mention the problem to your Doc or physiotherapist, they will be able to give you more precise exercises to correct the strength imbalance.

A funny/odd method of increasing resistance is to fit a bottle dynamo and a high wattage bulb of the right voltage. With the light on, the resistance is very noticable. You might be able to fit this to the Tracx rollers rather than the Villager.

Hope this helps,

Mike Savage

South West Cork

Posted: 24 February 2009 at 6:52pm | IP Logged

Welcome back Peabob to the spam cleared forum.  Hope you're able to get some cycle time in (indoors or out?). 

As for grandkids, I'm too young for that sort of thing, ... but my wife is most anxious for some wee youngster to spoil rotten. 

Keep on cycling.

Posted: 26 February 2009 at 6:39am | IP Logged

As a newbie, just wanted to thank you for this thread.  Its encouraging to hear your stories . . . Peebob, if your mom needs something while she's out her in zona land, give a shout!  I'm in gilbert and do some volunteer work at a local hospital as a chaplain. 

Concerning weight loss, here's my story: 

I've lost 27 pounds since i started biking on a df three months ago.  Still want to loose about ten more, but progress is being made! 

I've been able to ride my preowned trike all of four times - totalling only 40 miles, but can't wait to get back on it.  It's in the repair shop now hopefully needing only minor work.  I've been riding about 45-50 miles a week on the df and counting calories (as suggested at the beginning of this thread).

Who would have thought, exercise and diet would help one loss weight?

Posted: 18 March 2009 at 4:46am | IP Logged

Hey friends and neighbors,  been having some problems posting on here.  seems i type the words and go to post it and boom i get booted to the street.  To update you all on my new progress.  Its nil.  just started back on the program monday.  gained some weight and have issues like everyone so i am back and hopefully i will keep better up to date here.   Hoping i hear from all the regulars. take care your pal Peabob

Posted: 18 March 2009 at 8:12am | IP Logged

Hey Larry,   I am ashamed to admit my trike is still in storage.  I hope to be able to get it out soon.  Our weather the last couple of days has been beautiful.  Hot and Sunny...well not hot but sunny warm and wunderful..  The better half and I are trying to get the outside work done being we are flying out to Florida to visit her parents on the 4th of April.  A week in sunny florida. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh makes it all worth the wait.  So dont be worried about the mileage just yet its only march and my knees say we got more snow coming in michigan id say about thursday which is tommorrow. i have had enuff fluffy whit sh#t for one two oh heck three years.  anyways good to see you here still i look forwar to how you disect things.  infomercials have nothing on you pal keep up the great work.  as always your pal peabob.

Posted: 18 March 2009 at 1:46pm | IP Logged

This is the first time I read this posting even though it has been open for around two years.  It is very interesting to read the victories and setbacks each of you have revealed and to thank God that I discovered recumbents before I reached a critical point myself. 

Take heart in knowing that Spring has already arrived in the southwest.  It was in the mid 80s in Death Valley this past weekend and in the mid to upper 70s in Las Vegas the past several days.  Spring moves north at about 15 miles a day.  Using that as a guide you can figure out about when it will reach you. 

Posted: 18 March 2009 at 4:07pm | IP Logged

[  [/QUOTE]I think that's July in Maine, then Fall starts in
AugustEd[/QUOTE]

    That's pretty funny . . .