eBent Recumbent Cycling

Hind Munich Pants Item Number: 04788 at Campmor.com. $29 usually $60 These are great bicycling pants. I wear for cool days, rain pants, and off bike pants on long trips. Very flexible and very comfortable also available in both Men's and Women's versions.

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Canari Spectrum Bike Glove (For Unisex) Item Number: 52101 at Campmor.com for $9 usually $20. Nice glove at a great price. A little more padding in the palm than I like and run a litlle small but excellent glove.

March 21, 2006

I am back at Bear Brook State Park. This time I have the map and I am feeling like a lot more adventureous.

The weather is a lot warmers and the sun is out (44 versus 28 on Sunday), it is about 2:30 PM. I've been working in the morning. It is warn enough that I ride without a jacket until the sun starts to go down around 5 PM. Then the temperture drops quickly.

I ride about 10 miles in 3 hours versus 7 miles in 50 minutes last time. This time I brought a map with me and explored some of the trails. I learned there are 5 types of trails:

1. Paved Road about 4 miles

2. Unpaved Roads

3. Very bad Dirt roads

4. Snowmobile Trails

5. Cross Country Ski Trails

The warmer weather and sun have melted the ice layer under the dirt where the sun can hit it. This really slows the bike down because the wheel sinks in the soft spots. I also discovered that my cross with 700C wheels only really works on the 2 highest grades of roads (paved and unpaved).

I also learn that the map I had really didn't show the difference between the different types of roads because it assumed your were on skis. I did about 2 miles on a X-C ski Trail, that was after about 4 miles on really bad dirt road and 2 miles of paved road. I said to myself "How bad can a mile and a half or two miles of X-C Ski Trail be?".

I found that walking and carrying the bike I only average about 2 miles per hour. Also I was gripping the bars so hard on descents that my hands started to cramp after about and hour and a half.

I did find it exciting when I was riding along the board walk through the swamp between the 2 lakes near the campground and the slats started falling off. That slowed me down as much as climbing the X-C Trail carrying the bike.

I think this will be my last trail ride until summer. It looks like mud season is here and neither the Cross nor the Slipstream is a good mud bike. But I had a great work out and even enjoyed the walking.
It was a great day. After a long winter to be warmed by a bright sun and to be out riding without a jacket felt amazing. The forest that felt like I owned it because it was just me, the birds, and the sound of the wind in the trees. The bright splashs of green in the low spots grabbed my eye and made my sprit soar.

I can't wait any longer for Spring!

March 19, 2006

It has been a long winter in New Hampshire and it is time for me to start training for the 1000 mile bike ride I am planning to take in June. The weather is colder than normal for this time of year (mid to upper 20's during the day) and as always windy (20 mph).

The roads are clear because we haven't had much snow and I have done a few rides on my Longbikes Slipstream but I'm looking for more of a challenge. I 'm planning to start the season by riding the dirt roads on my Cross. It is a very different experience than the recumbent and works different muscles. But it is also harder and I'm expecting this work will help build a stronger riding base. The cross has 700C wheels and is fine on good dirt roads but definitely isn't a mountain bike. It is what I ride when the roads are messy or the bike that I lend to friends when they visit.

Sunday, it was sunny but cold and windy (28 F and 20 mph). Looking out the windows of my home everything looks great but outside the wind has a bite. But I have a bad case of cabin fever so I'm off to Bear Brook State Park. It's the largest State Park in New Hampshire and it's only 30 minutes away. The park is know for its bicycling trails.

I arrive just after lunch and the weather is bright and clear but I forgot the trail map. No problem I'll just stay on the loop road. I ride the loop road and it take about an hour to ride the 7 mile loop. Most of the road is dirt but it is frozen and the Cross has no problem except for a short section that is covered by ice. I can tell it is nippy because the water in my bottle freezes and and the front of my legs are cold.

The first hill is tough for me. I pass a group of Mountain Bikes and complain about what this diamond frame is doing to me. But it is great to be out riding and I finish the 7 mile loop in about 56 minutes. The forest has broken the wind but hums with the sound of the wind in its branches. It is beautiful but I am ready for a warm shower. This is a great way to start the bicycling season.