Saturday we started our ride from a park along the Indian Bend wash greenbelt, headed south to the north side of Tempe Town Lake and then back up to north of Shea Blvd and 92nd street in Scottsdale. It was a little over 27 miles! Not bad for having re-started cycling just three months ago. We even met a gentleman that was resting by the side of the trail with an ActionBent recumbent tadpole trike.
Going as far as we did, it drove home a couple points to me that I have had in the back of my mind along with a "warning". The points are: 1) My helmet does not have a visor; I need a visor and one that is a bit longer than the normal visor one finds for bike helmets (since I am reclined on the trike), and 2) I need greater support for my back and, well, the bottom line. I am still pondering the visor, but, with the help of my wife, we bought two open (large) pore, spongy cushions (Ez-Dri Outdoor Cushions) from a local fabric store, and will be "encasing" these in a porous pillow case (black to match the Catrike canvas seat) and using that as a pad on the trike seat. It will probably be Velcro'd on (to keep it, and me, from slipping off). We'll let you know how it works. I am hoping it will at least keep my teeth from chattering so much on those nasty bumps we encounter...
The "warning" was from one of my knees. I had heard that riding a recumbent can be more hazardous to your knees than a regular bike. I have been careful not to push too hard -- in that, using the seat as a prop for my back to allow for a stronger or more forceful pedal stroke. However, I think I disregarded my own caution on this last trip. By the time we got done, my knee was hurting quite badly. It has since stopped hurting, but if I bend it for awhile and then move it, it hurts. I looked into various knee braces and have gotten one to try. I am hoping that with better support, my knee won't be bothered as much. I also need to shift down a little sooner on the hills (thus relieving the hard pumping I was doing on occasion).
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Here's activities in Tempe:
Event for Thursday, May 15 :
Thursday, May 15: Splash n' Dash, 6:30pm - 7:30pm: Only impact will be
to rowers/paddlers using the west end of the lake. Please continue to
folllow the accepted counter-clockwise pattern, but when heading east
from the west end of the lake, please use the lake's center rather than
the south shore. Once through the railroad bridge please move back to
the south shore..
Weekend of May 17/18:
Saturday, May 18: Free and Clear.
I had originally listed the Triathlon as a Saturday event. My bad,
sorry, it is a Sunday event.
Sunday, May 17: Tempe International Triathlon: 7am - 12Noon: Road
closures will be similiar to the May 10 triathlon. Mill Ave Bridge will
be closed in a southerly directions, one lane will be open going north.
Washington east from Priest Drive will be closed. Access to the Op
Center will be from east Lakeview Drive off of Curry. Curry will be
unaffected in both directions. To repeat Op Center/Boat Beach access
will only be from the east, Curry to Lakeview Dr. east.
NO MARINA IMPACT, the run will go through the marina but it will not
affect traffic flow in any way.
One major difference in this event is that there is a 1500M swim, which
will use the whole of the west end of the lake. Boat Beach will be open,
but the lake west of the Mill Ave Bridge will be closed to rowing,
paddling, sailing from 6:30am until 9am on Saturday, May 17. Boat Beach
users please stay with a counter clockwise pattern favoring the north
side of the lakes' center when leaving the beach, stay well on the north
side when returning to the beach.
Week leading to the Weekend of May 24/25:
IMPORTANT: Wednesday, May 21: The west Tic-Tac buoy line will be moved
east, for dam repair and testing. We are not yet sure how far it will be
moved, nor for how long. More info to follow, including move distance,
time frame, etc.
Saturday, May 24: Last of the Spring Splash n' Dash Series: Because of
the shift in the buoy line, the swim will be as far west as we can make
it. Access to the water may be from the north event boat ramp (which is
just east of Mill Ave Bridge) or from boat beach.
Rowing/paddling/sailing west of Mill Ave may not be allowed while
swimmers are in the water. More on the actual time frame and swim
location next week.
That will be it on events until the July 4th fireworks celebration.
Thank you all for your patience and cooperation during the busy Spring
event season.
Okie (Joe O'Connor)
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