Novice Beekeeper

  Its official, I have a new to me bike and its a fatty! I tried my best to get a hold of a cheap used trike. But after clocking up more than 1400k only to see and the worst two trikes ever, I decided to postpone things trike until I get more money. So disillusioned by the whole affair.  Truthfull, I was also a lityle put off by how low triles can be. Sitting at axle height on a trike with 20" wheels, is way low. I hope that when  I do buy , that I get a fat 26" wheeler.  So anyway, this fatty. Its a 2016 Kona "Wo". 26"x4.80 Jumbo Jim tubeless tyres, 10 slot cassette with a twin cog forward, rack, disk brakes. The Kona brand is a joint Canadian-US design effort, made in Korea to spec.  This particular bike was bought for the Running Man festival in Nevada U.S.A. in 2017, though its a 2016 model. She is asmall framed model and was imported with three larger versions, by its previous owner. They were ridden only lightly "around the Narrabeen Lakes" befo...

 That's the title of an ebook Im reading at present. A late middle aged couple way down on their luck are offered salvation by long distance hiking.   This weekend two Greenspeed trikes come up for sale.  One,  a GT20 needing an overhaul for $450, in South Australia.  It sold in hours.  Another in Western Australia had been powder coated and completely overhauled,  for $1250. It's actually great value,  but a non-folder and 10 000 plus kilometres away.   It strikes me,  after reading about the hikers,  with very little money,  failing health,  unemployed and homeless,  they take to the trail poorly prepared and unfit.  They're having a whale of an adventure.  Point being,  it's not about the bike.  It's the person riding or walking, "the man in the arena", that determines the nature and quality of the adventure.   The problem for me directly is the fact that I can't take more th...

 From Circular Quay took the ferry to Manly. Rode north via Narabeen to Palm Beach. Tiny ferry across Pittwater to Patonga, then rode up the hill across to Umina Beach, Woy Woy then some busier roads to Terrigal. From here I had a very pleasant ride north via The Entrance, Budgewoi, crossed the Pacific Highway then through Freemans Waterholes to the Hunter Valley.

   Well,  this is a photo of a trike the same model and of similar vintage to the one I am off  to see this week. The restoration project was undertaken by "Smoothie" pn the bentrider forum.  Coincidentally,  I  was browsing an ebook this morning by Bryan J. Ball the founder of Bent Rider Online.  One of the chapters discussed the issue of naming trikes.  Apparently,  at least in the US, many trike riders name trikes while naming diamond framed bicycles is fairly uncommon.  Since I've been hunting for a used trike in good condition,  within my budget,  I've never not considered naming it "Greta". Of course it's after Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, whose effort and tenacity on the issue I greatly respect. My thinking behind the name has altered slightly after watching a recent three party doco about her in 2019 and into Covid times. One of the messages Greta insists that people take on board is to not follow her,...

  This is the ad on Gumtree that I noticed yesterday.  An old original Greenspeed GTR which I understand was THE touring model out it's time and has earned a reputation as a hard working,  long lasting trike.  I read a fantastic tutorial online on how to restore this exact model and it's pretty straightforward and affordable.  But it looks like it won't need much attention.  I believe that because it is a rigid frame, ie: non folding, that it's had little use.  The current owner has ridden it once in 5 years,  I think he said.   That tutorial also showed how 2.5" little fats can be fitted.  A good option for the t future.   One guy, responding to the tutorial I think,  wrote that he rode his GTR over 75 000 kilometres.  He regularly "got air" at the local ramp and committed and did Redux tours on her, and only decommissioned her when she "fell off the roof of [his] car"! Ye gads! So I've made a deposit and hope t...

 This quiet cycle trail features rural landscape, native bush areas, villages, small towns and regional cities.  There is adventure and fun on the roads less travelled". A new cycle trail has poked its way into my consciousness.  It's called the Central West Trail,  and weaves a 400k circuit through a number of tiny rural towns in western NSW between Mudgee, Gulgong and Dunedoo.  It's looks incredibly quiet  (some roads devoid of any vehicle traffic), relatively flat and quite scenic. Apparently, several  local villages profit from a modest number of cycling tourists that come through in organised tours or independent groups.  By coincidence an ancient  Greenspeed GT trike has come up for sale just south of the trail!? 

 Well I haven't riden beyond abput 40k's yet. But I've read lots of posts, articles and ebooks by long distance cyclists and I'm developing a body of useful knowledge.    There must be a shiteload of interest in cycling because the amount of advertising, spam and pseudo advertising through blogs and books, is mind numbing.  Honestly, every Goggle search reveals pages of crap: buy this bike,  it'll make you feel alive,  take you places you only dreamed of,  make you feel cool or other amazing feats.  Then there are the experts that push the novice towards high cost options,  daily gym workouts and guided tours.  All depressing reading.      But occasionally there are gems.  Just note i read an article by Magda in New York who wrote about her first 500 mile ride.  She said something profound: "I hate experts.  I wantto start a movement of people that defy experts and go on great adventures". Or words to t...