Hey buddy, want to buy a recumbent bike?

Well, it's been six month since Spumoni the Fiat came into my life:

and I really like it. What grown less fond of is my recumbent bike. It doesn't work all that well for an urban area with lots of tight spaces and hills. So, I took my tax refund money and ordered a 2013 Trek Lexa SL:

image from trekbikes.com
and since I have a now have a tiny apartment to go along with a tiny car, I've decided to pass it on to a new owner.

Do I regret it? No, It was necessary to have some long term to get an idea of its strength. I'd also like to add that the Strada was the bike I've had for the second longest period of time after the Cannondale that I randonneured with (seven years versus five), and maybe one day when life changes again(you know it will, you just don't know when or how), I'll be laid and loving it once again. Its looks sad without pedals:

and you can't I've pampered it by the looks of the crank. A brief look at bikejournal says I've logged 10,000 miles. The really cool recumbent stuff comes with it, too - the Bent up Cycles bag, Adem headrest, Ventisit pad, 'bent specfic hydration pack.

Miss Pansy's doll has found a new home, so you can't have it. Now, I've got find those recumbent forums and see if I'm still banned for saying that they all seem to have tinfoil helmet liners. And yes, I've started another journey.

Almost to the End

Sunrise was about 7:30:

From 2012-10-27

and yeah, it does look more like winter:

From 2012-10-27

But there's still some fall left:

From 2012-10-27

From 2012-10-27

Took it easy here. don't want a fall of another kind:

From 2012-10-27

Working on the bridges:

From 2012-10-27

Turnaround in Niskayuna:

From 2012-10-27

and a peek at Cohoes Falls:

From 2012-10-27

The return of the exploding tires

The day started out ok. These folks were shooting a video;

From 10-22-2011

I used the zoom here:

From 10-22-2011

some leftovers from Irene:

I finally made it to the Mohawk Hudson Bike Hike trail. This is in Cohoes:

I turned around when I got to the Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridges:

Old Mile Marker:

The Miss Albany diner. My sidewall gave out here:

I double back to the bike shop , and got another tube. Probably need a new tire, but it's almost the end of cycling season here
Less Color this week:

I did a little trip after. I was going to the Bennington Battle field, but it was closed, Here is Sodom, VT (Gomorrah is in Massachusetts)

I wrapped the day by Going by Grandma Moses house:

Her Grandson is also an artist and runs a gallery here. I did some Christmas shopping.
I thought going over to Massachusetts, but decided against it.
Today, I was going to ride this afternoon, but it was 2:00 by the time I ate lunch (church committee meeting), so I went to a gift shop and picked some Vermont marble coaster to replace the day old newspaper I had been using
Until Next week

Why Grumpy old men ride recumbents

This week was classic ride weekend at the bike club.
I was thinking about getting old because on of the club member That I had sold on Recumnbents dropped out because we were "too competitive" He even went to start a thread on a forum about it.
What makes it interesting is that I ran into the other side of the story. Ironically, it's the guy who I sold my Roubaix to. to add to irony, he was complaining about Steve wanting to turn everything into a race, and generally endangering everyone on the trail.
So where's the truth?
You do you have to a thick skin to walk the line between roadie land and Bentdom and get away with it. Too often, people can't and wind up in the hate, either that shown on Bent rider, or on any number of bike forums.
And yes, the Grind ride can be a bit over the top, but I think we a put it behind us once we get back.
Grumpy? I can see why if you keep on getting "where's your real bike?" or "When are your going to get as fast as you were on you old bike?" That would tend to make you stay where you can so off the "avantage" of being bent, like the rail trail, rather than Grinding it out on GMR (Pain: yes view: worth it) I have even sinned and went to Gaintbikes.com and ogled the Defy 1, and looked for another CAAD7 on ebay (Ken can keep the Rouibaix)
So, I am Roadie, Hear me roar!
More Classic stuff:



and scenery:

From 7-16-2011