Easy drive to the UP and Leroy and Diane Jacobsen's beautiful but simple home in Munising MI. located on a creek which leads to a trail to a water fall which can be accessed easily within a 10 minute walk from their front door called Memorial Falls.  A drive or bike ride into town is also an easy 10 to 15 minutes down hill, of course gotta up on the way back but not a hard effort at all, and views of lake Superior makes it easier.  The Falling Rock coffee shop is a delight and the town boasts many neat restaurants, bars, 2 hardware stores, grocery, drug and any other thing you'd want but what I like; NO SPRAWL.  On Tuesday we went to a farmers market and concert in the municipal park featuring a national slide guitar champion, Kraig Kenning.  Wednesday we drove over to Marquette to visit friends from Fl. Chuck and Linda and get in a bike ride with them. Thursday we moved the camper from the campground to Diane and Leroy's  and did some hiking around Munising.  Friday was spent hiking and biking in Seney National Wildlife Refuge where we saw Loons, and Trumpeter Swans.  Today was another trip to Marquette, where on the way we stopped by Lakenland a sculpture garden of extraordinary proportions. Really something not to be missed. A hike at Sugarloaf Mountain, a rocky climb to stunning views of Gitchi Gumee, or Lake Superior. Rain halted any other excursions this day. 

     Tomorrow is another day filled with more adventures depending on the rapidly changing weather. Oh did I mention how nice and cool it is here, in the 60s and 70s during the day and 50s at night. AHHHH!

      Been a while since we had wifi where I wanted to take the time to post something, but here we are at a Starbucks in Stevens Point WI where we attended the 19th annual recumbent rally sponsored by the Hostel Shoppe, the largest recumbent shop in the states.  So, what I'm going to do is go in reverse to describe the goings on back to when we left KS.
      As I've said; rally, BIG. Bikes, many, test rides, rides through the WI. pastoral country side, past dairy barns, farm houses, chicken houses, out houses, fields full of corn, soy beans, potatoes, and small home gardens. George and Sue Straley and Bill Hamilton and Ruth Glick drove up to join us,  which made the rides more enjoyable with good friends.
      They had a swap meet yard sale there where we set up and sold a few things but out of the blue on impulse I traded my ICE trike for a HASE  Tagen under seat 2 wheeler with suspension and some money.  So now I'll have to tweak this bike to make it mine for the remainder of the trip. Boys and their toys!

      Before the rally we visited George and Sue in Waukasha WI, and used a parking place inside a building they rent.  We rode with them around the town which is really charming with big fiber glass guitars placed here and there and one of the best stocked liquor stores I've ever seen.  One day we rode a trail to the Miller Stadium in Milwaukee on game day, rode all the way around it then to town where George and I went to the Harley Davidson museum while the girls rode to Greendale.
What a great time we had. Thanks to the Straleys.

      Turning back a page to Urbandale IA, and a week at Cutty's CG and riding around the many trails in the DesMoines area w/ Bill and Ruth to guide us.  Under the heading; Now there's a bridge, the highlight was the High Trestle trail bridge, a feat of engineering, especially all lit up at night. Another neat ride was to the outskirts of DesMoines and the Bauder's  Pharmacy and old fashioned soda fountain with home made creamy ice cream.  And of course a visit to Trader Joe's. The Saturday farmers market ride could have been a soaker but we were inside Java Joe's  eating breakfast, and the bikes kept dry thanks to the parking garage they were parked in.

      Present time now, at Starbucks and looking forward to Munising MI where we'll see Leroy and Diane Jacobsen and hopefully do a credit card tour of the UP.  If technology works this time I'll upload some photos.     

Let's play a little catch up shall we? I think I left off turning 60 and don't remember anything else. Just kidding. We finally did something we've wanted to do for a few years and that was do dinner and a movie in Yellow Springs at the Sunrise Cafe' and Little Art Theater. For 49.95 plus tip we got a good dinner and saw the movie Moonrise Kingdom, about 2 runaway kids and their adventures. After a stop overnight in Jonesboro Mo. We drove to our destination on the Katy trail, Katfish Katy's Kampground on the Katy trail. Full HU in full sun on the Mo. River with temps hovering around 106. What's the definition of insanity? The answer is take a record breaking heat wave, on the hottest day of the year so far, and the hottest time of the day, in the hottest part of the country and go for a bicycle ride on a dusty trail. And on this bike ride, stop on the way back lock up the bikes and hike up a bluff .3 miles to get a glass of wine. That my friends isn't insanity, the fact that it was fun, is. So I guess we're insane, ahhhhhh! 7/20/12 WOW, a respite from the heat with a breezy high of 97. The news of a 24 year old prick shooting up and killing and injuring people in a crowded movie theater opened the otherwise beautiful day. We rode to Columbia Mo. For coffee and a look around town. The trail was very busy and very dusty with walkers footfalls kicking up clouds of dust. The bikes and we were a mess after that ride. For lunch we rode to and hiked up to Les Bourgeois vineyards for lunch. Sounds like we're living high on the hog but we haven't moved the van for 2 days so we're spending the gas savings. As for the asshole in Auroura Co., I wish someone with a concealed carry would have taken the dirt bag out before he did the damage he did. 7/23/12 We'll be here in Olathe Ks. For a week visiting Cindy's folks and trying to get an early morning ride or two before it gets too hot on the Millcreek Streamway, and Indian Creek trails. Check Hampton's Edge face book page for a pic or two?

Woke up this morning, my first day as a 60 year old, to an overcast sky and had breakfast and Cattle Dog coffee before heading out to ride from Roxanna New Burlington road to Morrow to meet the group from Fairfield Cyclery riding up from Loveland to Morrow. The urge is strong to do a "to Morrow tomorrow" but been there done that already so I'll refrain.  Our friend Mary Ann drove down from Toledo to spend a few days and ride with us.  This is all taking place in Ohio by the way.  The ride down the Little Miami Trail 20 some miles to Morrow was just glorious, shady and not too hot. Some of the Fairfield group was already there and more coming.  Lots of trikes, a few 2 wheel bents, a tamdem terra trike, and Cindy's Rans Cruz CF. Mary Ann rode Cindy's Catrike Road, her first time on a trike. The destination, Miranda's Ice Cream.  While inside ordering and eating the once, over cast sky opened up to a deluge of rain and it came down for over a half an hour drenching all the nice foam seats and shiny bikes. It was good to see old friends like Larry Varney, Jim Murphy, Frank and Mary and others from their shop riding group. Needless to say the ride back was wet at first but the sun shone through and dried everything but my cotton undies, so wet butt  all the way back.

     On the way back to the camp ground we stopped at Trader Joe's for some grocery restock and a few bottles of wine.  Picked up a few nice grass fed sirloins and a couple ears of corn to put on the fire and man were they good.  A perfect ending to an almost perfect day, and I won't complain about the rain because they need it bad here in the Buckeye State.  So, happy birthday to me!
    

     The heat wave of the last week has finally broken and yesterday was a beautiful day for a ride on the Great Allegheny Passage in PA. between Connellsville and Ohiopyle.  Cindy took her first ride on her new Catrike Road with rear suspension, which came in handy with some rough bridges and rocky places on the trail.  The whole way between towns was shady and cool, and lunch consisting of a delicious portabella  ruben and home made chips at Trailside Cafe' with a cold micro brew beer hit the spot.
     The days prior to this was spent grieving with my sister and brother in law and relations on the untimely death of my 31 year old niece Marcie.  She worked with autistic children and their families and gave all of her self to the detriment to her health. Rest in peace Marcie.
     We will be leaving tomorrow and heading for Ohio and our favorite, Yellow Springs, maybe with a stop to ride the T.J. Evans Trail near Columbus to try something different. 
   

Eight hours of driving and in Walterboro SC. at the New Green Acres Campground, the place to be.  Acres of green grass and tall pines, 30 amp service for AC and fridge and a few mosquitoes. All for 26. per night.  Saw lots of standing water along the way on the sides of interstate 95, and lots of JEA power trucks heading for northern power outages in NC and WVa.  Npr reports 50,000 people without power in the high 90 degree heat.Tomorrow should be in PGH. PA. or a close proximity thereof, depending on stoppages for farting around.  Exciting isn't it!!  La Balla de Plata, out.

     Tomorrow we will be heading out for Northern environs, destination, Canonsburg Pa. My beloved niece Marcie died Wednesday, a caring person who worked too hard and cared too much to the detriment of her own health.  She will be missed by many, me in a BIG way.
   
After PA. we'll be looking for cooler temps but will attend the Midwest recumbent rally in Stevens Point WI. Plans were to ride the Katy but maybe Michigan will be first. Seems the UP has temps. in the 70s and 80s.  Sounds a lot better than 3 digits through the South and Midwest.  Anyway the Airstream is packed, the bikes are in the van along with Cindy's new Catrike Road with rear suspension.  Candy apple green, sunlite rack mounted on the rear swingarn. Pics while in use. Stay tuned for more excitement as the adventure unfolds.  

Just recently we had the pleasure of being one of the hosts for a FAM tour for journalists from California, Oregon, New England and Florida.  The point was to show there is more to Fl. than Disney and the beaches.  They did some flats fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, a birding walk, and of course eating at some favorite local hot spots.  Our portion was only about an hour and a half of cycling on the Withlacoochee Trail.  All said they had a wonderful time and one gal came back to ride and explore further.

    On another note, we're finally getting some much needed rain from tropical storm Beryl.  Maybe an early storm season will bring the water table up so we can continue to have water to drink and bathe in.  I think society has to re think this whole notion of having the lush green lawn, at least here in Fl.

Bike to work week

Hey folks don't forget May 14-18 is Bike to work week!

Cats on the Withlacoochee

It was early morning around 4:30 on March 4 when the wind began to howl through the open windows causing the vertical blinds to slap together and blowing maps and papers off the dining room table and rattling the bedroom door in its frame. Awaking to this barrage of noise made me wonder if the Catrike rally Sunday ride on the Withlacoochee was going to take place. The front moved through in about an hour and a half but sleep seemed evasive so at 6:30 I got up and drove South to place directional signs and paint showing where to turn to get to the restaurant for lunch. On going to the shop, people were already there and friends brought up some snacks and tasty baked goods for the throngs about to arrive. Soon cars with trikes mounted in various ways started showing up. Before long the area around the shop was a mass of humans and trikes, phones and cameras clicking away, face book notices being sent and tech getting the word out that the ride was on. Off we were around 10:30 in a staggered start to River Ratz Paddlers Pub only 9 short miles away. Some did a fast run while others took in the scenery with a easy pedal. Some people were even lucky enough to see Gumby the camel.
There was a corn hole tournament under way when we got to Ratz but everyone seemed pleased with the food and service. I got a chance to ride the new rear suspension Road. Got the derailleur full of sand with a little off road excursion but a dip in the river took care of that. See the pic on bentrideronline.com. See the rear suspension in this blog. Anyway the weather and ride turned out just great and it was nice seeing so many Catrike friends again. We received an award for being in the top 10 of Catrike dealers, and the company gave trikes to most of it's employees who have made this fine company what it is today. I feel proud to sell such a fine product made here in the good ole USA. Thank you to all who helped out with this endeavor and all who showed up in spite of early weather gloom. As they say, "if in FL. you don't like the weather, just wait a bit and it'll change" this time for the better as it was a perfect day for a ride. See you all next year.

Withlacoochee trail portion

REMINDER: The Catrike rally Withlacoochee Trail ride on Sunday will start from Hamptons Edge Bike Shop in Floral City and go to River Ratz in Nobleton for a 18 mile out and back total with lunch between. Tortoises (slower riders will leave at 11:00 am hares (faster riders 11:15 am.) or just try to get yourself to Ratz by at least 12:00. They're expecting lots of people, so don't be in a hurry, relax and enjoy the view of the river, have a beer. We will have coffee and snacks here at the shop starting at 9 am. Parking is behind the library, Ferris Groves field, Capital City bank parking lot. The veterinarian's lot must be kept clear for emergency horse trailer use.

New items in store for you trikers.

There will be some new trikes arriving soon at Hampton's Edge Trailside Bicycles one being the Greenspeed Magnum, with adjustable seat back and forth and up and down. Will not fold but will break down easily with QRs. The other addition will be a new brand for us, another German recumbent bike and trike builder, HP Velotechnik. The first order will consist of 3 Gekko FX foldable trikes and one Gekko non foldable . The folding model can be folded in about 7 seconds without removal of the seat. We're excited to get our hands on these new additions and trying them out. The Scorpion is of interest to me especially in the full suspension model but that will have to wait for next months credit card. Stop in and check these out and give me a chance to practice folding the Gekko FX. I want to do it as fast as the guy on the HP Velo vedio on you tube.
Lets not forget to come on down to downtown Floral City for the kick-off of the Strawberry Festival and the brew & bbq Friday night March 2. Beer tent, 2 bands, and town merchants specials abound. We will have libations and maybe even a free gift for those who wander through our door. There will be buses running between Floral City town center to the festival on Sat. and Sun. and the trail will be lit up with luminaria from Ferris Groves parking to town center on Friday night. So hope to see you there.
On Sunday there is also the Catrike rally ride from our shop to River Ratz in Nobleton. We leave at 11:15 to be there by 12:00. Slower people should expect to leave at 11:00. It's about a 9 mile ride to Ratz. Please RSVP if you haven't already.

Strawberry Festival & Catrike Rally

Get ready for some big happenings in Floral City. Friday March 2 from 6-9pm there will be a kickoff party for the 25th annual Floral City Strawberry Festival in the Town Center located in front of the library. There will be live music, food and even beer. The Shops will be opened for people to stroll through. Saturday the gates will open in Floral Park for the Festival where there will be Farm fresh Strawberries and lots of vendors. Saturday is also the 1st Day of the 8th annual Catrike Rally in Winter Garden, FL. See Catrike.com for details and to sign up. Sunday March 4 is our day to host the Rally. We will open at 9 am and have some coffee and treats (maybe even some strawberries) for our guests. We will start the line-up for the @8mile ride to River Ratz Cafe in Nobleton at 10:30 so we can all take our pictures. The Restaurant is expecting us at 12n so those who would like a leisurely ride should leave at 10:45. The people who have seen it all before can leave a little later.

We are very excited to be going South on the Trail this time. In the past we have always gone North. We are shaking things up this time and hope we have a beautiful day to have lunch on the Withlacoochee River. Everyone who plans to attend the Sunday Ride will need to RSVP to us at trailsidebicycles@gmail.com so we can let the restaurant know how many to expect.

We will post any updates on the blog. Looking forward to seeing old and new faces!

Happy New Year 2012

Another year is gone and in a might hurry I would say. The years seem to go by much faster the older I get or maybe it's because we're busy. We hosted the annual New Year day party for the Withlacoochee Trail riders and had around 60 people or so to the house. The weather could not have been better and it was nice to see everyone out of their riding clothes and in street clothes, although many rode their bikes and were dressed accordingly in cycling attire. Thanks to everyone who attended, and all the good food you brought. There is a new year of cycling ahead so lets go for a ride, well maybe when it warms up. We're not used to temps in the 30s here in sunny Florida. Happy birthday to Chuck Charles and happy New Year to all.

Christmas on the coast

Took a few much needed days off and headed for the East coast of Florida, to Merritt Island and camped at Manatee Hammock Campground on the Indian River. We heard there were painted buntings at the visitors center and lots of good nature walks through some of the wet lands. Leroy and Diane Jacobsen also went, as Diane is the one who told us about the buntings. We were not disappointed let me tell you. We saw painted buntings right off. Such beautiful birds with blue, purple, red, and green feathers. Because of their colors they are being trapped and sold as cage birds so they are endangered now. In another area we got to see Florida scrub jays which also are endangered. At the Viero wet lands we walked around the ponds and saw all kinds of water fowl, ducks, coots, herons, egrets, spoonbills, ibis, grebes, mergansers, hawks and of course in any Fl. wet land, gators. The best was watching a Great Blue heron catch and eat a fish about a foot long, and also watching a gator sneaking up on a bunch of coots although the coots were keeping their eyes on that gator. Took a short kayak paddle on the Indian River from the campground and saw manatee and dolphin. Had a wonderful time seeing all the wildlife and evenings just sitting around the camp fire talking about the days fun with good friends. What a great way to spend Christmas.

Take me to the river

Today started out chillier than was expected as we headed out to kayak the Oklawaha River, Northeast of Ocala near Silver Springs. From Ray Wayside Park if you go right you'll end up at the head spring of Silver River, go left as we did you go with the current down river to Gores Landing or further if you want. We shuttled cars to Gores Landing which provided us with a 10 mile easy paddle. Nice color since there were not any hard freezes yet and the river was full of water birds and song birds provided a sound track for the trip. A stop at The Blue Gator for dinner topped off a perfect day. This is the kind of day off we need, something different with good friends, Diane, Mary Ann, Deborah, Lee Ann, Charlie, and our new friend Bill. Looking forward to a camping trip over Christmas to Manatee Hammock near the East coast and Merit Island in search of the elusive Painted Bunting.

Heritage Days

We hope you will join us on Dec. 2 5:30-8:00 pm for the start of Floral City's Heritage Day's celebration. The town will be all lit up. The store's will all be OPEN. We will be serving libations and the Lions Club will have their famous fish fry! Saturday will have various events going on around town. Floral City is the place to be this weekend. Join in the fun.

Spoonbills at last

Heard from some friends that there were Rosette Spoonbills on Bennette's Creek off the Northern part of the Withlacoochee river in Yankee Town near where it feeds into the Gulf of Mexico. On Monday our day off from the shop we drove up there with kayaks in the van to go check this out. The last time I was in Yankee Town I stayed at the Isak Walton Lodge which had burnt to the ground and is now rebuilt and opening soon. The one thing I remembered about this area were the no-see-ems or flying teeth. They were there to greet us this time too. After getting directions to Bennettes creek we got on the water and right off the bat we saw a dolphin, then paddled off looking for the 1st left after the last house which we took, and a right at the "no wake " sign which we also took. We paddled all the way to the Gulf and not a Spoonbill to be seen. Planned it right by the current and the tide so we wouldn't have to paddle against either out or back. Saw 2 more houses nearer the Gulf and figured we turned too soon, maybe that wasn't the last house we previously saw, so back we went to where we thought would be the correct turn. Saw lots of birds, little blue herons, great blue herons, ibis, egrets but no spoonbills. The lady at the campground said we didn't want to find bird creek because it was easy to get lost, well, we found it by accident. Paddled all the way to the gulf again this time by a different route then back toward where we started out where I found a guy at the first last house and asked him where Bennette's Creek was. He pionted back the way we just came and said," see the woods about 500 yards up, just look for the floating logs, that's the creek". Back we went and finally, Spoonbills, wood storks, black crowned night herons, oh and on the way bald eagle. What an adventure sore shoulders and all. Can't wait to go back and go all the way up Bennette's creek to the gulf.

Ataxia ride, Clermont

This past weekend we did the ride for Ataxia and took some Catrikes for some of the riders to use to do the ride. Very inspiring to see some of these people with this disease who had to be lifted from a wheel chair and lowered to the trike to do the ride. Did I mention there were hills and wind. David Henry who wasn't in a wheel chair did 25 miles on the Expedition, (without the ride kick in the pic). Natalie Denny who had to be lifted from her chair and placed in the trike did 16 miles in the hills from Clermont to Killarney Station and back, total 16 miles. This is the ride we did and I give here kudos for here effort on those hills. We saw several people walking up some of the hills which she could not do since she can't stand or walk. I'll think about those people with this disease the next time I have a little physical pain or discomfort. Pictured is Kyle Bryant whom also has to be lifted from a chair, with Mark from Catrike, David trying the ride kick power trailer, Natalie climbing a hill, and her family who rode with her. I tried to put this on facebook but I couldn't get it to post.

Wing Flyers

Come Wednesday we should be getting our first order of Wing Flyers in. Stop by and take one out for a test ride.
Just one more way to have fun and get fit! See Ya Soon....