A bike or trike is an excellent way to get about in search of geocaches. What are they, you ask? You can find a lot about it on the internet, the main international website being the geocaching.com one. Basically someone hides a box or container somewhere (under a log in the forest, in a crack in a wall, behind a road sign or similar, just about anywhere where the general public can't see it), checks the coordinates for it, then publishes the details and coordinates on the internet. Then you can look up that cache's info, and with or without a GPS receiver you can go and search for it. They can be as small (and even smaller than) a film canister, or as large as a bucket or ammo box, and are often very craftily camouflaged. They contain at least a log book for you to record your find, and often contain a pencil so you don't have to bring your own, and swappable small items, nowadays mostly for kids (at least around these parts). You can also log your find on the cache page on the internet.
These caches are just about everywhere, from Alaska to Zanzibar (seems there are none in Madagascar, last time I looked!). The good thing about them is they get you to interesting places you may have never seen otherwise, and you're getting fresh air and exercise! Some caches also challenge you mentally or physically, so there's an increased sense of achievement when you find them! It can also be frustrating when you don't find them too, especially if they have a low Difficulty or Terrain rating.
I actually started geocaching last year, after mid-September, and without a GPS. I managed to find a little over 200 before I finally bought myself a GPS this spring.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Good News
Catching up with events dating back to the spring, my employer finally found a change of job for me. After over 13 years of doing work for the same customer, in early May I switched from writing software documentation to writing installation, operating and maintenance manuals about big machines - in a nutshell (don't ask me how you get a big machine into a nutshell, 'cos I don't know! ;-)). What this really means is that I get to ride my trike 11,5 kms west from here to the customer's office, almost daily.
The bad news: There isn't much possibility to vary the route, and the way I have to go has many sideroads with their badly dropped kerbs to contend with. It was never designed to be a cycle path, but has been converted to one (shared of course with pedestrians), hence the bumpy side street crossings. And on a tadpole trike you feel those with both front wheels.
The other good thing is that I can certainly vary my home trip route in the afternoons, and have done so many times already, sometimes clocking up over 20 kms on the way home, via a few geocaches! (See the next post!)
The bad news: There isn't much possibility to vary the route, and the way I have to go has many sideroads with their badly dropped kerbs to contend with. It was never designed to be a cycle path, but has been converted to one (shared of course with pedestrians), hence the bumpy side street crossings. And on a tadpole trike you feel those with both front wheels.
The other good thing is that I can certainly vary my home trip route in the afternoons, and have done so many times already, sometimes clocking up over 20 kms on the way home, via a few geocaches! (See the next post!)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Didn't stop triking, just writing!
No, of course I couldn't have taken such a long break from triking; it's too much fun! I've been on rides locally, nothing major, but just haven't had the inspiration to write much. But now there's a new light shining! I've changed projects and am now working for a different customer, which means I go to an office about 12 kms from home. I started there on Monday (19th), and after a few days to get my bearings there, I went by trike today!
It was good weather, just a touch cool, but not too cold for biking/triking. The route is quite a busy one, not just with cars, but a lot of bikes too. The annoying thing about the cycle paths here is, where they cross side streets, they haven't lowered the edge of the pavement sufficiently, and that causes quite a bump, which you feel worse on a trike.
I've also been using the trike a lot for geocaching (look it up if you're curious), and I looked for and found two caches on my way home from work today. But more about that in my next post, maybe.
It was good weather, just a touch cool, but not too cold for biking/triking. The route is quite a busy one, not just with cars, but a lot of bikes too. The annoying thing about the cycle paths here is, where they cross side streets, they haven't lowered the edge of the pavement sufficiently, and that causes quite a bump, which you feel worse on a trike.
I've also been using the trike a lot for geocaching (look it up if you're curious), and I looked for and found two caches on my way home from work today. But more about that in my next post, maybe.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Disaster strikes!
Well, not so drastically, but bad enough in one way. To explain: in the spring my employer was looking for smaller premises. After shortlisting three, one was chosen, and we were due to move there in early August. I was on holiday in July, so my first day back at work happened to be the same day we moved into the new premises.
It turned out that the new place is only 5 minutes' walk from my home - saves me a lot of travelling time, but now I can't trike to work! I no longer have a reason to get Beaatrice out daily! There's certainly no point getting her out, just to go 300 metres to the office!
It turned out that the new place is only 5 minutes' walk from my home - saves me a lot of travelling time, but now I can't trike to work! I no longer have a reason to get Beaatrice out daily! There's certainly no point getting her out, just to go 300 metres to the office!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Busy summer
High time I put pen to paper (or to keyboard!) and told you about my almost trikeless summer!
From mid-July on we were at our summer cottage, and I took Beaatrice (my Trice) to the farm and parked her there, safely locked up and indoors (plenty of room in one of the outbuildings).
Partly because of the weather, partly the painting which needed to be done on the cottage, and also because of a short trip to Estonia, I didn't get time for more than two rides during the 3 weeks we were there.
The first was on a typical warm and sunny summer's day, and my son and I went to the town centre 14 kms away. Our Italian baker friend in the local bakery there was very impressed with Beaatrice, especially after doing a circuit with her himself in the car park.
It was a very pleasant ride to town and back, though my knees were a bit sore on the way back, owing to lack of exercise in the weeks leading up to our holiday.
I didn't get another chance to do a ride until almost the end of our three weeks there, when I decided that "It's now or never" and set off on a round trip that covered about 48 kms. The first 20 kms or so were on dirt roads, and my knees were starting to feel sore before I reached an asphalt surface and a country village after those 20 kms, and made a stop at the village shop. It's a dying institution here, and there aren't many left. It's amazing the variety of things they sell, catering for all the summer visitors to the region, staying in their own or rented summer cottages.
I pressed on after an ice cream, and felt a few spots of rain before reaching a major road, but it didn't last long. The next 15 kms or so were rather uneventful. I must admit it wasn't a very pleasant feeling to have traffic roaring past at over 80 kph (50 mph)!
Gradually my knees were feeling worse with every kilometre I pedalled. It crossed my mind that I could have called my brother-in-law to come with his van to pick me up, but that would have felt like cheating. I decided to push on to the bitter end, and determined not to attempt such a long ride again after a long break without riding.
From mid-July on we were at our summer cottage, and I took Beaatrice (my Trice) to the farm and parked her there, safely locked up and indoors (plenty of room in one of the outbuildings).
Partly because of the weather, partly the painting which needed to be done on the cottage, and also because of a short trip to Estonia, I didn't get time for more than two rides during the 3 weeks we were there.
The first was on a typical warm and sunny summer's day, and my son and I went to the town centre 14 kms away. Our Italian baker friend in the local bakery there was very impressed with Beaatrice, especially after doing a circuit with her himself in the car park.
It was a very pleasant ride to town and back, though my knees were a bit sore on the way back, owing to lack of exercise in the weeks leading up to our holiday.
I didn't get another chance to do a ride until almost the end of our three weeks there, when I decided that "It's now or never" and set off on a round trip that covered about 48 kms. The first 20 kms or so were on dirt roads, and my knees were starting to feel sore before I reached an asphalt surface and a country village after those 20 kms, and made a stop at the village shop. It's a dying institution here, and there aren't many left. It's amazing the variety of things they sell, catering for all the summer visitors to the region, staying in their own or rented summer cottages.
I pressed on after an ice cream, and felt a few spots of rain before reaching a major road, but it didn't last long. The next 15 kms or so were rather uneventful. I must admit it wasn't a very pleasant feeling to have traffic roaring past at over 80 kph (50 mph)!
Gradually my knees were feeling worse with every kilometre I pedalled. It crossed my mind that I could have called my brother-in-law to come with his van to pick me up, but that would have felt like cheating. I decided to push on to the bitter end, and determined not to attempt such a long ride again after a long break without riding.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Triker's update
To put your minds at rest, no, I haven't stopped triking, despite the month's silence on the blog - I've just had so many other things on my mind.
I've been on a couple of longer rides after work. Earlier in June, shortly after my last entry, I went round the south coast of the city, and in the west harbour I spotted these stainless steel spheres.
Later on my way home, disaster struck once again!
For some reason the chain parted, and I was pedalling fresh air briefly, till I realised what had happened. About 10 yards back down the road I found the one part and managed to hook the chain back together, but without the other plate it was too risky to ride. I wheeled the trike back down the road about half a mile, looking for the plate, but it was a bit like the old needle in a haystack. Fortunately I had spare ones at home, and soon got it fixed.
On a more recent ride to the eastern shopping centre I took a new route, and found myself on a bridge I didn't know of before.
The trains sometimes run overhead as you're walking or cycling underneath! One went over while I was there.
An even more recent ride took me round the main park north of the centre. I went clockwise, and found routes I hadn't been on before. I ended up at the old town, where the river gently pours itself over a weir.
This is the same place as in my March post Missed a day - but made up for it the next! but from the opposite direction.
I've been on a couple of longer rides after work. Earlier in June, shortly after my last entry, I went round the south coast of the city, and in the west harbour I spotted these stainless steel spheres.
Later on my way home, disaster struck once again!
For some reason the chain parted, and I was pedalling fresh air briefly, till I realised what had happened. About 10 yards back down the road I found the one part and managed to hook the chain back together, but without the other plate it was too risky to ride. I wheeled the trike back down the road about half a mile, looking for the plate, but it was a bit like the old needle in a haystack. Fortunately I had spare ones at home, and soon got it fixed.
On a more recent ride to the eastern shopping centre I took a new route, and found myself on a bridge I didn't know of before.
The trains sometimes run overhead as you're walking or cycling underneath! One went over while I was there.
An even more recent ride took me round the main park north of the centre. I went clockwise, and found routes I hadn't been on before. I ended up at the old town, where the river gently pours itself over a weir.
This is the same place as in my March post Missed a day - but made up for it the next! but from the opposite direction.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Trike descent on film!
Wednesday afternoon after work I went to the park, and despite the heat wave we're having, I triked up the hill to prepare for the exciting downhill ride that I've been planning to video. At last I've done it - did it twice in fact: after doing the ride and filming it, I went back up and did it again!
Here's the result.
Pity the camera can't handle the change of light, from the darker part under the trees to the bright sun by the road. The bend before leaving the park was tricky, one-handed and at speed!
Here's the result.
Pity the camera can't handle the change of light, from the darker part under the trees to the bright sun by the road. The bend before leaving the park was tricky, one-handed and at speed!
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