Arusha bike center gets all sorts of bikes and they knew this would interest me. a collapseable Dahon with Shimano internal gear hub.
It works well as a mtn bike. Not as good as full suspension but it is useable.
Neear Manyara National Park.
17 August 2016
Another bike, collapseable Dahon
It works well as a mtn bike. Not as good as full suspension but it is useable.
13 August 2016
Ride of a lifetime
I ride a bicycle a fair amount. I have had some epic rides. I have met some epic riders. But today was over the top.
I have hosted around the world bicycle tourists, I rode my bicycle to the gate of Mt Kilimanjaro to shake hands with Alberto Contador, Rafaell Majaka, and Peter Sagan. I rode RAMROD. I rode 320km to Ngorongoro gate and back in 13 hours .
But those memories pale in comparison to riding with my child today.
I have ridden with my daughter Nashesha many times, even 3 day trips, or long days on the tandem.
But today she rode an advanced route, and out did me several times. There are some uphills in rough tracks and I "came off" twice and walked, she rode around me. At no point did I have to compromise.
Reminds me of the days 15 years ago when my son Seth beat me up a hill.
There is nothing better in life when you see your child enjoy what is important to you.
Today was that day. 4 1/2 hours riding in total. First dealing with heavy traffic for 30 min, climbing 800 m, helping me fix a flats. I mean really helping. No complaints from a teenager and then arriving home and telling mom " it was so great". I think I have reached the pinnacle of life.
The only rest stop. Chai, a few wild berries, and a banana.
Some big trees in the forest.
I have hosted around the world bicycle tourists, I rode my bicycle to the gate of Mt Kilimanjaro to shake hands with Alberto Contador, Rafaell Majaka, and Peter Sagan. I rode RAMROD. I rode 320km to Ngorongoro gate and back in 13 hours .
But those memories pale in comparison to riding with my child today.
I have ridden with my daughter Nashesha many times, even 3 day trips, or long days on the tandem.
But today she rode an advanced route, and out did me several times. There are some uphills in rough tracks and I "came off" twice and walked, she rode around me. At no point did I have to compromise.
Reminds me of the days 15 years ago when my son Seth beat me up a hill.
There is nothing better in life when you see your child enjoy what is important to you.
Today was that day. 4 1/2 hours riding in total. First dealing with heavy traffic for 30 min, climbing 800 m, helping me fix a flats. I mean really helping. No complaints from a teenager and then arriving home and telling mom " it was so great". I think I have reached the pinnacle of life.
The only rest stop. Chai, a few wild berries, and a banana.
Some big trees in the forest.
11 August 2016
Family vacation rides
I have a fork holder on the roof and a collapsable bike and found a better way to lay a third bike on the roof, so I could take three bikes!.
When putting a bike on the roof rack flat, lay the tyres under the bike as a cushion, works great. Although the fork clamp is the easiest and fastest way. Also remove the quick release skewers. One of mine the nut vibrated off!
We drove to Tanga town arriving in the dark. Next morning the easiest bike to get out was the collapseable so i rode that for 2 hours. It is a great bike considering it is collapseable.
First a stop in Amboni Caves near Tanga. It was great.
Hitting the beach with daughter after a early morning ride.
Nashesha picked up a friend called george.
ride in the clouds in East Usambara.
dropping down to Korogwe.
Big brother Don making it to the road after an hour of descending mostly steep tracks. He did one epic fall jumping off the bike and then a forward flip. The second fall was not so epic but he got some good road rash.
When putting a bike on the roof rack flat, lay the tyres under the bike as a cushion, works great. Although the fork clamp is the easiest and fastest way. Also remove the quick release skewers. One of mine the nut vibrated off!
We drove to Tanga town arriving in the dark. Next morning the easiest bike to get out was the collapseable so i rode that for 2 hours. It is a great bike considering it is collapseable.
First a stop in Amboni Caves near Tanga. It was great.
Hitting the beach with daughter after a early morning ride.
Nashesha picked up a friend called george.
ride in the clouds in East Usambara.
dropping down to Korogwe.
Big brother Don making it to the road after an hour of descending mostly steep tracks. He did one epic fall jumping off the bike and then a forward flip. The second fall was not so epic but he got some good road rash.
I would like to think that my bicycle commuting inspires or assists others to make the change. I see some fellow workers have made the change but this is the first time someone more casual has made the change. The bike on the right if of a "new" bicycle commuter.
Some interesting points:
1. I would not have realised I had influence on this except the newbie started parking in MY spot. It is a good spot as a tree blocks cars from this space.
2. This was a guy who sends electronic money through the phone. One day he asked about how to get a bicycle and i referred him to Arusha bicycle Center .
3. He mentioned it one day but it didn't sink in that he bought a bike and uses it.
4. Wow. He bought a "real world" bicycle. Stock made. Fenders, racks, lights , dynamo. It is a bike that is useful, not a toy racing bike that does not serve the purpose for transportation.
1. I would not have realised I had influence on this except the newbie started parking in MY spot. It is a good spot as a tree blocks cars from this space.
2. This was a guy who sends electronic money through the phone. One day he asked about how to get a bicycle and i referred him to Arusha bicycle Center .
3. He mentioned it one day but it didn't sink in that he bought a bike and uses it.
4. Wow. He bought a "real world" bicycle. Stock made. Fenders, racks, lights , dynamo. It is a bike that is useful, not a toy racing bike that does not serve the purpose for transportation.
14 July 2016
Young riders
I was coming down Mnt Meru with Don my brother and these three kids came screaming fast past us and then rode down with us. It was fun to ride behind them and see their extreme joy riding bikes. The bounce all over and go airborne every chance they get.
Why not carry loads on a bicycle
My invertor for my house needs repair. It is electronic with a transformer inside. equals heavy. Why not take it to work on my bicycle.
One reason I am given for not using a bicycle is because of needing to carry stuff.
One reason I am given for not using a bicycle is because of needing to carry stuff.
Edge of Tarangire Park
A ride with daughter along border of Tarangire.
Movie of masai kids trying out the Dahon collapsable bike
Lake Manyara
My brother Don and wife Debi have moved to Tanzania. His life dream to retire partly here and work in a hospital.
The two families went to stay in a tented lodge near Manyara park and we went for a wee ride on the flood plain of Lake Manyara. Saw some wildebeast and thomson gazelle.
Forest Road benchmark
57min to the ring road on full suspension. I was doing 2 minute intervals in the middle, which might of made my time slightly slower.
32 minutes down. am surprised it is that fast.
32 minutes down. am surprised it is that fast.
15 March 2016
Monduli Peak ride
It was going to be a routine ride. A road beckoned that turned into a trail, that joined another trail that went to the top of Monduli Mountain. No small feat as the top of the peaks is thick with bamboo
14 March 2016
Update 2
Despite a dislocated finger i could grip enough and figured i would be recovered enough in 3 weeks. So I went out on the next weekend. Saturday I rode with the hotshots who were going a long around monduli mtn. I did Lengijave plains and back. i just took it easy in rough sections.
Next day i Joined two seniors and a bunch of novice teenagers. great riding on the Mkulat hills. Mostly bald steep hills. A few have forests where they catch the mist in the trees and then buckets.
In a fast down hill i was almost the last person, taking it easy. I slowed to ask why someone stopped and a kid came behind and locked his front brake and endoed over and smashed into my back. I went sprawling, breaking a spoke and the screen on my phone. I seemed shaken but okay.
A week later my ribs hurt more and more, and after treating pneumonia, then they also found two broken ribs.
So the 10 to 4 was scratched and i laid off weekend biking but continue commuting.
23 February 2016
Update
My last post I started recording times on a set ride.
Friends helped me get a loaner full suspension bike.
On a Thursday in mid January I went on the set ride. At the turn around I went to stop to record my record time. as I came to a stop i couldn't get my foot out of the clips. They had caked mud and were too tight. I stopped and fell over in slow motion on the down hill side and tried to stop the fall with my middle finger.
For the first time in my life I dislocated a bone and it came out through the skin on my left middle finger. I tried to relocate the finger and came close. Then I was freaked so I gave up.
I thought of making a phone call to the office for a car, but i figured that would take hours on these rough roads. I tried to ride and it was possible by resting my hand on the handle bars. There wasn't extreme pain, only when i jarred it. so i coasted home, forgetting what my record time was. I slowed way down on ditches.
It took over an hour to see a doctor and then things went fast. A young doctor got advice from an older doctor. It was a big relief to get it reset.
That is not the end of the story. I needed to keep in shape, so on saturday went out with the fast boys. Only ditches and rough parts were hard. So I felt ok to keep training.
On Sunday I went with my senior aged buddies and a group of kids, figuring I could keep up. will post tomorrow what happened.
Friends helped me get a loaner full suspension bike.
On a Thursday in mid January I went on the set ride. At the turn around I went to stop to record my record time. as I came to a stop i couldn't get my foot out of the clips. They had caked mud and were too tight. I stopped and fell over in slow motion on the down hill side and tried to stop the fall with my middle finger.
For the first time in my life I dislocated a bone and it came out through the skin on my left middle finger. I tried to relocate the finger and came close. Then I was freaked so I gave up.
I thought of making a phone call to the office for a car, but i figured that would take hours on these rough roads. I tried to ride and it was possible by resting my hand on the handle bars. There wasn't extreme pain, only when i jarred it. so i coasted home, forgetting what my record time was. I slowed way down on ditches.
It took over an hour to see a doctor and then things went fast. A young doctor got advice from an older doctor. It was a big relief to get it reset.
That is not the end of the story. I needed to keep in shape, so on saturday went out with the fast boys. Only ditches and rough parts were hard. So I felt ok to keep training.
On Sunday I went with my senior aged buddies and a group of kids, figuring I could keep up. will post tomorrow what happened.
05 January 2016
Sambasha loop times.
As I get ready for 10 to 4 race I am checking my times on a set ride. I hope to use a full suspension bike as I find I am not able to keep pedaling smoothly frequently as i am bouncing too much on my hardtail bike. After last years race I vowed to return but only on a full suspension bike.
From home to tree line on Sambasha hill
26 dec 2015 63 min ( did some intervals in the beginning)
3 Jan 2016 57min
21 Jan 2016 55min (one full suspension bike) (then fell over and dislocated finger.)
From home to tree line on Sambasha hill
26 dec 2015 63 min ( did some intervals in the beginning)
3 Jan 2016 57min
21 Jan 2016 55min (one full suspension bike) (then fell over and dislocated finger.)
04 January 2016
Amani vacation (with bike of course)
The day before our trip I made a rack bicycle mount.
Looking towards our place on ride on day two.
Fellow biker took my picture.
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