CYCLING
As a kid in Brooklyn, I did lots of bicycling, most if it in traffic. Our motto was "In Brooklyn, cars gotta' look out for themselves!"
As a child, my Dad taught me to ride on a bike we rented. He, my Mom, and I would occasionally go out riding on rental bikes. We lived in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn, NY and sometimes rode along the Boardwalk between Brighton Beach and Coney Island (allowed early on Sunday mornings when there were few people). Other times, we rode to Sheepshead Bay and along a bike trail to Canarsie.
I rode that bicycle all around our Brighton Beach neighborhood and along the Boardwalk and the Sheepshead bay trail during my high school and college days. (I lived with my parents and younger brother in Brighton Beach and commuted to Brooklyn Technical High School and the City College of New York by subway.)
As a kid in Brooklyn, I did lots of bicycling, most if it in traffic. Our motto was "In Brooklyn, cars gotta' look out for themselves!"
As a child, my Dad taught me to ride on a bike we rented. He, my Mom, and I would occasionally go out riding on rental bikes. We lived in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn, NY and sometimes rode along the Boardwalk between Brighton Beach and Coney Island (allowed early on Sunday mornings when there were few people). Other times, we rode to Sheepshead Bay and along a bike trail to Canarsie.
The First Bike I Owned (1956)
In 1956, when I was in high school, my Uncle Harry, who worked at Macy's, arranged the purchase of a Raleigh "English Racer". We took it home on the subway because my Dad didn't have a car. I rode that bicycle all around our Brighton Beach neighborhood and along the Boardwalk and the Sheepshead bay trail during my high school and college days. (I lived with my parents and younger brother in Brighton Beach and commuted to Brooklyn Technical High School and the City College of New York by subway.)
I took that bike with me when I moved out of the house in 1961 to take my first professional job in Norwalk, CT. In 1963 I took my second professional job in North Plainfield, NJ, Although I had a car, I sometimes used that bike to go to and from work.
While working in Connecticut and New Jersey, I pursued my social life in Brooklyn, spending most weekends at my parent's house. I met Violet Stark, my wife-to-be, and taught her to ride a bicycle and drive a car (and we still got married in 1964 :^)
In 1965, when I got my job at IBM Federal Systems in upstate Owego, NY, we bought a farm in Newark Valley, about 12 miles from work. I gave up bicycling and my ancient Raleigh was left to molder in a corner of a barn.
In 1978, we moved to Apalachin, which was only 6 miles from work, but I still did not take up cycling.
My First Bike (Briefly) Resurected (1987)
It was not until 1987 when I resurrected my ancient Raleigh (image below) and thought about using it to commute to work. However, it had only three speeds and our house was up a steep hill, so that old bike was not right for the task.
My Mountain Bike
Two-Wheel LONG Wheelbase Recumbent
Carpal tunnel effects caused my fingers to become numb, so, in 1990, I purchased a LONG-wheelbase Recumbent bicycle. The steering is under the seat, with a multi-link connection to the front wheel, which makes for a bit of a lag between moving the bar and the wheel actually turning.
In 1991, I took my recumbent bike to Ireland, and, along with my friends Peggy and Dan Sneizek, we experienced the "forty shades of green" in that great country and its wonderful people. It rained every day and it was sunny every day!
Local News
The Binghamton Press, our local newspaper, featured my trip to Ireland, see below.
Rental Bicycling Adventure in Egypt
Back in 1997, Vi and I visited Egypt, which was quite an adventure. Read about it here.
In Luxor, after our morning escorted tour that included the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut where several dozen tourists were to be mowed down two weeks later, I rented a bike for $5. For an hour I rode around Luxor, all by myself (image below).
At one point, to get off the heavily traveled main street, I strayed into a lower-class residential area with dirt streets. I was wearing a hat that had "NY" on it and children called out to me, in English, and said "hello" and "welcome".
One boy grabbed hold of the rear of the bike and I shouted "La-a" which is "no" in Arabic, but he held on until I shouted "don't touch!" in English. The dirt streets were winding in and out like a rabbit warren with many dead ends. I had trouble finding my way out and back to the main street, but, eventually I did, with no harm done. I felt quite comfortable during that ride.
Bicycle-Barge Adventure
I went on two Bicycle-Barge trips in Europe. The first to the Loire River area of France, and the second in Belgium, from Brussels to Bruges.
In September 2011, Bernie Stopper and I (along with Jerry Bauer and other members of the Village Bicycle Club) did a wonderful Belgian Bicycle Barge trip from Brussels to Bruges.
Here, Bernie stands alongside our barge, the "Magnifique". There were about 20 of us, all from our club, plus an attentive crew of four, one of whom guided on our daily cycling trips.
Bike Friday Fold-Up
My Girl's Bike
I had the great pleasure of riding on my Girl's bike with our granddaughters Samantha and Michaela when they visited in 2015 (image below).
And my bicycling is memorialized for my 70th birthday, in 2009.
My Recumbent Trike
MY BALANCE PROBLEM DUE TO PARKINSONS DISEASE
I made the decision to quit Bicycling due to a tumble in January 2016 and a second fall in February. Actually, my Bicycle falls started back in 2011, when I fell four times, twice during an otherwise wonderful bike-barge trip in Belgium from Brussels to Bruges.
The following year, 2012, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, which is due to insufficient production of Dopamine in the brain. My symptoms include poor balance, tremors, and loss of the sense of smell. I've been taking a medication (Carbidopa/Levodopa) that helps with the tremors, but my balance has declined a bit year by year.
Indeed, from 2012 through 2016, I've fallen from my bike once or twice a year, usually when making slow right turns. This despite taking extraordinary care, such as walking intersections and not cycling with large groups.
Nevertheless, until 2016, I continued to Bicycle 30-40 miles per week, accompanied by close friends who put up with my antics.
In my younger years, I just hopped aboard and off I went. However, after my second fall in 2016, I found it increasingly hard to get the bike going. I'd adjust myself on the bike seat, keeping the bike upright with my left foot. Then, I'd put my foot on the right pedal, push it hard to get the bike moving forward, balancing as I tried to raise my left to it's proper place on the left pedal. However, my left foot seemingly "did not want" to leave the ground, and that foot had a heck of a time "finding it's position on the left pedal". It usually took me two or more tries to get going. Very frustrating!
Much easier with the trike!
Are THREE Wheels Better that TWO? My Recumbent Trike!
After many years, and thousands of miles of BI-cycling, I switched to TRI-cycling!
As the image below indicates, I've changed my T-shirt message from "Got Bike?" to "Got Trike!"
MY "CATRIKE" 27-SPEED "VILLAGER" RECUMBENT TRICYCLE
I purchased a used 27-speed recumbent trike from a nice couple in The Villages, had the local Village Cycle shop install a luggage rack, and mounted my laundry basket (for my water aerobics stuff) to the trike with bungee cords. The brand name is Catrike, and, quite fittingly, the model name is Villager.
And, perhaps best of all, my Catrike is MADE IN THE USA (actually right here in Florida!)
Look at my progression of bicycles! As noted above, first bike I owned was a 1956 Raleigh 3-Speed. In 1987 I got a Mountain Bike. That was replaced in 1990 by a Long-Wheelbase Recumbent, then a 1996 Folding Bike Friday. By 2014 it became difficult to lift my leg high, so I switched to a Schwinn Girl's Bike.
In 2014, after several falls due to balance issues from Parkinson's disease, I had to go to 3-wheels, a Catrike Recumbent Tricycle. Then, in 2018, to help me keep up with my bicycling buddies, I've gone to an Electric Assist Motor on my Catrike!
Our local Villages Cycles did a fine job installing an Electric Bike Outfitters (EBO) Burly kit. As shown above, the Controls and Display Units are on my right handlebar, the Rechargeable Battery hangs from the left rear strut, and the Electric Motor is in the rear wheel hub.
Shown above is a close-up of the Battery and Motor. The Battery may be recharged either on the trike, or, with a key, released from the vehicle for charging. The Battery has a capacity of 11 Ampere-Hours which is about 500 watt-hours; The Motor is rated at 350 watts (around 1/2 HP) for continual use, and 800 watts (over 1 HP) peak.
I normally utilize only a small fraction of rated or peak power. Riding 10 to 15 MPH in the relatively flat Florida area where we live requires only about 120 watts (1/6 HP). My efforts on the pedals provide about half the energy required, and the other half is provided by the Electric Assist.
Using Pedal Assist System (PAS) Level 1, I can keep up with my bike buddies. Thus, I can ride for 70 to 80 miles and still have 20% charge to spare! See for more detail.
Other Outdoor Activities
The graphic above shows my "public image" in The Villages, Florida. Shortly after moving to Florida I happened to be in the library and a photographer from the Orlando Sentinel took my picture and published it. The photo to the right appeared in The Villages Daily Sun and show me kayaking on the Ocklawaha River in 2011, along with members of The Villages Canoe and Kayak Club.
PART 1 - MY MORAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY TAKE SHAPE IN MY COLLEGE DAYS
PART 2 - MY CAREER, MARRIAGE, FLYING, AND OUR "GREEN ACRES" DAYS.
PART 3 - TOASTMASTERS AND MY EARLY CAREER AT IBM
As the image below indicates, I've changed my T-shirt message from "Got Bike?" to "Got Trike!"
MY "CATRIKE" 27-SPEED "VILLAGER" RECUMBENT TRICYCLE
I purchased a used 27-speed recumbent trike from a nice couple in The Villages, had the local Village Cycle shop install a luggage rack, and mounted my laundry basket (for my water aerobics stuff) to the trike with bungee cords. The brand name is Catrike, and, quite fittingly, the model name is Villager.
Cycling with Electric Assist
Despite the ravages of aging (I turned 80 in January 2019), I've continued to cycle.
Look at my progression of bicycles! As noted above, first bike I owned was a 1956 Raleigh 3-Speed. In 1987 I got a Mountain Bike. That was replaced in 1990 by a Long-Wheelbase Recumbent, then a 1996 Folding Bike Friday. By 2014 it became difficult to lift my leg high, so I switched to a Schwinn Girl's Bike.
In 2014, after several falls due to balance issues from Parkinson's disease, I had to go to 3-wheels, a Catrike Recumbent Tricycle. Then, in 2018, to help me keep up with my bicycling buddies, I've gone to an Electric Assist Motor on my Catrike!
I normally utilize only a small fraction of rated or peak power. Riding 10 to 15 MPH in the relatively flat Florida area where we live requires only about 120 watts (1/6 HP). My efforts on the pedals provide about half the energy required, and the other half is provided by the Electric Assist.
Using Pedal Assist System (PAS) Level 1, I can keep up with my bike buddies. Thus, I can ride for 70 to 80 miles and still have 20% charge to spare! See for more detail.
Kayaking In New York and Florida
I took up kayaking in New York and purchased a nice kayak that could be adjusted to seat one or two people. When we moved to Florida, we took that kayak along. One big difference between New York and Florida is ALLIGATORS!
Bernie Stopper took this photo of me very close to what we originally thought was a fake plastic 8-foor gator.
Well, it turned out to be real.
Read about it here: HERE!
Other Outdoor Activities
I've done hiking and cross-country skiing in New York.
Here in Florida, my outdoor activities (other than cycling) consists of Water Aerobics and a bit off walking.
Vi and I had a wonderful 8-day raft adventure through the Grand Canyon in 2002. We were on a 15-passenger raft with a crew of three and camped along the Colorado River, like this.
Here in Florida, my outdoor activities (other than cycling) consists of Water Aerobics and a bit off walking.
Vi and I had a wonderful 8-day raft adventure through the Grand Canyon in 2002. We were on a 15-passenger raft with a crew of three and camped along the Colorado River, like this.
Of course, everything brought into the canyon had to be brought out, including all garbage from food service and even our poop! At each stop, the crew set up two poop stations, one in a tent and the other in the open.
The photo on the left shows me on the "scenic" poop station, which I preferred because it had fewer flies and smelled better. We peed and bathed in the cold (48 degree) river (women upstream and men downstream).
Local News5
Local5
Local News5
LINKS TO ALL PARTS OF "TO SEE OURSELVES AS OTHERS SEE US"
PART 1 - MY MORAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY TAKE SHAPE IN MY COLLEGE DAYS
PART 2 - MY CAREER, MARRIAGE, FLYING, AND OUR "GREEN ACRES" DAYS.
PART 3 - TOASTMASTERS AND MY EARLY CAREER AT IBM
PART 4 - APPLE II AND IBM PC ROCK OUR WORLD
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