Love affair with my Trikke

I have talked a lot about my Trikke, Birdie, in past posts. I've written about falling off of it, of constantly wanting to get back on it and even ruminated over physical therapy of my knee which has kept me off the Trikke for several months. And yet I don't think I have ever written about all the fuss and bother about the Trikke. I may have written about the first time I saw a friend ride one and immediately knew I wanted one. And I'm going to go through it again with a new perspective.

In April of 2009 I first saw StanLe on his Trikke. He was excited about showing it to me so we went down to the beach bike path and as soon as I saw him ride away, I knew my love affair with movement had truly begun. It reminded me of skating, which I loved but was too scared of falling to get very serious about. And the carving looked like the way I copied surfers riding their bikes. The first time land surfing came into my vocabulary. The best thing about the Trikke is that you have handlebars to hold onto, not like skating when you could fall on your ass at any time, and I really wanted to avoid that.

So, I dreamed of Trikking. I would meet StanLe around Town, me walking, he Trikking, and so I kept that vision of me on a Trikke alive. Finally six months after the dream began, the dream came alive and I bought my first Trikke. It took a few hours to master. I practiced in front of the building where I live. Everyone was curious about this three wheeler deal. I had people cheering me from their balconies... really. After a few short weeks of going one block more, I was Trikking with StanLe.

The feeling I get from Trikking is well, freeing. I am in control of where I go while carving on the sidewalks around my town. The carving is the best, just like riding a sidewalk like a rogue wave.

I cannot wait to get a few months of solid surfing behind me. Before my knee problem, I was there and my Trikke, Birdie, was like an extension of my legs.

I knew how to make the Trikke mine. That's another great thing about this three wheeler. Once you get the basics down, the ride is your own. There are so many ways to ride, for instance the workout can be geared towards a lower body or upper body workout, or both for that matter.

The stories I've heard about weight loss are many, and there is even a 75 year old Trikker, which I am aiming for. Well actually both of those things I'm aiming for, a skinny 80 year old Trikker, that's my goal.

So, If anyone wants to get in on the ride of a lifetime look up South Bay Trikke. They will do you right! Tell them I sent you, I get free gear!

P.S. Never ride without a helmet!!

photo by Randy Boyd