Entangled in the Minutes

Time is such a relative thing. Hours go by in a snap, moments take miles. It all depends on where one's head is.

My last three months have been like watching an hourglass fill. Months previous slipped away like unencumbered sand. Time is a thing that cannot be held in a grasp.

When you're entangled in the minutes, life happens. Grab what you can and don't let go. The golden moments elude us the most in remembrance.

I'm the One Who Changed

This Dream

Why can't I just wake up from this dream, back in time, back into my twenties. I would do so many things differently.

I would never have stopped having sex. I would never have stopped working. I would not have let go of old friends so easily. I would have loved harder, laughed longer, lived more wisely.

I would have saved money, even a dollar a week. I would have flossed every day. I would have married, maybe had a kid, a family. I would have started something and stuck with it.

I wouldn't have spent my college years high on pot, 24/7. I wouldn't have been drunk every evening. I wouldn't have slept with every man who said I was beautiful.

All I can do about the past is remember it differently. That's the only spin I can put on it. Today is the day I can be effective.

And so I awake...into today.

Pictures of Me

I like this photo. I know there are spots all over it, but I still think it's a good photo of me.

I don't have many photos of me through my ages. Recently there are volumes, but that wasn't always true.

I would experience new things without a camera. I would go on vacations without a camera.

I would have much rather had photos of me at 21 or 35 or even 42, and maybe one or two exist, but for the most part nothing. As a child there were many but I want to see myself in my glory days, my 20-30s.

Sometimes I feel like an old hag, fat and gross. I want to remember that I was young and beautiful. I wasted that beauty on brownies and pie and of course time.

Although the years are still gone... I am reclaiming that beauty.

Yesterday

Not on her Trikke

I am going to admit a deep shame. I have not been on my Trikke, Black Birdie, for almost a month. I have been doing a lot of walking, so I'm still getting exercise, or so I tell my stomach and thighs.

I don't know why, but I just don't have the energy. And energy is not like money in the bank. If you save it, it doesn't accrue.

 All I have to do is get on Birdie and it comes back. "...Ahh, yes. This is what it's all about," floods through me. The swish, swish of the tires calm yet invigorate.

My account accrues.

How Long Does "Good-Bye" Take?

It's been two months since I "broke-up" with my best friend. I just couldn't do anything right anymore. Except walk his dog, (although he may have had some suggestions on that front as well).

I thought I'd be friends with that guy for the rest of my life. And I was happy about it.

We would take his dog Boomer to the beach and end up talking and talking while Boomer chased the ball.

We would carve on our Trikkes together and he would wait for me. His fitness level increased so that it was too slow for him to hang back with me. He was like that, sort of ahead of me in everything.

When we started the Trikke magazine it was his vision that glued the details together, although the mag was my idea. It was his writing skills that made it a success, his designs, his content, his photos, his experience as a high school newspaper editor.

There isn't much room for teamwork with a perfectionist as they are the only ones who can do it right. And so things fell apart.

I wasn't the writer he thought, from reading this blog. Articles I turned in were always a "good first draft." My photos were never clear enough, my designs were not hip. I was negative, dark, too self deprecating. I didn't work hard enough, long enough.

When I excelled in marketing he pulled me from the project, saying my focus should be with the mag. I stalled.

After about a year of scrutiny under a very watchful eye and sharp tongue, I broke. I left the magazine, I left a future and I left my best friend. I did it for me.

Of course it doesn't feel good. I know it should. Maybe on my deathbed I'll feel victorious. Right now I feel like a huge loser. Where is the victory in that?

How long before I can forget and move on? How long before I can say good-bye for good?

How long does good-bye take?

Workin' for the CBC!

In another life I volunteered to do some work for the California Bicycle Coalition, at a fundraiser for the Bikestation, way back in June of this year. And now it is time to step up.

I will be authoring their annual fundraiser, for lack of better word choices. Or, I will be putting together their online auction to run with their annual bike summit next month in Los Angeles.

This project has come just in time to save me from myself and an everlasting ennui stemming from too much time on my hands. I can only knock myself out on my Trikke so many times a week. And that I do.

The CBC is an advocacy group for bicyclists, by bicyclists, that helps educate and inform about bike safety issues facing bikers. They interface with CalTrans, write legislation and communicate with lawmakers in California, as well. Among other things... they were proponents of the 3-foot law in which cars must allow at least three feet in passing a bike on the street.

As a Trikker, I can ride in their wake. I use the same streets, abide by the same laws. We are a good team we Trikkers and bikers. Eventually everyone will agree.

Saying Good-Bye

I never thought I'd use that pic to say good-bye with, but I have officially left the Trikke world behind. I have closed my facebook account and said the good-byes that I needed to say. So it is now over.

It was a good world to be a part of for a while, but I guess I'm not a joiner or a group person. Never have been. I tried for a while, but it just didn't fit. 

So I'm where I was a year ago. All I lost was some time and my best friend who I guess really wasn't. Good-bye Trikke world and all its inhabitants. 

Why does that sound like "good-bye cruel world?" to me?  It isn't...

Fire and Ice

his weather changed like mercury.
his clouds form and darken, then
sun breaks through.
the heat of his ore
the cold of his ice
smelted and sculpted
me down
until
a splinter
of myself
is left.

The Jake Update

My old man kitty Jake, (14+ years) fell off my fifth floor balcony last week. It is true that cats are not as sure-footed as most think. They can be downright clumsy. Yet, that is not the slant I want to take with this post.

From what I heard, the manager heard a loud thump. She went out to see what it was and found an injured cat. White with grey on his head. Not knowing what else to do she called animal control. When they arrived 45 minutes later and picked him up, his bowels emptied. (No shit!)

The opinion was he was going off to be put down. That is what I was told when calling after not being able to find him in my apartment. I thought he might have been lost in the building.

It was one of those rough nights of the soul with little sleep to escape with. Next morning with a call to the Humane Society, I found Jake was still alive and ready for pick-up. WOW!

He was in bad shape. Falling five flights is like being hit at 25 mph. His back legs swayed back and forth as he walked. He whimpered for two days. I got him to the vet on Friday and was told if he's not better by Monday I should put him down. He got pain meds.

A cat on pain meds is a sloppy thing. They become very wobbly and their eyes are drunken. On Sunday he was visibly better. He didn't need meds that day. He started eating again and talking to me. I sat with him and held him (when he was ready) for five days.

I remember the doctor telling me Jake has a bigger problem, which is probably why he fell.
But today he is much better. It's been eight days now. I am so reminded time heals all wounds. And yet it seems so long when one is entangled in the minutes.

Jake's Got 8 Left

Jake on Monday

My senior cat Jake (14 plus years old) has eight lives left after he fell off my fifth floor balcony Tuesday night.

I spent all Tuesday night thinking he was dead. When I called the animal control people I found out he was not. I went Wednesday to get him out of jail.

He is not doing well. He is breathing funny, real short breaths with a noise like it's hard to breathe. I think he is in pain and not in shock (his gums are pink and his paws warm).

I'm not sure what to do today, I am just leaving him alone to relax and heal for now. Usually I tell him to quiet down because he wails at me. This is one time I wish he'd complain. Then I'd know he was all right.

Back From The Brink!

Jake Domino likes the smell of my Crocs

Message of Gratitude

Bikestation Grand Opening, Long Beach, CA

My Trikke, black Birdie

For almost four months I have been a client of the Bikestation in downtown Long Beach. I love the convenience and helpfulness of its employees. When I recently needed some minor wrenching done on my Trikke, it was done for free.

And so I went to the grand opening, September 15, with the politicians and citizens of Long Beach. Door prizes were given out including two free one-year memberships and a basket of bike goodies as well.

Mayor Foster at Ribbon Cutting 

The Bikestation in Long Beach was the first in a chain across the USA. It is centrally located next to the blue line, the metro and the LB Transit systems. The organization was founded to make it easier to bike not only in Long Beach, but to also help those who commute using bikes.

Their mission is to make biking an integral part of the transportation mix, because with more bike usage we get cleaner air, safer streets and healthier living.

The Bikestation offers repairs, accessories, rental bikes, lockers, restrooms, changing rooms, showers, bike tours, free air and water if needed. For members they offer convenient 24/7 access to bikes stored away from home.

The Ramp

The Bikestation is Trikke friendly and is willing to work with all kinds of vehicles that are human or electric powered (no detailed repairs on Trikkes or Pon-es. For those repairs see SouthBay Trikke). Some locations have charging stations for electrics.

I guess you could say I'm a fan. While there is only one elevator working in my building of many motorized wheel-chairs, it's the only convenient option for me. Plus, I get an extra workout walking to and from the Bikestation. Thank you Long Beach for being so bike and Trikke friendly!

Girl Power

Trikke Tri-bred Pon-es

Photo by SouthBay Trikke's, Sean Tice

Just Because I can...

 

Thanks, Sonya Tayeh!

Happy Day!

Another Update...

Update! Weight Loss Challenge

I started a weight loss challenge in April in TrikkeWorld Magazine. I lost a total of 16 pounds in the process and finally fell off the plateau that I was on for a year! Even though the official date for the weigh-in is Saturday, I couldn't wait.

As far as pant sizes, I’ve gone down at least two. For the inches, I mostly lost ½ -1 inch, except off the waist and hips where I lost a total of 5 ½ inches, with the grand total of 10 inches overall! Since April, 2011!! Since I first started with the Trikke in September of 2009, I have lost 18 ½ inches and 46 pounds.

I have recently hit the ten-year mark with diabetes. So far I have been lucky with the disease because I only take one pill a day, no shots. I also keep my blood sugar levels low. I accomplish that with my Trikke.

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I measured my blood sugar levels four times a day. I ate a good diet and I avoided all the things that I loved. I was scared and I was careful.

My A1C levels were high, 7.4 (the A1C blood test measures my average blood sugar level over the previous three months). My cholesterol levels were high as well, more than 200. I admitted to smoking. My weight was almost 300 pounds.

Then a friend showed me his new toy, the Trikke. I moved heaven and earth not only to buy a Trikke, but to get fit enough to ride it.

It wasn’t long before my A1C numbers dropped to healthy levels, to a 6.1. My cholesterol number dropped to 126. My weight dropped to 251 pounds, now 240. My Body by Trikke has gifted me with some really good results.

My T8, Black Birdie and me (age 55), we’re going to be carving the streets in Long Beach, CA for a long time!

In Another Life

In another life I was the editor of TrikkeWorld Magazine. In this life I had a weight loss challenge. I wanted to lose 55 pounds by my 55th birthday which is Saturday. Even though I didn't lose the 55 pounds, I think the challenge was a huge success.

Not only did I finally fall off the plateau that I was on for a year (!) but I did lose another 11 pounds in the process. Even though the official date for the weigh-in is Saturday, I couldn't wait. I don't think I can lose much more in that time anyway!

As far as loss in inches, which is really the big tell in this, I will wait for Saturday. I will be measuring today though, before my b-day cake arrives!

I bleed

He injected himself
into my veins like heroin.
He warmed my soul
he made me smile.

Now glass shards
have formed and
have nicked
my heart.

The things he said to me
the things he said
echo in my ears
and I bleed
and bleed.

My Affair with Long Beach Continues On

No matter what happiness or sadness I experience, I like to share it with my fair city, Long Beach, CA. I put on my comfy shoes and walk.

I walk down Pine with all the stores and restaurants buzzing with activity and people going on about their tasks. I walk down Ocean Blvd with its traffic and lights and I continue on. Past the Convention Center and the Center Theatre. Past the protected bike lanes and cycle tracks. Past the hotels and motels. Past where I used to live on Lime Ave. Past the food stores and the WalMart.

I walk past the fountains and the water falls. I walk through high rent areas and low. I just walk. I just walk. I just...

The Last Time I...

My whole life I have gone through a sort of ritual after a loss. Such as "the last time I brushed my teeth..." or "the last time I wore this shirt..." I was at my grandmother's house or I was still with so and so.

And so it goes, again. The last time I answered the phone with a smile, or the last time I saw another Trikker on the path or the last time I painted my nails this color... My life was so much better.

Loss is so hard. Change sucks. Things that were said cannot be taken back. The last time I didn't cry every day you were still my friend.

Penance

After the T-bone accident two weeks ago, my life has changed quite a bit. I lost a friend, a job and quite a bit of self esteem. Since that time I have decided to forgive myself.

Life hands us so many lessons. Sometimes we need to be slapped to learn them. I guess I was punched in the stomach with this one. Maybe I was on the wrong path, going in the wrong direction. Maybe bigger things are around the corner. Maybe...

I am scabbed over and when the scars fade I will be reborn. I have learned my lessons and am choosing to recreate myself and move on. Only sunny days ahead of me.

Not At My Best

Yesterday I T-boned a little kid on the beach bike path. He wasn't more than 6-8 years old. I really scared him more than anything, no scrapes or cuts. And it happened while I was braking, but I wasn't stopped yet. I guess I'm trying to make this sound better than it is.

I think something happens to us when our blood is pumping fast, as in when carving. I know I have talked to a friend about how aggressive we become on the bike paths while jocky-ing for space.

That kid had been doing slow circles in the middle of the bike bath, both lanes. When I came upon him he started racing me in the pedestrian lane. He then waited and waited and waited and then turned right in front of me -- I couldn't stop. I was going too fast in my left curve of the carve. You see, I couldn't swerve right.

At that point a slew of brown words came shooting out of my mouth. I saw his red bike in the white sand. He was running back to his parent who was no where to be seen. I think he decided he was too far from mom and turned back. Who knows.

I didn't want to deal with an angry parent so I rode on. The kid was okay, it really was a slow hit, and he fell in the soft sand. I didn't even fall off the Trikke.

I was caught not at my best by only one witness, a kind bike guy who stopped to make sure everyone was okay. There was a very peaceful look on his face, I felt better for seeing him there. And yet I continued my salty tirade about that kid aiming for me for quite a distance. His look said take a breath, and I did. Then I smiled and rode on.

My blood was pumping fast as I was angry and just missed falling off the Trikke again. It was very hot. I felt like I was going to barf. My heart was all spent by the time I got to the pier, which was the half-way point.

I didn't want to go back the way I had come for two reasons: the wind was strong and the kid with his angry mother.

I am not proud of myself today. I was my father in that moment. I may have scarred a kid for life.

Afterthought -- I wasn't completely like my father, he'd have chased me down and beat me.

JTs Three-Wheel Zone

I have created a new label for all the posts on my blog that have to do with my Trikke called JTs Three-Wheel Zone. I'm just refreshing my brand if you will. After all, I am JT and I can do what I want here!

So look for some new posts and maybe re-posts of some of my favorites! Any suggestions?

Plus, look for me on Twitter as I tweet about my fitness challenge. I will post tips on fitness that maybe you don't know about. Don't worry I won't be making stuff up. I'll just pass on info that I find useful.

So, welcome to my world, the world of JT. And yes, I am full of myself. I'd have to be to think anyone is interested in my ramblings!

What is this "Sweet Spot"?

Me on Blue Birdie, my first Trikke

I have heard that term from the first day I got on my Trikke. It seems to mean many things, as many as people to define the term. Then an "old-timer" spelled it out for me in terms that even I understood.

The "sweet spot" is that spot when the Trikke hits the centrifugal force in the turn. And I thought it was when everything worked together to give one a smooth ride. I guess it still could mean that.

The one week anniversary of my face meeting the pavement was marked by the sweetest ride I think I have ever been on in my two years on a Trikke. Some rides it seems I can barely get into the groove but that day I was circling Rainbow Lagoon, or as we call it "the pond."

Every time I came around the folks at the pool I would slip into this ballet style dance. It felt as if I were a butterfly, alighting on one flower to the next. I don't think I will ever forget how good that felt. A bike sure can't give one that feeling of lightness and purpose.

I have read many stories of the Trikke "saving" the lives of one person to the next. I am one in that list. I was a chain-smoking, diabetic, TV-watching-24-hours-a-day-fool that weighted almost 300 pounds with a sugar addiction and suicidal tendencies.

The Trikke has not only given me a new lease on life (take that Dr. Oz) but it has also given me a new purpose as managing editor of TrikkeWorld Magazine.

I saw an acquaintance the other day for the first time in about 18 months, and he could barely contain himself when he saw me again.

My fountain of youth has three wheels on it.

OOPS! I did it again!

The very first time I mounted a Trikke, in a moment of panic, I jackknifed the handlebars and went flying. I landed on my face in the street and I wasn't wearing a helmet. I ended up with a ruddy nose and a black eye.

Last Thursday I was carving, I was in the zone, hitting that sweet spot, soaring on my Trikke, Black Birdie. Then, POP! The front fork dropped down, Boom! It felt like my front tire fell into a hole. It immediately stopped my Trikke but it did not stop me. Once again I flew over the handlebars and landed on my face in the street.

I was so dumbstruck I just sat there on the hot asphalt (actually a wonderful bike lane that Long Beach has provided us with -- thank you LB!) and wondered how I was going to pull myself up or even drag myself out of the street. It seemed like quite a while before anyone came across me there.

The first thing discovered was my front tire blew out. It was so bald the inner workings of the tire were exposed. What? I had recently added air to that tire! And my back tires are still in great shape. Yet at the Newport Beach Back Bay ride on 7/24/11, I seem to remember a fleeting thought that my front tire was aging. But a lot was going on and I forgot about it. 

So there it is, I was not paying attention to the condition of Black Birdie.

After my first trip over the handlebars I vowed to always wear a helmet. The sun guard on the helmet has grooves in it where my forehead hit the street. Those grooves would have been in my face.

So to recap, I did not pay attention to the condition of my Trikke. I did not check things out, and I hadn't for a long time. Oh sure, I squeeze my tires every couple of rides, but that's it. (And yes, I do know how to check the oil in a car.)

When something stupid happens to someone intelligent, one has to learn one's lesson quickly and move on. I have learned that lesson, and have a new interest in caring for Black Birdie. (And yes, I have been back on the horse that bucked me!)

The Newest Me

Me, ruminating

Life is really sparking around me lately. What I mean by that is a lot is happening and it's happening quickly. Don't get me wrong, I am loving it.

In my travels around the WWW, I have found some very valuable info about blogging and what creates readership and growth. I am not doing those things. So in a feeble attempt to catch up I have several approaches to try.

Firstly, the whole premise about me being full of myself is all wrong. I am supposed to write about what my readers will relate to. I have come from the opposite side of that topic while writing about what was concerning me at that moment.

The reason I created the blog was to overcome my quietness and have a voice somewhere. No one wants to listen to my ramblings aloud. So the blog was created. The second part of my life had not started yet so I had plenty of time to ramble on.

What has happened since 2009 is mind blowing. I am a partner in an online magazine. We are working with some high-powered people in the city of Long Beach, CA. There are letters to write, contacts to follow-up on, phone calls to make and so on.

So I have become a busy gal. And all this started with a friend seeing an infomercial in the middle of the night for a product called the Trikke. And the rest they say, is history.

Fitness Challenged

I have been on the diet roller coaster for a few months now. I'm trying to lose as much weight as safely possible by my 55th b-day. I am still hovering around 250, a number I cannot seem to break. What does 250 pounds mean to me?

When I originally gained the weight back in 1993, it was to protect myself. It was also due to a depression so deep I had to feed it like a monster come out of the closet. The only thing that got me through the day was the taste of a dozen doughnuts or a fruit pie. I no longer need the extra poundage and it's become another form of monster to get rid of.

Ok, that's the why of it, so where is the why not, as in why not drop the weight? I am around a lot of people right now and yet I don't feel threatened. I feel small. Is that why I feel the need to be so "artificially" big? There are more questions than answers.

In my weight loss challenge in TrikkeWorld Magazine I have decided to go back to the simple act of exercising and consuming fewer calories than I burn. The KISS method, as in keep it simple sweetie, is my best bet. What is it about me that returns to militant to get the pounds off?

So I'm easing up on myself and trikking more. Those are very important pieces to the puzzle of losing weight. Oh, and eating less with no unscheduled in-between snacking. No eating my way through a TV session anymore. No filling myself with artificial means to reach that empty pit in the center of my soul, (isn't that after all what this whole issue is really about?).

I'm going to start the visualizing as well. I'll see myself at lower weights, more comfortable weights. I'll see myself carving farther and stronger. I'll see myself with less pain. I'll see myself fly...

Reprinting Cougar

I hate this term, "cougar." It sounds like a woman who is over the hill who preys on the young. A woman squeezed into a too tight dress with lipstick on her teeth. Even the images that come to mind are of predatory women who hit and run, being so lonely that all they can get or hope to achieve is a one night stand. After all, most men will "tap that" with anything that has a pulse, (I have that on authority from a male friend).

So the tables have turned. Women have come a long way, now we can be the aggressors. This is a good thing, don't get me wrong. But labeling us as "cougars" is just another way men get a grip on a powerful woman. And put her down.

This is such a pejorative term, "cougar". It just seems like these women are chasing their lost youth. And maybe that's the point. After all men preyed upon us when we had tight skin. Didn't we think they were chasing their lost years? Why can't a woman do the same?

I would love to consume a youthful, beautiful body just like the next person. I just don't want to be labeled a "cougar" while doing it.

A Lesser Anniversary

I have recently hit the ten-year mark with diabetes. So far I have been lucky with the disease because I only take one pill a day, no shots. I also keep my blood sugar levels low. I accomplish that with my Trikke.

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I measured my blood sugar levels four times a day. I ate a good diet and I avoided all the things that I loved. I was scared and I was careful.

My A1C levels were high, (the A1C blood test measures my average blood sugar level over the previous three months). My cholesterol levels were high. I admitted to smoking. My weight was almost 300 pounds.

Then a friend showed me his new toy, the Trikke. I moved heaven and earth not only to buy a Trikke, but to get fit enough to ride it.

It wasn’t long before my A1C numbers dropped to healthy levels, from a 7.4 to a 6.1. My cholesterol number dropped from about 200 to 126. My Body by Trikke has gifted me with some really good test results.

I realize, after taking my health for granted for so many years, I’ve got to stop messing around. Sugar doesn’t have quite the hold it used to have over me, nor do fatty foods. As I eat my vegetable-laden salads nightly, I enjoy crisp, fresh tastes in my mouth. I love the way it makes me feel when I eat healthy foods. I like it so much that I am considering eating (mostly) raw foods. And what that means to me is lots of fruits and vegetables. 

I am also focusing on eating whole foods, those foods that are generally one ingredient, like eggs or oranges or salmon. They are full of valuable nutrients needed for Trikking. That’s the energy I need, not the empty calories from say, a Snickers bar. Skittles will not feed my muscles. Mars bars will not help my organs function. To further my point, researchers have recently discovered Alzheimer’s is diabetes of the brain.

The experts think diabetes can be controlled with diet and movement, and tearing up the sidewalk with the Trikke is a great way to move. The cardio exercise I get on the Trikke is tremendous. I tend to Trikke for longer periods of time, more than with any other form of exercise. That’s got to help!

Trikking has definitely changed my life for the better. It has already extended my life and created a better me.

SouthBay Trikke  is the place to shop for all things Trikke. Plus Demos, lessons, fix-its, etc!

Originally published in TrikkeWorld Magazine. For more of my weight loss challenge, visit TrikkeWorld Magazine the chronicle of the carving revolution!

Dork of the Day, Revisited

I had to laugh when I reread this post from almost two years ago. It was so silly that I decided to re-post it, just to remind myself not to take myself too seriously. Here goes...

Just recently I got my first ipod. I had to learn how to operate it, load songs and create a library in itunes. Technology has such a learning curve.

I now use it wherever I go, on the bus, walking, anytime I want to communicate to anyone, "please don't talk to me."

So it was that I came home yesterday after listening to my music rather loudly, ya know, like music is meant to be listened to. After taking the ear buds out of my ears I noticed that my right ear was muffled and felt blocked. I thought that it was due to the loud volume I had just been enjoying. Or maybe, well never mind. I was thinking I would have to go to the doctor to have my ear checked.

I sat down to watch the news. Still not able to get that ear problem off my mind. I started to take off my earrings when my finger brushed against something sticking out of my ear, the padding from the ear bud, you know that white plastic that surrounds the metal speaker. I removed it and, problem solved.

And now you know why this is entitled "Dork of the Day".

One Trikker's Initiation

Since the separated bike lanes appeared in Long Beach, users have been harassed, yelled at and cursed. It's part of the initiation. It's part of the dues paid for use of the lanes.

And so it was bound to happen.  I was yelled at by an angry driver as I was about to get into the bike lane.

I was able to shake off the confrontation pretty quickly as I was on my way to the fundraising event at the new Bikestation at the transit mall in Long Beach, CA. I was going to be in a room filled with others who have been cursed at. In other words the users and creators of the bike lanes.

The event was a fundraiser for the California Bicycle Coalition. Dave Snyder, executive director for the San Francisco division was there.The room was also full of Long Beach movers and shakers, bike fans and even some Trikkers.

I arrived on my green Pon-e, Elekktra. I parked it with the other bikes on the top floor of the Bikestation, where members can store their bikes with 24/7 access. This is great if you want to ride a bike or Trikke to work and you can't bring it with you. There are showers for sweaty bikers on their way to meetings. There are many reasons  to utilize the Bikestation.


Even I will be using the Bikestation soon. I will be parking my Trikke there as they work on the larger elevator in my building. I expect knock-down drag-out fights with the elderly trying to fit their electric wheelchairs in an elevator that will accept very little else.

The event was casual. There was wine and beer, and some fabulous tacos were available. There were speeches. Then  several thousand dollars was donated among the attendees.

I was very happy to bring the Trikke to this event. Trikkes are becoming visible in Long Beach. It is a part of the dialogue and is in the photos. The Trikke is present. It makes me happy to see the acceptance of my funny three-wheeled vehicle in this very accepting city by the sea. Long Beach is truly a city of the future as it incorporates new ideas with the old.

Dare I say it again? I love Long Beach, CA!

Loving Long Beach

I have dropped more deeply in love with Long Beach over this past weekend. Long Beach opened the separated bike lanes on Saturday with more than 100 people present. Finally those selfish gas guzzlers are learning again what they should have learned in kindergarten -- how to share!

I have been reading the comments in the local papers about what people think of the new "sharrows" and most of the comments have been made by those dinosaurs that will soon be paying $6 a gallon for their right to pollute the world. That doesn't seem so smart to me.

Long Beach has provided us a way to be safer while not running people down on the sidewalks. Long Beach has given us a speedier way to get across town without having to compete for road space with a couple of tons of metal going at speeds of 40 mph. Long Beach has given us space to set aside our cars and ride our Trikkes/bikes to the store or other local errands. Long Beach has given us a chance to do something that will better our environment.

And so it is up to us now, because these separated bike lanes are a trial effort. We have 1-year to prove to the city that we love what they have done for us. And the way to do that is to lock up the car and take a ride on a Trikke or bike or whatever form of human powered vehicle you choose.

One Trickk Pon-e

My new Pon-e, Elekktra, is amazing. I am rather a slow trikker but I can keep up with the crowd on the Pon-e. I don't have to worry about distances when I am on Elekktra, I can go about 20 miles on a single charge. It really satisfies my search for fun, safety and what I call speed.

I feel pretty safe on Elekktra, probably since I am so used to the Trikke. I have always been afraid of motorcycles; riding, steering and changing gears, it's all too much.

I really am a timid creature when it comes to taking chances that might result in asphalt burn or broken bones. Any kind of discomfort makes me nervous, really. And yet because of the stance on the foot pads with the Pon-e, I don't think of personal injury so much.

The Pon-e is such a blast to run errands with. A trip to the market turns into a fun ride around town. This is the closest I've been to owning a car in 17 years. The convenience factor is so important. And when it's all done, I take Elekktra into the elevator, up to my apartment and straight to my bedroom where I have made a space for her.

I love not having to depend upon exact change for the bus. I love not being a slow moving target. I love that I don't have to purchase gas, insurance or maintain a big savings account for car repairs. I love that my world got a little smaller with the Pon-e.

Plus, it's shiny and new. Who doesn't like shiny and new?

Loving Long Beach, Part ll

Charlie Gandy and John Simpson, Trikke

On Friday, April 1st, TrikkeWorld Magazine met with Charlie Gandy, in the mayor's office, to talk about Trikkifying Long Beach. That story will unfold in TrikkeWorld Magazine in the months to come.

I had arranged for Trikke Tech to bring down from Buellton, a Pon-e for everyone to ride, or should I say have a blast with. Trikke Tech just happens to be unleashing their new model Pon-e's this month, which are the lithium powered Trikkes. We were flying through the new bike lanes that Long Beach is unveiling in a few weeks. These lanes are such a gift for all who currently fight for sidewalk space.

I am not a full throttle gal, but I was racing to keep up with the guys. We flew east-bound through bike lanes that access Broadway to First street to Junipero, to horrors, a descent down one very steep hill to the beach!

I never realized how much fun it is to be terrified and thrilled all at the same time. My inner-child really had a full play day on the Pon-e. If only people could try these things...

We followed the lanes all the way through Belmont Shore, on the new Sharrow lanes. There will be fewer accidents between bikes and side-walkers, especially here in Belmont Shore.

Long Beach is a very forward thinking city, and it is thinking green.  Prediction --  there are going to be a lot of Trikkes tooling around my favorite City-by-the-Sea in time for summer.

And thankfully, we will have safe new lanes to take us where needed  for exercise or a quick stop at the market. My favorite, the corridor that runs from Alamitos to the LA River bike trail, and back. It used to be a difficult trek on a trikke with no other location but the sidewalk to ride on.

Thank you, Long Beach for making the sidewalks and streets safer for bikes and Trikkes! And thank you, Charlie Gandy for being the newest Trikke advocate!

What Was I Thinking?!?

I have been wanting to lose weight since I put it on 18 years ago. Last  year I had a good start when I lost 30 pounds, but then I got sloppy. I think I relied too much on my Trikke for taking the weight off and not enough on calorie control. So I'm taking another shot at it.

Losing weight must be like quitting smoking, in that I must keep trying until my goal is reached. Just because I failed a few times, the only real failure is giving up. So I am focusing on my health, on the calories I shove into my mouth, and exercising every day.

The crazy thing is I am doing it in front of 98 (to date) readers of TrikkeWorld Magazine as well as you, my blog fans! I think the pressure is just what I need to keep my nose out of the refrigerator.

I will be reporting in once a week at the magazine, but more frequently here. I see this as the space where I can blow off the day to day steam from not being able to eat my way through my anger, joy, fear, excitement, disappointment and whatever other feelings I may have in any given moment.

My first installment will be March 24th, and I will focus on why I over eat, how it started, some of the psychology behind my weight gain and my obsession with food. It should be deep, but not so deep that it's uncomfortable to read. That's what I'm aiming for anyway.

Obsessed

My friend and I are either talking about it or doing it together. Sometimes I do it alone. Sometimes I even do it in a group. And ever since I started doing it, it is always on my mind. I'm thinking about where I'll do it tomorrow, or doing it in the SouthBay next week. What is "it" you ask? Well if you are familiar with this blog you can probably guess "it" since I write about "it" a lot..

It's TRIKKING, the best way to have fun and get full body exercise as well. But I'm not writing a sales brochure here, I'm just admitting to an obsession.

 Recently I talked to someone, an interview I was doing for TrikkeWorld Magazine, and this someone had not trikked in a long time. As I spoke to him, his Trikke was hanging above him, on a hook. By the time we were done talking, he was planning to upright it immediately.

That's the way it is with Trikkers. Once you experience carving, nothing else makes sense. Even when I get overwhelmed a Trikke run helps me focus.

It's funny, because as I sit here I am debating between a nap or a Trikke ride. And the Trikke wins again.

Loving Long Beach

I am having a love affair with the city I live in, Long Beach, CA. Not only have I lived here for the last 17 years, but I don't see myself wanting to go anywhere in the near future.

There are so many fascinating parts to this city from its cultural diversity to it's tourist areas. From the museums to the playhouses. From the galleries to the painted electrical boxes on the streets.

Long Beach is a college town, my college town. It is full of young people with fresh ideas and angst. It is full of old people with memories and wisdom. Even the skyline is a combination of old and new.

And the best part is Long Beach's dedication to all things green.

We have recently been given our own bike paths in the downtown retail and residential areas. The paths are freshly laid and separated from the car lanes with a five inch curb. We have beach bike paths that are clean and fresh. And if there is not a class l path, there are ll & lll class lanes that are wide and safe.

The beach path leads to the LA river path. You can go from beaches to marshes to river beds. After a day on the trails there are many watering holes and great restaurants. And after dinner there are clubs for music or comedy or a movie. And there are so many shopping opportunities, with small boutiques to souvenir shops to WalMart.

My favorite thing to do in Long Beach is to ride my Trikke. I can get on it and just go. Anywhere. And so I introduce a new feature to the blog, JT loves LB. Look forward to pics of Long Beach from the point of view of a Trikke enthusiast, me.

What's up

A friend and I gave birth to an online magazine called TrikkeWorld Magazine.

I figured I should announce it to my faithful readers. Especially since my hit counter said no one even visited this site last week! So sad.

I have written so much about the Trikke and its wonderful benefits on my blog. I will continue to do so. And yet it's fun to look back at how the whole affair began. It really started back in 2009 when my same friend saw an infomercial in the middle of the night. From that came my love affair with my Trikke.

Most toys I get I grow tired of pretty quickly, but not the Trikke. Even as my one year anniversary approached I still was loving my Trikke.

Sometimes the funniest things are heard while trikking like it's too hard. It is not. The only other thing I can say about that is it's one fun ride. And it's not too hard.

Like anything the Trikke takes some getting used to, but it is so worth the trouble. And trouble is not the right word. The right word is trust. As you get used to riding the Trikke you develop trust. When that happens it truly is one fun ride!

Back on Track

Since I lost focus on my weight loss journey, I have had to recommit and refocus. And it is working! I am almost back to where I was last July, which was my lowest point, weight wise.

I got sidetracked with Zone Perfect bars and later just junk food and the holidays. It is so easy to lose focus. And of course, if something is good, well more of it must be better. Right? Wrong!

Sometimes I wonder if I really have it in me to lose weight. I am like a junkie when it comes to sugary, greasy foods. I try to introduce more colors into my diet, then I just don't feel hungry. I don't eat what was planned. This is where I mess up. I cannot plan my meals because I am a "what do I feel like eating" kind of person.

Back where I was last year at this time I was wondering if I should do the lap band thing or try again to curtail my sugar jones. I really don't want to do the lap band thing. Not just yet. So I will try again. Not starting over, that's not what this is about. It's about eating as well as I can... one day at a time.

And as long as I keep trying again there is hope. It's like a problem I need to solve. I'll just keep at it until I get it right.