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.

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...

Girl Power

Trikke Tri-bred Pon-es

Photo by SouthBay Trikke's, Sean Tice

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!

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!)

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!

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!

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!

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.

My (Black) Birdie, my T8

I have not reported on my new T8 at all, and I've been riding it for over a month now. It took a few weeks to get used to, but now that I am the master, all things are well. I must admit that this is one of the best purchases I have ever made. Not only does it reaffirm my commitment to losing weight, but as a friend said it's a fountain of youth for me. And it is.

Not only do I do eight miles on a regular basis, but just getting out in the sunshine is good for my soul. It is good to see familiar faces on the streets. I get lots of smiles and questions, and sometimes that's a pain, but it's worth the risk to be one of the only females to trikke on a regular basis in Long Beach. I am an example. I am a role model for the idea that it's never too late.

The T8 is like driving with power steering. It is so easy to glide around on. I'm really glad I had the T78 for the first year so that I could fully appreciate this model. It has made me a better Trikker.

And so, I live for sunny days. I live for days with soft breezes. I live to trikke. With all that in mind, my life has improved -- from watching TV all day on the couch to watching the weather report so as to figure what trail would be best for that particular day. Thank you Trikke. Thank you (Black) Birdie.

It's Too Hard

As I ride my Trikke down the street I get a wide variety of comments such as "is it fun?", "is it a good workout?", and "is it hard to learn?" Just to set the record straight -- yes, yes and no. Yet the most mind boggling comment I hear is "it's too much work."

The craziest comment heard was from a guy standing in line, at the marine recruiting station, waiting to do pull ups. "It's too much work!" he says. And yet, he's waiting to do pull ups! Now that's hard work!

The vast majority of folks with negative comments are much younger than me. Picture it -- a 54 year old obese woman having a blast carving up the sidewalk and two men in their thirties comment under their breath "it's too much work." Picture it again -- a 54 year old obese woman carving up the sidewalk who overhears "it's fun" says one "it's too much work" says the other 12 year old. Picture it one more time -- a 54 year old obese woman carving up the sidewalk hears "it's too much work" from strollers on the bike path. What!?!

The Trikke is so much fun that sometimes I forget it is an exercise machine. Others see it as an exercise machine and don't know how fun it is. Either way the Trikke is an exercise machine that is hard sometimes, yet always fun, even when I'm puffing up a trail. Maybe I need to check that strained (yet joyous) look on my face.

Bye-Bye (Blue) Birdie

I have graduated to the next level of Trikking, the T8. It seems to be a shrunk-down version of a T12, which is the cadillac of the Trikke world. So if the T12 is the cadillac, the T8 must be the corvette.

I am still getting used to the T8, just like a new bike or new anything. It is just different. I even notice the difference in a new computer keyboard to be honest. So getting used to the T8 requires new muscles to work, a new wiggle if you will.

My first Trikke, (blue) Birdie, will be sold to a good home as I step forward into a new realm of Trikking. The new T8, (Black) Birdie, is such a smooth ride! All I have to do is move the handlebars back and forth and I just glide down the sidewalk. This is what land skiing is all about.

The T8 feels like the lubed-up version of the T78. It feels just like an oil change in my old mustang, (back when I had that car). I never noticed anything until I drove out of the tune-up bay. The car felt like it was on rails. I just glided down the street. I am gliding once again.

If I could talk to a T78 fan, I would tell them to step up to the T8. Immediately. I fell in love with Trikking all over again! The cost is so worth it, especially since I plan to Trikke for many years to come. Plus, South Bay Trikke has refurbished models available right now at a greatly reduced price.

So, Step up... You know you want to.

Farewell, Blue Birdie!

Labor Day=Trikke Day

The Labor Day Trikke Ride in Long Beach was a huge success! We had 20 Trikkers on the bike path. This is something Long Beach has never seen. And yet, something Long Beach will see several times per year hereafter. I am so pleased with the baby I birthed.

After riding all 10 miles, I was beat! We all went to a pub after and had lunch. What a hearty group. For someone who is not comfortable in a crowd I did really well. After all we all have something in common -- a love for Trikking. Everything else is incidental.

Since the "ride" I have been exhausted. I've been beat from that positive energy. But what a way to be!

Who knew that, when I first saw someone on a Trikke and knew I had to have one, it would open up a whole world of new friends and colleagues.

If this were the Trikke Awards I would give the most inspirational award to he who first showed me his Trikke. To South Bay Trikke an award for best selling, servicing and teaching. And Trikke gets the award for the most fun on three wheels.

I of course would get best female athlete of the day because no one tried harder than me to complete the circuit!