Tag: aging

EH, WHAT’S UP, DOC?

Of course, Bugs Bunny comes to mind with those infamous words, but I am not talking about him. To be honest, I am bored and I am just rambling on here. I am composing this on Sunday, April 7. I warn you upfront that this post has next to nothing to do with tadpole trikes. Consequently, you may not want to waste time reading it. The very last paragraph is about my tadpole trike. Basically, this post is about aging.

For most of us our memories start to fail us as we age. Since I am not able to ride today I have spent the day sort of reminiscing listening to music videos on YouTube. I am listening mostly to Evie Tornquist Karlsson who was very popular back in the 70s and 80s. It brings back memories. She appeared with the Billy Graham Crusades for 9 years.

I get emails every once in awhile from Together We Served asking and suggesting that I capture memories from my 8 years serving in the U.S. Navy … while I still remember them. Certainly several things have escaped my memory and it is too late. Others have reported the same thing.

My dad in his mid 80s undertook the task of writing his life memories, especially his time in the Navy during WW2, but he started in his early childhood. Of course, there were some things he could not recall clearly. He was part of the Greatest Generation and so he had much to say. I have thought of doing the same, but I came along after his generation and honestly don’t feel I have much to write about that would interest anybody. I am glad I have his personal story on paper while he could still remember most of it. I wrote “A Tribute to my Dad” a few years ago in which I shared the story he wrote. Some people find it interesting to read while others could care less. And HERE is my dad’s story in another location in cyber space.

We all have the same amount of time each passing day. I belong to a few different Facebook groups including those for the ships I served on in the Navy. Thru these groups I am exposed to others who served on these same ships. Some of them were aboard the ship the same time I was, but most of them I didn’t know. One thing I have noticed is that sometimes we don’t remember certain occurrences the same way. And, like me, they readily admit that their memories are failing them as they age. One of those occurrences was my last time out to sea when we experienced “The Night We Almost Lost the Ship“. I wrote this article about it several years ago and found that I didn’t remember it the same as some of my shipmates. One thing I have noticed is a tendency not to be able to remember which ship things happened on.

Today is “eclipse day” which the world is making a big deal out of. We will see what occurs regarding  the eclipse, which is nothing at all in my book. I don’t trust the deep state and can’t help but wonder if they have something planned on eclipse day to stay in power. I am thinking perhaps an attack on the nation’s power grid and then try to blame on the eclipse. They know they have to do something as they don’t stand a chance in a fair election. They cheated and stole the last one in get back into power.

After watching quite a few videos I ran across this one I am posting here. If I remember correctly Whitney Houston sang this. It brings back memories. This female singer does a good job of singing it.

Yep, our memories are precious …

What does all of this have to do with tadpole trikes you ask? Absolutely nothing! As I said near the beginning … I am just rambling on. As I age the passing years are starting to catch up with me. Not only am I not able to do some of the physical things I did when I was younger, but my mind is not as sharp as I wish it was. I do remember how I got into recumbent bikes and trikes. I remember when I first built my first recumbent bike followed by a recumbent tadpole trike. I can remember when I got my Catrike Trail back in 2009 … the same year I retired from my job. I can remember certain long rides I took. They are all good memories. Since my local Catrike dealer will no longer work on my trike  because it is modified (has an e-motor I installed) I have to do it all myself. And as I age that gets harder and harder to do the mechanical work on it. And, definitely, I don’t like having to work on it as I have gotten older Fortunately it is a  Catrike … well made …  so it does not require hardly any work. The local TerraTrike dealer told me that they were willing to work on it so at least I have that to fall back on if needed. What I need most is some riding weather now before I get too old to ride.

Wanna test your memory? …

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

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A FREE GIFT AWAITS YOU!

Why wish upon a star when you can talk to the  One (Jesus) Who created them?

TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS FOR THIS IS A DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!

“NORMAL” is not coming back … JESUS IS!

MY BEST DAYS MAY BE BEHIND ME, BUT …

Yep, I am getting old … going on 76. My best days may be behind me, but riding my trike nearly every day helps me keep going and looking forward to each passing day. Trike riding definitely adds fun and enjoyment to life and even some excitement … sometimes more than I really was wanting.

I came up alongside a fellow tadpole rider today. He was riding along at 15 mph without any e-motor assistance. I said to him that I was envious that he could ride at that speed without the help of a motor. His reply was right on … “I am younger than you”. Yes, I most definitely have slowed up as I age. I just am not able to ride anywhere near as fast as I could 20 years ago … not even 10 years ago.

I am so thankful for the e-motor which enables me to ride like the wind making riding enjoyable instead of misery like it would be without it. The breeze feels mighty good at 20 mph making it far more comfortable which equates to enjoyable. I can go out riding and not get all sweaty. It really makes a big difference.

Of course, I have no way of knowing how much longer I will  be sucking air. I am already living on borrowed time so to speak … anything beyond 70. I am hopeful that my health will hold up and permit me to continue to ride right up until near the end of my life or the Lord takes me in the rapture … whichever comes first.

My trike is now over 13 years old as far as the “running gear” and it is still performing like it did when it was brand new. Catrike sure makes a great trike. I am confident that it will continue to perform superbly another 13 years or more.

I retired at age 62.5 so I have 13 years of retired life behind me already. I jokingly said that upon retirement my job will be riding my trike and for sure that has been the case. I have over 102,000 miles on my trike. Almost all of it has been since I retired. That is an average of 7846 miles a year. I have slowed up not riding as many miles as I used to but I still manage over 7000 miles per year. I had some years over 10,000 miles early on. I still have a lot of 50 plus mile days. Of course, I could not say that without the e-motor assistance.

My first e-motor was in 2017. Since then I have had 7 e-motors. All have been rear hub type except for one crank drive. I am sold on hub motors and don’t care for crank drive motors at all. E-motors are an expensive addition to a trike. The motor I have now is the cheapest of all of them I have ever had. It is also the most powerful of all of them. I am really liking it and have no regrets having bought the cheapest one I found. They are all made in China and I think they are all of the same quality. I am hopeful this motor I have now will outlast me.  I reckon I will just have to wait and see. One thing is for sure … I definitely want to …

KEEP ON TRIKIN’

A FREE GIFT AWAITS YOU!

You are invited to come join the Tadpole Rider Facebook Group. Please note that in order to join you must first answer the two membership vetting questions and agree to comply with the group rules.