Mountain Biking for Seniors

Trail by Lee Mountain

Been riding bicycles for a long time. My mother Edith had a girls bike with 26 inch wheels that was her Catalina Island ride and it had a small rack over the rear fender. The rear wheel was covered with strings that prevented the skirt from getting tangled in the spokes. I am not sure how old I was but I would straddle the sloping down tubes and pedal standing up.

My hybrid

Then my father got me a 24 inch balloon tired used bike. I can't remember crashing it but the front fork had to be replaced and it was a reddish primer color that didn't match the frame. The rubber block pedal were smashed up so I just rode the spindle. One day the front tire was low so I rode over to the gas station on the next block and attempted to put air in the tire and used too much air and blew up the tube and tore a hole in the sidewall, My father got another tube and put a boot in the tire that made it look like a giant tumor.

GT Hard Tail

I rode that bike for awhile until one Christmas I got a 26 inch JC Higgins from Sears. Top of the line for Sears, After awhile the crank got bent and started to rub against the chain cover. I rode it to school a couple of times then parked it. My neighbor went to Lincoln Junior High and he was a couple years older than me. He had a morning paper route and was constantly changing parts he got from Pep Boys. Pep Boys actually had a small section of bicycles parts. There were bicycles stores in Santa Monica but we liked Pep Boys.

29 inch hard tail

When I reached junior high at John Adams Junior High School there was a good size bicycle parking area that was fenced and locked during school hours. After school we would race around the fenced area pretending that we were on motorcycles.

in the mountains

That is when I started to customize my Sears piece of shit. I added butterfly handlebars and a tall goose neck. Threw away the front fender and chain guard and chopped the rear fender. Installed a new leather seat and decent pedals.

riding with my dog

From this point in my life the downhill slide started when I got a paper route in the morning with the Los Angeles Examiner that started at 4 AM. I had to add a rear news paper rack. A heavy duty tube and bigger rear tire. So my thirty dollars income went directly to the bicycle shop at 4th and Broadway. Cycle and Sports was on the corner and the bike shop was in the rear and the main sporting good was up front. I became an indentured servant. Ernie and a deal with the Examiner whereas carriers could get credit to purchase necessary repair parts to keep things rolling.

dry creek

So I started hanging around the bike shop and when summer came I got a job full time. The paper route lasted maybe six months but the love and interest in bicycles continued.

Headed home

Not much of this blog is about riding bikes today more of a personal bio.

Out on the trail

Trying To Remember What I forgot

Playing Superlotto Plus cost me $5.00 and after the purchase the ticket goes into my wallet where it gets lost in time. Bought a ticket last Friday at local market and here it is Tuesday and I finally remembered it. Probably would have been better to leave it n wallet as the numbers were not winners.

Yesterday I rode my road bike and of course I had forgot the left hand shifter (STI) doesn't like to drop from the top ring to the lower one but I ride the small ring most of the time anyway. Also need to buy a spare tube and a new butt. 

To ride I had to find my bib shorts,pump up the Michelins and of course shave my legs. Considering how old I am I must admit my legs look pretty good. Might have to buy a small backpack to carry a camera while riding as my little not so smart phone does not take great pictures. 

So this morning I took my Mini Sony Cam along with the dogs to try it again. You have to use these gadgets all the time or you will never push the right button. Two commands are "Play" and "Movie". That always confused me which is simple to do. I am thinking about  importing a New Caledonia Crow to help me with these puzzles. 

Cruise Chip in town

With the Sony this morning I got a nice movie of Happy barking at a squirrel he treed but my thumb is also in the shot. Then I then tried to shoot a Cooper Hawk on a branch but could not find the bird in the viewfinder. Where is my smart crow when I need him.

The Corvus family is good at remembering faces so maybe I could get one that remembers instructions too. After a couple of miles walking I put the two dogs in the Nissan and returned the Sony to the boat and got a Nikon. Though I was only gone for a few minutes Lucky was pawing on the drivers window waiting to get out and walk some more.

Lots of Mocking Birds in the park today and darting ground swallows. I don't rush the dogs and they have plenty of time to smell around.

Blocking the sidewalk

There has to be some Pros and Cons about these Lime Green bikes. Now what if a person in a wheelchair or a walker wanted to use the sidewalk? There are lots of dumpsters and trash cans around the harbor and an regular army of people who pick through the trash for bottles and cans, One very old grandmother walks around using her crane or walker collecting. She really has to struggle to go up the hill on 22nd Street. Yesterday she was standing in from of the Vons waiting in front o pickup discarded plastic water bottles. I always smile and say hello to her but never give her any money as she might have a Porsche in her garage (I don't have a Porsche or garage anymore). There are two regular dumpster divers here that drive Prius. They arrive in their hybrid get out and walk the marinas carrying a bag collecting bottles and cans.