May, 2021
When I was a wee lad I had a bright red tricycle that took me to infinity and beyond. I think it may have even had tassels attached to the handgrips but don’t hold me to that. As my balance improved successive sets of two wheeled self-powered rockets became my infinity machines.
Soon mountain bikes emerged and I could ride in all those places my Mom said I was forbidden to go. My favorite ride was at Lake Tahoe starting at Tahoe Meadows and riding the Rim Trail on legal days, over to Marlette Lake to the Flume Trail to multiple beers at the Hyatt in Incline Village. After receiving a road bike for a birthday , I explored many of the incredible rides locally including up Black Road, which I only had to rest three times to get to the top. Coming down Old Santa Cruz Highway felt like a lightly powdered Vail groomer.
When ALS hit, I was still able to pedal but a two wheeler was out of the question. A little research uncovered the trike niche within the recumbent bike niche. Not the upright creaky things you see clogging bike lanes these are finely engineered touring machines for the balance challenged among us. My physical therapist supported the idea and recommended electrical assist pedaling. After a lot of research and test drives courtesy of a small recumbent bike shop in Alameda owned by Zach, I settled on a German made hp velotechnik Scorpion with Shimano e9000 electric pedal assist motor. I was set.
The Scorpion is so named because it can fold over itself for storage. It is a tadpole design which means I two wheels in front and one in back. You sit in a modified chair (I went for the sleek closed cell foam design) and stretch out your feet in front of you to pedal. There is a control panel on the right handlebar to control which of three electric assist speed modes you want depending on how fast you want to drain your battery. Because the electric assist motor is mounted over the front crankset, there is one chainring in the front and five or six in the rear. Electronic shifting is integrated into the control panel. Sweet!
Trikes weigh a ton. This thing exceeded two of my mountain bikes put together, more if you wanted to carry the extra battery. Unless going downhill on a good grade, you want that motor engaged. Good thing the control panel lets you know how many miles you have got before your battery becomes a useless brick.
The first time I rode my steed it was a wind in your face rush of liberation. For the next six short months I was able to launch to infinity before my too fast progressing disease deprived of my ability to squeeze a brake lever. My magic trike now sits idle along with its mountain siblings and my rides are in my dreams, which is where all good journeys start.
See you next time.
Embrace The Suck 
Thanks again Bob.
I tested the “infinite” liberation a trike provides at 3.5 years when we lived for a year in the Sunset (fog drip) District of San Francisco. My mom walked four blocks each noon to pick my older brother up at school and I triked along with her, though she had her hand on the handlebars when we crossed streets. One day I had the urge to run free and not to long after my mom got a telephone call from my brother’s teacher saying that I had arrived at school both early, and without her.
This was before sidewalks were ramped at crossings to accommodate kids on tricycles and so I had to get off and on and lift the thing to navigate the curbs. My mom was impressed, but the tricycle was kept up on the porch after that.
Of course, you might well ask what kind of freedom was I seeking going to a school room? Obviously at a young age I was chasing the freedom I have long chased after, the freedom to learn.
Best wishes,
Dick
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Great story, Bob – you capture the infinite desire in all of us humans to experience the freedom of movement whether on a bike, skis, or just our imaginations. You have a gift for observation and reporting that is really wonderful. Thank you for sharing this journey with us.
You rule.
Kurt
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Thanks, Bob. Was wondering about that the trike. Hugs and love.
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Loved your biking story! I grew up too poor in Washington, D.C. to have my own bike, but we had “borrowed bikes” that we rotated among the kids in the neighborhood, and I had wonderful times biking all over D.C. thanks to our informal “cooperative!” Loved every minute of it! You brought back wonderful memories!
Kay
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Used to bike from Isla Vista to the UCSB Music building without touching the handlebars! I wouldn’t want to try it now cause I would ruin the feeling of it that still lives in my mind. Thanks for the memory.
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Love you Bob
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Hi Bob – You have been ingenious in all mobility maintenance efforts. Your athleticism has kept you going. There
Are so many adaptations that you
Have created. You continue to amaze me. Let St Laurel know which ideas of yours require a patent! Other pALS
Would definitely benefit from the path you blaze. Happy Independence Day!
Missing you both- Love Marie
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Thanks for the story Bob. It brought back memories of my metallic gee. Schwin 3-speed stingray with the gear shifter on the down tube of the bike. The position of which could be rather traumatic if one crashed.
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And the great part is that you had that experience and furthermore that you know how to dream. Inspiring, again!! Jeanne
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Hi Bob,
I just caught up on the past year — I’m glad to see your sense of humor alive and kicking. You have been on my mind and I’m grateful to have a couple of chuckles with you. Kudos to St Laurel and the team for taking such good care of you.
I’m so glad you have the resources to tell us how you are doing. Technology is amazing, and so are you. Keep checking in with us — we love you and need to hear from you. Love and respect 🙌
Lyn
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Bob,
Remember the green 3-speed Schwin you passed on to me? That bike and I had many harrowing adventures together, but I passed it on to a friend of mine. He passed it on to some friends in Marin County. His friends brazed a new brake bracket down low, added beefier something-or-others, and gave it wider tires. I asked “Why did they do that?” to which he replied “these crazies up in Marin are modifying bicycles so they can race down mountains.” So yeah, a bike you used for a couple of years became one of the first California mountain bikes!
– Love, Chris
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