fourwhitefeet

Trailer ‘n boot

Bonnie took her first real ride in the trailer today. We went up and down on the “flat” part of the road for about 40 minutes so she could get some exercise, then went about halfway up the pass. She rode down in the trailer on the steeper part. I felt more comfortable with her in the trailer than the xtraCycle.

When I worked in a bike shop I often explained to parents why their children were MUCH safer in a trailer than a behind-the-seat type child carrier. Those arguments; falling from a higher distance, balance, and independence of bike and trailer; especially the first, were often in my mind with the xtraCycle.

There are advantages to the xtraCycle. The main one, it is more maneuverable and more like riding a bike. Though actually I don’t really notice the trailer either. It was also nice to have Bonnie touch me on the back periodically.

The xtraCycle might be ok for smaller dogs. I got it before Bonnie was full-grown. I didn’t realize she was still growing at the time. I felt a big difference between 22 pounds and 27 pounds. I think her additional height and weight also affected the bike more when she moved around.

You can’t tell in the photo, but for those interested, the tub was bolted onto the top board of the xtraCycle. I also had straps holding the tub on. Some threaded through the bottom of the tub and around the frame of the xtraCycle. Others went over the top of the tub and also attached to the frame. She wore a car-seatbelt harness clipped below her to straps attached to the xtraCycle frame. That prevented her from jumping out while we were moving.

A nice thing about the trailer is that she can lie down. I noticed the extra-weight when she was riding, but it did not affect my bike’s handling significantly. I think my fears of jackknifing were exaggerated, though I am not ready to try the steep down hill on the south side of the pass. (It scares me to ride down that anyway. Oh, to have my 20 something fearlessness of descents again.)

I am in the process of making modifications to the trailer. Basically I stripped out all the child-restraint stuff to make more room for Bonnie, and stripped off the non-essential parts like jogger/walker handle receivers to reduce the weight. The idea is to make a false bottom with a sling-type bed so gear can be stored beneath her when we need it. I’ll post photos when it is finished…whether it works or not.

Oh yeah, a boot on bike photo was requested. This is as good as I could do.

Free to good home

Sorry, Bonnie is staying with me, but if your foot size and cycling needs match the items below you could end up with a little of her fur. If you’re interested, you can contact me using the mail link under Jessie’s photo in the lower right side of the page.

~~Specialized BG Comp Carbon Road Shoe :: Men’s size 40~~
These shoes are almost new. Most “miles” were ridden inside on the rollers. I did a couple of road rides in them and the shiny coating on the sole scratched easily on the gravel drive. I really like these shoes, but they need a new owner because they are too narrow for me, which is not to say they are especially narrow. If my foot wasn’t so sensitive they’d probably be fine. I’d say the length is true to size, average width. Description on Specialized’s website.

Sidi Genius 3 Road Shoe :: Men’s size 39.5
You’ll have to trust me on the .5. Sidi stamps the full size on the sole, but only adds a sticker for half sizes. The sticker has worn off, as has the size stamp on the inside of the shoes. Sidis run so small you may be disinclined to believe me or the “39” embossed in the sole. My understanding is that Sidi half sizes are the same length as the full size, but have more volume in the upper. However, there is not enough volume for me. These shoes are a little short and quite a lot too narrow for my feet. They have been ridden many hours, a majority on the rollers. If the shoe fits they could last you forever. Replacement parts and repair are available from Sidi in the unlikely event those are needed. Petersen insoles. I’ll also send the original Sidi insoles.

Sidi Dominator Mountain Shoe :: Men’s size 39
I think these are the original Dominators, before Sidi started designating the model with a number. My feet have expanded over 16 years of not being crunched into office shoes, but it is hard for me to believe my feet were ever this small! This pair has many miles, mostly on trails, including some mud and stream crossings. The fact they look as good as they do could be an indication of how well Sidis are made … or what a wimp I am.

Japanese mountaineer cleans up Everest

Ken Noguchi just returned from his fifth expedition to remove trash from Mt. Everest. The clean-up crew included 2 other Japanese mountaineers and 12 sherpas. I have often wondered, when I’ve seen documentaries about Everest; if people are so zonkered they don’t have the strength to carry their gear and trash out, should they really be up there? Noguchi thinks climbers are starting to take more responsibility for their junk.

“During this year’s cleanup expedition, I found that the amount of waste left on the mountain has been drastically decreased.”

Not much training lately

Bonnie’s new trick.

I haven’t felt much like writing this week. Between compartment syndrome and stress fracture, it seems like my whole year is shot … at least as far as ultras. Mostly, I just love being out on the trails with my dog and that doesn’t look like it is going to happen anytime soon. And it’s hard to get motivated to train if Bonnie is not an active participant.

No real running (or walking for that matter) in nearly 4 months! I’m beginning to question whether I should think of myself a runner at all. (Of course, many people would question that just because I am so slow.) Realistically I don’t see how I can try another 100 this year (if ever) and possibly no 50’s. Then again being on DL may be a good thing for the compartment syndrome. 16 weeks since that injury and I still have numbness in my leg.

The good news, it’s Frisbee season and, though her endurance and fitness are way down, lack of exercise has made Bonnie more motivated than ever to play.