Thank you for sharing, @bagbob!

It took years after my rectal surgery to be able to sit comfortably *on anything*, so once I was able to get on a bike, the rest was history!

As I was out yesterday, I couldn't help but notice the diversity in bikes. I even saw a two-seated adult tricycle! Truly something available for pretty much any age group or ability.

But I'm glad to hear that you got back to riding, and that you have safe places to ride! We have a local trail system here, and while it's not always well-connected, we have a stretch that gets you to the waterfront trail, then you can ride as far east or west as you like (mostly) away from car traffic. 😀 

It was a perfect day yesterday to ride here in southern Michigan. So I talked my daughter and her boy friend into riding the trail with me. We logged about 20 miles and it just felt great. first ride of this year. I have to say I'm so very happy about another thing I seemed to have overcome. Two years ago I had emergency brain surgery because of a brain bleed. after that I had a hard time composing messages. My first post in this thread is the first time since my surgery that I could write something that made sense. Up until now I just responded in just very short messages. It feels like I'm back. Yea!

@bagbob  I've sure enjoyed reading along quietly here. bagbob, I'm so happy you survived your brain bleed & that you are able able to ride again & really enjoy your time outdoors,  ESPECIALLY with your family in tow!  Thank you for participating here & feel free to share your learned hacks or experiences here anytime.  Brain bleeds are very serious things to go thru & you're so strong to have survived such a scarey experience!  I'd love to ride my bike again, but my behind doesn't enjoy the seat as there's no comfort to it & my balance is not great! Lol! I'd have road rash all over the place! 

I've had 3 concussions in a short time several years ago & my brain is still having  a hard time with a few things. Post concussion trauma is a real thing & it can literally take years to heal from. You are doing the right things to pull thru your serious life altering event! Lots of patience is required. I know I'm not your parent, but I want to say how proud I am of you for not giving in to your bodies demands. That said, healing must come first right along with baby steps going forward as much as possible each day. Listening to your body & what your brain needs is highly important! WAY TO GO!!!  Aging is so interesting & I'm finding it rather enjoyable. It's like having  permission to slow down & really see the small things that matter in life & to enjoy grandchildren!  Keep moving forward! You've got this life thing in the bag! 

@veganostomy  ... Hey , Eric, is this the trail that comes almost clear through to B.C.?   Several years ago, we had a friend who was riding a trail with his son.  His wife drove the van & towed the tent trailer so they met up with each other daily & camped overnight. At the time, he was wanting to go as far as he could on the trail.  It sounded so interesting & I think they got thru B.C..on their bikes. The reviews from him sounded wonderful! 

Adult tricycle? That sounds cool, and safe! Lol! We're the seats side by side or one behind the other ?  

@bagbob Wow. I'm glad you recovered from that! Scary.

Posted by: @dlkfiretruck

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Eric, is this the trail that comes almost clear through to B.C.?  

I believe the one you're referring to is the Trans Canada trail. Funny enough, it uses much of the waterfront trail leading up to Toronto from the west, then as soon as it clears the city, it jets up north to Uxbridge, and then takes the rail trail (that I've been on) to Peterborough and beyond! But at that point, it's a mix of road and gravel trails, so much different from the waterfront trail.

Adult tricycle? That sounds cool, and safe! Lol! We're the seats side by side or one behind the other ?  

They were side-by-side! Seems like such a cool thing to ride. I should have doubled-back to chat with them. I usually do when I see something unique, but that ride was a timed training workout, so I didn't want to mess that up.

@veganostomy  ... Thank you for replying to my curiosity! The tricycle does sound interesting!  More so  with side by side seating.  I'm going to have to google it & see how high off the ground the seats are.

So, the computer on your bike likely keeps time & mileage, heart rate maybe?? 

Posted by: @dlkfiretruck

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The tricycle does sound interesting!  More so  with side by side seating.  I'm going to have to google it & see how high off the ground the seats are.

I've attached a photo captured from my bike's "dash cam", but I apologize for the quality as these were not very close.

The large black mass in the center of the front tire tells me that this was an electric trike. It had one steering column (some side-by-side trikes have two) but I can't say for sure what brand this was. They are exceedingly rare! I really should have stopped to chat.

So, the computer on your bike likely keeps time & mileage, heart rate maybe?? 

Yes, as well as navigation, climbs, and training progress. It's quite advanced, and overkill for most people. 🤣 But the navigation and long battery life make it worthwhile to have, especially as I find myself far from home on some rides.

@dlkfiretruck You'll never believe it, because I can't, but I ran into another cyclist on a two-seater trike! But this time I did stop to ask him about it!

It's a "tandem" trike, so there's a seat in the front, and another behind that. The photo below is similar to the one he was on (same brand, but I'm not sure of the model). He got it from a local medical supplier shop because it's an accessible trike (his son in the front has a disability), and he did mention that it was very expensive. I didn't chat for long, but I do hope there are government rebates for something like that, considering it's designed to ride his son around safely.

It's so exciting to see all these different options! I don't think I'll ever need to worry about not being able to ride for one reason or another, since there's a bike/trike for just about anyone!

Wow! Look at that eh!! That's one very cool bike!  Bless Mommas heart being on it in a dress & sandals too! Way to go!  Thanks so much for this, Eric!!  I should hope gov't gives some kind of a break to families in need of a safe alternative for their child. 

I sold my car bcuz the arthritis in my feet & ankles & knee add to that, the peripheral nueropathy,  I just don't think driving other then around town was worth it for me to keep my car for the few times I drive it over 3 months.  I refuse to drive any distance bcuz the fatigue from this malabsorption with vitamins like the iron, B vitamins, Potassium & salts just make me feel like I'd be too much of a risk on a longer ride then around town.  So, I sold her.   

My son suggested I get one of them "old fart scooters" good for fair weather only transportation things. Like a fancied up wheelchair you can drive.  There is one gentleman on our street that has one & he said he loves it for around town. I typically would walk but those darn feet! Ugh!  It's frustrating. No one puts baby in a corner right?! Lolol!  And I feel somewhat cornered in all of this.  It's very frustrating to feel this old before my time.  So,  If I invested, I may get one with a side by side seat if they make them like that.  I would only ride on the sidewalks, never on the rode unless crossing the street.  Though we have bike lanes here, we have several cyclists that insist on riding in the center of a car/truck lane where insured vehicles drive. Someone's going to get hurt one day if they are not careful. There are many complaints about them & I worry about that.  People can do stupid things in the heat of a moment & a bicycle.... yikes.   I used to bike a lot but was always mindful of my safe territory & if I couldn't bike safely then I stayed off roads, or took roads that couldn't cause issues bcuz of anxious drivers. Not always convenient.  Around here we get a fair bit of bike races in spring & summer so we do get serious cyclists coming through. 

Anyways, I don't even know where to start looking for what I'm after.  I'm falling asleep at the drop of a dime again when I sit still long enough so having a car sitting insured in the garage was costing more then my use of it. I did get what I wanted for it though, that was a bonus. The young man who bought her said "she was a real gem & he was thrilled with his find!"  He's going back to school & was going to drive his big old truck until he could afford insurance. Maybe I'm a sucker, but knowing a young kid had saved for going back to school & traveling a distance for it, I had some fun, I taught him to barter a bit & then gave him a grannies discount to help with a bit of the car insurance.  He was so grateful for the bit of a break & then I found out his father was on the fire department with my husband! Lol! Small world. The two men were chums & I hadn't seen his son for 16 yrs. & here he was at my table all grown up.  It really makes my heart happy that I  gave him a bit of a step up in his future too.  I think I'd  have wanted that for one of my own kids too.. .  .. . .. .  ..  .  ..  .  

Thanks again Eric for chatting about that fancy bike with the owners! 

@dlkfiretruck I hear you about the car. There's always a point where the question "is it worth keeping this?" floats around. In your circumstance, I think you really did make the right choice. Owning a car, even if you aren't using it, is such a burden.

Ha! Those "old fart scooters" are everywhere around here, and it's great see so many people being able to get around because of them. You'd likely have to inquire with a local medical supply shop if you're looking specifically for a mobility scooter. If it makes things easier for you to be out and about, then I'd say go for it!

I'm also seeing quite a few of these "skinny cars". I'm not even sure how to describe it. It's not a true car, but also not a mobility scooter. They are fully enclosed and narrow,  so they could be used in most weather conditions. I'm sure they are more expensive than a traditional mobility scooter, but that's another option!