Frequently Asked Questions and Comments

As we make our way down the coast, we keep hearing the same questions. People want to know:
Where did you start from? (Since no one knows where Silverlake Wa. is we usually say Mt. St. Helens area of Washington.)
Where are you going? (The answer to this is usually "San Diego". Sometimes I say "Florida. I want to drink a beer in Key West, sitting on the pier watching the sun go down." That usually gets a good reaction. However, I really do want to do that, if it's still there when I get there.)
That is some contraption! (Depending on my mood, I may explain that the contraption is a tandem recumbent trike. Not that I expect them to remember it.)
That looks like fun. (This one usually comes from women, for some reason.)
How fast does it go? (Uphill or downhill? Uphill can be as slow as 1 mph. Downhill can be as fast as 50 mph. Our trip average so far is 7 mph, according to our Sigma computer.)
Does it have a motor? (It used to, but it fell off a few days ago.)
How far have you gone? (Today, or since we started this trip?)
Why are you going this time of year? (Cooler weather, less traffic, reduced motel prices. The real reason is that it took time to sell the house, order the trike, etc.)
Is it comfortable? (Yes, it's very comfortable. Comfort is the primary reason we chose it. We sometimes take rest breaks in it.)
How can you pedal lying down? (We are not lying down. We are reclining. It is a very good way to pedal. The weight of the body is spread across the width of the butt and the back. No crotch pain or numbness, no sore shoulders or wrists, or numb hands from supporting the upper body weight. Next time you are looking at exercise equipment, notice that most of the exercycles are of the recumbent variety.)
How many miles a day are you doing? (This question usually comes from the colorful spandex two wheel crowd. The answer is, not many compared to the average touring cyclist. We are fat and slow and we don't care much about daily mileage. We don't have a daily schedule to maintain like a lot of cyclists that have a set number of days to get to a certain destination. Besides, the primary focus of our trip is to get fit and have an adventure doing it. We started the trip with no training regimen to get us ready. So we are, in effect, training as we go. To those that think that maintaining a 50 mile a day average is important, go for it.)
Did you build that? (No, but I would like to be able to claim that I did. It was built in Australia. You can learn more about it at www.greenspeed.com.au
Do you stay in motels or do you camp? (We camp as much as we can to save money. But there are times when only a dry room with a real bed, HBO, and a hot shower will do.)
That is the coolest thing I've ever seen. (Or some variation on that.)
How do you steer it? (With this thing here.)
Can you tell if she isn't pedaling? (Believe me, I can tell when she is not pedaling, just letting her feet go 'round.)
Do you ever fall asleep on that thing? (Just once. I dreamt that I was taking this crazy trip on a tandem recumbent trike around the US. That dream really scared me.) Ron.