tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-224396972011-04-22T12:16:05.607+10:00Have kids, will pedal.Traceynoreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-88580721891156875702007-04-10T22:26:00.000+10:002007-04-10T23:28:48.227+10:00

One warm February Sunday (Feb 4)... another training ride. The local cyclists refer to it as the 'Big Block'. I suppose you might call it riding 'round the block'. It's just a BIG block.We drove into Coffs and parked near Park Beach, then headed out to the highway, rode up the 'Big Banana Hill', down past the Big Banana, and then 'turned off the highway and rode 'up Bruxner', a 3 km uphill grind,

Traceynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-67375898825203747452007-04-09T22:17:00.000+10:002007-04-09T23:25:55.865+10:00

Breakfast at a cafe on the river at Yamba before heading off. The girls were fascinated by the jelly blubbers or whatever they are called in the river!And the triplet drew a bit of attention from passers-by! Heading into Maclean... on a bike you have time to read all the names on the tartaned telegraph poles. Maclean has been promoting itself as 'The Scottish Town'.. and it combines trappings of

Traceynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-85231802528727717022007-02-05T20:25:00.000+11:002007-04-09T22:16:58.316+10:00

Last weekend of school hols (Australia Day long weekend.)We got the idea from the family that was riding in Cuba. (I wonder how they went.) An overnight 'credit card' bike trip. Drive up to Grafton. (60km from here.) Park car somewhere. Get on bikes. Ride to Yamba. Stay in motel. Ride back the next day.Why? To make ourselves do a reasonable distance as training for the Big Ride.Logistics? Pack

Traceynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-86199027198651125002007-01-12T17:16:00.000+11:002007-01-12T20:36:32.261+11:00

I'm ashamed to say that there hasn't been much in the way of bike riding happening in the Schmidt household of late. Not really ideal with the Big Ride looming; thank heavens it is a few weeks later this year. So much for the aim to get more training in this time.December:Back in mid December we did rock up to the Community Ride with the kids in tow (bribed with promises of Big Brekkies from the

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-54715606159948099262006-12-09T22:12:00.000+11:002006-12-09T22:52:46.129+11:00

Marc was due home from KL before last weekend, but as often happens, he was delayed into the weekend. One more missed weekend activity (ie. the Community ride last Saturday) to go on my I-Hate-the-Company-he-Works-For file.I guess I could have gone myself again, but I hadn't got round to fixing my flat tyre! (And I've been a sloth.) I waited for the private home tuition this week... and now I'm

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-55400483244404567842006-11-30T22:03:00.000+11:002006-11-30T22:51:09.507+11:00

Exploring America on a triplet and a single.I 'discovered' these guys a week or so ago: an American family of Mum, Dad and twin 8 year old boys. I 'lost' a few hours that day catching up with their trip so far, and I've been keeping tabs on them ever since.I'm in awe!(Warning: if you check out the category links on their home page, you could be there for hours... days.. reading about bike

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-30721215243622236242006-11-26T11:30:00.000+11:002006-11-26T11:47:24.578+11:00

Marc decided to pull out of the Touch tournament in NZ... so that we can do the Big Ride in March!!! In the end the family adventure time won out. Which is good for the girls and me.Despite hoping and hoping that he would fall this way on the decision, I am a mixture of emotions about it. I am really looking forward to doing it as a 'returnee'... and knowing that we'll know quite a few people

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-24809038397791260162006-11-23T22:38:00.000+11:002006-11-23T23:16:29.683+11:00

I amazed myself, and Marc (over in KL) by getting myself up and in to the Coffs community ride last Saturday morning. (Had something to prove to myself, as well as him after my carry on the previous weekend... Note: It helps to go to bed at a sensible time the night before!)The Coffs BUG people didn't recognise me at first. "You're on a .. short bike" they exclaimed. I must look lost without a

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-69348656560138235432006-11-17T14:40:00.000+11:002006-11-17T14:51:45.703+11:00

This is copied from an email sent out this week by the organiser of these rides, Cr Ian Hogbin.I'll be linking to here from the sidebar.. it's a handy guide for anyone considering going. It would be great to see it grow and grow.What a great turnout last Saturday. Magic weather, TV Camera, and 84 riders. Lots of bikes on the cycleways, roads and in City Square is really great. It's on again this

Traceynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-17655929495804920242006-11-13T21:37:00.000+11:002006-11-14T09:30:39.561+11:00

For the uninitiated, first a lesson in tandem terminology: The Captain is the one in front, who steers and brakes, and basically has responsibility for the bike. The Stoker is the one on the back. The engine. (And we have gleaned that on a triplet, the one on the very very back is called, by some, the 'Rear Admiral'!)We are discovering that there are quite a few misconceptions about the role of

Traceynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-70290120770713828692006-11-12T10:36:00.000+11:002006-11-12T17:37:57.730+11:00

Back in September a few Saturday morning 'Coffs Community' bike rides were organised - initially in conjunction with Bike Week. They proved so popular, that they are now happening every Saturday morning - and so Marc and I rocked up on the Santana yesterday morning to see what it was like.We had actually tried to do this 2 weeks ago - only the information in the paper was incorrect! We turned up

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-8083806692620489062006-11-07T20:17:00.000+11:002006-11-12T10:36:37.382+11:00

So it wasn't quite what we had in mind. Without the challenge of those southerly gusty winds, the 90km would have been a doddle!! - well, if you don't count the congestion caused by 10,000 cyclists with a range of experience, and riding nous. Next time we do it, it'll seem impossibly easy! (Odds have got to be for better weather, surely!) The big shame is that the conditions weren't really

Traceynoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-10670400202246573232006-11-02T11:53:00.000+11:002006-11-06T21:47:33.043+11:00

I am babysitting the triplet. It's on the new super duper heavy duty rack Marc had made up, and is on the roof of the Commodore. He just dropped it off at home (on his way to Grafton for a work job - it was an opportunity to do a test drive, with work mate following to observe.) He is picking it up on the way back through, to add a few more things to it later this afternoon. Not sure quite what

Traceynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-70108637660598662502006-11-01T13:18:00.001+11:002006-11-09T11:57:04.407+11:00

Finally. A report. Before the Gong Ride is upon us!Yup, it was a long way to go for 50km! But it was fun nonetheless.. and not least because we caught up with the other tandem guys from the Big Ride (and the Sydney Tandems Yahoo Groups). And another family we befriended on the Big Ride, and who have been sucked into the tandem thing - although they did this one with a trail-a-bike and their

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-83235444472182907442006-10-19T15:28:00.000+10:002006-10-19T15:48:19.344+10:00

I said I was going to record every "training-worthy" kilometre I did... so riding the 'just short of 5km' to pick up the car from the mechanics yesterday qualifies. Particularly as I'm the one who probably requires the most training. Even if 5km hardly seems worth getting the bike out for.I feel quite odd, as you just don't see many other 40 + yr old local mothers getting around on their

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-73789510731189475482006-10-15T17:46:00.000+10:002006-10-15T19:47:07.265+10:00

So we decided to do another Coffs BUG ride.. this time a Medium grade one, a bit of a drive (1.5 hours ) south down the highway. Scotts Head to Stuarts Point, start time 9.45am for a 10am departure. Approx. 35 km return.We decided it was worth going to a) test the trailer set up, b) a different way to get us riding that sort of distance, and c) it would be more social than just us trying to

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-43358316951096517602006-10-13T12:17:00.000+10:002006-10-13T12:41:18.266+10:00

He has been busy this week, in between full time work, getting the rusty, trusty old trailer ready for triplet transportation. Last night in the carport:With 'new' tyres, and new lights, she's ready to go. We think we will go down to the Coffs BUG ride from Stuarts Point to Scotts Head (35km) on Sunday morning. Test drive the trailer transport as well.

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-75759052382082992472006-10-09T11:27:00.001+10:002006-10-09T11:27:59.122+10:00

Finally, the weekend, and a chance to take the new machine for a proper spin. Friday night we made grand plans to go riding in Coffs, after Marc had done an hour of training for Touch. By midnight he realised that neither of his two ideas for transporting the triplet were going to work.One idea, using its convertible features, had been to pull it apart, reconnect it as a tandem, and put the

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-35314181702092803092006-10-06T18:07:00.000+10:002006-10-06T18:28:09.821+10:00

.. and on a weekday too!Marc will confirm this - I am so not a morning person. I normally struggle to get up at 7am. But I suppose I make an exception for bike rides. [Yes indeed.. how many early mornings on the Big Ride?!] But basically, if it's suggested, I'm not really game to say no! Can't be a party pooper.We made arrangements to meet a bike riding friend to do the ride down the highway

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-59656424126455015442006-10-05T11:27:00.000+10:002006-10-05T12:05:38.591+10:00

We decided, what the hell, what's a thousand kilometre drive, twice, only a fortnight apart. We are going to the Sydney Spring Cycle on the 22nd October. The Gong Ride is only 2 weekends later.We figured we should test drive the triplet on the 50km route before embarking on the 90km Gong route. (Plus there are some people from the Big Ride that we'd like to meet up with on the Spring Cycle.)And

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1159771436720853102006-10-02T16:35:00.000+10:002006-10-02T18:20:15.876+10:00

Monday afternoon after more twiddling.And you're not seeing the one of me on it... till I lose about 10 kg. I am resigned to the fact that it might be some time before I end up getting a seat on it on any long distance ride.Still a few things to fix up on it.. a few issues to decide. Thinking we might put Zoe in the middle. Still have to fix the front brake. Marc wants to replace the cable

Traceynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1159749473519440152006-10-02T10:16:00.000+10:002006-10-02T11:03:17.770+10:00

Yesterday afternoon (just before we were due to go out) he got it ready for a quick road test.No, it's not got a great turning circle! - but hey, you can't have everything!Pedals now required for the back two.. (plus a shopping list to be made of 3 new sets.) Meantime will have to borrow from our other bikes.Plan today is for us all to go riding... short straws to be drawn for who gets to go with

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1159667590688638022006-10-01T11:48:00.000+10:002006-11-20T21:34:35.306+11:00

Had a Special Request from a certain friend, to show blow by blow photos of the triplet as it is assembled. So E. This is for you. (Would have done it anyway, but I like to make people feel special!)No, there weren't any instructions! (Foreign language or otherwise!) I suppose the US company that shipped the bike to Lithuania for this beer company competition assumed that someone would know what

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1159416856026754002006-09-28T13:43:00.001+10:002006-11-02T15:17:05.376+11:00

Bloody magpies!I rode to my hairdresser friend's place today (for a haircut). She's maybe about 4km from here. Nice day, plus it was in line with the pact I made to myself about choosing to ride instead of drive where possible.The route took me by the school, and, silly me, I'd forgotten about the current Magpie Factor. Alison has been complaining about it for a few weeks but, heartless mother

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1159364740234971112006-09-27T23:14:00.000+10:002006-09-27T23:45:40.410+10:00

.. but I did go for a ride... to pick up some tomatoes from a local tomato stall. And dropped in on a friend for a coffee (and a much needed chat about being the parent of a teenager..)Funny how your perspectives on things change. Now anything under 10km .. (anything under 20km in fact!) doesn't seem like it's a worthwhile ride.Didn't quite chalk up 7km in all. To be fair I was going to go

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1159024900529194462006-09-24T00:58:00.000+10:002006-09-24T01:23:02.893+10:00

It's a packing marvel!And this stuff went in hand luggage: stems, seatpoles, derailleurs, headsets, brakes..Countdown till he gets it home: 7 days. Estimated time to reassemble: at least one day.

Traceynoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1158798205572054572006-09-21T10:05:00.000+10:002006-09-21T10:23:25.583+10:00

Marc got back to KL ok with his precious bike cargo. Vilnius -> Helsinki -> Hong Kong -> KL. Bit of an epic. It will be interesting to see how it is packed... he put a lot of thought and research into how to do it, (never mind the flights and connections) and it all worked out, with only a couple of minor changes. He has a few bits and pieces in his hand luggage as well, and as it went through

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1158411557901177142006-09-16T22:17:00.000+10:002006-09-16T23:23:40.596+10:00

One of the downsides of having a trail-a-bike is that Zoe (who is almost 8) has managed to avoid riding her own bike for quite a while. She's never been that keen, to be perfectly honest. Not a natural daredevil. Anything new or different has had to be introduced very carefully, and any physical challenge, or anything involving adrenalin, has required advance notice, psyching up, and gradually

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1158331169515427862006-09-16T00:22:00.000+10:002006-09-16T00:39:29.530+10:00

Chalk up 12 km to my "time in the saddle" register, and a big tick for actually doing what I promised myself. Only 6km/22 minutes to get to lunch, and the virtuous feeling of having done so outweighed the 'feel like a dag in my bike shorts and shoes' look. Proved to myself I could use the bike as transport.As I left the tavern, there was a short uphill bit, and I overtook a bloke riding up

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1158238439302731782006-09-14T22:16:00.000+10:002006-09-14T23:08:10.116+10:00

I have all the best intentions in the world, but unless I have someone to lead me by the nose, I don't tend to get out riding like I should. I decreed (to myself.. and promised Marc I would) that I was going to use my single (mountain) bike to 'just get around'.. Ride to Woopi... ride to the school... whatever. The whole notion of getting around by bike rather than car appeals to me.. despite

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1158112160695282002006-09-13T11:34:00.000+10:002006-09-13T15:08:18.193+10:00

We have had a bit of a lay off with the bike riding, but things are starting to happen again. Time to resurrect the blog, I thought.Biggest news since the Big Ride is that we have been 'accumulating' more tandems! I said to Marc that perhaps he could give up his job, and we could import tandems and tandem-associated bike paraphernalia from the US. I was only half joking!Sadly, there is really

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1139995664648053672006-02-15T19:35:00.000+11:002006-07-10T13:48:34.793+10:00

...decided to ride tandems 500km ???A very good question indeed... and I'm not quite sure where to start.Because we can?In terms of tandems, Marc used to ride one with a mate when his family spent weekends at their holiday house in the Blue Mountains. It was owned by the other guy, so I'm sure he used to think "One day, I'm gonna get one of them..." (We certainly get kids, especially boys, around

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22439697.post-1139916152939546222006-02-14T22:14:00.000+11:002006-02-16T22:38:45.570+11:00

I have this crazy notion that I might post a record of our upcoming Big Bike Ride... though I can't imagine having the energy (or the family support!) to find a bloody computer during the event (never mind one attached to the internet!)... Nonetheless, this blog might turn into another way of recording for posterity the highs, lows and mundanities of our family... Big Bike Ride and beyond.Yes,

Traceynoreply@blogger.com0