Sunday, July 17, 2011

'Brothers Of The Third Wheel' Trike Rally

Last year I went out to a Brothers of the Third Wheel Trike Rally. I rode out on my trike along with a friend on a Harley and since he had said we should leave my place about 10am, we missed out big time. It turned out everyone went on a Poker Run and we passed them around Grindrod, heading in the direction we were coming from. This year, knowing they would head out for a run, I went early. I left home just after 8:00am and met my friend George across the lake from my place. He rode to Sicamous with me and came to the camp ground to check out the trikes and meet the trikers.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

This one belongs to Jerry & his wife from Chilliwack. This is a factory built automobile, I believe he said it's 1972... there are only 2 of them left in Canada, 1 in a museum and this one. It is registered as a car so they wear seat belts instead of helmets. It has a 'rag top' which he took off just before I took the photo.
As you can see, the CanAm Spider is not the first trike to have 2 wheels in the front and 1 in the back.


The yellow trike is Denise's. She just bought it from Bob so he didn't have a trike to ride. Denise was so excited because Bob was riding the "birch seat" on her trike!! (She would drive and he ride behind her.)
Yes, the gray one is a Fiero... or was anyway. It was down for the weekend from Fort St. John, ridden by Jerome.
In the background, notice the yellow & black cars. They also went on the run with us, driven my BTW members who currently either have not trike or are physically unable to ride one, yet still love being part of the group and going on the runs. Daye drove the yellow car, Terry & wife were in the black one.


This trike is Wally & Chris's. I wish I had details on what kind of motors each trike has, but I don't... yet. I have a couple email addresses so will be in contact with the group.


Kevin & Heather ride this one.

Of course, I must include George's Harley and my trike, though it is not a great shot of either.

When we arrived at the campground we at first didn't see the trikes, then saw a couple people come out from behind some tents and wave us over. As I drove up to the BTW (Brothers of the Third Wheel) area, Denise came out to greet me, so happy to see another woman with her own trike. It was an awesome greeting, warm & friendly. I was introduced to many who's names I don't remember, though thankfully I do remember some names and all the great people. I remember Terry & Jerry... I have a brother named Terry and had a brother named Gerald, or Jerry, and a boyfriend named Jerry.

When we headed out George stayed in Sicamous to do some stuff he wanted to do there, and 6 of us trikes went on the Poker Run to the Gold Panner Cafe just past Cherryville. I am told that this year was the smallest turn out they have had yet... including me there were 6 trikes. Apparently one fellow had left early due to ill health.

Having each picked one card at the campsite in Sicamous, we rode to Armstrong where we pulled in to the A&W where we all got to choose card number 2.

All the trikes of course get a lot of attention wherever they go. People come to look.

We then were riding to Cherryville and made it to Vernon when our leader pulled over and talked to Bob a couple minutes, then came over to me. "Do you know your way around?" or something like that. I didn't bother to say how long I have lived in this area, but did agree to lead the pack the rest of the way. Off we went through Vernon and out to the Gold Panner Cafe, stopping in Lumby for gas in my trike & one other. We got to the Gold Panner just before the storm hit and the rain pelted down in bucket fulls as we sat inside... after coming in off the patio during the early part of the rain fall. After we enjoyed our lunch we headed back with me in the lead again. I took everyone through Vernon a different way in order to miss the heavier traffic part of the city, then back onto the highway. Just coming into Armstrong we were going slow for the construction when I had to change over to my reserve gas tank. Going at a lower speed and letting go of one handle bar put my trike into a major wheel wobble where the front wheel was wobbling back and forth and I barely able to hang on to it could do nothing but ride it out until the trike slowed down enough for it to stop. I have a steering damper on it so this shouldn't have happened, but it turns out the damper has come loose, so happen it did. It took a long time to stop doing it. I rode on through the construction, meeting George on his way back home, and north to Enderby where I stopped for gas again. While there I decided not to go the rest of the way to Sicamous, just so I could turn around and ride all the way back, so I said my goodbyes there and headed back south again.

I just got a few kilometers down the road when the lightening storm hit. The rain was coming down so hard and heavy that I could barely see, and I wasn't properly geared up for this kind of riding, so I pulled off onto a side road and under a tree where I was at least a little bit protected from the rainfall. Another motorcycle also pulled off and took cover under that tree. I took out the rain-proof liner for my jacket from the saddle bag, took off the jacket, put on the liner as if it was another jacket, but the outer jacket back on, put on my neoprene face mask and by then the rain had slowed down some so off I went again. Just south of Armstrong my friends Hammer & Melody pulled up beside me on their Harley, we waved at each other &, happy to see them, I gave them a nice big smile... then realized they couldn't see it since I was wearing a face mask to protect my face from the pelting rain... then they rode on, rushing home to get out of the rain.

Having put about 400 kilometers on my trike since leaving home, I returned home soaking wet, yet my heart still happy. I had a wonderful day and am pretty sure that next year I not only will go out to meet and ride with the Brothers of the Third Wheel, but will likely go camp with them for the weekend. I will also likely officially join the club by then.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Random Thoughts

Some random thoughts for you today...

- Down the road from me is a place called Ho Mai Berry Farm. I'm not sure if I spelled that exactly right, but I think it's pronounced Hoe My Berry Farm and I laugh every time I see there sign.
- I like the sound of sharis berries discount coupon. The name Shari's Berries is something my ears like... and discount coupon is something my budget likes.
- My friend Dan gave me $10 for gas today. That filled my tank!! In my truck it's around $7o to fill the gas tank, but the trike only has a small tank. Mind you, I have to fill it more often too, and I put more miles on the trike than I do the truck because it's cheaper to drive.
- I am hoping it's a sunny day tomorrow and I would even settle for a dry day (no rain, please).
- My cat Mewsic is sleeping near me. I think it's time I put the computer down and go join her in Dreamland.

BTW Trike Rally

I had planned to go to get blood tests today and to do volunteer work at the food bank, then I got company that stayed for nearly 2 hours so killed those plans. However, I did still get to drive out to visit Mom and have dinner with her. In a few short hours I must be up and off again. I plan to ride to Sicamous, an hour or more from here, to join in the Brothers of the Third Wheel Trike Rally. It will be great to meet other people who ride trikes and to go riding with a whole group of other trikes. I know they gather at a camp grounds out on the other side of the town. I don't have a tomtom gps, so hope I can just find the place on my own or by asking directions... the old fashioned way, haha.

Guess I better get to sleep or I won't be going anywhere early enough to ride with other trikes.

Friday, July 15, 2011

My Floors

I am so very happy to have the fellow that lived in my yard for awhile gone. I liked the money he gave me to stay here, but I did not like him, a very negative person who was always lying about everything. Though it is good to have him gone I am grateful that he was here for a time. Thanks to the money he paid to stay here, I have much nicer floors than I had previously. I got a good deal on some laminate flooring for my living room, kitchen, bedroom, loom room and hallway. Oh, it's not pergo flooring, but it still looks very good and is a not too bad quality. I do wish though that I had gotten a darker color as this shows all the pet hair so looks dirty shortly after I sweep it. I thought light would be good as it would brighten up the gloomy home, but now I know if I had it to do over again I would go with a bit darker than this while still not being too dark. Over all, I do love my laminate floors.

July 15th

Today was a very good day. It was the first in several days that I didn't get rained on while riding my trike and that has to be good. This afternoon I rode up to the small town where my mother lives, with the intention of visiting her. Before going to Mom's I decided to go take a walk along the river that flows through the town, it's so beautiful to walk along it. On the bank of the river, right where the one end of the River Walk starts, there is an RV Park Campground. Of course this time of the year it is packed, and this particular weekend there are a lot of motorcycle riders staying there as this town is fairly near Salmon Arm where there is a really big motorcycle rally and music festival this weekend, called Sturgis North. I didn't get to walk far as people kept recognizing me as a rider (wearing chaps and a doo rag) and talking to me. It was really awesome and I really enjoyed that, though really could have used the exercise, lol. I made it over to Mom's and we went out for dinner, then for a drive in her car. Back at Mom's I got back into chaps, jacket, helmet and headed back home.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Hot Summer Day... and Sports

It's summer in the Okanagan, so fruit is on the trees and people are playing lots of sports. As I drive around my area I see people playing soccer and in other places baseball. It's that time of year when most people are being active and outside, happy to shed the winter blahs. A friend of mine injured her left ankle a few years ago, so she is not able to play sports and even has a hard time walking, so it benefits her to wear a soccer ankle brace to support the ankle and make it easier for her to get around. Since one of these helps while playing sports, I can see why it helps her. I find that often we can use something meant for one thing for yet another. Today there is not a cloud in the sky, the thermometer is rising, and I am going out to do some errands & spend time with friends. I think I'll drive by a soccer field and spend some time watching young people playing their game.

Preserving Fruit

Summer in the Okanagan Valley of BC Canada means a lot of nice fresh fruit on trees and in stores. I love eating fruit fresh off the tree and next best thing, locally grown out of the stores, but what about winter time? I know I would love to have fruit available in winter, but really have never 'put up' anything, so don't know how to do it right. On Facebook I have found lots of different pages, or walls as they call them, to 'Like' and stay connected with. One of them, Away to Garden, is all about horticultural how-to and woo-woo. It is the source for garden information and inspiration, by Margaret Roach, head gardener. What I read there just now was about farm-fresh peaches, frozen to perfection, which is a timely article since peaches will soon be abundant in the Okanagan. I look forward to trying what Margaret has shared with us here, and to enjoying my nice peaches all winter long.

Climate Change Video

This is a most interesting video and I think it effects everyone on Earth today.