This week has been perfect for a painting party. Each day when the temperature soared above 50 degrees, Judy, Glen and I spent time disassembling, wire brushing, sanding and priming the frame of the new tandem bicycle. The weather stayed clear and sunny all week. Thursday Judy and I moved the coach to the street beside the Wings of History Museum in San Martin. Whenever we are in town I volunteer at the museum. This week I was helping with the assembly of a Curtis OX-5 airplane engine first built in 1910. Continue reading Painting Party:
Tag Archives: bicycling
A New Goal Is Reached:
I have been working on a new bicycle design for three and a half years now. Today with the help of my Grandson, Patrick, we have created a mount for the auxiliary motor drive. The drive systems are all complete. It is now time to take everything back apart and paint the frame.
I recognize that there has been a long silence from our end here on our blog. With all of the rain this fall there has been very few good opportunities to progress on the new bicycle and we have been spending our time with the family here in Gilroy, California. Continue reading A New Goal Is Reached:
‘Mater Goes Fishin’
Remember “‘Mater“ from the Disney movie, “Cars?” He was the rusty old Tow truck, hence his name from Tow-Mater. Well today we were on our afternoon ride on “Purple” when we passed a big shiny new Red and White ‘Mater and his big brother Big Blue ‘Mater. Big Blue ‘Mater had his cable strung out into the desert near Mojave, California. In fact it disappeared into a very deep drainage ditch alongside Highway 14. Continue reading ‘Mater Goes Fishin’
Tandem Migration:
It is not what you think. We are not riding the tandem bicycle south for the winter. This year for the first time we are taking our Honda Civic, “Little Blue,” south with us. Since I still insist on taking my trailer with my shop along, that means Judy has to drive the Honda in tandem with the coach. Continue reading Tandem Migration:
Tandem Milestone:
Today I finally was able to install the key assembly in the power train for the new tandem. This assembly is a jack shaft that allows the blending of power from the rider and the auxiliary electric motor. That is the rider can power the wheel with no auxiliary power. The auxiliary motor can power the wheel and the rider can coast. Finally both can power the wheel at the same time.
At the same time the shaft itself functions as the pivot for the rear wheel suspension. This is good because the chains don’t vary in length as the suspension flexes. Continue reading Tandem Milestone: