|
|
|
|
|
|
The B.O.B. is one of the more useful bike accesories to be invented recently. This photo shows the bob laden with a post hole digger and 50 pound of post hole concrete mix as well as several trimming tools and hardware I used to build the fence around the garden. I think I loaded it way beyond its rated capacity but hey it was only pavement travel. Check out next week's shot of our BOB adventures off road!
Dave Gallasi's "Secret BOB Camping Trip Training Method"
For 14 years, I had a bike commute that was a dream. I would leave my home in the foothills of Pasadena, catch a bike path starting where the Rose Parade ends and end up near the collection of rock pits known as Irwindale. I loved the ride, as it was mostly off major streets, in nice communities with little traffic and like most commutes, had an interesting group of people on it. Characters like fast walking woman, beach cruiser grandma (she rode every morning, on a one speed cruiser, uphill....), Turban Man (we would bow to each other when we passed) and the Lemonade Girls. I rode for a number of reasons, but one of the best one was the BOB load test.
My passion is restoring old Volkswagen's and through the years, I've built more than my share. I would work on the cars after work, at work, but I would have need to ferry components to and from home. Therefore, it was a challenge to load up the BOB and see how much it (and I) could take. Is that an engine case in your BOB or are you just hurting/slow?
Now, riding from home to work was no biggie. Only two short uphill, minor grade. Work to home, another story. The hard part was climbing through Arcadia, in particular, Baldwin Avenue. I'm not complaining, though, I loved it. When my friends and I would take the BOBs camping, I couldn't help but feel I had a secret training weapon. Got climb? I did! Like, a tent and food weighs more than a starter, a brake drum and a steering wheel? No way! I enjoyed going up hills more than going down them. Eventually, the cars got built and I changed jobs. Started the family unit and time and the commute got short. But, you know, Solvang is coming up and there is that convertible I've got at my parent's neighbor's house............... |
|
|
|
|
|
