Bike Kayak Trailer

I designed and built this trailer for a friend. 

I spent a good bit of time thinking about the hitch.  My favorite part is using a short piece of automotive heater hose to wrap around the bike seat post.  It flexes a little, absorbs small shocks, and attaches and removes quickly with no tools.  I like it.

The trailer has a wooden frame with low-speed low-pressure wheels, slightly smaller than wheelbarrow wheels.  They roll nicely and absorb minor shocks.

It's all connected by a long piece of black iron pipe, bent to the contours of the rear bike wheel and the bow of the kayak.  And the pipe swivels in the frame so everything moves.

Here's the instructable:  http://www.instructables.com/id/Bike-Kayak-Trailer/

and the 16-second video:  http://youtu.be/GovHLDrF2eU

With a little paint, and some red blinkies for those full-moon cruises, it'll be all set.  I just hope she doesn't try to back it down the boat ramp...

RUSA Rando Roulette 200K - Abbreviated

I was in Las Vegas Nevada on business last week.  After my conference was over, I stayed for the weekend, rented a bike, and rode the first 80 miles/128 km of the RUSA Rando Roulette 200K last Saturday.

The route is a loop around Las Vegas.  I started in the town of Henderson to the south, rode east and then north along Lake Mead, then west through the city of North Las Vegas.  Scenery along the lake was desolate and gorgeous.  Riding through the city in traffic was fun.  The route continued through the Red Rock Canyon to the west, but I didn't make it.

Determination vs Temptation:  I didn't finish the official ride. It got hot mid-day (around 95F/35C), and I was not acclimated.  I totally melted in the sunshine.  Now the route just happened to pass by the Bonneville Bus Station in North Las Vegas, and I just happened to know there was an express bus back to my hotel in Henderson, with bike racks and air conditioning, every 30 minutes, for only $2.  Two dollars!  All this immediately flashed through my mind in an instant as soon as I saw the bus station.  I knocked that devil off my shoulder and shouted 'keep pedaling!'

But after biking 5 miles further and finally realizing I really could not make the next checkpoint in time, I decided to end my ride.  (Oh, and shivers, cramps, and a few 'bad decisions' in traffic from dehydration helped confirm my decision too).  Back to the bus station!

A fun memory:  As I waited at the bus station in my rando reflectivewear, a bicycle policeman on patrol shouted out and complimented me as the 'most visible cyclist' he has ever seen.  Yesss!

Many thanks to Utah Rando Richard for designing the route and sending me a card.  And many thanks to NC Rando Rick for recommending the route and recommending the Fiesta Henderson Hotel.  I would love to try again some day with better preparation and/or during a cooler time of year.

Enjoy my unusually large set of photos from the ride with lots of little vignettes: http://goo.gl/ieOOZ

And enjoy my tourist photos from Las Vegas with particularly snarky captions:  http://goo.gl/AWMcV

Another great day on the bike...