gallery
This is the Death Valley Tricycle Expedition photo gallery page. Below are 259 photographs in chronological order, beginning at the Pacific Ocean. Photographs in this gallery are courtesy of Jack Freer, Steve Greene, Terry Butler, and Gene Elmore. They have been downsized and rendered in black and white for quicker viewing on slower internet connections.
Click any of the thumbnails below for a larger version. You may also manually move through the larger versions as a slideshow by clicking the smaller thumbnails that appear underneath the larger versions.
Hey Steve,
I stumbled onto your site and your story is wonderful and inspiring.
The following week I went out and rode a trike and I’m hooked.
Within the next month I’ll have my own. At this point I’m looking at the ICE Sprint and the HP Velotechnik Scorpion though I plan on riding a few more too.
I love in Florida and really want to get into some human powered adventures. I’m no spring chicken though. I just turned 60.
What suggestions do you have for a good light setup? The drivers here are clueless and bike paths are few.
Be well,
Johnny
April 15, 2011 at 8:28 pm
Howdy Johnny,
Thanks for writing! I am happy that you have been inspired to take up petroleum free triking. It is a fantastic way to strengthen the body while having loads of fun and helping to keep the air we all breathe cleaner.
Please do not look at 60 as a “no spring chicken” affair. I am also that age, and have never had more endurance in my life. Our bodies are more a product of how we choose to live than the clock age we assign to them. The longest living human thus far legitimately recorded reached 122 years. This indicates that we have one year to go before we even reach the half way point. Centenarian studies repeatedly demonstrate that folks who live past 100 usually are functionally active and fully alert mentally until 1-2 weeks out from their death date. My goal is maximum functional longevity, and the trike is one incredible way to help achieve it (far better than riding a stationary recumbent in a crowded gym).
One of the lightest setups you can achieve is the Catrike brand. They have aluminum frames with no suspension, thus weigh in very light. Catrikes are a very popular brand, standing the test of time, and thousands of dedicated trike pilots ride them every day. They are made in Winter Garden Florida. The ICE Sprint you mention is an outstanding choice. It is essentially the same trike I ride, although mine is called the Q. In 2010, ICE modified the Q and gave it the new Sprint name. It weighs in somewhere around 35 pounds without accessories. The suspension is very nice on these rigs, and the new Sprint even has front suspension too (mine only has rear suspension). ICE is a British company. The Scorpion is a heavier trike, somewhere around 45 pounds I think, yet it comes with sterling recommendations from many happy Scorpion owners. They are made in Germany, and require a waiting period from what I understand if you order one. They are fully suspended also. If you put 1.75 or 2.0 tires on a Catrike, you can soften the rigid aluminum framed ride somewhat, especially if you keep the air pressure a little lower. All three trikes you have mentioned are great choices. The answer is to ride each one for about 40 miles and see how they compare, and how well they meet your expectations … then decide.
All drivers are clueless, but, as you will read elsewhere in my writings on Trike Asylum, trikes are much safer than bicycles for numerous reasons, so with high visibility flagging and flashing LED lights, you will be afforded respect by most drivers. Only a rare selfish person will attempt to intrude on your right to use the roadways.
I will be going on another overland trek this coming August. You can read about it at this link:
http://trikeasylum.wordpress.com/wild-steves-expedition-news/coast-to-cactus-tricycle-expedition/
Take care, and go join our trike forum and ask some questions:
http://trikeasylum.freeforums.org/portal.php
Steve
http://trikeasylum.wordpress.com
April 16, 2011 at 6:24 am
I realty like your story about your tour . I have trike also went I get on it I just want just go for miles .I live in Oklahoma we have some rolling hill here . Thank a lot for input and pictures . Tommy
February 16, 2012 at 10:43 pm
Hi Tommy,
I just published a new book that goes into great detail about how to take a trike journey of your own, if you are interested in doing so. The book is called: The Overland Triker. Learn more at this link if you wish:
http://trikeasylum.wordpress.com/steves-stuff/steves-published-books/the-overland-triker/
Steve
May 17, 2012 at 10:01 am