GeneNichols.com

Ok… I should probably be posting something about my beautiful grandchildren or family related gossip, but instead this is my latest [hobby] obsession. The recumbent bike “build”. I [e-spoke] with A. Carlson, the frame guy, about progress and he sent me this snap shot of what we have so far. He is on his way to a 9 day, 670 mile ride on his recumbent part of it in the DALMAC ride in Michigan. These folks pedal 100 miles a day for 5 days through northern Michigan. Wow!

I’m beginning to gather a few parts such as a 20″ front wheel [that matches the 26″ back wheel from the donor bike] and I have been going over how to install all this stuff in my mind, much the same way I use to when I installed carpet/vinyl years ago with Dad. Sounds crazy but I am very much looking forward to getting into the customization portion of this.

All-righty then… it may not look like much to the untrained eye, but there is definitely a fast and sleek machine sitting there.
More later…

I’m moving into a new stage in my bicycling activities/hobby. One day 5 years ago on the trail, an “old” guy rode up on a recumbent and we talked about his new toy. I was very impressed with the laid back positioning and what appeared to be a darn comfy ride. (I have always struggled with sore wrist and neck when I ride long distances) He went on to explain that he recently had back surgery and this was the way to go from now on with him. Frankly he looked like a excited 10 year old on his new bike he bought with hard earned paper route money… He offered to let me ride it but I respectfully passed. (The seat looked to far forward and I did not want to mess up his adjustments.)

Fast forward - 2 years ago I saw a fleet of recumbents at my favorite local bike shop and tried a couple on for size… found the right one (sort of) and spun away. Two blocks later I was hooked!! Only one problem… the $1500 price tag …ouch!

Six weeks ago I had back surgery and while home for the short recovery I was reading my favorite camera blog and one of the regulars there posted a string about his new camera bag. Yep, he mounted his camera gear on the back of his new recumbent bike.

Hey! Two hobbies in one!

…getting to the point. I found this site where this guy builds recumbent frames out of recycled old Scwhinn 10 speeds. (See the “Recycled Recumbent” link in my Hobby Links to the right)

Now were talkin’. The beauty of this is I really like to tinker on bikes but I do not weld (yet), and he will build a bike or sell you parts a-la-carte. So I ordered his latest design, a Mach2 frame (in my size!) fork, seat, riser with brake post all in tough black powder-coat paint for about a third the cost of a new store-bought bike. As A.D. Carson (the builder) calls them, “one of those pretty bikes”

So… I add my donor parts, which if you know me I have plenty of, and off I go.

It should look something like this when (we) get through.
I’ll post more as I progress but it will be another month or more before the frame shows up at my door.

I feel like that 10 year old kid already…

Not only am I very proud of my oldest sis to make something of all those years of being a (seemingly) lifetime student, but she now has her practice up and running. She also has a very cool website! Dang… we just had our estate planning stuff done recently by a local attorney. I wonder if I could had received a discount at beaverslaw.com? Oh well, the office visit to sign papers would have been killer on the gas budget..

Congratulations Kris!!

Check out her site……. (nice pic John!)

Hey, can you do documents and such in states other than VA and CA?

My back problems are slowly fading away since I had some non evasive surgery done a week ago. Susan is healing well from a surgery to her leg where they removed a Basil cell. Joey is doing well in school… Melissa and him are getting along fabulously. Jake and Wendy are tooling around on his Moped getting 85 mpg. (Yes it has air-horns!) My nephew Mike is in Thailand for a month …Carey and family must miss him already. …And Jon and Amy have nearly finished hanging drywall in their new basement playroom, which they’ve had very little help from the kids!!

Magnus is just hanging out!!

He talks kinda’ funny but I swear he asked me to get him a beer. After all, he’s got that built-in bottle opener.

Gabby had the great opportunity to attend Safety City! The neat part is her dad also attended when he was five. This a two week program to help give these kids a head start into life.

Each child is taught basic rules of traffic and pedestrian safety, fire prevention, school bus safety, poison control, gun safety, water safety, and stranger awareness. The program is operated by a non-profit organization and coordinates the cooperative effort of the Westerville Fire Department, Police Department, and City Schools. Gabby completed the program, received a Certificate of Achievement and participated in the graduation ceremony on Friday, June 27th. She had a fun time learning and making new friends, but she was sad when she realized that it was all over.

Congratulations Gabby and we hope you have a lot of good memories!

Photos by Susan

As part of a Guardian “HealthGuard” initiative, a small group of us at work entered in the Central Ohio Tour de Cure, ride for Diabetes on Saturday June 7. We enjoyed a leisurely ride and raised $1075 to help in the fight and cure of Diabetes.

Thanks to everyone who so graciously gave for the cause!!!


Team members from left - Tom Thibodeau, Kim Fallona, Mallory Morettin, Todd Comer, Susan Nichols, Gene Nichols

One of our favorite thing to do is sit out on the deck on Sunday morning together sipping coffee and reading the paper. …Well Susan usually reads the paper while I play with the cameras. We have been blessed lately with a very talkative Mockingbird I suppose whom is looking for a mate. I don’t know much about these guys but I can tell you they have dozens of sounds that they roll through for minutes at a time. Sounds that mimic Blue jays, Cardinals, Squirrels, cats, even a rooster across they way. Well a couple of times this morning it added the sound of a cell phone ringing! WOW a digital Mockingbird! Then Susan began laughing and it mimicked her laugh!

Were having fun!

They are difficult to photograph since they hide inside the dense part of the trees…

Magnus is 7 months old now and forming his own special personality. It seems any and every time you look at him he breaks out a huge smile.
He’s either a very happy kid or full of gas…I think perhaps both.
See..it’s true…we start life in this world the same way we leave it. …Happy and full of gas!