SpokEasy

We all have a story to tell. Mine is the story of how I accomplished a century — yes, that’s 100 miles in one day — on an adult tricycle, despite my not having a cycling background. After I “graduated” from the tricycle, my pedaling adventures continued!

Not every cyclist takes it up well into adulthood, I suppose; but I am among those who have. You’re never too old, they say! There’s no need to be afraid of looking silly; and you don’t have to put in a century right out of the gate. That can come later.

What got this going in the first place? As I didn’t have a car, I would occasionally bum a ride from a friend who did have a car. She didn’t have access to off-street parking; and one day her car got totaled. She didn’t get another, and I don’t blame her.

So I needed a way to get around; and since I had some dizziness issues at the time, I got a trike.

Riding the adult tricycle; a hybrid bike; and a road bike, I racked up enough miles between November 2009 and June 2015 to take me ‘round the world. Naturally I’ve continued to add to the mileage total since then. My legs simply love to ride! As of May 2024, I’m even considering the July 2025 RAGBRAI. But that’s another story.

I learned, by doing increasingly longer rides, how to eat and drink on the bike — well, OK, the trike. Although of course eating while rolling on two wheels did come in time.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tricycle, and actually wore it out because I put so many miles on it; including, of course, the century. The personnel at my local bike shop said I was the only one they ever knew who either wore out an adult tricycle; or did a century on one! Are there other adult trike riders out there who are asking:  is a 100-mile day on a three-wheeler possible? I can assure you, it definitely is! 

I won’t pretend that it’s easy. It took a lot of hard work and preparation; and I had been riding for about two years before I began the prep. Ride day turned out to be very tough because of the weather conditions. To be more specific, because of the wind. I had to keep prodding myself to keep going with the thought, “You’ve come this far; don’t give up now!” I admit, that took a lot of the fun out of it; but the sense of accomplishment afterwards made it worthwhile.

I hope that the story of that ride can serve as inspiration and encouragement to those who, for whatever reason, are unable to ride on two wheels; but wish they could ride a century.