SILENT PASSAGE

The Death Valley Tricycle Expedition

Steve’s tale of the 37-day expedition has unfolded at the  Silent Passage website. Please visit the site to discover the daily details about this trike trek.

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GALLERY: To view 259 black & white photographs of this expedition all in one place and in chronological order, please click HERE for the gallery.

BACK TO DAY ONE: If you wish to begin reading all of the expedition posts, starting in chronological order, please click here to access page 18, and then click the “newer posts” link at the bottom of that, and each successive, page to continue up to the latest posts.

MOVIE: A short 10 minute movie about the expedition can be viewed at YouTube if you have a fast internet connection. Click HERE to see it.

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NOTE: If you are new to this Badwater blog, and wish to return to the first day of posts about the trip, click HERE to start reading from the beginning. There are 18 pages of expedition posts, including this one, with 5 posts appearing per page. The tab links above will also take you to many photographs.

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By the way, Inspired Cycle Engineering now has three new models available for 2010. Visit their completely updated website HERE to see what all the excitement is about. Alas, the venerable Q that I rode to Death Valley no longer exists, but in its place is the Sprint, which appears to be very similar in design, with the advantage of front suspension, something I wish I had on the Q. The new ICE website is now easier to remember:

http://www.icetrikes.co.uk/

This afternoon, during a break in the winter rains so common to the coastal regions, I hurried on down to the library with my laptop. Seeing as how I no longer own a petroleum-based automobile, I donned a rain jacket just in case the clouds opened up while I was walking. The library has free high-speed Wi-Fi internet, so I am now sitting comfortably at a remote table, having happily, and without incident, uploaded a shortened version of the expedition movie I have been working on these past two weeks. At long last!

The original movie is 640×480 pixels, which is quite exquisite to view from a CD, as it retains all its clarity. From what I can see so far, the YouTube presentation has digitally reduced the movie’s viewing size, thereby making it not quite so sharp. A message informs me that it is still processing the video, and quality might improve. We shall see. In any event, at least you can view the old expedition in a new light. I apologize for any lack of clarity that may yet remain in the presentation.

There is a longer version of this movie, which tops out at just over 13 minutes. Due to time restrictions on YouTube however, I could not upload that one, so the online version is slightly less than 10 minutes, and it has an altered musical score as a result. As it so happens, I believe I prefer the shortened movie and its audio accompaniment over the longer movie (I had to remove about 40 images, and one complete song, to get it down to the YouTube size requirement).

I’ll be sending out CD versions to folks who were involved in the expedition. Perhaps if anyone else would like a CD copy, we could work out an arrangement for a minimal fee and shipping. Thanks for waiting patiently for this posting … it has been good to finally get outside and take a walk for a change (of course, right now, I am once again sitting on my duff at the library, but at least I have to walk to and from)! Take care my friends … see ya’ …

You may see this movie by clicking HERE.

Steve on his British engineered tricycle in August, prior to the expedition

I will be retaining the red Arkel GT-54 panniers on the sides of the rear rack. Atop the rack, I am currently inclined to place a new Arkel Tail Rider cargo trunk. It is made of the same high quality material as their panniers. For the seat, I am looking into purchasing a pair of Radical Design’s side panniers. This is a small company based in Holland that produces top-notch cargo carrying solutions. I will also retain the Radical Design side pods that I already have. With these additions, I believe that the gear I formerly placed in the trailer will fit on the trike (except for the massive food supply I brought along, which will be greatly reduced on the next expedition).

Here is the rear rack trunk that may find its way onto the Q as part of the cargo redesign scheme. It even has a hidden rain cover that quickly slips over the top if the water drops from the sky in torrents.

After some quick study, I now realize just how much weight will be saved by not pulling the Burley trailer loaded with the Rubbermaid Action-Packer cargo trunk. The trailer weighed in at 16 pounds, which is very light by anyone’s standards, being that it is primarily aluminum. The cargo trunk weighed in at 20 pounds, still light by itself, but if we add both of those numbers together, and consider that the weight was being pulled by a tricyclist over high mountain passes, it becomes readily apparent that on my next journey, I will be at least 36 pounds lighter! That 36 pounds was just the means to carry the cargo, in other words, it served no real purpose other than that of a vehicle for gear. Find a way to get the gear on board the trike, save at least 36 pounds of pulled weight, and have more fun on the long road to adventure as a result. This is my goal.

It is indeed upsetting when the mind and fit body say “go“ but the feet say “no”. Such has been the case for me now and again throughout my life of non-automotive transport. What would stop me on a backpacking trip? Only blisters or foot issues could ever do such a thing. What caused me problems with my Death Valley expedition? The feet!

This is an update on my foot gremlins, for all you who have been following along. As you may recall, both Achilles tendons reached a point of obvious swelling, and eventually, I experienced minor numbness on the inside edges of the two toes next to my big toes on each foot. I have been mulling this over for quite some time now, as I don’t want these problems to occur on the next journey. These issues have continued to remind me of their presence in these weeks subsequent to the end of the trip, but fortunately, their distracting mumbles slowly lessen by the day.

My mind has set upon a new course to avoid these foot problems in the future. Not being a trained podiatrist, I can not guarantee my findings, but they seem logical to me at this point in time. Here is what I believe:

I used traditional cycling pedals on this trip, onto which I attached Power-Grips to hold my foot securely to the pedal. I wore Merrill Moab Ventilator low-top hiking boots while pedaling. I kept the Power-Grips opened wide to allow my foot a deeper purchase, which held it in much better than simply having the strap come across at the toes. The reason for this is that on a recumbent trike, where your feet are behind the pedals, it takes conscious effort to keep them on the pedals if they aren’t held on with something.

Notice how the Power-Grip securely keeps the foot on the pedal. Notice also how the ball of the foot is past the pedal axis. This is not a natural situation from a walking or hiking standpoint. Basically, I was bending my foot around the top of each pedal on each of the millions of rotations during my trip, which led to my foot issues. To tighten the Power-Grip around the toe section of the foot would require that I consciously keep my foot on the pedal, something that is not preferable for days and weeks of cycling. The SPD cleat solution will keep my feet pushing in a manner consistent with hiking, and the stiffer sole of a cycling shoe will keep my feet from over arching.

Even though I had SPD cleats on the reverse side, I chose to  use regular hiking shoes. SPD cleats are similar in function to ski bindings. Next trip, I will use SPD mountain bike cycling shoes instead. I believe that the softer and more flexible sole of the Merrill boots, combined with the axis of the pedal being mid-foot, behind the ball of my foot, led to the tendon and nerve issues. Essentially, I was pushing with the middle of the foot, thereby unconsciously curling my toes and foot around the pedal’s axis millions of times over the weeks of the trip. This took its toll.

To simply tighten the Power-Grips would not be a solution in my opinion, as they would then not attach my foot to the pedal securely enough to avoid it sliding off and placing my lower leg in the path of the trike’s cross frame while riding. Another consideration with the Power-Grips is that in order to be effective at holding the area at or in front of the ball of the foot, they place a noticeable pressure upon the foot. This is because you must twist into them from the side, and then when the foot is twisted to the straight-ahead position, the strap becomes quite tight. They would probably work better with a standard upright bicycle, where the feet are on top of the pedals, and their main function is to keep the feet from moving forward off the pedals. The placement dynamic is significantly different on a recumbent tricycle.

With an SPD attachment, which is totally secure and delivers more power to the stroke, I will be able to pedal with the ball of my feet at pedal axis line, making it more like walking. This will hopefully avoid the over-flexure of the Achilles tendons, and the over-stimulation of the nerves that supply feeling to the two affected toes on each foot. As I now think back to my pre-trip training rides, I do recall that I felt some foot strain after a fast 50 mile jaunt, which was a result of the soft sole wrapping itself around the pedal’s axis. This occurred to me at the time, but I did not act on it, choosing to wear normal boots anyway. I believe this dynamic has led to my current need for rest and rehabilitation.

At this writing, only my right Achilles is at all problematic, with minor swelling and occasional tenderness. This is likely due to the fact that my right leg is about a quarter-inch shorter than my left, which results in me having to extend my foot farther forward on each pedal stroke. The toe numbness issue is nearly gone, as the nerves have mostly returned to a normal state. I have learned that a simple misjudgment can lead to some serious down-time. Would this have happened to me if I took this trip 30 years ago and used the same setup? Is it an age-related thing? There is no way to know for sure, but I suspect that age has little to do with it.

I have had many weeks to consider my options for the future. We’ll see if my thoughts have merit, and if the new setup pays dividends on my next journey through the natural world. I want to explore without physical limitations. This is my goal. I eagerly await the next departure into the adventure of tricycling.

]]> http://badwater.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/the-agony-of-de-feet/feed/ 0 The Old Trailmaster BW 4 http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/artist-drive/ http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/artist-drive/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:26:03 +0000 The Old Trailmaster http://badwater.wordpress.com/?p=1596 ]]> Three new photographs have been added to the Artist Drive page. Better late than never! Here is one of them:

Rising from the depths of Death Valley

]]> http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/artist-drive/feed/ 0 The Old Trailmaster AD 2 http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/1586/ http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/1586/#comments Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:45:04 +0000 The Old Trailmaster http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/13/1586/ ]]>

Steve at Zabriskie Point, with Red Cathedral, Manly Beacon, and Death Valley in background. Wednesday, October 28, 2009

(photograph by Paul Gareau, Pan American cyclist)

The good news is that this Badwater or Bust blog will always be here for you and me to access at any time. That is the nice thing about internet sites. And if I analyze these feelings of closure, I realize that I am not walking away from this journey, but merely building upon it the next exploratory adventure that calls to my spirit. This was a door in my universe that I walked through, not knowing what was to be encountered on the other side. By walking through this mysterious portal, I now realize that other opportunities beckon, passages that prior to the ’09 Badwater trek I would not have understood.

Making the decision to embark upon this expedition back in May was both exciting and intimidating, as never before had I done anything quite like it. Solo overland journeys of many days or weeks tests a person’s mettle, even before they begin. Quite simply put, you have to really want it to do it. Two-thousand-nine was my year to finally break out of the box and put my toes into the icy river of living on the edge. Like the river, life flows along quickly, and I had decided that I was no longer content to just accept things because everyone else does them that way. It was time for me to make my own way.

Sure, the Death Valley Tricycle Expedition was relatively mild by comparison to what intrepid folks like Alex Grove, Paul Gareau, or Mark Beaumont have done, where the mileages are recorded in thousands, and the times are recorded in months. Yet, we all must start somewhere, I suppose. This was a grand ride of adventure that was just right for my first time out on a trike. With the annoying Achilles issue, my cycling mileage was cut short, and I opted for auto transport part of the way to Death Valley National Park so that I could spend more time riding free on the trike in my old stompin’ grounds before the tendons gave out for good. Death Valley was my focus, and I am happy to have made the rounds while there.

This expedition forms my entry into future life explorations through the natural world, journeys that I will continue to make because I have learned that I feel at home while on them. Most of us search for who we are, seeking a purpose behind our fleeting time in this life. I believe I have found my path, one that my tricycle helps me travel. I do not fit into traditional cultural norms, so neither does my newly acquired means of transport. By embarking upon challenging physical voyages in the backcountry, my mind is also becoming stronger, and I can look at myself and feel strong in my convictions. And with the rugged explorers I met on this journey, who were also living on the edge and pushing their limits, I found a powerful connection that was instantly sensed, a tie that bonds through unspoken thoughts – this was one of my finest unexpected joys.

Traveling on the ICE Q through three western states opened my eyes to another world. The stable and reliable recumbent trike allows for swift and comfortable travel that is not restricted by the specter of long distances. Leaving no toxins in the wake, my silent passage along the little known byways of the west permitted me to pitch undetected stealth camps in the wilds. It was a feeling of total freedom, not under the control of any petroleum delivery systems … a freedom powered by the trike pilot himself. Hiking and backpacking are also modes of travel I find enjoyable, and will continue to weave into the fabric of my human-powered existence. Get a trike … give a holler … let’s take a trip into a world known by few. I’m always open to new adventures!

I wish to take this time to thank you all for continuing to visit this Badwater weblog during my journey, and even coming back now, after the trek is long over. I hope your readings here have contributed in some small way to a happier life for you. I probably do not know who most of you are, yet it was your visits that contributed to keeping my morale high throughout the expedition. Thank you!

People from my hometown may be visiting here to read about a guy who is their neighbor. People who click through from the ICE site may be visiting to see just how good their tricycles really are. People who have an existing friendship with me may be visiting to see what their crazy buddy is up to now. People who seek health and long life may be visiting to learn about one way I achieve it. People who are physically challenged may be visiting to experience a vicarious adventure through these words. People who have grown weary of the status quo and seek direction for living outside the box may be visiting to find it. Whatever your reason for visiting this weblog, thank you for your support and enthusiasm!

With that, I now lay this blog to rest. Of course, being a writer of sorts, it may be impossible for me to quit typing into this laptop, so I have created yet another threshold through which I may express further thoughts to anyone who finds my musings amusing or meaningful. It will be for those who wish to live on the edge, for folks who are not opposed to alternative thinking. One of my core convictions is expressed in the saying: If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space. This is true for me on several levels of meaning, physical and ideological. The trike is one way to live on the edge … on the new blog, I will be presenting additional outlooks. The link appears to the right.

Take care my friends! Hope to see you on a trike someday …

Peace,

Steve

PS: Badwater it was!

Badwater Basin, Steve Greene, and the dependable ICE Q October 30th, 2009

]]> http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/thank-you-all/feed/ 0 The Old Trailmaster BW 3 http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/still-pedaling/ http://badwater.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/still-pedaling/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:06:37 +0000 The Old Trailmaster http://badwater.wordpress.com/?p=1536 Continue reading →]]> I forgot to mention that my dentist appointment and errands yesterday found me back on the trike yet again. Seems like I can’t keep myself off it now that I have experienced the thrill of getting from point A to point B in a manner that is much faster than my usual walking. To cover the ground I did yesterday on foot, would have taken hours, but on the tricycle, the time was cut down to just minutes.

You see, it’s all a matter of perspective. If you drive a car, a trike seems like a snail’s pace, but if you walk, a trike seems like a lightning fast bird of prey. It gets in your blood, as they say. On a cold winter’s eve, if it seems chilly in the house, just go stand outside for ten minutes and come back in … won’t be cold any more, right? Yep, it’s all about how you perceive things, how you compare. It’s all in the comparisons. I grew up in cars, so it has taken me years to retool my brain to accept alternative ideas, but success has been achieved at long last. After every ride, I feel exhilarated, refreshed, and vibrantly full of life.

Another great consequence of riding a trike everywhere, and still walking too, is that these activities cause the body to develop quite an appetite. I like to eat, and by burning off so many calories in transporting myself around my world, I can happily eat more and still remain fit. So, you see, I have fun burning calories, get my errands accomplished quickly (compared to walking), and my reward is then a tasty meal. What’s there not to like?

Oh, here are a few pictures you may not have seen yet. And by the way, a few new shots of Paul Gareau appear under the “Zabriskie” tab above. There is also a link there (and HERE) to see him in a video on You Tube, riding his bicycle across the Mojave Desert after he left my camp at Furnace Creek.

By walking a steep trail on the south side of the Dante's View parking area, this overlook is accessed. In later afternoon, striking views of southern Death Valley can be seen here. This is looking towards the Butte Valley and Wingate Wash areas of the southern Panamints.

This view is from Aguereberry Point, on the other side of the valley from Dante's View, looking again into southern Death Valley. This viewpoint is much higher than Dante's, but requires 7 miles of dirt road to access, so fewer folks ever get to it.

Here is the building where I spent quite a bit of time while at Furnace Creek, especially when those 65 to 70 mile per hour winds hammered the valley floor for several days. Unlike the folks with motorhomes, a guy on a trike has fewer cozy places to retreat in the face of flying dirt. Sitting in a small tent gets old after a while!