Live the Adventure …

> READ STEVE’S COMPLETE DEATH VALLEY STORY AT: http://silentpassage.wordpress.com

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ONLY THOSE WHO RISK GOING TOO FAR

WILL DISCOVER HOW FAR THEY CAN GO

This weblog exists to follow the progress of author, adventurer, and naturalist Steve Greene on his Death Valley Tricycle Expedition, as he begins by tricycling into a mysterious hidden world 282 feet below sea level. This is Steve’s first cross-country journey in a human-powered vehicle. Read about his preparatory phase HERE.

The majority of posts appearing below have been entered by enthusiastic correspondents of this expedition. Steve contacted these people (Jack Freer, David Wright, and Adam Lee) when telephone service was available en route, provided them the latest progress, and the information was then placed on the weblog. This third-party arrangement was established so that Steve did not have to carry a laptop in his already-heavy gear. Posts from Steve appear subsequent to the conclusion of the travel to and through Death Valley.

Postings appear in reverse chronological order, with the newer posts on top of each page. Earlier posts are accessible by the “Older Posts” link at the bottom of each page. Click any of the tabs above to view expedition photographs, which are best understood by first reading the corresponding posts. To view the first posts of this entire adventure, written by Jack, David, and Adam, please click HERE.

Start date: October 01, 2009. Vehicle: ICE Q narrow-track tricycle, with trailer. Objectives: Travel from the Pacific Ocean on the central Oregon coast to Death Valley’s Badwater Basin, tour selected portions of Death Valley National Park, attend Old West Days in Shoshone, speak at Death Valley 49ers Author’s Breakfast at Stovepipe Wells, and share with others the adventures of traveling through the natural world by trike. End date: November 06, 2009. Duration: 37 days. Human-Powered Distance Traveled: 1,030 kilometers / 640 miles. Weather: Rain, snow, ice, 100-degree temps, 70 MPH winds, dirt storms. Elevations: Highest: 5,925 / Lowest -282.

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“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Steve’s Tale

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, 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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Trike Asylum

If you are interested in tricycles specifically, I have begun a new blog about these bizarre three-wheeled vehicles at Trike Asylum. It is planned to be an “all trikes all the time” affair for the devoted enthusiast.

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. 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/

Tricycle Expedition Movie

Well folks, I have met with success in the digital video realm of this expedition!

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

Three Great Companies

Products from the following companies have been well-tested by yours truly under grueling conditions, and they have survived the journey to and through Death Valley with flying colors. I recommend them to any serious cyclist without reservation.

Burley No More

Well, the cargo carrying metamorphosis is well underway! Yesterday, I sold the trusty Burley flatbed trailer (that accompanied me on the Death Valley Tricycle Expedition) to a pharmacist from central California. She happened to be visiting in town and caught the Craig’s List ad online … what luck, huh? Get this: Melanie Baker also owns a trike! I showed her how it connects up to the drop-out on the rear axle, explained to her about the slow leak in the right side tube, removed the quick-release wheels, and stowed the Burley in her Toyota Prius for transport down south into California’s San Joaquin Valley. Melanie is happy to have a top-quality trailer for her around-town shopping needs, and I am happy to have some cash to put into the new pannier setup I’ll be adding to my Q. She is an environmentally inclined soul like I am, so a lively extended dialog accompanied this mega financial transaction.

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.