68th ride of 2016 - Saturday, 5/7/2016

Today gave me all the "adventure" I needed or wanted. After doing three round trips to Marsh Park on each of the last three days, I wanted to gear up and do four today. I took my time, and set off a little past 9:00 a.m. All was going well until I got to Marsh Park, and stopped to take a short break. I got up, and a couple of minutes later, when I sat back down on the trike, an ear-splitting CRACK was accompanied by the center joint collapsing to the ground. (The sound was loud enough to draw alarmed glances from parents at the play structure with their kids 200 feet away.) I was quickly able to spot where the frame had broken at the hole in the center joint where the pin goes.

I texted Michelle and, bless her heart, she came to pick me up without complaint. After I explained to her what had happened, and showed her the damage and noted that I expected this would require replacement of the frame yet again, she said, "You know, I wonder whether it might not be time for us to explore other options." I told her that on one of the previous frame issues, TerraTrike had offered me the option of an identical frame except that it didn't fold. (I think, but am not positive, that this was for their Rover model as opposed to my Traveler.) Here is a closeup I took of the damage after I got it to Jack's.

Anyway, I took the trike to Jack's and explained to Richard, asking also about the possibility of the Rover frame. He shrugged and said, "If they offered it before, I don't see why it shouldn't still be OK now." 

So, at present, I'm back to "waiting mode." Even if they do agree to that other frame, though, I'll need to explore what kind of options (if any) exist to transport it. A back rack for the car? A roof rack?

In light of all this, it seems almost impertinent to point out that I rode a whole 4.7 miles this morning, in 33 minutes.