First Published July 17, 2017 by Constance
For nine days in May I lived in a Constable painting…and got to ride two recumbent trikes.
Even if you don’t know what a recumbent trike is, you have probably seen one. It has 3 wheels, is low to the ground. The rider sits in a type of recliner seat. You can pedal with your feet in front of you, or if you can’t pedal with your legs, you can pedal with your hands. I decided I wanted one a few months ago but never ridden on a “bent”. Getting around on a mobility scooter is like using the Popemobile, you just sit there. It does the job but scooters are really boring.
Before we left for England I researched about trikes. I found https://www.freetrike.co.uk/home and Tom Pales. Set a date to meet in Torquay. The area is known as “The English Rivera”. A hotel there was the inspiration for “Fawlty Towers” after some of the Monty Python guys had quite a stay. After a drive through rolling hills, mist, sheep…the Constable painting reference, I was sitting on a recumbent trike.
Riding the recumbent is amazing. Very quick and responsive, comfortable. Add the motor and I can get up all this hills where I live. Going down is fine, but
Tom Pales adjusting my pedals. I’m not that fat, it’s all the layers.
This is so much fun!
Going uphill is tough a motor would help but I would still be peddling, instead of just sitting there. The citizen and his Dad were freezing in the cold wet wind and I riding and riding and riding. The guys were shivering. Pub time.
The Avon Innis the pubby-ist pub I have ever dreamed of. We all hustle in, wet and cold. Three huge mastiffs were either tending bar or lounging next to a lovely fire. The pub was about as big as my bedroom, All sorts of English farming implements about. Cask ale, pints of Dartmoor legend, epic pub spirits.
We spend days cooking, going to places the Earls of the Realm use to live lavishly. Mount Edgecumbe is truly extravagant and beautiful. Trails through old growth trees, different themed gardens.
Return to childhood for a day.
The pub, eh, not so good. We took the Cremyll ferry for about eight minutes, then hopped off. Walked the gardens and the citizen and his sister skimmed stones.
Over nine days I got to eat four pasties and great “Mum” cooked meals. Laughed with the citizen’s family as they picked on some of the things he did when he was a kid.
When traveling for adventure sometimes the best adventure is going back home. Even if it rains much of the time.
For more information on FreeTrike, a riding program for the disabled, please hit FreeTrike in the text for more information. It is an amazing program that gets people who aren’t mobile out on the trails
