Me and the Moonlander!

Sean VHA #60013

Adventurer
Name: Justin, aka Gear
bicycle Surly- Moonlander 18", aka Fat Bike
Reason for the purchase Well lets see, I turned 40 years of age. I was getting tired of running on a tread mill at the gym. The weights at the gym did not look very inviting. I was looking for a reason to get back Outside!
Why this thread I wanted a place to post up a photograph or two of my rides. Sort of a visual reminder for me to get off my butt and stay active.

Justin,

I have been following your thread with great interest - very motivating and inspiring, makes me want to dust off my mountain bike and get riding! keep up the great work :coffeedrink:
 

Gear

Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
Justin,

I have been following your thread with great interest - very motivating and inspiring, makes me want to dust off my mountain bike and get riding! keep up the great work :coffeedrink:

Thanks Sean,

Hope you get a chance to dust of the bike. Once you start it gets addicting. :bike_rider:
 

Gear

Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
La Costa Preserve - February 20, 2012

Moonlander-LaCostaPreserve-0421.jpg

Today I was looking forward to getting back on some good single track so I headed across the way to La Costa Preserve. I rode up the fire road out of San Elijo Hills(SEH) to the Boy Scout Kiosk. Then it was down Vista Del Mar up the Switchback Trail, down Horny Toad(? name) up Switchback Trail and finally down Nascar. I have ridden Nascar before but it was several years ago. This trail is really for hardcore downhill bikes. I walked two sections. I'd rather ride tomorrow then show off today.

http://www.mountainbikebill.com/LaCosta.htm
Here is a great website about riding in San Diego as well as La Costa Preserve.

LaCostaPreserve.jpg


Distance 14.5 miles
Elevation 2429 feet
Moving Average 6.7 mph
 

LukeHooligan

Observer
You 2 legged guys get to have all the fun :elkgrin:

Sweet bike, and it was nice running into today, Lets get out camping soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD4ukRH8wWI&feature=player_embedded looks like 1 legged guys can have fun too.

http://www.r-onefourcross.com/fourcross_news.html and people without the use of either leg

also a man with 2 prosthetic legs raced the descent of the holy stairs in brazil this year on a proper downhill bike http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Descent-of-the-Holy-Stairs-2012-Santos-Urban-Downhill-Race.html

i also had the privilege of seeing some amazing paratriathletes with prosthetics cycle both with proper bikes and handcycles at the NYC triathlon 6 months ago which also happens to be the paratriathlon national championships. I don't know about your specific situation, but there's a lot of stuff out there these days to allow disabled individuals to get involved in cycling, Though i'm also aware that much of it is very, very expensive.
 

Gear

Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD4ukRH8wWI&feature=player_embedded looks like 1 legged guys can have fun too.

http://www.r-onefourcross.com/fourcross_news.html and people without the use of either leg

also a man with 2 prosthetic legs raced the descent of the holy stairs in brazil this year on a proper downhill bike http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Descent-of-the-Holy-Stairs-2012-Santos-Urban-Downhill-Race.html

i also had the privilege of seeing some amazing paratriathletes with prosthetics cycle both with proper bikes and handcycles at the NYC triathlon 6 months ago which also happens to be the paratriathlon national championships. I don't know about your specific situation, but there's a lot of stuff out there these days to allow disabled individuals to get involved in cycling, Though i'm also aware that much of it is very, very expensive.

Cool Stuff. That YouTube video was pretty impressive. I wonder how much that leg costs? I will PM Jerry(1leg) so he takes a look.

Thanks
 

LukeHooligan

Observer
I'm sure it isn't at all cheap, but it is a very impressive product of engineering. Loving your thread, i would like a moonlander or pugsley one day but have several other bikes and can't justify another for off pavement use any time soon. I have an On-One 456 long travel hardtail for most technical singletrack duties and a Surly Cross Check for everything else. keep the photos and adventures coming!
-Luke-
 

Gear

Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
Coastal/Bike Path Ride - February 21, 2012

Moonlander-CoastRide2-0443.jpg

Headed down to the coast for a long easy ride. A shot of the surf at Carlsbad State Beach. High tide kept me off the beach.

Moonlander-CoastRide3-0446.jpg

Stopped for a picture at the Oceanside Pier. Today I was day dreaming of getting the Stand-up Paddle board out of the garage.

Moonlander-CoastRide4-0447.jpg

Checked out Oceanside Harbor. The seals were sunning themselves right out in the middle of the water.

Moonlander-CoastRide5-8217.jpg

I liked this shot of me riding on the jetty. Now were is that paddle board?

CoastRide.jpg

Once I left the coast I rode the San Luis Rey River Trail. Pretty much a two lane bike path. My neighbor rode it the other day and recommended it. So I figured I'd check it out! Although it was flat, the wind coming back was a pain.

Distance 40.2 miles
Elevation 1333 feet
Moving Average 11.6 mph
 

Gear

Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
La Costa Preserve - REI - February 22, 2012

Moonlander-LaCostaPreservetoREI-8338.jpg

Today's goal was to put 22 miles on the bike. I'll explain in the next post. So I headed up and over La Costa Preserve. Down the backside and into Encinitas were I stopped off at REI. Next I meandered back up to SEH via a new section of dirt. Still needing a few extra miles I headed out into Elfin Forest for some single track.

Moonlander-LaCostaPreservetoREI7-8426.jpg

Moonlander-LaCostaPreservetoREI5-8395.jpg

Moonlander-LaCostaPreservetoREI6-8409.jpg

A nice little obstacle on the lower section of Vista Del Mar Trail.

LaCostaPreservetoREI.jpg

The route.

Distance 22.3 miles
Elevation 2456 feet
Moving Average 8.3 mph
 

Gear

Explorer, Overland Certified OC0020
30 Consecutive Days on the Surly Moonlander! - February 22, 2012

Moonlander-LaCostaPreservetoREI8-8309.jpg


30 consecutive days on the bike - including 3 rest days

Distance - 500.8 miles
Elevation - 52,121 feet
Moving Average - 8.0 mph
No Mechanical Problems - Zero Flats

That averages out to 16.6 miles a day with 1757 feet of elevation

Don't expect a repeat of this next month!!
 
Last edited:

1leg

Explorer
Thank you for the encouragement. I have contacted the guy in the video and was not successful in getting much info on buying the parts needed to build a leg for myself, it was a few years ago and i never followed up i will try again know that you reminded me.
I have a hand-cycle but can't seem to get much enjoyment out of it, Its very scary to ride on the road being eye level with lug nuts.
 

TangoBlue

American Adventurist
Don't expect a repeat of this next month!!

Why not? You made it look easy. Everyday, I check your post and progress, and recall similar terrain. It was Northern California - Redwood City - and the Peninsula was my range from the Bay to the Ocean, San Francisco to San Jose. You're posts really made me that, fiercely. I've even been rebuilding my bikes (cyclocross with old-school WTB off-road drop bars and dropped thumshifters; and Ti Miyata mountain bike) back into shape.

Besides, think of all of us who have posted, or those merely looking, that you've motivated. You're our inspiration - raise the bar.

Remember, one day, Forrest said, "and I just started a-runnin,'"too.
 

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