High on the list is Trixie the Trike.
Okay, go ahead and laugh, but this post is a salute to my tricycle. I’ve had Trixie for about a month now and she’s changed my life. If any of you out there, especially boomers, are tempted by the idea of adding a third wheel to your cycling experience, let me tell you why you might love it.
When we moved to the South Carolina lowcountry, I hadn’t been on a bike for about thirty years (even though I had frequent dreams involving cycling on highways, which I found both scary and cool). As the name suggests, the lowcountry is flat and cycling trails abound. My inner adventurer urged me to wheel up. My inner weenie gulped. My last bone density test had prompted my doctor to recommend I avoid fractures.
The idea of a trike appealed to me. When my parents lived in South Florida, one of their friends had one and always looked serene and comfy on it. I figured I’d use the tricycle as a substitute for a golf cart and take it to the pool and Pickleball instead of driving. My husband seemed to think it was a dumb idea, certain that a bike would give me better maneuverability. But when we went to the bike store and I test drove an upright adult trike, I was hooked.
Trixie has a backrest, a bell, lights, rearview mirrors and an oversized basket in back. One of my neighbors described her as “the Continental of bikes.” My Pickleball friends, who are sort of boomer jocks, look at her with skepticism (“Well, as long as you enjoy it”), while others in our development are intrigued and riddle me with questions about my tricycling experience.
I ride Trixie pretty much every day. She carries my Pickleball racquet, my pool bag. I even get my folded noodle into her basket. And now I’m discovering the thrill of the local bike trails, which are flat, twisty, shady and free of cars. Coasting along a trail through the woods, I feel like a kid. One gear is all I need in the lowcountry. Whether I go fast or slow, I have no worries about balance. Mounting and dismounting are a breeze. And speaking of breeze, I’ve discovered it’s possible to work up a sweat and still feel cool when I’m riding. Apres pool, it feels way better to get onto a trike than into a hot car.
So that’s my song of praise for Trixie – my joy, my trike, my ride.