CHRISTMAS 2006 IN MIAMI

We have spent our last two Christmas in Miami with brother Roland, sister in law Tinina, their two children, and my mother. We have enjoyed the times with them immensely. Tinina is a terrific Cuban cook and she is always ready with delicious traditional dishes that we do not get to taste any other time of the year. With Teri's gourmet cooking, and the terrific traditional Spanish sweets imported for Christmas by grocery stores in Miami, it is a moveable feast.


From left to right: Roland, Bernie, Teri, Tinina, and Anthony. Here we are sharing a meal at the campground; 25 minutes South of their house near the Metrozoo.

LP Thompson is a great public campground. Here we are walking by the large lake in the park grounds. It has a nice sandy beach in cystal-clear water.

OUR NEW RECUMBENT BIKES

While staying at Lazydays in the Tampa area for RV repairs we used our time (1.5 weeks - AARRGG) to shop for new recumbent bikes. We spent two days with Marc, the very patient and knowledgeable owner of Power-On-Cycling, trying several of the better recumbents. We finally settled on the new Burley Koozas as the most comfortable and stable overall for both of us.

These are FAST bikes. I have easily clocked 16 mph without any training whatsoever. We have riden 10 miles and had not a trace of pain or discomfort anywhere. The world land speed record for human-powered vehicles is held by a recumbent clocked at 62 mph. (well - a tandem recumbent twin engined with two professional cyclists and with the advantage of a fairing to reduce wind drag).

Besides comfort and efficiency of motion, there are other definite differences between recumbents and regular bikes. In this picture Teri is in starting stance on her recumbent. Since one rides in a reclining position with pedals far forward, there is no such thing as standing up on the pedal to start, or pushing off with the free foot. One must be a good manager of the available 24 speeds and use the gears. Typically to start one must use a mid-range or lower gear and use a large upper leg muscle to push on a cocked pedal like she is doing.