logo
backtop

The joys of the GoPro age where you can stick a camera anywhere including on a pole on the back of a handcycle. These are videos from bike rides starting with those at BORP after I first found what a handcycle was to those on the handcycles I've bought.

#Title / DateDescription
7 Safeway Ride
November 16th, 2024
This time made it all the way to Safeway and, unlike last week, pretty much nothing happened. Here are the timestamps of nothing much happening:
  • 5:00 went shortest way to downtown and skipped the toboggan run
  • 8:57 Dodgy left turn
  • 9:20 to 16:40 trail that this bike was made for
  • 10:03 Tight turn to bridge (that I missed this week, unlike last where I crashed into it)
  • 11:30 Group of women that moved out of my way, but started screaming about a snake. (I checked my zipper, it was done up).
  • 13:37 Better navigation of tree stump instead of crashing into it
  • 17:10 to 20:37 Cutting through houses
  • 20:15 On google street view there's another pole in the ground that would prevent me from going through here. Was expecting to have to turn around.
  • 20:38 The curb drop off looks too steep, turn onto path and realize there is no drop down anywhere. Started to turn around and then some guy convinced me to go for it, lol.
  • 24:23 Emergency response hiding out at the back of Safeway (seen a bit better on return at 25:42)
  • 25:13 Safeway
  • 26:18 Puddle
  • 29:18 Return of the snake ladies
  • 52:05 Got sidetracked at lights, didn't think they'd change and nearly missed them
Noticed the flag pole is still flapping about like a mad thing as soon as you get to about 15mph.
6 Almost Safeway
November 9th, 2024
I had intended to ride a new path to Safeway, but I turned off the track to soon, so the ride was cut a little short. An enjoyable ride that I'll do again. Not so much fun for the squirrel.
  • 5:30 Swim meet at the local swim club
  • 11:20 start of the "toboggan" run (ends 15:10)
  • 14:54 Squirrel goes bye bye
  • 17:18 Dodgy left onto main road
  • 17:43 Start of new trail (to me)
  • 18:16 Misjudge turn onto bridge and crash into it
  • 22:00 Trail crumbling and narrows and I hit a tree
  • 24:00 wasn't sure if I was supposed to go left (I shouldn't, made right decision)
  • 25:55 Wasn't sure if I was to go left (I should have, made the wrong decision)
  • 26:30 Debate whether to turn around and go the full way or turn right and head back. Head back. In my head, getting annoyed that there are very few dips in the curb that I can use to get onto the road or off the road onto a trail.
  • 36:30 I really like the path on the right and really wanted to ride on it, but it doesn't seem wide enough if there are people on it. Not entirely sure why I care
  • 49:00 Maneuver from bike lane to left to turn left from one dual carriageway to another
  • 49:57 Sit there like a pudding pointing to the left
  • 1:10:17 local kids intrigued by my bike
5 Even Bigger Hill
November 2nd, 2024
OK, so I thought I'd be clever and go to the path on the other side of the shops to avoid going down the gulley and not have to pump my way up the other side. Genius move I feel. At 17:20 is where I don't go fully into the shop parking lot and go over the gulley and onto the path on the far side. At 21:40 you see the gulley path coming up from the right hand side. Great! Now, feeling that I'd cheated the hill, I decided to extend the ride with another loop on what seemed to be a flatter run. 25:20 is where I extended the run and then at 30:30 is where I find the even steeper hill that I'd been warned about at 28:30 (I had thought he was joking and meant Mount Diablo that you see in the background). So, I look at the hill from 30:30. I then decide to go for it. at 31:59 I proclaim that I don't think I can make it. Oddly, what went through my head at that time was “what can go wrong?”. Now, I've accused my cat of being stupid and not being able to see what's in front of him. The 100ft drop into the stream on the right side of the path would be the what could go wrong. You might think that's unlikely, but if I decided I had to turn round or started rolling back, that may not be as unlikely as you think. Anyway, stupidity ruled supreme and we huffed and puffed away for 15 minutes until 46:30 and reached the top. Couple of other notes: 1) the rev counter is based on a cadence sensor that is a bit hit and miss 2) The camera seems to be mounted in a better position, but it's really high off the back of the bike now 3) The flag seems to get very excited and flap about the place when you get over 15 4) The top speed hits 30mph at 15:15 5) The house on the right after the stop sign (that I clearly stop at) at 56:29 is one I nearly bought. It was a flip and went on the market same day as mine did. Really nice house and I hope the owners are happy. The mature garden of mine is what tipped me to it in the end versus flips that just clear everything and leave it baron.
4 Loop with ride along path
October 26th, 2024
Pretty similar to the previous video, just a loop around downtown Clayton. The additional component to this video is a ride along a path at the back of the town and a trip through a gulley that was quite hard to get back up again. Starts around 21 minutes, but there's a blog somewhere that just shows this part of the video.
3 Clayton Loop
October 19th, 2024
An amazing video of the back of my head. Need to position the GoPro a little higher and angle down a bit more. Quick ride from my house through downtown Clayton. A few mishaps along the way. I adjusted my leg early on and it flew into the front wheel and then one of my crutches popped out of its holder and I had to circle round to pick it back up. Here are some useful timestamps:
  • 3:44 Adjust leg and manage to throw foot into front wheel
  • 5:39 Crutch flies out of it's holder and lands on road (sadly you don't see it happen)
  • 13:44 First Big Skeleton (on left)
  • 18:38 Two big skeletons (on the right)
  • 18:52 - 19:30 Top Speed Run
2 BORP to Yerba Buena Island
November 11th, 2023
A ride across the Bay Bridge to Yerba Buena Island. Very long and boring video, but a lot of fun to do.
1 BORP to Marina Bay Park
October 28th, 2023
Video of bike ride from BORP to Marina Bay Park. Not really a lot special here, just stuck a GoPro on my head and recorded an hour and a half handcycle ride.