Out of the Bubble

Guru Mechanics, Lost Adventures and a Moonlit Bathtub Recovery

Hello dear friends,

While summer’s fashionably late, life certainly hasn’t been—things are moving fast!

Recently, we were invited by our lovely guy at Guru Cycle Service to come talk trike upgrades for James. 

His ride (two wheels in the front, one in the back—think spaceship meets lawn chair) has independent front brakes. This means that stopping hard can feel a bit like choosing which side of the canyon to launch off. Spoiler alert: James is not a fan.

We also discussed adding extra battery power, because our goal is to ride far enough to feel like we’re lost, but not so far that we actually are lost (unless snacks are involved, then all bets are off).

So we pedaled out to Bell Marin Keys one fine Sunday morning—okay, more like Sunday late morningish, but we got there! Josh, our newly appointed Guru of All Things Trike, was a gem. We held off on any changes for now, since James’s trike was due for a warranty check-up in Sacramento (post-crash, mirror meltdown, and ejecto-mount computer).

But first things first: picnic time in the parking lot and nerding out over gear. Then Costco (of course), and then—on Josh’s tip—we explored the trails nearby. And what a surprise! We ended up somewhere so wild and remote it felt like the Pyrenees, but with more nut butter and fewer baguettes.

We ran into our friends Katie and Craig, 

who looked at James’s low-rider trike and said, “Maybe don’t go that way—it’s pretty rocky.” Naturally, we took that as a personal challenge. And guess what? James’s e-trike handled it like a champ (with a little turbo boost and a push from me during one particularly rocky patch). Honestly, I think the trike was showing off.

Back on paved paths, we visited our friend Joe for a hydration break (sparkling water is champagne for cyclists), and then... Mother Nature flipped the switch. Cue polar headwinds and approaching darkness as we climbed White’s Hill. I had some very creative language for the occasion. James, of course, waited cheerfully at the top while I crawled up the hill like a cold, tired turtle.

But like all good sagas, it ended in a hot bath under the stars, laughing and reflecting on the beauty of getting “lost” close to home.

A few days later we braved Sacramento traffic for the tune-up. Four hours of driving for... well, only a partial fix. I expressed my disappointment in my best “firm but friendly” phone voice the next day, and we’re hoping for a fix and some missing parts soon. Until then, short rides only—and we’re grateful to have our trike guru Josh on standby.

Now, on a deeper note…

While housesitting on our little farm-away-from-home, James and I had one of those rare, soul-deep conversations. We cried. We talked about fear. About his slipping memory, the physical losses, the strange and brutal symptoms that Lewy Body Dementia keeps throwing our way. It's hard. It's really hard.

James—my brave, funny, smart partner—is aware of it all, and we sat there, not knowing what the future holds. Except that it’s coming. And we’re in it together.

But after the tears, we looked up. The light was still there. And so were you.

Each of you is part of that light. Every message, donation, ride suggestion, hug, flower, check-in, hello and smile—every big and little kindness—helps keep our spirits up and our quality of life afloat.

We are marching forward. With helmets on, trike tuned (mostly), snacks in the bag, and hearts open.

Thank you for being in our corner of this wobbly, mostly wonderful ride.

With love and pedal-powered gratitude,
James and Margit 🚴‍♂️💛🚴‍♀️