I am 76 years old. I bought a basically brand new Miami Sun Trike for $200 about five years ago. My left side is substantially paralyzed, but my left hand will grasp, and I can peddle. I had no idea where I was going with that trike. The trike had a three speed hub on it. I put a five speed hub on it. I peddled my butt off with little result for four years. Then I had a heart attack. No big deal. The VA put a stent in one aorta and told me to keep moving. Three days after surgery, I was peddling. I got an Australian Cattle Dog that I slowly trained trot along side me. This was not planned. As he matured I extended our distances. Eventually he earned the right to run with commands off leash. The little turd could easily out run me. Last fall, My legs just were no longer able to do what I wanted, so I put a front wheel kit on the trike. I ordered a 1200 watt hub with 52 volt 19.2 amp hour battery. My grandson helped install it. Actually, he installed it. I just "supervised". For whatever that was worth. WOW! I felt like I had put a big block V/8 in a model T just to go to the grocery store! I figured the computer out an set the speed max at 25 mph. I weigh 170 pounds so it turns out to be about 20 mph. Initially that trike was scary. The torque....WOW! I will never know how fast that trike can go, because even with the new 5 speed hub I installed the pedals are useless somewhere around 12 mph, and the trike begins feeling like something really bad can happen. My dog has hit 18 mph, and that is as fast as I want to go. Fortunately, he is more of a sprinter than a distance runner. It is 3 miles around my town. Then there is highway with wide bike paths in 4 directions. We have done 5 and 6 miles. The trike will do 25-35 miles of stop and go, and messing around in town before It gets down to 20%, so I only have to charge it a max of once a week. We have had an easy winter so we go out 2-4 times a week; a couple times 5 days. Since early last spring I have not had a serious mishap. Until Sunday! Nails and I were easing along at about 6-8 mph. There is a short one block strip on main street where the bike path narrows and there is less than a foot to the beginning of a steep taper into a 4 foot ditch. We normally stop at the intersection, and I check for cars coming behind us. There were none, so we accelerated to get through that bad spot and turn into the driveway of a convenience store. Somehow, while watching my dog and looking into my mirror, my right rear wheel dropped over the edge of the pavement, and I could feel that there was no coming back from that. I instinctively knew to steer into the ditch to minimize damage, looking to see that I didn't run over Nails. Nails has razor sharp reactions and keys on the front wheel. Rode into that ditch on my terms, rather than the terms of gravity. Yeah! Slammed smack into the opposite side of that narrow ditch face first, eyes wide open watching the ground coming! Smashed my glasses into my face, cutting the bridge of my nose. I felt NO pain. All I felt was embarrassment. This is a small town. Before I could squirm free of my trike there were people wanting to save me. Nothing I hate more than screwing up and getting myself into situation where I need help. My left side is paralyzed, and I have my own ways of getting up, and when people start helping it is all wrong! A lady wants to call 911. LOL! "NOOO.... I'm okay. I fall all of the time! " I knew nothing was broken. I don't break! I was seriously disoriented, sort of dazed. I noticed a little blood dripping into my eyes. Wasn't enough for concern. Four people had appeared out of nowhere! They untangled me from my trike, and against my protests lifted me to my feet. then dragged me up the bank back to the highway. They wanted to call an ambulance. One guy offered to put my trike in his truck and give me a ride home. I kept telling them, I was okay, and I was going to finish our ride. Nails stayed right with me the entire time. The lady has taken the leash out of my basket and put it on Nails. I wiped the blood away with a towel finally convinced them that I was okay, and found the humility to thank them, and the slowly gave up trying to save me. I managed to straighten my front wheel, adjust my mirror, take the leash off of Nails, check for cars, and peddled away from my saviors with my dog and my embarrassment. I kinda wanted to just go home, but I said I was going to finish our ride. At the convenience store I turned around and ran Nails back past the spot where it happed. We went up to the intersection, pulled into the side street, turned around, stopped at the stop sign, checked traffic, and ran that stretch right! Then we finished our run. I really didn't feel like finishing the run, but I didn't want to confuse Nails. I wanted him to feel like everything was okay. Typing this hurts. My neck hurts. My right thigh is bruised good. My right ribs are bruised. My left leg is scraped deep from the bear claw peddle that I use to keep my paralyzed foot from sliding off, and my back hurts. A week from now, I will be fine. we did our run today. I told myself and Nails it was too cold and windy yesterday. Anyway, anyone wanting to discussing putting electric on a trike can feel free to talk with me. I can barely walk, but I can peddle that trike. I love my trike! I put solid rubber tires on it. That is pain in the butt with no suspension, but it is a lot of security. I can go anywhere without worry of a flat. those stresses, strains, and pains keeps ya young! If I had known where I was going, I would have started with a better trike. The weather tomorrow is going to be great!
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