Solar cycling log April 7th. Conventional cycling is thrusting against something, the torso, the pelvis. Who knew?

This is feeling like a gigantic step forward. The first time grasping what the essence of this recumbent cycling is and what the notion that it is a upright bicycle rotated backwards means.

At various times in this very good performing journey, low output per hour but extremely sustainable at extremely low RPM so James is carrying himself plus almost his own weight again tonight. 1/3 of this 900 lb payload. Quite comfortably. At various times particularly early he thought that it was a matter of pushing against the spinal column aligned with the direction of trust. And that was nice for a while but it was easily lost. Very difficult to maintain that spinal column alignment with such a forward direction of thrust. But it seems that what was really needed was trusting against the pelvis somewhat tilted in alignment with that forward thrust. The buttox and thighs need something to thrust against. Yes, there is the seat back, and that plays a role but somehow that doesn't do it. And that certainly is not the answer in conventional upright cycling.

Certainly tonight feels like an important milestone. And a key element of that is an acute willingness to slow the vehicle down, way way down, way way way down, as much is needed to maintain that comfortable smooth out trust against the inertia of the pelvis.

An issue in the background rarely spoken of but they're pretty much every journey… discomfort in James knees that rises up sometimes. It is a high priority to eliminate that to protect long-term cycling. There is a high correlation with that discomfort and finding that they thrust has shifted from the forward part of the thighs down into the feet and legs.

Is the case during every week of at least the last month the real cornerstone is being aware that the body needs to feel the mechanic of an upright bicycle. And throughout this journey and most specially when things aren't feeling ideal sooner or later that touchstonr comes into mind and is tremendously helpful if not immediately eventually in bringing things back into a line.

Almost certain is James that the amazing performance reported for the end of every long journey is the body somehow finding this need for alignment with the pelvis, the torso, finding the place to push against. But only today is this coming to conscience competence with James.

We carried probably between 28 and 30% of this 900 pound payload up the hill tonight. Just over 1,500 calories. Very good ride.