We finally made it to the 2012 World Human Powered Speed Challenge in Battle Mountain, Nevada!
We passed the tech/safety inspection. Now I need to ride this new creation for the first time.
No, I didn't crash. Another WHPSC participant, Larry Lem, advised me to try riding my streamliner without the upper body half. He also suggested taping cardboard "crash panels" to the sides of the lower tub. Last but not least, he advised me to pick up a pair of cheap leather gloves from the local hardware store so I wasn't ruining my good cycling gloves.
I had exactly ZERO experience riding any sort of recumbent bicycle, and vastly underestimated how difficult the streamliner would be to ride. We returned to the Super 8 Motel, where all the WHPSC racers hang out when they're not racing down Nevada Highway 305, for some advice.
Georgi Georgiev, creator of the Varna Diablo streamliners that Sam Whittingham and Barbara Buatois pedaled to world records advised us to stiffen the rear wheel mounts, but I already knew what I needed to do... it was the same advice everyone gave me last year: learn to ride a recumbent.
About to hit the road for a LONG drive to Battle Mountain.
We had another long day of finishing all the little lose ends. I didn't take many pictures.
Here are a few from late in the afternoon.