Well, with the ride last Wednesday, I thought I’d take this chance to reflect back on this season as I have with the prior two (2006 and 2007). So, here we go.

There were lots of great Rickshaw moments this year. This blog doesn’t capture everything. There’s lots of rides that aren’t mentioned. I usually like to have a picture to go with an event. Here’s some of the more memorable events (in no particular order):

1. Mike came and visited from California and we spent some time and notable mileage on the Rickshaw. Fun.
2. Joe and Steph ride towards town, and on the way to pick them up, I climb the bench. I took the most gentle way up, which is the old rail bridge from the Greenbelt and emptying out on Orchard. It was not a climb I’d have pulled off in the prior seasons.
3. Kelly and Faye on the back to start off the season.
4. Tour de Fat. “Never Gonna Give! Never Gonna Give!”
5. With Bob, with car fire!
6. There was a wedding. I understand why professionals do such events. I don’t see myself doing one again, but you never know. It was entertaining once.
7. Mom and Faye on the back, both Eagle Fun Days Parade and Boise Bike Week.
8. Bob and Bryce on the back returning from the Kristin Armstrong parade. I also had a bike on the back for that event.
9. Doug and I had a couple outings, including with his wife along once. Good times. I mention this last because Doug took more video this year:

This year, Bob was the #1 rider, whereas Joe had that honor the prior two years before he lost 100 lbs (I’m not joking).

Lots of Rickshaw changes this year, including a great new canopy, rebuilt seat, added headbadge, a cycle computer and the “This Driver Shares the Road with Cyclists” bumper sticker. The 3 speed didn’t get dropped in, but maybe it’ll get added before next season. I bent the chainguard up in October, so hey, what better time to convert the front to a 3 (which would involve getting rid of the chainguard anyway)?

Outside of the canopy this year, the biggest change this year was that the Rickshaw Engine(tm) became for more capable. Indeed, my legs have very noticeably bulked up. The increased capabilities in distance and climbing allowed me to take journeys that wouldn’t have been possible in earlier years. I also logged far more miles… …almost certainly more this year than in the prior two years combined. The Odometer reads 130.92, which is most of the miles for the 2008 season. Other changes this year were the additions of this web site and also a Rickshaw Season YouTube channel.

For my passengers this year, thanks for coming along and I’ll likely see you in the 4th Annual Rickshaw Season. Many thanks to my wonderful wife Kelly for the work on the Canopy and help with the seat as well. The new canopy really makes the rig.

My MBA student lifestyle and full time job pretty well put the clamps down on Rickshaw Riding for a while. I did ride the Rickshaw out to school in late October where I damaged the chainguard, but other than that there was little to no action after the Tour de Fat. Well, last Wednesday was a nice night for November in Boise, Idaho. It was still and the clouds were overhead. It was warm enough that no hat or gloves were necessary. Time for the final ride of the season.

Brother Bob and I headed over to the Terrapin Station, a Dead Head bar in the ‘Rhino District’ to see Audra Connolly, a local singer-songwriter. Apparently she normally performs alone but she had a backing band that night. The Rickshaw was making a ticking noise and the headlight was dim, the canopy lights had one half very dim and the other half was completely dead. It was a short trip so we turned on as much lights as would work with us (the tail lights were functioning very nicely) and headed out.

Audra was singing and playing acoustic guitar all night (think “singer-songwriter”) and Bob and I got to meet the Bartender, also named “Brock”. That doesn’t happen often. I didn’t replay the pinball machine (which is more uncommon than not). We finally headed home. All in all a nice way to end the 2008 Rickshaw Season.