Solo Spin Sans Sweet Spouse

Mail Run Map Tracking via APRS
I dug out my spare Handlebar Microphone Harness today and found it would fit on the new TerraTrike.  Jacque is on Jury Duty this week so was not able to accompany me, so Tinkerbell and I took off without her for a test ride.
Everything seemed to work fine..... except for the empty stoker seat.  The resulting lack of weight in the rear does not allow climbing hills off the pavement:  The least amount of dirt or gravel allows the single rear drive wheel to spin out.  Since the route away from the house down to the paved road is mostly downhill, it didn't present much of a problem.... at first.
We had a relatively uneventful ride to the Post Office and Tink got her usual share of OOOhhh's and AAaaahhh's and passing vehicular slowdowns to have a look at her, etc, etc.
On the way home from the P.O., which is largely downhill, I found the trike was much more stable at speed without Jacque in the stoker seat.  No twisting or steering sensitivity or fishtailing on this trip, and I let it all out just to see if it really was more stable.  It was...... but not as much fun as having Jacque in the stoker seat screaming and squealing with delight as we roar downhill enjoying gravity.  Then, of course, upon arrival at the base of our uphill goat-path unpaved road, I could not climb the mildest grade without spinning out and grinding to a halt.  I had to dismount, repeatedly, trying to muscle the trike uphill, first backwards, then forward.  Going forward is not too bad since I can just push it uphill holding on to the rear cargo bracket, but the untended front wheels eventually (usually shortly) start turning themselves toward the ditch or the undesired side of the road.  I finally tried pulling it forward, by holding one of the front crank pedals.  This worked much better, as the front wheels tended to follow better without interference, but it hurt my back bending down so low.  I finally removed the belt from my britches and used it as a towing strap, attached to the front crank pedal, and VOILA.... much easier and painless pulling.  I did have to stop and suck oxygen every few hundred steps but at least it didn't feel like I was inviting heat stroke or heart attack.

Tinkerbell doesn't mind being pulled  while supervising carefully:

The Captain would MUCH rather be pedaling than pulling:

Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:  5.59
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
2.2 MPH                                  5.8 MPH                    27.4 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
2 hours 30 mins                      57 mins 56 secs         1 hour 32 minutes