The Usual Monday APRS/GPS breadcrumb track
I was not able to ride the recumbent bike (or any other kind) the last few days last week due to (1) ongoing rain - which also caused the International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta to cancel all balloon inflations and flights from Tuesday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday were cold and wet but the Fiesta was able to start launching balloons again much to the delight of the hundreds of thousands of soggy visitors.
Thursday I decided not to ride because of the winds and the lowering skies, and a funny feeling I had that I shouldn't ride that day. Later that very morning Jacque called: Her Ford Exploder refused to start; she was feeling terrible and had hoped to go home early from work. So I took the day off and drove out to Edgewood to rescue her. I fiddled with the vehicle for half an hour or so, setting and resetting the fuel pump reset switch - it sounded for all the world like it was getting no fuel. Spark it had, in prodigious amounts. Bill, K8TE, an irascible but good friend, had volunteered the use of his Ford Pickup and Race-Car trailer should I need it, so I called him on the ham radio and told him I needed it. So Off I went to the Albuquerque West Side, Rio Rancho, and drove his truck and trailer those many miles back to Edgewood to retrieve Jacque's Exploder. When I got there I decided to try starting it just once more, and of course it STARTED immediately, making me feel foolish as I drove it up on the trailer under its own power and towed it back to the casa. Then I drove Bill's rig back to his house just as it was getting dark to retrieve MY car. Of course, after I got home I realized I had left my towing chain and 2 hand-operated ratchet-winches in the back of his truck. So we have another appointment to get together to get our equipment separated and sorted out, which is what we have to do every time we share vehicles or ride together for any reason. SIGH
So, it was great to get back on the 2-wheeler this morning and deep-breathe some nippy air on the way to work. I let Jacque drive my ancient Taurus (Since her Exploder was still at the repair shoppe) and I drove the RV to my bicycle dropping point whereupon I normally unrack the bike and ride.
Awakening BG: 101 Post-Ride BG: 148
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Morning Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.39
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
10.6. Mph 12.3 mph 23.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
45 mins 0 secs 35 mins 57 secs 6 mins 03 secs
Then, I had a great - slightly chilly - ride back to the RV. When I turned the ket in the ignition I was dismayed to hear NO click, no dash gauges lighting up, NO signs of life. How did the battery, with solar panel on the roof, go so dead? Then, of course, I saw it... the headlight switch was still on, thus totally killing the battery. The backup battery was dead in the back too,. so I couldn't even start the Onan generator to recharge the main battery. I was trying to think how to avoid having Jacque drive all the 30 miles to town to rescue me when I realized Justin, my new son-in-law married to Sarah only recently, was only a few blocks away. He usually works an evening shift, but luckily he was home and, better yet, willing and able to whiz over and be Johnny, er, Justin on-the-spot and come jump start me. Thanks again, Justin and Sarah.....
Pre-Home Ride BG: 112 Post-Ride BG: Unk
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.6 (SLAgel cell battery)
Evening Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.22
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
11.1. Mph 11.5 mph 25.7 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
38:59 mins 37:36 mins 01 mins 23 secs
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