Today's spotty tracking coverage in the East Mountains
I got too busy yesterday to even make a short 6-mile mail run, but today I had not only another beautiful weather day but I had a check I needed to deposit in the bank. Jacque drove her Exploder to Albuquerque today so she could have easily done the chore for me, but I wanted to ride and even minor "tasks" or goals help me actually get out the door, saddled up, and riding.
FIRST, I had to actually accomplish something, work related, before waddling off on my trusty recumbent, We have a new(er) RV now and we're trying to get STUFF moved from the old RV (which is now available for the wee sum of $5000, runs great, details if desired) to the newest gas guzzler / bank account drainer. The new Bounder had a small solar panel on the roof (5 watts, a trickle charger mostly) and I was half done exchanging it for our 37 watt solar panel from the older RV. With some hacksawing, grunting, groaning, and re-doing the mounts several times, I finally got that all done up about 1:30 PM and climbed off the RV roof and loaded up the bike and left.
We recently saw a scare-story on the CBN 700 Club talking about how trans fats not only cause heart problems but evidently, even in tiny amounts, they also contribute greatly to brain disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer's, etc. Almost everything you buy pre packaged from a store that has any shelf life at all is chock FULL of trans fats, meaning partially hydrogenated oils which make for long shelf life crackers, chips, and cookies - as well as other packaged commercial foods. Most labels state "ZERO Trans Fat:" when in fact ther may be measureable amounts of trans fats in the foodstuff. Look carefully on the ingredients label for "Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil" - many if not most products claiming "Trans Fat: 0" in fact have hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils in them. If you Google trans fat, you will find conflicting statements about whether fully hydrogenated oils are dangerous or not, but everyone seems to agree partially hydrogenated fats are BAD-BAD-BAD for you. So, we have gone cold turkey on all trans fats if we even suspect they are snuck into our foods. Which means, dear reader, we must give up on convenient foods and cook and bake most of our own if we want to have anything tasty to eat.
So this morning I threw out my stash of mini chocolate donuts, my absolute fave snack, and dug out my old recipe book and whomped up a double batch of "Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, taken off the side of Crisco shortening containers. But DON'T use Crisco or any other shortening containing trans fats, Crisco is full of it. Lard may actually be a healthier choice... but I've found just straight Olive Oil in the same amounts as called for in the recipe works just fine. The dough mix has a different texture but the baked cookies are great, not hard nor crumbly, just fine and dandy. Peanut butter, another staple of my diet, is full of hydrogenated oil, so I'm shopping for the old fashioned kind that is made only from peanuts, which are actually quite healthy for you unless you're allergic to them. The correct stuff is still sold in many stores: It's the kind Grandma used to have that the oil separates into a puddle inside the container and the peanut glunk becomes a very stiff and hard to use mass. You have to re-stir it almost each time you use it, time consuming huh! As for brain damage, I'm already screwed. I've eaten such stuff all my life, by the bucket full, and my brains are already mush. But for the future we're trying to limit further damage. With only a few dozen brain cells left, I sure can't afford to ignore the warnings.
Anyway - back to today's ride. Such loverly weather.... absolutely gorgeous. I peeled off my limited layers and lathered on sun-block and just enjoyed the cycling. The new batch of Ultimate Choc Chip Cookies came in very handy..... ran low on "Gas" at the start of the uphill climb of N-14 at Tijeras. Had 4 cookies with me and snarged them in short order.... and they got me up the hill and home without further problem.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.5
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 66 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 73 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 18.63
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
06.8 Mph 08.2 mph 33.2 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 59 mins 2 hours 7 mins 52 mins 2 secs
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Short Mail Run Turned into 18-Miler
I have been living up to my new committment of at least riding the ~6 miles round trip for the mail since making the so called fateful decision. Today I took off for the Post Office and was soon passed by Jacque in her Ford Exploder since she was going down to a consignment shop to look at a dresser she was longing for.
I had just arrived at the Post Office when she called on the cell phone with sweetness in her voice, "inviting:" me to ride on past the PO and come down the extra few miles to the store, where she'd just made a purchase she wanted me to help the store owner manhandle into the SUV for her. I'm easy, I like her lovin'..... so I did.
After getting the item loaded for her I checked my blood glucose: It was a bit low for riding back up the hill (115, for strenuous exercise I'm recommended to get it to the ~200 range). So I took out my bag of home made trail mix (consisting of M&M regulars, M&M Peanuts, and whole almonds).
As I munched and contemplated the BEAUTIFUL weather we are experiencing, I decided what the hey. It would "only" take maybe an hour longer to take the long route home by going on south to Tijeras and then turning east on Old Route 66, riding up to Sedillo Hill, and then looping back across Vallecitos to Frost Road and then home. Total trip mileage rounded up just over 18 miles. Enjoyment Quotient: Priceless.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.5
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 55 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 59 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 18.40
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
06.5 Mph 08.7 mph 33.9 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 49 mins 2 hours 7 mins 42 mins 21 secs
I had just arrived at the Post Office when she called on the cell phone with sweetness in her voice, "inviting:" me to ride on past the PO and come down the extra few miles to the store, where she'd just made a purchase she wanted me to help the store owner manhandle into the SUV for her. I'm easy, I like her lovin'..... so I did.
After getting the item loaded for her I checked my blood glucose: It was a bit low for riding back up the hill (115, for strenuous exercise I'm recommended to get it to the ~200 range). So I took out my bag of home made trail mix (consisting of M&M regulars, M&M Peanuts, and whole almonds).
As I munched and contemplated the BEAUTIFUL weather we are experiencing, I decided what the hey. It would "only" take maybe an hour longer to take the long route home by going on south to Tijeras and then turning east on Old Route 66, riding up to Sedillo Hill, and then looping back across Vallecitos to Frost Road and then home. Total trip mileage rounded up just over 18 miles. Enjoyment Quotient: Priceless.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.5
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 55 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 59 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 18.40
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
06.5 Mph 08.7 mph 33.9 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 49 mins 2 hours 7 mins 42 mins 21 secs
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Cold, Blustery, Windy - Hey, Cycing is FUN
Today's Short but Successful Tracking Link
I've quasi-certainly decided to do a daily (at least 5 days a week) ride: At least to the Post Office and back, or the equivalent minimal distance (~5.58 miles).
Yesterday, for instance, I went out the door kitted up for a bike ride, and the wind was suddenly gusting and rocking the roof and bending the trees so I wimped out. I shouldn't have. By and large it was a beautiful day in spite of a small dusting of snow and the attending drop from the balmy temperatures we've enjoyed the last week or so. I determined today, and for the immediate future, I will get back to at least a short 5-days-a-week riding routine.
It was sunny today, in spite of our early morning low of around 24 degrees this morning. I encountered almost immediate cross- and head-wind gusts as I rode & pushed the recumbent down the dirt road to the pavement of Frost Road and the subsequent 2+ mile ride to the Post Office. But it was still great to get out and get the legs and feet unlimbered and chugging away. The wind WAS worrisome enough for me to stay on the bike path as far as possible since I was being blown sideways back and forth both ways. I also notice my initial attempts at grading our nasty rutted dirt road are paying off, even for the narrow tired bike. It's nice to actually have smoother surfaces to ride on.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.6 Ending Voltage: 12.5
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 34 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 48 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 05.59
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
05.6 Mph 06.6 mph 22.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 00 mins 50 mins 40 secs 9 mins 38 secs
I've quasi-certainly decided to do a daily (at least 5 days a week) ride: At least to the Post Office and back, or the equivalent minimal distance (~5.58 miles).
Yesterday, for instance, I went out the door kitted up for a bike ride, and the wind was suddenly gusting and rocking the roof and bending the trees so I wimped out. I shouldn't have. By and large it was a beautiful day in spite of a small dusting of snow and the attending drop from the balmy temperatures we've enjoyed the last week or so. I determined today, and for the immediate future, I will get back to at least a short 5-days-a-week riding routine.
It was sunny today, in spite of our early morning low of around 24 degrees this morning. I encountered almost immediate cross- and head-wind gusts as I rode & pushed the recumbent down the dirt road to the pavement of Frost Road and the subsequent 2+ mile ride to the Post Office. But it was still great to get out and get the legs and feet unlimbered and chugging away. The wind WAS worrisome enough for me to stay on the bike path as far as possible since I was being blown sideways back and forth both ways. I also notice my initial attempts at grading our nasty rutted dirt road are paying off, even for the narrow tired bike. It's nice to actually have smoother surfaces to ride on.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.6 Ending Voltage: 12.5
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 34 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 48 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 05.59
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
05.6 Mph 06.6 mph 22.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 00 mins 50 mins 40 secs 9 mins 38 secs
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Ate My First Bug of the Season, Also My First 50-Miler
Well, actually, I didn't REALLY eat a bug today. One conveniently flew into my mouth, making it quite convenient to just swallow it down and improve the variety of my diet, but I spit it out. Reminds me of the clouds of the flying critters that like to hover around the bike trails, especially those next to drainage ditches.
I didn't include a link to my tracker today since it didn't work. I rode all this wonderful distance and found, when the ride ended, the J Pole antenna connected to the tracker radio has a broken connection at the feed point. A simple thing to repair, so long as nI'm close to AC power and a soldering iron. BAH
Sarah, my first daughter, had a not-counting birthday 4 days ago that I forgot to do my daddy duty with. Forgot to even call her until the day after. Some faithful Dad, huh. Anyway, I came up with a card for her and had planned to make a special delivery trip Sunday but our retirement schedule is proving harder to deal with than when we were both employed full time. I got the wild idea to ride my bike all the way to her workplace yesterday but frittered too much day away until I didn't have time to make the ride.
Today I decided to not fritter away so much time and make the run. It would have been around 56 miles but I was up for it, and the weather has been almost perfect the last couple of days.
What a beautiful day this turned into. Balmy enough to ride without a coat or heavy gloves: How Wonderful.
I didn't get off until around noonish so it was after 2 PM when I finally arrived at her work and handed the card to her, traded a few great hugs, chatted a bit, and she went back to work whilst I returned the way I came.
I BURNED carbs today. My blood sugar had been too high all morning but once I took off on the bike all I did was eat, snack, and drink water. Two 700 mL water bottles turn out to be NOT ENOUGH for a 50 mile ride. Even stopped at Lota Burger and pigged out on a chicken burger and an order of onion rings and I still ran out of gas about a half hour later. Breakfast bars and M&M's, the old emergency snacks.
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 50.2
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
07.2Mph 09.1 mph 26.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
6 hours 59 mins 5 hours 30mins 1 hour 28 mins
I didn't include a link to my tracker today since it didn't work. I rode all this wonderful distance and found, when the ride ended, the J Pole antenna connected to the tracker radio has a broken connection at the feed point. A simple thing to repair, so long as nI'm close to AC power and a soldering iron. BAH
Sarah, my first daughter, had a not-counting birthday 4 days ago that I forgot to do my daddy duty with. Forgot to even call her until the day after. Some faithful Dad, huh. Anyway, I came up with a card for her and had planned to make a special delivery trip Sunday but our retirement schedule is proving harder to deal with than when we were both employed full time. I got the wild idea to ride my bike all the way to her workplace yesterday but frittered too much day away until I didn't have time to make the ride.
Today I decided to not fritter away so much time and make the run. It would have been around 56 miles but I was up for it, and the weather has been almost perfect the last couple of days.
What a beautiful day this turned into. Balmy enough to ride without a coat or heavy gloves: How Wonderful.
I didn't get off until around noonish so it was after 2 PM when I finally arrived at her work and handed the card to her, traded a few great hugs, chatted a bit, and she went back to work whilst I returned the way I came.
I BURNED carbs today. My blood sugar had been too high all morning but once I took off on the bike all I did was eat, snack, and drink water. Two 700 mL water bottles turn out to be NOT ENOUGH for a 50 mile ride. Even stopped at Lota Burger and pigged out on a chicken burger and an order of onion rings and I still ran out of gas about a half hour later. Breakfast bars and M&M's, the old emergency snacks.
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 50.2
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
07.2Mph 09.1 mph 26.8 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
6 hours 59 mins 5 hours 30mins 1 hour 28 mins
Friday, March 9, 2012
Thursday, Another Shortened Ride
Thursday track
Yesterday it snowed ntermittently and the wind blew horrifically in Albuquerque but the wind and temperature seemed mild here in the East Mountains. I had a parcel waiting for me to pick it up down in Tijeras so I decided I'd ride the bike down there and back for a combination bike ride and errand run. My best motivation to ride anywhere is to have a task or chore or some other excuse waiting for me.
As I rode up the stiff hill towards the NM-14 and Frost Road junction the snow was sifting slowly down and the wind was a bit gusty but the overall comfort level wasn't bad. Jacque had driven to Albuquerque for her daily water aerobics and popped up on the ham radio, reporting high winds and snow down in Tijeras Canyon. When I got to the top of the hill and the aforesaid intersection, the winds started picking up. Jacque called in again on the radio describing very nasty conditions at Tijeras, my original destination. I wimped out and asked Jacque to drop by the "One Stop" in Tijeras and pick up the parcel for me and I'd turn around and go home before the weather got too much worse. There was a bit of stiff headwind and I had to zip up all my layers and it was COLD, but the entire 6-something mile ride was still fun.
The dirt-moving I've been doing with my new 1962 Ford tractor has improved the road noticeably for 4-wheeled machines but, as any cyclist knows, loose dirt and rocks are NOT provident riding surfaces. So I have to push the bike more of the last mile up our hill. It took even longer than normal since my tractor blade has been rooting large chunks of stone and scattering them all over the road. I would push the bike a few feet, stop, and kick and throw rocks off to the sides of the road, go a little farther up the road, and do it again and again. Then I cranked up the tractor and plowed even more dirt and rocks. I try to angle the grading blade sharp to cut the bar-ditches on each side of the road, guiding the released rock, gravel, and dirt toward the center of the road. Then I re-adjust the blade and make subsequent trips back and forth, always scraping the loose material toward the center of the road. Where there are deep washout cuts in the road and exposed rocks that are too low and impacted to scrape smooth, I use the front bucket to borrow dirt and gravel from various areas adjacent to the road, especially areas where rain drainage has washed precious road gravel off down away from the roadway. Creates a lot of dust and dirt in the air. I need to start wearing some sort of breathing apparatus, even if it's just a bandana around my face. I may have to change my self description from dirt-mover to dirt-EATER.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.6 Ending Voltage: 12.5
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 33 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 41 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 06.38
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
05.0 Mph 06.1 mph 21.7 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hours 17 mins 1 hour 02 mins 14 mins 49 secs
Yesterday it snowed ntermittently and the wind blew horrifically in Albuquerque but the wind and temperature seemed mild here in the East Mountains. I had a parcel waiting for me to pick it up down in Tijeras so I decided I'd ride the bike down there and back for a combination bike ride and errand run. My best motivation to ride anywhere is to have a task or chore or some other excuse waiting for me.
As I rode up the stiff hill towards the NM-14 and Frost Road junction the snow was sifting slowly down and the wind was a bit gusty but the overall comfort level wasn't bad. Jacque had driven to Albuquerque for her daily water aerobics and popped up on the ham radio, reporting high winds and snow down in Tijeras Canyon. When I got to the top of the hill and the aforesaid intersection, the winds started picking up. Jacque called in again on the radio describing very nasty conditions at Tijeras, my original destination. I wimped out and asked Jacque to drop by the "One Stop" in Tijeras and pick up the parcel for me and I'd turn around and go home before the weather got too much worse. There was a bit of stiff headwind and I had to zip up all my layers and it was COLD, but the entire 6-something mile ride was still fun.
The dirt-moving I've been doing with my new 1962 Ford tractor has improved the road noticeably for 4-wheeled machines but, as any cyclist knows, loose dirt and rocks are NOT provident riding surfaces. So I have to push the bike more of the last mile up our hill. It took even longer than normal since my tractor blade has been rooting large chunks of stone and scattering them all over the road. I would push the bike a few feet, stop, and kick and throw rocks off to the sides of the road, go a little farther up the road, and do it again and again. Then I cranked up the tractor and plowed even more dirt and rocks. I try to angle the grading blade sharp to cut the bar-ditches on each side of the road, guiding the released rock, gravel, and dirt toward the center of the road. Then I re-adjust the blade and make subsequent trips back and forth, always scraping the loose material toward the center of the road. Where there are deep washout cuts in the road and exposed rocks that are too low and impacted to scrape smooth, I use the front bucket to borrow dirt and gravel from various areas adjacent to the road, especially areas where rain drainage has washed precious road gravel off down away from the roadway. Creates a lot of dust and dirt in the air. I need to start wearing some sort of breathing apparatus, even if it's just a bandana around my face. I may have to change my self description from dirt-mover to dirt-EATER.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.6 Ending Voltage: 12.5
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 33 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 41 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 06.38
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
05.0 Mph 06.1 mph 21.7 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hours 17 mins 1 hour 02 mins 14 mins 49 secs
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Just a Short Ride to Pick up the Mail
Mil-Run Track via GPS/APRS
I awoke with a plan to ride at least 40 miles yesterday but the fact we were, again, low on firewood, got to my conscience and I only rode up Frost Road to the Post Office and back. I was surprised to find the mileage to be over 5 miles round trip. I encountered a bit of headwind coming back toward the house so I was thinking it a good idea to return home quickly and cut firewood. Of course the rest of the day was balmy and beautiful.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 59 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 05.58
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
05.0 Mph 07.3 mph 25.1 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hours 07 mins 46 mins 2 secs 20 mins 58 secs
Again, today (Tuesday), I packed and planned for a decently long ride but was thwarted instead by gusting wind. High winds are forecast for the east central parts of NM but some of it is leaking through up here.
So I did the 5+ mile "mail run" again. I've been home for maybe 20 minutes now and the roof is starting to rattle from the wind so I'm happy I didn't try to tough it out for a longer ride. I would have at least ridden down to Tijeras and back but I did not get a call telling me my spare bicycle tube is ready to be picked up yet.
We have a neighbor between our house and the paved road - I won't reveal HIS name but his hosses are Abigail and Ricochet (Rick for short). Every time I ride past the house the horses take note of me. The first few times they saw me coming they would get alarmed. Now why the cat-hair would a long bicycle festooned with radio antennas and flags waving in the wind alarm anyone? - But I digress. Mostly now they just turn around and watch me closely, following me with their eyes until I'm well past their place.... and then Abigail starts to whinny and cry and complain. The first few times she did this I thought she was quarreling with Rick, but today and yesterday Rick was gone. The owner owns no car and rides the horses to and fro, kinda like me and my bicycle... preferred mode of transportation and all. Abigail still whinnies and cries and complains AFTER I pass her house. I'm convinced now she's griping because (1) she's stuck at home and (2) I didn't bring her any treats. We used to stop and give them an apple or a carrot - Jacque was a big offender in this regard. A couple months ago the owner got really upset with us for "dropping off" some lettuce and carrots for them without asking first so now we no longer bring them treats.... and Abby doesn't seem to appreciate it at all.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.6
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 55 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 06.47
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
05.0 Mph 07.3 mph 25.1 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hours 27 mins 1 hour 07 mins 15 mins 8 secs
I awoke with a plan to ride at least 40 miles yesterday but the fact we were, again, low on firewood, got to my conscience and I only rode up Frost Road to the Post Office and back. I was surprised to find the mileage to be over 5 miles round trip. I encountered a bit of headwind coming back toward the house so I was thinking it a good idea to return home quickly and cut firewood. Of course the rest of the day was balmy and beautiful.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 59 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 05.58
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
05.0 Mph 07.3 mph 25.1 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hours 07 mins 46 mins 2 secs 20 mins 58 secs
Again, today (Tuesday), I packed and planned for a decently long ride but was thwarted instead by gusting wind. High winds are forecast for the east central parts of NM but some of it is leaking through up here.
So I did the 5+ mile "mail run" again. I've been home for maybe 20 minutes now and the roof is starting to rattle from the wind so I'm happy I didn't try to tough it out for a longer ride. I would have at least ridden down to Tijeras and back but I did not get a call telling me my spare bicycle tube is ready to be picked up yet.
We have a neighbor between our house and the paved road - I won't reveal HIS name but his hosses are Abigail and Ricochet (Rick for short). Every time I ride past the house the horses take note of me. The first few times they saw me coming they would get alarmed. Now why the cat-hair would a long bicycle festooned with radio antennas and flags waving in the wind alarm anyone? - But I digress. Mostly now they just turn around and watch me closely, following me with their eyes until I'm well past their place.... and then Abigail starts to whinny and cry and complain. The first few times she did this I thought she was quarreling with Rick, but today and yesterday Rick was gone. The owner owns no car and rides the horses to and fro, kinda like me and my bicycle... preferred mode of transportation and all. Abigail still whinnies and cries and complains AFTER I pass her house. I'm convinced now she's griping because (1) she's stuck at home and (2) I didn't bring her any treats. We used to stop and give them an apple or a carrot - Jacque was a big offender in this regard. A couple months ago the owner got really upset with us for "dropping off" some lettuce and carrots for them without asking first so now we no longer bring them treats.... and Abby doesn't seem to appreciate it at all.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.6
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 55 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 06.47
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
05.0 Mph 07.3 mph 25.1 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hours 27 mins 1 hour 07 mins 15 mins 8 secs
Saturday, March 3, 2012
20 Miles, Freezing Cold Wind: Club Ride Saturday
Today's chilly tracking
Today the Albuquerque Recumbent Group had their monthly ride, starting at the RailRunner stop at El Pueblo (just off Paseo and Edith) and ending up at Twister's in Rio Rancho. Jacque at first didn't want to go because of the weather forecast for cold and wind but wants to get more involved in outdoor activity so she decided at the last minute to go along and ride too. I'm fairly used to cold weather and wind and wasn't too worried about it.
When we took off Jacque began having trouble in the first mile: We were riding straight into a bitter cold headwind. She got cold, to the core, before she could get warmed up. She soldiered on another couple miles and then decided to turn around and give up. She had Tinkerbell riding in her basket just behind Jacque's shoulders and even though Tink had her puppy overcoat on she was whimpering: At first we thought she had to do some doggy business in the grass but finally decided she was just too cold herself. So they turned back to the car and fired it up and ran the heater awhile to thaw out. Meanwhile I rode on and caught up with the recumbent group within about a mile. By then we had all turned south on the Bosque Trail, with the wind now at our backs, so it was much easier riding. There was another bicycle-ham radio operator with us on today's ride: Kiernan WA6BJH. He's a more faithful participant in these club rides than I am.
We all rode down to Bridge Avenue, where the bike path does a horrifically tight "Z"-barrier that supposedly prevents motorized vehicles from entering the bike path but also does a good job of forcing cyclists, even quasi normal ones (IF there is such a thing as a NORMAL cyclist) to dismount and wrestle their bikes through the barrier. Very frustrating. Anyway, rather than man-handle our bikes through that maze, we used that as a turnaround point and rest stop before riding back.
MERCY. Going back, the wind was now in our faces, and seeming to get stronger the farther we rode. I kept calling Jacque on the radio, hoping she was waiting not far away, because I decided I, too, wanted to drop out rather than contend with the wind and cold. Just numb to the core I was.
When we finally arrived at Central and took a short break I announced I was done and would call for rescue. I buzzed Jacque on the cell phone and she cut short her warm-store shopping and got to me about half an hour later. I haven't yet heard from the hard-core rest of the group. I did not regret wimping out: The wind continued to strengthen and get colder, it seemed, as the day progressed. Hopefully they all made it OK without problems.
I soldered a huge lithium battery cell to the mini-video camera I have that has essentially no battery life left in the stock battery. Trouble is, I have no test results from it yet, as I keep forgetting to take the stupid gizmo WITH me and when I DO, I forget to take it out of my pocket and TURN IT ON....... BAH
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.3
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 33 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 51 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 20.03
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
07.6 Mph 09.8 mph 18.5 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 38 mins 2 hours 3 mins 34 mins 44 secs
Today the Albuquerque Recumbent Group had their monthly ride, starting at the RailRunner stop at El Pueblo (just off Paseo and Edith) and ending up at Twister's in Rio Rancho. Jacque at first didn't want to go because of the weather forecast for cold and wind but wants to get more involved in outdoor activity so she decided at the last minute to go along and ride too. I'm fairly used to cold weather and wind and wasn't too worried about it.
When we took off Jacque began having trouble in the first mile: We were riding straight into a bitter cold headwind. She got cold, to the core, before she could get warmed up. She soldiered on another couple miles and then decided to turn around and give up. She had Tinkerbell riding in her basket just behind Jacque's shoulders and even though Tink had her puppy overcoat on she was whimpering: At first we thought she had to do some doggy business in the grass but finally decided she was just too cold herself. So they turned back to the car and fired it up and ran the heater awhile to thaw out. Meanwhile I rode on and caught up with the recumbent group within about a mile. By then we had all turned south on the Bosque Trail, with the wind now at our backs, so it was much easier riding. There was another bicycle-ham radio operator with us on today's ride: Kiernan WA6BJH. He's a more faithful participant in these club rides than I am.
We all rode down to Bridge Avenue, where the bike path does a horrifically tight "Z"-barrier that supposedly prevents motorized vehicles from entering the bike path but also does a good job of forcing cyclists, even quasi normal ones (IF there is such a thing as a NORMAL cyclist) to dismount and wrestle their bikes through the barrier. Very frustrating. Anyway, rather than man-handle our bikes through that maze, we used that as a turnaround point and rest stop before riding back.
MERCY. Going back, the wind was now in our faces, and seeming to get stronger the farther we rode. I kept calling Jacque on the radio, hoping she was waiting not far away, because I decided I, too, wanted to drop out rather than contend with the wind and cold. Just numb to the core I was.
When we finally arrived at Central and took a short break I announced I was done and would call for rescue. I buzzed Jacque on the cell phone and she cut short her warm-store shopping and got to me about half an hour later. I haven't yet heard from the hard-core rest of the group. I did not regret wimping out: The wind continued to strengthen and get colder, it seemed, as the day progressed. Hopefully they all made it OK without problems.
I soldered a huge lithium battery cell to the mini-video camera I have that has essentially no battery life left in the stock battery. Trouble is, I have no test results from it yet, as I keep forgetting to take the stupid gizmo WITH me and when I DO, I forget to take it out of my pocket and TURN IT ON....... BAH
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.3
Ride's Lowest Temperature: 33 degrees F -- Highest Temperature: 51 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 20.03
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
07.6 Mph 09.8 mph 18.5 mph
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 38 mins 2 hours 3 mins 34 mins 44 secs
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