My tracker did not work today since my route was through the bowels of Tijeras Canyon wherefrom few radio signals can successfully propagate.
I had a prescription awaiting me at Sam's Club in Albuquerque and had decided to use that for my excuse to ride today and would have made a little over 20 miles had I done the entire route.
Trouble is, like Rush Limbaugh, I rattle around with "half my brain tied behind my back" - not intentionally for me though. I just can't seem to locate the useful half of my brain much of the time.
I calculated if I started my ride by 2:00 PM, and drive the trike down to Tijeras and ride from there and back, I should have sufficient time to make my grandson's Eagle Court of Honor by 6:00 PM.
The ride through Tijeras to Albuquerque's East Side is not overly hilly, and all the snow and ice are now gone temporarily, but there were a lot of red cinders and salt on the shoulders from all the recent snow plowing and sanding for winter weather. Street sweepers seem to go dormant in the wintertime so cycling is increasingly hazardous not only due to inclement weather but the efforts of road maintenance to deal with it.
So I bounced along olde Route 66 right to the mouth of the canyon entering Albuquerque, riding in the gravelly shoulder most of the way to decrease my chances of getting creamed by a cell-phone challenged driver. Just as I got there, Jacque called me on the phone and reminded me the Eagle ceremony (the first Eagle Scout in my family that I know of) was scheduled for FOUR O'clock and NOT six. As she reminded me of this discrepancy in my schedule, it was then a few minutes after 3:00 and no way was I going to make it to the pharmacy and back in time, so I begged her to make an exception for my lame brain and snatch a clean shirt and come pick me up so we might possibly make it on time.
She did, and luckily so for me: I had earlier this morning texted HER to remember the time for the FOUR O'clock Court of Honor. By afternoon my mush-brain had bollixed the time to 6 and my abortive optimism knew no bounds. She came through for me anyway, and we arrived well before anyone but the scoutmaster who was just opening the building. Whew.
It was tough on this old Grandpa to listen to Grandson's well wishers and speakers who described with detail what a wonderful young man he was and what a dedicated Scout. Tough, all right: Only 2 or 3 buttons popped off my shirt as I swelled with admiration for my high achieving grandson.
Even with the aborted full length of the planned trip I was surprised at the miles racked up before rescue: Almost 10.... kewl. Maybe I'll get my stamina and legs back before I die of old age.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.8 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 62 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.91
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.0 MPH 7.8 MPH 24.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 25 mins 1 hour 16 mins 8 mins 43 secs
Friday, December 27, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Dashing Through No Snow
Tracking Courtesy of GPS. APRS, and Ham Radio
My ham radio friends in Albuquerque who talk to me almost daily on the radio often ask if we have any snow out here on our side of the mountains separating us. The most current answer is "Only a few spots left, in the shade." It is only late December, however, and the day after Christmas, and it is still cold. It was 13 degrees this morning when we got up. I'm trying to restart an almost-daily riding routine to keep my blood sugar and cholesterol under better control, so cold weather is really no excuse. When I was still employed before the Great Recession of the 21st Century crippled so many businesses, including mine, I regularly rode in freezing weather, early in the morning, just after sunup, and then rode back to the car in the dark, with associated cold weather gear and layers. But I had somewhere to go, and had to be there within limited time frames, so the motivation was better then. Now I can put it off until later in the day and higher temperatures but that means I can too easily put it off until too late, and miss too many days altogether. I must do better.
Jacque was working today and unavailable for a trike ride but I was determined to get in at least a few miles. I have ridden the tandem trike a couple times solo and it is an enjoyable machine without a stoker IF the road is not too steep or dusty: Without the rear seat filled, the rear wheel (the driving wheel) has little traction and will too-easily spin out. So I rode the two-seater as a one-person machine today. It only spun out and lost traction a few times as I was climbing hills with fine gravel and salt on the surface, left over from recent snowing and plowing. There were even a few select tiny spots of frozen mud and snow on the shoulder in shady spots.
I took Jazzy, the new tiny Pappilon pup, with me. Tinkerbell the senior puppy princess went to work with Jacque. Jazzy likes to whine, cry, and complain while riding.... unless she is snuggled up on the lap of one of us. I tucked her skinny bony frame inside my partially zipped jacket and she loved it, as did I. Until I got a bit warmed up, after which her radiant body heat added to mine made it a bit overheated as we climbed hills.
Didn't get the desired miles in, but did get in a few, which is important of course. As usual, had I started earlier, I would have had time to get in a good roundabout ride.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 44 F Highest Temp: 55 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6.04
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.9 MPH 7.0 MPH 24.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 51 mins 40 secs 9 mins 19 secs
My ham radio friends in Albuquerque who talk to me almost daily on the radio often ask if we have any snow out here on our side of the mountains separating us. The most current answer is "Only a few spots left, in the shade." It is only late December, however, and the day after Christmas, and it is still cold. It was 13 degrees this morning when we got up. I'm trying to restart an almost-daily riding routine to keep my blood sugar and cholesterol under better control, so cold weather is really no excuse. When I was still employed before the Great Recession of the 21st Century crippled so many businesses, including mine, I regularly rode in freezing weather, early in the morning, just after sunup, and then rode back to the car in the dark, with associated cold weather gear and layers. But I had somewhere to go, and had to be there within limited time frames, so the motivation was better then. Now I can put it off until later in the day and higher temperatures but that means I can too easily put it off until too late, and miss too many days altogether. I must do better.
Jacque was working today and unavailable for a trike ride but I was determined to get in at least a few miles. I have ridden the tandem trike a couple times solo and it is an enjoyable machine without a stoker IF the road is not too steep or dusty: Without the rear seat filled, the rear wheel (the driving wheel) has little traction and will too-easily spin out. So I rode the two-seater as a one-person machine today. It only spun out and lost traction a few times as I was climbing hills with fine gravel and salt on the surface, left over from recent snowing and plowing. There were even a few select tiny spots of frozen mud and snow on the shoulder in shady spots.
I took Jazzy, the new tiny Pappilon pup, with me. Tinkerbell the senior puppy princess went to work with Jacque. Jazzy likes to whine, cry, and complain while riding.... unless she is snuggled up on the lap of one of us. I tucked her skinny bony frame inside my partially zipped jacket and she loved it, as did I. Until I got a bit warmed up, after which her radiant body heat added to mine made it a bit overheated as we climbed hills.
Didn't get the desired miles in, but did get in a few, which is important of course. As usual, had I started earlier, I would have had time to get in a good roundabout ride.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 44 F Highest Temp: 55 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6.04
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.9 MPH 7.0 MPH 24.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 51 mins 40 secs 9 mins 19 secs
Monday, December 23, 2013
'Twas the Day Before Christmas Eve
Merry Christmas Tracking courtesy of GPS and Ham Radio
Since Jacque and I are BOTH out of shape, having endured some nasty weather and undesirable road conditions in recent weeks, as well as being TOO BUSY to keep up a decent exercise routine....
It wasn't hard to convince Jacque to take a tandem trike ride today.
It was well after 10:00 AM by the time we got the trike down to the paved road, but it was still rather cool.
We had planned initially to do the Post Office run and then go east on Frost Road to do a loop around Entranosa and Mountain Valley, which we recently discovered as a low traffic paved route. Between the cold and our lack of fortitude, however, we just did the mail run and back and then drove out to Edgewood where Jacque had been asked to do some substitute cooking for the next 2 weeks.
As usual, despite our slackness, it was great to get out and get the blood pumping and some fresh cold air in our lungs.
We may decide to supplement our retirement incomes with funds generated from putting out an upside-down hat or a collection cup at either or both of the Shell Station and Post Office, both of which generate numerous admirers of our trike and our pooches.
We've read and heard that panhandlers make more money per hour than the people who donate to them, and we've no doubt that our super-cute doggies would put us up there with the best of them should we choose to park the trike at a convenient street corner and hold up a sign something to the effect of "Will Ride Trike for Money" or something clever, should I think of it.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.9 Ending Voltage: 12.8
Lowest Temp 41 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.29
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.2 MPH 6.0 MPH 27.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 19 minutes 42 mins 39 secs 37 mins 19 secs
It wasn't hard to convince Jacque to take a tandem trike ride today.
It was well after 10:00 AM by the time we got the trike down to the paved road, but it was still rather cool.
We had planned initially to do the Post Office run and then go east on Frost Road to do a loop around Entranosa and Mountain Valley, which we recently discovered as a low traffic paved route. Between the cold and our lack of fortitude, however, we just did the mail run and back and then drove out to Edgewood where Jacque had been asked to do some substitute cooking for the next 2 weeks.
As usual, despite our slackness, it was great to get out and get the blood pumping and some fresh cold air in our lungs.
We may decide to supplement our retirement incomes with funds generated from putting out an upside-down hat or a collection cup at either or both of the Shell Station and Post Office, both of which generate numerous admirers of our trike and our pooches.
We've read and heard that panhandlers make more money per hour than the people who donate to them, and we've no doubt that our super-cute doggies would put us up there with the best of them should we choose to park the trike at a convenient street corner and hold up a sign something to the effect of "Will Ride Trike for Money" or something clever, should I think of it.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.9 Ending Voltage: 12.8
Lowest Temp 41 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.29
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.2 MPH 6.0 MPH 27.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 19 minutes 42 mins 39 secs 37 mins 19 secs
Thursday, December 19, 2013
WOW, Am I Out of Shape
Tracking for Today's Usual Short Trip
Mercy. Almost a full month since I last pedal-powered anything.
Mind you, I get exercise, and a couple hours or more, almost daily except (Maybe) Sunday. The trouble is, it's the bending, squatting, lifting, and twisting back-hurting type of exercise that normally does not leave me huffing and puffing afterwards, even though I may hardly be able to walk: Cutting firewood, running the chainsaw, chipping ice, shoveling snow, dragging sledfuls of cut wood up onto the deck and stacking it, yada, yada. If I'm not huffing and puffing, regardless of the resultant pain and pill popping, I cannot consider it aerobic... which supposedly is the good stuff.
I fully realize the error of my ways, like most of we humans. What with cold weather, snow, ice, mud, and worst of all, Christmas preparations... Humbug. I have no shortage of excuses for not regularly riding. Too busy to stay healthy and all that.
So, after weeks of thinking "I need to do a few miles on the bike" and never getting around to it, today I decided I'd ride the 6 miles or so to the nearest ATM and deposit a couple of checks. Jacque was busy on her latest Christmas project (MY Christmas projects consist of mostly cutting and stacking wood on the deck to be ready for the next snowfall) and thus encouraged me to ride by myself, taking my recumbent 2-wheeler, as well as the Traveling Tinkerbell Toy Dog.
As mentioned, I already was fully aware I was out of shape, but I am alarmed at how much. About halfway to the post office, a mere 3 miles from my house launch-point, I was about shot, with not too much in the way of reserve motivation and energy. I struggled on up to the PO (always snarling at the "NO Bicycles or Skateboards on Postal Property" signs), emptied out the mail box, threw away the pound or so of Christmas Thursday sale fliers and trash mail, and came home. Which has a satisfying couple miles of high speed downhill pavement... until you turn off on our goat-path private, unpaved road which now is spotted with several mud-bogs which coat man, beast, and vehicle with inches of muck as you pass through. And, it's just boggy enough in several spots that I cannot ride the bike through it without sliding sideways and down, so I was forced to dismount and walk the bike, dog, and load through it. All in all, good clean exercise. Er, that is, good exercise.
Weather today satisfyingly sunny, plenty warm for mid-December, and a bit breezy.
I remind myself, again and again, that daily riding is the only answer to such sluggishness....
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 13.0
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.55
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.9 MPH 6.4 MPH 26.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 25 minutes 51 mins 43 secs 33 mins 31 secs
Mercy. Almost a full month since I last pedal-powered anything.
Mind you, I get exercise, and a couple hours or more, almost daily except (Maybe) Sunday. The trouble is, it's the bending, squatting, lifting, and twisting back-hurting type of exercise that normally does not leave me huffing and puffing afterwards, even though I may hardly be able to walk: Cutting firewood, running the chainsaw, chipping ice, shoveling snow, dragging sledfuls of cut wood up onto the deck and stacking it, yada, yada. If I'm not huffing and puffing, regardless of the resultant pain and pill popping, I cannot consider it aerobic... which supposedly is the good stuff.
I fully realize the error of my ways, like most of we humans. What with cold weather, snow, ice, mud, and worst of all, Christmas preparations... Humbug. I have no shortage of excuses for not regularly riding. Too busy to stay healthy and all that.
So, after weeks of thinking "I need to do a few miles on the bike" and never getting around to it, today I decided I'd ride the 6 miles or so to the nearest ATM and deposit a couple of checks. Jacque was busy on her latest Christmas project (MY Christmas projects consist of mostly cutting and stacking wood on the deck to be ready for the next snowfall) and thus encouraged me to ride by myself, taking my recumbent 2-wheeler, as well as the Traveling Tinkerbell Toy Dog.
As mentioned, I already was fully aware I was out of shape, but I am alarmed at how much. About halfway to the post office, a mere 3 miles from my house launch-point, I was about shot, with not too much in the way of reserve motivation and energy. I struggled on up to the PO (always snarling at the "NO Bicycles or Skateboards on Postal Property" signs), emptied out the mail box, threw away the pound or so of Christmas Thursday sale fliers and trash mail, and came home. Which has a satisfying couple miles of high speed downhill pavement... until you turn off on our goat-path private, unpaved road which now is spotted with several mud-bogs which coat man, beast, and vehicle with inches of muck as you pass through. And, it's just boggy enough in several spots that I cannot ride the bike through it without sliding sideways and down, so I was forced to dismount and walk the bike, dog, and load through it. All in all, good clean exercise. Er, that is, good exercise.
Weather today satisfyingly sunny, plenty warm for mid-December, and a bit breezy.
I remind myself, again and again, that daily riding is the only answer to such sluggishness....
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 13.0
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.55
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.9 MPH 6.4 MPH 26.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 25 minutes 51 mins 43 secs 33 mins 31 secs
Saturday, November 30, 2013
A Bit of a Cool Ride
Today's APRS/GPS/Ham Radio Tracking
Today is likely our last opportunity to ride together for at least several days, since I'm having cataract surgery in my right eye on Monday. We knew it was a bit cold outside - our wood stove has been doing yeoman duty most of the morning - but the thermometer claimed it was in the 50's so we thought we'd do OK. And, we did..... BUT....
Everything out here in the sticks is a mess unless it's covered or paved. The recent snowfall, with the subsequent several days of thawing and freezing, has produced MUD everywhere there should be dirt. Even the best graveled parts of our goat-path mile of private road are squishy and sloppy. The parking spot down by the pavement of Frost Road was sloppy and nothing but muck too... so we decided to drive down the road a ways to see if we could find another place to park and unload the Tandem TerraTrike . About a mile down the road we did indeed find someone else's turnoff to a gravel road with a wide shoulder that we could park on. As we were unloading the Trike off the roof rack, sure enough someone pulled up and stopped next to us. We thought they might complain about us parking on their road but to our surprise they just wanted to visit for a minute and commented that "They always see us riding on our cool trike with our super-cute doggies", which is language we can live with.
We tried a route we've not ridden before, and it wasn't bad. Frost Road has a fairly wide shoulder and isn't bad riding, but it has a lot of fast traffic. Taking detours on other paved roads results in the loss of the marked bike shoulder/lane but we lose almost all traffic, with rarely a car to encounter. The temperature wasn't terribly cold but it seemed to just soak into us. The sun was visible but partially shaded with light clouds so it didn't help much.
By the time we got back to the car Jacque's feet were horribly numb. It took several minutes for the Ford's heater to thaw her out.
Still, as usual, we were glad to have gotten out and gotten the blood circulating.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.0 Ending Voltage: 13.2
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 59 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.3
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.86 MPH 8.8 MPH 25 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 9 minutes 54 mins 15 mins 50 secs
Today is likely our last opportunity to ride together for at least several days, since I'm having cataract surgery in my right eye on Monday. We knew it was a bit cold outside - our wood stove has been doing yeoman duty most of the morning - but the thermometer claimed it was in the 50's so we thought we'd do OK. And, we did..... BUT....
Everything out here in the sticks is a mess unless it's covered or paved. The recent snowfall, with the subsequent several days of thawing and freezing, has produced MUD everywhere there should be dirt. Even the best graveled parts of our goat-path mile of private road are squishy and sloppy. The parking spot down by the pavement of Frost Road was sloppy and nothing but muck too... so we decided to drive down the road a ways to see if we could find another place to park and unload the Tandem TerraTrike . About a mile down the road we did indeed find someone else's turnoff to a gravel road with a wide shoulder that we could park on. As we were unloading the Trike off the roof rack, sure enough someone pulled up and stopped next to us. We thought they might complain about us parking on their road but to our surprise they just wanted to visit for a minute and commented that "They always see us riding on our cool trike with our super-cute doggies", which is language we can live with.
We tried a route we've not ridden before, and it wasn't bad. Frost Road has a fairly wide shoulder and isn't bad riding, but it has a lot of fast traffic. Taking detours on other paved roads results in the loss of the marked bike shoulder/lane but we lose almost all traffic, with rarely a car to encounter. The temperature wasn't terribly cold but it seemed to just soak into us. The sun was visible but partially shaded with light clouds so it didn't help much.
By the time we got back to the car Jacque's feet were horribly numb. It took several minutes for the Ford's heater to thaw her out.
Still, as usual, we were glad to have gotten out and gotten the blood circulating.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.0 Ending Voltage: 13.2
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 59 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.3
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.86 MPH 8.8 MPH 25 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 9 minutes 54 mins 15 mins 50 secs
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Yeah, We Drove Somewhere to Ride... So What.
Today's tracking
We've been mostly stuck in the house since the snow started flying last Friday... almost 4 days now.
Our roads out here in the East Mountains are mostly dry.... but no shoulders clear from snow nor are the few miles of bike paths at ALL clear. Plus it's still cold, though if the roads were clear we'd just bundle up with layers and ride.
Howsomever, we decided it was time for a ride down the famed Bosque Trail - even though it is close to 30 miles from home. It lies along the Rio Grande, the lowest elevation and thus usually warmest in Albuquerque, and has only the mildest of grades to surmount.
We were so anxious to go that we took off without even checking the tires on the trike. Luckily, they were all nice and fully inflated... which is nice since I just replaced a pinholed tube a couple weeks ago.
Even in Albuquerque "down on the Bosque" it was a bit on the cool side; only about 8 degrees warmer than at home. The roads AND bike trails and surrounding terrain were ALL entirely clear of snow and ice, however, so it was well worth the trip and the gas etc.
The last time we rode this trail we went south from Central down to the South Valley and back, but this time we rode north. I was grinding my brain trying to visualize a loop route we could accomplish without too much stress, out of shape as we are, but could only recall a 20+ mile loop which was a bit much for this trip.
So we just rode up to Paseo Del Norte, stopped for a potty and water break, and came back. It was a great ride, no stress, no nasties from fellow riders, no motorists encountered on this wonderful trail: What's not to like? We still did some respectable miles. By the time we got back to the transport gas-burner cage vehicle it was cooling off rapidly although the sun was not fully set.
The little doggies always ride in the crate behind Jacque on the trike, and the only exercise they get is when we let them down on the leash or when they go berserk and start jumping around and snarling and barking at OTHER dogs we encounter. We are doing all the pedaling and they mostly just stare out at the passing scenery... yet they collapse into our laps and lapse into semi-comas as though they had just run the Alaskan Iditarod pulling a loaded sled. We hypothesize they get so tired because they stay awake while riding instead of snoozing most of the day like they do when safely at home. Poor babies.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 60 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 14.82
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.9 MPH 8.8 MPH 18.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 8 minutes 1 hour 41 mins 26 mins 58 secs
We've been mostly stuck in the house since the snow started flying last Friday... almost 4 days now.
Our roads out here in the East Mountains are mostly dry.... but no shoulders clear from snow nor are the few miles of bike paths at ALL clear. Plus it's still cold, though if the roads were clear we'd just bundle up with layers and ride.
Howsomever, we decided it was time for a ride down the famed Bosque Trail - even though it is close to 30 miles from home. It lies along the Rio Grande, the lowest elevation and thus usually warmest in Albuquerque, and has only the mildest of grades to surmount.
We were so anxious to go that we took off without even checking the tires on the trike. Luckily, they were all nice and fully inflated... which is nice since I just replaced a pinholed tube a couple weeks ago.
Even in Albuquerque "down on the Bosque" it was a bit on the cool side; only about 8 degrees warmer than at home. The roads AND bike trails and surrounding terrain were ALL entirely clear of snow and ice, however, so it was well worth the trip and the gas etc.
The last time we rode this trail we went south from Central down to the South Valley and back, but this time we rode north. I was grinding my brain trying to visualize a loop route we could accomplish without too much stress, out of shape as we are, but could only recall a 20+ mile loop which was a bit much for this trip.
So we just rode up to Paseo Del Norte, stopped for a potty and water break, and came back. It was a great ride, no stress, no nasties from fellow riders, no motorists encountered on this wonderful trail: What's not to like? We still did some respectable miles. By the time we got back to the transport gas-burner cage vehicle it was cooling off rapidly although the sun was not fully set.
The little doggies always ride in the crate behind Jacque on the trike, and the only exercise they get is when we let them down on the leash or when they go berserk and start jumping around and snarling and barking at OTHER dogs we encounter. We are doing all the pedaling and they mostly just stare out at the passing scenery... yet they collapse into our laps and lapse into semi-comas as though they had just run the Alaskan Iditarod pulling a loaded sled. We hypothesize they get so tired because they stay awake while riding instead of snoozing most of the day like they do when safely at home. Poor babies.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 60 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 14.82
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.9 MPH 8.8 MPH 18.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 8 minutes 1 hour 41 mins 26 mins 58 secs
Monday, November 18, 2013
If We Waited for Perfect Weather We'd Never Ride
Typical Trike Tracking Today Thankfully
Jacque is the one who initiated today's ride, even though as usual we are "Too Busy to Stay Healthy". Her trick knee starts getting even trickier when we don't ride for several days. She had a batch of sourdough bread started so I was surprised when she insisted that we take off, NOW, for a trike ride.
It was only about 45 degrees outside and cloudy, so we knew we should not be overheated. Thus, going west and uphill, I rode without a windbreaker, and only 2 layers of shirting. I actually got warm enough almost to the Post Office that I had to unsnap my shirt sleeve cuffs. When we stopped, however, it got COLD, right away. My blood glucose checked at 127 while there, which in my case means I'm dropping quickly and should eat something to keep moving. I normally do best when starting a ride for my BG to be at the 200 plus or minus mark, plus I have to back off my pump's basal level to less than 50% of normal to avoid having to stop every twenty minutes for a snack. I had forgotten the basal change earlier so I adjusted that while I ate my peanut butter cookies. While waiting for me to snarf my snack, we were treated to a few passers-by who as usual squeal with delight when they spot our cute but grumpy little dogs. Today they embarrased us in front of almost everyone we met who would say "How Cute!!" and then be immediately treated to a display of snarling, snapping, impolite doggies.
When we got to the TOP of the hill at the Shell Snack Station, it REALLY got cold, especially since I ordered a nice ice filled small Diet Coke. I should have done with a Hot Chocolate, but I wasn't in the mood.... at first.
We also met a couple of hard-core cyclists we met at the same place LAST Monday. We joked when we parted that maybe we would meet again NEXT Monday.
As I neared the bottom of my Coke, I got so chilled that I walked over to the parked trike and retrieved my rarely-worn windbreaker jacket. Since going toward home is more downhill than up, I knew it would be rather cold streaking that-a-way.
I thought, as we approached the slight hills going back, that climbing them would warm me up enough to force me to stop and peel off the jacket, but I didn't get one bit overheated - and was highly happy with the jacket being in place.
My Lithium-Ion Battery that I worried might have destroyed itself using a non-standard charger seemed to work fine today. I had previously taken it out of the pannier in the workshop, and it was showing ZERO volts output, a non-inspiring condition. I used the voltmeter to test the output right at the blade terminals of the battery and it was now showing 13+ volts available, so I removed the short power cable and tested it thoroughly, and could find no opens or problems with it. When I reconnected the wiring harness firmly the entire system was now displaying 13+ volts. I plugged my favorite battery "tester" (An old Tensor lamp wired directly for 12 Volt operation) into the pack and it lit with full brilliance for almost a minute without fading so I disconnected it, reinserted it into the pannier, and hoped it would work for the next ride..... and it did. Thank God. I really love the lightness and power output of this battery and would have willingly blown the necessary $100+ bucks to replace it had it actually been permanently dead.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 55 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.32
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
2.5 MPH 6.0 MPH 28.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 43 minutes 43 mins 19 secs 59 mins 41 secs
Jacque is the one who initiated today's ride, even though as usual we are "Too Busy to Stay Healthy". Her trick knee starts getting even trickier when we don't ride for several days. She had a batch of sourdough bread started so I was surprised when she insisted that we take off, NOW, for a trike ride.
It was only about 45 degrees outside and cloudy, so we knew we should not be overheated. Thus, going west and uphill, I rode without a windbreaker, and only 2 layers of shirting. I actually got warm enough almost to the Post Office that I had to unsnap my shirt sleeve cuffs. When we stopped, however, it got COLD, right away. My blood glucose checked at 127 while there, which in my case means I'm dropping quickly and should eat something to keep moving. I normally do best when starting a ride for my BG to be at the 200 plus or minus mark, plus I have to back off my pump's basal level to less than 50% of normal to avoid having to stop every twenty minutes for a snack. I had forgotten the basal change earlier so I adjusted that while I ate my peanut butter cookies. While waiting for me to snarf my snack, we were treated to a few passers-by who as usual squeal with delight when they spot our cute but grumpy little dogs. Today they embarrased us in front of almost everyone we met who would say "How Cute!!" and then be immediately treated to a display of snarling, snapping, impolite doggies.
When we got to the TOP of the hill at the Shell Snack Station, it REALLY got cold, especially since I ordered a nice ice filled small Diet Coke. I should have done with a Hot Chocolate, but I wasn't in the mood.... at first.
We also met a couple of hard-core cyclists we met at the same place LAST Monday. We joked when we parted that maybe we would meet again NEXT Monday.
As I neared the bottom of my Coke, I got so chilled that I walked over to the parked trike and retrieved my rarely-worn windbreaker jacket. Since going toward home is more downhill than up, I knew it would be rather cold streaking that-a-way.
I thought, as we approached the slight hills going back, that climbing them would warm me up enough to force me to stop and peel off the jacket, but I didn't get one bit overheated - and was highly happy with the jacket being in place.
My Lithium-Ion Battery that I worried might have destroyed itself using a non-standard charger seemed to work fine today. I had previously taken it out of the pannier in the workshop, and it was showing ZERO volts output, a non-inspiring condition. I used the voltmeter to test the output right at the blade terminals of the battery and it was now showing 13+ volts available, so I removed the short power cable and tested it thoroughly, and could find no opens or problems with it. When I reconnected the wiring harness firmly the entire system was now displaying 13+ volts. I plugged my favorite battery "tester" (An old Tensor lamp wired directly for 12 Volt operation) into the pack and it lit with full brilliance for almost a minute without fading so I disconnected it, reinserted it into the pannier, and hoped it would work for the next ride..... and it did. Thank God. I really love the lightness and power output of this battery and would have willingly blown the necessary $100+ bucks to replace it had it actually been permanently dead.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 55 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.32
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
2.5 MPH 6.0 MPH 28.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 43 minutes 43 mins 19 secs 59 mins 41 secs
Friday, November 15, 2013
Frigid Friday
Tracking Link Courtesy of GPS, APRS, and Ham Radio
Jacque went to Albuquerque today to attend a friend undergoing a surgical procedure, so I stayed busy without her anyway.
As noted yesterday, her Subaru has been howling louder and louder, especially since she returned from her recent trip to California. I undertook to prioritize replacing the alternator in her absence. Yesterday I had localized the source of the noise to the alternator. I used the old "stick to the ear" method of poking around the various belt driven pumps, pulleys, and such, and though the noise seemed to be present all over the front of anything connected to the engine, it seemed loudest at the alternator housing.
I'm quite impressed with Subarus thus far. This turned out to be the ultimate fabled almost nonexistent "15-minute Job". The bolts holding the alternator were all exposed on the top and upper part of the engine, the serpentine belt was short and easily replaced, and only required 2 wrenches: 12 mm and 10 mm. And, when the old alternator was removed, spinning it by hand resulted in a growly snarl from the bearings, proving I had indeed picked the correct suspect. When the car was started after all was bolted back together, it purred nicely, without the growl and howl we'd almost gotten used to.
Then - Since my hands were already grimy - I decided to shorten the problematic chain on my 2-wheel recumbent. That also didn't take too long, maybe 20 minutes..... and I now was itching to take it for a "spin" to try it out. Since I now had a defunct alternator to return for a $45 core charge, I decided I'd try biking it over to Edgewood to the Autozone store there. The alternator inside the back bike basket left just enough room for Jazzie, our wiggly little new Papillon puppy, so we were all good.
Of course, just as I saddled up, it began to rain. Er, that is, sprinkle. Which wouldn't have mattered had it been 70 degrees or more, but at 40-something degrees and upcoming high winds, I backed out and went back in the house, my doggie and I.
Within 5 minutes it had dried up and the skies opened up to a bit of blue sky, so I took off again.
THIS time, just as we rolled maybe 20 feet, the battery went dead again... killing the GPS and the tracker. The Li-Ion battery had been on charge all night on a different charger and had checked at 14 volts with a meter but had immediately died and now exhibited ZERO volts. This battery has an automatic low-voltage shutoff so it must have triggered. I pulled the backup battery off the charger and it made the rest of the trip without incident. I am now carefully monitoring the Li-Ion battery while gently charging in hopes it will come to life and take a charge again..... but I fear I have nuked this expensive battery. We'll see.
I had almost gotten to the bottom of our 1-mile of unpaved goat-path road and the pavement when Jacque called saying she was on her way home. So I decided to forgo the trip to Edgewood and just ride a mile or two to go through the gears and see how many now worked with the shortened chain. It worked, and didn't seem to jump out of gear like it had prior to removing 3 links from the chain, but it still will not go into the lowest "Grandma Gear" nor did it ever shift into the smallest cassette gear on the rear for high-speed cruising. It's always been a bit of 'throwing the dice' getting it into that highest gear.... but we just took it a couple miles and took it back home, with the idea of triking with Jacque after she got home.
Howsomever, when she finally got home, the wind was howling and she was exhausted from arising at 5:30-ish and was no longer in the mood to try riding. So I think instead, as the sun fades beyond the mountain, we will pop up some popcorn and watch Monk on TV for the evening.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 11.7 (Nicad backup)
Lowest Temp 55 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 3.33
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
2.3 MPH 6.2 MPH 18.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 26 minutes 32 mins 16 secs 54 mins 3 secs
Jacque went to Albuquerque today to attend a friend undergoing a surgical procedure, so I stayed busy without her anyway.
As noted yesterday, her Subaru has been howling louder and louder, especially since she returned from her recent trip to California. I undertook to prioritize replacing the alternator in her absence. Yesterday I had localized the source of the noise to the alternator. I used the old "stick to the ear" method of poking around the various belt driven pumps, pulleys, and such, and though the noise seemed to be present all over the front of anything connected to the engine, it seemed loudest at the alternator housing.
I'm quite impressed with Subarus thus far. This turned out to be the ultimate fabled almost nonexistent "15-minute Job". The bolts holding the alternator were all exposed on the top and upper part of the engine, the serpentine belt was short and easily replaced, and only required 2 wrenches: 12 mm and 10 mm. And, when the old alternator was removed, spinning it by hand resulted in a growly snarl from the bearings, proving I had indeed picked the correct suspect. When the car was started after all was bolted back together, it purred nicely, without the growl and howl we'd almost gotten used to.
Then - Since my hands were already grimy - I decided to shorten the problematic chain on my 2-wheel recumbent. That also didn't take too long, maybe 20 minutes..... and I now was itching to take it for a "spin" to try it out. Since I now had a defunct alternator to return for a $45 core charge, I decided I'd try biking it over to Edgewood to the Autozone store there. The alternator inside the back bike basket left just enough room for Jazzie, our wiggly little new Papillon puppy, so we were all good.
Of course, just as I saddled up, it began to rain. Er, that is, sprinkle. Which wouldn't have mattered had it been 70 degrees or more, but at 40-something degrees and upcoming high winds, I backed out and went back in the house, my doggie and I.
Within 5 minutes it had dried up and the skies opened up to a bit of blue sky, so I took off again.
THIS time, just as we rolled maybe 20 feet, the battery went dead again... killing the GPS and the tracker. The Li-Ion battery had been on charge all night on a different charger and had checked at 14 volts with a meter but had immediately died and now exhibited ZERO volts. This battery has an automatic low-voltage shutoff so it must have triggered. I pulled the backup battery off the charger and it made the rest of the trip without incident. I am now carefully monitoring the Li-Ion battery while gently charging in hopes it will come to life and take a charge again..... but I fear I have nuked this expensive battery. We'll see.
I had almost gotten to the bottom of our 1-mile of unpaved goat-path road and the pavement when Jacque called saying she was on her way home. So I decided to forgo the trip to Edgewood and just ride a mile or two to go through the gears and see how many now worked with the shortened chain. It worked, and didn't seem to jump out of gear like it had prior to removing 3 links from the chain, but it still will not go into the lowest "Grandma Gear" nor did it ever shift into the smallest cassette gear on the rear for high-speed cruising. It's always been a bit of 'throwing the dice' getting it into that highest gear.... but we just took it a couple miles and took it back home, with the idea of triking with Jacque after she got home.
Howsomever, when she finally got home, the wind was howling and she was exhausted from arising at 5:30-ish and was no longer in the mood to try riding. So I think instead, as the sun fades beyond the mountain, we will pop up some popcorn and watch Monk on TV for the evening.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5 Ending Voltage: 11.7 (Nicad backup)
Lowest Temp 55 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 3.33
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
2.3 MPH 6.2 MPH 18.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 26 minutes 32 mins 16 secs 54 mins 3 secs
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Trike Trolling Again
Trike Track Today
Jacque made the strong suggestion to get out and about on the trike today since it's been a week or so since she has been able to ride, and her trick knees work much better with less pain when she rides more or less regularly. So out the door we went.
Except..... The battery was dead in the Explorer when I tried to start it today.... dead after sitting idle for 3 or 4 days unattended. Batteries should last longer than that. So I start Jacque's Subaru to jump-start the Explorer (The Explorer has the only trike rack available). It sounded very whiney when the engine started, so I opened the hood to see if I could detect which belt-driven doohickey might be making all that noise. Since she just returned in it from a trip to California, it has been noticably worse. It most certainly seemed to be the alternator making a horrible extra-bad whine. So. I used it to jump-start the Explorer and added a Subaru alternator to our list of needful things.
We went on our typical mail-run trike ride with no interesting disasters; just the usual small cluster of admirers for the dogs and the trike. As well as the fact my battery started dying within the first 100 yards of riding, which seemed to act like a loose wire until I remembered this Lithium self protecting battery shuts itself off when its voltage drops too low.... I switched to my backup AA Ni-Cad pack, which hasn't been charged in over a month, meaning it was very low on juice too but didn't drop out even below 11 volts, so the system worked... mostly. I let the GPS and APRS tracker run but turned off the voice radio to conserve power.
When we arrived back at the Explorer we decided to go on out to the Autozone store in Edgewood to get the aforementioned alternator. Of course they didn't have one in stock, but while we were there I had them test my Explorer battery, and wouldn't ya know, it tested bad with a dead cell. It was an Autozone Duralast battery with a few prorated months left on it so I was able to buy the currently $140 priced battery for sixty-something. While I was removing the old battery for the trade-in, the positive battery clamp disintegrated, ka-ploop. So I had to buy a new battery clamp; which of course I already had at least 3 of at home, but home was 12 miles away and we needed the battery NOW so we could continue driving.
As is often the case, troubles seem to come in groups.
Went on into Albuquerque, the SECOND autozone we stopped at was out of stock ("We sold 4 Subaru alternators so far today!") so we went to the store on Eubank which still had one and forked over the 200 bucks for the alternator and serpentine belt to go with it.... I'll get 45 or so bucks for the old alternator when I bring it in.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.9 Ending Voltage: 12.7 (First batt, then it died)
Beginning Battery Voltage: 10.6 Ending Voltage: 9.3 (Nicad backup)
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.14
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
2.8 MPH 5.8 MPH 29.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 30 minutes 42 mins 36 secs 47 mins 25 secs
Jacque made the strong suggestion to get out and about on the trike today since it's been a week or so since she has been able to ride, and her trick knees work much better with less pain when she rides more or less regularly. So out the door we went.
Except..... The battery was dead in the Explorer when I tried to start it today.... dead after sitting idle for 3 or 4 days unattended. Batteries should last longer than that. So I start Jacque's Subaru to jump-start the Explorer (The Explorer has the only trike rack available). It sounded very whiney when the engine started, so I opened the hood to see if I could detect which belt-driven doohickey might be making all that noise. Since she just returned in it from a trip to California, it has been noticably worse. It most certainly seemed to be the alternator making a horrible extra-bad whine. So. I used it to jump-start the Explorer and added a Subaru alternator to our list of needful things.
We went on our typical mail-run trike ride with no interesting disasters; just the usual small cluster of admirers for the dogs and the trike. As well as the fact my battery started dying within the first 100 yards of riding, which seemed to act like a loose wire until I remembered this Lithium self protecting battery shuts itself off when its voltage drops too low.... I switched to my backup AA Ni-Cad pack, which hasn't been charged in over a month, meaning it was very low on juice too but didn't drop out even below 11 volts, so the system worked... mostly. I let the GPS and APRS tracker run but turned off the voice radio to conserve power.
When we arrived back at the Explorer we decided to go on out to the Autozone store in Edgewood to get the aforementioned alternator. Of course they didn't have one in stock, but while we were there I had them test my Explorer battery, and wouldn't ya know, it tested bad with a dead cell. It was an Autozone Duralast battery with a few prorated months left on it so I was able to buy the currently $140 priced battery for sixty-something. While I was removing the old battery for the trade-in, the positive battery clamp disintegrated, ka-ploop. So I had to buy a new battery clamp; which of course I already had at least 3 of at home, but home was 12 miles away and we needed the battery NOW so we could continue driving.
As is often the case, troubles seem to come in groups.
Went on into Albuquerque, the SECOND autozone we stopped at was out of stock ("We sold 4 Subaru alternators so far today!") so we went to the store on Eubank which still had one and forked over the 200 bucks for the alternator and serpentine belt to go with it.... I'll get 45 or so bucks for the old alternator when I bring it in.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.9 Ending Voltage: 12.7 (First batt, then it died)
Beginning Battery Voltage: 10.6 Ending Voltage: 9.3 (Nicad backup)
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.14
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
2.8 MPH 5.8 MPH 29.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 30 minutes 42 mins 36 secs 47 mins 25 secs
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
2 of 3 Days thus far this Week
Today's Mail Ride Tracking
Tink, the Travel Dog, and I went for another ride today. We didn't have time to take a long ride and I had received notice that I had a package at the Post Office so that's where we rode. Not very far mileage wise but 'up there' exertion-wise. "Issues" arise every time I ride this home-built recumbent:
-I've had repeated shifting problems and cannot access more than 10 or so of my supposedly available "21 gears" (3 up front and 7 in the rear cassette)
-Since I put on the milk crate dog carrier and side-mount the pannier containing all my "Stuff", the bike is hard to stand up even with it's 2-legged Kickstand. Today while I was inside the Post Office, it fell over when Tinkerbell shifted her weight (she's strapped in with a harness). Tink and most of the bike were OK, but it shattered my handlebar mounted rear-view mirror.
The shifting problems really started to flare up when we started back up the steep goat-path hill to the house. I had to stop and dismount to see if I could figure out why it was so unreliable in the lower "Grandma Gears" needed to climb hills with my weak legs. The derailleur bracket was a little out of line so I took out my wrench and adjusted that. I noticed the chain was sagging, with a lot of slack, in these lower gears. I wondered if the chain might be too long, and shifted everything to the widest ring gear, and the chain looked fairly tight. But when I pulled on it to see if there was any slack, I found I could stretch it several inches.... the derailleur still had enough range left. So I've decided to remove 2 or 3 links and see if that helps the shifting situation any. I walked the bike to the top of the first hill and was able to resume riding under less stress, and parked the bike on my work-slab at home so I'll hopefully remember to shorten the chain before I take off on another ride.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.9 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.49
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.9 MPH 7.2 MPH 25.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 24 minutes 45 mins 33 secs 38 mins 28 secs
Tink, the Travel Dog, and I went for another ride today. We didn't have time to take a long ride and I had received notice that I had a package at the Post Office so that's where we rode. Not very far mileage wise but 'up there' exertion-wise. "Issues" arise every time I ride this home-built recumbent:
-I've had repeated shifting problems and cannot access more than 10 or so of my supposedly available "21 gears" (3 up front and 7 in the rear cassette)
-Since I put on the milk crate dog carrier and side-mount the pannier containing all my "Stuff", the bike is hard to stand up even with it's 2-legged Kickstand. Today while I was inside the Post Office, it fell over when Tinkerbell shifted her weight (she's strapped in with a harness). Tink and most of the bike were OK, but it shattered my handlebar mounted rear-view mirror.
The shifting problems really started to flare up when we started back up the steep goat-path hill to the house. I had to stop and dismount to see if I could figure out why it was so unreliable in the lower "Grandma Gears" needed to climb hills with my weak legs. The derailleur bracket was a little out of line so I took out my wrench and adjusted that. I noticed the chain was sagging, with a lot of slack, in these lower gears. I wondered if the chain might be too long, and shifted everything to the widest ring gear, and the chain looked fairly tight. But when I pulled on it to see if there was any slack, I found I could stretch it several inches.... the derailleur still had enough range left. So I've decided to remove 2 or 3 links and see if that helps the shifting situation any. I walked the bike to the top of the first hill and was able to resume riding under less stress, and parked the bike on my work-slab at home so I'll hopefully remember to shorten the chain before I take off on another ride.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.9 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.49
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.9 MPH 7.2 MPH 25.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 24 minutes 45 mins 33 secs 38 mins 28 secs
Monday, November 11, 2013
Wait Until Dark..... Almost
Tracking Courtesy of GPS, APRS, and Ham Radio
Over the weekend I was not able to play ride-the-bike, even though I sure wanted to.... I was playing home plumber and installing a new sink, lavatory set, and replacing nasty PVC pipes connecting it all. Much too busy to stay healthy and all that, you know.
Now, today, I had an early appointment to get my head examined.
More precisely, I got an eye exam... preparatory to my next cataract surgery. I got a new lens to remove and repair cataracts in my left eye almost a year ago. My right eye was still mostly functional back in those days so I opted to get the left repaired and leave the right eye alone for the time being. The last few months have sapped my patience with the deteriorating cataract in the right eye, with increasing blurred spots in my field of view, double and triple vision in the daytime and nothing but blinding stars that are supposed to be oncoming headlights at night. So I called in 2 weeks ago and asked to be set up for the second eye repair.
The Doc gave me the good news and the bad news: The bad eye was most certainly very very bad, but he could still find no traces of diabetic retinopathy, the eyes' retinas were in good shape as well as the blood vessels. So all I had to do is wait for the next appointment, measuring my eyes for surgery, and go home for now half-blind with my eyes dilated from the exam. The el cheapo shades they gave me worked well and I was able to make it home and get inside out of the near-blinding sunshine and watch a few Veterans Day War Movies until my eyes started working again and I was able to step outside again. I of course have been hankering for a bike ride, and it being too late to get much productive done, I decided to go ahead and saddle up for at least a short ride before it got completely dark. I had installed a spanking new deluxe dog carrier on the back of my homebrew 2-wheel recumbent, consisting of a heavy duty black plastic milk crate mounted with stainless steel hose clamps, the universal mounting method for projects large and small.
Tinkerbell, the Primo Princess Doggie, had been on about a 400-yard test ride on Saturday, but she needed to test it again on a REAL ride.
It was just cool enough to ALMOST preclude my having to unbutton the front of my 2 shirt layers to let some air in around my armpits.
We rode east on Frost Road until we got to Mountain Valley, where we normally turn south. Since we had never tried to ride north on that road before, we did so today... Tink and I.
That pavement was a nice gradual uphill pull until we ran out of pavement at about the 3-mile mark. As I turned around to park for a water and peanut-butter-cookie break, I was horrified to see a too-large, very healthy looking coyote standing in the bushes right at the edge of the road, looking not at all alarmed at my intrusion.
Upon a second and third glance, while looking for a large rock or stick I could use for a defensive weapon, I noticed he was wearing a COLLAR.... and realized he was just someone's pet wandering around loose and who LOOKED a lot like a wolf or coyote mix. Even domestic dogs that size can certainly be dangerous, but he showed no aggression and I slowly calmed down and relaxed, calmly urging Tink to repress her instincts to yap ferociously and stir up the other dog's attack responses. She was unusually good, for some reason, and didn't even snarl at him. We sat and shared the 4 cookies I brought for the snack. Okay, Okay, so "shared" means I ate the cookies and Tink got a small pinch of a bite-crumb from each one.
For the ride back to the house, it got a bit cool.... enough that I had to re-snap all my front shirt buttons back up and re-Velcro my day-glow
green/yellow tee shirt and still did not get overheated. The sun had set but there was still plenty of light out and we arrived home with full vision.. and out of breath climbing the unpaved last mile of goat-path to the house.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.0 Ending Voltage: 12.9
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 69 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 11.08
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.2 MPH 8.3 MPH 26.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 46 minutes 1 hour 19 mins 20 mins 31 secs
Over the weekend I was not able to play ride-the-bike, even though I sure wanted to.... I was playing home plumber and installing a new sink, lavatory set, and replacing nasty PVC pipes connecting it all. Much too busy to stay healthy and all that, you know.
Now, today, I had an early appointment to get my head examined.
More precisely, I got an eye exam... preparatory to my next cataract surgery. I got a new lens to remove and repair cataracts in my left eye almost a year ago. My right eye was still mostly functional back in those days so I opted to get the left repaired and leave the right eye alone for the time being. The last few months have sapped my patience with the deteriorating cataract in the right eye, with increasing blurred spots in my field of view, double and triple vision in the daytime and nothing but blinding stars that are supposed to be oncoming headlights at night. So I called in 2 weeks ago and asked to be set up for the second eye repair.
The Doc gave me the good news and the bad news: The bad eye was most certainly very very bad, but he could still find no traces of diabetic retinopathy, the eyes' retinas were in good shape as well as the blood vessels. So all I had to do is wait for the next appointment, measuring my eyes for surgery, and go home for now half-blind with my eyes dilated from the exam. The el cheapo shades they gave me worked well and I was able to make it home and get inside out of the near-blinding sunshine and watch a few Veterans Day War Movies until my eyes started working again and I was able to step outside again. I of course have been hankering for a bike ride, and it being too late to get much productive done, I decided to go ahead and saddle up for at least a short ride before it got completely dark. I had installed a spanking new deluxe dog carrier on the back of my homebrew 2-wheel recumbent, consisting of a heavy duty black plastic milk crate mounted with stainless steel hose clamps, the universal mounting method for projects large and small.
Tinkerbell, the Primo Princess Doggie, had been on about a 400-yard test ride on Saturday, but she needed to test it again on a REAL ride.
It was just cool enough to ALMOST preclude my having to unbutton the front of my 2 shirt layers to let some air in around my armpits.
We rode east on Frost Road until we got to Mountain Valley, where we normally turn south. Since we had never tried to ride north on that road before, we did so today... Tink and I.
That pavement was a nice gradual uphill pull until we ran out of pavement at about the 3-mile mark. As I turned around to park for a water and peanut-butter-cookie break, I was horrified to see a too-large, very healthy looking coyote standing in the bushes right at the edge of the road, looking not at all alarmed at my intrusion.
Upon a second and third glance, while looking for a large rock or stick I could use for a defensive weapon, I noticed he was wearing a COLLAR.... and realized he was just someone's pet wandering around loose and who LOOKED a lot like a wolf or coyote mix. Even domestic dogs that size can certainly be dangerous, but he showed no aggression and I slowly calmed down and relaxed, calmly urging Tink to repress her instincts to yap ferociously and stir up the other dog's attack responses. She was unusually good, for some reason, and didn't even snarl at him. We sat and shared the 4 cookies I brought for the snack. Okay, Okay, so "shared" means I ate the cookies and Tink got a small pinch of a bite-crumb from each one.
For the ride back to the house, it got a bit cool.... enough that I had to re-snap all my front shirt buttons back up and re-Velcro my day-glow
green/yellow tee shirt and still did not get overheated. The sun had set but there was still plenty of light out and we arrived home with full vision.. and out of breath climbing the unpaved last mile of goat-path to the house.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.0 Ending Voltage: 12.9
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 69 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 11.08
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.2 MPH 8.3 MPH 26.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 46 minutes 1 hour 19 mins 20 mins 31 secs
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Wait... Green Slime Doesn't Last Forever?
No bike or trike riding yesterday, Monday. This week is typically weird and so busy we will be lucky to get in ONE day of triking, though hopefully I'll get out on the recumbent solo 2-wheeler.
Yesterday Jacque notified me the Tandem Terratrike had a flat tire on the left front. BAH. Humbug. At the time I was too busy loading junk metal on my flatbed trailer to bother with the trike.
After hauling 1600+ pounds of various engine blocks, steel junk, etc, that had been littering the yard and trees for years, to the Acme Salvage Recycler in Albuquerque, and receiving a grand total of $156 in exchange, I took on the Trike Flat. We have not had ANY flats for several months now in spite of noticing and removing many goat-head stickers from the tires. All 3 tires have tubes with Green Slime in them which seems to have slowed down our previous fix-a-flat-every-other-time-we-ride routine. I aired up the tire 3 or 4 times and could find no trace of a leak, but each time I waited several minutes. After inflating it to 55-60 PSI, it would be down to 40 or 45 PSI after such a short interval - NOT great confidence for a long ride in the country. So I took it apart.
When I removed the wheel and opened up the air valve on the tube to let out the air, instead of the slimy green glue that normally comes out, I was surprised at the lumpy globs of green that came out instead:
If you look closely on the bracket by the steering knuckle you can see a weird green 'booger' that plopped out of the valve stem when I opened it up.
And here's some on my hands: Clumpy instead of gooey.
My first experience with green slime was running over a green patch of goat heads on the sidewalk not far from work and hearing the dreaded "HiiisssssssSSSS" as the air started ripping through one of the thorn-holes. Then, suddenly, a small dot of green appeared at the puncture site and the hissing stopped. I had lost maybe a tenth of my tire's pressure but the green stuff had stopped the leak and I was able to ride back to work 2 or 3 miles' worth without further incident.
I had aired up THIS tire several times and listened and looked for leaks but nothing was detected. However, when I over-inflated the tube now, outside the tire where I could examine it, I found the following:
Nay, I also found ANOTHER leaky green pinhole, for a total of FOUR small pinholes that were NOT sealing shut with the green stuff.
It occurred to me that green slime may well not tolerate being frozen, and these tires have been outside in the weather for a year or so, with high summer temps and VERY cold winter temps. The Green Slime had lost its stickiness and congealed into little non-sticky clumps, and what liquid was still there was not sticky at all. Oh Well.
Since we carry new spare tubes, I just plucked the new spare out of the pannier and installed it, throwing the multi-punctured one away.
At ten bucks or so per tube, we have stopped trying to patch them and just throw them away instead. For one thing, even a SINGLE hole is almost impossible to patch with slime inside the tube: It migrates out and around the puncture, in spite of best efforts at cleaning, and pollutes the rubber cement when trying to glue on the repair patch. Not worth it.... And I just ordered another thorn resistant, slime filled tube from Amazon. I prefer to support my local bike shops but none of them seem to carry thorn resistant (extra thick on the tire side) tubes.
Then, for Truth in Advertising, I had to laugh at myself when I tried to reinstall the brake caliper AFTER reinstalling the wheel and fender:
So, I was blessed with the privilege of taking it all back apart and reinstalling the wheel the CORRECT direction so the brakes would still work. BAH
Yesterday Jacque notified me the Tandem Terratrike had a flat tire on the left front. BAH. Humbug. At the time I was too busy loading junk metal on my flatbed trailer to bother with the trike.
After hauling 1600+ pounds of various engine blocks, steel junk, etc, that had been littering the yard and trees for years, to the Acme Salvage Recycler in Albuquerque, and receiving a grand total of $156 in exchange, I took on the Trike Flat. We have not had ANY flats for several months now in spite of noticing and removing many goat-head stickers from the tires. All 3 tires have tubes with Green Slime in them which seems to have slowed down our previous fix-a-flat-every-other-time-we-ride routine. I aired up the tire 3 or 4 times and could find no trace of a leak, but each time I waited several minutes. After inflating it to 55-60 PSI, it would be down to 40 or 45 PSI after such a short interval - NOT great confidence for a long ride in the country. So I took it apart.
When I removed the wheel and opened up the air valve on the tube to let out the air, instead of the slimy green glue that normally comes out, I was surprised at the lumpy globs of green that came out instead:
My first experience with green slime was running over a green patch of goat heads on the sidewalk not far from work and hearing the dreaded "HiiisssssssSSSS" as the air started ripping through one of the thorn-holes. Then, suddenly, a small dot of green appeared at the puncture site and the hissing stopped. I had lost maybe a tenth of my tire's pressure but the green stuff had stopped the leak and I was able to ride back to work 2 or 3 miles' worth without further incident.
I had aired up THIS tire several times and listened and looked for leaks but nothing was detected. However, when I over-inflated the tube now, outside the tire where I could examine it, I found the following:
 |
| ONE Green Leaky Pinhole |
 |
| TWO Green Leaky Pinholes |
It occurred to me that green slime may well not tolerate being frozen, and these tires have been outside in the weather for a year or so, with high summer temps and VERY cold winter temps. The Green Slime had lost its stickiness and congealed into little non-sticky clumps, and what liquid was still there was not sticky at all. Oh Well.
Since we carry new spare tubes, I just plucked the new spare out of the pannier and installed it, throwing the multi-punctured one away.
At ten bucks or so per tube, we have stopped trying to patch them and just throw them away instead. For one thing, even a SINGLE hole is almost impossible to patch with slime inside the tube: It migrates out and around the puncture, in spite of best efforts at cleaning, and pollutes the rubber cement when trying to glue on the repair patch. Not worth it.... And I just ordered another thorn resistant, slime filled tube from Amazon. I prefer to support my local bike shops but none of them seem to carry thorn resistant (extra thick on the tire side) tubes.
Then, for Truth in Advertising, I had to laugh at myself when I tried to reinstall the brake caliper AFTER reinstalling the wheel and fender:
 |
| Look Closely: Shouldn't the Brake Disc be on the INSIDE? |
Friday, November 1, 2013
Friday Makes FIVE days in a row... (The Muppet Count Cackles.......)
Longer than Normal Tracking Today
We got REALLY chilled during our ride yesterday. We wanted to do a full work-week's worth of riding, but after the last 2 rides with less than optimal temperatures, we just weren't in the mood to ride in the cold again, even though we will have to more and more as the winter sets in.
For today, though, our solution was simple and effective: Since we have to haul the trike down a mile to the nearest paved road, we just drove it 25 MORE miles so we could ride the fabled Albuquerque Bosque Trail, where the breeze was minimal and the temperatures about 15 degrees or more warmer at 5200 feet than around home at 6800 feet elevation.
And a beautiful day indeed, it was. We went south on the Bosque Trail from Central Avenue and decided to ride the southern end of the trail, around the South Valley loop. The weather was just cool enough to be enjoyable, and the slight changes in elevation North and south on the trail are easily dealt with and non stressful.
Even though the trail is so relatively flat, it requires steady pedaling to maintain speed and was just downright enjoyable.
It was also a bit longer than we expected. I thought we might break 10 miles but we actually broke 16, and we were very satisfied with our exertion levels.
A year ago this route was almost un-rideable with pavement heaves, tree roots, cracks and potholes marring its surface most of the way south of Tingley Beach. A repair and repaving project early this year has resulted in a very nice surface and a pleasure to ride on.
When we got to the southernmost part of the loop, the trail runs somewhat parallel to Broadway, which is extremely loaded with heavy traffic including lots of tractor-trailer rigs. When we got to Rio Bravo and turned back west away from Broadway, it was a great relief to enjoy the relative silence again riding next to the Rio Grande irrigation ditches instead of the roaring highway.
My blood glucose dropped a couple times on this ride; once to 50, and each time I snarfed a 29 carb oatmeal power bar. So with a bit of crude math:
2 X 29 = 58 total carbs burned
16 miles ridden divided by 58 =
I guess I was making .28 miles per carb. More or less. Mileage is unreliable and variable and unpredictable....
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.8
Lowest Temp 63 F Highest Temp: 73 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 16.34
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.6 MPH 7.1 MPH 21.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 53 minutes 2 hours 17 mins 36 mins 31 secs
We got REALLY chilled during our ride yesterday. We wanted to do a full work-week's worth of riding, but after the last 2 rides with less than optimal temperatures, we just weren't in the mood to ride in the cold again, even though we will have to more and more as the winter sets in.
For today, though, our solution was simple and effective: Since we have to haul the trike down a mile to the nearest paved road, we just drove it 25 MORE miles so we could ride the fabled Albuquerque Bosque Trail, where the breeze was minimal and the temperatures about 15 degrees or more warmer at 5200 feet than around home at 6800 feet elevation.
And a beautiful day indeed, it was. We went south on the Bosque Trail from Central Avenue and decided to ride the southern end of the trail, around the South Valley loop. The weather was just cool enough to be enjoyable, and the slight changes in elevation North and south on the trail are easily dealt with and non stressful.
Even though the trail is so relatively flat, it requires steady pedaling to maintain speed and was just downright enjoyable.
It was also a bit longer than we expected. I thought we might break 10 miles but we actually broke 16, and we were very satisfied with our exertion levels.
A year ago this route was almost un-rideable with pavement heaves, tree roots, cracks and potholes marring its surface most of the way south of Tingley Beach. A repair and repaving project early this year has resulted in a very nice surface and a pleasure to ride on.
When we got to the southernmost part of the loop, the trail runs somewhat parallel to Broadway, which is extremely loaded with heavy traffic including lots of tractor-trailer rigs. When we got to Rio Bravo and turned back west away from Broadway, it was a great relief to enjoy the relative silence again riding next to the Rio Grande irrigation ditches instead of the roaring highway.
My blood glucose dropped a couple times on this ride; once to 50, and each time I snarfed a 29 carb oatmeal power bar. So with a bit of crude math:
2 X 29 = 58 total carbs burned
16 miles ridden divided by 58 =
I guess I was making .28 miles per carb. More or less. Mileage is unreliable and variable and unpredictable....
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.8
Lowest Temp 63 F Highest Temp: 73 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 16.34
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.6 MPH 7.1 MPH 21.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 53 minutes 2 hours 17 mins 36 mins 31 secs
Thursday, October 31, 2013
FOUR Days in a Row.. (Realizing No One's Counting)
Today's Again-Boring Tracking
Today's ride was more of a proof-of-principle than a real ride.
It was WINDY and cold this morning and we almost didn't ride simply because it was so miserable. However, we STILL need exercise even in cold weather, perhaps MORE so in cold weather, so we bundled up and rode.
The worst part of riding in the cold? Shuffling around getting READY to ride, putting up with the chilling wind without the effort of pedaling to warm ourselves up. Riding, in itself, is much less unpleasant because we are at least burning calories and keeping ourselves a bit warmer. Today was not that enjoyable because of the wind and cold but it was valuable lesson time: In future, we need to take MORE layers than we think we need. Knowing I normally warm up quickly, I had only 2 long sleeve layers and 1 short sleeve layer, using my handy dandy polar fleece skull cap under my helmet and my half-mittens on the handlebars. This would have meant immediate overheating yesterday and before, but today, I was COLD and stayed that way. Even after climbing the difficult hill to the Post Office, I was still cold and uncomfortable and we both decided to cut it short and return rather than go on up to the beloved Shell Station for drinks & snacks. Had we started out with better wind-breaking layers we likely would have had the fortitude to keep riding 10 or more miles, but we were already chilled to the bone and motivation was definitely lacking.
BUT, Hey..... We'll probably make it FIVE days in a row tomorrow, lacking any deep snow or ice or heavy rains. Maybe we'll even make it 5 MILES as well.....
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.0 Ending Voltage: 12.9
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 59 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 3.55
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.3 MPH 6.5 MPH 24.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
40 minutes 32 mins 51 secs 7 mins 9 secs
Today's ride was more of a proof-of-principle than a real ride.
It was WINDY and cold this morning and we almost didn't ride simply because it was so miserable. However, we STILL need exercise even in cold weather, perhaps MORE so in cold weather, so we bundled up and rode.
The worst part of riding in the cold? Shuffling around getting READY to ride, putting up with the chilling wind without the effort of pedaling to warm ourselves up. Riding, in itself, is much less unpleasant because we are at least burning calories and keeping ourselves a bit warmer. Today was not that enjoyable because of the wind and cold but it was valuable lesson time: In future, we need to take MORE layers than we think we need. Knowing I normally warm up quickly, I had only 2 long sleeve layers and 1 short sleeve layer, using my handy dandy polar fleece skull cap under my helmet and my half-mittens on the handlebars. This would have meant immediate overheating yesterday and before, but today, I was COLD and stayed that way. Even after climbing the difficult hill to the Post Office, I was still cold and uncomfortable and we both decided to cut it short and return rather than go on up to the beloved Shell Station for drinks & snacks. Had we started out with better wind-breaking layers we likely would have had the fortitude to keep riding 10 or more miles, but we were already chilled to the bone and motivation was definitely lacking.
BUT, Hey..... We'll probably make it FIVE days in a row tomorrow, lacking any deep snow or ice or heavy rains. Maybe we'll even make it 5 MILES as well.....
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.0 Ending Voltage: 12.9
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 59 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 3.55
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.3 MPH 6.5 MPH 24.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
40 minutes 32 mins 51 secs 7 mins 9 secs
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
THREE Days in a Row...
Wednesday APRS/GPS/Ham Radio Tracking
We did not get going early this morning but we did get going.
It was windy and cooler than yesterday but it makes us feel so much better overall after riding that we still wanted to get in a ride before it got too late.
We decided to ride east today instead of west, just for variety's sake.
The wind at our backs was fairly stiff so we worried about the return trip, knowing the wind would still be cold and in our face and working AGAINST us instead of mildly pushing us along.
We took a small detour through a housing development, expecting a lot less motor traffic, which paid off.... but we soon ran out of pavement at a cul-de-sac - which we immediately used for a rest and water stop. With the wind coming in a bit stiffer and the temperature not getting any balmier, we turned back toward home after exiting the housing development with the idea of getting back home in jig time.
Jacque suggested aloud that we keep riding on past our home turnoff and go west to the usual daily post office run, with the idea of getting in a few more miles than usual today. And so we did.
Our doggies enjoyed meeting a few new mutts to snarl and bark at, especially in the housing area where we had not ridden before. We actually were going to wander around that neighborhood a bit more but encountered a big, LOOSE dog that we decided we did not want to encounter in closer quarters, so we turned around and left.
As usual, we encountered smiling admirers at the Post Office and at the Shell Station where we stopped for the usual rest/snack break.
Black clouds had been gathering as we approached the Post Office and we worried we might get rained on but, after all, snacks and lemonade are IMPORTANT so we continued on up to the station after the short Post Office break. It got a bit gloomier weather-wise as we dallied, but got going again with no rain or snow bothering us.... at least for the first few hundred yards toward home.
As we screamed downhill past the Post Office, coasting because it was too fast to pedal, we encountered a few smatters of raindrops and it was COLD. Which just encouraged us to put the metal to our pedals in hopes of getting back before the weather got serious. We got smacked with only a few dozen very cold raindrops before we got back, and of course once we stopped the trike and got out of the weather, it stopped sprinkling. It's still a dark and stormy looking day out there, but so far no additional moisture has fallen.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.4 Ending Voltage: 13.1 (Battery now charged after yesterday's ride)
Lowest Temp 55 F Highest Temp: 70 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.2
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
4.3 MPH 6.3 MPH 27.9 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 9 minutes 1 hour 27 mins 41 mins 21 secs
We did not get going early this morning but we did get going.
It was windy and cooler than yesterday but it makes us feel so much better overall after riding that we still wanted to get in a ride before it got too late.
We decided to ride east today instead of west, just for variety's sake.
The wind at our backs was fairly stiff so we worried about the return trip, knowing the wind would still be cold and in our face and working AGAINST us instead of mildly pushing us along.
We took a small detour through a housing development, expecting a lot less motor traffic, which paid off.... but we soon ran out of pavement at a cul-de-sac - which we immediately used for a rest and water stop. With the wind coming in a bit stiffer and the temperature not getting any balmier, we turned back toward home after exiting the housing development with the idea of getting back home in jig time.
Jacque suggested aloud that we keep riding on past our home turnoff and go west to the usual daily post office run, with the idea of getting in a few more miles than usual today. And so we did.
Our doggies enjoyed meeting a few new mutts to snarl and bark at, especially in the housing area where we had not ridden before. We actually were going to wander around that neighborhood a bit more but encountered a big, LOOSE dog that we decided we did not want to encounter in closer quarters, so we turned around and left.
As usual, we encountered smiling admirers at the Post Office and at the Shell Station where we stopped for the usual rest/snack break.
Black clouds had been gathering as we approached the Post Office and we worried we might get rained on but, after all, snacks and lemonade are IMPORTANT so we continued on up to the station after the short Post Office break. It got a bit gloomier weather-wise as we dallied, but got going again with no rain or snow bothering us.... at least for the first few hundred yards toward home.
As we screamed downhill past the Post Office, coasting because it was too fast to pedal, we encountered a few smatters of raindrops and it was COLD. Which just encouraged us to put the metal to our pedals in hopes of getting back before the weather got serious. We got smacked with only a few dozen very cold raindrops before we got back, and of course once we stopped the trike and got out of the weather, it stopped sprinkling. It's still a dark and stormy looking day out there, but so far no additional moisture has fallen.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.4 Ending Voltage: 13.1 (Battery now charged after yesterday's ride)
Lowest Temp 55 F Highest Temp: 70 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.2
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
4.3 MPH 6.3 MPH 27.9 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 9 minutes 1 hour 27 mins 41 mins 21 secs
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Wow, Two Whole Days in a Row: We are SO Committed
Today's As-Usual APRS Tracking
Or, more accurately, perhaps we NEED to be committed, for any number of reasons.
We have quasi-decided that if we get going earlier in the day we will more likely ride since it will be easier than trying to squeeze in a ride later in the afternoon.
Plus, today, the wind was forecast to be terrible this afternoon.
It was cold and breezy enough when we left this morning I almost wimped out, but since I have ridden for several years almost year round, minus a week or so for horribly rainy or icy weather, I fully realize it not only CAN be done, but that getting going is the hardest part, NOT the actual riding....
And thus it was today. It was windy enough that neither of us ripped off any layers while riding - but then we didn't have more than a couple of light layers to start with. It was sunny but a bit cool with the breezes, and altogether another fine riding day.
We also made another instant new friend at the Shell Station at the Top of the Hill who admired our funky tandem trike and our doggies.
Going downhill, on the way back, Jacque loves to stick out her arms (and sometimes yell) while we scream down the road at horrific speeds approaching 30 MPH. I planned to video record her doing her foolishness but realized I would endanger us both if I took one hand off the handlebars.... so I have to figure out a way to mount a camera so I can win the America's Funniest Video award without our crashing and burning being part of the entertainment.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.7 (Battery now charging after this ride)
Lowest Temp 62 F Highest Temp: 67 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.28
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.2 MPH 5.2 MPH 26.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 20 minutes 49 mins 4 secs 31 mins 54 secs
Or, more accurately, perhaps we NEED to be committed, for any number of reasons.
We have quasi-decided that if we get going earlier in the day we will more likely ride since it will be easier than trying to squeeze in a ride later in the afternoon.
Plus, today, the wind was forecast to be terrible this afternoon.
It was cold and breezy enough when we left this morning I almost wimped out, but since I have ridden for several years almost year round, minus a week or so for horribly rainy or icy weather, I fully realize it not only CAN be done, but that getting going is the hardest part, NOT the actual riding....
And thus it was today. It was windy enough that neither of us ripped off any layers while riding - but then we didn't have more than a couple of light layers to start with. It was sunny but a bit cool with the breezes, and altogether another fine riding day.
We also made another instant new friend at the Shell Station at the Top of the Hill who admired our funky tandem trike and our doggies.
Going downhill, on the way back, Jacque loves to stick out her arms (and sometimes yell) while we scream down the road at horrific speeds approaching 30 MPH. I planned to video record her doing her foolishness but realized I would endanger us both if I took one hand off the handlebars.... so I have to figure out a way to mount a camera so I can win the America's Funniest Video award without our crashing and burning being part of the entertainment.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.7 (Battery now charging after this ride)
Lowest Temp 62 F Highest Temp: 67 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.28
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.2 MPH 5.2 MPH 26.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 20 minutes 49 mins 4 secs 31 mins 54 secs
Monday, October 28, 2013
Well. It's a New Week, So.....
Monday Morning Tracking via APRS and Ham Radio
We've started riding on the first day of this week so hope to continue the rest of the days of the week. Wish us luck and blessings.
One of our friends came up to us when we stopped for snacks, potty breaks, and rest at the Shell Station. She exclaimed "I LOVE seeing you guys on your trike! We see you all the time!"
She must have a faulty or forgiving memory, but surely we could use that as one more motivational excuse to ride: To enthrall our public.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 59 F Highest Temp: 70 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.16
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.0 MPH 5.5 MPH 27.9 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 24 minutes 45 mins 38 secs 38 mins 22 secs
We've started riding on the first day of this week so hope to continue the rest of the days of the week. Wish us luck and blessings.
One of our friends came up to us when we stopped for snacks, potty breaks, and rest at the Shell Station. She exclaimed "I LOVE seeing you guys on your trike! We see you all the time!"
She must have a faulty or forgiving memory, but surely we could use that as one more motivational excuse to ride: To enthrall our public.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 59 F Highest Temp: 70 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.16
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.0 MPH 5.5 MPH 27.9 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 24 minutes 45 mins 38 secs 38 mins 22 secs
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Shivering Saturday Sailing
Today's Turgid Tracking via APRS and Ham Radio
GAAAACK. It's been TEN DAYS since we rode anywhere under people-pedal-power. Bah. Humbug.
We planned to do our afternoon Bosque ride yesterday, Friday, but at the last minute before we left home we got a phone call committing us to something other than afternoon aerobic exercise. Oh Well.
Howsomever, today we actually got with the program and took a good ride.
Mind you, this isn't an easy jump-on-the-trike undertaking. Jacque fell down some stairs while visiting my brother up in Utah, and though the steps were carpeted, she suffers with a very sore bottom. When she's sitting, it takes a bit of care to find positions that don't hurt, clear through the pain medication. This was our first attempt at riding since the fall, so we were more than a bit concerned.
PLUS, this morning was probably the coldest morning we've experienced this fall.... it was 25 degrees on one end of the house when we got up and 23 on the other end of the house. So we lolly-gagged around until 10:00 to get going in hopes the weather would warm up a bit. We bundled in several layers, and I wore solid leather shoes instead of my normal tenny-runners and TWO pairs of socks. My experience with cold weather cycling is that 2 things suffer the most while riding in the cold: Fingers and Feets. My prior experience also dictated that I not put on anything actually heavy and woolly, but just 3 or 4 layers I could pull off as I warmed up. We started off with me wearing my "shooter's mittens" on my hands: medium padded mittens with a velcro-fastening 'pocket' that encloses the fingers, and which can be easily opened to expose the fingers for working the radio knobs and other details. Designed for cold weather shooting, but works for cyclists "not carrying", too.
Our plan was deceptively simple: Ride east out to Edgewood, pick up a quilt square-of-the-month from Busy Bee Quilts, maybe make a short side trip to Wally World and then ride home. Total max distance 25 miles or so. If either of us wanted to turn back early, we agreed to turn back.
Every bike trip produces something to laugh about, and today was no exception. While climbing a hill on eastbound Frost Road, a westbound "Souped-Up" Honda approached us, and when he got right next to us while passing, REVVED up his engine in neutral several times to impress us with his pipes, I guess. Jacque and I laughed out loud, and talked about the idea that "Brapping your pipes" is a way to impress other people cranking along under their own power.
We made it about 4 miles, a third of the way there, and Jacque's pain pills were not keeping up with the strain. So we turned back, and were glad we did. The east-bound wind had picked up considerably and though it didn't slow us down much, the cold wind was SHARP.
So, even though conditions weren't totally favorable, and we were certainly not totally confident in how it would work out with our aches and pains.... it was, as usual, invigorating and FUN. We gotta get back to a daily routine....
Just after getting back in the Exploder, we spotted a couple walking their little doggies along the path we'd just exited. We did a double-take.... their doggies appeared to be PAPILLONS! -And one was a sable & white, with the other one a tri-color Black, White, and small patches of Brown.... almost exactly like OUR doggies! So we just HAD to pull over and chase them down so we (and our look-alike doggies) could exchange greetings. Jazzie, our beserk pup, went into hysterics and was almost impossible to shut up or calm down, so the visit was short, unfortunately.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 52 F Highest Temp: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 8.06
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
4.4 MPH 6.4 MPH 27.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 49 minutes 1 hour 15 mins 33 mins 32 secs
GAAAACK. It's been TEN DAYS since we rode anywhere under people-pedal-power. Bah. Humbug.
We planned to do our afternoon Bosque ride yesterday, Friday, but at the last minute before we left home we got a phone call committing us to something other than afternoon aerobic exercise. Oh Well.
Howsomever, today we actually got with the program and took a good ride.
Mind you, this isn't an easy jump-on-the-trike undertaking. Jacque fell down some stairs while visiting my brother up in Utah, and though the steps were carpeted, she suffers with a very sore bottom. When she's sitting, it takes a bit of care to find positions that don't hurt, clear through the pain medication. This was our first attempt at riding since the fall, so we were more than a bit concerned.
PLUS, this morning was probably the coldest morning we've experienced this fall.... it was 25 degrees on one end of the house when we got up and 23 on the other end of the house. So we lolly-gagged around until 10:00 to get going in hopes the weather would warm up a bit. We bundled in several layers, and I wore solid leather shoes instead of my normal tenny-runners and TWO pairs of socks. My experience with cold weather cycling is that 2 things suffer the most while riding in the cold: Fingers and Feets. My prior experience also dictated that I not put on anything actually heavy and woolly, but just 3 or 4 layers I could pull off as I warmed up. We started off with me wearing my "shooter's mittens" on my hands: medium padded mittens with a velcro-fastening 'pocket' that encloses the fingers, and which can be easily opened to expose the fingers for working the radio knobs and other details. Designed for cold weather shooting, but works for cyclists "not carrying", too.
Our plan was deceptively simple: Ride east out to Edgewood, pick up a quilt square-of-the-month from Busy Bee Quilts, maybe make a short side trip to Wally World and then ride home. Total max distance 25 miles or so. If either of us wanted to turn back early, we agreed to turn back.
Every bike trip produces something to laugh about, and today was no exception. While climbing a hill on eastbound Frost Road, a westbound "Souped-Up" Honda approached us, and when he got right next to us while passing, REVVED up his engine in neutral several times to impress us with his pipes, I guess. Jacque and I laughed out loud, and talked about the idea that "Brapping your pipes" is a way to impress other people cranking along under their own power.
We made it about 4 miles, a third of the way there, and Jacque's pain pills were not keeping up with the strain. So we turned back, and were glad we did. The east-bound wind had picked up considerably and though it didn't slow us down much, the cold wind was SHARP.
So, even though conditions weren't totally favorable, and we were certainly not totally confident in how it would work out with our aches and pains.... it was, as usual, invigorating and FUN. We gotta get back to a daily routine....
Just after getting back in the Exploder, we spotted a couple walking their little doggies along the path we'd just exited. We did a double-take.... their doggies appeared to be PAPILLONS! -And one was a sable & white, with the other one a tri-color Black, White, and small patches of Brown.... almost exactly like OUR doggies! So we just HAD to pull over and chase them down so we (and our look-alike doggies) could exchange greetings. Jazzie, our beserk pup, went into hysterics and was almost impossible to shut up or calm down, so the visit was short, unfortunately.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 52 F Highest Temp: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 8.06
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
4.4 MPH 6.4 MPH 27.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 49 minutes 1 hour 15 mins 33 mins 32 secs
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Windy Wednesday, Great Riding
Today's Short Tracking in the Other Direction
Jacque made an appointment for a haircut with a stylist lady who lives only a few miles from us, so Jacque suggested we use it for an excuse for another trike ride today.... she didn't have to twist my arm.
This week is Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta , and the weather forecasters have been amazed at the lack of wind and rain that normally accompany such an event. Every other year or so they've even had snow to deal with. Unlike the past several years, EVERY morning so far of the Fiesta has been almost perfect launching days with little wind and no rain. Forecasters had predicted last night that today would be a chancy one, with likely high winds that might force balloon launch cancellations. Well, it was largely calm again this morning and the balloons launched as did the Jim & Jacque Tricycle Operation.
It was cool enough that my 3 layers, one with long sleeves, were welcome for the first mile and a half.... until we got to our first long hill. By the time we topped that little climb I was overheated and begging to stop so I could peel off some layers and change to my open-fingered warm weather riding gloves. And guzzle some water.
Since we stopped at no public places, we had no lengthy interactions with passers-by, just a nice long visit with Jacque's hairdresser, as well as a dozen or so momentary interactions with passing motorists, most of whom gave us next-lane wide clearance. Only one sooper-large pickup truck gave a seemingly angry BRRAAPPP! of his diesel exhaust as he roared around us, and even he took the other lane and gave us plenty of room. Nice folks.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 63 F Highest Temp: 73 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.58
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.1 MPH 5.6 MPH 28.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 47 minutes 59 mins 24 secs 47 mins 57 secs
Jacque made an appointment for a haircut with a stylist lady who lives only a few miles from us, so Jacque suggested we use it for an excuse for another trike ride today.... she didn't have to twist my arm.
This week is Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta , and the weather forecasters have been amazed at the lack of wind and rain that normally accompany such an event. Every other year or so they've even had snow to deal with. Unlike the past several years, EVERY morning so far of the Fiesta has been almost perfect launching days with little wind and no rain. Forecasters had predicted last night that today would be a chancy one, with likely high winds that might force balloon launch cancellations. Well, it was largely calm again this morning and the balloons launched as did the Jim & Jacque Tricycle Operation.
It was cool enough that my 3 layers, one with long sleeves, were welcome for the first mile and a half.... until we got to our first long hill. By the time we topped that little climb I was overheated and begging to stop so I could peel off some layers and change to my open-fingered warm weather riding gloves. And guzzle some water.
Since we stopped at no public places, we had no lengthy interactions with passers-by, just a nice long visit with Jacque's hairdresser, as well as a dozen or so momentary interactions with passing motorists, most of whom gave us next-lane wide clearance. Only one sooper-large pickup truck gave a seemingly angry BRRAAPPP! of his diesel exhaust as he roared around us, and even he took the other lane and gave us plenty of room. Nice folks.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 63 F Highest Temp: 73 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.58
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.1 MPH 5.6 MPH 28.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 47 minutes 59 mins 24 secs 47 mins 57 secs
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Late Afternoon Mail Run
Today's Boring-as-Usual Tracking
We've been scuttling around, pulling weeds, working laundry, chasing puppies, etc, the usual too-busy-to-stay-healthy routine. Today was a lovely day, with a bit of gusty windy stuff, but balmy and just cool enough to be great Indian Summer weather.
So it got to be about 5:00 PM and the weather was STILL nice and the sun looked like it would take at least another hour and a half to go below Sandia Crest to put us in the dark. So I challenged Jacque for a trike ride and she was up for it.
By the time we got rolling it was 5:30-ish and still lots of daylight.
The gusty breezes that had been rattling things all day had almost totally calmed down and it was a fine, fine ride. We did the usual struggle uphill going west toward the Post Office on Frost Road, as usual regretting not having more endurance and power since we are not "in shape". When we arrived at the Post Office a nice older fellow (getting rare to bump into people older than I am) had a lot of questions about the trike and seemed very fearful about riding his own bike because of auto traffic. We discussed the additional safety factor available on the off-main-road biking paths in the area but he was still quite worried about actually doing more biking himself.
We too worry about vehicle traffic and the occasional too-close-encounter but fear even more the idea of losing our muscle tone and vigor. I neglected to tell the fellow about my being-run-over-by-an-SUV several years ago, which caused ME to think and rethink the joy of bicycling. I pretty much decided I'd prefer getting killed by a car than dying in front of our TV sitting on my butt doing nothing.
There IS risk involved in riding bikes on the streets, of course, and Bernalillo County manages to kill 2 or 3 cyclists a year in stupid accidents but I often wonder just how many cyclist-miles there are between fatal accidents? We kill a LOT more motorists in New Mexico, and auto accidents have killed more Americans EACH YEAR than armed combat in any year since the Civil War.... and no one ever suggests anyone should stop or avoid driving gas-burners. Every day literally hundreds of cyclists ride up and down the roads here in the East Mountains, many of them riding all the way from their homes in Albuquerque up the winding roads to Sandia Crest and back home again, and it seems to me the percentage of them getting injured or killed is actually pretty low... like I said, 2 or 3 a year.
Anyway, the nice fellow went on his fearful way and we went ours... on up the rest of the hill to our favorite snack/watering hole, the Shell Station at the intersection of North-14, Frost Road, and Sandia Crest Road. When we got there we again - as usual - got into extended conversations with a couple of people we bumped into while snarfing our snacks. Jacque and I commented about it on the way home.... How many times do other motorists stop us, enthused about our dogs, etc, when we're DRIVING a CAR? Very seldom. Yet everywhere we encounter other people while riding pedal-powered machines, we have instant friends though rarely we ever even know each others' names. When you're on a bike it just seems like you're more approachable, more of a curiosity, whatever. We LOVE it, even though most spandex-clad cyclists are much too busy or focused or whatever to exchange greetings when we pass. When stopped for a snack or a snort of water, most cyclists are friendly even if they consider themselves ultimate athletes. So the increased affability between fellow travelers is enjoyable. Although of course maybe one out of a hundred will turn out to be Grumpy Gus complaining about how we should be on the sidewalk (No such thing in most of our area!) instead of slowing the Royal Motorist down by riding in or near the road.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 66 F Highest Temp: 77 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.30
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.7 MPH 6.2 MPH 27.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 9 minutes 41 mins 32 secs 27 mins 28 secs
We've been scuttling around, pulling weeds, working laundry, chasing puppies, etc, the usual too-busy-to-stay-healthy routine. Today was a lovely day, with a bit of gusty windy stuff, but balmy and just cool enough to be great Indian Summer weather.
So it got to be about 5:00 PM and the weather was STILL nice and the sun looked like it would take at least another hour and a half to go below Sandia Crest to put us in the dark. So I challenged Jacque for a trike ride and she was up for it.
By the time we got rolling it was 5:30-ish and still lots of daylight.
The gusty breezes that had been rattling things all day had almost totally calmed down and it was a fine, fine ride. We did the usual struggle uphill going west toward the Post Office on Frost Road, as usual regretting not having more endurance and power since we are not "in shape". When we arrived at the Post Office a nice older fellow (getting rare to bump into people older than I am) had a lot of questions about the trike and seemed very fearful about riding his own bike because of auto traffic. We discussed the additional safety factor available on the off-main-road biking paths in the area but he was still quite worried about actually doing more biking himself.
We too worry about vehicle traffic and the occasional too-close-encounter but fear even more the idea of losing our muscle tone and vigor. I neglected to tell the fellow about my being-run-over-by-an-SUV several years ago, which caused ME to think and rethink the joy of bicycling. I pretty much decided I'd prefer getting killed by a car than dying in front of our TV sitting on my butt doing nothing.
There IS risk involved in riding bikes on the streets, of course, and Bernalillo County manages to kill 2 or 3 cyclists a year in stupid accidents but I often wonder just how many cyclist-miles there are between fatal accidents? We kill a LOT more motorists in New Mexico, and auto accidents have killed more Americans EACH YEAR than armed combat in any year since the Civil War.... and no one ever suggests anyone should stop or avoid driving gas-burners. Every day literally hundreds of cyclists ride up and down the roads here in the East Mountains, many of them riding all the way from their homes in Albuquerque up the winding roads to Sandia Crest and back home again, and it seems to me the percentage of them getting injured or killed is actually pretty low... like I said, 2 or 3 a year.
Anyway, the nice fellow went on his fearful way and we went ours... on up the rest of the hill to our favorite snack/watering hole, the Shell Station at the intersection of North-14, Frost Road, and Sandia Crest Road. When we got there we again - as usual - got into extended conversations with a couple of people we bumped into while snarfing our snacks. Jacque and I commented about it on the way home.... How many times do other motorists stop us, enthused about our dogs, etc, when we're DRIVING a CAR? Very seldom. Yet everywhere we encounter other people while riding pedal-powered machines, we have instant friends though rarely we ever even know each others' names. When you're on a bike it just seems like you're more approachable, more of a curiosity, whatever. We LOVE it, even though most spandex-clad cyclists are much too busy or focused or whatever to exchange greetings when we pass. When stopped for a snack or a snort of water, most cyclists are friendly even if they consider themselves ultimate athletes. So the increased affability between fellow travelers is enjoyable. Although of course maybe one out of a hundred will turn out to be Grumpy Gus complaining about how we should be on the sidewalk (No such thing in most of our area!) instead of slowing the Royal Motorist down by riding in or near the road.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 66 F Highest Temp: 77 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.30
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.7 MPH 6.2 MPH 27.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 9 minutes 41 mins 32 secs 27 mins 28 secs
Monday, October 7, 2013
Found a Cool Video This Morning
So, instead of riding a bike this morning like I should be, I'm surfing the Web. I stumbled onto a great video extolling many of the same reasons WE like to pedal power ourselves around:
Bicycling for Life
Maybe it's not too late to go for a ride. We haven't picked up the mail yet.....
Bicycling for Life
Maybe it's not too late to go for a ride. We haven't picked up the mail yet.....
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Conference Cruising
Today's Very Very Short Tracking
Today starts the LDS Church's General Conference, available worldwide via the Internet . We had sorta planned to drive to Albuquerque and ride our trike from UNM to the Balloon Fiesta Park and watch the balloons with the Albuquerque Recumbent Riders Group, but decided we weren't in the mood to get up at 5 AM and ride in freezing temperatures and preferred to ride later in the day when the temperatures would be milder. We thus watched the first session of conference and then jumped in the Exploder to drive down to the paved road and do our usual short-but-highly-aerobic Post Office Ride. It was still very cool outside, and the wind was whipping a bit, so we definitely avoided any overheating problems. Still, as usual, it was wonderful to be out and riding and working the legs and getting the circulatory system pumping. Jazzy, the new pappilon pup, immediately started whining and was not pacified until we stopped for water and Jacque took her out of the basket next to Tinkerbell and stuffed her into the front of Jacque's windbreaker. Then Jazzy snuggled in and quieted down. We normally ride on up to our favorite cold-snack place, the Shell Station at the top of the hill, but we decided we were cold enough already and turned back toward the car without benefit of Ice Cream or Lemonade.
It's certainly getting to the point we'll have to utilize our cold weather layers in future rides until Spring. On this ride I had on a heavy long sleeve shirt Jacque made me last winter and my velcro-front Day-Glo yellow/green Tee shirt and never got overheated except for a few hundred yards where I had to open up these 2 layers to let in some frigid air to cool off my armpits. I started out with my normal partial-finger riding gloves but when we stopped for water and Jazzy-stuffing I dug out my full-fingered riding gloves from the pannier which really improved conditions a lot :?)
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 55 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 3.41
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.2 MPH 7.1 MPH 25.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
39 minutes 28 mins 49 secs 10 mins 11 secs
Today starts the LDS Church's General Conference, available worldwide via the Internet . We had sorta planned to drive to Albuquerque and ride our trike from UNM to the Balloon Fiesta Park and watch the balloons with the Albuquerque Recumbent Riders Group, but decided we weren't in the mood to get up at 5 AM and ride in freezing temperatures and preferred to ride later in the day when the temperatures would be milder. We thus watched the first session of conference and then jumped in the Exploder to drive down to the paved road and do our usual short-but-highly-aerobic Post Office Ride. It was still very cool outside, and the wind was whipping a bit, so we definitely avoided any overheating problems. Still, as usual, it was wonderful to be out and riding and working the legs and getting the circulatory system pumping. Jazzy, the new pappilon pup, immediately started whining and was not pacified until we stopped for water and Jacque took her out of the basket next to Tinkerbell and stuffed her into the front of Jacque's windbreaker. Then Jazzy snuggled in and quieted down. We normally ride on up to our favorite cold-snack place, the Shell Station at the top of the hill, but we decided we were cold enough already and turned back toward the car without benefit of Ice Cream or Lemonade.
It's certainly getting to the point we'll have to utilize our cold weather layers in future rides until Spring. On this ride I had on a heavy long sleeve shirt Jacque made me last winter and my velcro-front Day-Glo yellow/green Tee shirt and never got overheated except for a few hundred yards where I had to open up these 2 layers to let in some frigid air to cool off my armpits. I started out with my normal partial-finger riding gloves but when we stopped for water and Jazzy-stuffing I dug out my full-fingered riding gloves from the pannier which really improved conditions a lot :?)
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 55 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 3.41
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.2 MPH 7.1 MPH 25.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
39 minutes 28 mins 49 secs 10 mins 11 secs
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Rode the Tractor Instead of the Trike Today
I planned to take a decent leg-powered ride today but thought I should put in some time on the old 1962 Ford 2000 Tractor to push some dirt and rocks around in efforts to repair some of the damage to our private goat-path road we have to maintain ourselves. Last month's gully-washer monsoon rains really did wash some gullies across and down our road. I thought to put in at least a couple hours first on the tractor and then hit the newly graded road with my recumbent 2-wheeler.
Trouble is, the road sucks up a LOT of time and effort. I worked till sundown and did NOT finish the work. It's almost a mile of ruts and rock and way too little sand and gravel. I must "rob" dirt and gravel from areas that have filled with gravel below the roadway, and much of the time I'm forced to use plain old dirt to fill ruts and holes in the road. Usually the 'borrowed' dirt and gravel is not close to the desired rut needing filling so it takes multiple trips to scoop up material with the front bucket and dump it into the roadway and then use the blade on the 3-point hitch in the rear to scrape it, level it, and push it back and forth to fill and refill the ruts and holes.
I don't think I've spent this much time in one session on the tractor: It's almost like riding a horse. It looks easy from afar (Riding a horse) but to make the most of it you have to put some leg effort into the ride. If you try to ride a horse by just sitting there on his back or in the saddle it will be a very rough ride unless you just plod along at a snail's pace. Trying to just sit there when trotting will beat your behind to death. Just sitting there while the horse is loping at a decent pace will likely result in your falling off, since it takes effort to match the movement of the horse while in motion. Standing partially in the stirrups and working your knees to rise and lower with the motion of the running horse results in not only greater speed and security but FUN being able to really eat up the miles..... but it does tire you out.
The tractor is not a smooth ride either. Mine has power assist steering but it takes a lot of arm strength to turn and control it while loaded and climbing. After an hour or so of continuous operation I got off to throw some rocks out of the material I was spreading and my knees were almost locked up..... and SORE. I need to learn to deliberately stop and dismount every half hour or so to stretch my old legs and get the circulation going again.
Anyway, I got a lot of good progress done on our goat-path. There are 5 households that use our road and currently we are the only ones financing or otherwise participating in its maintenance. We DO have one of them who only recently moved in and they are at least promising to help.
But it's certainly more fun riding the bike or trike....
Trouble is, the road sucks up a LOT of time and effort. I worked till sundown and did NOT finish the work. It's almost a mile of ruts and rock and way too little sand and gravel. I must "rob" dirt and gravel from areas that have filled with gravel below the roadway, and much of the time I'm forced to use plain old dirt to fill ruts and holes in the road. Usually the 'borrowed' dirt and gravel is not close to the desired rut needing filling so it takes multiple trips to scoop up material with the front bucket and dump it into the roadway and then use the blade on the 3-point hitch in the rear to scrape it, level it, and push it back and forth to fill and refill the ruts and holes.
I don't think I've spent this much time in one session on the tractor: It's almost like riding a horse. It looks easy from afar (Riding a horse) but to make the most of it you have to put some leg effort into the ride. If you try to ride a horse by just sitting there on his back or in the saddle it will be a very rough ride unless you just plod along at a snail's pace. Trying to just sit there when trotting will beat your behind to death. Just sitting there while the horse is loping at a decent pace will likely result in your falling off, since it takes effort to match the movement of the horse while in motion. Standing partially in the stirrups and working your knees to rise and lower with the motion of the running horse results in not only greater speed and security but FUN being able to really eat up the miles..... but it does tire you out.
The tractor is not a smooth ride either. Mine has power assist steering but it takes a lot of arm strength to turn and control it while loaded and climbing. After an hour or so of continuous operation I got off to throw some rocks out of the material I was spreading and my knees were almost locked up..... and SORE. I need to learn to deliberately stop and dismount every half hour or so to stretch my old legs and get the circulation going again.
Anyway, I got a lot of good progress done on our goat-path. There are 5 households that use our road and currently we are the only ones financing or otherwise participating in its maintenance. We DO have one of them who only recently moved in and they are at least promising to help.
But it's certainly more fun riding the bike or trike....
Monday, September 30, 2013
We Both Rode, but Separate Bikes Today
Today's Tracking Worked in Spite of a Power Outage
APRS tracking doesn't work well in the East Mountains unless my home Igate is operational. We discovered, after we got home from our ride, that the AC power had been off much of the time we were riding. Which is just a bit frustrating: Central NM Electric, our power co-op, has historically been a less than failure-proof operation. At least once or twice a year we suffer an hour or more of power disruption, seemingly at least an overnight loss of electric power once each year. We purchased an emergency gas-powered AC generator 13 years ago and have put many hours on it keeping our water and other electrical needs supplied when the power goes off.
This last month, however, has been especially frustrating. Every other day or so the power has been blinking off, sometimes for over an hour. Call the CNME office and they will tell you..... NOTHING. Supposedly they have NO method of recording WHAT the cause of a power outage was. They do have a Web page that shows "Current Outages" that merely shows an outline map and a little corner list of the counties served and how many customers are currently without power.... no explanations provided. BAH. Today, our power has blinked off at least THREE TIMES.... without explanations.
Initially ignorant of all that, we took off on a ride today. Jacque just got her Single Seat Catrike back from Two Wheel Drive with new tires and alignment so she was dying to put some miles on it. I saddled up my ancient home brew recumbent 2-wheeler and rode with her. She was carrying all the weight: Tinkerbell and Jazzy.
With the weather so much cooler recently I have to remind myself to slather on the sunscreen anyway.
As usual, it was GREAT to get out in the open air and rack up a few miles on the legs and wheels.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 77 F Highest Temp: 86 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.79
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.2 MPH 6.7 MPH 32.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 27 mins 1 hour 10 mins 1 hour 17 mins
APRS tracking doesn't work well in the East Mountains unless my home Igate is operational. We discovered, after we got home from our ride, that the AC power had been off much of the time we were riding. Which is just a bit frustrating: Central NM Electric, our power co-op, has historically been a less than failure-proof operation. At least once or twice a year we suffer an hour or more of power disruption, seemingly at least an overnight loss of electric power once each year. We purchased an emergency gas-powered AC generator 13 years ago and have put many hours on it keeping our water and other electrical needs supplied when the power goes off.
This last month, however, has been especially frustrating. Every other day or so the power has been blinking off, sometimes for over an hour. Call the CNME office and they will tell you..... NOTHING. Supposedly they have NO method of recording WHAT the cause of a power outage was. They do have a Web page that shows "Current Outages" that merely shows an outline map and a little corner list of the counties served and how many customers are currently without power.... no explanations provided. BAH. Today, our power has blinked off at least THREE TIMES.... without explanations.
Initially ignorant of all that, we took off on a ride today. Jacque just got her Single Seat Catrike back from Two Wheel Drive with new tires and alignment so she was dying to put some miles on it. I saddled up my ancient home brew recumbent 2-wheeler and rode with her. She was carrying all the weight: Tinkerbell and Jazzy.
With the weather so much cooler recently I have to remind myself to slather on the sunscreen anyway.
As usual, it was GREAT to get out in the open air and rack up a few miles on the legs and wheels.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 77 F Highest Temp: 86 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 7.79
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.2 MPH 6.7 MPH 32.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 27 mins 1 hour 10 mins 1 hour 17 mins
Friday, September 27, 2013
About Halfway Around Our Favorite Loop
Today's Tracking Worked Better
The last couple of Fridays we have neglected to do our 22-mile loop after cooking the noon meal for the Friday Forum of the LDS UNM students: 3 Fridays ago we left immediately afterwards for our Labor Day Weekend RV trip to Chama. Last Friday was wet and miserable plus we were still stuffy from our colds we caught the week before in Chama. Today? We decided we were going to ride at least part way through our traditional Friday afternoon ride.
Yesterday, we had brought Jacque's Catrike in to Two Wheel Drive for new front tires and alignment.... the tires had worn down to the cords after less than 200 miles of riding. They told her today it was ready to pick up, already, so we loaded the Recumbent Tandem Trike on the roof rack and made room in the cargo bay inside the Explorer for the Catrike. After I retrieved the trike, in the Bike Store Parking lot, I was shifting cargo around and loading the single-seat trike when a, er, "Urban Dude" pulled up in his ghetto cruiser and shouted out his window to me: "Hey! Nice Bike! I want to buy it from you!!" I laughed and replied "They're not for sale! We love them too much!"
He responded "I'm serious, man.... I'll give you 50 dollars cash right now!" I wasn't quite sure how to take that stupendous offer. The tandem recumbent trike is worth a couple thousand without any accessories, used though it is, and Jacque's Catrike is nearly new and cost almost $ 2K with no accessories. So I laughed and turned away and ignored him, in spite of wondering if he was trying to make me an offer I couldn't refuse or........ ?
Instead of starting our ride straight from the UNM campus, as we do normally, we decided to park down at the Bosque and just ride that wonderful trail several miles just to limber up our legs, since we have not built up any endurance to speak of yet. Plus, the weather was cloudy and threatening and we were not sure if we might have to turn around and make a wet run back to the vehicle.
Evidently as a result of the dicey weather, we saw only two other cyclists and a couple walkers where normally we encounter dozens of each. But the weather, though cool, was almost perfect for riding. Only after we returned and stopped pedaling did we realize how cold it had become since starting the ride. Neither of us had even worked up a sweat, in spite of the ride being a bit over 10 miles and coming back into fairly stiff headwinds.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.6
Lowest Temp 81 F Highest Temp: 90 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 20.97
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.2 MPH 7.1 MPH 20.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
4 hours 4 mins 2 hours 57 mins 1 hour 6 mins
The last couple of Fridays we have neglected to do our 22-mile loop after cooking the noon meal for the Friday Forum of the LDS UNM students: 3 Fridays ago we left immediately afterwards for our Labor Day Weekend RV trip to Chama. Last Friday was wet and miserable plus we were still stuffy from our colds we caught the week before in Chama. Today? We decided we were going to ride at least part way through our traditional Friday afternoon ride.
Yesterday, we had brought Jacque's Catrike in to Two Wheel Drive for new front tires and alignment.... the tires had worn down to the cords after less than 200 miles of riding. They told her today it was ready to pick up, already, so we loaded the Recumbent Tandem Trike on the roof rack and made room in the cargo bay inside the Explorer for the Catrike. After I retrieved the trike, in the Bike Store Parking lot, I was shifting cargo around and loading the single-seat trike when a, er, "Urban Dude" pulled up in his ghetto cruiser and shouted out his window to me: "Hey! Nice Bike! I want to buy it from you!!" I laughed and replied "They're not for sale! We love them too much!"
He responded "I'm serious, man.... I'll give you 50 dollars cash right now!" I wasn't quite sure how to take that stupendous offer. The tandem recumbent trike is worth a couple thousand without any accessories, used though it is, and Jacque's Catrike is nearly new and cost almost $ 2K with no accessories. So I laughed and turned away and ignored him, in spite of wondering if he was trying to make me an offer I couldn't refuse or........ ?
Instead of starting our ride straight from the UNM campus, as we do normally, we decided to park down at the Bosque and just ride that wonderful trail several miles just to limber up our legs, since we have not built up any endurance to speak of yet. Plus, the weather was cloudy and threatening and we were not sure if we might have to turn around and make a wet run back to the vehicle.
Evidently as a result of the dicey weather, we saw only two other cyclists and a couple walkers where normally we encounter dozens of each. But the weather, though cool, was almost perfect for riding. Only after we returned and stopped pedaling did we realize how cold it had become since starting the ride. Neither of us had even worked up a sweat, in spite of the ride being a bit over 10 miles and coming back into fairly stiff headwinds.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.7 Ending Voltage: 12.6
Lowest Temp 81 F Highest Temp: 90 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 20.97
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.2 MPH 7.1 MPH 20.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
4 hours 4 mins 2 hours 57 mins 1 hour 6 mins
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Weird. A MONTH without riding?
First, our excuses:
-We both came down with the deep-chest-congestion miseries immediately after getting home from our short Labor Day weekend excursion to Chama.
-Immediately after starting to recover from THAT, Jacque caught the dreaded Norovirus "Vomiting Virus" that knocked HER out of action, again, for at least 3 days.
-During all this time, we have had torrential RAINS almost daily that have been making the weather too cold and wet to consider riding. We're SO thankful for the rains, but these have been record breaking, almost taking the entire state of New Mexico out of the "Drought" category. Now, with a few days of rain-free sunlight, we are now grateful the rains have PAUSED for a while.
I had decided I needed to get in at least a short ride, TODAY, no matter what. As I was checking the tires and chain on the recumbent 2-wheeler I realized "Hey! Jacque's been feeling better for a few days now, maybe SHE wants to go for a trike ride together!" And, sure 'nuff, she did, and we did.
The recumbent Tandem Terratrike had been left alone and idle under the deck for so long all three tires were low. A few quick bursts of air from the big Craftsman compressor in the shed took care of all that.
Of course we quickly suffered the consequences of not riding for a while: Low Output Power from the legs. The short ride up to the Post Office is deceptively steep and hard even with regular miles piled up on the old legs, and we really felt sluggish and slow and guilty for not being more faithful in our exercise. We are guilty of the common lot of man in the Western world: Too busy to stay healthy.
This cooler fall weather was great today, and it was wonderful to ride without overheating or overcooling. The doggies Tink and Jazz - as usual - made several new friends at the Shell Station where we partook of our usual break and treats.
I noted, only after returning home to check our Internet Track, that it did not work well at all today. Only one position was reported by the GPS/APRS/Ham Radio setup, so that's another problem I need to investigate.....
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.29
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.3 MPH 6.5 MPH 27.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 18 mins 39 mins 38 mins 41 secs
-We both came down with the deep-chest-congestion miseries immediately after getting home from our short Labor Day weekend excursion to Chama.
-Immediately after starting to recover from THAT, Jacque caught the dreaded Norovirus "Vomiting Virus" that knocked HER out of action, again, for at least 3 days.
-During all this time, we have had torrential RAINS almost daily that have been making the weather too cold and wet to consider riding. We're SO thankful for the rains, but these have been record breaking, almost taking the entire state of New Mexico out of the "Drought" category. Now, with a few days of rain-free sunlight, we are now grateful the rains have PAUSED for a while.
I had decided I needed to get in at least a short ride, TODAY, no matter what. As I was checking the tires and chain on the recumbent 2-wheeler I realized "Hey! Jacque's been feeling better for a few days now, maybe SHE wants to go for a trike ride together!" And, sure 'nuff, she did, and we did.
The recumbent Tandem Terratrike had been left alone and idle under the deck for so long all three tires were low. A few quick bursts of air from the big Craftsman compressor in the shed took care of all that.
Of course we quickly suffered the consequences of not riding for a while: Low Output Power from the legs. The short ride up to the Post Office is deceptively steep and hard even with regular miles piled up on the old legs, and we really felt sluggish and slow and guilty for not being more faithful in our exercise. We are guilty of the common lot of man in the Western world: Too busy to stay healthy.
This cooler fall weather was great today, and it was wonderful to ride without overheating or overcooling. The doggies Tink and Jazz - as usual - made several new friends at the Shell Station where we partook of our usual break and treats.
I noted, only after returning home to check our Internet Track, that it did not work well at all today. Only one position was reported by the GPS/APRS/Ham Radio setup, so that's another problem I need to investigate.....
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.29
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.3 MPH 6.5 MPH 27.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 18 mins 39 mins 38 mins 41 secs
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