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
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