Saturday Short Shot

Secret Saturday Tracking via Ham Radio and GPS
Well, the wood pile has been keeping me busy, as have other various and sundry non-health or non-strength related activities.
Yesterday I had hoped to get in an early afternoon ride but Jacque's schedule and mine did not work out.  So I got in some late afternoon chainsaw and tractor operation, after which I noticed my chain-bar was at its outer limit, meaning my cutting chain had worn to the point I couldn't tighten it properly any more.  Thus I need to take the chain down to my friendly local Stihl Dealer and have them remove a link or two so I can continue to abuse it.  I have at least 2 other older chains but I fear they also have been worn to the point of non-tightening as well.  Wood heat is wonderful and addictive, but I insist it's no bargain, even when cutting my own 'free' wood from my own acreage.  Gas and oil for the chainsaw and tractor, various parts replaced occasionally from wear and tear, time spent cutting and hauling the wood, feeding the fire, cleaning the ashes out of the stove and the counter tops and curtains and chips and bark and sawdust off the floors.... WHEW.  It fatigues me just describing it.  But when you get addicted to that wonderful radiating wood heat on cold winter days, it's hard to give it up, even if you're getting too old to be playing with sharp dangerous things outside without adult supervision.  We've occasionally turned the propane furnace thermostat up and let it try to keep the house warm but it just runs and runs and runs up the propane bill and the house just never seems to get warm.... and there's no particular spot where you can back your butt up to something to get warm.
Since the chainsaw is temporarily out for the count, I had no valid reasons not to do at least a short ride today.  So I finally saddled up and went.  I had both doggies in my care but I decided to simplify life today and left them home.  After all, my cycling rides recently have hardly been marathons....
First was the typical Post Office run, not very far but tiring.  When I got back to our dirt goat-path turnoff  (What we country folks sometimes jokingly call our driveway, 1 mile long)  I was still feeling fine and dandy so I kept going.  I DID have a church meeting this afternoon at 4 PM, so I couldn't just keep riding and rubbernecking forever, or even a few hours, so I rode east on Frost Road until 1:30 and then turned around and came home to cool off and chill and change into presentable clothes.
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.1        Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp  45 F      Highest Temp:  63 F
Stats from the GPS:    Total Miles:  9.96
Overall average speed            Moving Avg               Max Speed
  4.9 MPH                                7.4 MPH                    24.6 MPH
Total Trip time                       Moving Time             Stopped Time
2 hours  2 mins                     1 hour 21 mins            25 mins 5 secs