Today's Tuesday Tracking via Magic Technology
Jacque went a-quilting today, so Lilly and I took a trike ride starting around noonish. Tinkerbell, the elder wonder-dog, missed out because SHE went with "Mom".
First we rode up to the Post Office, to pick up the mail and deposit an ougoing envelope in the hopper.
Onlookers seem to think it's special that Lilly rides in a belly-pack on my chest, but she's a bit blah about it. She tolerates being bound up in the papoose thingie, but she absolutely HATES being left behind.
Without Tink around to engender jealousy, Lilly actually does pretty well, and even moderates her excitement and outbursts when encountering other dogs along the way. She even decided to totally ignore a couple of noisy dogs that she usually gets excited about.
LOVING this balmy break in winter weather around here. It was at least in the mid-fifties today; sunny with only mildly blustery breezes, and I had to take off the windbreaker by the time we arrived at the Post Office.
After a short water break we zoomed back down the hill towards home, but rode on another several miles in a vain attempt to rack up bragging rights. I was mildly shocked to receive a call on the ham radio from ANOTHER cyclist - way down in Las Cruces. It was Thaddeus, KG5ES, an old friend of many years that we have not SEEN in years. Bicycle-to- tricycle radio conversation, very nice but rare indeed.
Still not qualifying as a "Real Ride", it was - as usual - fun and invigorating.
Ride Started: 12:04 PM Ride Ended: 1:19 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 8.66
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.7 MPH 7.3 MPH 28.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 15 mins 1 hour 10 mins 5 minutes
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Monday, December 12, 2016
Unplanned Monday Riders
Today's Partial Tracking via GPS and Ham Radio
Bike and trike riding has not been in my calendar of activities since the week before Thanksgiving.
Jacque and I went to Utah for a week to visit my brothers and sister and a few of the nephews and nieces, but primarily to attend the Temple wedding of my brother John's daughter Katie to her lucky choice Abram.
Since we were already near most of the fam and Thanksgiving was only a few days after the wedding, we crashed John and Danese's Thanksgiving feast.
Since I love Barq's Diet Root Beer, and it is not sold anywhere in New Mexico in cans, I always buy out several store's worth during a visit to Utah and bring home a vehicle sagging under the weight of dozens of cases of Barq's. We also brought home nasty head colds, unfortunately.
Thus I haven't been on the bikes since then, trying avoid overdoing it and causing a relapse of the dreaded drippy-nose disease for which there is no cure but time and sleep.
I have slowly begun feeling strong enough to ride in the last few days, but the firewood pile and the Stihl chainsaw have been strongly calling my name, keeping me much too busy to get any decent exercise.
I hadn't planned on getting a ride in today, since I had volunteered to spend the morning vacuuming the floors of the Albuquerque LDS Temple. I assumed (1) I would not have time and (2) the weather would be nasty in the afternoon, as it has been the last couple of weeks.
By the time I got home, however, it was absolutely balmy outside and shirtsleeve weather. I invited Jacque to ride HER Catrike along with me and she decided to come along.
Unfortunately, by the time we got the trikes down to the pavement of Frost Road, it was nigh past 3:00 PM and the wind had come up and the temperatures had dropped a bit short of shirt-sleeve caliber. Being tough, we saddled up and rode eastward anyway.
We had only gone a couple miles when I remembered why it's an even worse idear to ride this late in the afternoon: The Going-Home Commuter traffic is AWFUL starting at 3 PM or shortly thereafter.
So many residents out here in the East Mountains work in Albuquerque, and a large majority of them at Sandia Labs or Kirtland Air Force Base, that the so called flexible hours result in hundreds of commuters clogging the roads after 3 PM. Most are courteous and careful, but the sheer number of them whistling by, only a few feet separating us, makes it too unpleasant to do unless it's an emergency. So, we turned around early and only got about 5 miles accomplished coming and going. I was great to be stretching our wobbly legs again, but too worrisome with all the traffic. I had gotten almost a mile ahead of Jacque and pulled over to wait for her to see what she thought about turning around early. I waited several minutes and still didin't see her coming so I decided to keep pedaling, but planned to call her on the cell phone while rolling.
(We are both ham radio operators and radios would be much easier to use for communicating between bikes, but I have not gotten around to installing a radio on HER ride.)
Unfortunately, as I pedaled along, I realized my cell phone was NOT in my possession. I had stuck it in one of my cargo pants pockets but now it was nowhere to be found. I wheeled across the pavement and turned around, and spotted the phone lying on the road shoulder only a few feet from where I had been waiting for Jacque. It had fallen out either just before or just after I pulled into that spot. Thankfully no crushing of the device had occurred, and I again turned around and snatched up the phone while rolling and called her.
Of course, by now she was less than 100 yards behind me and laughed at my antics. We agreed to keep chugging for another mile or three, but by the time I topped the next hill, the traffic was worse than ever and I had enough, so I again turned around. I was at the top of the hill and she was just starting to climb toward me from the bottom. She saw me and kept coming for a few dozen more feet and then turned around in front of me back toward the bike-hauler only a few miles away. We didn't have to say anything; we both knew it wasn't worth it.
STILL, short though this ride was, it made us feel perkier when we got back. As usual, a short ride is much better than no ride at all.....
Ride Started: 3:06 PM Ride Ended: 3:47 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.31
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.3 MPH 6.7 MPH 22.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
41 minutes 40 minutes 1 minuto
Jacque and I went to Utah for a week to visit my brothers and sister and a few of the nephews and nieces, but primarily to attend the Temple wedding of my brother John's daughter Katie to her lucky choice Abram.
Since we were already near most of the fam and Thanksgiving was only a few days after the wedding, we crashed John and Danese's Thanksgiving feast.
Since I love Barq's Diet Root Beer, and it is not sold anywhere in New Mexico in cans, I always buy out several store's worth during a visit to Utah and bring home a vehicle sagging under the weight of dozens of cases of Barq's. We also brought home nasty head colds, unfortunately.
Thus I haven't been on the bikes since then, trying avoid overdoing it and causing a relapse of the dreaded drippy-nose disease for which there is no cure but time and sleep.
I have slowly begun feeling strong enough to ride in the last few days, but the firewood pile and the Stihl chainsaw have been strongly calling my name, keeping me much too busy to get any decent exercise.
I hadn't planned on getting a ride in today, since I had volunteered to spend the morning vacuuming the floors of the Albuquerque LDS Temple. I assumed (1) I would not have time and (2) the weather would be nasty in the afternoon, as it has been the last couple of weeks.
By the time I got home, however, it was absolutely balmy outside and shirtsleeve weather. I invited Jacque to ride HER Catrike along with me and she decided to come along.
Unfortunately, by the time we got the trikes down to the pavement of Frost Road, it was nigh past 3:00 PM and the wind had come up and the temperatures had dropped a bit short of shirt-sleeve caliber. Being tough, we saddled up and rode eastward anyway.
We had only gone a couple miles when I remembered why it's an even worse idear to ride this late in the afternoon: The Going-Home Commuter traffic is AWFUL starting at 3 PM or shortly thereafter.
So many residents out here in the East Mountains work in Albuquerque, and a large majority of them at Sandia Labs or Kirtland Air Force Base, that the so called flexible hours result in hundreds of commuters clogging the roads after 3 PM. Most are courteous and careful, but the sheer number of them whistling by, only a few feet separating us, makes it too unpleasant to do unless it's an emergency. So, we turned around early and only got about 5 miles accomplished coming and going. I was great to be stretching our wobbly legs again, but too worrisome with all the traffic. I had gotten almost a mile ahead of Jacque and pulled over to wait for her to see what she thought about turning around early. I waited several minutes and still didin't see her coming so I decided to keep pedaling, but planned to call her on the cell phone while rolling.
(We are both ham radio operators and radios would be much easier to use for communicating between bikes, but I have not gotten around to installing a radio on HER ride.)
Unfortunately, as I pedaled along, I realized my cell phone was NOT in my possession. I had stuck it in one of my cargo pants pockets but now it was nowhere to be found. I wheeled across the pavement and turned around, and spotted the phone lying on the road shoulder only a few feet from where I had been waiting for Jacque. It had fallen out either just before or just after I pulled into that spot. Thankfully no crushing of the device had occurred, and I again turned around and snatched up the phone while rolling and called her.
Of course, by now she was less than 100 yards behind me and laughed at my antics. We agreed to keep chugging for another mile or three, but by the time I topped the next hill, the traffic was worse than ever and I had enough, so I again turned around. I was at the top of the hill and she was just starting to climb toward me from the bottom. She saw me and kept coming for a few dozen more feet and then turned around in front of me back toward the bike-hauler only a few miles away. We didn't have to say anything; we both knew it wasn't worth it.
STILL, short though this ride was, it made us feel perkier when we got back. As usual, a short ride is much better than no ride at all.....
Ride Started: 3:06 PM Ride Ended: 3:47 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.31
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.3 MPH 6.7 MPH 22.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
41 minutes 40 minutes 1 minuto
Monday, November 14, 2016
Two Monday Riders, With Guide Dogs
Today's track courtesy of Ham Radio and the GPS
Finally took a decent photo of my new fairing on the Catrike :
I wouldn't mind the fairing being a bit taller on top, so as to deflect more air away from the eyes and face, but for the price I paid this one is FABULOUS.
I cut up a small load of firewood today and stopped about 1 PM and asked Jacque if she wanted to go for a trike ride too, and she did indeed, so we loaded up both Catrikes into the junk trailer and took them down to the paved road for a non-destructive ride. Tinkerbell rode with Jacque and Lilly rode in the belly-pack papoose carrier with me.
We again fully realize trying to ride the road-shoulder after 3 or 4 PM is an exercise in frustration. The traffic was horrible with unending lines of cars rushing around us to get home from work. Many out here in the East Mountains work at Sandia Labs and other government related jobs meaning the "Rush Hour" starts early compared to a typical 9 to 5 crowd. No one endangered us at any time but it's still unnerving to have such a huge number of cars roaring by.
Temperature-wise it was a bit cool outside, and as the sun began to set about 4:30 it of course got noticeably cooler. By the time we got back to the Exploder and trailer I was rather chilled, in spite of having Lilly tucked up close to me on my chest while we rode. I should have stopped and put on the wind-breaker, which would have improved life for both Lilly and me. I was in too much of a hurry to stop and dig it out of the pannier.
Ride Started: 3:41 PM Ride Ended: 4:47 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.31
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.6 MPH 7.6 MPH 32.0 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 6 mins 1 hour 1 mins 5 minutes
Finally took a decent photo of my new fairing on the Catrike :
I cut up a small load of firewood today and stopped about 1 PM and asked Jacque if she wanted to go for a trike ride too, and she did indeed, so we loaded up both Catrikes into the junk trailer and took them down to the paved road for a non-destructive ride. Tinkerbell rode with Jacque and Lilly rode in the belly-pack papoose carrier with me.
We again fully realize trying to ride the road-shoulder after 3 or 4 PM is an exercise in frustration. The traffic was horrible with unending lines of cars rushing around us to get home from work. Many out here in the East Mountains work at Sandia Labs and other government related jobs meaning the "Rush Hour" starts early compared to a typical 9 to 5 crowd. No one endangered us at any time but it's still unnerving to have such a huge number of cars roaring by.
Temperature-wise it was a bit cool outside, and as the sun began to set about 4:30 it of course got noticeably cooler. By the time we got back to the Exploder and trailer I was rather chilled, in spite of having Lilly tucked up close to me on my chest while we rode. I should have stopped and put on the wind-breaker, which would have improved life for both Lilly and me. I was in too much of a hurry to stop and dig it out of the pannier.
Ride Started: 3:41 PM Ride Ended: 4:47 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.31
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.6 MPH 7.6 MPH 32.0 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 6 mins 1 hour 1 mins 5 minutes
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Me, Myself, and a Dog Named ... Lilly
Today's East Mountain Tracking
I thought I had me a title to a song there for a minute, but it didn't play out.
Today involved a Ham Radio Swapmeet at the Intel Parking lot in Rio Rancho. I didn't have anything to sell or buy but the main reason I went was to meet up with the fellow who sold me my Catrike back in August: He had found a fairing for the trike he had never installed and wanted to give it to me! Whoo-Hooo....
It turned out to be surprisingly small but it's cute.
I found it had only a simple bracket and a couple hose clamps to tie it down with, and surprisingly enough, it actually fit the bike without modification. It looks too tight to allow feet to clear while pedaling but it works fine, although I think I will add some extenders eventually to increase clearance for my big feet and different size shoes I occasionally wear.
It only took maybe half an hour to get it satisfactorily mounted. Of course I had to take it for a ride to see how it felt. I didn't really notice a whole lot of difference, but it does seem to deflect some of the headwind out of my face & feet, though I didn't notice any radical improvement in average (or otherwise) speeds.
I note from the GPS speeds that I may have picked up a wee bit of speed with this widget. Time and future rides will tell.
I've often wanted to try a fairing or windshield on my other bikes but they are normally super expensive, unless you buy your own plexiglass sheet and fab your own. This is a real treat to get this one. Such a Deal.
Lilly seemed to like it too, since she rides strapped to my chest in a papoose-liked harness. Going down hills with a stiff breeze in the face normally overrides her doggie enjoyment of wind-in-the-face, and now with the fairing in place she tends to duck her head ever so slightly to hide below the slipstream off the fairing.
Ride Started: 2:17 PM Ride Ended: 3:39 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.42
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.28 MPH 7.6 MPH 30.25 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 22 mins 1 hour 11 mins 11 minutes
I thought I had me a title to a song there for a minute, but it didn't play out.
Today involved a Ham Radio Swapmeet at the Intel Parking lot in Rio Rancho. I didn't have anything to sell or buy but the main reason I went was to meet up with the fellow who sold me my Catrike back in August: He had found a fairing for the trike he had never installed and wanted to give it to me! Whoo-Hooo....
It turned out to be surprisingly small but it's cute.
I found it had only a simple bracket and a couple hose clamps to tie it down with, and surprisingly enough, it actually fit the bike without modification. It looks too tight to allow feet to clear while pedaling but it works fine, although I think I will add some extenders eventually to increase clearance for my big feet and different size shoes I occasionally wear.
It only took maybe half an hour to get it satisfactorily mounted. Of course I had to take it for a ride to see how it felt. I didn't really notice a whole lot of difference, but it does seem to deflect some of the headwind out of my face & feet, though I didn't notice any radical improvement in average (or otherwise) speeds.
I note from the GPS speeds that I may have picked up a wee bit of speed with this widget. Time and future rides will tell.
I've often wanted to try a fairing or windshield on my other bikes but they are normally super expensive, unless you buy your own plexiglass sheet and fab your own. This is a real treat to get this one. Such a Deal.
Lilly seemed to like it too, since she rides strapped to my chest in a papoose-liked harness. Going down hills with a stiff breeze in the face normally overrides her doggie enjoyment of wind-in-the-face, and now with the fairing in place she tends to duck her head ever so slightly to hide below the slipstream off the fairing.
Ride Started: 2:17 PM Ride Ended: 3:39 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.42
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.28 MPH 7.6 MPH 30.25 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 22 mins 1 hour 11 mins 11 minutes
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Thursday's Cool Ridings
Today's Cool Track
The only progress I made on my full-cord wood crib was to sort and stack the wood already thrown inside. I want the wood tightly stacked so I can claim it as an accurate cord of wood.
By the time I got that organized it was getting on into the afternoon. I wanted to get in a trike ride before exhausting myself chainsawing up more wood, so I layered up and loaded up the Catrike into the trailer and hauled it down to the pavement.
It had been sunny most of the day and not bitterly cold but it wasn't very warm either. When I got saddled up and riding I was glad I had put on the long sleeved wicking body-shirt since I never got overheated at all and actually got cold in a few areas, especially my feet. I wore leather shoes today to help ward off the cold feet and thankfully so.
I decided to try a route up hill and down dale that I haven't ridden in quite a while, around Vallecitos to old Route 66 and then at Zuzax getting on the north side of the frontage road - over to Gutierrez Canyon road and back north on that less-traveled road to Frost, not far from whence I started from.
The hills are much steeper on this route, and I was soon reminded why I don't ride it much. The road surfaces for a few miles are extremely rough with either narrow or NO shoulders, making it frustrating for passing motorists. Since I had started so late, too close to 5 PM, there was considerable going-home traffic to dodge. But, as usual, it was a fun ride anyway.
I ran low on blood glucose about halfway around the mountain, and had to dig into my stash of chocolate chip oatmeal bars. They were so old they were barely edible. The first one was easily digested but the second one I dug out of my pannier was so old and hard and dry it was like chewing a stick of wood. I was finally able to get it chewed up and down the hatch, but I'm going to dig through my bags and panniers and throw 'em out if they are more than a couple months old. The wrapper keeps them safe but too many months really takes the appeal out of 'em.
By the time I got back to the exploder and trailer, it was close to dark-thirty and even colder. Maybe I'll finish filling the wood crib sometime next week. Hopefully the snow won't be too deep by then :O)
Ride Started: 2:32 PM Ride Ended: 4:29 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 12.17
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.8 MPH 6.8 MPH 33.3 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 57 mins 1 hour 47 mins 10 minutes
The only progress I made on my full-cord wood crib was to sort and stack the wood already thrown inside. I want the wood tightly stacked so I can claim it as an accurate cord of wood.
By the time I got that organized it was getting on into the afternoon. I wanted to get in a trike ride before exhausting myself chainsawing up more wood, so I layered up and loaded up the Catrike into the trailer and hauled it down to the pavement.
It had been sunny most of the day and not bitterly cold but it wasn't very warm either. When I got saddled up and riding I was glad I had put on the long sleeved wicking body-shirt since I never got overheated at all and actually got cold in a few areas, especially my feet. I wore leather shoes today to help ward off the cold feet and thankfully so.
I decided to try a route up hill and down dale that I haven't ridden in quite a while, around Vallecitos to old Route 66 and then at Zuzax getting on the north side of the frontage road - over to Gutierrez Canyon road and back north on that less-traveled road to Frost, not far from whence I started from.
The hills are much steeper on this route, and I was soon reminded why I don't ride it much. The road surfaces for a few miles are extremely rough with either narrow or NO shoulders, making it frustrating for passing motorists. Since I had started so late, too close to 5 PM, there was considerable going-home traffic to dodge. But, as usual, it was a fun ride anyway.
I ran low on blood glucose about halfway around the mountain, and had to dig into my stash of chocolate chip oatmeal bars. They were so old they were barely edible. The first one was easily digested but the second one I dug out of my pannier was so old and hard and dry it was like chewing a stick of wood. I was finally able to get it chewed up and down the hatch, but I'm going to dig through my bags and panniers and throw 'em out if they are more than a couple months old. The wrapper keeps them safe but too many months really takes the appeal out of 'em.
By the time I got back to the exploder and trailer, it was close to dark-thirty and even colder. Maybe I'll finish filling the wood crib sometime next week. Hopefully the snow won't be too deep by then :O)
Ride Started: 2:32 PM Ride Ended: 4:29 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 12.17
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.8 MPH 6.8 MPH 33.3 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 57 mins 1 hour 47 mins 10 minutes
A Non Political Bike Ride
Tracking courtesy of GPS, APRS, and Ham Radio
Jacque and I again did the 2-trike ride on Wednesday, yesterday.
We enjoy riding the big heavy Terratrike Tandem Pro but it's slow and hard going up hills.
We love our individual Catrikes which allow us to zip around, turn tight corners, etc, but we get separated while riding since Jacque is a slower pedaler and she insists on me going on ahead and "Not wait for her".
Then, after getting too far ahead and losing sight of her, I start to worry and usually turn around and ride back to intercept her to make sure she's not broke down or stopped for anything unusual.
We rode the short-but-intense ride to the Post Office and thence on up to the Shell Station for the usual soda & snack.
The weather is starting to feel closer to winter conditions, but BEAUTIFUL sunny days in spite of cool breezes. I didn't wear anything but the disgusting baby-barf-incandescent yellow/green eyecatcher tee shirt, and the only time I got a bit too cool was coasting the mile or so downhill coming back from the Post Office.
At almost 30 MPH the cool air had a bit of a bite to it.
It is cold enough in the evenings and mornings that we are burning at least small fires in the wood stove AM and PM, so I still feel the imperative to bust up as much firewood as possible before snow flies. My 1-cord wood crib is now about a third full, and as soon as we returned from our ride I changed into even grubbier clothes, mashed the earplugs into my ears, put on the steel toed boots, and drove over to a deadfall just past our house that I cut out of the roadway a couple years ago and is now well seasoned enough to put through the stove for heat. There was more wood there than I had time to finish, since the sun started going down about 5 PM (Thank you, Congress, for playing with our Clocks!). I plan to get out there again today to finish cutting that pile up to stove length and then go looking for more deadfalls I can cut up.
Lots of dead Pinon trees all over the place. I wonder if Pinon will survive as a tree species out here in the Southwest since the bark beetles seem to show no sign of dying off or even slowing down their slaughter.
Oh, yeah. I just noticed in my last entry about us going to the Hacksaw Ridge movie.
The verdict: We LOVED the movie and its portrayal of a man believing in God and refusing to fight in WWII, yet becoming a war hero without firing a shot.
Caveat: It is an intensely bloody gory film, but you will still need some Kleenex to get through it. We highly recommend it.
Ride Started: 1:32 PM Ride Ended: 3:14 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6.14
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.7 MPH 7.5 MPH 31.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hours 42 mins 1 hour 4 mins 40 minutes
Jacque and I again did the 2-trike ride on Wednesday, yesterday.
We enjoy riding the big heavy Terratrike Tandem Pro but it's slow and hard going up hills.
We love our individual Catrikes which allow us to zip around, turn tight corners, etc, but we get separated while riding since Jacque is a slower pedaler and she insists on me going on ahead and "Not wait for her".
Then, after getting too far ahead and losing sight of her, I start to worry and usually turn around and ride back to intercept her to make sure she's not broke down or stopped for anything unusual.
We rode the short-but-intense ride to the Post Office and thence on up to the Shell Station for the usual soda & snack.
The weather is starting to feel closer to winter conditions, but BEAUTIFUL sunny days in spite of cool breezes. I didn't wear anything but the disgusting baby-barf-incandescent yellow/green eyecatcher tee shirt, and the only time I got a bit too cool was coasting the mile or so downhill coming back from the Post Office.
At almost 30 MPH the cool air had a bit of a bite to it.
It is cold enough in the evenings and mornings that we are burning at least small fires in the wood stove AM and PM, so I still feel the imperative to bust up as much firewood as possible before snow flies. My 1-cord wood crib is now about a third full, and as soon as we returned from our ride I changed into even grubbier clothes, mashed the earplugs into my ears, put on the steel toed boots, and drove over to a deadfall just past our house that I cut out of the roadway a couple years ago and is now well seasoned enough to put through the stove for heat. There was more wood there than I had time to finish, since the sun started going down about 5 PM (Thank you, Congress, for playing with our Clocks!). I plan to get out there again today to finish cutting that pile up to stove length and then go looking for more deadfalls I can cut up.
Lots of dead Pinon trees all over the place. I wonder if Pinon will survive as a tree species out here in the Southwest since the bark beetles seem to show no sign of dying off or even slowing down their slaughter.
Oh, yeah. I just noticed in my last entry about us going to the Hacksaw Ridge movie.
The verdict: We LOVED the movie and its portrayal of a man believing in God and refusing to fight in WWII, yet becoming a war hero without firing a shot.
Caveat: It is an intensely bloody gory film, but you will still need some Kleenex to get through it. We highly recommend it.
Ride Started: 1:32 PM Ride Ended: 3:14 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6.14
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.7 MPH 7.5 MPH 31.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hours 42 mins 1 hour 4 mins 40 minutes
Monday, November 7, 2016
Monday is a Good Day to Start the Week
Today's Track of Familiar Paths
Instead of exhausting myself cutting firewood today, I thought I'd do me a trike ride first. Especially since it was such a beautiful sunny day after several days of soggy clouds and intermittent rain.
I rode close to 13 miles, and now that I'm cooled off I feel like I have enough energy left to whack up some more firewood.
We've been burning wood in the stove to take the morning chill off the house for several days. It hasn't been cool enough to burn up any substantial amount of wood but I'm still convinced we will soon have some down home real life nasty winter weather, and I'm trying to make hay (Firewood, that is) while the sun shines and the weather is wonderful.
My Catrike exhibits a low grumbling noise at speed, and I haven't yet tracked it down. I'm becoming convinced the rear cassette may be running dry and in need of a fresh lube. Taking the rear drive wheel apart is not a definition of fun, but my plan is to actually DO IT today. The right disk brake howls at certain speeds, too, also needing adjustment. That is, if there is sufficient daylight left after we get back from Albuquerque watching the movie Hacksaw Ridge .
Stay tuned for a review....
Ride Started: 10:29 AM Ride Ended: 12:36 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 12.88
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.5 MPH 8.5 MPH 31.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 7 mins 1 hour 52 mins 15 minutes
Instead of exhausting myself cutting firewood today, I thought I'd do me a trike ride first. Especially since it was such a beautiful sunny day after several days of soggy clouds and intermittent rain.
I rode close to 13 miles, and now that I'm cooled off I feel like I have enough energy left to whack up some more firewood.
We've been burning wood in the stove to take the morning chill off the house for several days. It hasn't been cool enough to burn up any substantial amount of wood but I'm still convinced we will soon have some down home real life nasty winter weather, and I'm trying to make hay (Firewood, that is) while the sun shines and the weather is wonderful.
My Catrike exhibits a low grumbling noise at speed, and I haven't yet tracked it down. I'm becoming convinced the rear cassette may be running dry and in need of a fresh lube. Taking the rear drive wheel apart is not a definition of fun, but my plan is to actually DO IT today. The right disk brake howls at certain speeds, too, also needing adjustment. That is, if there is sufficient daylight left after we get back from Albuquerque watching the movie Hacksaw Ridge .
Stay tuned for a review....
Ride Started: 10:29 AM Ride Ended: 12:36 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 12.88
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.5 MPH 8.5 MPH 31.7 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 7 mins 1 hour 52 mins 15 minutes
Saturday, October 29, 2016
TORA TORA TORA (Trike On Road Again)
Today's 12-Mile Tracking
I started the day's publicly acceptable activities by splitting a large log section with my sore-back-generating hand maul splitter. Then I ran the chainsaw cutting down some more juniper trees for next year's wood stockpile, and after a bit of this I was bushed. I hauled the split wood up to my full-cord wood crib next to the front porch and then had to sit down and rest and drink unleaded root beer, meaning diet.
I was still bushed after resting a while but - having skipped riding yesterday - wanted to ride at least a few miles in futile attempts to keep my belly back behind my belt where it belongs. My back was really talking to me after swinging that maul but I thought perhaps the reclining seat of the recumbent trike would help the old backbone and butt to relax.
I loaded the new-used Catrike into the trailer and hauled it down to the pavement and took off. First I rode west up the hill to the Post Office, figuring if I was too worn out from woodcutting I would call it quits after that short ride. This Catrike is much lighter than any other 2- or 3- wheeler I've previously ridden and, coupled with its easy-shifting 27 gear combinations, it's much easier to pull long hills and such. It's a little squirrely at speed since it has very touchy steering with lots of oversteer but that's supposedly very common with short trikes. I'm getting better at the "lighter touch" on the steering handles and really like the ride.
My back didn't get any better on the ride to the PO and back, but it didn't hurt any worse either, and I decided to keep on riding farther east to do my "normal loop" of about 10 miles in addition to the Post Office trip. The wind was kicking up a bit but it wasn't terrible and did not interfere with a very enjoyable ride.
Ride Started: 12:22 PM Ride Ended: 2:36 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 13.0
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.6 MPH 8.0 MPH 32.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 14 mins 1 hour 42 mins 31 minutes
I started the day's publicly acceptable activities by splitting a large log section with my sore-back-generating hand maul splitter. Then I ran the chainsaw cutting down some more juniper trees for next year's wood stockpile, and after a bit of this I was bushed. I hauled the split wood up to my full-cord wood crib next to the front porch and then had to sit down and rest and drink unleaded root beer, meaning diet.
I was still bushed after resting a while but - having skipped riding yesterday - wanted to ride at least a few miles in futile attempts to keep my belly back behind my belt where it belongs. My back was really talking to me after swinging that maul but I thought perhaps the reclining seat of the recumbent trike would help the old backbone and butt to relax.
I loaded the new-used Catrike into the trailer and hauled it down to the pavement and took off. First I rode west up the hill to the Post Office, figuring if I was too worn out from woodcutting I would call it quits after that short ride. This Catrike is much lighter than any other 2- or 3- wheeler I've previously ridden and, coupled with its easy-shifting 27 gear combinations, it's much easier to pull long hills and such. It's a little squirrely at speed since it has very touchy steering with lots of oversteer but that's supposedly very common with short trikes. I'm getting better at the "lighter touch" on the steering handles and really like the ride.
My back didn't get any better on the ride to the PO and back, but it didn't hurt any worse either, and I decided to keep on riding farther east to do my "normal loop" of about 10 miles in addition to the Post Office trip. The wind was kicking up a bit but it wasn't terrible and did not interfere with a very enjoyable ride.
Ride Started: 12:22 PM Ride Ended: 2:36 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 13.0
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.6 MPH 8.0 MPH 32.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 14 mins 1 hour 42 mins 31 minutes
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
10 Miles with 2 Trikes
Today's Tracking via GPS and Ham Radio
I finally got my GPS, ham radio, and wiring harness for battery supply, antenna feedline, and helmet earphone and microphone installed on my "New" used Catrike Road this morning. I thought I had it finished yesterday but got rained out before Lilly and I got even halfway to the pavement of Frost Road. When I first went out this morning, thinking to make a quick getaway, I realized I had not yet installed the wiring harness for the transmit switch to mount on the right handlebar nor the connection for the helmet harness. That didn't take long to remedy, though, and I was ready to go in less than an hour. Jacque decided she was in the mood for a ride as well, so we loaded up both trikes, hers and mine, on the junk trailer and loaded every other necessity for a ride. Water, snacks, harnesses and seat-pads for the doggies, etc; the basic necessities of life on a bike.
Jacque could have easily hauled both doggies in her side-by-side saddle-baskets, she's done it before, but I wanted to try Lilly again in the belly harness.
All worked fairly well and 'twas a lovely day for a ride in the country, por cierto.
Lilly is a whiner and a crybaby, though. If she's not being petted and spoiled while traveling she tends to whine and beg and drive everyone within earshot absolutely bonkers. So today she drove ME bonkers for about half the ride, after which her whining mechanism seemed to dwindle in strength and she was calm and quiet most of the ride back towards home, not even getting excited when the inevitable snarling dog came running up to the fences in full alarm-cry.
We were all fairly tuckered by the time we got back to the Exploder and trailer, but we realized we still had time to hurriedly clean up and make it to the movie "I'm Not Ashamed" in Albuquerque. This was a film based on a true story of one of the first victims of the Columbine High School shootings. We loved the film and highly recommend it, with one caveat: Make sure you have Kleenex handy.
It does NOT go into the gory details of the carnage, but it gets a wonderful message across: Heavenly Father loves us all.
As usual, no close encounters or dangerous incidents occurred. Great riding weather, and it ain't gonna last forever.....
The geek-stuff on the trike worked fine, as seen by the path reported by its GPS and radio transmitter. I have a few small parts on order to duplicate the setup on the other bikes, but for now this one will do. The trike is much lighter, has more gears, and cruises faster on top end and zips up hills much faster than my other bikes: It's very low slung and LIGHT.
Ride Started: 1:05 PM Ride Ended: 2:56 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 10.05
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.28 MPH 8.0 MPH 28.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 51 mins 1 hour 38 mins 13 minutes
I finally got my GPS, ham radio, and wiring harness for battery supply, antenna feedline, and helmet earphone and microphone installed on my "New" used Catrike Road this morning. I thought I had it finished yesterday but got rained out before Lilly and I got even halfway to the pavement of Frost Road. When I first went out this morning, thinking to make a quick getaway, I realized I had not yet installed the wiring harness for the transmit switch to mount on the right handlebar nor the connection for the helmet harness. That didn't take long to remedy, though, and I was ready to go in less than an hour. Jacque decided she was in the mood for a ride as well, so we loaded up both trikes, hers and mine, on the junk trailer and loaded every other necessity for a ride. Water, snacks, harnesses and seat-pads for the doggies, etc; the basic necessities of life on a bike.
Jacque could have easily hauled both doggies in her side-by-side saddle-baskets, she's done it before, but I wanted to try Lilly again in the belly harness.
All worked fairly well and 'twas a lovely day for a ride in the country, por cierto.
Lilly is a whiner and a crybaby, though. If she's not being petted and spoiled while traveling she tends to whine and beg and drive everyone within earshot absolutely bonkers. So today she drove ME bonkers for about half the ride, after which her whining mechanism seemed to dwindle in strength and she was calm and quiet most of the ride back towards home, not even getting excited when the inevitable snarling dog came running up to the fences in full alarm-cry.
We were all fairly tuckered by the time we got back to the Exploder and trailer, but we realized we still had time to hurriedly clean up and make it to the movie "I'm Not Ashamed" in Albuquerque. This was a film based on a true story of one of the first victims of the Columbine High School shootings. We loved the film and highly recommend it, with one caveat: Make sure you have Kleenex handy.
It does NOT go into the gory details of the carnage, but it gets a wonderful message across: Heavenly Father loves us all.
As usual, no close encounters or dangerous incidents occurred. Great riding weather, and it ain't gonna last forever.....
The geek-stuff on the trike worked fine, as seen by the path reported by its GPS and radio transmitter. I have a few small parts on order to duplicate the setup on the other bikes, but for now this one will do. The trike is much lighter, has more gears, and cruises faster on top end and zips up hills much faster than my other bikes: It's very low slung and LIGHT.
Ride Started: 1:05 PM Ride Ended: 2:56 PM
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 10.05
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.28 MPH 8.0 MPH 28.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 51 mins 1 hour 38 mins 13 minutes
Friday, October 21, 2016
17 Miles and Stiff Knees
Friday Tracking, Courtesy of GPS and Ham Radio
We were chugging away at home trying to catch up on THINGS (such as pulling weeds, getting broken radios fixed, installing new software, getting Windoze 95 to work in the Brave New World, etc.) and it was well after noon when Jacque strongly suggested we go for a ride. Since her Catrike is now mounted inside as an exercise trike and the Tandem Terratrike was easily retrieved from its protective shelter under the front deck, we did the tandem thing.
Since we already had a list of stuff to do and pick up in Albuquerque, we hitched up the trailer and hauled the tandem to town so we could ride the world famous Bosque Trail .
We decided to park at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Museum parking lot and ride the trail from there to the Bosque. There are parking lots adjacent to the trail with easy access; unfortunately they are frequent targets for thieves who enjoy burglarizing parked cars, a well established detriment to the City.
It's close to 4 miles from this parking lot to the Alameda entrance to the Bosque Trail, and we made it to that point maybe a half hour before sunset. After several miles southward on the Trail, it began to get quite dark - and cold as well - so we began to get worried about needing to turn around. We were in desperate need of a bathroom, and Jacque was set to grit her teeth and survive the entire return trip without a break, when we suddenly spotted a VERY unusual sight on the Bike Trail: A Porta-Potty. Talk about a beautiful vision in the middle of the forested riverbank. WOW, we thought, the City had Finally set up a FACILITY along the bike trail.
As it turned out, it was only there for some sort of construction project, meant for construction workers only, not unwashed cyclists, homeless waifs, or other denizens of the Bosque Trail. Temporary though it may have been, it was mightily appreciated by all who stumbled upon it. Cycling trails are wonderful but invariably they lack "facilities", meaning users must either hold it until they explode, or if of the male persuasion such as I, do it in the bushes and trees and other foliage along the trail. Whatever, life is good, and the occasional porta potty is a wonderful relief.
As usual, we met all sorts of odd folks on the trail: Homeless wanderers stumbling along with their quilts and sacks of stuff and layers of warm clothing regardless of the heat, high speed racers zooming along bent over face down in their pursuits, pretty Moms trudging along with their baby strollers (moving barely slower than we were), joggers, and ONE upright tandem with a grinning couple pedaling furiously, and ONE low slung 2-wheel recumbent headed the other way. FUN
We decided to turn the trike around (the path has no turnaround points, so this involves picking up the rear wheel of the Terratrike off the ground and walking it around until the entire trike was facing the other way).
We got a bit more tired and exhausted as the daylight completely faded away, with the last half hour almost totally in the dark. Thankfully we always ride with bright blinky tail lights, headlamps on our helmets, and bright objectionable clothing. Which reminds me as I type this: I need new batteries in MY headlamp.
And, Jacque got her wish for a "long" ride: Stiff knees. But they're still looking and working great.
Ride Started: 4:15 PM Ride Ended: 7:17 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.2 Lowest: 12.5
Lowest Temp 57 F Highest Temp: 75 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 17.51
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.7 MPH 7.0 MPH 21.9 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
3 hours 3 mins 2 hours 30 mins 33 minutes
We were chugging away at home trying to catch up on THINGS (such as pulling weeds, getting broken radios fixed, installing new software, getting Windoze 95 to work in the Brave New World, etc.) and it was well after noon when Jacque strongly suggested we go for a ride. Since her Catrike is now mounted inside as an exercise trike and the Tandem Terratrike was easily retrieved from its protective shelter under the front deck, we did the tandem thing.
Since we already had a list of stuff to do and pick up in Albuquerque, we hitched up the trailer and hauled the tandem to town so we could ride the world famous Bosque Trail .
We decided to park at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Museum parking lot and ride the trail from there to the Bosque. There are parking lots adjacent to the trail with easy access; unfortunately they are frequent targets for thieves who enjoy burglarizing parked cars, a well established detriment to the City.
It's close to 4 miles from this parking lot to the Alameda entrance to the Bosque Trail, and we made it to that point maybe a half hour before sunset. After several miles southward on the Trail, it began to get quite dark - and cold as well - so we began to get worried about needing to turn around. We were in desperate need of a bathroom, and Jacque was set to grit her teeth and survive the entire return trip without a break, when we suddenly spotted a VERY unusual sight on the Bike Trail: A Porta-Potty. Talk about a beautiful vision in the middle of the forested riverbank. WOW, we thought, the City had Finally set up a FACILITY along the bike trail.
As it turned out, it was only there for some sort of construction project, meant for construction workers only, not unwashed cyclists, homeless waifs, or other denizens of the Bosque Trail. Temporary though it may have been, it was mightily appreciated by all who stumbled upon it. Cycling trails are wonderful but invariably they lack "facilities", meaning users must either hold it until they explode, or if of the male persuasion such as I, do it in the bushes and trees and other foliage along the trail. Whatever, life is good, and the occasional porta potty is a wonderful relief.
As usual, we met all sorts of odd folks on the trail: Homeless wanderers stumbling along with their quilts and sacks of stuff and layers of warm clothing regardless of the heat, high speed racers zooming along bent over face down in their pursuits, pretty Moms trudging along with their baby strollers (moving barely slower than we were), joggers, and ONE upright tandem with a grinning couple pedaling furiously, and ONE low slung 2-wheel recumbent headed the other way. FUN
We decided to turn the trike around (the path has no turnaround points, so this involves picking up the rear wheel of the Terratrike off the ground and walking it around until the entire trike was facing the other way).
We got a bit more tired and exhausted as the daylight completely faded away, with the last half hour almost totally in the dark. Thankfully we always ride with bright blinky tail lights, headlamps on our helmets, and bright objectionable clothing. Which reminds me as I type this: I need new batteries in MY headlamp.
And, Jacque got her wish for a "long" ride: Stiff knees. But they're still looking and working great.
Ride Started: 4:15 PM Ride Ended: 7:17 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.2 Lowest: 12.5
Lowest Temp 57 F Highest Temp: 75 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 17.51
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.7 MPH 7.0 MPH 21.9 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
3 hours 3 mins 2 hours 30 mins 33 minutes
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
My, a Windy Tuesday
Tuesday Tracking via APRS and Ham Radio
Now that I'm a free agent again, I am totally free to ride around whenever I want to. Sorta.
I finally got my first post-mission ride in yesterday, and it was the usual 10-mile loop around our East Mountain neighborhood.
PLUS, the wind was up. Not violently so, but enough to require a few lower gear-rings than normal during several parts of the ride. Also, the unpleasantness of having to pedal to maintain speed going DOWNhill....
I love my 2-wheel recumbent, but I'm getting antsy to get my electronics mounted on the new Catrike Road trike so I can enjoy riding it more, especially since it has both higher and lower gears top and bottom for cruising and climbing.
I still maintain balance just fine, but climbing long hills on the 2-wheeler gets tedious at my advanced age and, though I still have no balance issues, crawling along in granny gear on the 2-wheeler means lots of wobbling left and right to STAY upright, whereas with the trike you just keep pedaling and maintaining a steadier course.
Since we have only Windoze 95 on our PC's and laptops, I can no longer upload and edit GoPro videos from my helmet-cam. GoPro deserted Win 95 shortly after Microsoft did. Until we get an upgraded system somewhere within our budget and control, I'm stuck with a very expensive but useless camera. Sigh.
I'm prepping to do a few longer rides, such as 30-milers into Albuquerque and back. Today would be great but I would run out of time (3 hours or so to do 30 miles through the canyon) waiting for me to get the mods done to the Catrike. So I guess I'll just wimp out today (Wednesday) and drive into town and, if time permits, do a short ride before or after on the bike. Gotta maintain my girly figure, don'tcha know.
Ride Started: 12:25 PM Ride Ended: 2:16 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.0 Ending Voltage: 13.2 Lowest: 12.5
Lowest Temp 71 F Highest Temp: 82 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 10.67
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.9 MPH 7.6 MPH 24.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 40 mins 1 hour 23 mins 24 minutes
Now that I'm a free agent again, I am totally free to ride around whenever I want to. Sorta.
I finally got my first post-mission ride in yesterday, and it was the usual 10-mile loop around our East Mountain neighborhood.
PLUS, the wind was up. Not violently so, but enough to require a few lower gear-rings than normal during several parts of the ride. Also, the unpleasantness of having to pedal to maintain speed going DOWNhill....
I love my 2-wheel recumbent, but I'm getting antsy to get my electronics mounted on the new Catrike Road trike so I can enjoy riding it more, especially since it has both higher and lower gears top and bottom for cruising and climbing.
I still maintain balance just fine, but climbing long hills on the 2-wheeler gets tedious at my advanced age and, though I still have no balance issues, crawling along in granny gear on the 2-wheeler means lots of wobbling left and right to STAY upright, whereas with the trike you just keep pedaling and maintaining a steadier course.
Since we have only Windoze 95 on our PC's and laptops, I can no longer upload and edit GoPro videos from my helmet-cam. GoPro deserted Win 95 shortly after Microsoft did. Until we get an upgraded system somewhere within our budget and control, I'm stuck with a very expensive but useless camera. Sigh.
I'm prepping to do a few longer rides, such as 30-milers into Albuquerque and back. Today would be great but I would run out of time (3 hours or so to do 30 miles through the canyon) waiting for me to get the mods done to the Catrike. So I guess I'll just wimp out today (Wednesday) and drive into town and, if time permits, do a short ride before or after on the bike. Gotta maintain my girly figure, don'tcha know.
Ride Started: 12:25 PM Ride Ended: 2:16 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.0 Ending Voltage: 13.2 Lowest: 12.5
Lowest Temp 71 F Highest Temp: 82 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 10.67
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.9 MPH 7.6 MPH 24.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 40 mins 1 hour 23 mins 24 minutes
Friday, October 7, 2016
Balloon Fiesta Rides
Tuesday's Ride to Pep Boys and Back
Thursday's Early Morning Ride to Balloon Fiesta Track
Wednesday Night Tracking
We've put in a few hours on the Tandem Terratrike this week.
Tuesday evening I rode it over the I-25 overpass to Pep Boys to pick up a new low beam headlight bulb for Jacque's Subaru. A short ride, indeed, but a good stiff climb to get up and down the bike path overpass at I-25.
Wednesday morning we decided to make the tandem actually function as a tandem and rode over to participate in the morning's balloon launches. We got there almost an hour after the balloons had already started to launch, but there were still at least a hundred or more balloons on the ground in process of inflating and launching, so we got to see plenty of up-close action. We had a couple of expensive but delicious world famous Balloon Fiesta Breakfast Burritos, some Diet Coke to wash it down, and then a warm Cinnamon Roll to counteract the effects of the Diet Soda. No tummy-aches, so all went well.
We left the doggies behind in the RV since we worried they would be unduly alarmed at the roar of the burners inflating all the balloons. They forgave us, but barely.
Riding the bike trail into Balloon Fiesta is the only way to fly. That morning there was very little other traffic, lots of places to park and lock the trike once we got there, and for some reason, there were no ticket sellers or ticket takers when we walked in. Maybe they all wandered away from their posts to watch the balloons.
We hiked clear across the park to find the ham radio tent, encountering thousands of people and all kinds of balloons along the way. I was scheduled to operate my radios for the SCAT net (Senior Citizens And Travelers) from Balloon Fiesta on Friday and Saturday, but every security guy we talked to said there was no way to allow the trike on the field itself. So the Friday net was conducted from the RV instead. Maybe I can obtain some kind of advance waiver next time, IF there is a next time.
Then, Wednesday night, we did another first, and rode over for our first Balloon Glow. It was well worth the effort.
This time we took Lilly and Tinkerbell, which was fun but cumbersome what with all the crowding and noises. We planned to eat a Navajo Taco while there, which turned out to be a mistake. EVERY food vendor had lines with at least a hundred people waiting - especially at the vendors selling Mexican fare.
Jacque got in line at Fenrico's (SP?) and I got in line at the vendor 2 stalls away, hoping one line would move faster than the others. The plan was to call each other on the cell phone when either of us got up to the front and got served. My line was longer and it took forever. I was low on blood sugar, a bit spacey, and desperate for some carbs or we would have given up and gone back to the RV for supper. The balloon glows actually ran out of time and closed before we got to purchase anything. ZILLIONS of people, with food lines so long we had to continually open up so walkers and baby buggies etc. could get past us.
I was mildly shocked when I finally got to the window, so I tried to call Jacque, but too many people with too many cell phones.... I called her several times but it never got through. So I handed over $12 for the so called Indian Taco. I was holding Tinkerbell in one arm and trying to get to my wallet with the other, not daring to put her down on the ground with all the food scraps for her to gorge upon. I put on quite a show for everyone within view. Finally I got the dish in one hand with Tink in the other and fought my way back to an eating stand. I tried Jacque several more times to no avail. I expected her to walk up at any time with ANOTHER Navajo Taco, but suddenly my phone rang, she had noticed missed calls and called me back.
When she came over and we started to eat our treat, we wished she HAD gotten another one, since the one I'd just wasted 12 bucks on was (1) cold, barely warm, (2) lacking any beans, (3) NO CHILI AT ALL, (4) VERY few chunks of meat. Just shredded lettuce, no onions, some shredded cold cheese, BAH. I wish I could recall the name of the place to warn everyone to avoid them, but I can't. I doubt we'll EVER try to find a Navajo Taco at Balloon Fiesta in the future. Our NM State Fair may be dwindling in size but, by George, they know how to make REAL Navajo Tacos there, and for far more reasonable prices. (It helps when it's a Navajo lady making the taco in front of your eyes!)
Escaping Balloon Glow was another challenge. Though we moved faster than drivers in vehicles (stopped more than moving), there were hundreds of pedestrians and baby strollers who had used the bike path to arrive and were literally clogging the pathway blissfully unaware of the dozens of cyclists trapped behind them hoping to get through. Many cyclists had given up and were just walking their bikes instead of trying to get around into the clear. After much twisting, braking, and dodging, we cyclists were able to get out into the open bike path and actually spread out and make good progress towards home.
Final Ride Started: 6:13 PM Ride Ended: 9:08 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1 Lowest: 12.9
Lowest Temp 57 F Highest Temp: 67 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 8.37
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.7 MPH 6.4 MPH 19.0 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 55 mins 1 hour 18 mins 1 hour 20 mins
Thursday's Early Morning Ride to Balloon Fiesta Track
Wednesday Night Tracking
We've put in a few hours on the Tandem Terratrike this week.
Tuesday evening I rode it over the I-25 overpass to Pep Boys to pick up a new low beam headlight bulb for Jacque's Subaru. A short ride, indeed, but a good stiff climb to get up and down the bike path overpass at I-25.
Wednesday morning we decided to make the tandem actually function as a tandem and rode over to participate in the morning's balloon launches. We got there almost an hour after the balloons had already started to launch, but there were still at least a hundred or more balloons on the ground in process of inflating and launching, so we got to see plenty of up-close action. We had a couple of expensive but delicious world famous Balloon Fiesta Breakfast Burritos, some Diet Coke to wash it down, and then a warm Cinnamon Roll to counteract the effects of the Diet Soda. No tummy-aches, so all went well.
We left the doggies behind in the RV since we worried they would be unduly alarmed at the roar of the burners inflating all the balloons. They forgave us, but barely.
Riding the bike trail into Balloon Fiesta is the only way to fly. That morning there was very little other traffic, lots of places to park and lock the trike once we got there, and for some reason, there were no ticket sellers or ticket takers when we walked in. Maybe they all wandered away from their posts to watch the balloons.
We hiked clear across the park to find the ham radio tent, encountering thousands of people and all kinds of balloons along the way. I was scheduled to operate my radios for the SCAT net (Senior Citizens And Travelers) from Balloon Fiesta on Friday and Saturday, but every security guy we talked to said there was no way to allow the trike on the field itself. So the Friday net was conducted from the RV instead. Maybe I can obtain some kind of advance waiver next time, IF there is a next time.
Then, Wednesday night, we did another first, and rode over for our first Balloon Glow. It was well worth the effort.
This time we took Lilly and Tinkerbell, which was fun but cumbersome what with all the crowding and noises. We planned to eat a Navajo Taco while there, which turned out to be a mistake. EVERY food vendor had lines with at least a hundred people waiting - especially at the vendors selling Mexican fare.
Jacque got in line at Fenrico's (SP?) and I got in line at the vendor 2 stalls away, hoping one line would move faster than the others. The plan was to call each other on the cell phone when either of us got up to the front and got served. My line was longer and it took forever. I was low on blood sugar, a bit spacey, and desperate for some carbs or we would have given up and gone back to the RV for supper. The balloon glows actually ran out of time and closed before we got to purchase anything. ZILLIONS of people, with food lines so long we had to continually open up so walkers and baby buggies etc. could get past us.
I was mildly shocked when I finally got to the window, so I tried to call Jacque, but too many people with too many cell phones.... I called her several times but it never got through. So I handed over $12 for the so called Indian Taco. I was holding Tinkerbell in one arm and trying to get to my wallet with the other, not daring to put her down on the ground with all the food scraps for her to gorge upon. I put on quite a show for everyone within view. Finally I got the dish in one hand with Tink in the other and fought my way back to an eating stand. I tried Jacque several more times to no avail. I expected her to walk up at any time with ANOTHER Navajo Taco, but suddenly my phone rang, she had noticed missed calls and called me back.
When she came over and we started to eat our treat, we wished she HAD gotten another one, since the one I'd just wasted 12 bucks on was (1) cold, barely warm, (2) lacking any beans, (3) NO CHILI AT ALL, (4) VERY few chunks of meat. Just shredded lettuce, no onions, some shredded cold cheese, BAH. I wish I could recall the name of the place to warn everyone to avoid them, but I can't. I doubt we'll EVER try to find a Navajo Taco at Balloon Fiesta in the future. Our NM State Fair may be dwindling in size but, by George, they know how to make REAL Navajo Tacos there, and for far more reasonable prices. (It helps when it's a Navajo lady making the taco in front of your eyes!)
Escaping Balloon Glow was another challenge. Though we moved faster than drivers in vehicles (stopped more than moving), there were hundreds of pedestrians and baby strollers who had used the bike path to arrive and were literally clogging the pathway blissfully unaware of the dozens of cyclists trapped behind them hoping to get through. Many cyclists had given up and were just walking their bikes instead of trying to get around into the clear. After much twisting, braking, and dodging, we cyclists were able to get out into the open bike path and actually spread out and make good progress towards home.
Final Ride Started: 6:13 PM Ride Ended: 9:08 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1 Lowest: 12.9
Lowest Temp 57 F Highest Temp: 67 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 8.37
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.7 MPH 6.4 MPH 19.0 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 55 mins 1 hour 18 mins 1 hour 20 mins
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Tired Tuesday
Today's limited Tracking
I rode off again today towards Balloon Fiesta Park but ran out of time and turned back for home at the Paseo fork-in-the-trail.
It was 50 degrees according to the outside thermometer today and it was downright COLD even with the windbreaker on. Of course this didn't prevent me from getting sweaty later on in the ride.
When I woke up this morning I was sleepy and wanted to lay in the sack a while longer but I do so want to keep my A1C and blood glucose in better control.
The stiff breezes, mild though they were, kept the Balloons from launching on time this morning.
When they finally did, after I got back to the RV, dozens of hot air balloons floated right over the top of us as we were eating breakfast. We were sitting at the breakfast table and heard the loud WHOOSH of a hot air balloon burner and realized they were very close. One was just 50 or so feet above our heads and waved and shouted "Hello!" back at us. The other office missionaries came outside in a few minutes and enjoyed the low flying balloons as they floated overhead at seemingly low altitudes. Great stuff, one of the benefits of living in the Albuquerque area.
Ride Started: 6:12 AM Ride Ended: 7:51 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.9 Lowest: 12.5
Lowest Temp 49 F Highest Temp: 53 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.2
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.5 MPH 6.9 MPH 17.9 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
48 minutes 45 minutes 3 minutes
I rode off again today towards Balloon Fiesta Park but ran out of time and turned back for home at the Paseo fork-in-the-trail.
It was 50 degrees according to the outside thermometer today and it was downright COLD even with the windbreaker on. Of course this didn't prevent me from getting sweaty later on in the ride.
When I woke up this morning I was sleepy and wanted to lay in the sack a while longer but I do so want to keep my A1C and blood glucose in better control.
The stiff breezes, mild though they were, kept the Balloons from launching on time this morning.
When they finally did, after I got back to the RV, dozens of hot air balloons floated right over the top of us as we were eating breakfast. We were sitting at the breakfast table and heard the loud WHOOSH of a hot air balloon burner and realized they were very close. One was just 50 or so feet above our heads and waved and shouted "Hello!" back at us. The other office missionaries came outside in a few minutes and enjoyed the low flying balloons as they floated overhead at seemingly low altitudes. Great stuff, one of the benefits of living in the Albuquerque area.
Ride Started: 6:12 AM Ride Ended: 7:51 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.9 Lowest: 12.5
Lowest Temp 49 F Highest Temp: 53 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.2
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.5 MPH 6.9 MPH 17.9 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
48 minutes 45 minutes 3 minutes
Monday, October 3, 2016
Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta 2016 ! YAY !
Balloon Park Ride Tracking via APRS and Ham Radio
I woke up this Monday Morning about 5:05 and speedily leaped out of bed about 5:25.
Honest. I just closed my eyes for a second there.....
Balloon Fiesta started last Saturday, day before yesterday, and thus far the weather has permitted launching of most of the balloons.
It had rained on and off part of the night last night, but as I looked outside all I could see was clear sky and stars, so I assumed it would be a great balloon morning.
I thought I should take a ride up TO the Balloon Park just to see how they were handling bike entries, parking in general, etc. Jacque and I plan to ride there to actually go in and participate on Tuesday or Wednesday, but I needed the early morning ride and was curious to see how many bikes might be clogging the normally-mostly-empty bike trail going into the park.
Believe me, THIS is the way to attend Balloon Fiesta. I encountered NO other cyclists as I rode to and entered the park, there were NO traffic jams blocking the route, unlike all automotive streets leading to or nearby the park, and it was. just. cool. As I entered the actual Balloon Park entry on the west end of the Balloon Park, there were no roadblocks, no orange barrels, nobody demanding payment..... just a few THOUSAND vehicles jammed in together, many blocking the bike path through the park, and lots of bright lights. There was an Albuquerque small city bus trying to wend its way through the throngs of people, and I merely turned around, looked around a bit, and rode back out from whence the way I came.
THEN I must have met twenty or more cyclists heading for and into the parkway, and all friendly enough to respond to my greetings.
I'm sure there's a gatekeeper demanding payment to go further into the park, but getting there is sure painless compared to trying to drive or wait for the bus.
All that enthusiasm and then they didn't fly. The breezes that seemed gentle enough to me evidently were too dangerous for the balloon pilots. The official explanation for cancelling the launches today was " wind ".
Oh, well, still several more days of fiesta left. Hopefully tomorrow....
Ride Started: 6:51 AM Ride Ended: 7:54 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 12.9 Lowest: 12.2
Lowest Temp 60 F Highest Temp: 64 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 8.13
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.9 MPH 7.5 MPH 20.0 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 10 mins 1 hour 5 mins 5 minutes
I woke up this Monday Morning about 5:05 and speedily leaped out of bed about 5:25.
Honest. I just closed my eyes for a second there.....
Balloon Fiesta started last Saturday, day before yesterday, and thus far the weather has permitted launching of most of the balloons.
It had rained on and off part of the night last night, but as I looked outside all I could see was clear sky and stars, so I assumed it would be a great balloon morning.
I thought I should take a ride up TO the Balloon Park just to see how they were handling bike entries, parking in general, etc. Jacque and I plan to ride there to actually go in and participate on Tuesday or Wednesday, but I needed the early morning ride and was curious to see how many bikes might be clogging the normally-mostly-empty bike trail going into the park.
Believe me, THIS is the way to attend Balloon Fiesta. I encountered NO other cyclists as I rode to and entered the park, there were NO traffic jams blocking the route, unlike all automotive streets leading to or nearby the park, and it was. just. cool. As I entered the actual Balloon Park entry on the west end of the Balloon Park, there were no roadblocks, no orange barrels, nobody demanding payment..... just a few THOUSAND vehicles jammed in together, many blocking the bike path through the park, and lots of bright lights. There was an Albuquerque small city bus trying to wend its way through the throngs of people, and I merely turned around, looked around a bit, and rode back out from whence the way I came.
THEN I must have met twenty or more cyclists heading for and into the parkway, and all friendly enough to respond to my greetings.
I'm sure there's a gatekeeper demanding payment to go further into the park, but getting there is sure painless compared to trying to drive or wait for the bus.
All that enthusiasm and then they didn't fly. The breezes that seemed gentle enough to me evidently were too dangerous for the balloon pilots. The official explanation for cancelling the launches today was " wind ".
Oh, well, still several more days of fiesta left. Hopefully tomorrow....
Ride Started: 6:51 AM Ride Ended: 7:54 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 12.9 Lowest: 12.2
Lowest Temp 60 F Highest Temp: 64 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 8.13
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.9 MPH 7.5 MPH 20.0 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 10 mins 1 hour 5 mins 5 minutes
Sunday, October 2, 2016
A Bicycle Ride is Not a Big Deal
Today's No Big Deal Tracking via APRS and Ham Radio
This ride took place yesterday, and I'm only just now blogging it as LDS General Conference is unfolding on the Roku-assisted TV screen.
I was (as usual) running low on time last night and needing to flop and get some sleep. I hadn't blogged about the latest bike ride and was considering just skipping it [again].
I thought to myself "After all, a bicycle ride is no big deal" but this thought congealed in my muddy brain as a title for a blog entry. So here goes again.
Saturday, yesterday, was a full day for LDS General Conference, 2-hour sessions starting with the first 10 AM session, the 2:00 PM session, and the Priesthood session at 6 PM.
I watched the first session with Jacque and then hit the road, hoping to not miss too much of the 2:00 afternoon session. I almost made it.
Since it was Saturday, I was able to do a 10-miler. It's not a new route but it never stops being a great loop to ride. And, as usual, I rode swiftly away without my GoPro camera. I had actually put a fresh battery in it to make sure it would perform well, and still forgot to take it out to the bike with me. At least it gets less wear and tear that way... BAH
This fall weather is perfect for riding. Even later in the day when the sun is high it seldom tops 80 degrees.
The wind was, at first, a bit off-putting but it turned out to not be bad at all. It only slowed me down for a few minutes at a time once or twice during the ride.
When I stopped for s short water break I noticed my chain had jumped off the lower idler pulley. I hadn't noticed anything unusual until this.
A short twist of the wrist with the pocket multi-tool cured this minor difficulty.
Now, a short listing of reasons why riding a bike is no Big Deal:
-It doesn't take much time out of your life
-Studies actually point to gaining extended life from the times dedicated to exercise
-A few moments or hours of enjoyment and exposure to nature is certainly No Big Deal
-Feeling like a million bucks after cooling off from a ride is No Big Deal
-Lowered blood glucose the rest of the day is No Big Deal
-Having a low pulse rate from regular riding is No Big Deal
-Feeling the wind in your face while under your own power zipping down the road is No Big Deal
-Etc.
Ride Started: 12:43 PM Ride Ended: 2:03 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7 Lowest: 12.7
Lowest Temp 75 F Highest Temp: 87 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 10.37
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.2 MPH 8.1 MPH 29.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 26 mins 1 hour 16 mins 10 minutes
This ride took place yesterday, and I'm only just now blogging it as LDS General Conference is unfolding on the Roku-assisted TV screen.
I was (as usual) running low on time last night and needing to flop and get some sleep. I hadn't blogged about the latest bike ride and was considering just skipping it [again].
I thought to myself "After all, a bicycle ride is no big deal" but this thought congealed in my muddy brain as a title for a blog entry. So here goes again.
Saturday, yesterday, was a full day for LDS General Conference, 2-hour sessions starting with the first 10 AM session, the 2:00 PM session, and the Priesthood session at 6 PM.
I watched the first session with Jacque and then hit the road, hoping to not miss too much of the 2:00 afternoon session. I almost made it.
Since it was Saturday, I was able to do a 10-miler. It's not a new route but it never stops being a great loop to ride. And, as usual, I rode swiftly away without my GoPro camera. I had actually put a fresh battery in it to make sure it would perform well, and still forgot to take it out to the bike with me. At least it gets less wear and tear that way... BAH
This fall weather is perfect for riding. Even later in the day when the sun is high it seldom tops 80 degrees.
The wind was, at first, a bit off-putting but it turned out to not be bad at all. It only slowed me down for a few minutes at a time once or twice during the ride.
When I stopped for s short water break I noticed my chain had jumped off the lower idler pulley. I hadn't noticed anything unusual until this.
Now, a short listing of reasons why riding a bike is no Big Deal:
-It doesn't take much time out of your life
-Studies actually point to gaining extended life from the times dedicated to exercise
-A few moments or hours of enjoyment and exposure to nature is certainly No Big Deal
-Feeling like a million bucks after cooling off from a ride is No Big Deal
-Lowered blood glucose the rest of the day is No Big Deal
-Having a low pulse rate from regular riding is No Big Deal
-Feeling the wind in your face while under your own power zipping down the road is No Big Deal
-Etc.
Ride Started: 12:43 PM Ride Ended: 2:03 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7 Lowest: 12.7
Lowest Temp 75 F Highest Temp: 87 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 10.37
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.2 MPH 8.1 MPH 29.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 26 mins 1 hour 16 mins 10 minutes
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Must be Thursday .... Or Whatever
Thursday 29 September Tracking
I awoke about 5:26 AM today and immediately thought "BIKE RIDE!"
A few dozen winks later, the bed was feeling awfully comfortable, but I managed to get my lazy butt out anyway.
As usual, I was glad I did. I had a middling headache when I first started out, but it didn't take more than a mile or two of wind in my face to clear it up and start to feel like a million bucks.
My 2-wheeled recumbent and my new Catrike are both safely secured at home 20 miles away so the only thing I have left to ride is my 30-year-old DF Diamond Back mountain bike or our 3-wheel Tandem Recumbent Terratrike , and I unfailingly prefer the recumbent in spite of its length and weight. It's a fun ride and good exercise even without Jacque in the back seat stoking for me.
By the time I got rolling it was a bit after 6 AM so I decided to ride out for half an hour and turn around, making at least an hour ride this morning, which is still enough to get the old ticker and circulation going.
It feels like a million bucks, too, once I get out of the shower and stagger off to work.
My GoPro camera batteries are going soft on me: If I leave them out of the charger more than 1 day, they have little charge left in them and poop out after only a few minutes of running the camera. I guess I need to spend some more money, again, to see if I can get some reliable batteries for this expensive toy.
Not much to comment on this morning. Weather was noticeably warmer, about 62 degrees, which is great for cycling. Cool enough to eventually work up a mild sweat, without the necessity of starting out with the outer windbreaker on. Since I again, as usual, had limited time, I rode only to Paseo Del Norte on the North Diversion Trail before turning around and hightailing it back to the shower.
Tomorrow, Friday, I'll be tied up from the wee hours until late or mid afternoon, so no bike ride to cheer me up tomorrow....
Ride Started: 6:05 AM Ride Ended: 7:05 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 12.7 Lowest: 12.2
Lowest Temp 60 F Highest Temp: 64 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6:94
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.7 MPH 7.9 MPH 19.4 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 2 mins 52 minutes 10 minutes
I awoke about 5:26 AM today and immediately thought "BIKE RIDE!"
A few dozen winks later, the bed was feeling awfully comfortable, but I managed to get my lazy butt out anyway.
As usual, I was glad I did. I had a middling headache when I first started out, but it didn't take more than a mile or two of wind in my face to clear it up and start to feel like a million bucks.
My 2-wheeled recumbent and my new Catrike are both safely secured at home 20 miles away so the only thing I have left to ride is my 30-year-old DF Diamond Back mountain bike or our 3-wheel Tandem Recumbent Terratrike , and I unfailingly prefer the recumbent in spite of its length and weight. It's a fun ride and good exercise even without Jacque in the back seat stoking for me.
By the time I got rolling it was a bit after 6 AM so I decided to ride out for half an hour and turn around, making at least an hour ride this morning, which is still enough to get the old ticker and circulation going.
It feels like a million bucks, too, once I get out of the shower and stagger off to work.
My GoPro camera batteries are going soft on me: If I leave them out of the charger more than 1 day, they have little charge left in them and poop out after only a few minutes of running the camera. I guess I need to spend some more money, again, to see if I can get some reliable batteries for this expensive toy.
Not much to comment on this morning. Weather was noticeably warmer, about 62 degrees, which is great for cycling. Cool enough to eventually work up a mild sweat, without the necessity of starting out with the outer windbreaker on. Since I again, as usual, had limited time, I rode only to Paseo Del Norte on the North Diversion Trail before turning around and hightailing it back to the shower.
Tomorrow, Friday, I'll be tied up from the wee hours until late or mid afternoon, so no bike ride to cheer me up tomorrow....
Ride Started: 6:05 AM Ride Ended: 7:05 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 12.7 Lowest: 12.2
Lowest Temp 60 F Highest Temp: 64 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6:94
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.7 MPH 7.9 MPH 19.4 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 2 mins 52 minutes 10 minutes
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Tuesday on a Roll
Tuesday Tracking Trail
I awoke at 5 after 5 AM this morning but loafed in bed until 5:07 or so and then got up for a ride.
It was just after 5:30 when I got rolling and the wind was a wee bit cold and stiff this morning. Heading north on the "North Diversion Trail" planted me face into the wind, which not only slowed me down but chilled me as well, in spite of my wearing a decent windbreaker most of the way.
I looped again around the Vista Del Norte neighborhood The first few times I rode this neighborhood it seemed quiet and seldom traveled but lately it seems almost crowded, and a couple miles of the 'hood are narrow streets with no shoulders. Passing cars come uncomfortably close, so I doubt I'll try this one any more in the future. No really close calls; just a bit tight and uncomfortable for a leisurely before-dawn ride.
This actually seems to be either a popular commuting or exercising hour since I normally pass several other cyclists, pedestrians, and dog walkers even though it's dark and cold.
By the time I had looped back north up to Osuna I was warm enough it was starting to get sweaty in my armpits, which is not pleasant in cold weather since it provides discomfort from the perspiration as well as the chilling effect as the sweat is exposed to the air. I pulled off my windbreaker and sat on it, riding the rest of the way 'home' with just the Velcro-front-secured flaming yellow tee shirt Jacque stitched up for me several years ago.
I again left my GoPro safely behind so no danger of pictures or videos from today' adventure.
I talked to a friend on the bike ham radio yesterday who told me he was "too old to ride bikes any more".
Of course I had to argue with him on that point, not the least of which points is that I was a few years older then HE was. I recommended him to go down to Two-Wheel Drive just west of University on Central and test ride a few of his recumbent trikes and see if it didn't give him the "itch" to get going again.
In another week or so most of my rides will transfer to the higher altitudes of the East Mountains, with occasional forays into ABQ involving longer distances.
Ride Started: 5:39 AM Ride Ended: 6:42 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1 Lowest: 12.9
Lowest Temp 53 F Highest Temp: 53 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6:34
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.8 MPH 6.6 MPH 15.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 5 mins 57 minutes 8 minutes
I awoke at 5 after 5 AM this morning but loafed in bed until 5:07 or so and then got up for a ride.
It was just after 5:30 when I got rolling and the wind was a wee bit cold and stiff this morning. Heading north on the "North Diversion Trail" planted me face into the wind, which not only slowed me down but chilled me as well, in spite of my wearing a decent windbreaker most of the way.
I looped again around the Vista Del Norte neighborhood The first few times I rode this neighborhood it seemed quiet and seldom traveled but lately it seems almost crowded, and a couple miles of the 'hood are narrow streets with no shoulders. Passing cars come uncomfortably close, so I doubt I'll try this one any more in the future. No really close calls; just a bit tight and uncomfortable for a leisurely before-dawn ride.
This actually seems to be either a popular commuting or exercising hour since I normally pass several other cyclists, pedestrians, and dog walkers even though it's dark and cold.
By the time I had looped back north up to Osuna I was warm enough it was starting to get sweaty in my armpits, which is not pleasant in cold weather since it provides discomfort from the perspiration as well as the chilling effect as the sweat is exposed to the air. I pulled off my windbreaker and sat on it, riding the rest of the way 'home' with just the Velcro-front-secured flaming yellow tee shirt Jacque stitched up for me several years ago.
I again left my GoPro safely behind so no danger of pictures or videos from today' adventure.
I talked to a friend on the bike ham radio yesterday who told me he was "too old to ride bikes any more".
Of course I had to argue with him on that point, not the least of which points is that I was a few years older then HE was. I recommended him to go down to Two-Wheel Drive just west of University on Central and test ride a few of his recumbent trikes and see if it didn't give him the "itch" to get going again.
In another week or so most of my rides will transfer to the higher altitudes of the East Mountains, with occasional forays into ABQ involving longer distances.
Ride Started: 5:39 AM Ride Ended: 6:42 AM
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1 Lowest: 12.9
Lowest Temp 53 F Highest Temp: 53 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6:34
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.8 MPH 6.6 MPH 15.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 5 mins 57 minutes 8 minutes
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