Roaming Around Town

Today's GPS/Ham Radio Tracking

Another Day, another ride.  That makes it a good day, in my eyes.
Today I rook a few detours around town, deciding in advance to not just ride a circle around town, but to detour into a few different streets I haven't ridden before.  It seemed a nice strategy, providing me with a view of various neighborhoods.
I should have taken a few pictures, since most of this area has lovely homes, with yards covered with beautiful Missouri grass, trees, and flowers.
About one mile into my ride, the trike started squealing horribly.  It's had an intermittent squeal of unknown origin for a week or so now, but this time the squeal erupted loudly every time I tried to pedal.  I looked for a shady spot to stop and investigate, and while I poked around the trike, an elderly couple across the street started up a conversation about the trike.
Even though he slowed me down a bit, it was nice visiting with the friendly husband while I lifted the back wheel and looked around for a rock or something to raise the rear wheel while I cranked the pedals to find what was squealing.  It turned out to be loudest right under my seat.  There in the shadow of the seat resides an idler pulley to keep the chain straight as it loops from the front ring gears clear to the back cassette gears on the rear wheel.  As I poked around trying to find out WHY it was squealing, I discovered the plastic idler pulley was in fact jammed, frozen from rolling with the chain.  I had lubricated, or thought I had, this pulley only a few days ago but evidently the oil I'd dripped around it had not actually reached the pivot point of the bearing.  I got my hands very greasy forcing the pulley to turn and then generously adding more oil for the bearing.  It now turned freely without squeal or complaint, so I was able to continue on, bidding goodbye to my chatty newfound friends.
The rest of the ride was pleasant enough, with up hill and down dale and finding various "streets" were paved but unmarked as dead ends, leading to quick entry and exit. 
As I rode 13th street and turned north on Hovis, I encountered a city back-hoe and a dump truck along with signs announcing "Road Closed".  As I rode closer to make sure, I saw there was a narrow strip of pavement between the signs - wide enough for my little trike wheels to fit.  So I was able to continue on Hovis up to the frontage road along US 60 and back south, navigating a few more small neighborhoods along the way.
I had been home, cooling off, for only a few minutes, when Jacque suggested going over to the local Senior Center for lunch.  I had ridden past there on my ride about an hour earlier and saw the full parking lot, indicating good food this day, so I agreed, and SHE agreed to ride trikes there and back instead of driving.  So that was another short but enjoyable ride.

1st Ride Started:  9:17 AM      Ride Ended:  11:14 AM

Beginning Battery Voltage:  14.2  Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0 Lowest Voltage:  13.0

Beginning Blood Glucose:  99      Ending BG: 66

Lowest Temp:  75 F    Highest Temp:  84 F

Stats from the GPS:  Total Miles:  9.14
Distance Walked: 1/2 mile
Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  4.9   MPH                           6.6  MPH              21.2 MPH

Total Trip Time                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 1 hour 51 mins                   1 hour 22 mins       28 minutes

Lunch Ride Started: Ride Started:  11:23 AM      Ride Ended:  12:32 PM

Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  2.0   MPH                           5.1  MPH              17.6 MPH

Total Trip Time                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 56 minutes                          22 minutes            33 minutes