Another Illicit Trike Trip

Wednesday Wandering GPS Track

We were running low on essentials, so I rode the trike both as an errand and as exercise.
Essentials:  Things like peanut butter, doggie poop bags, bathroom stink spray, etc.
Like most of the rest of the country, we have been experiencing early spring cold weather.
No snow or ice around here, but mild tornado warnings, stiff winds (50-60 MPH forecasts a few nights ago), and low 30's in the mornings with highs only getting up to the mid 40's.
This day, Wednesday, was again sunny - after the sun burned most of the clouds away - but cool. 
Not cold enough to wear a jacket, but I packed another heavy shirt in the trike's cargo pack in case I didn't get warmed up enough from riding and pedaling.
Jacque has recently discovered that she sleeps much better after a trike ride, so she motivated herself to ride again today, though we took different routes.... And she took both dogs in her ride.  I left the trike trailer behind and rode solo and lightweight.
It was cold enough that I wished  I had worn the outer shirt for the initial half of the ride, especially when riding into the wind, as usual.
After wandering around one of our local lumber stores and then Wally World, I realized I likely should have brought the trailer along. Walmart was populated and no carts were available, so I wandered around with a handheld basket which rapidly filled and felt fairly heavy.  I worried that I would have trouble securing this load to the trike but I hoped double bagging it would do the trick.
I took some care lashing the fat double-plastical bags to the rear of the trike, and rode much slower than usual on the way home, hoping to avoid bags rupturing and spilling precious necessities all over the roadway.
I had to stop and check the load a few times  but everything made it OK, thankfully.  I could barely see part of the bag in my rear view mirror and kept checking to make sure it was still aboard.
I usually get big smiles and waves from passers-by, but this trip as I passed a pickup turning into my street, the lady driver laughed aloud, guffawing with great gusto.  I realize I look funny, but THAT funny...?  Maybe she was more truthful than most.
THEN, of course, I had to take a steaming hot shower when I got home in hopes of drowning any dreaded COVID-19 bugs from getting within 6 feet of so many people. 

Ride Started:   3:05 PM      Ride Ended:  5:10 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.2  Ending Battery Voltage:  12.9   Lowest Voltage:  12.9

Beginning Blood Glucose: 188     Ending BG: 74

Lowest Temp:  57 F    Highest Temp:    67 F

Stats from the GPS:  Total Miles:   6.84

Distance Walked: .6 mile
Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  3.3 MPH                             5.8 MPH               22.5 MPH 

Total Trip Time                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 2 hours 3 mins                  1 hour  11 mins       52 minutes

Always an Adventure

Today's Wandering Tracks via GPS and Ham Radio

Jacque and I both again wished to get out-of-doors and go for a trike ride today.  We opted this time to take our separate Catrikes since it is theoretically easier to ride the individual, and lighter, machines.  I say "machines", but only in the sense of people-powered machines.

We made it to the country market where we purchased our essentials:  On-sale Ham, Diet
Coke, and such like.
Jacque led the way during this massive expedition, and had taken one of the more hilly routes TO the store.  I encouraged her to lead us to the other side of our huge metropolis (Pop. 4500) where the grades were more genteel.
Things were progressing fairly well until we crossed State Street, the main drag going east / west through Mountain Grove.  Suddenly her trike went CLUNK, KERFlop, etc, and she - and the dogs - were dead in the water.  Well, Stopped and unable to go further, anyway.
At first it appeared her derailleur had collapsed out of all proportion, but upon closer examination it turned out to be just.... a FLAT TIRE.  On the DRIVE wheel.  Meaning it would have to be totally removed from the trike to be repaired.  I brought out my handy dandy emergency tire inflator (a CO2 catridge device with high pressure in a very small module) and the tire magically reinflated.
I encouraged Jacque to take off and ride home the last couple of blocks before the tire went flat again - only for her to politely inform me it was already flat again.  Within Seconds.  BAH
So I had to leave her stranded and ride home alone and get the GAS powered vehicle to bring the FlatTrike back for more leisurely repair.  I was getting pretty woozy by the time I got home so I checked the Blood Glucose and sure 'nuff it was a wimpy 45.  Who says cookies aren't essential grocery items??
Everything was so boring and predictable there for a while.

Ride Started:   1:50 PM      Ride Ended:  3:10 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.2  Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0   Lowest Voltage:  13.0

Beginning Blood Glucose: 157     Ending BG: 45

Lowest Temp:  78 F    Highest Temp:    82 F

Stats from the GPS:  Total Miles:   4.40

Distance Walked: .75 mile
Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  3.2 MPH                             4.8 MPH               19.7 MPH 

Total Trip Time                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 1 hour 23 mins                     56 minutes           27 minutes

Too Old for This ??

First Trike Ride for DRUGS

Second Ride on Tandem Huff Puff

Tuesday was foggy and cool in the morning - BUT the sun burned through and it got VERY warm in the afternoon. 
I first needed an excuse for a ride (Just wandering around seems not quite as enjoyable).  Jacque had a prescription waiting at Walmart so I volunteered to go get 'em for her.   It was still cool and cloudy and seemed ready to storm so I rushed away early to beat whatever weather was impending.
This trip was uneventful. 

Howsomever, after lunch the sun peeked out, burned away the clouds, and it turned into a very sunny warm day.  Jacque spotted a bargain sale for ham at another grocery store up near the north end of town.  She was getting stir crazy from all the current craziness of avoiding everybody and isolation and wanted to GO SOMEWHERE and DO SOMETHING.  We then decided to drag out the long-neglected Tandem Terratrike and use that for a dual shopping trip.
We haven't ridden this monster in quite a while, and it showed.  We already realized, from lots of experience, that it is more effort than riding separate individual trikes.  BUT, it's fun, elicits lots more comments from the passersby and kiddos, as well as e.x.e.r.c.i.s.e.
Jacque gets tired of the "view" pedaling along behind me, and usually reads from her dumbphone while we cruise.....

And Lilly and Tink watch for boogeymen from the rear....

Exercise it was indeed.  It was quite tiring on the way TO the store, and when we cranked up again to ride back home, we used the Grandma Gear chainring almost ALL the way.
Huffing and puffing, we finally made it.

First Morning Ride Datum:

Ride Started:   10:04 AM      Ride Ended:  12:02 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.2  Ending Battery Voltage:  12.9   Lowest Voltage:  12.9

Beginning Blood Glucose: 200(!)     Ending BG: 111

Lowest Temp:  64 F    Highest Temp:    75 F

Stats from the GPS:  Total Miles:   6.46

Distance Walked: .6 mile
Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  3.3 MPH                             6.7 MPH               20.12 MPH 

Total Trip Time                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 1 hour 59 mins                   58 minutes           1 hour 1 minute

Tandem Trip:

Ride Started:   1:02 PM      Ride Ended:  2:32 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.0  Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0   Lowest Voltage:  12.4

Beginning Blood Glucose: 159     Ending BG: 89

Lowest Temp:  75 F    Highest Temp:    78 F

Stats from the GPS:  Total Miles:   5.82

Distance Walked: .6 mile
Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  3.8 MPH                             5.2 MPH               15.0 MPH 

Total Trip Time                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 1 hour 30 mins                   1 hour 7 mins        24 minutes

Quarantine Walmart Run

Today's Wild Lawbreaking Route

Today is Monday, 6 April 2020.
Our benevolent Governor announced our entire state was to be stay-at-home quarantined as of this morning.
Life seems to have gone onward anyway.  Our neighbor across the street had a roofing crew show up which began climbing ladders, ripping off old shingles and lath boards, and applying new lumber and shingles.  Cars were driving by and neighbors continued to walk by - keeping their distance of course.
We were getting low on "emergency"  supplies so I determined I would make a trip on the trike, while Jacque would drive south of Cabool about 8 miles away to pick up fresh homemade cow's milk from the small dairy there.
Jacque has been busy during this crisis making face masks by the dozen and of course kept a couple for ourselves.  I wore this one when I walked around inside Walmart and looked quite similar to other shoppers.

Walmart had ribbons partitioning off a single entry and single exit, with attendants reminding all to maintain 6 feet of separation, with disinfectant wipes available everywhere.
We've heard stories of various aisles being closed to the public as "nonessential" purchases, but thankfully I didn't encounter any such nonsense this time.  There were reasonable amounts of most everything one could want in stock, even Toilet Paper.
So I walked out with 2 bags stuffed with stuff, and had to figure out how to get it secured to the trike for the trip home.  With the blessed help of bungee cords I was able to get it tied on the back and took off for the house.
I ALMOST made it without incident.
Just before crossing the railroad tracks I hit a couple of bumps stopping at the intersection and noticed one of my bags hanging precariously off to the side in my rear view mirror.  I rearranged it, took off again, hit another bump, and had to stop.  This time I took more care and all the junk made it home without loss.
I encountered many walkers, a few other cyclists, and of course many friendly motorists.  No shock troops trying to enforce the stay-at-home mandate.  We'll see what the next few weeks bring.

Ride Started:   3:45 PM      Ride Ended:  5:02 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.2  Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0   Lowest Voltage:  12.9

Beginning Blood Glucose: 231(!)     Ending BG: 88

Lowest Temp:  67 F    Highest Temp:    75 F

Stats from the GPS:  Total Miles:   5.78

Distance Walked: .6 mile
Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  4.6 MPH                             7.6 MPH               17.7 MPH 

Total Trip Time                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 1 hour 15 mins                     46 minutes           29 minutes

More Fun Without Sun

Today's Foggy Tracking

I rarely need a valid excuse to take a trike ride.  Today we discovered that we were out of clear silicone seal.  I finished installing Jacque's kitchen back-splash antique metal panels, and the recommended sealant around the base was clear silicone sealant. 

I had a used cylinder of it, but when tried to reopen, it was already at the end and not a droplet would come out.  Thus my excuse for a short ride.
I took the uncivilized caution of wearing one of Jacque's handmade face masks to match the current atmosphere of fear and panic into the lumber store and found I was not the most popular customer to have arrived. 

They took my money but without a smile.  I thought I was protecting THEM more than myself, but Oh Well.  I don't look any better WITHOUT a mask.
(Breaking NEWS:  Our Governor just issued a lock-down stay-at-home order effective Monday, 6 April.  AND if we DO venture outside for some unfathomable reason, we're supposed to wear a mask.  SIGH)
Since the closest lumber/hardware store is just across the tracks and around the corner, I took the long way home from there.
The day has been cloudy and coolish all day, but the sun tried to  burn though about 3 PM.  By the time I rode away it had faded again and it was just muggy again.... but cool and a tad breezy.
Not cool enough to be bothersome, however.
I suppose we'll soon see if I get arrested for riding around town without a mask - though I'll have one in my pocket just in case a concerned citizen gets within 6 feet of me.....

1st Ride Started:   3:55 PM      2nd Ride Ended:  4:40 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.4  Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0   Lowest Voltage:  12.4

Beginning Blood Glucose: 120     Ending BG: 68

Lowest Temp:  60 F    Highest Temp:    71 F

Stats from the GPS:  Total Miles:   5.24

Distance Walked: .6 mile
Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  7.1 MPH                             8.2 MPH               18.5 MPH 

Total Trip Times                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 44 minutes                          38 minutes            6 minutes

More Fun while the Sun Shines

Today's Wanderings, 1 short trip and an afternoon ride

Took a short ride to a local bank ATM to get cash with which to pay our lawn mower young man.
Then later in the afternoon, took a longer ride around town for burning off excess blood sugar and enjoyment as well.
I spotted a tall radio tower I didn't recall seeing before so I detoured over to see where it was - it turned out to be the radio tower at the Mountain Grove School Bus Barn,  I had seen it before.  Turned around and resumed a more normal route.

1st Ride Started:   1:58 PM      2nd Ride Ended:  6:26 PM
Beginning Battery Voltage:  13.2  Ending Battery Voltage:  13.0   Lowest Voltage:  12.9

Beginning Blood Glucose: 120     Ending BG: 68

Lowest Temp:  60 F    Highest Temp:    71 F

Stats from the GPS:  Total Miles:   9.78

Distance Walked: .6 mile
Overall Average Speed       Moving Avg          Max Speed
  5.7 MPH                             8.0 MPH               22.3 MPH 

Total Trip Times                   Moving Time        Stopped  Time
 1 hour 43 mins                   1 hour 13 mins        30 minutes