And Then it was Just Right - Mostly

 14 Jan GPS track

 19 Jan Barely Rode Track

20 Jan RideAroundTheBlock 

 23 Jan Short Trip Track

 Tuesday 24 Jan TripTrack

Friday GPS BigBox Ride 

 Saturday GPS/Ham radio Tracking

As anyone can see, I get on the Catrike fairly frequently but not often for more than short trips.
In this Wacky day and age at least it saves a wee bit of gasoline.
A few days ago as I rode up on the north end of town I passed a mailman walking between houses and said "Hi!" to him.  He said "Hi Jim!" in response.  Kinda floored me, especially since I don't know HIS name, and they have more than one mail-person in these parts.  I should figure these things out.
Yesterday as I crossed a parking lot, a funny fellow in a pickup pulled up next to me and exclaimed "You're laying down on the job!!"  - Such is the life of a recumbent rider, I suppose.
Today the weather forecast was a bit dicey but I got in a good ride anyway.  It was starting to cloud up a bit and I almost shortened the route, hoping to avoid getting wet.  After a few blocks the sun was again brightly burning, so I took renewed courage and did my slightly longer route.  I did NOT regret it.
Yesterday while riding I was sore and fatigued and didn't seem to have much starch in me, plugging on in lower gears, old guy style.
Today for some  reason I felt energized and sassy and actually had to remove my windbreaker as it was getting to warm with it on.  It was a bit too cold withOUT it, but I prefer that to overheating.
As many fellow humans know, getting too warm while pedaling often results in perspiration (i.e. SWEAT) which gets COLDER with the passing breeze.  Too hot and too cold all at the same time.
Sigh.
More bitter cold is forecast in the next few days, and as we all know, forecasting weather is not an exact science, so we will see if I can stand to get out and ride around in it.

Ride Started: 12:23 PM           Ride Ended:  1:38 PM 
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.5  Ending Battery Voltage:  12.8
Lowest Temp: 53 F Highest Temp: 64 F
Beginning Blood Glucose:  130   Ending BG: 105
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:  6.95
Overall Average Speed      Moving Avg       Max Speed
 5.5 MPH                             6.6 MPH            23.7 MPH
Total Trip(s) Time             Moving Time      Stopped Time
  1 hour 5 minutes        1 hour  36 minutes    11 minutes

 

TOO Cold & Nasty

Frosty GPS/Ham Radio Tracking 

It was frightfully cold outside today, after several days of relatively balm.  It started out at about 27 degrees, and "warmed up" to around freezing.
I thought to myself "All I gotta do is wrap up with a few layers and go for a ride".
I had a UPS parcel to return, so I had a "useful" reason for a ride.
Had I known how penetrating the cold was I surely would have exercises better judgment and stayed home.
Of course. staying at home isn't the best form of exercise for me.
I changed into my insulated pants, extra warm Jacque-made shirt, arctic socks, boots, sweater and windbreaker, and away I went.
At first as I pedaled a few blocks it seemed a bit frigid but tolerable.
Of course, about halfway there and reaching my mental point of no return, I noticed my half mitten/gloves were NOT keeping my hands warm, especially my precious pinkies.
I vigorously wiggled and rubbed the fingers together inside the mittens but they got increasingly cold and NUMB - I worried they were going to turn into actual frostbite.
I stopped at one point and changed to a different pair of mittens.  It was funny to note the fingers were more comfy outside the mittens than inside.  I could wiggle them and rub them together, but trying to ride with them exposed to the wind wasn't an option.   So I resumed riding with the spare mittens with little improvement.
I passed a young lady walking along the road pushing a carriage with her BABY in it.  I spoke to her as I passed, saying "It's TOO COLD to be out here like that!"  Mr. Obvious----
She responded with "I KNOW !!"
Had I been traveling in a real vehicle burning some sort of energy with a heated cab, I certainly would have insisted loading them up and taking them wherever they needed to go.  She may have actually been warmer than I was, but the baby??  Brrrr...
I got to the UPS drop point, and took my sweet time before resuming my uncomfortable trip.
The sun was starting to barely peek through the clouds, without much effect, but I sat on the trike with my bare hands stuffed in my pockets to warm them up a bit.
I resumed the trip, back to the house.  I only made it a few blocks before I was desperate to find a solution.   I had previously packed some "Hot Hands" pocket heaters in my saddlebag pockets, but of course no such thing could be found now.  I was struck with amazement:  I had purchased a TEN-PACK of them only a few days ago, but the weather THEN had been so mile I had thoughtlessly put them in our BASEMENT for future "emergencies".  DUH
I found a couple of cheap plastic shopping bags that I always use for trash can liners, and decided to try wrapping them around my mittened hands to see if that could help by blocking the freezing breeze.

THAT worked.  It made shifting and braking a bit clumsy but I was able to keep going without freezing.
I was also unable to wave at passing cars, but it was a small sacrifice.  What folks thought as I passed with flapping / flopping bags on my handlebars is anyone's guess.  Oh Well.
I now report that SEVERAL "Hot Hands" packs are now in the trike's compartments.

Breaking News Dept:  We finally sold our beloved RV to a local couple who plan to park it on their land and live in it.  Blessings upon them for the cash and the removal of a vehicle we weren't able to use but sucked a lot of expense just sitting in the driveway.

Ride Started: 1:56 PM           Ride Ended:  2:45 PM 
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.5  Ending Battery Voltage:  12.2
Lowest Temp: 32 F Highest Temp: 35 F
Beginning Blood Glucose:  120   Ending BG: 95
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles:  4.42
Overall Average Speed      Moving Avg       Max Speed
 5.0 MPH                             7.2 MPH            19.6 MPH
Total Trip(s) Time             Moving Time      Stopped Time
  52 minutes                      36  minutes         15 minutes