My tracker did not work today since my route was through the bowels of Tijeras Canyon wherefrom few radio signals can successfully propagate.
I had a prescription awaiting me at Sam's Club in Albuquerque and had decided to use that for my excuse to ride today and would have made a little over 20 miles had I done the entire route.
Trouble is, like Rush Limbaugh, I rattle around with "half my brain tied behind my back" - not intentionally for me though. I just can't seem to locate the useful half of my brain much of the time.
I calculated if I started my ride by 2:00 PM, and drive the trike down to Tijeras and ride from there and back, I should have sufficient time to make my grandson's Eagle Court of Honor by 6:00 PM.
The ride through Tijeras to Albuquerque's East Side is not overly hilly, and all the snow and ice are now gone temporarily, but there were a lot of red cinders and salt on the shoulders from all the recent snow plowing and sanding for winter weather. Street sweepers seem to go dormant in the wintertime so cycling is increasingly hazardous not only due to inclement weather but the efforts of road maintenance to deal with it.
So I bounced along olde Route 66 right to the mouth of the canyon entering Albuquerque, riding in the gravelly shoulder most of the way to decrease my chances of getting creamed by a cell-phone challenged driver. Just as I got there, Jacque called me on the phone and reminded me the Eagle ceremony (the first Eagle Scout in my family that I know of) was scheduled for FOUR O'clock and NOT six. As she reminded me of this discrepancy in my schedule, it was then a few minutes after 3:00 and no way was I going to make it to the pharmacy and back in time, so I begged her to make an exception for my lame brain and snatch a clean shirt and come pick me up so we might possibly make it on time.
She did, and luckily so for me: I had earlier this morning texted HER to remember the time for the FOUR O'clock Court of Honor. By afternoon my mush-brain had bollixed the time to 6 and my abortive optimism knew no bounds. She came through for me anyway, and we arrived well before anyone but the scoutmaster who was just opening the building. Whew.
It was tough on this old Grandpa to listen to Grandson's well wishers and speakers who described with detail what a wonderful young man he was and what a dedicated Scout. Tough, all right: Only 2 or 3 buttons popped off my shirt as I swelled with admiration for my high achieving grandson.
Even with the aborted full length of the planned trip I was surprised at the miles racked up before rescue: Almost 10.... kewl. Maybe I'll get my stamina and legs back before I die of old age.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 12.8 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 62 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 9.91
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
7.0 MPH 7.8 MPH 24.2 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 25 mins 1 hour 16 mins 8 mins 43 secs
Friday, December 27, 2013
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Dashing Through No Snow
Tracking Courtesy of GPS. APRS, and Ham Radio
My ham radio friends in Albuquerque who talk to me almost daily on the radio often ask if we have any snow out here on our side of the mountains separating us. The most current answer is "Only a few spots left, in the shade." It is only late December, however, and the day after Christmas, and it is still cold. It was 13 degrees this morning when we got up. I'm trying to restart an almost-daily riding routine to keep my blood sugar and cholesterol under better control, so cold weather is really no excuse. When I was still employed before the Great Recession of the 21st Century crippled so many businesses, including mine, I regularly rode in freezing weather, early in the morning, just after sunup, and then rode back to the car in the dark, with associated cold weather gear and layers. But I had somewhere to go, and had to be there within limited time frames, so the motivation was better then. Now I can put it off until later in the day and higher temperatures but that means I can too easily put it off until too late, and miss too many days altogether. I must do better.
Jacque was working today and unavailable for a trike ride but I was determined to get in at least a few miles. I have ridden the tandem trike a couple times solo and it is an enjoyable machine without a stoker IF the road is not too steep or dusty: Without the rear seat filled, the rear wheel (the driving wheel) has little traction and will too-easily spin out. So I rode the two-seater as a one-person machine today. It only spun out and lost traction a few times as I was climbing hills with fine gravel and salt on the surface, left over from recent snowing and plowing. There were even a few select tiny spots of frozen mud and snow on the shoulder in shady spots.
I took Jazzy, the new tiny Pappilon pup, with me. Tinkerbell the senior puppy princess went to work with Jacque. Jazzy likes to whine, cry, and complain while riding.... unless she is snuggled up on the lap of one of us. I tucked her skinny bony frame inside my partially zipped jacket and she loved it, as did I. Until I got a bit warmed up, after which her radiant body heat added to mine made it a bit overheated as we climbed hills.
Didn't get the desired miles in, but did get in a few, which is important of course. As usual, had I started earlier, I would have had time to get in a good roundabout ride.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 44 F Highest Temp: 55 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6.04
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.9 MPH 7.0 MPH 24.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 51 mins 40 secs 9 mins 19 secs
My ham radio friends in Albuquerque who talk to me almost daily on the radio often ask if we have any snow out here on our side of the mountains separating us. The most current answer is "Only a few spots left, in the shade." It is only late December, however, and the day after Christmas, and it is still cold. It was 13 degrees this morning when we got up. I'm trying to restart an almost-daily riding routine to keep my blood sugar and cholesterol under better control, so cold weather is really no excuse. When I was still employed before the Great Recession of the 21st Century crippled so many businesses, including mine, I regularly rode in freezing weather, early in the morning, just after sunup, and then rode back to the car in the dark, with associated cold weather gear and layers. But I had somewhere to go, and had to be there within limited time frames, so the motivation was better then. Now I can put it off until later in the day and higher temperatures but that means I can too easily put it off until too late, and miss too many days altogether. I must do better.
Jacque was working today and unavailable for a trike ride but I was determined to get in at least a few miles. I have ridden the tandem trike a couple times solo and it is an enjoyable machine without a stoker IF the road is not too steep or dusty: Without the rear seat filled, the rear wheel (the driving wheel) has little traction and will too-easily spin out. So I rode the two-seater as a one-person machine today. It only spun out and lost traction a few times as I was climbing hills with fine gravel and salt on the surface, left over from recent snowing and plowing. There were even a few select tiny spots of frozen mud and snow on the shoulder in shady spots.
I took Jazzy, the new tiny Pappilon pup, with me. Tinkerbell the senior puppy princess went to work with Jacque. Jazzy likes to whine, cry, and complain while riding.... unless she is snuggled up on the lap of one of us. I tucked her skinny bony frame inside my partially zipped jacket and she loved it, as did I. Until I got a bit warmed up, after which her radiant body heat added to mine made it a bit overheated as we climbed hills.
Didn't get the desired miles in, but did get in a few, which is important of course. As usual, had I started earlier, I would have had time to get in a good roundabout ride.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 44 F Highest Temp: 55 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 6.04
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
5.9 MPH 7.0 MPH 24.8 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 51 mins 40 secs 9 mins 19 secs
Monday, December 23, 2013
'Twas the Day Before Christmas Eve
Merry Christmas Tracking courtesy of GPS and Ham Radio
Since Jacque and I are BOTH out of shape, having endured some nasty weather and undesirable road conditions in recent weeks, as well as being TOO BUSY to keep up a decent exercise routine....
It wasn't hard to convince Jacque to take a tandem trike ride today.
It was well after 10:00 AM by the time we got the trike down to the paved road, but it was still rather cool.
We had planned initially to do the Post Office run and then go east on Frost Road to do a loop around Entranosa and Mountain Valley, which we recently discovered as a low traffic paved route. Between the cold and our lack of fortitude, however, we just did the mail run and back and then drove out to Edgewood where Jacque had been asked to do some substitute cooking for the next 2 weeks.
As usual, despite our slackness, it was great to get out and get the blood pumping and some fresh cold air in our lungs.
We may decide to supplement our retirement incomes with funds generated from putting out an upside-down hat or a collection cup at either or both of the Shell Station and Post Office, both of which generate numerous admirers of our trike and our pooches.
We've read and heard that panhandlers make more money per hour than the people who donate to them, and we've no doubt that our super-cute doggies would put us up there with the best of them should we choose to park the trike at a convenient street corner and hold up a sign something to the effect of "Will Ride Trike for Money" or something clever, should I think of it.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.9 Ending Voltage: 12.8
Lowest Temp 41 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.29
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.2 MPH 6.0 MPH 27.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 19 minutes 42 mins 39 secs 37 mins 19 secs
It wasn't hard to convince Jacque to take a tandem trike ride today.
It was well after 10:00 AM by the time we got the trike down to the paved road, but it was still rather cool.
We had planned initially to do the Post Office run and then go east on Frost Road to do a loop around Entranosa and Mountain Valley, which we recently discovered as a low traffic paved route. Between the cold and our lack of fortitude, however, we just did the mail run and back and then drove out to Edgewood where Jacque had been asked to do some substitute cooking for the next 2 weeks.
As usual, despite our slackness, it was great to get out and get the blood pumping and some fresh cold air in our lungs.
We may decide to supplement our retirement incomes with funds generated from putting out an upside-down hat or a collection cup at either or both of the Shell Station and Post Office, both of which generate numerous admirers of our trike and our pooches.
We've read and heard that panhandlers make more money per hour than the people who donate to them, and we've no doubt that our super-cute doggies would put us up there with the best of them should we choose to park the trike at a convenient street corner and hold up a sign something to the effect of "Will Ride Trike for Money" or something clever, should I think of it.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.9 Ending Voltage: 12.8
Lowest Temp 41 F Highest Temp: 63 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.29
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.2 MPH 6.0 MPH 27.6 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 19 minutes 42 mins 39 secs 37 mins 19 secs
Thursday, December 19, 2013
WOW, Am I Out of Shape
Tracking for Today's Usual Short Trip
Mercy. Almost a full month since I last pedal-powered anything.
Mind you, I get exercise, and a couple hours or more, almost daily except (Maybe) Sunday. The trouble is, it's the bending, squatting, lifting, and twisting back-hurting type of exercise that normally does not leave me huffing and puffing afterwards, even though I may hardly be able to walk: Cutting firewood, running the chainsaw, chipping ice, shoveling snow, dragging sledfuls of cut wood up onto the deck and stacking it, yada, yada. If I'm not huffing and puffing, regardless of the resultant pain and pill popping, I cannot consider it aerobic... which supposedly is the good stuff.
I fully realize the error of my ways, like most of we humans. What with cold weather, snow, ice, mud, and worst of all, Christmas preparations... Humbug. I have no shortage of excuses for not regularly riding. Too busy to stay healthy and all that.
So, after weeks of thinking "I need to do a few miles on the bike" and never getting around to it, today I decided I'd ride the 6 miles or so to the nearest ATM and deposit a couple of checks. Jacque was busy on her latest Christmas project (MY Christmas projects consist of mostly cutting and stacking wood on the deck to be ready for the next snowfall) and thus encouraged me to ride by myself, taking my recumbent 2-wheeler, as well as the Traveling Tinkerbell Toy Dog.
As mentioned, I already was fully aware I was out of shape, but I am alarmed at how much. About halfway to the post office, a mere 3 miles from my house launch-point, I was about shot, with not too much in the way of reserve motivation and energy. I struggled on up to the PO (always snarling at the "NO Bicycles or Skateboards on Postal Property" signs), emptied out the mail box, threw away the pound or so of Christmas Thursday sale fliers and trash mail, and came home. Which has a satisfying couple miles of high speed downhill pavement... until you turn off on our goat-path private, unpaved road which now is spotted with several mud-bogs which coat man, beast, and vehicle with inches of muck as you pass through. And, it's just boggy enough in several spots that I cannot ride the bike through it without sliding sideways and down, so I was forced to dismount and walk the bike, dog, and load through it. All in all, good clean exercise. Er, that is, good exercise.
Weather today satisfyingly sunny, plenty warm for mid-December, and a bit breezy.
I remind myself, again and again, that daily riding is the only answer to such sluggishness....
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 13.0
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.55
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.9 MPH 6.4 MPH 26.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 25 minutes 51 mins 43 secs 33 mins 31 secs
Mercy. Almost a full month since I last pedal-powered anything.
Mind you, I get exercise, and a couple hours or more, almost daily except (Maybe) Sunday. The trouble is, it's the bending, squatting, lifting, and twisting back-hurting type of exercise that normally does not leave me huffing and puffing afterwards, even though I may hardly be able to walk: Cutting firewood, running the chainsaw, chipping ice, shoveling snow, dragging sledfuls of cut wood up onto the deck and stacking it, yada, yada. If I'm not huffing and puffing, regardless of the resultant pain and pill popping, I cannot consider it aerobic... which supposedly is the good stuff.
I fully realize the error of my ways, like most of we humans. What with cold weather, snow, ice, mud, and worst of all, Christmas preparations... Humbug. I have no shortage of excuses for not regularly riding. Too busy to stay healthy and all that.
So, after weeks of thinking "I need to do a few miles on the bike" and never getting around to it, today I decided I'd ride the 6 miles or so to the nearest ATM and deposit a couple of checks. Jacque was busy on her latest Christmas project (MY Christmas projects consist of mostly cutting and stacking wood on the deck to be ready for the next snowfall) and thus encouraged me to ride by myself, taking my recumbent 2-wheeler, as well as the Traveling Tinkerbell Toy Dog.
As mentioned, I already was fully aware I was out of shape, but I am alarmed at how much. About halfway to the post office, a mere 3 miles from my house launch-point, I was about shot, with not too much in the way of reserve motivation and energy. I struggled on up to the PO (always snarling at the "NO Bicycles or Skateboards on Postal Property" signs), emptied out the mail box, threw away the pound or so of Christmas Thursday sale fliers and trash mail, and came home. Which has a satisfying couple miles of high speed downhill pavement... until you turn off on our goat-path private, unpaved road which now is spotted with several mud-bogs which coat man, beast, and vehicle with inches of muck as you pass through. And, it's just boggy enough in several spots that I cannot ride the bike through it without sliding sideways and down, so I was forced to dismount and walk the bike, dog, and load through it. All in all, good clean exercise. Er, that is, good exercise.
Weather today satisfyingly sunny, plenty warm for mid-December, and a bit breezy.
I remind myself, again and again, that daily riding is the only answer to such sluggishness....
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.1 Ending Voltage: 13.0
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 66 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.55
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
3.9 MPH 6.4 MPH 26.1 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 25 minutes 51 mins 43 secs 33 mins 31 secs
Saturday, November 30, 2013
A Bit of a Cool Ride
Today's APRS/GPS/Ham Radio Tracking
Today is likely our last opportunity to ride together for at least several days, since I'm having cataract surgery in my right eye on Monday. We knew it was a bit cold outside - our wood stove has been doing yeoman duty most of the morning - but the thermometer claimed it was in the 50's so we thought we'd do OK. And, we did..... BUT....
Everything out here in the sticks is a mess unless it's covered or paved. The recent snowfall, with the subsequent several days of thawing and freezing, has produced MUD everywhere there should be dirt. Even the best graveled parts of our goat-path mile of private road are squishy and sloppy. The parking spot down by the pavement of Frost Road was sloppy and nothing but muck too... so we decided to drive down the road a ways to see if we could find another place to park and unload the Tandem TerraTrike . About a mile down the road we did indeed find someone else's turnoff to a gravel road with a wide shoulder that we could park on. As we were unloading the Trike off the roof rack, sure enough someone pulled up and stopped next to us. We thought they might complain about us parking on their road but to our surprise they just wanted to visit for a minute and commented that "They always see us riding on our cool trike with our super-cute doggies", which is language we can live with.
We tried a route we've not ridden before, and it wasn't bad. Frost Road has a fairly wide shoulder and isn't bad riding, but it has a lot of fast traffic. Taking detours on other paved roads results in the loss of the marked bike shoulder/lane but we lose almost all traffic, with rarely a car to encounter. The temperature wasn't terribly cold but it seemed to just soak into us. The sun was visible but partially shaded with light clouds so it didn't help much.
By the time we got back to the car Jacque's feet were horribly numb. It took several minutes for the Ford's heater to thaw her out.
Still, as usual, we were glad to have gotten out and gotten the blood circulating.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.0 Ending Voltage: 13.2
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 59 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.3
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.86 MPH 8.8 MPH 25 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 9 minutes 54 mins 15 mins 50 secs
Today is likely our last opportunity to ride together for at least several days, since I'm having cataract surgery in my right eye on Monday. We knew it was a bit cold outside - our wood stove has been doing yeoman duty most of the morning - but the thermometer claimed it was in the 50's so we thought we'd do OK. And, we did..... BUT....
Everything out here in the sticks is a mess unless it's covered or paved. The recent snowfall, with the subsequent several days of thawing and freezing, has produced MUD everywhere there should be dirt. Even the best graveled parts of our goat-path mile of private road are squishy and sloppy. The parking spot down by the pavement of Frost Road was sloppy and nothing but muck too... so we decided to drive down the road a ways to see if we could find another place to park and unload the Tandem TerraTrike . About a mile down the road we did indeed find someone else's turnoff to a gravel road with a wide shoulder that we could park on. As we were unloading the Trike off the roof rack, sure enough someone pulled up and stopped next to us. We thought they might complain about us parking on their road but to our surprise they just wanted to visit for a minute and commented that "They always see us riding on our cool trike with our super-cute doggies", which is language we can live with.
We tried a route we've not ridden before, and it wasn't bad. Frost Road has a fairly wide shoulder and isn't bad riding, but it has a lot of fast traffic. Taking detours on other paved roads results in the loss of the marked bike shoulder/lane but we lose almost all traffic, with rarely a car to encounter. The temperature wasn't terribly cold but it seemed to just soak into us. The sun was visible but partially shaded with light clouds so it didn't help much.
By the time we got back to the car Jacque's feet were horribly numb. It took several minutes for the Ford's heater to thaw her out.
Still, as usual, we were glad to have gotten out and gotten the blood circulating.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 14.0 Ending Voltage: 13.2
Lowest Temp 48 F Highest Temp: 59 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 5.3
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
8.86 MPH 8.8 MPH 25 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 9 minutes 54 mins 15 mins 50 secs
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Yeah, We Drove Somewhere to Ride... So What.
Today's tracking
We've been mostly stuck in the house since the snow started flying last Friday... almost 4 days now.
Our roads out here in the East Mountains are mostly dry.... but no shoulders clear from snow nor are the few miles of bike paths at ALL clear. Plus it's still cold, though if the roads were clear we'd just bundle up with layers and ride.
Howsomever, we decided it was time for a ride down the famed Bosque Trail - even though it is close to 30 miles from home. It lies along the Rio Grande, the lowest elevation and thus usually warmest in Albuquerque, and has only the mildest of grades to surmount.
We were so anxious to go that we took off without even checking the tires on the trike. Luckily, they were all nice and fully inflated... which is nice since I just replaced a pinholed tube a couple weeks ago.
Even in Albuquerque "down on the Bosque" it was a bit on the cool side; only about 8 degrees warmer than at home. The roads AND bike trails and surrounding terrain were ALL entirely clear of snow and ice, however, so it was well worth the trip and the gas etc.
The last time we rode this trail we went south from Central down to the South Valley and back, but this time we rode north. I was grinding my brain trying to visualize a loop route we could accomplish without too much stress, out of shape as we are, but could only recall a 20+ mile loop which was a bit much for this trip.
So we just rode up to Paseo Del Norte, stopped for a potty and water break, and came back. It was a great ride, no stress, no nasties from fellow riders, no motorists encountered on this wonderful trail: What's not to like? We still did some respectable miles. By the time we got back to the transport gas-burner cage vehicle it was cooling off rapidly although the sun was not fully set.
The little doggies always ride in the crate behind Jacque on the trike, and the only exercise they get is when we let them down on the leash or when they go berserk and start jumping around and snarling and barking at OTHER dogs we encounter. We are doing all the pedaling and they mostly just stare out at the passing scenery... yet they collapse into our laps and lapse into semi-comas as though they had just run the Alaskan Iditarod pulling a loaded sled. We hypothesize they get so tired because they stay awake while riding instead of snoozing most of the day like they do when safely at home. Poor babies.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 60 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 14.82
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.9 MPH 8.8 MPH 18.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 8 minutes 1 hour 41 mins 26 mins 58 secs
We've been mostly stuck in the house since the snow started flying last Friday... almost 4 days now.
Our roads out here in the East Mountains are mostly dry.... but no shoulders clear from snow nor are the few miles of bike paths at ALL clear. Plus it's still cold, though if the roads were clear we'd just bundle up with layers and ride.
Howsomever, we decided it was time for a ride down the famed Bosque Trail - even though it is close to 30 miles from home. It lies along the Rio Grande, the lowest elevation and thus usually warmest in Albuquerque, and has only the mildest of grades to surmount.
We were so anxious to go that we took off without even checking the tires on the trike. Luckily, they were all nice and fully inflated... which is nice since I just replaced a pinholed tube a couple weeks ago.
Even in Albuquerque "down on the Bosque" it was a bit on the cool side; only about 8 degrees warmer than at home. The roads AND bike trails and surrounding terrain were ALL entirely clear of snow and ice, however, so it was well worth the trip and the gas etc.
The last time we rode this trail we went south from Central down to the South Valley and back, but this time we rode north. I was grinding my brain trying to visualize a loop route we could accomplish without too much stress, out of shape as we are, but could only recall a 20+ mile loop which was a bit much for this trip.
So we just rode up to Paseo Del Norte, stopped for a potty and water break, and came back. It was a great ride, no stress, no nasties from fellow riders, no motorists encountered on this wonderful trail: What's not to like? We still did some respectable miles. By the time we got back to the transport gas-burner cage vehicle it was cooling off rapidly although the sun was not fully set.
The little doggies always ride in the crate behind Jacque on the trike, and the only exercise they get is when we let them down on the leash or when they go berserk and start jumping around and snarling and barking at OTHER dogs we encounter. We are doing all the pedaling and they mostly just stare out at the passing scenery... yet they collapse into our laps and lapse into semi-comas as though they had just run the Alaskan Iditarod pulling a loaded sled. We hypothesize they get so tired because they stay awake while riding instead of snoozing most of the day like they do when safely at home. Poor babies.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 12.7
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 60 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 14.82
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
6.9 MPH 8.8 MPH 18.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
2 hours 8 minutes 1 hour 41 mins 26 mins 58 secs
Monday, November 18, 2013
If We Waited for Perfect Weather We'd Never Ride
Typical Trike Tracking Today Thankfully
Jacque is the one who initiated today's ride, even though as usual we are "Too Busy to Stay Healthy". Her trick knee starts getting even trickier when we don't ride for several days. She had a batch of sourdough bread started so I was surprised when she insisted that we take off, NOW, for a trike ride.
It was only about 45 degrees outside and cloudy, so we knew we should not be overheated. Thus, going west and uphill, I rode without a windbreaker, and only 2 layers of shirting. I actually got warm enough almost to the Post Office that I had to unsnap my shirt sleeve cuffs. When we stopped, however, it got COLD, right away. My blood glucose checked at 127 while there, which in my case means I'm dropping quickly and should eat something to keep moving. I normally do best when starting a ride for my BG to be at the 200 plus or minus mark, plus I have to back off my pump's basal level to less than 50% of normal to avoid having to stop every twenty minutes for a snack. I had forgotten the basal change earlier so I adjusted that while I ate my peanut butter cookies. While waiting for me to snarf my snack, we were treated to a few passers-by who as usual squeal with delight when they spot our cute but grumpy little dogs. Today they embarrased us in front of almost everyone we met who would say "How Cute!!" and then be immediately treated to a display of snarling, snapping, impolite doggies.
When we got to the TOP of the hill at the Shell Snack Station, it REALLY got cold, especially since I ordered a nice ice filled small Diet Coke. I should have done with a Hot Chocolate, but I wasn't in the mood.... at first.
We also met a couple of hard-core cyclists we met at the same place LAST Monday. We joked when we parted that maybe we would meet again NEXT Monday.
As I neared the bottom of my Coke, I got so chilled that I walked over to the parked trike and retrieved my rarely-worn windbreaker jacket. Since going toward home is more downhill than up, I knew it would be rather cold streaking that-a-way.
I thought, as we approached the slight hills going back, that climbing them would warm me up enough to force me to stop and peel off the jacket, but I didn't get one bit overheated - and was highly happy with the jacket being in place.
My Lithium-Ion Battery that I worried might have destroyed itself using a non-standard charger seemed to work fine today. I had previously taken it out of the pannier in the workshop, and it was showing ZERO volts output, a non-inspiring condition. I used the voltmeter to test the output right at the blade terminals of the battery and it was now showing 13+ volts available, so I removed the short power cable and tested it thoroughly, and could find no opens or problems with it. When I reconnected the wiring harness firmly the entire system was now displaying 13+ volts. I plugged my favorite battery "tester" (An old Tensor lamp wired directly for 12 Volt operation) into the pack and it lit with full brilliance for almost a minute without fading so I disconnected it, reinserted it into the pannier, and hoped it would work for the next ride..... and it did. Thank God. I really love the lightness and power output of this battery and would have willingly blown the necessary $100+ bucks to replace it had it actually been permanently dead.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 55 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.32
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
2.5 MPH 6.0 MPH 28.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 43 minutes 43 mins 19 secs 59 mins 41 secs
Jacque is the one who initiated today's ride, even though as usual we are "Too Busy to Stay Healthy". Her trick knee starts getting even trickier when we don't ride for several days. She had a batch of sourdough bread started so I was surprised when she insisted that we take off, NOW, for a trike ride.
It was only about 45 degrees outside and cloudy, so we knew we should not be overheated. Thus, going west and uphill, I rode without a windbreaker, and only 2 layers of shirting. I actually got warm enough almost to the Post Office that I had to unsnap my shirt sleeve cuffs. When we stopped, however, it got COLD, right away. My blood glucose checked at 127 while there, which in my case means I'm dropping quickly and should eat something to keep moving. I normally do best when starting a ride for my BG to be at the 200 plus or minus mark, plus I have to back off my pump's basal level to less than 50% of normal to avoid having to stop every twenty minutes for a snack. I had forgotten the basal change earlier so I adjusted that while I ate my peanut butter cookies. While waiting for me to snarf my snack, we were treated to a few passers-by who as usual squeal with delight when they spot our cute but grumpy little dogs. Today they embarrased us in front of almost everyone we met who would say "How Cute!!" and then be immediately treated to a display of snarling, snapping, impolite doggies.
When we got to the TOP of the hill at the Shell Snack Station, it REALLY got cold, especially since I ordered a nice ice filled small Diet Coke. I should have done with a Hot Chocolate, but I wasn't in the mood.... at first.
We also met a couple of hard-core cyclists we met at the same place LAST Monday. We joked when we parted that maybe we would meet again NEXT Monday.
As I neared the bottom of my Coke, I got so chilled that I walked over to the parked trike and retrieved my rarely-worn windbreaker jacket. Since going toward home is more downhill than up, I knew it would be rather cold streaking that-a-way.
I thought, as we approached the slight hills going back, that climbing them would warm me up enough to force me to stop and peel off the jacket, but I didn't get one bit overheated - and was highly happy with the jacket being in place.
My Lithium-Ion Battery that I worried might have destroyed itself using a non-standard charger seemed to work fine today. I had previously taken it out of the pannier in the workshop, and it was showing ZERO volts output, a non-inspiring condition. I used the voltmeter to test the output right at the blade terminals of the battery and it was now showing 13+ volts available, so I removed the short power cable and tested it thoroughly, and could find no opens or problems with it. When I reconnected the wiring harness firmly the entire system was now displaying 13+ volts. I plugged my favorite battery "tester" (An old Tensor lamp wired directly for 12 Volt operation) into the pack and it lit with full brilliance for almost a minute without fading so I disconnected it, reinserted it into the pannier, and hoped it would work for the next ride..... and it did. Thank God. I really love the lightness and power output of this battery and would have willingly blown the necessary $100+ bucks to replace it had it actually been permanently dead.
Beginning Battery Voltage: 13.2 Ending Voltage: 13.1
Lowest Temp 51 F Highest Temp: 55 F
Stats from the GPS: Total Miles: 4.32
Overall average speed Moving Avg Max Speed
2.5 MPH 6.0 MPH 28.5 MPH
Total Trip time Moving Time Stopped Time
1 hour 43 minutes 43 mins 19 secs 59 mins 41 secs
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