E-Bikes

[olbriar]

It was wicked hot today. My station logged 101.8° for the high temp. I saw 111 feel like temperature. I have no idea what was the high. When I finally got done mowing I came home and hit the showers. After dinner I thought I might get in a little ride. I was half way to the sidewalk South when the wind got up big time from the West. It was a cold wind and there were storm clouds on the SW horizon. I turned around and headed back towards home. I wanted to be half close when the rains hit. It continued to look threatening so I rode my in town loop over and over. Talk about boring.. sheesh. It was a safe bet that I could make a mad dash home and not get very wet if it started raining. It was getting dark when I ran across a guy pushing his bike. His back tire was flat and he said he picked up a nail. I offered him the use of my pump but he turned me down. He was almost home and thought it would be a waste of time after it went flat so fast. I know exactly how that is... I'm afraid. I almost rode up my battery before it was dark. I logged only 32 miles tonight. That's how stop and go effects the 40 mile average battery. I might have squeaked another three or four miles out if I had more daylight.

 

[olbriar]

Today's riding conditions were similar to yesterday. The wife and I put the clean on our patio this morning and then I went riding before it got super hot. I saw Tim the trike guy and two other cyclists on my first loop. I saw a couple more riders before I had drained my battery. Only one cyclists was young. I'm guessing mid twenties. All the rest looked to be old retired gentlemen. I'm guessing the sidewalk sees regular traffic weekday mornings and I miss out because I'm mowing. I only have every other Friday morning off. I rode again after dinner. It was uncomfortably hot and I didn't see anyone on the sidewalk. I logged 92 miles between the two rides.

I know I've likely mentioned the park I ride into now and then to use the nice restrooms they have. The park has a super nice doggie park with pond and pier and three separate fenced areas. One just for small doggies. One that's big for throwing balls or frisbees. And one that has tunnels and bridges and things for the dogs to play on. The rest of the park consists of two state of the art girls softball fields. The sport has either gotten to be a huge thing for young ladies or there aren't many area facilities for them. One way or another, the two diamonds are busy every night and every weekend. The parking lot is huge and it is always packed. They are nearing completion of another two diamonds and what looks to be a huge indoor viewing and eating or some stadium thing. Nobody is allowed down there but it looks cool and I assume the two home plates back up against this stadium thing. I'm excited to see the finish product and glad such a special environment is being created for the girls. When I was a kid... the girls got to watch us boys play sports. Far from fair. We played ball with a few girls but it was unorganized back yard or pasture ball. There was one girl that was quite a bit better than most all of us guys. She didn't get to play real ball but she was damn good. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time but it has eaten at me most of my adult life. Not fair. I'm proud of my city for building the park with my tax money and thankful for the farmer that left his farm ground to the city for the project.

 

[olbriar]

After a little overnight shower, it was a bit cooler today. I rode this morning and it was a beautiful morning for it. I rode 41 miles and was home before noon. It was just starting to get hot when I ran low on battery. My son came over this afternoon to share his recent vacation experience and have a couple of beers. They were enjoying a week around Breckenridge Co. Hiking and golf and hitting the different eateries was the itinerary but he also found a new love... down hill biking. He and his wife rented bikes and gear and did the easy trail first. They enjoyed it so they did the next harder trail. That was enough challenge for his wife. She sat out while he took on the most difficult down hill run there. It was so much fun that he did it twice. We pulled up a YT of someone riding that trail and it looked far more difficult than I would attempt. He said he had not been that challenged since his boxing days. He's ready to move there ride every trail in Colorado.
I rode my flat boring loops again tonight. Nothing exciting but I enjoyed it. I didn't see anyone riding tonight but I saw a number of riders and walkers this morning. I rode another 43 miles tonight.

 

[olbriar]

It was a pretty morning and I took the opportunity to ride. I had just cut through town and was heading for the sidewalk for my third loop when I had a flat. It wasn't a nail. It looked like it might have been a segment of a snap ring. Whatever it was, it had no trouble piercing the tire, tire liner, and tube. I had three cyclists, three cars, and a police car all stop and asked if I needed help. The best part about having my flat there was one of the cyclists was Tim the trike guy. I had everything I needed to change the tire and it's a one man job but it gave an opportunity for us two old farts to visit. He's getting ready to move to Minnesota to be near his son and his grandkids. I can't blame him. Family is all a man ever really has. We exchanged phone numbers so we could stay in touch. I'll miss seeing him. I needed to get home to put my dinner on the smoker. Besides, my spare was now on the bike. Another flat and I'd be walking. I started my dinner and had a beer then went riding again to use up my morning battery. I went riding again after dinner. Between the three different rides, I logged 95 miles.

 

[olbriar]

I had just finished mowing a couple of lawns and was getting into my truck when a cyclist blew by me just tearing it up. It was a high dollar road bike that had no E on it.
Around the corner he went and was out of sight. I had to head back to the North side of town to catch some more lawns and I caught up to the rider that was wearing a USA riding jersey and still killing it. When I passed the rider I found it was a she and not a he cyclists. That girl was flying.

I showered after mowing and the wife and I went shopping. I ate dinner a little early and went riding. I took my best battery and planned on doing a lot of riding. I was shocked that after three loops that I didn't have enough battery left for a fourth. I rode a half loop (taking a mile road that runs between the sidewalk and highway) shortcut and then rode off the rest of the battery in town. I logged 39 miles. It wasn't windy. I think the battery drain was due to pushing the bike the entire ride. Sometimes a hard and fast ride just feels good. If there was a means to accurately measure calories burned, I suspect the 39 mile ride would be nearly the same as an easy 50 mile coasting ride.

I failed to mention that I stopped at a lemonade stand yesterday. A boy, I'm guessing ten or eleven, was set up in the hot sun selling his lemonade at yester years prices. Fifty cents and glass where almost all stands have it at a dollar nowadays. I gave him five bucks anyway. It seemed to make his day.