E-Bikes

[olbriar]

It was warmer and much windier today. I went riding once I had my lawns mowed. The wind had the sidewalk traffic to a minimum. I saw two ladies walking and talking and that was it. I rode into the South wind with assist 3. I considered assist level 4 going up the two hills against the wind but toughed it out. Going North on my return leg of the loop gave my legs a chance to recover. It was a good workout today. I rode forty miles.

I thought I'd share some of the scenery. The first pic is a field of soybeans. It has to be close to harvest. There are fields of soy all along my side of the four lane.

Across the four lane are fields of freshly picked cotton. My dad picked cotton as a kid. If he was living, he would freak out to see it bailed.

 

[olbriar]

It was almost hot this afternoon. There is a chance of thunderstorms tomorrow. The front moving across the area will change the weather pattern rain or no rain. Cooler weather to almost cold weather is in the ten day forecast. Considering the chance of rain, my schedule, and the colder weather, I rode as much as time permitted today.
I mowed my lawns and then rode 37 miles. Though it was warm, it was windy. I didn't ride that hard. The battery drain was battling the wind. I came home and grilled out some burgers. After dinner, I was out riding again. This time I was riding hard. Knowing my time was limited before it got dark, I rode hard in an attempt to get in another two loops. I was back in town with daylight to spare. I rode two cool down loops in town for another 30 miles to log.

I didn't see any riders today. I saw a couple of joggers my early ride and the guy that runs so hard my second ride. Being a week day, I wasn't expecting a lot of traffic on the sidewalk. Area schools were out today and will be out tomorrow for parent - teachers conferences. I thought I might see some younger riders out enjoying the day but I was wrong.

 

[olbriar]

I barely got in a ride this afternoon. My sister was late coming over to go to the Verizon store to remove a phone from our plan and to merge her phone into her late husband's phone. That took far longer to accomplish than I would have guessed. By the time we had that done and she saw the kitten she is adopting it was getting late in the afternoon. My son was coming over after he got off work for some beers and conversation so it left little time for riding. I managed one loop and had to call it a day. It was a shame that's all the time I had. Today was likely the last comfortable day to ride. The weather is to turn colder next week. I have no clue when another day in the seventies might happen. I despise winter.

 

[olbriar]

The weather is stuck on sixty three degrees and the overnight rain is still sitting where it fell. I am thinking about going riding in spite of it being wet and cooler. I don't anticipate any traffic lol. It is all my fault. I stepped outside to determine the amount of clothing I needed to ride and it started sprinkling. .... sheesh!

I never got the chance to ride. It stayed cool and boggy all day. Bummer

 

[olbriar]

It was a bit cold late this morning when I decided I would ride. The humidity was in the 90's and the road was still wet from yesterday. I was riding a bit before noon and drained a battery before calling it. I rode hard. I was wanting to get home to watch some football and I needed to get home to get my dinner on the smoker. I did see one middle aged woman walking on the sidewalk. I saw her all three loops that I rode. She was the lone traffic besides myself. It wasn't a fun day to be outside so I get it. I only logged 37 miles today. Between riding hard and it being colder, it drained the battery in short order.

Even though I didn't ride yesterday, I replaced the brake pads on the front caliper. They weren't completely worn out but getting close. I thought I might as well put the last set of pads on the bike to match the back that I very recently replaced. I don't like the pads and I don't like the rotors. I will wear these brakes out and go with something that I hope will be better. These brakes not only wear quickly, they sound like a squealing pig.

It is supposed to be warmer tomorrow. The low seventies is predicted. However, there is a 70% chance of rain to spoil the day. The chance of rain is all day long according to my hourly forecast and is accompanied with winds up around the 20 mph range. Riding tomorrow doesn't look favorable but tomorrow the forecast will be different.

 

[olbriar]

They pretty much had the wind and rain correct in today's forecast. It rained late morning and then has been raining this evening. Even though we were included in a tornado watch this afternoon, it looked pretty safe and plenty of room between the rains for a ride. I rode three loops and rode a loop in town. I rode by two of my Tuesday lawns to see if they need mowing. This time of year, it's difficult to tell without driving by and giving them the once over. I logged 35 miles and was only wet from the water the front tire flipped up on me.

I don't believe that I've mentioned seeing this woman. I would guess that I see her a bit less than once a month. She is always on one or the other sidewalk just before or just after they cross over the bridge going into the town South. Sometimes she is on my side, the South bound side. Most of the time on the other side of the four lane. I would guess her to be in her later thirties or early forties. She is always under dressed... or scantly dressed.... but not indecent. Today was in the mid sixties and she was wearing shorts and a tight fitting sweater. She is always dancing... yep.. dancing. I can't decide if she is crazy or soliciting. I waved at her the first time I saw her, perhaps a couple of years ago. Waving seemed to step up the dance so I've refrained from the interaction since. Her dance is not provocative and yet it is somewhat. Definitely out of place and eye catching. She has one arm raised above her head and the other around her waist as she turns a slow circle like she has an imaginary hula-hoop around her waist or is a native on a sandy beach in Hawaii. The only other weirdo on the sidewalk besides myself this afternoon.

 

[olbriar]

It was misty and cold with a stiff North wind today. I had four lawns to mow and didn't try to mow until it was close to noon. The rain that fell yesterday had the grass wet and the mist wasn't helping matters. I finally just gave up and started mowing the lawns. I was home just before school let out. I changed into my warm riding clothes and was off. It was so miserable riding that I gave it up after two loops. There is something about riding twenty plus miles an hour into a twenty plus mile per hour wind that just isn't fun. It is extra unpleasant when it's misting and only fifty five degrees. I was glad that I got to ride but I was glad when I got back home.