Riding in the hood.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #**121** (**permalink**) 03-08-2008, 06:33 PM

I'll ad that we had ice storms and then no power for three days (well, we have a generator I hooked into the breaker box here last fall), my work has shut down until at least Tues (from last Wed.) Ashtabula is in a state of emergency, and today/last night we got 18" of new snow and the road in front of my house is closed.

Man, do I need a bike ride.

deacon · #**122** (**permalink**) 03-08-2008, 06:36 PM

It rained like the devil here today and I am just as antsy as the proverbial prostitute in the tent meeting.

**Ilikeabikea** · #**123** (**permalink**) 03-08-2008, 07:18 PM

Would you believe I actually used to ride my bike in the snow when I was a kid. We would take bailing wire and spiral it around the tire and wheel. Made it have much more traction in the snow......................

deacon · #**124** (**permalink**) 03-08-2008, 07:19 PM

These days id be afraid to ruin a tire.... But I think they used to make bike tire chains

**CRUISER** · #**125** (**permalink**) 03-08-2008, 07:56 PM

me to. i tried all sorts of things when younger. small scews in the tread, staples and everything else i could think of. needless to say i ruined alot of tires but back then mom and dad would buy me new ones lol

deacon · #**126** (**permalink**) 03-09-2008, 08:02 PM

I don't know if I every explained about the bike trail near my home or not. Its about two blocks down hill on the main road where I live. Then it's a right turn onto a road with houses so close to the corner that you could reach out an touch them from the road. that is only a very slight exaggeration. Then it is four block downhill a very fun ride actually.

Then it is a sharp left turn onto the trail. a beautiful mile and a half ride over some specially built wooden bridges and through some underpass tunnels built just for walkers and bikes.

At the end of the mile and a half the trail winds back up to the busy road I live on. One can cross that and do another scenic mile and a half. The trail goes on for about twenty more miles,but I have never been that far.

The reason I mention that is because tomorrow I'm going to ride the new three speed Electric Teddy bike. I haven't been able to ride that mile and a half out to the busy road and back without stopping yet. I'm going to drop my battery pack and see if I can do it with the aid of the three speeds. Oh they work by the way.

If I can get back, I'll pick up my batteries for the long 5 or 6 block uphill ride home. I am looking forward to giving this a try.

For while now I have been running smooth pvc pipe as a drive wheel. Tomorrow I am going to take a try at covering it with a worn out piece of tire. I have had covers before an the work great but they don't last very long because I never figured a way to attach them. This time I'm going to wrap a piece of tire tread and run a couple of screws into the pvc pipe to hold the cover down. I have no idea if it will work of not, I have never tested it.

deacon · #**127** (**permalink**) 03-10-2008, 12:16 PM

Well I test rode the electric teddy. After it threw me on my butt, I decided that it's back to the trailer batteries. The bike with that kind of weight is just too far off balance for me. Then I also decided that it needs a smaller crank. Probably one from a 20" or even a 16" bike will do.

The teddy is three speeds so it will give me an even lower 1st gear, a gear probably about like low is now, and a regular bike type gear. I just won't have that highest cruise gear. Since I don't think I'll be doing any cruising it should be fine.

I really need the smaller crank to get the pedals down lower. I am hitting the motor on the back pedal. A smaller crank has shorter pedals. I will probably go looking for a bike today.

deacon · #**128** (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 12:24 PM

Struck me this morning that I need to explain where "Ridin in the Hood" comes from. My wife comes home for lunch everyday. If she doesn't hear my voice calling out to her, she calls for me. If I don't answer she goes looking for me. Up the stairs and in every room then out back. You see my car is in the drive so where the heck am I.

She made me a sign that says "Ridin' in the Hood." on one side and "Ridin on the Trail" on the other side. That's so she knows where to tell the cops to look for the body if I'm not home when she get off work at five. It also keeps her from having to tour the plantation when I'm out ridin' in the hood.

So when I wanted to just ramble about riding my bike around town, I decided to call it "Riding in the hood." Now you know the rest of the story.

Pablo · #**129** (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 12:28 PM

[quote=deacon]Struck me this morning that I need to explain where "Ridin in the Hood" comes from......[quote]

And people wonder why I love this site so much.

My wife asks me where I go for rides when I take off.......yep...."Ridin in the Hood" is my answer!!

Almost forgot one time I was riding for awhile and came home the back way........so who did I spot? The wife, walking the dogs in the hood! She thought it was pretty cool to actually see the creation going from point a to point b!

deacon · #**130** (**permalink**) 03-11-2008, 02:27 PM

You gotta good wife...