Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike

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PeteMcP

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Jun 27, 2017
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Now that's a bike ride destination to get excited about.
Remember the Country Code Rick; be sure to wear a mask when skinny dipping...;)
Here in the UK, most all overseas travel is still a no-no, with two weeks quarantine upon return being necessary in nearly all cases, but since travel restrictions have been relaxed, domestic travel is now very much a possibility. Which means the usually quiet places are now rammed full of 'Staycationers'. The UKs current 'heat wave' in the South (33 degrees and just over for nearly a week, don't laugh) has resulted in scenes of seaside beaches being so jam-packed with visitors it looks like something from the 40s-50s.
 

indian22

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Dec 31, 2014
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Tom I wish I took them all but was with a professional who shot hundreds of photos over several days. I've a stick full of them. My photos are mostly lame. I don't catalog well so images are really mixed. I need to do better.

The old granite formations have weathered into some fantastic formations of seemingly endless variety and changing season. time of day, camera position on any given landscape changes so much. Throw in a pros bag of optics etc. & you get art....sometimes.

Pete the swimming is restricted to designated areas except for a couple of the bigger lakes on which larger boats are allowed as well. I don't think I've taken any swimming photos makes me feel pervy around those I don't know, but there's one charming community that has a stream pool that was old when I was a small boy...hundreds came every weekend to enjoy family time at the Medicine Park Pool. I think those with camping set ups are taking more trips this Summer in the U.S. most states allow it and as far as I can tell a lot of parks are open.

The refuge is so nice in the Spring and Fall.

Rick C.
 
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indian22

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I'm afraid I'm wearing you guys out with ride and area photos. If so I apologize. I love the building but that's actually secondary to riding so I admit I'm trying to get more guys up and out on two wheels as often as possible on the bikes you build, rent borrow whatever it's food for the soul!

Pete I found an image from the late forties early fifties that show the Medicine Park stream pool with a 30 ft. high toboggan slide that was still in operation until the late fifties. I rode that sled often and the lines waiting to go next were long! You couldn't ride if you could walk under the height crossbar. I think ten years of age was when I finally got to slide & it was a right of passage for me. My older brother called the small slide the baby skid & made me so mad. He was 7 yrs. my senior and now I miss his teases.

The town of Medicine Park has flourished once again and is a showplace mixed with mountain side homes on the market some way past the million dollar mark, but also beautifully restored cobblestone cottages that are so small they appear child size.

My Dad loved this town & wanted me to buy some properties to renovate here about 1994-96. The place was a disgrace of druggies and gang bikers at the time and dangerous. I declined but in retrospect I should have know he was right and there was a great profit to be turned just on the surface dirt. Less than five years later the place was really getting cleaned up and taking off. Location, location but Pop never once mentioned that he was right about financial opportunity of the place. Now it's well policed and perfectly maintained and a far cry from the worst of it's decline. Except for the lack of the big slide it's better than ever.

Rick C.



Med-ParkTobogan-Slide-1940-1950.jpg
 

PeteMcP

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Any and all posts welcome Rick, whether it's building, riding, travelogue, history or just about life in general. Jen and I were lucky enough to have visited many varied locations coast to coast in the States with US pals over the last 24 years, but never OK, so I enjoy seeing and hearing about places I missed.

Finally bit the bullet and took an early morning stroll in light warm rain to the barbershop after first shaving off my beard. No. 4 buzzcut, so no more 'helmet hair' after riding for me! Last haircut was back in October. Figured it was long overdue 'cause Jen's been looking at me for a while like she doesn't recognize me anymore. That could just be wishful thinking on my part. I know the day will come, but I'm hopeful her dementia hasn't yet reached that stage.

Can confirm that wireless bike computer I ordered last Friday arrived via courier (free shipping) Monday. After installing, everything worked fine during Wednesday's ride, averaging a comfortable 19mph. Saw two police cars who smiled and stared, but otherwise didn't give BLUE BAMBOO a second glance.
 

indian22

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Thanks Tom I'm an advocate of building communities in place regardless of where that place may be or what the underlying reason for being in that place is. A forum can form a community of individuals; diverse in so many ways, yet all dealing with, not escaping from, the commonalities of life. Opening up and sharing our stories while hoping others will do the same. I'm not a fan of social media because it's so easy to get into the gossip and backstabbing, the boasting and pretending. All shallow water. Forum format suits me better.

I was very active on an off road truck forum for many years. Some hardcore builders...I include myself in that group. Some competition oriented others mixed use. There we're many that just liked to interact and dream, some old timers that weren't any longer in the game but had much to add and all were accepted...except for the posers that knew it all no matter what all was involved and were self appointed critics. It was a great community until the forum owners decided to reformat & disappear 85% of the existing content, photos included. These were "how it's been done posts" that are now lost forever to those who just are getting into off-roading. New content was also constricted. Not many stayed active and the forum folded in quick order.

People and ideas mattered in that defunct forum and content had to have weight.

Now for those that build & could really care less about others and just want to show what you've created that's great too. Photos, few words and off to another build...see ya' in a few months with another build...you guys are important to the forum as well and all in between, including lurkers (I was one for a couple of years) that learn a lot & might one day join and participate.

This is how I see it as a forum member. I see the forum currently being an outstanding place to invest my time & in my opinion it's being administered extremely well and that gives me confidence that it will survive.

Rick C.
 

indian22

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Pete I did a buzz cut recently, recent selfie revealed, more bald than cut it seems.

The ladies in my family have a long history with dementia. They all thankfully recognized me as someone important to them, though often not me per se. One Aunt thought I was her Poppa , another brother. I found it easy to slip into that role for them, not correcting my identity and it made our visits so much fun as they relived fond memories. My Mother always recognized her family and most friends, and enjoyed frequent visits from all, but seldom talked, but when she did it was on topic. A strange mental state to be sure with so many strange nuances. I found it quite pleasant and peaceful to be with them. They seemed not to suffer and actually happy when not overmedicated and that was monitored closely. It's odd that the men of the family have never shown signs of dementia, though the mental casters were a bit wobbly on a couple.

Good news on the computer Pete. I also am quite satisfied with mine. The quick half turn release makes bringing it in for charging on my laptop quite easy too. It's accurate. I'm waiting on a review from Tom on his purchase. I'm in the market for two more.

Twenty over there is the game, and cruising at twenty mph-ish is my sweet spot on electrics, with continuous pedal input. I calculate usage of 10 watts per mile on flat, and no wind for my 36 volt MB & about 12 watts for my 48v. Fat Ugly single speed. For the MB that's 75 miles, but in my real world I works pretty hard on the assist to average 55 miles and about the same with the 48v. Fat bike. 960 watts available for the Fat bike from a 20 amp battery and 750 watt from the 36V. 20 amp lithium's on the MB.

Some 10 mile rides on the MB, hilly and with some wind and aggressive pedaling I've yielded 5 watt usage at 15 to 18 mph average speed so young guys in shape can torch my numbers for certain. I've a friend about 63 years of age that's a fantastic road rider with the best equipment and rides hundreds of miles per week can blow these numbers up on a pure pedal bike. He used to get pulled over for speeding through 35 mph zones. So all this is relative of course.

Rick C.
 

Tom from Rubicon

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Apr 4, 2016
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Rick said "I'm waiting on a review from Tom on his purchase."
I just ordered the MEILAN M3 Mini GPS Bike Computer
$36.91 tax included, free shipping arrive August 16.
Be patient Rick, just cause I post a thrifty link is not indicative of me pulling the trigger.
Done now. Report forth coming.
I had in house, a Hall effect speedometer, purchased for my Huffy Davidson.

Huffy instead received a old school analog cable driven unit because I liked the re-settable odometer to keep track of individual rides though I never kept a log. Me bad again.
Tom


 
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Tom from Rubicon

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When Rick first posted his smiling face, I did not grasp it's import. Covid hair cuts or shaves are a necessity to avoid infection. But about 6/14/20, Mona still in hospital for Stem Cell Transplant. Mona started shedding, her nurses shaved her to give her a more uniform appearance. Hearing what became of my Sweetie I turned the clippers unto myself. Yesterday I checked Mona's pate. fuzz there is. Annie Lennox she ain't, but she is what I got.
 

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MEASURE TWICE

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My purchase of another AGM 12V 12AH battery since it was damaged in transit, was for slightly bigger AGM 12 14AH to use in my underwater scooter. I thought my range would be a bit better and it fit physical size in the underwater scooter. I must have thought the battery I had many years old, might be giving a bit less time on a run. I can say I only might have gone a 1/4 more distance, and ended up not wanting to kick my fins and to baby the extra mass back as I had done once before. It was almost neutral, but slightly negative weighted. So, on the river I tied it to a sunken tree stump. Actually, probably was a utility pole as I saw metal square stock (don't tell Fast Eddy) embedded in the wood. I walked quite a ways. I could have swum with fins back, but I did go a bit longer and not using much energy was chilled even in the wet-suit I had on. Quite a hike and also not wanting to walk on the highway, I forgot there was no real way that was easy. Not the distance so much, but I had to get the other side of the river with a steep embankment. I scramble, bush-wacked by hand. Just at one point I used my dull as can be knife out and cut some sticker bush when pushing it out of the way when my glove would not do. About 2 feet I dropped down with a splash, the last bit while trying to hold onto some non-thorny plant to gently get down to the river and cross back to where I started. Then off to get my inflatable kayak to rescue my underwater scooter. The kayak was surprisingly in good shape for being probably 20 years old. I had the scooter that looks sort of like a torpedo strapped on the nose of the kayak and paddled it back. I took out the lead ballast container from the nose cone and put in the seating area on the kayak which made it work paddling fine. I saw a Bald Eagle and Great Blue Heron as I paddled back. I thought if two batteries could be in place on the electric underwater scooter and have a way to switch batteries, it would be like a reserve fuel switch. As it is now, you get a warning. The battery slows and withing 30 seconds it shuts off. Even if switch is on. Turn switch off for second and back on and you get a few seconds of run time. It cannot get much done without stressing arms and wrists trying to get the scooter aimed right with it slightly negative buoyant. My arms found out about the muscles used in paddling for a couple days now. Where are the charging stations on the river?
 

indian22

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Dec 31, 2014
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Tom I'm impressed with the his & her G.I. Corona cuts . The smiles polish it off!.

Up until the Brit invasion of the Beatles I did a buzz cut start of each Summer. Just easier to deal with and that's still the case. Two or three days of looking into the mirror while shaving and I adjusted to the look when I, after all these years, submitted to the Summer G.I.

My Meilan GPS continues to impress, but I'll be curious to know others experience with them. It would be nice to have several extra bar mounts to swap one GPS between bikes, the quick half twist release of the unit is so handy. My mountain bike bars are packed and I just ordered a sport camera as well. It's a Go-pro knock off with impressive specs but that doesn't mean much if the final products are no better than average. I reasoned that I can learn the process and upgrade to a Go-Pro at any time if my use justifies the added expense and it seems the price of the Go-Pro 7 is down to $250. or less & that camera is pretty impressive even though the tech is a few yrs. behind the eight and the soon to be delivered 9 series cameras. The camera I've ordered comes with a variety of mounts & dual battery chargers that I can use my bikes 36v or 48v lithium packs 5 volt dc converter to charge. Campark ACT74 ships from U.S. distributors at just over $50. & for a low price camera reviews aren't bad on it, but not a GO-Pro for sure.

I go back to a previously posted comment on the Meilan GPS speedometer. How can these devices be sold at such low costs, delivered?

Rick C.
 

PeteMcP

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Just a heads-up Rick.
Go scoot over to Rat Rod Bikes forum and check out the super cool Rixe Girder Fork offered for sale.
I know you don't like duplicating fork variants - and this fork is one I know you'll dig big time. Looks almost identical to the girder fork I recently bought here in the UK.
Someone's bound to pull the trigger quick on this steal.
 

indian22

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Dec 31, 2014
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I like the James bikes & the small tanks would look well with a girder fork. As you recalled I've a thing for forks and one could justly say I design from the fork back. The correct fork sets the tone for my bikes. I hope I have a couple of more builds left in me in which to utilize two different forks. Actually they might only require one different fork.

As far as a next build is concerned a correct Indian Power plus twin is a bike I could fancy, with a leaf fork....possibly borrowed from the Simplex. The Simplex running the Simplex fork from the Peashooter and the Harley Peashooter getting a Sportsman Harley spring fork. A swap around that I could certainly live with!

At the moment I've plenty of projects to finish first.

Rick C.