Old Guys Simplex moto-peddle bike

Close to the top of the gyp cap rock. Big sky's out here, almost always can find a horizon and at times a full 360 degrees!

Rick C.

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indian22 said:
Fifty two mile ride this morning, starting to get easier going into my third full week of doing extended rides. Used my full suspension e-mountain bike today carried three batteries used only one. I pedaled full time. Lots of long grades to pull and elevation changes up to 700 ft. on a couple but 400 to 500 more common just a lot of them.

Part of the ride took me through gypsum canyon country. Rugged but I find it quite beautiful elevation about 2,100 ft. I'd say and that pretty high around the area I've been riding. Anybody tells you western Oklahoma is flat only glanced at it crossing the interstate at 80 mph.

Rick C.

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Real good pictures of the scenery out there! We don't have nothing like that in this area unless you are around the big rivers up north.
All we have in my area is the flatlands with cornfields and beanfields. Some of the boring views are along route 80 in Nebraska and
that state has to be the longest drive from one end to the other maybe because of the scenery. The e-bike can give you some exercise
pedaling it. I always though that the 49cc bike was hard to pedal until I had to pedal that 212 when I had problems with the engine.
When I had problems with the 49cc a few years back I broke the link on the drive chain so I could pedal it back home about 4 miles and
it wasn't all that bad to pedal.

Dennis
 
Dennis research shows if a rider moderately assists full time they receive 80% of the exercise benefits of a comparable pedal bike outing with 60 to 70 percent less chance of an injury (not including accidents such as a fall or collision) due to pedaling. I pedal pretty aggressively full time on my MB & keep my the pedal cadence above 60 strokes. There are a lot of variables not the least of which are the weight of three batteries and my long ride kit, which add close to 40 lbs. to a not light full suspension MB rolling on 2.4" knobby tires and with the un-sprung 12 pound weight of the hub motor & wheel.

That's why I've been training every day on extended rides and carrying this full kit. At some point I'll add a trailer & more weight; 60 to 80 lbs. to the equation. When I take my Fall trips I want to enjoy them and not spend most of my time on recovery.


Rick C.
 
Thanks Mags it's still a work in progress as far as long trail bike packing is concerned. If it were just a town bike or afternoon cruiser things could really stay clean. I pedal this one full time, run flashers, stay on the road shoulder and seldom exceed 20 mph on the flats so the cops pay no attention to me. As it is carrying three batteries or more and by keeping wiring and electronics exposed for roadside maintenance, there is some clutter that stems from the need for quicker accessibility.

When all kit bags are organized & mounted the frame is pretty cluttered. I may pull a trailer, yet to be modified, for most of the gear. The camping stuff tent , sleeping bag etc. weighs next to nothing & takes up the space of three or four shoe boxes. LED lights, phone etc. charge off the lithium ports. I carry an extra controller & throttle with matched plugs for swap and go. None of this takes up much space or adds much weight for three or four day trips. Longer journeys I figure the trailer can carry 60 lbs. quite safely and efficiently.

This bike is set up as a 7 speed, but I run two chain rings which I can manually change to when encountering steeper climbs.

Hard to see in the photo, but there are literally hundreds of Purple Martins flying about me catching the hatch of insects rising above this stream.

Rick C.

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Tom I stopped on this bridge for close to 20 minutes? I took a lot of photos not just of the Martins, but also of catfish several two feet long at least. None of the fish really showed up in my shots even enlarged. The water looks really muddy but was actually clear, but the stream cuts through red shale at this spot and I guess that gives the red muddy look to the photos. Water flow was lazy and the fish were set up on shale points & shelves all orientated upstream in ambush of smaller prey. There were also carp that appeared to be in the 20 lb. range. The stream is called the Washita (Wash-eye-tah) and means good hunting, and it is deer and turkey abound. The fishing is also good and I'd say you're right Tom that big cottonwood snag looks a killer spot to throw stink bait. This is the stream I grew up on and it flows through two of my Dad's farms, my Grandad and Great Gramps farms also at different locations in two counties.

It rained heavy upstream and I'd guess the river is out of banks today and 75 yards wide at this location. I've seen it almost a mile wide here several times over the years, but a large Dam was placed abut 35 miles upstream and that really helps control the water now.

Rick C.

Purple Martins.jpg
Washita river bridge.jpg
 
Thanks for including us. I left the 4 generation farm over 30 years ago and it too had a wonderful stream with lots of good fishin' holes. At a very early age I was turned loose to wander the 800 acres and fish of course, as long as I showed up at noon for lunch and listen to the livestock report. Thanks for the memory trigger
Dan
 
Tinsmith said:
Thanks for including us. I left the 4 generation farm over 30 years ago and it too had a wonderful stream with lots of good fishin' holes. At a very early age I was turned loose to wander the 800 acres and fish of course, as long as I showed up at noon for lunch and listen to the livestock report. Thanks for the memory trigger
Dan
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Dan the war babies and post WWII children, especially those in rural areas, were blessed with growing up in a wonderful era which allowed children to enjoy youth yet fostered a deeply seated work ethic. At 5 years old both boys and girls had "chores" that were real and helpful tasks. This is sadly lacking in todays world where children are allowed to be exposed to aberrant adult activities in language, electronic content etc. but legally shielded from work or from actual punishment for acting out at home, school or in public. Children are encouraged to disrespect adults and taught almost zero moral conduct at home or school.

Dan you remember boys and many girls were encouraged to go outside and play till lunch & again till supper, once chores had been completed. Boys carried bb guns everywhere, then pellet guns and by ten or 11; 22 rifles and small shot guns . We fished and swam, buck naked, in the rivers and stock tanks and killed small game for the table. There were no fat kits when I was a youngster we burned it off working, walking, playing and riding both bikes and horses. I was born in '47 and by '66 only two young people I knew passed away. None were shot or drowned even though we were not supervised by adults. Red, Black, White or Brown we got along and if occasionally when a fight broke out; It got settled right there and we shook hands and wiped the blood off each other. If Dad's somehow got involved they did the same. No cops or weapons, though boys and men mostly had one or two weapons with them & the men fresh back from combat in Korea & WWII certainly knew how to employ them and had.

It was a different world that eventually the Cuba crisis & Vietnam conflict changed forever the lives of a generation. Simple joy in life was replaced by anger and a need for escape from reality in alcohol, violence, drugs and sex. Paradise lost, but with time, those who've managed to survive have rediscovered simple lives & endeavors that are so rewarding. I take full responsibility for my own many mistakes, but not for the errors of any others past, present or future. Each generation gets to own both the misery and the joys of their existence!

Rick C.

Rick C.
 
indian22 said:
Dan the war babies and post WWII children, especially those in rural areas, were blessed with growing up in a wonderful era which allowed children to enjoy youth yet fostered a deeply seated work ethic. At 5 years old both boys and girls had "chores" that were real and helpful tasks. This is sadly lacking in todays world where children are allowed to be exposed to aberrant adult activities in language, electronic content etc. but legally shielded from work or from actual punishment for acting out at home, school or in public. Children are encouraged to disrespect adults and taught almost zero moral conduct at home or school.

Dan you remember boys and many girls were encouraged to go outside and play till lunch & again till supper, once chores had been completed. Boys carried bb guns everywhere, then pellet guns and by ten or 11; 22 rifles and small shot guns . We fished and swam, buck naked, in the rivers and stock tanks and killed small game for the table. There were no fat kits when I was a youngster we burned it off working, walking, playing and riding both bikes and horses. I was born in '47 and by '66 only two young people I knew passed away. None were shot or drowned even though we were not supervised by adults. Red, Black, White or Brown we got along and if occasionally when a fight broke out; It got settled right there and we shook hands and wiped the blood off each other. If Dad's somehow got involved they did the same. No cops or weapons, though boys and men mostly had one or two weapons with them & the men fresh back from combat in Korea & WWII certainly knew how to employ them and had.

It was a different world that eventually the Cuba crisis & Vietnam conflict changed forever the lives of a generation. Simple joy in life was replaced by anger and a need for escape from reality in alcohol, violence, drugs and sex. Paradise lost, but with time, those who've managed to survive have rediscovered simple lives & endeavors that are so rewarding. I take full responsibility for my own many mistakes, but not for the errors of any others past, present or future. Each generation gets to own both the misery and the joys of their existence!

Rick C.

Rick C.
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Rick hit it right on the head! (^) Rick must have been running around in our clan of vagabonds. :D We even got scrapes and bent forks
playing chicken on them the only problem was when neither of us chickened out. There's a huge difference in the generations that followed
use after that. Many times I got disciplined with a belt or a tree switch and now kids are babied since the GOV got into trying to tell parents
how to raise their kids. They aren't growing up now and even some older fellas that I know dodged the draft during the Vietnam War. They
got married and had kids to keep from being indoctrinated into military service. I had classmates that dodged the draft by going to college
to keep from being drafted. Several of us were enlisted before we graduated from high school and 6 months after we graduated we were
in basic training. I can say this, most of the fellas that were out of shape were from the big cities and since the war was in full swing, the
TI would overlook their condition since they needed numbers for the war. The Nanny GOV is the problem with what is going on today.

Dennis
 
Sounds like we are all related!!! Most all of the "life reflections" mentioned I was lucky/unlucky enough to experience, but thankful for the the opportunity to have grown up and lived when I have. Plus, I get to enjoy all the wonderful goins on here at this site. Take care fellas!

Dan
 
Tinsmith said:
Sounds like we are all related!!! Most all of the "life reflections" mentioned I was lucky/unlucky enough to experience, but thankful for the the opportunity to have grown up and lived when I have. Plus, I get to enjoy all the wonderful goins on here at this site. Take care fellas!

Dan
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Dan, it makes you feel old! ;) We just have to keep moving my Aunt told me and she left us last year for greener pastures.
 
Weather is rainy here today so there's not riding. :mad: I've been trying to get some miles on a new engine and can't get much done outside
this AM and PM. I've just about gotten caught in the rain this last few weeks and have been lucky and yesterday I ran into town with it
and got back just in time for a rain storm that just passed through. Real good weather for weeds, grass, beans and corn here!

Dennis
 
Ya'll are inspiring me to get out and ride. Have been through a rough patch health wise and haven't ridden since January. I've been talking a good game lately, but haven't followed through. It's been mid to upper 90's for a couple weeks and Maybe with some cooler weather I'll get it done. Start with some 10 minute rides and work my way back up. No day long trips here without navigating some highways to get out, so 45 minutes to an hour is sufficient.

Dan
 
Tinsmith said:
Ya'll are inspiring me to get out and ride. Have been through a rough patch health wise and haven't ridden since January. I've been talking a good game lately, but haven't followed through. It's been mid to upper 90's for a couple weeks and Maybe with some cooler weather I'll get it done. Start with some 10 minute rides and work my way back up. No day long trips here without navigating some highways to get out, so 45 minutes to an hour is sufficient.

Dan
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Dan coming off a prolonged health related issue when coupled with the high heat of Summer really requires a bit of caution coupled with patience regarding exercise. Ten or fifteen minutes can be very enjoyable early or late not trying to cover distance just taking everything in as you go. I wouldn't suggest much more than this till Fall weather presents itself. In the Fall God smiles as he watches young and old cycle....my favorite season & fishing/hunting is a big bonus also!

Rick C.
 
Thanks for the thoughtful words Rick. Yep, I've always told Jackie that 30 minutes out in the countryside on the bike is really all I need. It's just so enjoyable riding something that ya pretty much make from scratch. I'm not as creative as a lot of ya'll but have a nice vintage looking bike that has served the purpose. The Harley guys around here love it. I'm invited to a gathering of "Old" bikers and several years back decided to roll in on them. I stood back and watched the carrying on about my bike amidst 30-40 Harleys worth $?????? Great memories come with the motorbike stuff.

Dan
 
I am glad I didn't have to help bale first crop hay this year. But times have changed. Quarter section farms a obsolete. The ones still in the game use imported workers so their kids can go to school and either go into management of the family business or seek other gainful endeavors.
Weather here in SE Wisconsin is getting back into riding weather, as opposed to blast furnace. But I am also side tracked because Mona came home from a 14 day hospital stay undergoing a Stem Cell Transplant. After the Massive Dose Chemo to destroy her existing bone marrow. That was July 6th. Next day she was infused with Stem Cells extracted previous to the chemo. Been twenty three days since the infusion and today her WBC was in the lower normal range.
That said, she has immunity to nothing. In order to survive Mona will over the course of the year starting in October will begin to get vaccinations from A to Z. I wish citizens in SE Wisconsin would respect their fellow citizens to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Mona and I are of the age that regardless of our over all health being good. We are susceptible
 
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