Walking on the bike trail

[deacon]

I never thought that I would see it but today I saw two guys bigger than me on the trail. I would love to see them after six months if they continue to walk that trail. It was amazing to me the year that I lost all the weight just how easy it was. Every spring I start out a few pounds over my summer weight but so far knock on wood, it has come off.

By the way did you ever notice how scarce wood is in the average room. I had to go looking for something wooden to knock on. My desk is particle board, I consider that glue not wood. My book shelves are metal and some ore plastic. My walls are plaster. The door is finally what I found to knock on. Lucky the house is 80 years old or they would be particle board and cardboard. Oh yeah knocking on the door set the dog off so I won't be doing that again.

So anyway it was chilly on the trail. Didn't get to see much interesting except four or five other walkers. A husband and wife, the two weight loss buddies, and one guy who appeared to be a thug, but only because he was hiding his face under a hood. Since he said good morning I changed my mind about him. He probably was just cold.

I got back to find that the wind had knocked my bike over. I have to do something about that. The bike turns over a lot. One day when I'm through with everything else, I guess I will have to invest in one of those double kickers. Those appear to be the most stable.

 

[deacon]

I had two interesting experiences this morning at the same time. I passed a middle aged couple who were walking a long haired black and white dog. The woman said, "Good to see you again." Obviously I had met them on the trail, but I had absolutely no memory of them. I have been walking that trail for about a year so it means my mind is going fast lol.

On the other hand they were walking the dog. It was a black and white spaniel mix. The dog I almost remembered form ten years ago, My next door neighbor showed up with a dog that looked the same as the one on the trail. He kept the dog chained and every day at least three times a day, I had to unwrap him, because he would be wound up to his neck on yard trash. He would leave the dog in his own waste as well. The dog house he built for the dog feel apart and he didn't replace it. Just left the boards with the nails in the dogs chained area. In other words he was a menace to the dog's health. Yes I called the humane society who did nothing but tell him to clean up his act. One day while I was untangling the dog, he got away. I felt bad about it for almost ten seconds.

The dog was super sweet, I'm sure he wound up in the home of a loving family. Heck i almost convinced myself that the middle aged couple on the trail was walking "Oreo" this morning.

 

[deacon]

After being up all night with a flooded basement, a couple of days ago, I got my strength back enough to walk. So today I rode the bike over to the park and took off. I could tell spring has arrived. The sound of weed-eaters assaulted my brain. I kept looking for the bicycles, but never did see any. Just a bunch of fat guys trimming the weeds from the creek bank in the park. I walked 2.5 miles today and could have done the three i did last summer had cutting my own grass been on my mind.

I saw something today and had a flash back. I saw a couple of women walking a badly overweight dog. I passed them and thirty yard farther down the path I met a man walking his dog toward them. The dog was a bit rowdy. I flashed on my dog max who now resides in a plastic box on my mantle.

There were two things Max hated... people and dogs. If he had met those ladies with the dog on a trail, he would have broken my arm to get to them. He would not have harmed either, he just loved to scare the heck out of them. People and dogs ran from Max. He had what my dad called, a bigger than himself personality. He weighted 60 pounds one of his vets thought when he first met Max that he weighed 90lbs.

I had to vet shop for the boy. All the young vets wanted me to muzzle him and come back to the treatment room to control him. I finally found this old vet in a coffee stained white coat. I think about half his teeth were gone. Max growled at him and he said,"Hey, shut the f... up. I'm talkin' now you'll get your turn." Max just looked at him suspiciously but he never growled again. I could see his mind working. Never trust a man you can't scare, he was thinking.

Anyway the basement flooded during the tornado here in town. Took me two days to recover from being up all night. I did save the boiler and the water heater, so i felt right proud of myself. I didn't have any damage but there was quite a bit here in town.

 

[deacon]

Somebody said they thought I should run a range test just to see what the rhino gets on a charge. I figured why not, today was beautiful so I told my wife I was going to ride to the marina. She told me she was going to the grocery store. I waited until she came home from the store.

She brought biscuits from one of the chicken fast food places. Thank God the biscuits were sausage. So she said, you go on to the lake and I'll bring the biscuits and coffee. I left just as soon as I could get the bike ready. I rode up some nasty hills on the way out there.

I spent about ten minutes waiting for her to show up with the food. While I did, some old fisherman wanted to know all about the bike. When she arrived, we had our coffee and biscuits looking at the lake. It was a beautiful moment.

After I ate, I headed home. I rode in on the bike at about half power. It is a sign that the batteries are close to empty. I checked the voltage and it was about 12.5 With one of them at 12.2 That is about as close to drained as I want to get.

After some thought i decided that I wanted to redo my bike trailer. I have three different battery packs now. I arranged it so that I could put the 17ah and the 7ah on the trailer at the same time. That should be more than enough power to do the marina ride and get home with the bike still pulling the hills.

The marina is 7miles round trip. I am going to have to do some serious thinking after I get the new batteries built. If they work okay, i will be very happy. Just for the weight reduction even if they don't perform any better.

So I worked from about ten am till 2pm on the battery packs and the trailer. It was a lot of running back and forth in the shop with a bunch of bending and lifting thrown in.

One of the battery packs is a 12ah. I decided like an idiot to build it and fit it to the trailer since the 17ah was charging and I wanted to go walk for some stupid reason. Of course one of the batteries had a connector break right in the middle of the assembly. I messed around with that for another hour trying ot soldier to a tiny little nub on the pack, It looked as though it would hold so I took off for the bike trail.

I walked two of the hardest miles of my life. I had completely exhausted my reserve energy. I was just dragging when I finished the walk. It was also hot as hades. All in all not one of my better endings to a day that began great. As Roseanna said, "It's always something."

 

[deacon]

Getting old is a "hard looking blond chick in a long black dress."

I hit the wall, energy wise, when I stayed up all night pumping my basement during the tornado. Now I can't seem to get my strength back. I thought I had on Wed but by Thursday I absolutely crashed again. I didn't walk yesterday, I might try it today, if I am less worn out after breakfast. If not, then I will hold off a day or two. I still do some work on the bikes, so I'm not totally immobile. Man I'll here to say getting old is not what I expected. It's like the pyramids, time just wears you down.

 

[deacon]

I hit the bike trail today feeling really good for the first time since the tornado came through and kept me up all night pumping the basement. I went back to my three mile walk and enjoyed almost every step of it.

I saw what I think was a boxer doing his road work on the trail. We are not a hot bed of boxers here so maybe he was something else but he was doing that dance step thing ever few yards. You know the ali shuffle thing.

I passed a couple of dog walkers as usual and some teenagers cutting class I expect. As I always do these days I rode the ebike down to the trail. It's a great ride. It didn't have the right tension on friday so yesterday I put some air in the drive wheel and today it was a dream. I truly love that bike.

I passed two ladies that I have passed while walking before. One of them is wearing one of those oxygen things. I'll say one thing for her she is out there walking not sitting home watching tv. Good for her,

 

[deacon]

When I got back to the parking lot, I found people resting after their walks. I went to my bike to leave but couldn't get out of the parking lot fast enough. I had to explain, yet again, how I made the bike. People are fascinated by the weird shape of it, but they can relate it to so many things in their own life. One woman said it reminded her of a conveyor system at one of her jobs. A wheel like my drive wheel moved the belt along. It is very simple for people to understand maybe that is why they are fascinated. I get a lot of why didn't i think of that, or I just threw one of those scooters away. Idiots lol.

 

[deacon]

I haven't walked yet today, but I have made a big, big decision. I haven't done an update on the camera I bought. The 1950 Polaroid roll film came in. I made the minor, almost none, modification it needed to shoot film. I have modified plenty of them, but this is the first one I did so little to. The reason is that it is like an old fashioned duck gun. You only get on shot at the duck, so you better be right the first time.

I can load a second sheet but it is a real pain, so I want to do it right the first time. it shoots a huge negative so that the film if shot right is going to be of tremendous quality. I have tested it and everything works just fine.

I went in search of poster material within bike range. I came up with no real ideas. At least none that were sustainable. Yes, when the reenactors come to town they are within range, but what about something at least once a week.

I had thought about sights along the trail but there are only a few worth the effort. This morning I was thinking about walking on the trail and It came to me. There are so many interesting people out there. Not a morning goes by that I don't find someone or something interesting on that trail. So I decided I will take the camera with me every day. Not only will it give me a poster now and then, but it will give me some extra weight like those hand weights the power walkers use.

So after I feed Dixie and Roxie, I am going to load a sheet of film into a cardboard film envelope that I made. slip it into the back of the camera I resurrected from the junk hole and head out to the bike trail.

I will carry no backup equipment so it is one shot do or die. I like that concept.

 

[deacon]

I went walking at the mall this morning since it was chilly. I missed seeing the tiny dancer. It's a woman about my age who is in remarkable good condition for her age. She bounces up and down using the upstairs rails as a dance studio bar. She dresses very much like a retired dancer or maybe the owner of dance studio who has retired. Anyway I didn't see her today. I saw a few of the regulars mostly couples.

Then I came home and developed some more film from the antique camera. I am going to have to make some postcard from the bike shot last night. I think the one with the company name might be cute if I put an old date on it.

I just came back from a walk on th bike trail since it warmed up some. Lots of people walking their dogs. I like to see them. One lady was being pulled along by a couple of gray hounds. just kidding they were well behaved but larger than I expected or rather than i remembered.

 

[Blakenstein]

I went for a 5 mile walk today and after a mile and a half I bought $1000.oo worth of golf clubs for 100 dollars at a flea market- the /calloway driver needs re-shafting any way 50 bucks at big bobs ota do -no problem -I want steel shaft anyway like I have on my old TaylorMade. There is no give wit the steel shafts and i like that- get a real solid hit.

So I'm finishing the last mile o my journey, and i look down and there is a golf ball. Then about 200 yards awayfrom home, I found......welll about 80 bucks worth of well I really better not say. Any way it was really cold and windy being it the reminants of a big weather bom that just hit Greztky land .

wooo haaaa i should go for these walkjs more offen but on the second thought, I better not!!!!!..................WHOOOOO HAAAAAAAAA...what a day.

 

[deacon]

But you know I find life more real when I am out there on the trail. It's hard to explain, but it's kind like my dad said, "You don't know what they is doin' till you is out there amungst em'. I just like the characters i see, and of course my chance to ride the bike.

So far today I have been busy with battery stuff but I hope to get back out again later.

 

[Michigan Mike]

I haven't walked yet today, but I have made a big, big decision. I haven't done an update on the camera I bought. The 1950 Polaroid roll film came in. I made the minor, almost none, modification it needed to shoot film. I have modified plenty of them, but this is the first one I did so little to. The reason is that it is like an old fashioned duck gun. You only get on shot at the duck, so you better be right the first time.

I can load a second sheet but it is a real pain, so I want to do it right the first time. it shoots a huge negative so that the film if shot right is going to be of tremendous quality. I have tested it and everything works just fine.

I went in search of poster material within bike range. I came up with no real ideas. At least none that were sustainable. Yes, when the reenactors come to town they are within range, but what about something at least once a week.

I had thought about sights along the trail but there are only a few worth the effort. This morning I was thinking about walking on the trail and It came to me. There are so many interesting people out there. Not a morning goes by that I don't find someone or something interesting on that trail. So I decided I will take the camera with me every day. Not only will it give me a poster now and then, but it will give me some extra weight like those hand weights the power walkers use.

So after I feed Dixie and Roxie, I am going to load a sheet of film into a cardboard film envelope that I made. slip it into the back of the camera I resurrected from the junk hole and head out to the bike trail.

I will carry no backup equipment so it is one shot do or die. I like that concept.

Deacon,
I like the sound of this project too. Any pictures yet?

 

[deacon]

not from the trail yet. I tried but I screwed up which is part of the fun. I should haul that anchor around again maybe tomorrow.

 

[Michigan Mike]

Deacon,
I thought you might get a kick out of this video.

FolkStreams » The Cameraman Has Visited Our Town

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[deacon]

I have one of those movies on video... It was a forties walk through our mill villages. Now I'm going to have to pull it out and look at it again.

 

[deacon]

I haven't walked yet today. I had bike drive trouble. The tire on my drive went flat. It wouldn't hold air, the valve stem was bad. In all my wisdom I decided to make another solid tire. So I filled it with the expanding insulating foam, which I managed to get all over me and my clothes. I put on my spare drive with the new tire and it is ready to go now.

I am still putting foam in that wheel but it is getting hard finally. Filling all those voids was a chore. I think I will probably just hold it as a spare when it finally gets hard. Unless I'm showing off I never run the bike wide open. I have a smaller wheel and tire on a third motor. I really should give it a try someday as well.

I guess I'll go walk now before the rain starts.

 

[deacon]

I built a bike just to ride on the bike trail. Not it isn't one of those zoom zoom bike, nor is it a pedal your guts out bike. I built a rhino drive on a 12 speed sissy bike. I ride it down to the trail no power since it is mostly downhill. I ride it on the trail with just enough power to compensate for the power trailer. I go at about five miles an hour if that. It's just whatever I feel comfortable pedaling at.

It is really like riding a stationary bike, since the tension is adjustable with the throttle and I can keep it pretty even. The big difference is in what I see, and the quality of the air I breath out there.

Since I finished it, I have ridden the trail at least once a day and a few times twice a day. I am going to go back to twice a day starting today.

So why is this interesting? It's because everyone sees things a little differently. I'm going to bore you with what I see and how I see it.

By the way the bike ride is designed for me. I have had two heart attacks so I can't pull the hills anymore without gasping for air and turning a rather unpleasant shade of red. I also am neurologically challenged. Without the daily bike ride my balance turns to crap and it does some days anyway.

So yesterday I was riding down the trail when I spotted an old man at least my age. He was walking two dogs. They both looked like spaniels from a distance but when I got close I noticed the bigger one had curls like a poodle. I stopped to ask of course and got a quick lesson in the Portuguese water spaniel. Seems they almost went extinct but thanks to Al Gore's global warming initiative, they were saved. Not really, but I thought that sounded rather silly like his invention of the Internet.

There is also a homeless man who sits on a bench behind an elementary school everyday, all day. He might need to find a new place when school start again. I have a feeling the parents will be up in arms, like the scene from Frankenstein. Heck I can't even shoot pictures at the playground in the park anymore without catching grief.

There are also your usual walkers and pedalers out there, so there should be some interesting things going on again. I HATED walking in the mall. This is lots more fun even if i have to go back to walking.

 

[Blakenstein]

Hey DEacon, that is a preety good story and I enjoyed it!!!
Ive got a 35cc winter motor and a 48cc summer motor but this summer I never mounted summer motor on my summer bike.
Instead, Ive been riding my regular bike(without motor) and ride my winter bike(with motor)in the rain.
I don't like riding my two cycle in the heat anyway!! The cold weather is great for my motor and my motor just loves it!!
I was at the driving range the other day, at the bottom of a steep hill and the stairs were out to take the short cut and a big sign saying" sidewalk closed"

On my way back, I did not want to go all the way around and then ped up the hill so I threw the bike on my shoulder and with 4 clubs and 50 balls in my pack sack I climbed up the steep bank where they were starting to build new stairs -did not think I would make it because of steepness but I made it and then turned around and looked back down the steep long bank and saw some dude in sun glasses lookin up at me!!!

So they had it roped off ...big deal . I was about to yell down to him what his problem was. He ran over to watch me climb the hill with my mountain bike and pack sack for some reason!!! The golf course happens to be city owned also but that dude better mind his own buisness aaaa well maybe he just wanted to see if I would make it,

but then again maybe not!!,and if thats the case, its a good thing he never said anything because I was not in the best of moods.

Anyway,the other day I walked back from the Home DEpot with 3 ten foot 2x4s on my shoulders a 2.5 mile walk and today, I rode my regular bike the same distance with 10 one by ones 8 feet long on my shoulder and it was great a lot easier than I thought!!
I think that I'll just motor it in the winter.

My regular bike is a world cup racing bike. It is very light and very smoooth and fast.

 

[deacon]

Sounds like he was just admiring the better man lol

To be perfectly honest, if I had a better heart I would love to ride a 1o speed on that trail. It is really a lot of fun.

For trips under five miles round trip you should give some thought to a simple ebike for the summer. No noise, no smoke, and it's easier to start. The rhino I built is cheap and fun to ride. I love it for the hills, thats the one thing I can't pull on a regular bike. The name of my town is HIGH POINT for a reason. it is the highest place around here. The railroad named it that in the 1800's because it is where they considered the train would work the hardest.

Today I have already dealt with a water leak and am now waiting for momma and the groceries. When I get them unloaded, I will go ride the trail.

 

[Michigan Mike]

So why is this interesting? It's because everyone sees things a little differently. I'm going to bore you with what I see and how I see it.
.

Deacon,
Not boring at all ... as they used to say on "Laugh In" ... very interesting. Add a few pictures and it would be better than much of what's on prime time TV!