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Thoughts And Pics From The Road

Started by aldousburbank, November 25, 2013, 07:54:35 PM

When I was a kid my Grandfather was president of a small railroad. Grandmother would take GF to his office and me to the rail yard. I would spend the day on a locomotive and end up in Florida. GF would pick me up in the company chevy  that had rail wheels and we would go home.

aldousburbank

Quote from: Unquenchable Angst on December 15, 2013, 02:07:28 PM
When I was a kid my Grandfather was president of a small railroad. Grandmother would take GF to his office and me to the rail yard. I would spend the day on a locomotive and end up in Florida. GF would pick me up in the company chevy  that had rail wheels and we would go home.
That's the stuff!

aldousburbank

Riding my bike through old gold mining towns is the perfect way to find easily overlooked stuff like this here, which I discovered today near the old hotel/saloon-

[attachimg=1]

aldousburbank

Can't resist another pic from today's travels. Certain forum members will recognize this as my mobile phone booth/office/time travel machine.
[attach=1]

Quote from: aldousburbank on December 15, 2013, 08:49:29 PM
Riding my bike through old gold mining towns is the perfect way to find easily overlooked stuff like this here, which I discovered today near the old hotel/saloon-


Posted by E Clampus Vitas  - the drinking historical society (or is it the historical drinking society?)

aldousburbank

Quote from: Paper*Boy on December 15, 2013, 09:15:44 PM

Posted by E Clampus Vitas  - the drinking historical society (or is it the historical drinking society?)
Yes. Mark Twain drank here.

jazmunda

Quote from: aldousburbank on December 15, 2013, 09:12:18 PM
Can't resist another pic from today's travels. Certain forum members will recognize this as my mobile phone booth/office/time travel machine.
[attach=1]

Nice.

I was picturing you on this:



I was a little disappointed when you said you were on a push bike and I was picturing you on this:



But I approve of your ride. I especially love the vanity plates. ;)


zeebo

Quote from: aldousburbank on December 15, 2013, 09:33:17 AM
Well yeh, the service on Amtrak is a little sucky. The employees seem tenured in that they're not that interested in the passengers. (I like that part)  Also, passenger trains always come second to, and wait for, freight haulers. However, being stuck on a train with club/sleeper cars and the ability to move around is much more pleasant than being stuck in the air, or on the tarmac, like a bunch of veal calves IMO.

I totally agree - train travel is my favorite.  In the past I criss-crossed all over Europe and parts of Asia and a smidgen of Canada on trains and it was all awesome.  My cautionary tale aside, I hope you have a blast and enjoy the ride, wherever it takes you.

maureen

on a train  through the desert in bright moon-light, toking and joking and sharing the steward's tacos and then discovering that the barman is giving away free beer!!   

Quote from: aldousburbank on December 15, 2013, 09:12:18 PM
Can't resist another pic from today's travels. Certain forum members will recognize this as my mobile phone booth/office/time travel machine.

How do you charge your electric bike while on the road?
I was looking at getting a kit, but they are like $1500 or so. I plan to get one in the future. I have a small British folding bike I was thinking of adding an electric kit to.

aldousburbank

Quote from: Mind Flayer Monk on December 16, 2013, 05:20:22 AM
How do you charge your electric bike while on the road?
I was looking at getting a kit, but they are like $1500 or so. I plan to get one in the future. I have a small British folding bike I was thinking of adding an electric kit to.
Oh yes, bike talk...

So, my awesome unit, a Pedego Trail Tracker comes with a ballsy 600W, 48 volt Lithium/Ion battery. (Pretty near the top end in capacity, although there are a few 750W batts available now.)  The supplied AC/DC converter/charger powers a dead battery to 80% capacity in 2 hrs, the last 20% being a slower trickle charge, maybe another hour +.  I carry 2 extras, for a total of 3 batteries onboard.  They're heavy (but so is the bike), but I extract up to 27 electric-assisted miles per, so they're worth hauling.  I regularly ride 70 miles at a stretch, and can recharge at the far end using my three chargers and triple-pug-splitter over a long lunch, coffee, and beer with a friend.  The Trail Tracker comes stock as a fixie (single gear), but I upped mine with a second, highway gear, so I get a few more miles out of every battery than you would with the standard.  (Inside trade secret- Pedego is planning on coming out with a 7 speed Trail Tracker in 2014.)  Yes, you can pedal without the electric assist, but buddy, unless you have Xena thighs, at least, keep it to the level ground.  Surly and a couple of others make a non-elec 4 inch fatty tire with 7 gears BTW. 

Here's a link to a solar setup whose output and charge controller are specifically geared to the 48 volt lithium bicycle batteries-

http://www.ecospeed.com/product/ebike-solar-charging-system-240-watts/

Super pricey, but liberating.  Gen 3 solar panel rated at 24% efficiency.(?)  the 240W unit runs a smooth $2,495, the 120W half of that.  Damn.  You can almost buy a new Trail Tracker for that.  A single speed currently runs about $3,100, w/tax, delivered to your door.  Given that mine was a gift, (lucky I guess), and I've only put out wampum for the battery, shifter/derailer, saddlebags, and such, I'm hoping that some sunny day, I will step forth into my own solar freedom and purchase for my best inner self, one of these plug in to the Sun deals.  Hoping!




aldousburbank

Quote from: maureen on December 16, 2013, 12:45:49 AM
on a train  through the desert in bright moon-light, toking and joking and sharing the steward's tacos and then discovering that the barman is giving away free beer!!

Clear December night.  3 am, the hippie stirs from his sleeper car.  Wandering, like a shadow passenger, down to the lower baggage car, unpopulated restrooms.  Watching the Mojave Desert glowing by swiftly, the porter surprises the hippie.

"How's it going?"

"Oh good. excellent!", blurts the overly-happy hippie.  "Just wandering watching the desert pull me home."

"You must be ready for a smoke break?  Next one's in about an hour."

"No, I'm fine.  I can wait, I mean, it's about the middle of the night heh.", the slightest paranoiac tingle briefly flowing through my untied hair.

Silently, facing me, the brutha extends his right hand to the car door/window, unlatches it, takes a nice deep breathe of the crisp desert air, all the while looking at me deadpan.  Closes it, smiles at me, "Have a good night sir."

The next morning, at our destination, shook his hand with a nice tip in there.  I had this dream.

FallenSeraph

Quote from: maureen on December 16, 2013, 12:45:49 AM
on a train  through the desert in bright moon-light, toking and joking and sharing the steward's tacos and then discovering that the barman is giving away free beer!!

Damn, I wanna ride the tokes, jokes, tacos and beer train!


aldousburbank

Moonrise at the Burbank compound.

[attachimg=1]

maureen

Quote from: Seraphim27 on December 16, 2013, 12:04:20 PM
Damn, I wanna ride the tokes, jokes, tacos and beer train!
Monterrey to Mexico City run... thirty years ago!! ... a different time ;)

Quote from: maureen on December 17, 2013, 01:42:15 PM
Monterrey to Mexico City run... thirty years ago!! ... a different time ;)

Indeed it was....indeed it was....



georgesucks

Quote from: aldousburbank on December 16, 2013, 11:58:17 AM
Clear December night.  3 am, the hippie stirs from his sleeper car.  Wandering, like a shadow passenger, down to the lower baggage car, unpopulated restrooms.  Watching the Mojave Desert glowing by swiftly, the porter surprises the hippie.

"How's it going?"

"Oh good. excellent!", blurts the overly-happy hippie.  "Just wandering watching the desert pull me home."

"You must be ready for a smoke break?  Next one's in about an hour."

"No, I'm fine.  I can wait, I mean, it's about the middle of the night heh.", the slightest paranoiac tingle briefly flowing through my untied hair.

Silently, facing me, the brutha extends his right hand to the car door/window, unlatches it, takes a nice deep breathe of the crisp desert air, all the while looking at me deadpan.  Closes it, smiles at me, "Have a good night sir."

The next morning, at our destination, shook his hand with a nice tip in there.  I had this dream.
How is your adventure going??

aldousburbank

Quote from: c337pilot on December 17, 2013, 07:54:06 PM
How is your adventure going??
adult responsibilities Gravitational forces have affected previous escape velocity requirement estimations.
paying bills, situating 4 legged companions Refueling. Initiating Operation Santa Clause and his Old Lady vs 3 granddaughters shock and awe campaign, immediately followed by Project Amtrakscray. All present wishing all operation theaters positive outcome Solstice events. Over.   

georgesucks

Quote from: aldousburbank on December 17, 2013, 08:35:21 PM
adult responsibilities Gravitational forces have affected previous escape velocity requirement estimations.
paying bills, situating 4 legged companions Refueling. Initiating Operation Santa Clause and his Old Lady vs 3 granddaughters shock and awe campaign, immediately followed by Project Amtrakscray. All present wishing all operation theaters positive outcome Solstice events. Over.
ok, be safe my friend.



area51drone

Aldous, this looks like so much fun.   Very jealous of your adventure!  That's an awesome bike you have.    Anyone interested should check out the movie Cycles South from 1971.   I envision Aldous in a modern day version of this movie.   You can watch the whole thing on youtube.  Here's part 1:  Cycles South 1971 Motorcycle Adventure Part 1


Quote from: aldousburbank on December 17, 2013, 09:54:37 PM
That chick on the left is hhhhot!


AND she comes with a little surprise package for you, too ;)

steelbot

Quote from: aldousburbank on December 16, 2013, 11:58:17 AM
Clear December night.  3 am, the hippie stirs from his sleeper car.  Wandering, like a shadow passenger, down to the lower baggage car, unpopulated restrooms.  Watching the Mojave Desert glowing by swiftly, the porter surprises the hippie.

"How's it going?"

"Oh good. excellent!", blurts the overly-happy hippie.  "Just wandering watching the desert pull me home."

"You must be ready for a smoke break?  Next one's in about an hour."

"No, I'm fine.  I can wait, I mean, it's about the middle of the night heh.", the slightest paranoiac tingle briefly flowing through my untied hair.

Silently, facing me, the brutha extends his right hand to the car door/window, unlatches it, takes a nice deep breathe of the crisp desert air, all the while looking at me deadpan.  Closes it, smiles at me, "Have a good night sir."

The next morning, at our destination, shook his hand with a nice tip in there.  I had this dream.

You Sir are a great man! - Enjoying a great trip it sounds!



jazmunda

Is that the planet where Captain Kirk fought the Gorn?

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