A couple more observations from the seat of the ol' eBike, and, following that, the first in a new series.
I've figured out that of speed, range, and minimal exertion, I can have any two of the three. I can go fast for a long way, but I'll be working hard for it. I can go pretty fast with almost no effort, but only for a very short distance. Or I can go for a long way with very little effort, but I'll be going very slowly. The last one is the option I lean towards most in my commute.
I've found the best way to optimize battery life and assist while not making the motor overheat is to take a little bit of assist nearly all the time. Just a little. No gunning it. Then I adjust the gears to where I'm exerting myself...just a bit. Not too much, but not not at all, either.
There are a few different drivers I hate. Here's the profile of one of them: He approaches fast from behind me, brakes suddenly. Even though the lane is clear to pass, he idles behind me. I can almost see him stewing and fuming. Finally, he gives up, rapidly accelerates in a huff, and cuts close in front of me. You, Mr. Large Black SUV in the Target Parking Lot, win Douche of the Day.
And now the first in what may or may not become a new series: "Peculiar Things I Am A Bit Of A Snob About." Today's peculiar thing: tan lines.
I've little but contempt for the perfect tan - you know: the delicate and even bronze tone with nary a tan line to be seen? Those tans can only be gotten through dyed lotions or bakebeds. Tan in a can. Cancer on a mat. I'm proud of my farmer's tan, dorky as it is. A tan with lines - many lines, uneven lines - means you worked for that tan. You worked outside or you swam or went running out of doors. You spent a week on the river rowing. Hell, you watched a ball game and roasted half of your face. You earned that tan. It's all-natural.
No fake bake, no tan in a can. You earned that sucker. And you girls whose only tan lines are from the strings of your bikini? You missed the train.
Showing posts with label green living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green living. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
You don't get a title today
Woe be unto you, Creepy Blogreading Guy, aka "Secretary of Keeping it Real"... I'm on to you. And your Double Wide IPA-loving life of lies...
Moving right along.
Today was the first day of KC's Bike Week. Naturally I rode to work. Then (and here's where I start questioning my mental stability) rode home, was home just long enough to change clothes and change bikes, rode to the Trek Store, went on a group ride, then rode home. 28 miles total today. And I spent *nearly* the entire time from 5pm-8pm on a bike. But we saw some really pretty areas of northeastern Shawnee and western Merriam, and it was a lot of fun. A lady from City of KCMO came out with freebies to promote bike week. We got little zipper packs made from reclaimed bike tubes and bracelets from reclaimed... climb ropes? I think? Anyway, they're both branded "green guru" which makes me happy. :)
Oh, I've been delinquent in giving you reviews. Today's loser: Home Delight Chinese Buffet. Located at SMP and Quivira, just west of the HyVee, this one is a real must-miss. My first clue should have been that all the staff was more, ah, Hispanic-looking, soccer-watching, and Spanish-speaking than your normal Chinese buffet. And in addition to Egg Foo Young, the buffet sported flautas. And nothing was particularly good. So kids, in your lust for Chinese buffets, I urge you to look elsewhere.
Letsee...haven't really been to any movies lately...oh! We played Mario Kart for the Wii at David's apartment in Omaha when we went up for his graduation. I'm NOT generally a Mario Kart lover - I usually spend more time running into walls, going the wrong direction, and getting generally grumpy than actually doing any "racing." This one, though, was really fun! I used the little steering wheel attachment, which I thought made it rather nice, though the "gamers" of the bunch were generally derisive. Screw them. But yes - a very fun group game, and friendly to non-Mario Kart freaks.
Finally - FINALLY - got and read "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" by Michael Chabon, which was all the rage on public radio shows last summer. I requested it from the library, and apparently so did everyone else. Makes sense that public radio listeners would be public library users. Buncha leeches. So though I requested it in June of 07, I got it at the end of April. It was good - glad I hadn't been EAGERLY awaiting it for that long - but I liked it. It's definitely a mystery novel, which isn't usually my genre of choice (as you may have noticed). But Chabon has a really nice way of weaving a whole bunch of threads together into a tidy package that at the end makes you say, "Oh, well that's nice then." without being a sentimental piece of tripe or another action-adventure novel. If you like mysteries or even just non-genre fiction, check it out.
Good night, and good luck.
Moving right along.
Today was the first day of KC's Bike Week. Naturally I rode to work. Then (and here's where I start questioning my mental stability) rode home, was home just long enough to change clothes and change bikes, rode to the Trek Store, went on a group ride, then rode home. 28 miles total today. And I spent *nearly* the entire time from 5pm-8pm on a bike. But we saw some really pretty areas of northeastern Shawnee and western Merriam, and it was a lot of fun. A lady from City of KCMO came out with freebies to promote bike week. We got little zipper packs made from reclaimed bike tubes and bracelets from reclaimed... climb ropes? I think? Anyway, they're both branded "green guru" which makes me happy. :)
Oh, I've been delinquent in giving you reviews. Today's loser: Home Delight Chinese Buffet. Located at SMP and Quivira, just west of the HyVee, this one is a real must-miss. My first clue should have been that all the staff was more, ah, Hispanic-looking, soccer-watching, and Spanish-speaking than your normal Chinese buffet. And in addition to Egg Foo Young, the buffet sported flautas. And nothing was particularly good. So kids, in your lust for Chinese buffets, I urge you to look elsewhere.
Letsee...haven't really been to any movies lately...oh! We played Mario Kart for the Wii at David's apartment in Omaha when we went up for his graduation. I'm NOT generally a Mario Kart lover - I usually spend more time running into walls, going the wrong direction, and getting generally grumpy than actually doing any "racing." This one, though, was really fun! I used the little steering wheel attachment, which I thought made it rather nice, though the "gamers" of the bunch were generally derisive. Screw them. But yes - a very fun group game, and friendly to non-Mario Kart freaks.
Finally - FINALLY - got and read "The Yiddish Policeman's Union" by Michael Chabon, which was all the rage on public radio shows last summer. I requested it from the library, and apparently so did everyone else. Makes sense that public radio listeners would be public library users. Buncha leeches. So though I requested it in June of 07, I got it at the end of April. It was good - glad I hadn't been EAGERLY awaiting it for that long - but I liked it. It's definitely a mystery novel, which isn't usually my genre of choice (as you may have noticed). But Chabon has a really nice way of weaving a whole bunch of threads together into a tidy package that at the end makes you say, "Oh, well that's nice then." without being a sentimental piece of tripe or another action-adventure novel. If you like mysteries or even just non-genre fiction, check it out.
Good night, and good luck.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Driving Lessons from my e-Bike
So for those of you who haven't talked with me lately, I bought an electric bike over spring break. Second hand - pawn shop in Scottsdale. I love it. First, a couple FAQs:
Q: How does it work?
A: There's a 36V battery stored in the frame. You can ride it like a real bike, then use the thumb throttle to kick in motorized assist.
Q: So you could ride it like a motorcycle?
A: You could, but you wouldn't get very far before the motor overheated and/or the battery died. It's definitely an assist; I'm pedaling the entire time.
Q: How far can it go?
A: Not really sure - I haven't pushed the limits. It depends, of course, on your terrain and how much assist you're using. On my 6.5 mile, hilly commute to work, depending on the assist I take, I arrive with anywhere from 50-90% battery remaining.
Q: How fast can you go?
A: Again, not really sure. I don't have a speedometer, and I really don't trust its supposed rating of 20mph. I hear the motor stop assisting on some downhills, though, so I know it does have a max, and I know I've reached it.
Q: Do you still ride your old bike?
A: Yeah, I use it for recreational or athletic rides, or when I'm riding with someone who doesn't have a motor. Also, since the battery adds SO much weight to the e-Bike, I use my mountain bike for very short, relatively flat trips; it actually uses less energy for me.
The past couple weeks, I've been using my eBike a lot for commuting and running errands, and also begging rides of off people from work. I filled up my gas tank for the first time today since April 15th. That's roughly twice as long as I had been going during the winter. I've also been employing a few driving practices learned from my eBike to increase my mileage by about 2mpg.
1) Judicious use of the gas pedal: Energy is energy, right? Whether it comes from my two legs, a battery pack or a gas tank. And the less of it I use, the better. Riding the eBike gives me a very clear picture of how much energy I need to get through a hill. Driving in the same way helps me save gas.
2) The shortest route isn't always the best: Sometimes, a route that's slightly longer, but much flatter or with fewer stoplights may actually use less energy.
3) Drive by RPMs, not MPHs: My increased mileage was mostly done by keeping my RPMs under 3000. Your RPMs may vary - the early model CRVs were built on a Civic chassis, so they take more power than the engine really wants to provide. Eric's been working on keeping his under 2000; I can't even move away from a stop light under 2000.
4) Slow down and enjoy: You start biking enough, you don't worry too much about getting there in a hurry. It's odd, but I've found I *do* often have the time to do my errands by bike. I can do this in my car, too. My car performs MUCH better at 60-65 mph than at 70 or faster. Though I get some strange looks on the freeway, I haven't gone faster than 70 in a few weeks, and have been generally trying to keep my speed around 65. Similarly, on city streets, if my RPMs dictate that I'd do better at 35 or 40 than 45... well, I can usually manage that, depending on traffic.
5) Stuff is closer than you realize: Start mapping this stuff - most places you want to go (at least for errands and entertainment) are less than five miles away. Just think about it. It doesn't feel like it, but five miles will get you a long ways from home around here. I don't go anywhere in my car anymore without considering whether I could do it by bike.
Signed,
your hippie friend.
Q: How does it work?
A: There's a 36V battery stored in the frame. You can ride it like a real bike, then use the thumb throttle to kick in motorized assist.
Q: So you could ride it like a motorcycle?
A: You could, but you wouldn't get very far before the motor overheated and/or the battery died. It's definitely an assist; I'm pedaling the entire time.
Q: How far can it go?
A: Not really sure - I haven't pushed the limits. It depends, of course, on your terrain and how much assist you're using. On my 6.5 mile, hilly commute to work, depending on the assist I take, I arrive with anywhere from 50-90% battery remaining.
Q: How fast can you go?
A: Again, not really sure. I don't have a speedometer, and I really don't trust its supposed rating of 20mph. I hear the motor stop assisting on some downhills, though, so I know it does have a max, and I know I've reached it.
Q: Do you still ride your old bike?
A: Yeah, I use it for recreational or athletic rides, or when I'm riding with someone who doesn't have a motor. Also, since the battery adds SO much weight to the e-Bike, I use my mountain bike for very short, relatively flat trips; it actually uses less energy for me.
The past couple weeks, I've been using my eBike a lot for commuting and running errands, and also begging rides of off people from work. I filled up my gas tank for the first time today since April 15th. That's roughly twice as long as I had been going during the winter. I've also been employing a few driving practices learned from my eBike to increase my mileage by about 2mpg.
1) Judicious use of the gas pedal: Energy is energy, right? Whether it comes from my two legs, a battery pack or a gas tank. And the less of it I use, the better. Riding the eBike gives me a very clear picture of how much energy I need to get through a hill. Driving in the same way helps me save gas.
2) The shortest route isn't always the best: Sometimes, a route that's slightly longer, but much flatter or with fewer stoplights may actually use less energy.
3) Drive by RPMs, not MPHs: My increased mileage was mostly done by keeping my RPMs under 3000. Your RPMs may vary - the early model CRVs were built on a Civic chassis, so they take more power than the engine really wants to provide. Eric's been working on keeping his under 2000; I can't even move away from a stop light under 2000.
4) Slow down and enjoy: You start biking enough, you don't worry too much about getting there in a hurry. It's odd, but I've found I *do* often have the time to do my errands by bike. I can do this in my car, too. My car performs MUCH better at 60-65 mph than at 70 or faster. Though I get some strange looks on the freeway, I haven't gone faster than 70 in a few weeks, and have been generally trying to keep my speed around 65. Similarly, on city streets, if my RPMs dictate that I'd do better at 35 or 40 than 45... well, I can usually manage that, depending on traffic.
5) Stuff is closer than you realize: Start mapping this stuff - most places you want to go (at least for errands and entertainment) are less than five miles away. Just think about it. It doesn't feel like it, but five miles will get you a long ways from home around here. I don't go anywhere in my car anymore without considering whether I could do it by bike.
Signed,
your hippie friend.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
A Generation of Rhetoric
We have ants. Crazy ants. I'm trying to be a good little eco-hippie, though, and NOT respond by spraying toxins all over my house and property.
So we've cleaned up the food in the kitchen that they're attracted to, wiped down the counters with a vinegar and hot water solution, and traced them back to the gap in the window sill they're using to seal it up. It worked... for awhile.
But last night, we left our dirty plates sitting on the counter overnight. And this morning, the bottom plate was BLACK with ants - a thick stream of them marching from the window sill, across the wall, down the cabinet, across the counter, and to the plate. So I was late to work cleaning all that up, getting rid of the ants, and sealing yet another gap.
A really good person (better than I, perhaps) would see this as an opportunity. The ants are helping us find all the gaps in the wall where cold and hot air will enter, and they're also encouraging us to keep the kitchen clean. Sparkling clean, in fact.
But...uggggh!! They're creepy and crawly and gross! And Eric was at the point this morning, though he's been supportive of eco-hippiness before, of suggesting ant killer.
I reminded him that we'd decided they were okay outside, under the deck where they live. It's only coming in that's a problem. He retorts: "Maybe they're not fine under the deck. We must fight them over there so we don't have to fight them here!"
At that point I declared victory since using Bush rhetoric clearly nullified any reasoned argumentation.
Later, though, I bit my own critique. Eric argued that our current counter-ant strategy was no longer succeeding. I countered: "It is working. Our strategy is working, and we will continue stay the course. We are winning against Al-Antae in OurDeq!"
Yeah, I lost that round.
So we've cleaned up the food in the kitchen that they're attracted to, wiped down the counters with a vinegar and hot water solution, and traced them back to the gap in the window sill they're using to seal it up. It worked... for awhile.
But last night, we left our dirty plates sitting on the counter overnight. And this morning, the bottom plate was BLACK with ants - a thick stream of them marching from the window sill, across the wall, down the cabinet, across the counter, and to the plate. So I was late to work cleaning all that up, getting rid of the ants, and sealing yet another gap.
A really good person (better than I, perhaps) would see this as an opportunity. The ants are helping us find all the gaps in the wall where cold and hot air will enter, and they're also encouraging us to keep the kitchen clean. Sparkling clean, in fact.
But...uggggh!! They're creepy and crawly and gross! And Eric was at the point this morning, though he's been supportive of eco-hippiness before, of suggesting ant killer.
I reminded him that we'd decided they were okay outside, under the deck where they live. It's only coming in that's a problem. He retorts: "Maybe they're not fine under the deck. We must fight them over there so we don't have to fight them here!"
At that point I declared victory since using Bush rhetoric clearly nullified any reasoned argumentation.
Later, though, I bit my own critique. Eric argued that our current counter-ant strategy was no longer succeeding. I countered: "It is working. Our strategy is working, and we will continue stay the course. We are winning against Al-Antae in OurDeq!"
Yeah, I lost that round.
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