Fun stuff

Ahh, I knew I needed to get some excercise in and I don't mind saving some gas, so since I've been staying at my parents 3 nights a week, I've been planning on riding my electric bike to work and back for a while now.  Well, I finally brought it over this weekend after getting some LED lights (from wal-mart no less), and today was the warmest day in the forecast that didn't involve rain or freezing rain, so I decided to try it.

It was a bit cool at about 20 degrees around 6 this morning, but it wasn't bad until I started hitting the downhill portion where I was cruising around 30mph(with the brakes on).  Once I got over 20mph my forehead and hands started getting awfully cold.  I knew I should have worn a hat, but I have trouble getting my hair into the "almost organized" format it is, let alone looking decent, so I didn't want it completely gone.  I had my thin gloves on as I was afraid I wouldn't be able to shift with the thicker ones on, but that would have been smarter.  I think next time I'll make sure it's at least to freezing before heading out.  (:
Trip went quite well, with the motor I can hold better than 15mph the whole way including the minor uphills.  I used the motor the entire way and I hadn't drained the battery by the time i got to work.  I did however drop my spare battery that I had on my back rack.  I knew it wasn't on that great, but it had stayed before over rough terrain and I figured the pavement should be easy.  However, the bridge abutments are NASTY, and over the third, it came off and smashed into the ground.  (and then a car just barely drove around it instead of over it) 
Cracked the case about in half, but it seems the batteries themselves are ok.  So I stopped at Penny Pincher at lunch and got some duct tape to fix the case, and some ratcheting straps to hold the battery to the rack.  I put the battery in my backpack for the last few miles of the trip this morning, and as I expected, OW, it's not fun to have another 40lbs in the backpack (especially since I probably already had 10-15lbs in there).
But, it still only took me about half an hour including stopping for a couple minutes at the bottom of the first hill and a time or two after for cold fingers, and a couple minutes for the battery, then a couple more to re-adjust things. 

I knew I was WELL out of shape since I get almost no excercise at the moment (need to get some more time with those cousins of mine to get some more excercise!), but with the motor, it wasn't that bad, though I can definitely tell I've done it.  I was gonna have Mom give me a ride back up this afternoon, but by lunch I'm feeling a bit more into it.  So I'm gonna try it.  Not sure how I'll do up our hill, but hopefully!  I'm more worried about Seneca St.  It's always awful busy this time of day, and I'm afraid there'll be the usual stupid kids who like to make fun of fat guys on bicycles.  Oh well.  Once I get some more excercise hopefully I won't be so fat and I'll have the energy to keep my speed at about 20mph instead of 15mph.

Ahh well, almost time to head out and have some fun!