Fueled by burritos and solar power.
It looks like the guy who took a hammer to Michelangelo’s Pietà has been to Bemidji. I spend another day in the tent waiting out the rain and gusty winds. The next morning, I ride out to the Headwaters of the Mississippi. There is a marker and you are invited to “wade across the Mississippi” …
Fifteen years ago, while sweating under the hot Italian sun in Cinque Terre, I took out my Treo smart phone, took a picture and sent an email to my brother-in-law. This was the exact moment I had the inspiration for building a solar ebike. At the time, I didn’t know anything about ebikes or solar …
Continue reading "Day 33: DJ Phresh Bearskat Droppin’ Sick Beets"
Out here, each small town first becomes visible on the horizon as a water tower and some grain elevators. I imagine these water towers as giant push pins on a 1:1 scale map. The occasional patches of corn I’ve been seeing gradually become huge fields. The corn is all dried out and still standing in …
Today is my first day on this tour being cooped up in the tent all day due to thunderstorms and lightning. I’m kind of enjoying the novelty of it but I know I will have itchy feet and be eager to get back on the road as soon as the rain lets up. Later that …
Now that I’m off the highways and mostly on rural roads, I’m noticing that drivers are greeting me with a one finger gesture. No, not that one. With hands firmly on the steering wheel, they raise one index finger in greeting. The simplicity and efficiency of it is all well and good if you’re driving …
In Bismarck, I take my first full rest day since Vancouver: get cleaned up, compile trip data, back up to the cloud, etc. Trip total so far: 1647 miles (2651 km). Averaging 1.2 kWh generated from solar power (and consumed) per day. At the breakfast bar in the motel, I get tips on traveling in …
I set out from another empty campground, down another gravel road. The air is so dry it stings my nose. The forecast calls for more gusty winds today and there is a fire warning due to the combination of heat, low humidity and wind. I stop to take selfies with a straw bale. The dry …
People keep asking me about the little black keg strapped to my trailer. Stumped, they try to guess it’s purpose. Is that your water? Is that your battery? I must be out of bear country now. In Dickinson, North Dakota, I locate a chainsaw/bicycle shop conveniently located next to a grocery store. One stop shopping. …
I clean the solar panels and set out at dawn. I will be riding southeast all day so the sun will be in front of me all morning. With a bit of afternoon cloudiness in the forecast, this will probably not be another 100 mile day. Ninety minutes after sunrise, I’m getting only 20 solar …
Or is it a new salad dressing? Oh, wait. I see. Never mind. My bad. I wake an hour before dawn and use the remaining charge in my battery to make coffee because my stove is out of fuel. There is only enough charge left to heat the water to 185°F (85°C). It’s not quite …
SOLAR ebike 