Fueled by burritos and solar power.
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 …
I depart at dawn. I’m trying a new range-extending technique: ride slowly with minimal electric assist when the road direction and wind allows for maximum solar energy harvesting. Ride quickly with maximum electric assist to get through stretches of road where the sun is in front of or behind me, meaning I get less than …
On my way out of town, a youth in a rusty pick up truck offers the perfect send off, “Nice helmet, asshole!” “Thank you, asshole!” I reply cheerfully. Stay classy, Great Falls. I start the day with a full battery and wall-to-wall sunshine. The first two hours are WOT (wide-open throttle) all the way, averaging …
Today, that temperature is 38°F (3°C). It’s the coldest morning of this trip. My past self anticipated this and packed electric boot warmers. Thank you, past self. I ride on frontage roads paralleling Interstate 15 for most of the day. There is almost no traffic, which is a nice change of pace. https://youtu.be/sgCIcz_kkpg Mid-afternoon, I …
Continue reading "Day 20: It’s Always Coldest Right Before Dawn"
The weather forecast calls for 36 mph (58 km/h) wind gusts. It’s going to be that kind of day. I turn off the pavement onto a gravel road which leads me through a wind farm. Just as you don’t stick solar panels where the sun don’t shine, you don’t stick wind farms where the wind …
Robert and I ride together for a while longer before parting ways. He just flew in from Alaska where he has been working at Denali National Park. I ply him with fresh brewed coffee and instant mashed potatoes and ask questions about biking in Alaska. The green tunnel of trees is replaced by flat grasslands …
SOLAR ebike 