Wileydog Cycle: Fran Gondo Ephrata Addendum and more odds and ends

Hey, are you still there? Here’s a screen shot of my Ride with GPS fondo route:

And the actual route:

I really didn’t bike helicopter over and skip a significant portion of the route.

I lost my Garmin Edge Touring model a few years ago after a GFE. It probably fell off the back of my truck where I probably set it and then drove away. I haven’t felt worthy enough to replace it yet because why if there’s a good chance I’ll do something similar lose it again? So I downloaded the route in Ride With GPS and used my phone. And then as you see, I lost the signal on Baird Springs Road.

I like seeing my speed and elevation on a garmin type device as I’m biking but I found I enjoyed biking the GFE course without the device on my handlebars, not knowing how far along we were on the route, how many more miles to go. It can be demoralizing to look at the garmin when you’re tired and hungry and see - aaack 35 miles to go I’m not even halfway. I kept my phone in my pocket, so even after I picked up the signal again I didn’t know where we were. It’s freeing to just pedal and enjoy the ride without constantly checking progress, or speed, or temp, or elevation or all the other stats to obsess over. The route was well marked and an easy one to follow so I didn’t need turn by turn directions. Someday I’ll get another Garmin or other brand, but for now I’m ok without one.

And that reminds me, I managed to make 3 water bottles last the 50 miles because I really don’t like drinking out of those bike squeeze bottles. It’s tough to get much water at a time so I often stop, take the lid off and take a big gulp. And besides, the caps - especially the camelback style - get gross and groady. Does anybody make a style with a little flip opening? you know, like the plastic lid to a styrofoam truck-stop coffee cup? Be right back while I go search for one.

Nah, I didn’t find one. Maybe I can learn to 3d print and make my own.

I get the radwagon out now and then, here and there, not everywhere. It’s a beast, I’ve been eyeing those little Tern folding e-cargo bikes but yikes the price! I’ve also been covetously eyeing the newer slightly smaller radwagon. My gen1 gets the job done, I guess I’m happy or at least ok with it. I cleverly titled this pic “From the not-so-rad-mart to the rad-wagon to the rad-garden”

My first bike in the rain commute in ages! May or June in one of our torrential downpours we get occasionally. I took the fenders off last year and haven’t put the fenders back on since I started biking to work downtown again. I knew some day it’d rain again but I like the unfendered look.

Can you say orangeburg pipe?

A trip to the hardware store. I’ve been thinking of going back to rear rack and panniers.What someone needs to make is a rear rack with a flat platform like a pizza rack but compatible with panniers, too.