Show us pictures of where you ride your ebikes!
m@Robertson
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I just spent a week riding around daily in Grand Canyon National Park. All at the South Rim. From Mather Point to the end of the road at Hermit's Rest; and then a little further along the dirt road to the picnic benches at the very edge of the Canyon. You can go a little further than this pictured spot, but its going to be straight down. The average drop off the lip is 4000 feet. And yes that picnic table is on the very edge. I stayed on this side of it. the next day I was back with a burrito for lunch and the wind was so strong from behind I had to strap my helmet to my backpack to keep it from blowing away. Weather report said 30 mph steady and 50 mph gusts but I think they were over 60.
There is a foot trail that rides the lip of the South Rim that very seldom has a railing. This is one of the few spots that does.
Everyone has seen pictures of the Grand Canyon. But if you haven't actually seen it with your own eyes, The sheer size of it does not register via a picture. Everyone who was there for the first time said this. What you see literally doesn't look real until you take it in and accept what you're seeing Some spots are as much as 6000 feet deep, down from where you're standing.
This time of year, passenger vehicle traffic is not permitted. The only traffic are park shuttle buses that run about every 15 minutes. So you mostly own the road and ride down the middle of it. Helpful because you are looking at the view as much as you are looking where you are going and having a safety cushion is a plus (remember... no railings). This time of year, I had the place to myself as often as not. this is a turnout that would ordinarily be packed with tourists. I walked out into the middle of the road to take this pic. Nothing here but the view, me, the bike and the sound of the wind.
Along the Hermits Rest route, there is a greenway/shared path along part of the route. There's no way a bike can run on the pedestrian-only trail that runs along the lip of the canyon. You'd be insane to even try it at analog speeds. Here in the USA we often decry the fact we have a society that wants to bubble-wrap us. Well... not at GCNP. Park benches are right at the freaking lip. And if you stumble off the trail... Sayonara. I have friends who live in the area and they say they see local news stories all the time of dumbasses who screw up and go into the Canyon. Here's an example. This is *exactly* what it looks like: A runway straight to the edge (note the bench to sit on at the right side). With a helpful bit of advice on not riding your way to that bench. I kid you not it is straight f**king down just past those stones at the end of the pavement.
STRAIGHT down.
I was tent camping there for the week (last day there it snowed a little; nights were cold and I had to let the sun be up for a bit to ensure I charged above freezing temps). No plug-in electricity. So how do you do an ebike when there is no 'e'?
There is a foot trail that rides the lip of the South Rim that very seldom has a railing. This is one of the few spots that does.
Everyone has seen pictures of the Grand Canyon. But if you haven't actually seen it with your own eyes, The sheer size of it does not register via a picture. Everyone who was there for the first time said this. What you see literally doesn't look real until you take it in and accept what you're seeing Some spots are as much as 6000 feet deep, down from where you're standing.
This time of year, passenger vehicle traffic is not permitted. The only traffic are park shuttle buses that run about every 15 minutes. So you mostly own the road and ride down the middle of it. Helpful because you are looking at the view as much as you are looking where you are going and having a safety cushion is a plus (remember... no railings). This time of year, I had the place to myself as often as not. this is a turnout that would ordinarily be packed with tourists. I walked out into the middle of the road to take this pic. Nothing here but the view, me, the bike and the sound of the wind.
Along the Hermits Rest route, there is a greenway/shared path along part of the route. There's no way a bike can run on the pedestrian-only trail that runs along the lip of the canyon. You'd be insane to even try it at analog speeds. Here in the USA we often decry the fact we have a society that wants to bubble-wrap us. Well... not at GCNP. Park benches are right at the freaking lip. And if you stumble off the trail... Sayonara. I have friends who live in the area and they say they see local news stories all the time of dumbasses who screw up and go into the Canyon. Here's an example. This is *exactly* what it looks like: A runway straight to the edge (note the bench to sit on at the right side). With a helpful bit of advice on not riding your way to that bench. I kid you not it is straight f**king down just past those stones at the end of the pavement.
STRAIGHT down.
I was tent camping there for the week (last day there it snowed a little; nights were cold and I had to let the sun be up for a bit to ensure I charged above freezing temps). No plug-in electricity. So how do you do an ebike when there is no 'e'?
Last edited:
reed scott
Well-Known Member
How much time for a decent charge with that rig?
m@Robertson
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
To the bike - thats a 3a charger and a 13.5ah battery. So a few hours. I don't keep track... what I do is charge up to about 90% right after the ride, and up to 100% the morning of, just before the ride. Wake up, plug in... go have breakfast. After the dishes are done I come back and hooray its ready off we go.
Charge to the sogen... those are 3 200w panels hooked in series. The battery in the unit is a 2000wh, LifePo4 behemoth that can go from about 30% to 100% if I hit it with good sun from dawn to about 1 pm here at home. I got maybe better than that @ the GC as the unit was typically fully charged by noon. So I never wanted for recharge power. The first two days we had clouds so I relied on the stored charge I brought with me for the first couple of uses. In clouds I only got about a 30% boost after a full day.
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
Nice area, and cool ride!!!
m@Robertson
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Its amazing. Put it on your bucket list to visit if you haven't been there, and you will not be disappointed.
I built the bike just before I went there and this was almost its maiden voyage. I'm using it as the subject bike for a series I will begin posting in the next few days on 'how to build an ebike from scratch'. The frame is 23 years old. Super happy to give what would have been forgotten scrap a new life.
Apostate! A Classic MTB is Re-Animated … as an Ebike.
Cast aside and forgotten. Sold cheap at online auction. This 1999 Intense Tracer frame rides again, as something entirely different and, well… maybe a bit unholy.
talesontwowheels.com
Prairie Dog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Red Deer
Spectacular views from the top! Thanks for sharing. Definitely should be on one's bucket list of places to visit.
Prairie Dog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Red Deer
Ride on a local trail back on Apr 16th. Four days later we received a rather generous dump of snow.
There isn't much of a view to the south from my house. I pulled on a windbreaker and took off with shorts and a fleecy top on. I was on a grocery mission. It was very windy, but when I turned south it was a Ruh Roh moment. The sky was dark and it showed that a lot of stuff was being spit downward by the clouds. I became an optimist and thought that maybe it would miss here. I rode on and went shopping.
Came out and saw that the sky was not spitting, it was vomiting. Hail, sleet, and a lot of big raindrops. I had no patience and having learned the importance of embracing the weather, along with my saying of You can get dry again, I pulled the hood up and over my helmet, rigged up the new panniers in a waterproof way, and used my emergency hanky to wipe the seat off.
It was horizontal rain at times. Locals were driving politely and not splashing me. . The panniers proved to be water proof. The pullover was resistant. I am dry again.
Shoes on Peet dryer that is 40 years old.
Came out and saw that the sky was not spitting, it was vomiting. Hail, sleet, and a lot of big raindrops. I had no patience and having learned the importance of embracing the weather, along with my saying of You can get dry again, I pulled the hood up and over my helmet, rigged up the new panniers in a waterproof way, and used my emergency hanky to wipe the seat off.
It was horizontal rain at times. Locals were driving politely and not splashing me. . The panniers proved to be water proof. The pullover was resistant. I am dry again.
Shoes on Peet dryer that is 40 years old.
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
I don't think I've seen a dryer like that for... ever!
Way to persevere!
theloafer
Well-Known Member
another great ride today .. even with it a bit chilly and a few damp spots ,we were in no rush and no set route i even rode some new roads
thanks Eddie Young for the coffee at Eppleby .. i will get them next time , also to route guide Tony + Stuart hope you all enjoyed Patches lane
41 miles
https://www.strava.com/activities/7044304904
https://www.strava.com/activities/7044304904
Prairie Dog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Red Deer
That’s quite the spiffy boot dryer. I had one years ago that I fabricated out of PVC pipe/elbows and hooked it up to a hair dryer for purposes of drying out kayaking gear. It ended up getting shelved as my better half was always wondering why her hair appliance kept disappearing.
It's a wonderful invention. I retired from working in the woods. Much of that work was in our temperate rain forest. It is a good thing to start out each day with dry feet. And ski boots will even stay warm for a while on the commute up to the hill after sitting on the dryer all night.That’s quite the spiffy boot dryer. I had one years ago that I fabricated out of PVC pipe/elbows and hooked it up to a hair dryer for purposes of drying out kayaking gear. It ended up getting shelved as my better half was always wondering why her hair appliance kept disappearing.
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
DiggyGun
Well-Known Member
- Region
- United Kingdom
- City
- Buckinghamshire
Some of my friends went on that. She was OK, but he had to sit down halfway round.
m@Robertson
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Would have loved to but thats a 230+ mile drive from Mather Point on the South Rim where we were camping at.
gioflowers
Active Member
- Region
- Canada
gioflowers
Active Member
- Region
- Canada
THANK YOU! (CREEP)
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
Welcome @gioflowers where abouts in Canada is this?
Rome
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
My bad
I got tourett and I have been left alone too long
I live in a town where it's predominantly Phillipine residents. It has been dubbed "Little Ilocos " after a province in the Northern part of Philippines.
People here paint their houses pink, yellow , lime green, purple. You should see some of their vehicles. They are decorated like the Jeepneys in the Philippines, very colourful.
Pink house is across from mine.
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