Mark Hoaglund

Here's my wall of instruments. I do have a Yamaha PSR61 & thinking a smaller Native Instruments M32 keyboard when surveying the parks horizons while bikepack touring the vistas.

Mark Hoaglund

The REI steel stool makes a fine footrest lounging in my butterfly camp chair waiting to dash to the store for cycle project materials while watching the solar generator charge. Miss the fragrance of wood smoke so I'll have to go to the park and do some gasification woodgas cook stove tests again and see about some pictures. Been enjoying the rides with my old Giant saddle preference along the local rail trials & roads with lots of folks getting exercise during these lovely spring days. Been getting the bug since a neighbor bought some musical gear from me while talking about the old days with highs in the 40 to 50s with a peek at 60F. My goodness I enjoy outdoor hiking & cycling activities since mid March.

Mark Hoaglund

I've got cramped fretboard hand strumming my guitars so got a 7 set of harmonicas to play in the meantime touring. Several days of 60s & 70s F weather which we all welcome, relish & adore without coats on while out cycling. Speaking of I ordered a folding Lectric XP ebike for July during another Zen frame of mind. Can hardly wait to explore the water edged beach shorelines and deer trail woodlands along the rail trails.

KC8QVO

Harmonicas are easier to pack than a guitar in a case. Sounds like a good alternative.

As to the wood fire smell - I agree there. Nothing beats a camp fire. I haven't had a camp fire for quite some time, however we have a chiminea and with the nice weather have had fires in that fairly regularly this spring.

Mark Hoaglund

Using ibuprofen for the cramps but still plan on strumming. The top down burn method with jelly ball pretty much eliminates embers and nearly nil smoke with my gasification woodgas cook stove so the burning wood smell isn't noticeable. Although the old fashion neighborhood fireplace odors are and I love it but a waste of fuel.

Mark Hoaglund

For the past 6 weeks been out with my folding power assist ebike. Feel comfortable cruising around 6-8 mph with pedal assist. Getting 48 miles per 500 Wh battery charge on roller hills and rail trails. Its a keeper for daily, cooler evening, nightly tours. Bought me a Oros aerogel mens parka for the cooler-colder months with terrific tailoring. Also got another Tinya butterfly camp chair which is lightweight & comfortable while wearing out the old one after daily repetitive use over 6 months. Happy trails.

Mark Hoaglund

So far my favorite bicycle tour this year was during early June Spring season watching SpaceX deploy StarLink internet glimmering satellites across the shimmering night sky's. Counted 37 trailing one another one night. Checked YouTube updates to see what Elon Musk's companies are up to lately. He sure knows how to have fun providing exciting global advancements. Its so refreshing from the usual hawks doom & gloom forecasts. I sure love quite, peaceful cycling observing and learning from our global universe. Peace out.

Mark Hoaglund

After 2 years one of my Schwalbe Marathon tires had a flat from a broken steel tire bead. Fixed it with a new tire, tube, Schwalbe tire levers, Slime sealant and Topeak Morph air pump. Now for more folding rig business & pleasure trips. During the milder months going to use my eBike and conventional folder for yearly backup.

Mark Hoaglund

With my 500 W eBike motor and fat knobby tires the more challenging MTB trials need more climbing power with 220 pounds aboard. Being in my Social Security years I'm not so willing to challenge the MTB park trials for fear of slow injury recovery and reluctantly missing out on touring season. I enjoy ez MTB trials which my Lectric XP eBike is good at plus carefully navigated asphalt surfaces while touring. Recharging empty battery takes 4 hours. Considering backup for longer duration's when leisurely traversing the woodlands. I can pedal without eAssist when needed. Haven't tried sandy beaches and shorelines yet. ¾ inch gravel surfaces are pleasant so far.

Mark Hoaglund

I do cruise along at 5-20 mph with my eBike averaging 11 mph getting 25-30 miles per 500 Wh battery charge with ruffly 10 percent of the battery charge remaining. 11 mph is doable on rough asphalt low traffic volume roads. I keep these tires hard at 29 psi, 30 tops. Fuel economy does suffer at 11 compared to 7 mph.

Mark Hoaglund

The eBike has been good to me these past 8 weeks. This old man adjusted the saddle height for a seated flatfooted ground stance while pedaling up to 11 mph without eAssistance on hard level surfaces. Mounted my umbrella stand on the handlebar to avoid the sun, rain and snow. The Oros aerogel parka with 50's F nights is comfortably warm without boiling and steaming inside which pleases me so far with the cooler seasons approaching. I'm really enjoying this Summers pleasantly relaxed ultralight touring pace. BikePacking this Fall.

Mark Hoaglund

My ultralight Summer tours consist of a sleeping bag, tarp, two change of clothes plus my personal attire, spork and can opener. While headed throw towns I head for the launder mat while waiting getting supplies like canned soup, vegetables, cherries, grapes and bananas. My favorite foods on occasion include a loaf of wheat bread and canned stew plus Mexican burrito and a milk shake. I do bring along tools, lubes and battery charger for eBike plus tube & tire. Been acclimating to the nightly 40's F lately.

Mark Hoaglund

Its not quit over but enjoyed my Summer nights & days ultralight touring. I look forward to autumns seasonal changes & colors. I'll have to keep a eye open for the hunters & wear my fluorescent orange clothing around the countryside while quietly cycling bye them. Figured I'd take my cargo trailer with me which I hadn't done this Summer. Been using my panniers. I hope my eBike & trailer fuel economy isn't to bad. I'll update as I learn more.

KC8QVO

Mark - keep up on the riding as long as the weather holds out.

I've been driven away from summer riding from the heat. I've only done a couple rides in the past couple months. The last one was a point-to-point ride out on a rail trail. It was looking like a good day and we did dodge storms/rain, but it was otherworldly hot. The trip ended at a friend's house in another town and the initial idea was to take the trail to town, cross town, pick up the trail on the other side, and loop back to add a few more miles. With the heat we just went straight to my friends house and cut the ride short. I'm sure glad we did.

Last weekend was a backpacking trip. It was more camping than backpacking - we hiked in and stayed 2 nights in the same camp before hiking back out. Somehow I screwed up my elbow. It appears to be bursitis. That joint was heavily damaged in a bike accident when I was about 10-12. Ever since then it has locked up on me every once in a while - due to broken cartilage floating around in the joint. Sometimes a bit gets caught in a spot where the bones roll in to it when I extend my arm. Usually it doesn't last long and I can even move my arm in positions that clear it right up. After the trek this past weekend that wasn't the case - the joint swelled and it's stayed that way. It is starting to subside - with the help of some ice packs. Every so often I get to where I have the range of motion back, but its no where near 100%. I'm hoping that goes away soon so I can ride. I did jump on the bike yesterday briefly to ride along with a friend testing their new set up (converted to SPD's for the first time - we were tuning the fit of the clips) and that was enough to say "no riding" for a bit longer.

The last few rides have been on the folding bike. It is more convenient and compact. I had it set up from a trip at the end of June and have left it set up (gear gets swapped between it and my touring bike). We'll see what the next couple weeks bring, maybe I'll switch back over to the touring bike. I need to get back to some bigger mile day trips as that is where I make the biggest gains on my mileage for the season.

Mark Hoaglund

Enjoying my Oros aerogel parka nightly rides. Suppose to soon drop nightly to 30's F but we'll see. Acquired a couple of heavy duty trailer tubes & tires for the cooler seasons ahead. Don't like fixing flats in the Winter.

As for your elbow I can relate with my high school football days which included several knee injuries with limited range of motion & interference from broken cartilage. 20 years later one large piece lodged between my left knee & skin painfully locking it up. After several surgeries and encounters with swollen staph infection they left my leg attached and removed some extra lose cartilage. 8 years later during obesity I had swollen arthritic knees. After 7 years shed the weight and they're much better now. Range of motion is more like 90%. I hope your elbow situation improves too.

Mark Hoaglund

Fall visited with 30s F nights which at first was chilly while adapting. 50s F highs was comfortable with a sweatshirt on. Decided to use the popup tent with gradually diminishing temperatures and rain. Haven't tried the hammock this year since it isn't insulated for cooler seasons. Still testing trailer eBike fuel economy on rolling twisting roads & rail trial surfaces.

KC8QVO

How about actual rails, not converted over rail-trails? See link below.

One of these days I think railbiking would be cool to try.

Mark Hoaglund

Rail Roads around here pass by each hour one direction or another at 40-60 mph. They don't like folks on their property. There's a defunct rail line along the river with washed out bridges and overgrown brush for the past 47 years stretching 15 miles with poisonous snakes and biting insects. Most are WI rail trails now. There's folks sheds with rail bike designs over the years that aren't in museums yet.

Mark Hoaglund

While continuing my eBike ultralight touring my fuel economy increased. Averaging 7 mph during 70s-80s F it was 48 miles per 500Wh battery charge. Now during 50s-70s F its 64 miles. I must say I wasn't expecting that. Maybe I'm getting stronger during the end of the season . . . its happened before. Perhaps I should take a swimsuit before & after image each cycle touring season?

Mark Hoaglund

With the beautiful 50s-80s F weather went eBike tour camping. I sure get a kick out of watching folks walk their dogs plus seeing all the fun loving cyclists young & old. There's a swirling of yellow orange brown leaves rustling about on the wiggly roads & rail trails from the breeze. Enjoyed a treat with sour cream on my refried bean burritos and watermelon Crush soda pop. Wore a t-shirt, safari vest, sweatshirt, jeans, Crocs, helmet and a coat at night. Took it slow at 7 mph. Brought along strawberry flavored water mixed with lemonade water. Breakfast was coffee & a chocolate doughnut. Every so often I'd catch a whiff of smoke during the hazy afternoons along the treelined waterways. All went well & ez going with no hurries.

Didn't do any night touring. Stuck around my campsite using bicycle LED lighting. A lot of birds migrating threw the area. Smelt skunk while the raccoon's quarreled overnight. Heard deer and coyotes off in the distance. Enjoyed the sights of curious chipmunks, bunnies and squirrels. Saw eagles and hawks soaring up above. Suppose to get cool season lightweight boots so packed up came home happy I'd seen and snuggled up to mother nature the last day of Summer & the first day of Autumn.

Mark Hoaglund

Did a little more tour tent camping with 50s-80s F weather. Wore my lightweight Ranger hiking boots. Their comfy with room for heavy socks when it drops below freezing. I like the elastic laces and Velcro strap. Loved the moon lit nights listening to the Great horned hoot owls. Its getting quieter with the bird migration but the cranes are music to my ears like loons. Saw a rare black bear paw print on the trail but none in sight. The coons didn't fight over the treed strung food the last few nights. I'm glad I have the three legged foot stool & Tinya butterfly camp chair. It makes binocular viewing more relaxing.

Ate pork & beans, stew & veggie soups mostly plus bananas. Mornings had coffee & blueberry donuts. Got only 50 miles to 500Wh charge since some intersections were busy so gunned it to 12-20 mph till folks passed me then continued my normal 7 mph eAssist. Sometimes I turnoff eAssist and pedal until tired then repeat. We don't have much for gravel roads around here but me & the eBike like them so we take time to mosey around. The 10 day forecast calls for 30s-50s F and no rain so far. So I'll probably start warming my meals with the gasification woodgas cook stove by the waters edge and bring wheat bread to sop up the sauce & gravy.

Mark Hoaglund

Now I know why I like my standard equipment eBike cruise control after painfully twisting my knee unable to pedal. Thankfully Tylenol helped too after I got home early and no swelling. Maybe its time for a first aid kit.

Mark Hoaglund

I babied my twisted knee for 4 days. Folks here on the list are helping me put together a First Aid Kit (FAK). And I'd like to get out and pedal some more & do some FAK shopping, gloves, veggie soup and flavored water. It rained a little bit while sitting it out but the tent could of handled the moisture. I suppose sometime in October I'll be snuggling up to my supplies.

Mark Hoaglund

Its about 50/50 night & day. More folks in town riding the rail trail at night. Noticed friendly October ghost decorations in the trees. Got some of my FAK supplies. The Dial antibiotic bar soap smells good, like my $ sewing kit & bought a mirror to look prim and proper in the stores. Suppose to get into the 40s-60s F soon. Sure is quiet in the mornings without the birds singing but the bunnies & squirrels are running around keeping me company which pleases me. Looking forward to more zen wooded rail trail camp journeys before my eCycle battery freezes up.

Mark Hoaglund

What is Zen? Meditation & intuition which maybe to provocative for the hawks. Crows & chickadees are still around. I don't know what it is about Zen but I feel I can reach out & communicate with the natural world. I don't kill for pleasure or sport. Just enjoy my pleasant surroundings while cycle tour camping. I prefer a vegan diet mostly. Its been a healthy existential alternative for me while cycling.