My last 2 trips I had to pack 2 different outfits for the outbound and returning legs because of wild temperature swings from outbound to inbound legs of the trip. Last night I went to the RPG group, and leaving Casa del Poeta I was riding in mid-60′s F (18°C). On the return leg I was riding in 44°F (7°C) temperatures, slightly more than 20°F (11°C) colder. That requires completely different types of clothing for a 6 mile bike ride (each way). Riding outbound I was wearing cotton shorts and a short-sleeve jersey (I needed to have pockets, so I wore the cotton shorts) but on the way back I wore heavy tights under the shorts and a heavy sweatshirt over the jersey and was still slightly chilled.
This morning as I was laying out my clothes for the day the temperature was 56, but the hourly forecast called for a temperature of 42 for the time I was going to be riding. By the time I was finished with my shower the outside temperature had jumped to 62 and by the time I was out the door it had gotten to 65, and was 70°F on my return leg from morning services. I was wearing tights under cotton shorts (needed pockets again) and a lightweight long-sleeve jersey and was way over-dressed for the conditions even on the way out, definitely for the return leg of the trip. This is much more like March weather than what we normally get this time of year in TX. I have no idea what to wear for the ride to evening services, maybe mukluks and a parka?
For those who may be wondering, this was our celebration of Imbolc, where Winter fights a retreating battle against Spring. We blessed our tools both magical and mundane for the upcoming season. It was interesting looking at the things that were on the altar to be blessed, ranging from paper notebooks to notebook computers, sticks with twine wrappings to swords, kitchen tools of all descriptions, and my helmet standing in for all of my bike stuff. For things that could not be removed to bring into the building there were paper notes naming the items that were blessed in absentia
The DIY bike light project is still going on as I tested the solar cells to determine which side was “+” and which terminal was “-” as I want to recharge the batteries, not quick-discharge them. Also while testing for positive and negative I found the solar units were under-rated for voltage, as I was getting readings of 4.77V as I was trying to find which terminal was which. I wasn’t testing the current out but the rating was 90ma at 4.5V and 200ma short-circuit. As I put in an earlier post, these units were made to charge solar yard lights with 3S NiMH cells and 3 will put out C/11 into my NiMH AA pack. This is a very safe charging rate and will top the cells nicely.
One of the things I have to do is make the bracketry work for the handlebars I’m using on this project with the large horizontal brace between the actual bars I hang on to. The light has to clear the bars when they are laid back at a comfortable angle as it will be almost 8″ wide at its widest point (lots of LEDs). Placing the solar power behind the lighting units will move the wide part of the light about 2½” forward from the bars so that the light has clearance to swing down and shine on the road rather than the trees and clouds overhead. I also have to be careful about running the wires where they won’t get damaged in handling and normal use, and are esthetically pleasing (mostly invisible). I’m slightly torn about some of the esthetics of this build. I could frame the lights with angle and weld the angle to the backplate and extend the part where I mount the solar power units forward to act as a visor to help keep stray light from getting in oncoming drivers’ eyes, or I could just mount the lighting units to the backplate and the solar units behind the backplate, leaving the lighting units completely exposed and also allowing that stray light to light up street signs (and get in oncoming drivers’ eyes). So 6 of one and half a dozen of another. The good part about framing the backplate with angle is that it automatically jigs the top panel for the solar units at right angles to the backplate. One thing I know I’m doing is running angle from the backplate to the mounts to the handlebars to reinforce the top panel against bending, so I might as well go ahead and frame out the backpanel while I’m doing it. Another thing I’m doing is using an Altoids tin as a battery box as they are (mostly) weatherproof, especially if they are protected against direct spray against the hinge line and since I’m putting the box behind the backplate it will be protected against direct spray. It won’t withstand direct immersion, but for riding around on a bicycle it will be fine, especially mounted under the solar top panel and behind the backplate.
So, the bike light project is moving forward, the project the bike light is going to be attached to is moving forward, and I survived another cross-quarter celebration with hair still on my head. By the next solar sabbat I will be shaved of head and my fuzzy locks will be lining local birds’ nests and keeping the chicks comfy, and maybe I’ll be riding the new bike and debugging the design.
PSA, Opus
Running way late with a busy evening ahead, and the Feed
My part-time gig as a crying pillow for a widow woman went late because she stayed up late crying on my shoulder, and then her meds kept her asleep until 1300. I was awake at 0900 but she couldn’t wake up until much later. The bad thing about that is if she doesn’t wait to let herself wake up when the meds wear off then she’s impaired for several hours after she would have been fine otherwise, and I would have been even later getting home.
Up first is a link via BikingInLA to testimony from the trial of that guy that went on a drunken rampage in a Hummer a couple of years ago running smaller cars off the roads and targeting cyclists in the bike lanes. Ex-Ventura police officer describes trying to save bicyclist At the time I was wondering if the driver had reverted to the “unwritten road rules” of his home country. Some of what I have read about this trial makes me think that this might have happened due to his emotional state prior to getting drunk, and then the massive amounts of alcohol he drank prior to the rampage. This is another driver that I would like to see watch his vehicle get recycled from behind the steering wheel. Infrastructure might have saved the cyclist from this madman but would not have helped any of the other victims. This report earns the “Waste of Human Skin” tag for the post today.
Also from CA is a deliberate assault of a cyclist on Halloween night. Preteen struck by car door on Halloween in Santa Cruz There is no way for a cyclist to avoid something like this, and no way for infrastructure to prevent it either. I hope they keep looking for this pair and charge them with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Still in CA a funeral for a dead cyclist. Funeral Services Set for Teen Cyclist Still plugging the SWSS angle. >sigh<
Just up the Left Coast from all that carnage a little girl is hit-and-run riding to school. Car strikes, injures Kent girl riding bike to middle school | Update From what I can determine the cyclist does not have life-threatening injuries, just really bad ones. Remember every driveway is an intersection and use intersection protocols to avoid a wreck like this one and get the infrastructure right to prevent another one. And lock up all hit-and-run drivers as flight risks until their trials.
From the Windy City come links to a cyclist dying in a right-hook wreck. Cyclist hit by truck, dies and Bicyclist Struck, Killed By Truck In Noble Square also Fatality Tracker: Driver turns truck right in front of cyclist, killing him Shouldn’t the driver have gotten a bit more in the way of consequences for the wreck that a stinking ticket? Anyway, intersection wreck, use the intersection protocols to avoid and get the infrastructure right to prevent. And make no bones about it this was an entirely preventable wreck.
More on the wreck that killed a cyclist in OH. Driver charged in cyclist death Serious charges for a serious crime.
A MA cyclist is hit by a drugged out driver with 4 kids in the car. Cyclist dead in Calverton crash; cops: driver that hit him was on drugs, had four kids in car No way for a cyclist to avoid a wreck like this where the driver crosses the entire highway to hit you head on when you’re riding on the shoulder. Infrastructure won’t help much either unless there is something like a Jersey barrier to keep idiots away from bicycles and vice versa.
Another MA cyclist is hit in an intersection. Fall River Police: Bicyclist injured after colliding with car The cyclist was riding ninja not that that would have made a difference in this wreck, as the bike hit the car going through the intersection after coming to a stop. Intersection protocols to avoid, and since this would be shared infrastructure under the Dutch plan, the infrastructure would not need (much) adjustment to prevent.
Another one of those BikingInLA links has an RAF pilot explaining how evolution has ill-prepared us for driving to the detriment of mainly motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. What an RAF pilot can teach us about being safe on the road Basically our eyes were designed to work from a stationary platform up to a speed of about 20-25 MPH. Any faster and we are literally flying blind to a greater and greater degree as speeds increase. What helps prevent massive carnage by motor vehicles is we have changed the roads to accommodate these limitations and armored up our vehicles to mitigate the failures when they happen. Neither of those things work if you’re not riding inside a motor vehicle made in this century.
One of those links that I really needed to get up sooner except I didn’t see it until now. They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To: a 1946 Griffon & Howle Rando-Broom Actually brooms are decidedly Old School for witches these days, just ask Gigi (if you can chase her down).
Infrastructure! news from the Great White North, as they seek to discover how to stop killing cyclists and pedestrians with motor vehicles. Bronson speed limits could be cut to promote cyclists’ safety Here’s a hint: Make drivers responsible for controlling their vehicles around vulnerable users like cyclists and pedestrians.
Infrastructure for South Africa. Law may change to assist cyclists One point five meters is a touch under five feet, for the metric impaired among my readers.
I don’t know exactly how to classify this one, because this computer doesn’t have sound to go with the video playback yet. Austin Cycling Community Raises Awareness and Money for Injured Cyclist I’m going to go with a mixture of LifeStyle and advocacy from what I can see.
And those are all the links that gave me fits today/tonight.
Billed @$0.02, Opus
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Tagged anti-bike blatherings, Bike ninjas, blind driver syndrome, blind drivers, can you top this, cycling life, cyclist injured, cyclist killed, Dead cyclists, Don't read the comments, door prizes, helpful hints, hit from behind, hit-and-run, infrastructure, Jolly Olde, Left cross/right hook, miscellaneous ramblings, salmon cyclists, Single Witness Suicidal Swerve/Single Witness Crossing Cyclist, Something smells, stupid cyclist, stupid drivers, stupid LEO, stupid politicians, updates, waste of human skin