"It's projected that by 2030 the demand for water is going to increase by 53% over what it was in 2010, and some of the largest increases are going to come in those areas where the water is already in short supply." (Aviation Week and Space Technology, Oct 6 2014)
Monday, October 20, 2014
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Winter Riding
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| 1500 miles so far this year. Winter riding is just a case of mind over matter, if you don't mind it does't matter! |
Saturday, December 31, 2011
The Grand Total is......8138.5 miles
So another year is over and I have 8138.5 miles ridden to show for it. There were some new lessons learned and some older ones revisited. Here are a few.
1. Buy the absolute best equipment that you can afford. It pays big dividends in both comfort, ease of use and lower lifetime costs. This is really important in the choices you make in your clothing. I swear by Pearl Izumi but everyone has their own favorites.
2. Take good care of the equipment that you do purchase. Keep up on the inspections and routine maintenance on your bikes and keep your clothes clean.
3. When something wears out or brakes upgrade to the next level of component on your bike. Higher level components really do work better.
4. Get yourself high grade lights. During the day I use Blackburn Fleas in blink mode as a DRL (daytime running light) and at night I use NightRider Technical lighting. DRLS make a huge difference in your safety on the road and if you are going to ride roads at night you need to see AND be seen. Don't cut corners on lighting.
5. Protect yourself from dogs with a Dazer II. You can find it on Amazon. Trust me they work.
6. Ride everywhere you can.
7. Ride in all conditions.
8. Have the tools and spares with you to be able to self rescue. Be able to at least fix a flat tire or a broken chain.
9. Ride with your cell phone and some cash. Both will come in handy sooner or later.
10. Be sure to keep it fun, see you out there somewhere on the road!
1. Buy the absolute best equipment that you can afford. It pays big dividends in both comfort, ease of use and lower lifetime costs. This is really important in the choices you make in your clothing. I swear by Pearl Izumi but everyone has their own favorites.
2. Take good care of the equipment that you do purchase. Keep up on the inspections and routine maintenance on your bikes and keep your clothes clean.
3. When something wears out or brakes upgrade to the next level of component on your bike. Higher level components really do work better.
4. Get yourself high grade lights. During the day I use Blackburn Fleas in blink mode as a DRL (daytime running light) and at night I use NightRider Technical lighting. DRLS make a huge difference in your safety on the road and if you are going to ride roads at night you need to see AND be seen. Don't cut corners on lighting.
5. Protect yourself from dogs with a Dazer II. You can find it on Amazon. Trust me they work.
6. Ride everywhere you can.
7. Ride in all conditions.
8. Have the tools and spares with you to be able to self rescue. Be able to at least fix a flat tire or a broken chain.
9. Ride with your cell phone and some cash. Both will come in handy sooner or later.
10. Be sure to keep it fun, see you out there somewhere on the road!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
6000 miles!
I hit the 6000 mile mark this morning. It has been a difficult year to get big miles in but I am out there most every morning, chipping away at it.
I have been riding a TREK Transport this year on trips of between 2 and 22 miles. It is a great bike that does an outstanding job of hauling heavy loads. I was pretty happy with the bike as it was built but I decided early on that it would be a great bike with a few modifications. I added a Fizik Arone saddle, a Bontrager rear fender and Avid BB7 road disc brakes. I have been suprised at how quiet and fast the bike is. It does not feel like a heavy cargo bike. If you are looking for a great cargo bike then the TREK Transport should be on your list for a test ride.
One other item I have been using this summer is a Dazer II electronic dog repellent. I read about it in a book called cycling home from siberia. I was a bit skeptical but the price was right so I ordered one and took it on my daily rides. I have to say, I was suprised when I used it the first time and the dog broke off the chase as soon as I pushed the button. His ears went back and he turned away without any time lag. The Dazer II works! Buy one and try it!
I have been riding a TREK Transport this year on trips of between 2 and 22 miles. It is a great bike that does an outstanding job of hauling heavy loads. I was pretty happy with the bike as it was built but I decided early on that it would be a great bike with a few modifications. I added a Fizik Arone saddle, a Bontrager rear fender and Avid BB7 road disc brakes. I have been suprised at how quiet and fast the bike is. It does not feel like a heavy cargo bike. If you are looking for a great cargo bike then the TREK Transport should be on your list for a test ride.
One other item I have been using this summer is a Dazer II electronic dog repellent. I read about it in a book called cycling home from siberia. I was a bit skeptical but the price was right so I ordered one and took it on my daily rides. I have to say, I was suprised when I used it the first time and the dog broke off the chase as soon as I pushed the button. His ears went back and he turned away without any time lag. The Dazer II works! Buy one and try it!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
What a year!
What a year, and I don't mean that in a good way. I set a goal of 10,000 miles this year and it is becoming increasing obvious that I am not going to make it. At this point I have around 3300 miles in which is about 300 more than this time last year but I have not been able to ride a century yet this year. The weather has been so lousy this spring that I have not had a single day with a 6 hour window with decent weather. What I have been able to do is integrate bicycling even more in to the everyday transportation routine and leave the vehicles at home. It has been a long time since I drove the car to the grocery store!
As I ride around my county I see field after field that has not even been touched yet and it is almost June. The wet and cold spring has kept the farmers out of the fields to a great extent and we are running out of time. It is going to be a late harvest if they do manage to get the fields planted and who knows how the yield will be. That will not be good for anyone. I hope things are better wherever you are!
As I ride around my county I see field after field that has not even been touched yet and it is almost June. The wet and cold spring has kept the farmers out of the fields to a great extent and we are running out of time. It is going to be a late harvest if they do manage to get the fields planted and who knows how the yield will be. That will not be good for anyone. I hope things are better wherever you are!
Friday, December 31, 2010
AND THE GRAND TOTAL IS..........
8300 miles pedaled on the bicycles for 2010. I look back and remember all the things that I saw in all those miles, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, storm fronts rolling in, Ice, Frost, Snow, Rain, Scorching heat and Deep Cold. And I can't forget the night rides!
A huge variety of animals such as deer, fox, coyote, turkeys, raccoon, opossum, muskrat, woodchuck, rabbits, squirrels, pheasant, partridge, eagles, hawks, owls, etc............
I managed not to get hurt in all those miles even though I fell three times in the woods on my Mt Bike and once over the handlebars on the street.
So what shall it be for 2011? I would like to do another couple of century rides like I did this year and possibly a double century if I can get a really nice calm day. I would like to ride from the shore of lake Michigan to the shore of Lake Huron. I would like to do 8000-10000 miles but with more rest days and higher mileage on the days that I do ride. Whatever I end up having done at this time next year it will be fun and I can't wait to get started. See you out on the road and have a great 2011!
A huge variety of animals such as deer, fox, coyote, turkeys, raccoon, opossum, muskrat, woodchuck, rabbits, squirrels, pheasant, partridge, eagles, hawks, owls, etc............
I managed not to get hurt in all those miles even though I fell three times in the woods on my Mt Bike and once over the handlebars on the street.
So what shall it be for 2011? I would like to do another couple of century rides like I did this year and possibly a double century if I can get a really nice calm day. I would like to ride from the shore of lake Michigan to the shore of Lake Huron. I would like to do 8000-10000 miles but with more rest days and higher mileage on the days that I do ride. Whatever I end up having done at this time next year it will be fun and I can't wait to get started. See you out on the road and have a great 2011!
Friday, December 17, 2010
One Year - 8000+ Miles
This week I went over the 8000 mile mark for the year on the bicycles. It seems like a lot but it did not really seem that hard when you go out and chip away at it for a year. It is by far the most mileage for me and it was done in everything from 5 degrees F in the middle of winter to 100 degrees F in the depths of summer. Wind, Rain, Ice and snow I saw all of it at one point or another. The way I figure it, I rode somewhere between 500 and 600 hours. These are some of the things I learned in all that time.
Equipment: Buy the absolute best equipment you can afford and then go a little bit farther. I had a total of 5 flats this year and that was all of the equipment trouble I had. Keep the bikes clean and well maintained so you will catch problems early. Also a clean bike is safer in traffic because you never know when the glint of sunlight off a bit of chrome or polished aluminum will catch the attention of some distracted driver who may not have seen you otherwise.
As far as cycling specific clothing goes, I am absolutely sold on the products made by Pearl Izumi. From shorts, gloves, base layers, jackets, shoes, to balaclavas I never had a problem and nothing wore out in heavy day after day use. I can not say enough about the quality of their products.
Safety Equipment:I have two helmets by Giro that I rotated from day to day. When I was finished with my ride for the day I would rinse the helmet in the shower and let it dry for a day. Both held up very well with little wear and tear.
I am also sold on Oakley sunglasses. I wore them every day on every ride and they protected my eyes from Sun, UV, dirt and road debris several times deflecting small rocks.
I always ride with a Road ID bracelet on. If I get in a bad crash or hit by a car and I cant talk, all of my information is on it so emergency services can know who I am and who to call.
Always ride with a mirror when you are road riding and keep an eye on it. Don't let cars and trucks coming up from behind surprise you. It is better to go for the side of the road or the ditch if it looks like someone may hit you. RIDE DEFENSIVELY! and assume that they don't see you.
Get a set of lights and run them in flasher mode even in the daytime. Trust me, DRLs or daytime running lights can save your life. I have noticed that most of the time, drivers give you more room when passing when you are riding with lights on. I use a set of Blackburn Fleas that are incredibly small and light but VERY bright. On several occasions I had oncoming drivers stop and tell me how great the lights were because they could see me for a very long way out.
Always take your cell phone with you. You never know when you migh really need help out in the middle of nowhere.
Goals: At the beginning of your riding season set some goals. Make them difficult enough that you will have to get out of your comfort zone to achieve them. I started out the year with the goals of 5000 miles and two century rides. I upped it to 6000 later when it was clear I was going to make it way early. I did both century rides and the last one I did in 5hr49m. Big goals make you get out there and work at them every day and they give you a big feeling of accomplishment when you achieve one.
Once you set your goals you can figure out what the very minimum amount of mileage you will have to average every day to get there. Then go out and figure out some different routes to ride that will cover that mileage. I never know from one day to the next where I will ride. I wait until it is time to go then see what direction the wind is coming from and how strong it is. If it is not very strong then I will head out into the wind to the halfway point then turn around and enjoy a little assist on the way home. If the wind is really strong I prefer to ride in a cross wind but that is just my preference. The point is to have lots of safe routes so you can ride something different every day without wearing yourself out fighting the wind too much.
Fuel: If you are going to ride lots of miles you are going to burn a ton of calories. You need to learn what you have to eat to get through a ride and then what to eat to recover so you can ride again the next day without doing damage to your body. Everybody is different but with research teamed with trial and error you will find what works for you. There are many books, magazines and web sites to help.
The same goes for hydration. Drink your fluids and pay close attention to how your body is feeling from day to day. I find that I have to force myself to drink enough in the winter when it is really cold and I am not sweating very much and I don't feel thirsty.
I will cover some more lessons that I have learned this year later on. I hope to see you out on the road!
Equipment: Buy the absolute best equipment you can afford and then go a little bit farther. I had a total of 5 flats this year and that was all of the equipment trouble I had. Keep the bikes clean and well maintained so you will catch problems early. Also a clean bike is safer in traffic because you never know when the glint of sunlight off a bit of chrome or polished aluminum will catch the attention of some distracted driver who may not have seen you otherwise.
As far as cycling specific clothing goes, I am absolutely sold on the products made by Pearl Izumi. From shorts, gloves, base layers, jackets, shoes, to balaclavas I never had a problem and nothing wore out in heavy day after day use. I can not say enough about the quality of their products.
Safety Equipment:I have two helmets by Giro that I rotated from day to day. When I was finished with my ride for the day I would rinse the helmet in the shower and let it dry for a day. Both held up very well with little wear and tear.
I am also sold on Oakley sunglasses. I wore them every day on every ride and they protected my eyes from Sun, UV, dirt and road debris several times deflecting small rocks.
I always ride with a Road ID bracelet on. If I get in a bad crash or hit by a car and I cant talk, all of my information is on it so emergency services can know who I am and who to call.
Always ride with a mirror when you are road riding and keep an eye on it. Don't let cars and trucks coming up from behind surprise you. It is better to go for the side of the road or the ditch if it looks like someone may hit you. RIDE DEFENSIVELY! and assume that they don't see you.
Get a set of lights and run them in flasher mode even in the daytime. Trust me, DRLs or daytime running lights can save your life. I have noticed that most of the time, drivers give you more room when passing when you are riding with lights on. I use a set of Blackburn Fleas that are incredibly small and light but VERY bright. On several occasions I had oncoming drivers stop and tell me how great the lights were because they could see me for a very long way out.
Always take your cell phone with you. You never know when you migh really need help out in the middle of nowhere.
Goals: At the beginning of your riding season set some goals. Make them difficult enough that you will have to get out of your comfort zone to achieve them. I started out the year with the goals of 5000 miles and two century rides. I upped it to 6000 later when it was clear I was going to make it way early. I did both century rides and the last one I did in 5hr49m. Big goals make you get out there and work at them every day and they give you a big feeling of accomplishment when you achieve one.
Once you set your goals you can figure out what the very minimum amount of mileage you will have to average every day to get there. Then go out and figure out some different routes to ride that will cover that mileage. I never know from one day to the next where I will ride. I wait until it is time to go then see what direction the wind is coming from and how strong it is. If it is not very strong then I will head out into the wind to the halfway point then turn around and enjoy a little assist on the way home. If the wind is really strong I prefer to ride in a cross wind but that is just my preference. The point is to have lots of safe routes so you can ride something different every day without wearing yourself out fighting the wind too much.
Fuel: If you are going to ride lots of miles you are going to burn a ton of calories. You need to learn what you have to eat to get through a ride and then what to eat to recover so you can ride again the next day without doing damage to your body. Everybody is different but with research teamed with trial and error you will find what works for you. There are many books, magazines and web sites to help.
The same goes for hydration. Drink your fluids and pay close attention to how your body is feeling from day to day. I find that I have to force myself to drink enough in the winter when it is really cold and I am not sweating very much and I don't feel thirsty.
I will cover some more lessons that I have learned this year later on. I hope to see you out on the road!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Two new Forums
There are a couple of new forums that you may want to check out.
Sustainable Country Forums is a place to learn about and share ideas about how to live in the future that is coming, like it or not. Great people and a great vibe. http://forums.sustainablecountry.com/forums/
The other Forum is a sister site called Silent Country. It is populated by alot of the same people but here it is darker, more down and dirty. Think, The Road or The Book of Eli. http://forums.silentcountry.com/forums/forum.php
Sustainable Country Forums is a place to learn about and share ideas about how to live in the future that is coming, like it or not. Great people and a great vibe. http://forums.sustainablecountry.com/forums/
The other Forum is a sister site called Silent Country. It is populated by alot of the same people but here it is darker, more down and dirty. Think, The Road or The Book of Eli. http://forums.silentcountry.com/forums/forum.php
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