My brother and I have a tradition of at least once a year camping at Blackwater River State Park. Love that place and our most favored thing about these camping trips is the eleven mile kayak trek down Blackwater River.
We have missed the last two years due to circumstances, one of which was due to my not being able to walk very well. See previous posts if you’re not familiar why that was? Actually the last time we camped here, it was just too cold to get in the river.
This camp time included some friends of ours, Pam and Richard Anderson. They love camping almost as much as my brother and sister-in-law, camp with them on many occasions. Pam and Richard brought some new toys with them to test. Electric powered bicycles! Of course this conjured up many conversations about the future and electric powered vehicles of all types.
They were actually testing their bicycles for a future planned camping excursion out west where a lot of bicycle riding would be beneficial.
First let me post a few of the photos taken with my phone around the campsite, floating down the river on kayaks, etc.
Monday was devoted to the Kayak trip and of course eating. They sure knew how to eat while camping. In fact, not sure why I brought any food as we never used any of it. Will say this trip down the river was much better than our last one since we wised up about the fact that no matter how smart you think you are, SUNBURN is very much a reality. Sunscreen this time, worked great and no pain afterwards.
Most of my motorcycle rides, ones video taped were all done on Tuesday while out trying to find our friends on the electric bicycles. They left ahead of me and plan was for me to catch up, follow and even do video of them riding. I said plan…. gave them about 10 minutes head start, took off and about a mile down the road realized that my phone wasn’t with me. Was wearing blue tooth helmet and wanted to listen to music and monitor phone calls while out searching for them so had to return for it…. see video below.
After retrieving the phone, next video is me listening to music (no, you can’t hear it on video) while beginning my search for the elusive electric bicycles.
This next video is to let you know that even I can sometimes miss a gear, especially on this sensitive shifter they put on the Suzuki. Still out searching the back roads for those bicycles. Just a mile or so from the park there is a four way stop, my decision was, which way to go first, only three options. 🙂
After running a few miles down two of the options, tried to find them on my phone tracker, no signal, so tried southern route toward the camp road entrance off highway 90 just to be sure they didn’t go that way. Next video is a stop on the river bridge which is really on the way out of the park area back to civilization.
Next video is going back into the campground to ensure that they had not returned while I was out searching. No they had not returned but was able to finally find their location on the tracker.
After locating them on the tracker, headed in that direction and finally found them…. next is a short video. Most times my videos are three minutes long (setting on that cheap camera) but battery was getting low so cut this one a little short.
This next video is after finding them and turning around we stopped for a chat about the bicycles. Was curious how they felt about them and questions of how long before recharging, what distance and or speed can be maintained, etc. In this video, you cannot hear much of what they are saying only me since the mic was on my helmet only. Another short video, quick chat in the middle of the road and on our way.
Long story short, they decided that about 35-40 miles would be the distance on one charge. Charging takes approximately six hours. They averaged a speed of 13-15 mph that day just taking it easy pedaling with the battery assisting. Bicycles set at highest mode could probably reach 35-40 mph if needed. Should they run out of battery power they can be manually pedaled like a normal bicycle.
There was a lot more video taken that day but most of those roads you have seen in the past and felt no need to repeat those scenes. Rode each day while there but not with camera mounted helmet.
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