Squatchin' Vehicle

[SWWASAS]

I have been interested in fat tire electric mountain bikes as a means to get further in from trailheads than simple hiking allows.      I was in Maine last week and had the opportunity to rent one.  Things were going well and checking out the bike potential on hills,   until I had an encounter with a car passing and ran off the no shoulder road into a ditch doing about 20 MPH.    Going from 20 MPH to zero in about 20 feet hurts.   Lucky I am alive.     Multiple contusions, hit my chest on the handle bars when the bike stopped and I didn't,   and landed face down into a dirt embankment.      I had only one body orifice that was not backed full of sand and pebbles, then to add insult to injury the bike landed on top of me.   A young couple running a trail saw it and helped me up.    Otherwise I may still be out in the ditch.     RIb injuries are giving me most pain but have bruises all over me and constant headache from a concussion.     The 6 hour flight home was hell, compounded by the fact that a fat woman who needed a seatbelt extender, occupied about 1/4 of my seat space.   She wondered why I was so grumpy.   

 

Lessons learned:   That sort of bike has promise.    Makes very little noise.    Good chance as any of a crossing encounter with a BF who does not hear you coming.     Takes the pain out of grinding up a hill.     I can imagine doubling the distance I would feel comfortable with riding away from a trail head.      I  judge how far I can go in, by how many hours I have until sundown getting out should something break.    But keep your speed down.    I have ridden bikes all of my life and still have several but stopping when going 12 to 15 miles an hour takes far less distance than stopping doing 20.     The electric bike motor is supposed to disengage when you apply the brakes but I don't think it did.     The brakes seemed inadequate for the bike.   

 

Maine is very interesting.      So similar to SW WA that there has to be a lot of BF presence.   I need to spend some more time there.      Love the lobster rolls.   

Edited October 11, 2018 by SWWASAS

[BC witness]

SWWASAS, sorry to hear about your e-bike endo. I've been interested in a fat tire version for a while myself, as some brands are built here in my area (SW BC). My most epic wildlife sighting count was about 20 years ago, riding my mountain bike for 3 hours to go 30km round trip on an old logging railway grade In the Yakh River headwaters in SE BC. Bear, deer, elk, and moose all pretty much ignored me until I whistled or waved to get their attention and shoo them off the trail.

 

Now that I'm well over 70, my riding would need a battery boost to get me those distances in our rugged terrain. I've noticed that my new hybrid electric SUV often gets me much closer to wildlife than any of my previous IC powered vehicles ever did. I got within 8' of a cougar a couple of months ago, and within 20' of a buck and doe 3 weeks ago. The deer only looked up when the automatic wipers started up to clear a bit of rain on the windshield.

[MIB]

Sorry to hear about your "wreck."   I hope you will recover ok.

 

The idea of electric bikes has me thinking ... if you've got smooth enough roads, even reasonably maintained gravel with minimal "chuck holes", a hybrid like a Prius might be pretty effective.   You could possibly also find areas with covering sound like roads along rivers or drive roads when the wind is blowing enough to create covering white noise.    (I can't really see me in a Prius unless I can find a lift kit and some mud tires.)  

 

I'm stuck with my Crew Cab Tacoma TRD off road for a while longer I guess.   It has been the most reliable / most trouble-free thing I've ever owned but it lacks a bit in ground clearance and has a surprisingly long turn radius.   Was thinkin' about one of the new 2018 Wrangler "JL" models but the dealership is a bit too greedy regarding my trade-in.   I could just buy the thing but as a matter of principle, I'm not putting up with a company trying to cheat me.     I got rid of the tonneau last fall/winter and have gone to the ubiquitous truck bed toolbox.   Doesn't store much but it gets the tire chains, tow strap, and receiver hook out from under the seats where they're easier to access.   I just threw a set of new Toyo Open Country MTs on it so I'm pretty well set for winter.

 

MIB

[SWWASAS]

I do have the fat tire pedal bike and it does the old large rock covered logging roads very well.    Years ago they did not use rock crushers as much.    Those fat tires do not make much noise as they sort of float over gravel rather than displace it.   While some sort of gasoline powered thing works,   the relative silence and legality of the electric bike has advantages.    Anywhere that allows pedal bikes allows the electric enhanced versions.     Even logging roads in National forest require a vehicle to be street legal.  A gas motor dirt bike is not as most are not street legal.   But an electric bike is street legal all over the country.    The only electric bike prohibited trails would be those that are not joint use and prohibit regular pedal bikes.   

 

A bike is an isolator just like any vehicle but not as bad as most.   .     Unlike hiking, you spend a lot of attention on riding the thing.    In a way it is a trade off of getting further in a given time,   and being on foot, moving silently, and frequently listening.     A good practice might be to have a distant destination, park it, and spend time walking around looking for footprints.    I was told a rule of thumb for riding distance of a charge is ampere hours.    14 AH battery gives you 14 miles without pedal assist.     Since most places I go,  going in is uphill and coming out downhill so the downhill portion would extend the range as does peddling.    Some are regenerative in that when coasting downhill it charges the battery.    

[norseman]

Glad yer OK SWWASAS!

[gigantor]

Good thing you didn't get hurt SWWASAS. Below is my squatching vehicle.

 

 

[wiiawiwb]

That's a sweet unit!!

[Huntster]

Nice Jeep.

[Twist]

Glad your OK SWWASAS,  even at 20 a crash can be very dangerous.  I'm pretty sure my Harley is never going to sneak up on a BF 

 

Getting in and out of camp I have a lifted up Chevy Tahoe, it does alright getting in and out of where I need to be but that too aint sneaking up on anyone or thing.   

 

That's a great looking Jeep you have there Giga.  I used to have a really nice lifted up Grand Cherokee, I regret selling it.   I've been kicking around the idea buying my dads fully restored CJ from him.  Already lifted, flat fendered, with a V8 swap.  He bought a new 4 door wrangler and now my stepmother wont get in the CJ lol.    

[gigantor]

25 minutes ago, Twist said:

Already lifted, flat fendered, with a V8 swap.

 

That's a good $20k just for those upgrades.

[hiflier]

Sorry I missed your visit SWWASAS, I actually got home here in Maine this past Sunday after nearly two months of travel. And yeah, the lobster rolls are pretty darned good. Up in Bucksport there is a place on the water that sells the biggest lobster sandwiches I have ever seen. They have to run a pound each. I have rolled out of there a couple of times with a smile on my face.

 

Glad you're OK and survived the bike. I getting of the age where the e-bike is an attractive idea. If I can no longer get up my rope ladder to hang a cam I just may have to look into them. Also, If you had my number and had I been here I could have come and picked you up- bike and all.. Ah well, if you get out this way again we'll have a bite to eat somewhere.

Edited October 12, 2018 by hiflier

[Twist]

12 minutes ago, gigantor said:

 

That's a good $20k just for those upgrades.

 

Its for sale and a lot less than 20K lol. Around here in Michigan a Jeep like this goes for about 6 - 8K.   This one is actual original rust free steel body with new tires.  I'm not fond of the paint job, its leaf print camo'ish,  and it does need a new transfer case.  4hi pops out. Only 4low stays locked in.   He has the other transfer case I just haven't had time to put it in for him.  After 3 shoulder surgeries between both arms, he's not doing it on his back in his garage..   

[Caenus]

3 hours ago, Twist said:

 

Its for sale and a lot less than 20K lol. Around here in Michigan a Jeep like this goes for about 6 - 8K.   This one is actual original rust free steel body with new tires.  I'm not fond of the paint job, its leaf print camo'ish,  and it does need a new transfer case.  4hi pops out. Only 4low stays locked in.   He has the other transfer case I just haven't had time to put it in for him.  After 3 shoulder surgeries between both arms, he's not doing it on his back in his garage..   

 

Wow. Can’t touch a decent running Jeep with those upgrades here for less than $15k

[SWWASAS]

This will get you and your BF gear about anyplace you want to go.    For sale for 45K in Oregon.    Would love to build a camper / command post on the back of it.   Anyone have a spare 50 Cal MG?   Would be nice touch to mount that on the front.   

Edited October 13, 2018 by SWWASAS

[norseman]

I want it!