Drain and fill...

Life is like riding, you'll hear that a lot, and there's things that drain and fill your tank. Finding sources to fill your tank is always on your mind. A full tank lets you do the things you love, which drain your tank. Filling your tank is work and it shouldn't be looked at in a negative light. The running we all do fits into one or the other side of using or finding fuel. So stop putting in five or ten bucks at a time, fill that tank to the top and before you put the cap on stop and admire that full brimming tank of potential waiting to be unleashed into a world that just as soon not care what you are doing. Someone, you don't know who will see you riding and say to themselves, "I can do that. I've never thought about it before but I could do that." You can't make someone a rider, but you can show them how to ride.

So....lar!

Excitement gripped me when I discovered that there are solar battery chargers, and they are only $20 at your local home improvement store. Now being as excited as I was I knew there was bound to be some dissappointment, and when the the sun set at 4PM I realized that new gizmo wasn't going to pull it's own weight until those long summer days. I admit that I am a go green geek. I am not all loud motors and mixed gas like some. As a friend once told me, "If you could ride something that made no noise at all why wouldn't you want to ride it?"

The mighty two-stroke motor will always be cheap and fast but I'm ready for some electric stuff that's worth what you pay for it. Putting drill batteries in the power wheels has been the best move yet. They recharge really quick and I got them set up now where any battery in the collection can adapt to any ride on. It will be really cool when the kids learn how to balance on two wheels. They have been riding on stand up scooters in the house since the snowfall. Scooters seem to get around the house the best without tearing up too much, however there have been a few crashes into walls and appliances by us parents! We picked up a Razor E-100 electric scooter that I had to fix up. It runs on the drill batteries and a push button switch now. Angie and I get to racing the kids and get a little carried away with the "Go Baby Go" button.

I have the worst nudge to get a power wheel car for the kids but don't see why they need anything else. A Harley, Four Wheeler, Ducati, Dirt Bike, Pocket rocket, lifted jeep, and a small four wheeler should really be enough right? And a scooter for mom and dad, makes me laugh.

Others rolling

It's the holidays and we should appriciate the people around us and their ventures in rolling, starting with kids. I got so lucky and found another Peg Perego motorcycle on craigslist for $50, then when I got there they said how about $10. I was so blessed. It's hard not to be able to buy whatever things you see on the internet or in these Christmas catalogs we keep getting. God must be looking out for my little ones because they are at the right age to start riding these bigger power wheels and what was $250 new is much cheaper on craigslist. This new motorcycle is the Desert Challenger and can ride two kids on it. Check it out.



I also like to get pick of people out in their uniquie rides, here's a few examples...

Cold and rolling

I took the Katana for what will be the last ride of the season. When I left it was 47, on the ride home it was 35. It's that time of year to push the toys into the corner. I've found without those daily distractions I have more time to go to the ymca now, which I like. All my rolling might be indoor for a while. I have a new nick name, The Scooter King. I don't think it fits well because of all the mobility scooters in the neighborhood but I think it's a nice lil name. The kids have really taken to the scooters lately. They are both starting to glide rather than walk around pushing a scooter. I'm hoping this will translate to balancing a bicycle at some point. Fingers crossed.

I used my new used drill to put some holes in the Focus wagon bumper and attach a hitch. I have yet to wire the lights and only have two out of five bolts holding it but I think it looks great. It's been bothering me that this car doesn't have a hitch, not anymore.

Winter rolling?

The time of ruduced traction is apon us, and this year I plan to attempt winter biking! I'm told it can be done though I admit I have been a real baby about the cold this year. I want to build another motorbicycle so bad, I want a scooter or moped too. Why do I want so much stuff?

Oh yeah, I'm a guy lol.

I still want to get a electric motor on ratspeed so I can make "Power Wheels for grownups!" On the note of power wheels I found a 15.6 volt 3amp hour battery drill for $16. I got two batteries, drill and charger. The kids toys are just a little faster, run for a half hour, and recharge in an hour. One more ride has been added to the kids collection too! A Peg Perego Ducati Monster! It features rubber tires, suspension, high and low speed, training wheels, lights and sounds. The best part is when she gets older she can ride it no training wheels! It's that fast! So next stop, helmets. Bella has been riding the four wheeler Adam gave us years ago. She really likes the 18volt battery but it only makes it 15 minutes. I'm looking around for a 18 volt 3amp hour battery for her, nothing yet. She just loves going fast. Even though we ain't got much money we keep getting all these fun toys to ride, just gotta say thanks God. Keep rolling!

Be the motor...

Sometimes in this life we forget that we can do the work ourselves. This is overly true in America. One of the reasons I haven't got around to building another motor bicycle besides the lack of cash is that I have found it can be fun just to be your own motor. Just riding bicycle lately the morning has opened my eyes to the fact that as you ride near the main roads I can't even hear my own headphones. It reminds me that not too long ago people didn't have the constant hum of the freeway. Back to the current world, in my bicycle trips I have met people who don't own a car. I have to say the idea amazes me. I know people in rural areas couldn't live without their cars, but my father in law lived in Mora and for the warm half of the year he would ride bike or walk to work. I hope to find a job that can support my family and let me bike or walk to work.

I just saw Eat Love Pray and love how in every part of the world the main person didn't have a car. In fact she walked through most of the movie. How come none of us can do that?

18 Volts! 18 Volts!

If you have the joy of children and a lot of money you get to put them in a slow moving brightly colored Power Wheels (don't forget the s on Wheels when shopping on craigslist) with a cute little radio and pictures of your favorite cartoon pasted all over it. If your poor and have children you use craigslist and find one without a battery for ten or fifteen dallors. They are sun faded, cracked and missing parts. Then you figure out how to run them on "alternative fuels" which is not to be confused with better, faster or cleaner, just cheaper than something stamped "Power Wheels". I give you the 18 volt Harley Davidson! This thing runs on a Tool Shop nickel cadium cordless drill battery from Menards for $15. It can be recharged 500 times, works in freezing conditions, last about 10min. and weighs almost nothing. It only takes one hour to recharge too, not to shabby. The extra voltage gives a boost in speed too, but man does that wiring get hot. Nothing has melted yet so let her fly!



The best part is I can use the battery in the Hello Kitty Motorcycle once the kids learn to ballance! The fact that it only goes 10min is important, otherwise they could escape from home, just kidding. I can wire in other batteries latter to make the bikes run longer, but I just wanted to see how well it ran first and I am impressed.