This Summer I decided to complete a dream and blog (or was the brag) about it.
We all have dreams, my dream was to cycle the Oregon Coast. I love the Oregon Coast. It is my heart. I wanted to experience every mile. The way to do this is at slow speeds…on a bike!
I am not a super athlete or the strongest rider, but I am resourceful. I figured out how to make my dream come true when I learned about electric bikes. Sometimes one has to figure out how to make a dream come and be real about it. Technology has moved so many things along in our world and it moved me down the coast.
This last summer I invested in a peddle-assist bike. A peddle assist does just that, it does not peddle for you and it requires that the rider do a lot of the peddling. Here’s the great part though, when you need to haul yourself and all your gear up a hill you can switch on the electric assist. I researched options, asked experts and read books. I needed to an education as this was a journey I would be doing alone. Here’s what I learned along the way:
The cities on the coast are 26 miles apart. This is the distance the “pony express” could ride without stopping for the night. Also note that electric bike batteries last 50 miles if used conservatively. Do the math and you will learn that you need to find a place to charge and plan to ride 1-2 cities a day. If you get caught between cities and you are alone on the road–this could become a hike and not a ride. A great place to stop for some assistance, camping or to talk to fellow cyclists are the state parks. This is where riders congregate. Here you may also find electricity to charge. If not here–I learned public libraries are also a great option!
I also learned when crossing over a bridge or through a tunnel hit the “bicycle on bridge” button and warning lights will flash. I also feel a radar is good for hearing and watching approaching traffic.
I am going to write a guide to ELECTRIC Bike Cycling on the Oregon Coast. Should you be interested in this subject hit me up in the comments and watch for more blog entries which I will highlight specific interests of my readers.
