Cross-Canada by Ebike

[justin_le]

Tropical storm Kyle has grown into a hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said Saturday evening.
With winds of up to 120 km/h, the hurricane could make landfall anywhere between Nova Scotia and Maine, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Wohoo, I'm not sure if it was Kyle or not but what a wild time riding into Nova Scotia last night. Winds were just howling! And straight into my face. It was frustrating in ontario and the prairies having strong headwinds but this instead was pretty exhilarating. Why? Because I could smell the ocean!!! There's an unmistakeable scent of salt water in the air that I haven't breathed in 2 months

The wind has totally slowed by progress and range between battery refills though. In any case, I am now charging up for the very last time in the town of Truro, NS:

All that remains

TruroToHalifax.jpg (71.59 KiB) Viewed 2186 times

How do the stats fare up to now? With just 92 km to go, we're looking at a total distance traveled of 7007.6 km, and $8.42 consumed from the electrical energy budget.

I could tow a car with my ebike for this last leg and still make it in for under $10.00!

Instead though, I think I'll by myself a souvenir in Halifax with the $1.40 or so I'll have left over

[justin_le]

Of course despite being bombarded with emails to cover the story I have as of yet to see a single tv news broadcast on this trip. just goes to show the only thing that makes it on the air is something that fits the agenda that news station cares to push.

Don't fret about it Lessss, that may more my doing than lack of interest by broadcasters. I never said that I was doing this trip to get in the media or as some kind of publicity stunt to bring ebikes into the news, and so I've turned down many offers by Journalists to cover the story along the way.

Ebikes are mostly an underground movement here. That's the most awesome thing about what's going on, and it's the story that I really want to expose and tell with this trip. There is a change being driven at a very grassroots level, without any involvement of traditional big companies, marketing campaigns, government initiatives etc. Sooner or later ebikes are going to reach the mainstream in a big way. It's inevitable. When that happens, I want people to be aware of the roots of this movement, so they can see some of the faces that were building and riding electric bicycles 10, 20, 30 years before ebikes hit the selves of retail stores all across the Country.

So this story about me crossing Canada for the first time ever in a plug-in electric vehicle, it's not really something that is meant to be told now. All of you reading this surely appreciate the significance, but for most people I think the significance will only be apparent 1 or 2 decades from now. At least that's what I hope.

Justin

[MitchJi]

Ebikes are mostly an underground movement here. That's the most awesome thing about what's going on, and it's the story that I really want to expose and tell with this trip. There is a change being driven at a very grassroots level, without any involvement of traditional big companies, marketing campaigns, government initiatives etc. Sooner or later ebikes are going to reach the mainstream in a big way. It's inevitable. When that happens, I want people to be aware of the roots of this movement, so they can see some of the faces that were building and riding electric bicycles 10, 20, 30 years before ebikes hit the selves of retail stores all across the Country.

So this story about me crossing Canada for the first time ever in a plug-in electric vehicle, it's not really something that is meant to be told now. All of you reading this surely appreciate the significance, but for most people I think the significance will only be apparent 1 or 2 decades from now. At least that's what I hope.

Justin

Hi Justin,

I hope it won't be "10, 20, 30 years before ebikes hit the selves of retail stores all across the Country"

And I hope it won't be decades before the significance is appreciated by most people.

Thanks for sharing your trip with us!

Best Wishes,

Mitch

[kbdog]

When that happens, I want people to be aware of the roots of this movement, so they can see some of the faces that were building and riding electric bicycles 10, 20, 30 years before ebikes hit the selves of retail stores all across the Country.

Let's also hope that some of our faces will still be around in 10, 20 or 30 years!
Well done Justin; you must be pleased with the outcome of your trip and the remarkable people you have met along the way. I look forward to more of your 'people profiles' once you get back after a well-earned rest.

[fechter]

Ebikes are mostly an underground movement here. That's the most awesome thing about what's going on, and it's the story that I really want to expose and tell with this trip. There is a change being driven at a very grassroots level, without any involvement of traditional big companies, marketing campaigns, government initiatives etc. Sooner or later ebikes are going to reach the mainstream in a big way. It's inevitable. When that happens, I want people to be aware of the roots of this movement, so they can see some of the faces that were building and riding electric bicycles 10, 20, 30 years before ebikes hit the selves of retail stores all across the Country.

Power to the people

And even more power to those that know how to solder


Who would have thought that you would run into a hurricane on a trip across Canada. A moose I would expect, but not a hurricane. Keep dry, I see it's moving quickly.

[Perfesser]

Go Justin, Go.
Less than 100k to go... Whoo Hoo!
I'm so proud of you. Every time I scoot past your shop on my trike (that you helped electrify), I get a chill. Well, the fact that it is almost October helps that chill happen, but still... it's a thrill.
I should tell you that my son Conrad (you might remember meeting him at supper, he is the taller one) bought himself a bike. He has used it for the last month, and it has become his main transportation. It is worth mentioning, as just a year or so ago, he said that "bikes are for losers". But, I think that meeting you has helped change that.
Remember, it won't take decades for you to make your mark on the people in Canada. You've already made it, in many ways.
Get on that train back home as soon as you can. You've got an invitation to turkey dinner at my place for thanksgiving !
God speed you.
-Karl

[biohazardman]

Glad to see you are almost there been reading about your trip and looking at all the land and pictures available on Google earth to see what you have been riding through. Some beautiful country to see for sure. As for the bike mine has fared no better with broken spokes and two burnt controllers in 1200 miles. So room for improvement for sure possibly you know of someone that can figure things out. ;^) Be safe in the last little bit and enjoy the moment as moments are all we have.

[silicium]

Bravo Justin !
Si près de ton but, je te remercie d'avoir partager ton voyage avec nous !
J'écris en français depuis la France
Si un jour tu te décide à venir nous voir, j'ai un grand jardin Et dans le sud de la France il fait toujours beau

Justin Bravo!
So close to your goal, I thank you for sharing your trip with us!
I write in French from France
If one day you decide to visit us, I have a large garden And in the south of France it is always nice

[justin_le]

Tropical storm Kyle has grown into a hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said Saturday evening.
With winds of up to 120 km/h, the hurricane could make landfall anywhere between Nova Scotia and Maine, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Wohoo, I'm not sure if it was Kyle or not but what a wild time riding into Nova Scotia last night. Winds were just howling!

OK, Nevermind, what I went through then was just some powerful east coast winds. It was midway between Truro and Halifax yesterday evening that I ran into Kyle. Holy Toledo what an experience that was. If anyone's ever bicycled through the remnants of a hurricane, well you'll know what I'm talking about. Wind gusts so powerful they'll either stop your progress in it's tracks or propel you into regen territory, and rain so heavy and driven that it hurts. The cars were all rolling along the highway super slow with emergency lights blinking and windshield wipers on crack trying to keep a clear view out the glass, and I was just holding tight on the handlebars not to get blown over. I'm sure everyone was thinking that I have to be a little out of my mind to be biking through this!

Anyways, it was an exciting note to end the journey on, and knowing that this was the last leg I didn't care so much about how the ebike would fare. The rains and bumps (when I swerved on and off the shoulder) first took out my 10 watt HID light, and then the BMS on the LiFePO4 battery pack. But the homemade LED lights, the motor controller, the homebuilt LiPoly battery packs, the CycleAnalyst, they all kept on trucking right to the end like good little troopers.

I don't think the trip is totally over until I take a plunge in the Atlantic ocean, but for today I'm leaving the bike parked in a garage and will explore the city on my two feet for a change.

Thanks again to all the many people who've contributed to this thread or who have been quietly following the progress. It's made the whole adventure feel that much more complete knowing that a whole community has been behind it. I still have many more posts to make over the next couple days and will compile and upload the final trip statistics later this evening.

Cheers from Halifax, -Justin

[Ypedal]

I'm glad to hear you made it.. I was worried last night when i ventured out to bring the garbage to the curb thinking Holey cRap i hope he's indoors right now.. woooweeee..

edit : The 7 $ rain coat work ok ?

[retread]

Congrats Justin!

It seems like just yesterday that we were standing in your back yard contemplating the weather - would it rain on the way to Hope or not?? Well, I guess that question now seems somewhat trivial after all you've been through.

Glad you made it intact and with a wild ending! Winds howling, parts failing, and you - just hanging on for dear life. Have you ever considered a career as a mailman? I know I'd always get my mail if you were in the loop!

I imagine that the trip back will have a surreal feeling to it; at rail-speed it may seem fast, but I'm sure you'll have some great contemplation time!

Who knows, sometime in the future when all the technology required for this kind of journey has been around for a bit, people will go on voyages attempting to follow in your exact footsteps (ahh, bike-tracks). Maybe the biggest bike in the world will still be standing...

Good work showing us all what a man of action can accomplish!! Now time to start planning the next big voyage. hehehe

[paultrafalgar]

You are the MAN, Justin! Into the history books with you. Many congratulations.

[GGoodrum]

Justin, congrats on making it all the way. You really ought to consider turning your journal/blogs/posts into a book. It would be a great read, for sure. If you don't want/need the money, you could put the proceeds in a foundation, of sorts, or just reinvest it back into your business.

Anyway, I think what you have accomplished is truly amazing. Have a great ride back to the West Coast.

-- Gary

[pwbset]

If you don't want/need the money, you could put the proceeds in a foundation, of sorts, or just reinvest it back into your business.

Epic journey sir! I'd love to see an auction of your ebike bits and pieces... again proceeds to charity or building up Renaissance (which is going to need it with the increased demand!). Your controller alone would fetch a handsome sum I have no doubt.

[RLT]

Congratulations Justin! An amazing accomplishment.
It is wonderful that you made it without any more trouble than you did have .
Hopefully, it pays off in more than just your personal satisfaction.

Next year: How about a trip form Inuvic to Ushuaia, Argentina= (Northernmost town in Canada to the Southernmost town in South America ):!: !