Cross-Canada by Ebike
- Thread starter justin_le
- Start date
- Status
paultrafalgar
10 kW
Anyone any news of Justin since his last post on Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:05 am?
paultrafalgar said:
Hi Guys, yes sorry for the lapse. One thing I totally wasn't counting on was how completely exhausting it can even on an ebike to travel ~160-200 km in a day. I thought that at the end of the first discharge cycle there would be all kinds of time to catch up on the computer work while the batteries are charging up during the afternoon, but with the blazing summer heat by the time I rolled into a town I just needed to eat and then lay down in the shade for hours, no energy to do anything else.
At first I was having such generally good weather and mostly cooperative winds the whole way that I thought I was blessed or something. And then I crossed the border into Manitoba several days ago and everything totally changed. First day from unbearable heat and headwinds, and then the next was thunderstorms like I'm just not used to. The ride into Winnipeg the other night was brutal, I was pelted by torrential showers for 3 hours straight with frontal winds that made it hard to crack 30kph. Normally when trucks pass you get a brief current of air that sortof lifts the bike forwards for a few seconds, but this time all I'd get is a side-wall of water! This was combined with awful road conditions here, a shoulder that randomly alternates between pavement, gravel, or nothing at all. I'm here thinking what did I ever do to Manitoba to deserve this!
But it was more than made up for by over the top generous people. Including Edwin on this list who met me at 3am soaked to the bone in the middle of downtown Winnipeg and let me warm up an dry off in a cozy house for a couple days. And in Portage La Prairie, the lady at the restaurant let me stay in for 2 hours after closing until the rains died down and then gave me my meal on the house, it was too much.
Anyways, the current truckers restaurant with WiFi is closing right now, but I'll have many more things to post from the next stop, possibly in Ontario!
Justin
Zoot Katz
100 kW
The roads in Ontario are better and the mosquitos are slightly smaller.
That's a good thing because you're going to be there for a long time.
Thanks for the update.
That's a good thing because you're going to be there for a long time.
Thanks for the update.
Doctorbass
100 GW
Thanks Justin for this update!..
We all think of you during your trip! 8) When the road appear longer than it should.. think to us that send you positive wishs!
That's very appreciate that you take time to describe your trip to keep us informed..
Like Zoot Katz said, Ontario is a large province... and Quebec too!.. I hope the weather will collaborate with you!
My journalist is waiting for you at Quebec! :wink:
Good luck! :wink:
Doc
We all think of you during your trip! 8) When the road appear longer than it should.. think to us that send you positive wishs!
That's very appreciate that you take time to describe your trip to keep us informed..
Like Zoot Katz said, Ontario is a large province... and Quebec too!.. I hope the weather will collaborate with you!
My journalist is waiting for you at Quebec! :wink:
Good luck! :wink:
Doc
Hi Justin hope that all is going well.
I only stumbled upon this tread a little while ago and what an amazing story.
We are so blessed to have someone like you with unbelievable talent and charisma to lead the way and show us how it is done.
We are all cheering for you and best of luck on your journey the rest of the way look forward to future posts and like others have mentioned if there is anything that I can do here in the Toronto area I 'd be more than happy to oblige . and please make sure you get proper rest as well your health being he most important of all the stats on this trip.
thanks a million.
lookong forward to your treck through southern Ontario.
efreak
I only stumbled upon this tread a little while ago and what an amazing story.
We are so blessed to have someone like you with unbelievable talent and charisma to lead the way and show us how it is done.
We are all cheering for you and best of luck on your journey the rest of the way look forward to future posts and like others have mentioned if there is anything that I can do here in the Toronto area I 'd be more than happy to oblige . and please make sure you get proper rest as well your health being he most important of all the stats on this trip.
thanks a million.
lookong forward to your treck through southern Ontario.
efreak
slayer
1 kW
Hi Justin,
Cheering for you here too
I sent you a pm with my address and phone numbers for when you get close to ottawa.
how is your battery packs doing, are you just using lithium now?
Guy
Cheering for you here too
I sent you a pm with my address and phone numbers for when you get close to ottawa.
how is your battery packs doing, are you just using lithium now?
Guy
Wow so thanks again to everyone who's been wishing support and encouragement here, I didn't know so many people had been following this waiting for news! I did get a spare battery sent to me by Alison and Zev to replace the NiCad that was foolishly ruined in Regina. This one's a 9.5Ah lithium pack, so I'm edging awefully close to 40 amp-hours now and am back to doing 110-120 km legs on a single charge. I'm going to hold my mouth shut about how I then modified the NiCad charger to work with the lithiums now in case I cause another pack to melt down and really look like a fool.
The voyage so far looks like this, with the balloons now representing places I stayed the night rather than just charging locations:
I've also uploaded a spreadsheet again showing the detailed statistics. Summary is that to winnipeg we're at 2700 km, $3.13 worth of electricity, and a slightly higher average energy use to date of 13 wh/km. I mentioned before that the winds changed a lot throughout the prairies. You can see for instance on the leg from Swift Current to Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, I averaged nearly 41 kph using just 11 wh/km. That's was a nice tailwind. Most sections had either north or south winds and with those it was more like 15 wh/km with a 34-35 kph average. And then heading into the wind like the region from Broadview to Verdin we had more like 16-17 wh/km at average speeds of 31 kph.
It's interesting that it actually feels like a much bigger difference than this. If I was just to guess, I'd have said I was going twice as fast with the tail winds and was using about half the energy per km, but the actual numbers show that the difference is just 33% slower and using just 50% more energy. The most humbling part about the headwinds though is just how insignificant it makes your pedal effort look. If I was working at a comfortable pace and doing 29 kph, and then I decided to try pedaling full out and give it my all, it would bring me _maybe_ up to 31 kph, while still drawing the same amount of power from the battery.
Justin
The voyage so far looks like this, with the balloons now representing places I stayed the night rather than just charging locations:
I've also uploaded a spreadsheet again showing the detailed statistics. Summary is that to winnipeg we're at 2700 km, $3.13 worth of electricity, and a slightly higher average energy use to date of 13 wh/km. I mentioned before that the winds changed a lot throughout the prairies. You can see for instance on the leg from Swift Current to Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, I averaged nearly 41 kph using just 11 wh/km. That's was a nice tailwind. Most sections had either north or south winds and with those it was more like 15 wh/km with a 34-35 kph average. And then heading into the wind like the region from Broadview to Verdin we had more like 16-17 wh/km at average speeds of 31 kph.
It's interesting that it actually feels like a much bigger difference than this. If I was just to guess, I'd have said I was going twice as fast with the tail winds and was using about half the energy per km, but the actual numbers show that the difference is just 33% slower and using just 50% more energy. The most humbling part about the headwinds though is just how insignificant it makes your pedal effort look. If I was working at a comfortable pace and doing 29 kph, and then I decided to try pedaling full out and give it my all, it would bring me _maybe_ up to 31 kph, while still drawing the same amount of power from the battery.
Justin
Justin,
You are a hero!
It is great that you are beta testing your gear.
I specially like the ideal of incorporating the LED lights to the battery pack.
Will you be selling this light setup or will you be able to show us how it is done.
I was wondering why you did not use a recumbent bike , is it not more comfortable?
Able the weather, next time come to California, USA, the weather is great here.
More and more people or now turning to electric bicycles.
Good luck in you journey.
James Tom
You are a hero!
It is great that you are beta testing your gear.
I specially like the ideal of incorporating the LED lights to the battery pack.
Will you be selling this light setup or will you be able to show us how it is done.
I was wondering why you did not use a recumbent bike , is it not more comfortable?
Able the weather, next time come to California, USA, the weather is great here.
More and more people or now turning to electric bicycles.
Good luck in you journey.
James Tom
Joshua Goldberg
100 W
Hey Justin
As several people have noted Ontario is very wide Province but for the last 8 weeks it has also started to resemble a huge sponge. I figure you being from Vancouver the Monsoons will be a breeze for you but this almost non-stop rain is getting downright weird. If this is Global Warming we're really screwed.
On the positive side once you pass Labor Day the road traffic will ease up a lot which makes for a safer ride.
Any plans to stop in on Brad Graham in Thunder Bay (Atomic Zombie)?
Between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie you will encounter a whole lot of nothing
As several people have noted Ontario is very wide Province but for the last 8 weeks it has also started to resemble a huge sponge. I figure you being from Vancouver the Monsoons will be a breeze for you but this almost non-stop rain is getting downright weird. If this is Global Warming we're really screwed.
On the positive side once you pass Labor Day the road traffic will ease up a lot which makes for a safer ride.
Any plans to stop in on Brad Graham in Thunder Bay (Atomic Zombie)?
Between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie you will encounter a whole lot of nothing
Mark_A_W
100 kW
justin_le said:
NICE BEAVER!!!!!
I'm sorry, but I just had to be the first one to say that
I mean, it's not like Beavers pop up a lot down here in Oz...you have to take these opportunities as they arise..
Zoot Katz
100 kW
Joshua Goldberg said:
690 kilometres (428.0 miles). There's got to be somewhere to charge.
Might want to check local knowledge or the CAA for fuel stops before departing Thunder Bay. Figure terrain profile and winds into the decision.
Be sure to rest before you start hallucinating. Some of those moose are real.
paultrafalgar
10 kW
Thanks for the updates, Justin. Good luck to you and remember, when you're down, that you will be telling your stories to your grandchildren one day. BTW I just sent an email to the BBC World Service pointing out that you did 2700km on $3.13 of electricity and suggesting that they cover your story. No idea whether they will come up with the goods. Best wishes,
Paul
Paul
philf
1 kW
There are some pretty long stretches of "not much" up there in Northern Ontario. I confess, I've flown over it MANY times, but some of those stretches of road are best missed (the standard driving route west from here involves cutting through the U.S.).
It's not completely impossible for Justin, though... I started randomly Googling for things up there, including service stations. Strategically picking stops in advance will be essential, as some of those runs can be long without any services at all.
Leaving Thunder Bay, for example, it looks like the next place to refuel might be Dorion (82km). From Dorion, the next marked services I found were 109km further along, on a loop off the highway called Rossport. There >IS< a populous area in the middle of that run, though, which I'm assuming is Red Rock. Bound to be something there.
After leaving Rossport, Schreiber and Terrace Bay are next (20km to Schreiber and another 14 to Terrace Bay).
Then there's a big chunk of "not much" until you get to what could be the aptly named "Marathon". 82km, and you have to come a couple of km off the highway to get to it. They even have an airport
White River appears to be next... another 95km run through the trees followed by another 92km to Wawa.
I could go on, but the rest of the trip doesn't look as bleak. What I've just described seems daunting enough.
It's not completely impossible for Justin, though... I started randomly Googling for things up there, including service stations. Strategically picking stops in advance will be essential, as some of those runs can be long without any services at all.
Leaving Thunder Bay, for example, it looks like the next place to refuel might be Dorion (82km). From Dorion, the next marked services I found were 109km further along, on a loop off the highway called Rossport. There >IS< a populous area in the middle of that run, though, which I'm assuming is Red Rock. Bound to be something there.
After leaving Rossport, Schreiber and Terrace Bay are next (20km to Schreiber and another 14 to Terrace Bay).
Then there's a big chunk of "not much" until you get to what could be the aptly named "Marathon". 82km, and you have to come a couple of km off the highway to get to it. They even have an airport
White River appears to be next... another 95km run through the trees followed by another 92km to Wawa.
I could go on, but the rest of the trip doesn't look as bleak. What I've just described seems daunting enough.
MidniteTweeker
100 W
- Joined
- May 16, 2008
- Messages
- 121
Rossport: Get off the highway and take the loop into this picturesque little fishing village. Lovely little restaurant on a low hillside overlooking Lake Superior. I put a serious dent in their all-you-can-eat fish chowder once upon a time. Yo Yo Ma on the stereo, hot soup, and Lake Superior in front of me---life is good.
MT
rodbotic
1 mW
Hey Justin,
just curious, are you flying back?
it just seems funny and ironic that you spend $10 to cross the country and spend hundreds(if not more) to get back.
I have a friend that is training to do this (without electric) to bike back from halifax. for charity.
cheers,
Rod
just curious, are you flying back?
it just seems funny and ironic that you spend $10 to cross the country and spend hundreds(if not more) to get back.
I have a friend that is training to do this (without electric) to bike back from halifax. for charity.
cheers,
Rod
Joshua Goldberg
100 W
It is my understanding that one would have to be seriously stupid or have the stamina of Lance to be able to pedal from Halifax to Vancouver. The West to East trip Justin is doing gives him a good tailwind for much of the journey and you'd be riding into that wind on the return trip.
The 432 mile stretch from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie has a lot of really big rolling hills to really put that 5304 and Regen controller to good use.
Only good thing about all the rain we've had is the vegetation is abundant and so the Black Bears are less likely to view Justin as Lunch on 2 wheels.
The 432 mile stretch from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie has a lot of really big rolling hills to really put that 5304 and Regen controller to good use.
Only good thing about all the rain we've had is the vegetation is abundant and so the Black Bears are less likely to view Justin as Lunch on 2 wheels.
Mark_A_W
100 kW
Ok, that doesn't make sense to me.
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, the prevailing wind blows West to East (roaring forties).
As it would be the opposite in the Northern Hemisphere, I would have thought that the wind would tend to blow Easterly, into Justin's face.
There is something different going on?
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, the prevailing wind blows West to East (roaring forties).
As it would be the opposite in the Northern Hemisphere, I would have thought that the wind would tend to blow Easterly, into Justin's face.
There is something different going on?
Zoot Katz
100 kW
Mark_A_W said:
It's seasonal. Sometimes it comes from the north and that will freeze you buttocks never mind the extremities. In summer it's mainly west to east.
Summer sailing season in Vancouver we've usually got off-shore winds during the early part of the day and on-shore wind when you want to come home with the spinnaker. It also moves the air-borne shit up the valley and cleans the city air.
rodbotic
1 mW
maybe your confusing the winds of the earth working like the direction a toilet drains!
Mark_A_W
100 kW
Well...they do.
Cyclones go backwards in the northern hemisphere (and get called hurricanes), the water goes down the drain the wrong way...
....and the whole weather system works the other way around.
The toilet thing is a myth though, our toilets just go FLUSH down, done, over, nothing to see here. They don't fill up with 50 litres of water, then give your turds a free ride round in circles before the big suck.
I found US toilets quite bizarre (and coming from the dry continent I was flabbergasted at how much water they use).
Cyclones go backwards in the northern hemisphere (and get called hurricanes), the water goes down the drain the wrong way...
....and the whole weather system works the other way around.
The toilet thing is a myth though, our toilets just go FLUSH down, done, over, nothing to see here. They don't fill up with 50 litres of water, then give your turds a free ride round in circles before the big suck.
I found US toilets quite bizarre (and coming from the dry continent I was flabbergasted at how much water they use).
- Status
