[MCL1981]

I’d slow it down, but then it would take too long. 😎 The beginning shows an unpaved trail through the woods, which is a “shortcut” I intentionally took just for fun rather that riding around the north end of the lake. The entire route is paved. Getting there from Shady Grove is extremely easy. Two roads and you’re there.

[MCL1981]

Also bear in mind the C&O is a dirt/clay/stone path. This may or may not be a problem depending on your bike/equipment and how desensitized your backside is.

[MCL1981]

Sounds like routine police business to me.

[MCL1981]

So now that I have the appropriate clothing and lights, I can finally drag my but out to these things. Even though I live in… gasp… Maryland. When’s the next one

[MCL1981]

Any news on this? The psycho needs to be in jail.

[MCL1981]

I witnessed an almost collision between a zoned out cyclist and ped on the CCT this evening. It was “late dusk” so the headlight was not needed to see. But if you’re not heads up paying close attention, you could easily run into something or someone due to the lack of contrast. Cyclist was in front of me, both of us going south. A northbound ped in the southbound lane almost became bike food. The cyclist in front of me was clearly in “a zone” and didn’t see the ped until only a few feet away. It was REALLY REALLY close even after the ped plastered himself against the fence. We were going a good 15-18mph. That would hurt.

Point of my rambling… Even if the cyclist has lights, if they’re zoned out, it won’t matter. A ped with lights will snap a cyclist out of the zone from quite far away. I wish more peds would wear lights.

[MCL1981]

I got lots of feedback in Rock Creek Park yesterday. Everytime I stopped, people were commenting on “that crazy lighting system”.

@culimerc 11866 wrote:

Maybe instead of a bell. one of these

Eh, I was thinking more along the lines of towing a compressed air tank in a baby trailer and mounting a set of train horns to the front of the bike.

[MCL1981]

There is a bell already. I did think about making that electronic with a piezo buzzer but decided not to.

@DaveK 11844 wrote:

Reflectors

DING DING DING. There’s enough light to illuminate a battlefield. There are reflective strips on the wheels so I’m bright as the moon from the side. But there are no front and aft reflectors. Oops. Duh.

[MCL1981]

haha. That is indeed missing, however I’m not sure you’d be able to see them over the other things.

[MCL1981]

@Arlingtonrider 11842 wrote:

Theft alarm. . .
Rocket engine . . .
Rain cover . . .
Stereo system??? (following up on disco ball clue)

Rocket engine… Trail speed limit is 15mph. Might upset the park police.
Rain cover… I have one, it’s called the red line. For now.
Stereo… Pandora on my phone, rocking it out already.

@mstone 11843 wrote:

battery meter?

Thought about it. Nothing is sensitive enough to need it, and it will last for several days anyway.

C’Mon guys. You’re going to slap your head like I did when you figure it out.

[MCL1981]

@Justin Antos 11840 wrote:

Air horn? Christmas lights? Grappling hook? Radar?

Air horn… Got one in the pocket of my kayak life jacket. Great idea!
Christmas lights… way too dim.
Grappling hook… Would fire it off the back as a supplemental braking system. Good idea.
Radar… Might need a bigger battery for that.

[MCL1981]

@KLizotte 11838 wrote:

Snowblower? Plow? Disco ball? Radio?

I tried pushing a snow shovel with my bike when I was a kid. That failed. Maybe with the studded snow tires I just put on it, it will work better?

I could put one of my ham radios on it now. They run on 12v too. Good idea.

No need for the discoball, however you’re close.

[MCL1981]

ha true. Can anyone figure what I just realized I ironically left off this entire thing?

[MCL1981]

The thought crossed my mind. I figured nobody pays enough attention for that to be effective anyway.

[MCL1981]

The tachyon emitters (dimmer flashing lights for the trail) are on order and will be installed this weekend I hope. Everything is waterproof except the switches right now since the waterpoof boots I bought for them didn’t fit.

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