Wednesday, May 22, 2024

It's been raining the last couple of days, which is all right I guess given that I have to get my cabin cleaned up and ready for guests, who are coming in on Friday. I rent my cabin out on AirBnb to help defray some of my expenses. Today I would like to look at what I keep in my front basket on my E-bike.
I'll give you this list to help explain, not only what I carry on the bike, but as you read the list it'll give you some idea of how much preparation goes into even a short excursion on the E-bike. The list I'm going to give you is only for the front basket. There is also a rear basket, and a trailer that I can pull behind if needed.
The equipment list is as follows:
Long red felt signal flags which are used by Joanne or myself to indicate where I am on the roadway. These flags or strips of cloth are made out of red fleece and are quite bright and very noticeable. Some of my trip, I am not directly on the highway or the road, but on a trail that runs close to the road. This is because many of the trails are abandoned railroad lines that have been converted to trails by the state of Michigan. Remember this the next time you pay your taxes as it's a wonderful way to promote tourism as well as contributing to the local economy.
Besides the felt strips, there is a bottle of fire starter (which is very helpful when starting a fire with wet wood), matches, a roll of toilet paper, a bug head net, and by the way in the month of May and early June this is a necessity. Trail maps, notebook with trail notes, bear spray, duct tape, two flashlights, dry socks, coffee creamers as I am a little spoiled about my morning coffee, binoculars, two washcloths, an emergency blanket which is a handy device to have in case of a cold rain storm, as it is both waterproof and very very light. Sunscreen, 100 feet of small rope used to hang my food from a tree so a bear doesn't steal it. Tea, two garbage bags, a collapsible fishing pole with hooks, sinkers, and casting bobbers, along with extra 6 pound test line.
Now to most people, this would sound like it's gotta weigh 100 pounds, but it doesn't. With careful planning and keeping in mind that ounces add up to pounds, this part of the baggage is complete. The total weight is roughly 11 pounds. Which I think is pretty darn good. I will give you a glimpse at my bag that I carry on the rear soon.

I want you to notice from the photo that what I'm using is a plastic reinforced feed sack, common to most farmers. One of these durable sacks will take you your whole trip without fail. Just a side note, this is a useful product made of plastic. There are many products made with plastic that should be avoided at all costs, as they just contribute to the planet's pollution. You probably could name a few off in your head that should be banned, but that's another article. Take care, and I will try to catch you up in the next couple of days.