Beautiful weather today made for an enjoyable commute. Except for bubba yelling at me to get off the f’ing road at Black Tom Rd & Hwy 17-A intersection it was a chill ride home. My Anker 10,000mAh battery only lasted about 5 months. I’ve been attempting to charge it for 3 days without luck. The way I mount it on my bike it catches sweat so the connectors are corroded. Probably will buy another and flip it upside down this time.

Tree pollen is everywhere. On long straight roads you can see the wind blowing pollen clouds across the road. Had a scare entering Black Tom Rd off the rocks. My bike was not changing gears properly. Turned out the chain came off derailleur jockey wheel. Except for the pollen the weather is perfect. Good ride on the Lake Moultrie West Dike. Ride on. ☮ Relive ‘Lake Moultrie West Dike’

Had a little bit of rain and a rainbow at the start but the rain moved on and was followed by sunshine and mild temperatures. The Hwy 17-A Avoidance route to Walterboro gets an A+ for light traffic and scenery but a C- for road surface. The asphalt was rippled, dimpled, cracked, and full of pot holes. Can’t have everything. The Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary was a nice treat. Good trails and boardwalks over cypress swamps.

Chilly start. Temperatures were in the twenties this morning. Super nice this afternoon. Clear blues skies and mild temperatures. This is the second commute on my Priority 600 with Pinion gearbox. While I’m riding the 600 I keep bemoaning the resistance I feel compared to Old Yeller. The commute takes about 5 minutes longer on the 600. I need to get over the added weight and resistance. Riding to lunch and dinner on the 600 is perfect.

Ride Summary Mile 40 puncture from small wire Pulled out the wire with my teeth Mile 50 air horned by a couple of bubbas Mile 60 chased by dogs Mile 70 water cage weld snapped Mile 96 car right turned in front of me at 21 mph (no contact) The ride started out in a damp fog. After I got through Charleston the wind was mostly at my back which was super nice.

Took the Priority 600 out for a short slow spin around Summerville. Increased the air pressure on 650b tires from 40 to 60 PSI. Strange that there isn’t any inflation recommendation printed on the tire. Didn’t make much of an improvement in rolling resistance. Ride is not as comfy so I may revert to 40 PSI. Also rode it to Which Wich for a belly wedge. Pretty fun bike. Not the fastest or lightest bike but still pretty fun.

Intrigued at the prospect of fewer drivetrain issues I bought a Priority 600 with a Pinion gearbox. Assembled last night and rode to work today. Initial reaction is it is a smooth ride but slow. The rolling resistance with the big 650b tires is noticeable as well as the resistance of the belt drive. At this point I don’t see it replacing Old Yeller. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get rid of the Defy 3 though.

Breaking news. Riding a bike is fun. It is really fun when you have a tailwind. Had a blast on the commute home. Good commute. Ride on. ☮ Relive ‘Commute AM’ Relive ‘Commute PM’

Mist and fog had me wet and cold on the first third of the ride. The air dried as the morning progressed even though it looked like it could rain at any moment. The last time I rode Hwy 402 the road surface was in terrible shape. They have since resurfaced the road. It is smooth asphalt with a nice size shoulder. There are a couple of sections that have already been repaired.

Old Yeller fell over after Tuesday’s commute. Taking a photo and the wind knocked it over bending the derailleur hanger. Took a 3 hour lunch to Mike’s Bikes on Folly Rd. They had about 50 hangers in stock but none fit mine. The technician used a derailleur hanger alignment gauge to whip it back in to shape. He also replace a jockey wheel. I finished up the day at work and went for an evening ride.