SAM TAKES A HIKE

NORTH SHORE DRIVE HAS NO BERM...VERY DANGEROUS TO WALK & ROLL

TWO HORSES IN BLANKETS

TWO DEER WATCHING SAM & ME

WHATCOM CREEK...A FEW YEARS AGO, A GAS LINE RUPTURED FILLING THIS CREEK WITH FUEL WHICH CAUGHT FIRE...TWO TEENAGERS WERE BURNED TO DEATH JUST ABOVE THE BRIDGE AT TOP OF THIS PIC.

SAM ON AN OVERCAST DAY

Today was one of those days...a bit of everything.

SAM & ME started out without charging any of the batteries...wanted to test the Solar Panels under heavy overcast rainy skys. GREEN battery pack had 38.3 volts at the start and was used for the entire walk. RED had 35.7 Volts and was charged by both Solar Panels for 4.5 hours.

Heavy overcast started us out. Then it turned COLD and we were hit by HAIL and a bit of drizzle. Then the Sun came out the final 20 minutes of today's walk.

SAM & ME Walked and Rolled 4.5 hours, covering 16 + miles on a number of rather steep hills on country roads outside Bellingham.

At the conclusion, GREEN battery pack checked in at 35.5 Volts (throttle lights showed YELLOW caution climbing hills and the controller shut the motor down completely two times due to low voltage. By pushing to assist the battery up the final hills, GREEN pack get us home.

At the conclusion, RED battery pack checked in at 38.8 Volts. The Solar Panels charged the three RED pack batteries a total of 3 Volts in 4.5 hours under very cloudy/rainy/hail skys.

38.8 Volts will power the Hub Motor about 5 hours on the flat...about 3 hours on hills.

To ME, these readings are marginal at best. Remember, both RED and GREEN packs have powered SAM since March and travelled the better part of our walk to Oklahoma City.

It may be necessary to change out SAMs batteries (all 6) before we resume our walk.

Also, SAM's rear wheels seem to be struggling a bit. The axles have no Bearings. They are Bushed. I will check them in free-wheel. I expect that they will require lubrication. I have NOT lubricated them at all since last March...a BIG oversight on my part.

Well, I have never built such a machine before. I quickly admit I have much to learn.