La De Da

My bike rides generally use the same route every time I bike. I bike out to the Lussier Heritage Center and then turn around and head back home. Weekends, as expected, has heavier walk and bike traffic than weekdays. I also find that time frame varies, with generally less traffic around 11:30 am. But, I have no statistics to prove either way. With the increased traffic on weekends, I also see more la de da bicyclists.

For those who are uninitiated, a la de da bicyclist ( a term I coined) is one who rides an electric bike. They are generally easy to pick out. First, they are not huffing and puffing as much, second, they generally sit straight up in the seat since they are not required to put as much effort into pedaling. Third, they generally go up hills faster. Fourth, when they go up hills they have a big smile on their face and are looking around as if no care in the world. I get verification by looking at the bike. Seldom is it difficult to pick out an electric bike.

Regardless of signs, I still see dogs,
with their humans, on the bike bridge

I say generally go up hills faster because that is not always the case. This past Sunday on my ride out to Lussier, I had to stop and get off my bike at a street, since a Toyota driver chose to just sit at the stop sign. Perhaps she was texting. As she finally pulled out, two la de da cyclists came up behind me and passed me on my right (to avoid the car just pulling out). No warning from them at all. I go under the Hwy 51 bridge and up a steep hill to Terminal Drive. The la de daers are well ahead of me, but as I go up the hill I am giving it my all to close the gap. I was within about 20' or less of the la de daers, and felt proud for having closed such a large gap between me and them. They had just zoomed through the intersection as I had to stop. As I bike, I find Toyota and Honda drivers the least considerate. I am not sure why they took so long to get up the hill, perhaps they could not figure out the gear range they needed. They took a short cut to McDaniel Park while I stayed on the designated path on Terminal. They stopped at McDaniel, perhaps to refresh themselves after a difficult hill climb, while I continued on. I came across them on my way back as they were heading to Lussier. 

Part of bike bridge/boardwalk

The same ride every day, so it takes me about the same amount of time. Today, it was a about 60 degrees when I left for my ride and my heart rate only got up to 107, with zero intensity minutes on my Garmin watch. Sunday it was about 12 degrees warmer but my heart rate got up to 125, with 38 intensity minutes. I the only difference in what I wore, is that I wore an Anorak wind jacket today, in an attempt to get some intensity minutes by producing more heat/sweat, but the plan failed.

Part of Taylor Rd Bike path. Intersection with the 
unaware Toyota driver is near bottom right.

While biking the Heart of Vilas trails this summer, the wife and I, we both have analog bikes, were passed by some la de daers. After biking we stopped at Crystal Lake picnic area/beach and who did we see, the same la de daers. I am not sure how far they traveled, but perhaps to Boulder Junction. I guess the main thing with a la de da bike is to make sure you do not run out of battery power. I am not sure how far an electric bike can go on a typical charge, but Google AI told me 20 to 100 miles depending on terrain, speed, weight and height of bicyclist, the battery size and every factor but the kitchen sink. At such a great variation in AI, I think no answer would have been the better answer. 

Dear readers are probably wondering why I refer to electric bicyclists as la de daers. It is rather simple, I see them going up a hill and having no worries or struggle what so ever, looking around as if not a care in the world, and I imagine them humming la de da, la de da... or is it la de dah! I completely understand why some need an electric bike, and that having one gets them outside, but it does not take away from the fact, but for a few electric bikers, they don't struggle going up a hill, and simply can move at their fast pace without a care in the world. Except perhaps for a Honda or Toyota driver, unless an analog biker has cleared their way first.