Alberta, Beaumont, Bicycling, Photography

How Buying an E-Bike for My Wife Improved My Fitness Level…or…Pedaling My A– All Over Town

Every blogger needs a muse and this blogger is no different. My Patty was the muse for this blog and many others where I may not have given her the credit she is due.

She has Arthritis and has developed knee issues over the past many years. Pedaling a regular bicycle, especially uphill (our city is named Beaumont, French for Beautiful Hill), into the wind (our town has earned the nickname of Blowmont, as we often start out riding into the wind and every time we change directions, the wind is still in our faces) and starting off from a stop (there are a lot of 4 way stops in this town.)

So, last November, I purchased an E-bike for her birthday. It sat in our basement, until good weather returned in May. The E-bike is capable of a top speed of 28 k/h (17.4 mph), so on our first time out, Patty graciously told me I could set the pace. It was at this point that she also became my personal trainer.

The wind on this particular day was always blowing in our faces (Blowmont) so I soon found myself panting a bit. As she has a speedometer, I asked her how fast we were going and she said 11 mph. Hmmmm, not bad for an old guy on a piece of crap bike, cycling into a hurricane.

Our usual circuit is a town perimeter ride, which equates to about 14 k (9 miles) and we ride this or variations of it (forward or in reverse) at least once a week. I soon noticed that this was becoming easier and I found myself out of breath less and less often. One day, riding into the teeth of a gale, I again asked her how fast we were going and she replied 14 mph (9 miles/h).

Every once in a while, when I found myself riding downhill and the wind blowing with me, I would take off in a burst of speed and she would tell me I was going so fast, she could not keep up with me.

These weekly riding sessions actually proved beneficial when I was training for my back country hike. I credit them with improving my stamina. But, lately, I am finding that my piece of crap bike is wearing out faster than I am (that is good news). While it would be nice to also have an E-bike, I am concerned that I would lose all that conditioning that my wife’s E-bike has rewarded me with.

On August 2, I took my camera with me and snapped a few pix.

Morning reflections on a nearby storm pond.
Young coot leaves the old coot in its dust. I can empathize with this.
One old coot gives another old coot a knowing look.
It would appear there is a resident muskrat in our little storm pond
Our half way rest stop by another storm pond on the East side.
My muse and personal trainer is eager to get back on the road.
Look at me, I’ve got a motor, Nyah, Nyah, Na Boo Boo.
This path, like life has a few twists and turns.
Riding on Range Road 241 on the East side of town. I call it a zebra road for all the tar seams on it. For those of my readers in the warmer climes, asphalt roads do not do well in climates whee temps drop below 0 C (32 F) in the winter. Tar seams are the Canadian way to prolong road life.
East side multi use trail also has a few tar seams.
North side multi use trail has tar seams and frost heaves. These can be quite jarring on bike riders, so I tend to stand up to save my butt.

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kagould17

Not much to tell. After working for 3 companies over 43+ years (38 years 7 months with my last company), I finally got that promotion I had waited my entire career forā€¦ā€¦retirement. I have been exploring this new career for the past 7+ years and while it is not always exciting, the chance to do what I want for myself and my family instead of what my company wants has been very fulfilling. Early on, there was a long list of projects in my ā€œto-doā€ hopper and I attacked these projects with a vengeance for the first 9 months of retirement. Eventually, my brain told me that this was not what retirement was about, so it took me another 5 months before my industriousness again took over and I attacked another line of projects, this time somewhat shorter and less complicated, as well as many new projects related to the family weddings in 2016. After going hard for 6 weeks and 3 weddings, my body was telling me to relax, then the flu bug hit and as soon as that was done with me, my sciatic acted up. No rest for the wicked. In 2020 and 2021, the Covid 19 pandemic changed the whole retirement gig. I was lucky to not be still working, for sure. I enjoy photography, gardening, working with my hands, walking, cycling, skiing, travelling, reading and creating special photo and video productions obtained in my first pastime. I may never become wealthy in any of these pursuits, but I already feel I am rich in life experiences far beyond any expectation.

11 thoughts on “How Buying an E-Bike for My Wife Improved My Fitness Level…or…Pedaling My A– All Over Town”

  1. What a fantastic and thoughtful Birthday present! I was diagnosed with an arthritis many years ago and an e-bike is something I might need in the future to keep up with the rest of my family while we explore Sligo’s countryside on bikes. Thanks for sharing, Allan and happy biking!

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    1. Thanks. It definitely assists with arthritic issues, not to mention the win d we have in our small city. It gives a little boost when needed. Thanks for reading and commenting. Allan

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  3. Riding regularly is a goal of mine that wasn’t achieved this year due to a shoulder injury. Riding regularly means your cardio is good hey.
    We come straight out our driveway up this crazy hill — it makes me think twice occasionally about not going but then I push through.

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    1. Sorry to hear of your shoulder injury. Hope it heals for next year. Looking for a few more rides this year, weather permitting. Thanks for reading Bernie. Allan

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