Full Day at Work

Today was Watts Up Marines first full day of using the WattCycle as our primary service vehicle, it was flawless.  I am proud to say, not an ounce of fossil fuel was consumed to get me from my home, shop, vendors and clients.  I could have put the bike into operation last week however mother nature did not give much of a weather window, it rained heavy or was threatening many of the days.

Kemah, TX

Kemah is a great city to live in, it is a small coastal community with great eats, entertainment and convenient shopping.  As a sailor, it gives me the ability to live within a couple miles of my boat, minutes from great sailing and access to the Gulf of Mexico.  One shortcoming however, is that they do not offer a friendly environment for bicycle traffic. 

There are no bike paths down the major thoroughfares, the roads were built without bike lanes and many of the streets are narrow.  If a sidewalk does exist, it is about two feet wide, weaves under overgrown vegetation and likely comes to an abrupt end in a block or two.

While out riding the cargo bike, I often encounter some rather aggressive motorists that have love affairs with their horns.   On one particular four lane road, they could easily move over to the left lane to go around a bicycle however they find that their horn is somehow a much more satisfying solution to their frustrations. 

...All smiles

What really amazed me today, was my ability to travel down heavy traffic streets and maintain enough speed so I did not annoy most of the gas guzzlers.  I even had the power and speed to dart across busy intersections that normally I would have had to wait for the most opportune moment. 

Today did not offer perfect conditions for a solar charging system, it was an overcast day with small bursts of hazy sunshine. I am happy to say that even with the minimal direct sunlight, the solar panel was filling my charging batteries with enough power to keep my 48 volt propulsion system charged all day. The sunny summer months here in Southern Texas should give me everything that I was hoping for in a zero-emissions vehicle. 

My typical day consists of several short trips to marinas, pick up supplies, meet with customers and runs to the shop, broken up by longer durations camped out, in a sunny marina, working on a yacht.  For the most part, this would be great solar charging conditions. 

As time allows, the next projects are building a dashboard for gauges, meters and a key switch, adding lighting and getting the company graphics applied to the box.  The company logo might have to be first on the priorities, maybe then it will put an end to the request for hot dogs, Popsicles and cerveza...no, I doubt it.

Today was a great start!  It proved that I can operate my business without the need of fossil fuels for transportation.  There will come days that will require me to pull out the gas burner but this is one step closer to freedom!