Life changing development - new trike battery!

Well I've been having trouble with the trike battery lately. The cells were warping and it was losing guts on the uphills. Was faced with buying new cells, which i really didn't want to do. Also the charger had fallen on the ground just a few times, split, now held together with a rainbow of rubber bands. The charger had cost $100 and the cells together had cost $100. And i didn't want a straight replace anyway.

I mean, the battery pack i inherited was heavy. Three heavy cells in a hard case that always makes me think of a shark egg case or mermaid's purse, only with less charm.

I have the 2 other electric bikes, both have better lighter batteries, but - perennial problem - the connecting terminals don't match.

We took all the options into one of our go-to shops. They said yes, they could work together. He would make a patch cable if i brought him the parts.

Small problem - mobility challenge. And i don't know what the frick parts i need.

Regardless, I needed to do something. I found the right end on the Ebikepros.com site. Cost $20 and then shipping. Other half tried a number of strategies, but the best ended up being a lot of electrical tape.

<<<This is such a beautiful sight! 

Egads it works! The battery, which i can now use on 2 of my bikes, weighs maybe a pound or two. The shark case felt like it weighed 50 pounds.

Now the trike has a lot more pull going up my usual inclines. The battery takes up a ton less awkward space in the trike basket.

I'm so thankful for the other half's determination to get this going for me. Much fine motor work with frozen fingers was involved.

See ya later shark case!

The kit is shaping up for cold weather riding :)

No place like home!

The kid and I took advantage of a late Oct day with a high in the mid teens and low wind speed for a possible last kayak paddle of the season (still actually hoping to get in 1 more canoe run, but not saying much out loud so as not to jinx things!).

Thought we try neighbouring Rockwood Cons Area since i have a seasons pass there and it wouldn't cost new money. We could take fall leaf pics from a fresh location. Well, you can't get down to the water there with a vehicle right now. Barriers are up and ghouls are in the gatehouse!

Headed back to Acton and Fairy Lake. Free as always to get in. The kid used the accessible launch to avoid getting his feet wet. Worked like a charm!

The grab bars still aren't in, so i'm not able to use it yet. I had fished old rainboots out of the closet, and the kid put my sit-on-top in at the canoe beach. Then he got into his enclosed 8' kayak via he boat launch.

It was glorious. So glad we did that.  Still lots of colour on the trees. The sun when it came thru was lovely. We had cold hands, so thankful for those breaks from the sun. Might need gloves for a later paddle.

Or kayak paddle pogies. I've seen these on Ravelry. Basically a mitten with  a hole thru both sides where the thumb goes. Would be easy to make.

There are some flakes in the forecast. But i think the ice is a ways off yet.

Just wanted to make a note that the accessible boat launch makes late season paddling over here at Fairy Lake easily do-able.

Note - a steering committee is meeting this fall to form a Canoe Club at Fairy Lake. Chaired by canoe medalist many times over, Rama Gilverson. Motive force Naomi McQuade of the Holy Cow Canoe Company. This is a group open to the general public. The proposed club with have competition, safety, youth, adaptive streams, to name a few. There's a 2nd meeting tonite at the Fairy Lake Boathouse, 6 -830. All are welcome!

Green light for accessible kayak launch at Fairy Lake

Stock photo via EZ Dock

The upgraded dock at Fairy Lake in Acton will feature an accessible kayak launch spring 2018, thanks to funding from the Town of Halton Hills Accessibility Advisory Committee.

Says HH council representative on the committee Jon Hurst of Acton: “The mandate of the Halton Hills Accessibility Advisory Committee is to develop a comprehensive accessibility plan for the municipality, which helps to identify and remove barriers to people with disabilities. Following the public discussions and advocacy for the kayak launch at the new Fairy Lake dock, the Committee recognized the unique opportunity to provide additional activities for disabled and elderly residents, who can now safely enter and exit a kayak or canoe to experience the beauty of Fairy Lake and its shorelines.  

“Following the presentation of the staff report at our last meeting, the Committee was pleased to unanimously approve the report and the requested kayak launch funding from our accessibility budget.”  

Town of HH architect Mark Taylor reports the town will work towards having it installed by mid May.  Town Community Development staff will be planning an official opening for the dock  - more info to follow.

Holy Cow Canoe co-owner and operator of the HC Canoe Rental Outpost at the Lake, Naomi McQuade - long time advocate for Lyme disease research and motive force behind the waterfront redesign especially with adaptive component, is “elated” by confirmation that the launch feature will go ahead.

The adaptive dock design, supplied by from EZ Dock Canada, allows a small personal craft like kayak or canoe to remain stable while a person gets in or out of a boat. At Fairy Lake, there will also be a dock ladder and removable overhead grab rail for further ease of use.

Click here for a short video of how the adaptive launch works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5b45CNEFgQ

The accessible boat launch at Fairy Lake will be one of the few installed on a public waterfront in the area so far.

Bravo to all who wrote in and contributed to the discussion. Your input made a difference.

Watch this space for further detail on the official opening later this spring.

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Adaptive dock - possibility in Halton Hills

Friends - Input needed! The Town of Halton Hills is currently researching adding a feature to the new dock at Fairy Lake here in town that would make it easier for more people to get into kayaks and canoes. (Click THIS LINK and scroll down for videos. Also at the end of this post is a 30 sec video of yours truly at 2018 Toronto Boat show using this attachment to get in a kayak and on to the water.)

It’s kind of like a chute that stabilizes the boat while paddlers get in and out. As part of the process, they would like to be able to show a certain amount interest in having such a feature, in order to make a pitch for funding. This would be great for folks with mobility challenges, with back, hip or knee pain, a granddad who might like to get back out on the water fishing, new learners i.e. cub scout and brownie groups, and families with young kids, to name a few. 

You don’t have to be a resident or personal user - even if you would use it on visits to town, or have family that might use it, or might come into town specifically to use it, or might just want to see it because it makes the world a better place - please send a short note. Here's how -

 Drop a quick line to the town’s architect Mark Taylor, saying:

 Yes, I would like to see an accessible boat launch feature on the waterfront at Fairy Lake in Acton. (Copy and paste that last exact sentence if you like.)

Here’s Mark’s email (he’s expecting it, this isn’t adversarial at all):

MarkTaylor@haltonhills.ca .

Please write in between now and March 28 (the earlier the better) for a chance to get it installed for the 2018 paddling season.

Feel free to share this post.

Thanks a million!