Fun

Blix Electric Bikes 100 Mile Update

It’s been a busy last two months of camping, fishing and riding our Blix Electric Bikes. We have both ridden our bikes a little over 100 miles and going strong. I cannot say one negative comment about these bikes, from the comfort, user friendly design to the incredible balance they provide. We have been riding them to the grocery store, to Starbucks -fun and exploring every trail in and around Bend, Oregon. Wait until we get back on the RV road, we will be dangerous.

So let’s discuss Pros: Well designed with super comfort

Upgraded LITHIUM Battery with a 55 mile range

Well built spring loaded luggage rack

Foldability for storage – even fits in the back of our 4 runner

Headlight and rear light powered by lithium battery

Power assist and changing gears user friendly

CONS: Possibly the 38 pound weight for some could be a disadvantage – I personally believe the weight helps with the performance and balance of this bike.

Put this bike on your Christmas, bucket list and hopefully you will be able to have as much fun as we are having on these amazing designed electric bikes.

Until Next Time Cheers From Just Around The Bend ♥♥♥♥♥

McMenamins Old St Francis Schools Secret Broom Closet Oregon 2018

Tonight is date night for Jeff and Liz and part of our date is to find the secret passageway that leads to a Lilliputian cafe and bar. Located at the Art House at Mcmenamins Old St Francis School is a series of passageways and the fun begins. You do need to be quiet as the hallways and rooms could be occupied. So let’s begin by looking for the secret hallway which starts on the main floor. We are looking for a door which says Barnsdale Crescent-enter at your own risk-this passageway is so amazing.

Next we head to the third floor looking for the Broom Closet- they encourage you to enter. Now the question is- are you brave enough to enter. Even after you slowly open the door and even then, what you see is a hallway of old witchie brooms, now what. Glancing around at the very artsy brooms what do you do next, we started pressing the panels and OMG one of the panels moved, we slowly pushed and entered a Lilliputian bar. Surrounded by art and greeted by a very energetic bartender who was eager to satisfy our explorers thirst. So much fun and sad the adventure has ended. We will certainly be bringing our Bend quests and exposing them to this fun quest.

Mcmenamins is far more than a artsy secret passageway, with 55 locations around Oregon and Washington, every location is worth a stop. Their signature wines and beer and pub food is renowned. The art and creativeness of every location is so worth a self tour.

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CHEERS FROM LIZ ♥♥♥♥

BLIX ELECTRIC BIKES

Good Day to all who follow my blog and a big THANK YOU.

This year I turn 67 years young and my wonderful husband decided to surprise me with an electric bike for my birthday. In the recent years I have done a lot of research on electric bikes, interviewed people who either own one for pleasure or commute to work on a daily basis on electric bikes. On a recent trip to Vancouver, BC, I was overwhelmed at how popular electric bikes were for commuting to work. That’s where I saw my first BLIX Electric Bike in action. I’m only 5 feet tall and my husband is 5″ 8″ , in my researching I felt we required something that fit us and would also fold up nicely for our RVing travels. The Blix Vika+ met all of our criteria, including an option for upgrading the panasonic 36 volt, 620 wh lithium battery which extended our range from 35 to 55 miles.

Total weight of bike – 49 pounds

Recommended total max weight is 220 lbs (rider and cargo)

Accessories included:

LCD Display water resistant

Heavy duty rear rack

Front and rear LED lights

Battery Charger

Fenders

Option for Travel bag $69.00

Extra fuses

PROS:

The bike is very stylish with a classic design

Stability

Very fun to ride

Blix E-Bike has to be the most user friendly and well thought out Swedish design, with Beautiful, Smart, Easy, Practical and Reliable technology. The panasonic Lithium-ion battery is located under the saddle, locks in place which allows for a low center of gravity for better stability when cycling.

We went for a short night ride in the neighborhood and the headlight did a pretty good job of iluminating the street and the rear tail light is very bright so you can be seen by night traffic. The lights are powered by the battery so will last as long as you are charged.

The process to fold this bike down has to be so easy, it’s just what we were looking for. We modified the folding process by adding some small pieces of swimming pool noodles in strategic places so when you fold it up there is no damage to the beautiful paint and decals. See pictures.

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The other really nice surprise was when folded these bikes fit perfectly in the back of our classic 2000, 4runner. When we are on the road Rving they fit perfectly inside our 25ft travel trailer or plenty of room in the back of the truck. When folded up it forms a cube, 34 inches long, by 27 inches high and 20 inches deep. Super compact. See pictures.

Blix E-Bikes

Lights On

Folded Up-Very Compact

Leather Seat

Back Of The Car

Fits perfectly without folding

Handlebars-Leather Grips

CONS:

To soon to give any cons if any, the one thing I have noticed is the seat is a little hard after a 15 mile ride. That could be because I am not used to riding that far , so time will tell. Otherwise so far nothing to report. I will give it several months of riding and enjoyment and review again.

WARNING: I did have a little mishap my fault entirely. You have to be very cautious of the accelerator knob when standing next to the bike. Its located by the readout unit on the left side. The switch sticks up a bit and if you accidentally move it the bike will take off and take you with it. The bike accelerates very quickly and has a lot of torque. I rubbed the switch by accident and was ran over and knocked down by my own bicycle. If the bike is turned on it is ON even if the peddle assist is on zero. Be very cautious of that switch if you are not mounted on the bike. The bummer is I scratched my paint and scraped the seat up ,so much for brand new.

When we were in Campbell River on Vancouver Island BC there was a free foot ferry over to Quadra Island. The Island is one of the larger Gulf Islands and has many a country roads that beckon to be explored. April Point Resort rented electric bikes but the 3 hour time would not have been enough to experience the beauty of Quadra Island. Had we had our Blik Vika + with us with the 55 mile range we probably would spend 2 days exploring the island and meeting the super friendly Canadian People.

I could go on and on about how wonderful and fun this bike is but instead we are going to take off and go for a morning ride. See you on the trail.

CHEERS FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND ♥♥♥♥♥

A big Thank You to Marc and Renge’ for their expert help and customer service at Backcountry Recumbent Cycles located in Tumalo, Oregon.

Backcountry Recumbent Cycles

Mark

Renge’

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Biosphere 2

Biosphere 2 is an Earth system science research facility located in Oracle, Arizona. It has been owned by the University of Arizona since 2011. Its mission is to serve as a center for research, outreach, teaching, and lifelong learning about Earth, its living systems, and its place in the universe. It is a 3.14-acre structure originally built to be an artificial, materially closed ecological system, or vivarium. It remains the largest closed system ever created.

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Today Mark was our tour guide, funny and knowledgable. This is our second visit to the Biosphere in the last ten years and still our tour was interesting and enlightening for the future of our planet. Much has changed since our last visit, the Bass foundation has deeded the biosphere to the University Of Arizona with an additional 30 million dollar grant. The grounds are beautiful, with sustainability in mind for farming, air quality and water control and my favorite exploration solar.

If you are ever in the Tucson, Arizona area look it up, loads of large RV parking available, wheelchair accessible and a cute little restaurant.

CHEERS FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND♥♥♥♥

Purple Haze Lavender Farm

This is our second Harvest Host experience and believe me another amazing adventure. The hosts and helpers are all so friendly making you feel right at home. Upon our arrival fall was certainly in the air

When you visit the Sequim lavender farm at Purple Haze, you are invited to wander the fields, enjoy the beauty of this sweet smelling herb, pick your own bouquet of flowers and picnic on the lawns. This of course depending on the season. We arrived in late September so the store at the farm was closed, yet we were welcome to wander around and even stay with our RV for the night. As members of Harvest Hosts this was a very nice option. I need to mention that Purple Haze has a gift and ice cream shop in downtown Sequim. The shop is adorable and the lavender ice cream is amazing, well worth the drive into town. At this time the lavender farm is closed so head downtown Sequim to their unique and aromatic store and dont forget the ice cream, it is amazing.

A Little History
Lavender is a plant rich in history and myth. With its roots in the ancient herbalists, lavender’s properties as a disinfectant and antiseptic grew through the centuries, even gaining the reputation of warding off the plague. Lavender’s popularity with the English royalty gave it a berth in the ranks of a cosmetic herb, and it was with Queen Victoria that lavender was recognized as a tonic for nerves.

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Until Our Next Adventure From Just Around The Bend

Langley Washington on Whidbey Island

Perched on a bluff on Whidbey Island, overlooking the waters of Saratoga Passage and the Cascade Mountains, Langley’s quiet streets are lined with historic buildings, bookstores, antique shops, clothing boutiques, cafes and restaurants. So what’s with all of the rabbits???? I mean everywhere you looked there were the cutest rabbits, we even the asked locals, but nobody had an answer?

Langley has its own special character– or “characters”– who turn this small town into a rural Bohemia. One arts festival, “Choochokam,” has run for more than 40 years, and the annual Langley Mystery Weekend, a “whodunit” that involves the whole community, are but two of the notable events that take place in Langley.

But whether or not there’s an event scheduled, Langley has plenty to fill a weekend or more. When when we arrived there was a festival going on with irish dancers performing, super fun. We enjoyed exploring this quaint town, not to mention the geo caching.

Driftwood Art

Rabbits Everywhere

You can walk the beach, go to a throwback movie theater, attend a live performance in a state-of-the art venue, and stay in charming bed-and-breakfasts both in and near this quaint but vibrant seaside community.

Cheers from Just Around The Bend

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Body Glove Performer Paddle Board

What do 66 year old retired people do in Bend, Oregon? Yes!!! that is correct we play hard and buy paddle boards. Ok mom I hope you never read this. Our first plan is to get in shape with the Body Glove Performer 11′ Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board.
The Body Glove ISUP (Inflatable Stand-up Paddleboard) PERFORMER is a multipurpose design for families, fitness activities, fishing and on water yoga. The Performer is designed for incredible stability and durability while also exhibiting an industry leading performance shape from paddling professional Luke Hopkins. He designed this board to be the ultimate board for family fun, fitness, and on water adventures.

The ISUP is made from incredibly durable puncture resistant heavy duty PVC and can support over 320 pounds. This allows for an adult to paddleboard with a child (children) on board. The traction deck pad is made from EVA foam and provides a soft yet grippy feel, perfect for children or as a platform for yoga. The bungee tie down area is perfect for securing gear from fishing tackle to a cooler.

This ISUP package is easily portable, and includes many convenient accessories. When you are ready to hit the water, the high-pressure hand-pump can be used to fully inflate the board in as little as 5 minutes. When it is time to pack up, the board can be quickly deflated and will fit into the included backpack. The 3-Piece travel paddle allows increased portability and ease of use. Including accessories and the board, the backpack only weighs 32 lbs.

COSTCOS PRICE WITH FREE SHIPPING IS $479.99

Accessories include:

Lightweight 3 piece travel paddle
High pressure pump that can switch from single action to dual action
Leg coil/leash
Repair kit
Cell phone dry bag
Specifications:

Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board:

Length: 11 ft.
Width: 34 in.
Thickness: 6 in.
Nose Rocker: 4.5 in.
Tail Rocker: 0 in.
Board Weight: 24 lbs.

Paddle:

Length: 70 in. – 85 in. (Adjustable)
Weight: 29 oz.
Design: 3 Piece
Shaft: Aircraft Grade Aluminum
Blade: Fiberglass Reinforced Nylon

More Paddle Boarding

PERSONAL NOTE: Very stable, easy to carry and glides through the water very nicely, with easy effort. We also love the way the board deflates and packs away for easy storage, highly recommend. We rate the body glove inflatable board a 10 with no reservations.

Until our next adventure, stay tuned and Cheers from Just Around The Bend ♥♥♥♥

NOTE: We have not been contacted by body glove or Costco.

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