Today’s distance / 今日の走行距離: 55.52km
Average speed / 平均速度: 12.26km/h
Time on skateboard / 走行時間: 4h 32m
Total skateboarding distance to date / 今までスケボで走った距離: 55km
Total cycling distance to date / 今まで自転車で走った距離: 11,800km
Ascent / 上り: +825m
Descent / 下り: -865m
(data above is data from reset approx. 30km into ride)
Well, I thought I’d never make it. Fribourg is 83 kilometers from Lausanne, along the route that I took. It was a tough day, but I made it.
My really big success for today was becoming proficient in pushing with both legs. I do seven pushes with each leg that goes something like this:
push, push, push, push, push, push, push, step, forwards, push, push, push, push, push, push, push, step, backwards, push…
When I have this rythym going, I can skateboard at a faster pace uphill than I could comfortably cycle at on my loaded bicycle; I passed two fully loaded cycle tourists today while going uphill. On the flat, a bicycle can cruise at a much faster pace.
Cardiovascular-wise, skateboarding is much more demanding. If I am switching legs well, then my muscles do not get too tired, but I am breathing much more heavily than I ever did on my bike (with perhaps the exception of the high altitudes in Tajikistan). I do enjoy it though; I am looking forward to my body adjusting to the extra load, and to be able to skate for longer up hill without getting too ‘puffed’.
Typical topography of the lowlands of Switzerland
The downhills are plenty of fun also. With my ‘sail’ out, I maintain a comfortable speed of about 35km/h. Any faster than that and my speedometer doesn’t register the actual speed. I guess the speed sensing unit cannot handle the high revs of the small skateboard wheel. Above 35km/h it just stays at 35km/h. In practise this just means that my recorded average speed and distance will be slightly less than the actual speed and distance.
Another thing I have discovered is that I need to be really careful of bumps and dips in the footpath.
This seemingly innocent rise threw me off the board. I instinctively looked around afterwards to make sure noone saw me. Kind of embarrassing…
Due to the fact that I arrived in Fribourg much earlier than I had anticipated, I couldn’t get a hold of my CouchSurfing.org host. I found a nice little barn in a secluded area of Fribourg, near a dam, and slept soundly for the night.
Well, you won't end up with one leg longer than the other after all! As well as the cardiovascular work out skateboarding, pushing with you left leg will do wonders for brain development as it makes you use the other side of your brain. Perhaps it'll be your head that's too big for a hat when you get to London.
Speedo problems – You might try to use a GPS for that.
And You can get altitude profiles,and navigation of course 🙂
It will record speed/time data even if You have to walk.
Anyhow, what a strange form of transportation for such a trip ! 🙂 I'm amazed ! 🙂
Btw,why this board is so low to the ground ?
Cheers !
Com on!!You can do it,good luck
I would assume the reason the board is so low is to make skating easier by not having to step as far up and down (the same reason its easier to walk on the flat than up stairs). ALso over a long day of skating the KJs spent from having to bend you leg that extra few cm would add up.