New Batteries - Dates Charged, 19th May - 5th October

 I don't do a lot of riding - yet. Apparently some people use their scooters a lot more than I do.
Any way after my first charge 19th May I didn't have to charge again until a week later.
I had done a few small trips around the neighbourhood, on the next Friday I spent the whole day at the Arkaba on Friday 21st May, Red Shield collecting so didn't use it then either. On Wednesday 26th May, with 5 bars I went up to the corps & I got home with 2 bars flashing (20% charge left). So charged it  - second charge, (Thursday 27th May) before I took it out again. My son in law mentioned to keep it between 80 and 20 % Not to let it fall below 20

Margaret took me to church on Sunday and I thought it was going to rain Wednesday so didn't go up the corps. Got a taxi instead. Thursday 3rd June I went up to the Unley Shopping Centre  and got home with 3 bars/30% charge left - Had 7 when I left in the morning.
3rd charge overnight before I used it Friday 4th June. Got a fright this morning - when I turned it on it only showed 3 bars at first but soon went to 10. Because of that I took the charger with me today just incase. So I went up to the corps today and came home with 10 most of the way home but only 9 bars left when I parked.
4th & 5th charges, church on Sunday 20th June then Monday 28th June. After doing two runs up to Unley Road and back plus going to Goodwood road a couple times and back I put the charger on for the 6th time Thursday 1st July. 

I will probably be charging it more when the warmer weather comes around (at the moment I am lucky to be charging once a month) as I am not using it all the time because of wet weather. Not that it is always raining here in Adelaide but I don't want to be caught out in the rain again while doing a longer trip especially.

 I went to Drakes at Wayville with it on 4 bars to start. When I nearly was home it was the first time I saw it down to 1 bar. I charged the batteries for the 7th time that evening on Saturday 10th July. I haven't used it much this month because of wet weather and now lockdown again I have probably been out on the scooter only a couple times. I went up to IGA on Wednesday 21st July because I 'had' to get something. Then again on Monday 26th Julyto go to IGA, the bank ATM and the chemist to get a script filled

On Thursday 29th July I went down to T&M motors at Clarence Park and back. Had 7 bars to begin but only 6 this morning

Went up to Unley today Friday 30th July. Battery had 6 bars charge when I left home and was on 2 when I got there. (I assume because going to Unley means going uphill even though a slight grade it may still use more power. Charged it (for the 8th time) while at the corps today. Was on full charge when I got home this afternoon.

After doing a run up to Goodwood road and around the Forestville reserve I charged the batteries for a couple hours  - 85% (ON the charger) 10 bars on the screen. 9th charge, 
14th August. Didn't let it go all night as it was still on 6 bars - Charger only said 30%.

After getting my scooter back from Lifestyle (31st August) where it had it's first yearly service, I noticed the charge was a little higher than when I had last seen it. 

5th September I went up to Goodwood road today - was on 5 bars when I left home but only got as far as Goodwood road and it went down to 2 already so didn't do anything that I was going to do. Turned around and came straight back home. So, I put the charger on for a bit under 2 hours (10th charge)  Then went back up to Goodwood Road. Should keep me going for the next couple of days, I shouldn't have to give it a full charge until Tuesday night.

Went down to Drakes and back yesterday 6th September. Started at 5 bars and when I got home was on 2 flashing, so I charged it today - Tuesday 7th September 80% 11th charge. After doing a couple runs up to Unley and back plus Goodwood road and back I gave the battery it's 12th charge overnight from Tuesday 14th September pm - Wednesday 15th September am.  100% charge in the morning. When I got home from Unley tonight was on 9 bars. On Thursday went to Clarence Park then went up to Unley again on Friday. 13th Charge is on Tuesday 21st pm - 22nd September am
Went up to Unley and back on Wednesday 22nd September, Thursday 23rd September I did 2 trips to Goodwood road and then did Unley and back again on Friday 24th September. Going up to King William Road today so have put on for a couple hours Saturday, 25th September 14th charge After charge  I have since done King William road and back. I went up to Unley on Sunday and back and today (Monday) I went up to Goodwood IGA and back.
Took the Afi out for a ride today, Saturday 2nd October - too cold inside and it was sunny outside. Anyway I only went over to the park went around the closest carpark, came home and it used up one bar  already so I decided to give it just over an hour's charge. Took it up to IGA then -said 50% charge on the charger, 6 bars left when I came home, down from 10? This was the 15 charge. 
On Tuesday 5th October I gave it another small charge  approx 1-2 hours before (16th) I went up to Goodwood Road twice -   then charged overnight before I took it up to Unley again (17th)

Cold

 Went out today - took a risk actually as it looked very much like rain. Could see it had been many hours ago but wasn't at the time. So, I went to Clarence Gardens and back all was ok. Thought I would take another risk & I went up to the chemist and got caught in the rain on the way home. First I went down the wrong street, works were being done on the corner footpaths so I couldn't go around on them. Had to backtrack to the next street (in the rain) I stopped under an 'old shop' verandah and thought it had stopped. Dried my glasses, scooter dash etc and decided to continue on. Lucky/unlucky for me there was a train to wait for as well.  The rain slowed down but didn't stop at all. Thankfully I could still see well enough to see where i was going. With the rain and wind it was very cold on my skin. Another first apart from a couple Summer showers. This was a bit heavier and longer. Thank God I got home safely

Goodwood Road

 Just went up to Goodwood road and back to do a little shopping. Had my first fall in over 6 months and this time I leaned against something...it moved, oops I should've checked that it was steady. Thankfully I didn't hurt anything and landed on the most padded part of me - my bottom.

Out

 Went out yesterday on my scooter, first time since March. Have had to get new batteries already and just got them put in on Wednesday  19th May (first charge - only half hour).

Need to get my tyres pumped - Hopefully I can tomorrow.

May have a couple more nice days then I will have to wait for Spring to come around which will seem like forever but will only be about 3 months or 4 depending on the weather.Already days are cold and some are wet. Still some nice, just have to be ready for them when they are but may have to retire to the fact I will have to get taxis until Winter is over. Even though I have lights I don't want to be driving in the dark and cold.

5+

 Been five+ weeks since I have been out on the Afi now. Last few days of good weather too. Already I need new batteries and haven't really been told why except that I may have overcharged them. Once Winter sets in (rainy days) I wont be able to go out for another 3 months maybe 4.😞
Now I have to wait for new batteries to be ordered and put in to my scooter before I even get the chance to go out again

Saturdays

 Last 3 Saturdays I drove up to the Unley Corps on my scooter. (Went the 2 before but was taken up in a taxi or was picked up.) We had a Prayer teaching DVD and discussion time. Last week I got my daughter Vanessa to drop by (when we were finished) so we could catch up. We drove to a cafe and had a light lunch. Came back to the corps so she could look at the 'specials'. Afterwards Vanessa walked while I drove home so she could see the route I was taking now. Probably took us a good hour as I didn't go too fast. She said it was a much more direct route too.

Sleeping Rough

 Went up to Unley this morning and came home just before it started to rain. Was spitting most of the way home.
I did a lap through the park to see if what I had found the other day was still there. Got it! 

Here is proof that someone is sleeping rough at Forestville reserve😢. I saw the quilt in between the trainline and garden on the grass the other day at the back of the swimming pool change rooms.

New Destination

 After going up to Unley again this morning for a prayer Bible Study, I just parked the scooter near the place where I usually put it away. Was a glorious day and I intended to go out again.

 Went down to Drakes at Woodville. First time down there on the scooter. Followed the Bike trail through the Forestville reserve to Leader Street. Had to cross the trainline on the road, thankfully there were bike lanes that I could use there and back. Only went on the road then and coming back down the street (someone had put a couch out for pick-up and it took the whole footpath so I had no choice) to the Reserve. Was also a pedestrian crossing at the corner of Leader street and Goodwood Road, which was handy since I needed to cross Goodwood Road to get to Drakes.
Thank God I got there and back safely, as well as this morning.

Undulating

 Went up to Unley again today just to see the doctor. Went and came home via my usual route.
Went to IGA on the way home. 

Am finding it easier to go on some side streets before King William Road as they are not extremely busy and the roads are smoother than the footpaths. [Actually most of the footpaths are smooth but they have been moulded around tree roots - I have seen some very undulating ones which are also a little hairy.]

Safe

 I took my normal route up to Unley and back home today. The only diversion I made was to go around the park - Down Lyons Parade - under the Tram line - onto the Mike Turtor bikeway - left at the first street after the park (Nichols Street) - up to the corner of Ethel Street then back through the park  (as there is no footpath on that side of the road) past the playground to the exit under the tramline out into Aroha Terrace then home 

Swimming Centre from Nichols Street.

Praise God I got to Unley and back home safely.

Blocked

 Went up to Unley again today. I tried the laneway shortcut again and there was a car blocking the way so went around the roads I went on yesterday. Got up there in a decent time. (approx 45 mins.) Shortcut from Arthur Street through, carpark behind target through to Unley Road is open again. I went through there this morning and this afternoon
Came home via the laneway - no dust, no car, so I had a clear way.

Have been advised to stay away from branches or even small twigs. Most of the way I don't have a choice but to go over some.

Couple

 Found out what my scooter part was. Yes it did come off my scooter. As I said in a previous blog post it was the lever that is supposed to help in moving the tiller. Must have worked it's way out and fell on the floor of my scooter. Stayed there until I saw it come off along the footpath on Unley Road. I have reconnected it too.

 
Have had a couple things happen since my last post.
I haven't ridden it for a couple weeks.
Was hoping to get away without getting taxis. Unfortunately I haven't been able to all the time.

 
I have had to put the scooter in for a service already  -  hopefully getting it back today.

I got it back this afternoon and took it up to King William Road, Hyde Park today, for my podiatry appointment.  I went on my usual route until part way down the laneway I saw a lot of dust flying around and decided to take a roadway out of it instead of going through the dust. Didn't take me much longer to get there; in fact only took me about 20 minutes from my place - I allowed 30 so got there in plenty of time. I went to IGA  on the way home.

Vibration on my scooter is much less now but the engine seems to be making more noise. Oh well, apparently it was looked over and ridden around in their carpark. They said it was ok. I have to trust that the distributors (who are also the maintainers) did their job well and gave it back to me in good condition.  I don't want to have to call on them for a while so will be a bit more careful in future.

23rd- 26th January

Went for a drive over to the park Saturday evening just before dark, (Found I can go right through the park on the bikeway, left at the next street behind the swimming centre. Up to the corner and through the park again past the playground, back to the exit, then home) just to see how the scooter was still going. Wouldn't take it to Unley on Sunday though just incase, because it is a much further distance and I didn't want to be stuck out in the heat.

 
Think I have the piece problem solved.  I had a look at the  levers I knew of on Sunday afternoon and found my tiller lever is missing. So hopefully that was it. That had a soft/rubbery tip, although I thought it was thinner - didn't see it up close before.
Rang up the distributor on Monday and they concurred with me that what I figured out is most likely it as it wasn't a part from inside. I figured after realising it is the tiller lever that it could have come loose and fell on the floor of my scooter, and when I saw it come off on Friday 22nd Jan. afternoon that it was then it came off the floor. Still need to have something looked at but asked if it would be ok to use the scooter till I did and was told I could.

Went up to IGA again today. Didn't go yesterday because I left it till the afternoon and it decided to rain - hard.