08/12/12 234# 23m

A cool and overcast day, perfect for bicycling and completely inconsistent with August. Rode the Montour Trail from Boggs to Groveton, round-trip.

Met a couple with e-bikes, or electric-assist-bikes, I'm not sure what the most popular term is. Hers was a true e-bike, his was a Trek with an aftermarket conversion kit. Her comment was: "I wouldn't be out here without the assist, and now I'm out here getting exercise". Good for her.

I'm not sure how the trail nazis authorities view e-bikes, in my own opinion as long as they're not used for commercial purposes (making the trail a route for Chinese-restaurant deliverymen, for instance) then I think they belong. I also think that Segways belong although I'm told that's a minority opinion.

There's room for schism, though; I think an electric-assist is kosher, but IMO a gasoline-assist is unwelcome. Then there's the whole pre-destination thing.

Saw a trail monitor which is great, saw a lot of parent-kid combos which is also great. Everybody seemed to be enjoying the trail.

On other fronts:

• Bob's Maps an alternative view of routings
• Butler cyclist hit-and-run (Friday, required a LifeFlight helo)