ENGWE Y600 830W electric scooter

We bought electric bikes a couple of years ago, which we mostly enjoyed, but Jenn didn’t find her one very comfortable, so in due course we sold it, with the idea of replacing it with a trike or something.

A while back we had the idea to try an electric scooter instead, as a more compact alternative.

After some research, we decided to buy a ENGWE Y600 830W electric scooter (see that link for the price and stats).

One reason we chose this model is that it comes with a seat, but it can be removed and replaced with a foot guard, if you always want to stand while riding. We wanted both options; it’s easy to both stand and sit while riding.

Here are some photos of unboxing it:

Carton

Unboxing

Unboxing

The assembled scooter:

Scooter

Scooter

It folds up fairly small, with the seat and handlebars folding down:

Scooter

And easily fits in the back of our truck:

Scooter

Scooter

Charging port:

Charging port

Fold down seat post latch:

Fold down seat

Fold down handlebars lever and lock:

Fold down handlebars lever and lock

Brake, head and tail light switch, turn signals, horn:

Brake, head and tail light switch, turn signals, horn

Display with gear, speed, odometer (or other values), and battery level, plus power and mode buttons and throttle lever; a second display with the battery voltage and key:

Display with gear, speed, odometer (or other displays, and battery level, and lever to accellerate; a second display with the battery voltage and key

For now we have kept my ebike, and have the scooter as a second option. So either we each ride one, or I can quickly get the scooter out when exploring the campground or taking out the trash, etc. The scooter isn’t as useful as the bike, since it doesn’t have any cargo capacity (like a trash bag or when picking up packages), and doesn’t have any exercise benefits, but being more compact and easy to set up are big benefits.

In due course we’ll decide whether to keep my bike and buy a trike for Jenn, or sell my bike and get a second scooter, or just keep both options, or some other variation.

Truck canopy, slide tray, lift kit

We had a tonneau cover for our truck:

Truck with tonneau cover

Enabling us to securely store our folding bikes and a bunch of other stuff in our truck bed:

Truck bed

But to be able to store the bikes vertically for easier access, and better access to other stuff, we wanted to get a canopy, aka truck cap. We saved for it, and ordered one several months ahead from a Portland company. When back in Portland, we emptied out the truck bed, took the tonneau cover to our storage unit (we’ll probably sell it eventually), and cleaned out the bed as best we could:

Truck

Truck

Then we headed to Northwest Auto & Truck Accessories to get it installed:

Northwest Auto Accessories

Northwest Auto Accessories

Northwest Auto Accessories

Northwest Auto Accessories

They had a decent waiting area, where we spent the day, working on our laptops:

Northwest Auto Accessories

We also got them to install a lift kit to raise up the front by a couple of inches, to make it level with the rear, and give a little more clearance for dirt roads:

Lift kit

Here’s the installed canopy, the ARE MX, paint-matched to our truck:

Canopy

More pics of it at our campsite:

Canopy

Canopy

Canopy

Canopy

Canopy

Canopy

Canopy

We also got a CargoGlide CG1000 slide tray from them, to make it easier to access stuff at the back:

Slide tray

Slide tray

Slide tray

Slide tray

The window at the back of the bed:

Window

It folds down for cleaning:

Window

The canopy is attached via four of these clamps:

Clamp

We also got some 50-gallon totes for our folding bikes:

Totes

Totes

Totes

The bikes in the totes:

Bikes in totes

Less-frequently accessed stuff in the back of the bed:

Stuff in back of bed

The telescoping ladder is strapped to the side, so it doesn’t interfere with the slide tray:

Ladder

Fully loaded for a travel day; we sometimes remove the mats and folding chairs while at a campsite, or they can be shoved to the sides to provide a rearview mirror visibility tunnel:

Fully loaded

Fully loaded

We added Grand Teton and Yellowstone stickers to the back (with our coach’s Magne Shade reflected in the window):

Grand Teton and Yellowstone stickers

Grand Teton and Yellowstone stickers

Grand Teton and Yellowstone stickers

Truck with canopy

Truck with canopy

Some very useful additions.

Thousand Trails Colorado River RV Campground

We stayed at Thousand Trails Colorado River RV Campground in Columbus, Texas. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A fairly large Thousand Trails campground, with a nice new area.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2023-01-11
  • Check out: 2023-01-22
  • 11 nights
  • We were originally going to stay a week, but we extended it to simplify our travels

Weather:

  • Mostly sunny, some fog, a little drizzle
  • High temps ranging between 60-80°F, lows around 36-63°F
  • Some wind, up to 28 MPH gusts

Noise:

  • No road noise, occasional train noise
  • Occasional neighbor noise

Site:

  • #E81, pull-through, gravel
  • Didn’t need to disconnect toad; parked next to coach
  • Fairly level
  • Medium site: about 65 feet long by about 43 feet wide
  • Picnic table
  • Fire pit
  • Grass

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 50 PSI water, fairly conveniently located
  • Good sewer connection, not very conveniently located (2 10-foot pipes needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 94-106 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up, 25 ms ping
  • AT&T: 78-102 Mbps down, 18-23 Mbps up, 32 ms ping
  • Verizon: 80 Mbps down, 22 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpster
  • Pool
  • Various planned activities
  • Package delivery to office for $5 each

Our review on Campground Reviews:

New sites are worth it

We’ve stayed at several Thousand Trails campgrounds and they usually look like they need some TLC and updating. But not this one. They’ve built a nice new area with 50A pull-through sites and paved roads, which was very appreciated and worth the $3 premium fee. Our site in this area had a nice view of the fishing pond and a good walk to the river. We camped at Colorado River RV Campground in a Motorhome.

An interactive map of the RV park; our site was to the right of the big pond:

Campground map:

Map

Being a Thousand Trials campground, we had to drive around looking for available sites, trying to find one we liked the look of. We really lucked out with our site, with a view of a pond, and a large grassy area in front:

Our site

Our site

Our site

We had a view of a pond (partially blocked by the next site). And nice sunsets:

Sunset

Another sunset:

Another sunset

The pond from closer:

Pond

Pond

Pond

Colorado River:

Colorado River

Colorado River

I rode my bike around the campground:

Colorado River

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

An outdoor movie area:

Movie area

Other sites

Pecan trees:

Trees

Other sites

Mini golf:

Mini golf

Cabins:

Cabins

Other sites

Games

Pond and bird

Swimming pool:

Swimming pool

Closed sites, probably reserved for seasonal guests:

Closed sites

Someone had some sort of ladder thing:

Ladder thing

Pond:

Pond

Bathrooms:

Bathrooms

Pond

Other sites

Pond

Birds

Jenn riding:

Jenn riding

Some videos of riding around the campground:

Morning fog:

Fog

Stars:

Stars

The day before we left, the neighbor left, giving us a better view of the pond for a few hours, until someone else arrived:

Pond and empty site

Sunset:

Sunset

Sunset and the pond out our window (and the new neighbor):

Sunset and pond out window

Thousand Trails campgrounds are often run down and cramped, and this one did have older sites like that, but the section we were in was very new and nice. It’s good to see them investing in improvements.

We’d definitely stay here again.

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

We explored the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

We rode our bikes between the four missions, starting at Mission Concepcion in the north. Here’s the approximate route on an interactive map (we diverted from this a little; see the actual route in the video at the end):

Mission Concepcion:

Mission Concepcion

Relief map:

Relief map

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

This is still a functional church:

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion

Riding on the river path:

River walk path

Our next stop, Mission San Jose:

Mission San Jose

Relief map

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

River:

River

River walk path

Mission San Juan:

Mission San Juan

Mission San Juan

Mission San Juan

An art installation — Árbol de la Vida: Memorias y Voces de la Tierra:

Artwork

Mission Espada:

Mission Espada

Mission Espada

Mission Espada

Mission Espada

Mission Espada

Heading back along the river walk path:

River walk path

River walk path

River walk path

River walk path

River walk path

River

River

River walk path

River walk path

River walk path

Back at our truck:

Back at our truck

Mission Concepcion:

Mission Concepcion

A video of our riding route:

Palomino Campground at Caballo Lake State Park

We stayed at Palomino Campground in Caballo Lake State Park in Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico. (Campground Reviews listing.)

We do enjoy state parks, and lake views. Our specific site only had a glimpse of the lake, but still nice.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2022-10-09
  • Check out: 2022-10-15
  • 6 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly sunny
  • High temps ranging between 67-77°F, lows around 49-53°F
  • No significant wind

Noise:

  • No road or train noise

Site:

  • #2, pull through, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad; parked beside coach
  • Fairly level
  • Smallish site: about 45 feet long by about 40 feet wide
  • Full hookups:
    • 50 amp power, conveniently located
    • 50 PSI water, conveniently located
    • Good sewer connections, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)
  • Picnic table on concrete with shelter; no fire pit
  • Partial lake view

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 12-25 Mbps down, 18-26 Mbps up, 70 ms ping
  • AT&T: 90 Mbps down, 7 Mbps up, 72 ms ping
  • Verizon: no service
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: none

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpster
  • No pool

Here’s our review on Campground Reviews:

Picturesque and pleasant park

We stayed at Palomino, Site 2, and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were met by the camp hosts who helped get us centered on the site and chatted for a bit. The site was level and pretty big, with plenty of room outside of the picnic shelter to get settled in. The only downside to the setup in Palomino is that all the sites are backward, so you can’t enjoy the view of the lake if you have a motorhome. If you have a fiver with a rear window or a toy hauler with a “back deck” you’d get much more enjoyment of the view. The picnic shelters are also backward on the site, so you have to walk around the wall to get to the table. Weird, but not dealbreaker stuff by any means. We camped at Caballo Lake State Park in a Motorhome.

The park map online is not great, but does highlight our site:

Map

Here’s an interactive map — tip, site 4 would be the best view of the lake (site 3, not shown above, is the camp host):

Our site:

Our site

Our site

A glimpse of the lake:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

There were a number of birds in the area, and some liked to nibble dead bugs off our mirrors, which Paladin found super fascinating:

Paladin and bird

Our site

Utilities:

Utilities

A lake view from the edge of the campground:

Lake view

Lake view

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

The camp host site, briefly vacant during changing of the host:

Other sites

Bathrooms:

Bathrooms

Dump station:

Dump station

Cacti:

Cacti

Cacti

Cacti

Cacti

We got out our bikes to take a ride down to the lake and around the campsites:

Bikes

Me on my bike:

David on bike

Boat ramp:

Boat ramp

Another campground; this one has power and water, but not sewer:

Other campground

Other campground

Other campground

A video of the bike ride route:

Some sunsets:

Sunset

Sunset

Sunset

Farragut Museum at the Brig

We did a bike ride around Farragut State Park. One of the places we visited was Farragut Museum at the Brig, a museum in what was the naval prison on the naval training grounds.

Our bikes out front:

Bikes

The US Navy Brig entrance:

US Navy Brig

The courtyard:

Courtyard

Fire engine:

Fire engine

Museum at the Brig:

Museum at the Brig

Admiral Farragut:

Admiral Farragut

Naval training center map:

Naval training center

A couple of cells:

Cell

Cell

Exhibits:

Exhibits

Exhibits

A model of the gym:

Model

Women of WWII:

Women of WWII

Another cell:

Cell

Flags:

Flags

A sailor statue:

Sailor statue

Faces:

Faces

The front of the brig again:

Brig

Ride around Brookhollow RV Park

While staying at Brookhollow, I did a quick ride along the dike that wraps around the park.

The entrance:

Dike entrance

Views from the dike path:

View from dike

Dike path

David

Dike path

View from dike

View from dike

View from dike

View from dike

View from dike

A video of the route:

I rearranged the contents of the bed of our truck. I previously had the bikes side-by-side, with the hammock and canopy tent on top:

Bikes etc in bed of truck

Bikes etc in bed of truck

Instead, I rearranged things so the bikes are front-to-back, with other stuff beside them:

Bikes etc in bed of truck

Bikes etc in bed of truck

Bikes etc in bed of truck

Bikes etc in bed of truck

Bikes etc in bed of truck

This seems to be a better layout, as I can get the bikes out without having to remove other items, and vice versa.

Rides around Mt Hood Village

A quick post with a couple of videos from short rides around Mt Hood Village. No photos, other than embedded in the first video, since those I took appeared in my review of the campground.

As mentioned previously, I use Strava to track my rides, and Relive to convert the routes into 3D videos.

Here’s the first ride, by myself:

And the second ride, with Jenn:

Not overly exciting, but a handy way to explore large campgrounds.