2025 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[Jeremy McCreary]

A few pics from today's 23km ride:

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Love the dramatic clouds and reflections!

Noticed your water bottle. Orange Gatorade is my go-to riding drink. Always hits the spot (even warm), not too much sugar, the price is right, and you can get it just about anywhere. The last 3 ingredients (including the yellow 6 dye) might be a little sketchy, but they're not deal-killers.

 

[JGcycle]

Love the dramatic clouds and reflections!

Noticed your water bottle. Orange Gatorade is my go-to riding drink. Always hits the spot (even warm), not too much sugar, the price is right, and you can get it just about anywhere. The last 3 ingredients (including the yellow 6 dye) might be a little sketchy, but they're not deal-killers.

Thanks Jeremy. As for the water bottle, I don't put Gatorade in it--instead I use diluted Costco lemonade (4 parts water/1 part lemonade.)

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Orange Gatorade is my go-to riding drink.

There are some facts that you might find interesting, Jeremy.

Poland is one of a very few world countries to introduce the "sugar tax" (Ireland belongs to the club as well). Any sugar or sweetener drink is taxed; when it comes to sugar, the upper limit for a fixed tax is 5%; the sweetener drinks are the subject to the same tax. However, drinks containing more sugar are progressively taxed more. For this reason, a soft drink such as Fanta Orange only contains 4.1% of sugar in Poland while it is as much as 13% in the original recipe!

In 2008, a smart businessman created the Oshee brand in Poland. He launched isotonic sports drinks similar to Gatorade. The key to the success was the bottle: a 750 cm3 container of the size of the cycling bottle (which cap can be opened with teeth) at the price a way better than Gatorade or Powerade. The bottle is designed the way you can empty the contents into your mouth very quickly. Nowadays, Oshee owns the Polish sports drink market.

I only drink Oshee Zero on my rides with a rare switch to the competitor 4Move Zero. In very rare cases, I mix Coke Zero with water.

The Oshee bottle is such a practical thing I once poured my own production of a strong apple wine into some 50 Oshee bottles! No bouncer at a club or a festival ever found I and friends were actually carrying wine inside!

 

[Mulezen]

Im increasingly concentrating on the minute and obscure, they are expanding their experience to a virtual competitive experience overlayed on reality.

There is much to appreciate in this line…it rises from the particular (Strava)

 

[Mulezen]

I mix a Pedialyte sports sleeve (Lime)…scoop of Creatine…and a nice dollop from a freshly squeezed bottle of Lime Juice.

 

[Chargeride]

Im terrible for not drinking, I did that mountain climb there and back without a single swig, my two friends emptied two bottles each.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Im terrible for not drinking, I did that mountain climb there and back without a single swig, my two friends emptied two bottles each.

Somewhat similar as well...

 

[Watana Bob]

Im terrible for not drinking, I did that mountain climb there and back without a single swig, my two friends emptied two bottles each.

Chris I thought that you stayed hydrated with rum and cokes

 

[JGcycle]

Chris I thought that you stayed hydrated with rum and cokes

Now we're talking.

 

[Chazmo]

Orange Gatorade is my go-to riding drink.

Likewise, if I’ve got it handy. I don’t particularly like the other Gatorade flavors, though I will drink them in a pinch. I drink the zero-calorie stuff as I don’t like extra sugar in my diet if I can help it (diabetic). I like the orange flavor and often mix it with seltzer from my SodaStream at home.

 

[Chazmo]

There are some facts that you might find interesting, Jeremy.

Poland is one of a very few world countries to introduce the "sugar tax" (Ireland belongs to the club as well). Any sugar or sweetener drink is taxed; when it comes to sugar, the upper limit for a fixed tax is 5%; the sweetener drinks are the subject to the same tax. However, drinks containing more sugar are progressively taxed more. For this reason, a soft drink such as Fanta Orange only contains 4.1% of sugar in Poland while it is as much as 13% in the original recipe!

In 2008, a smart businessman created the Oshee brand in Poland. He launched isotonic sports drinks similar to Gatorade. The key to the success was the bottle: a 750 cm3 container of the size of the cycling bottle (which cap can be opened with teeth) at the price a way better than Gatorade or Powerade. The bottle is designed the way you can empty the contents into your mouth very quickly. Nowadays, Oshee owns the Polish sports drink market.

I only drink Oshee Zero on my rides with a rare switch to the competitor 4Move Zero. In very rare cases, I mix Coke Zero with water.

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The Oshee bottle is such a practical thing I once poured my own production of a strong apple wine into some 50 Oshee bottles! No bouncer at a club or a festival ever found I and friends were actually carrying wine inside!

Those bottles are a good marketing tool.

Stefan, is the tax applied to sugar-free sweetened drinks?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Those bottles are a good marketing tool.

Stefan, is the tax applied to sugar-free sweetened drinks?

Yes, the same base tax rate as for low-sugar drinks (less than 5% sugar). Strange but a fact.
Interestingly, the tax on caffeine and/or taurine drinks is double. These energetic drinks cannot be sold to minors, same as alcohol.

More on OSHEE. The brand claims its presence in the U.S. (but not Canada).

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I mix a Pedialyte sports sleeve (Lime)…scoop of Creatine…and a nice dollop from a freshly squeezed bottle of Lime Juice.

I might just try that. No deep thinking or science behind my go-to Gatorade, and I do like lime!

 

[Chazmo]

Yes, the same base tax rate as for low-sugar drinks (less than 5% sugar). Strange but a fact.
Interestingly, the tax on caffeine and/or taurine drinks is double. These energetic drinks cannot be sold to minors, same as alcohol.

More on OSHEE. The brand claims its presence in the U.S. (but not Canada).

Stefan, are you saying that minors can’t order coffee/tea? Or, buy a coke? If not, I have to say that’s a little silly.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Stefan, are you saying that minors can’t order coffee/tea? Or, buy a coke? If not, I have to say that’s a little silly.

Yes they can. I'm talking about Red Bull and alike. The caffeine content is high and taurine adds its power. The law is law.

 

[Chazmo]

Yes they can. I'm talking about Red Bull and alike. The caffeine content is high and taurine adds its power. The law is law.

Gotcha’. I was merely commenting on the law, Stefan…

I don’t think kids should be drinking energy drinks either, but I can’t really see them as equivalent to booze or even cigarettes… Just an American hick talking here.

 

[Chargeride]

Same in UK, you have to be 18 to buy Redbull /Monster, you can buy a jar of coffee though..like three times the caffeine per drink.

 

[JGcycle]

A couple of pics from today's 27km ride:

 

[Chazmo]

Same in UK, you have to be 18 to buy Redbull /Monster, you can buy a jar of coffee though..like three times the caffeine per drink.

Oh, wow! OK, well, I think what I’m sensing here is more of a taxation thing than an attempt at social engineering — OK, given, those two things are related -- but it was already a foregone conclusion that you guys in Europe have much higher taxes, etc., to deal with than we do across the pond.

 

[RabH]

I have been waiting for the right conditions to drive down to Peebles to cycle from there to Moffat and back, today was ideal so I got up early and made my down to Peebles in the car! Well I stopped in a layby about 6 miles away to avoid the busy town, its much easier to negotiate it on the bike! I stopped on the bridge in the centre of town for this photo before taking the back road to Traquair!

I reached the tiny village of Traquair at 13 miles and it was time to head up the 4 mile climb from 500ft to just over 1200ft before plumetting down into the valley at just over 40mph, the descent is very twisty with some rough parts so I took it easy! I was now heading for St Marys Loch and it soon came into view, it sits in the valley of the Yarrow Hills!

As soon as you pass the loch, another loch comes into view immediately and its called Loch of the Lowes!

Right after passing the loch there's another climb up to 1200ft and then another big descent down into the valley where the road meanders through the hills with lots of little ups and downs and I had a 15mph ESE wind at my back, it was just sublime!

I usually do this route twice a year, alternating the direction and it never disappoints! I'm lucky I can get to enjoy it on a week day when its quiet as its crazy busy with cyclists and motorcyclists at the weekend! I enjoyed it on my motorbikes many times over the years, it sure was easier!

I stopped for a photo of this beautiful Clydesdale!

I was now nearing my desination of Moffat and stopped for more photos before enjoying the big descent down into the town!

I had my lunch in town to give me the energy to tackle the 6.5 mile climb ahead of me up the Devils Beeftub, its always the highlight of the ride whether I'm going up it or down it and the following photos will tell the story of how good it is!

The road is like this most of the way so its a real joy to ride!

The climb starts in Moffat at just over 300ft and peaks at just under 1400ft, then its a gradual descent for over 11 miles!

It wasn't a fast descent as I was into a headwind now and the wind was picking up as the day progressed! The amazing scenery just kept coming!

I was now approaching the village of Broughton where I had a choice of roads to take, I could use the back road past Stobo or continue on the main road to Blyth Bridge! I chose the main road as it wasn't busy and it would give me more miles, in fact for a fleeting moment I considered making it another imperial century as I was flying down the descent into Blyth Bridge!

But I saw sense and turned off before the village as it would have been into a 20-25mph headwind and mostly uphill for a good 10 miles! I chose this road instead which would take me back to where the car was parked!

As I reached the car I had covered 75 miles so I continued past the car and did a few miles to make it an 80 miler, grabbing a few more photos!

Back at the car now and buzzing after a truly awesome ride, its a small car but the bike fits easily with the front wheel removed!

I look forward to doing it again later in the year and in the opposite direction!