edobici_forza
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- San Mateo, CA
Cool FFD...I will try to remember!
2026 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos
- Thread starter RabH
- Start date
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
most of my riding I cant get out of the city. bern too sick and it takes over a 30 mile round trip to get to different spots.
edobici_forza
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- San Mateo, CA
Bummer. hope you get well soon!
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Ride started by the Druid inn, Llanferis
Straight into womans house, she jumped out, firstly she was absolutely beautiful, then she excitedly started to give us directions.
You'll need those electric bikes for the hill.
She wasnt kidding
The views were majestic.
Then a hillside forest with Ethopian goat herder levels of swarming flies
They followed us for half a mile.
Very beautifully serene paths
Gorgeous village, but the pub was for sale, not good.
Endless hobbit hole trails
The usual wave to the home owners
You actually went over his back garden to the bridleway
Heatwave makes for safe river crossings
huge fast descents make for huge climbs back up.
This village was stuck in the 50s
They only served tea, no coffee
This is a bridleway past the quarry, slightly abandoned
Im sure it is a playground to every kid.
Bridleway kicks out onto the driveway
Back brake threw the towel in, mad descent over rocks, then bleedin cows!
Last climb, down to three bar and 4 miles to go, no problem
Straight into womans house, she jumped out, firstly she was absolutely beautiful, then she excitedly started to give us directions.
You'll need those electric bikes for the hill.
She wasnt kidding
The views were majestic.
Then a hillside forest with Ethopian goat herder levels of swarming flies
They followed us for half a mile.
Very beautifully serene paths
Gorgeous village, but the pub was for sale, not good.
Endless hobbit hole trails
The usual wave to the home owners
You actually went over his back garden to the bridleway
Heatwave makes for safe river crossings
huge fast descents make for huge climbs back up.
This village was stuck in the 50s
They only served tea, no coffee
This is a bridleway past the quarry, slightly abandoned
Im sure it is a playground to every kid.
Bridleway kicks out onto the driveway
Back brake threw the towel in, mad descent over rocks, then bleedin cows!
Last climb, down to three bar and 4 miles to go, no problem
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
its getting better covid hit me hard this time.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
If you ever fancy biking in Ireland...
Fly to Kerry. The car routes are also cycling ones. Irish drivers are careful and respectful. I could see many cyclists and e-bikers; for instance those climbing the Conor's Pass or merrily descending from Moll's Gap towards Killarney with astonishing views onto the lakes. (I can share GPX if you like). Car or a bike, always travel anti-clockwise or you would ride in a stream of tourist coaches! All (I say ALL) roads are quality asphalt.
The Priest's Leap route is scary but rewarding with unforgettable views! One route not mentioned here is Gap of Dunloe. A very narrow trail is occupied by cyclists and horse-drawn jaunting carts carrying tourists. I asked a French bike-packer about the impressions: "Beautiful?" -- "Hard" -- he sighed
On the other hand, he and his wife could complete the whole Ring of Kerry on their Specialized Diverges!
The hubs were: Castlemaine, Dingle, Valentia Island, Kenmare and Killarney. Castlemaine is of the top importance as it connects all the routes and is only 14 km from the airport (you can rent an e-bike in a place such as Dingle). A village with a wonderful guesthouse, an excellent restaurant and a grocery store: Why ask for more?
The Skellig Ring sported impressive cliffs but also a chocolate factory. Having a cup of hot chocolate made of genuine chocolate boosted our morale on one rainy Sunday
Oh, my, the area was so beautiful we got fed up with the views!
Fly to Kerry. The car routes are also cycling ones. Irish drivers are careful and respectful. I could see many cyclists and e-bikers; for instance those climbing the Conor's Pass or merrily descending from Moll's Gap towards Killarney with astonishing views onto the lakes. (I can share GPX if you like). Car or a bike, always travel anti-clockwise or you would ride in a stream of tourist coaches! All (I say ALL) roads are quality asphalt.
The Priest's Leap route is scary but rewarding with unforgettable views! One route not mentioned here is Gap of Dunloe. A very narrow trail is occupied by cyclists and horse-drawn jaunting carts carrying tourists. I asked a French bike-packer about the impressions: "Beautiful?" -- "Hard" -- he sighed
On the other hand, he and his wife could complete the whole Ring of Kerry on their Specialized Diverges!The hubs were: Castlemaine, Dingle, Valentia Island, Kenmare and Killarney. Castlemaine is of the top importance as it connects all the routes and is only 14 km from the airport (you can rent an e-bike in a place such as Dingle). A village with a wonderful guesthouse, an excellent restaurant and a grocery store: Why ask for more?
The Skellig Ring sported impressive cliffs but also a chocolate factory. Having a cup of hot chocolate made of genuine chocolate boosted our morale on one rainy Sunday
Oh, my, the area was so beautiful we got fed up with the views!
RabH
Well-Known Member
I had a bit of a rough day yesterday and didn't make it to the big car race meeting of the year at Knockhill, thankfully it was live on tv so I got to watch from the comfort of my armchair! Its not the same as being there though but the weather was truly awful all morning so that helped a little to console my disappointment! Thankfully it was just one of those annoying 24hr bugs and I was fine today, the weather was also very good so I just had to get out for a ride!
The back road to Hareshaw never fails to make me smile!
I made my way down into the Clyde Valley this time, the descent down into Crossford is just amazing!
The bridge over the River Clyde at Crossford!
I made sure I avoided the busy garden centres today and headed for Kirkfieldbank from Crossford and I was very pleased to see some new tarmac laid at Hazelbank, its just a shame I was climbing it today...I can't wait to check it out in the other direction!
From Kirkfieldbank I tackled the big climb up into Lanark, stopping part way up for this photo looking across the valley!
From Lanark I headed east towards Ravenstruther and Carstairs Village and I had some stunning views of Tinto Hill and the Pentland Hills along the way!
From Carstairs I continued east to Carnwath and took the back road north to Auchengray, its such a great road!
I continued north to Woolfords and had more stunning views of the Pentlands!
Cobbinshaw Reservoir!
I kept going north and the amazing roads just kept coming!
This descent is a scary one but what a buzz, always over 40mph! This stunning view of the Ochil Hills to the north added to the enjoyment today!
The amazing descents continued!
I was now heading towards Addiewell where I turned west towards Longridge, its a bit of a rough road but almost totally free of traffic! I decided to miss the big climb up through Longridge and turned west for Fauldhouse instead and headed for Shotts and Hartwood, the road from Shotts to Hartwood was the main reason I chose this route! Its just amazing with lots of fast twisty descents, the downside is the big climb up to Kirk of Shotts that comes after all the descents! On the way up I stopped for a couple of photos of the Emus, I think one is quite young but it was hard to tell because it wasn't for standing up....
Near the top of the climb I took the cracking back road to Hareshaw, it has been quite a while since I used this one so it was good to get back on the best road in my local area again! Its like this all the way with only 1 little climb, just incredible!
After passing through Hareshaw I used the back roads to home, some big climbs and some big fast descents! On the way up one of the climbs I stopped for some photos of these beautiful Clydesdale horses!
This one is very young and I was surprised when it came right over to the fence for a scratch!
Its mother stayed in the background and didn't mind it coming over to me...At the top of the climb I stopped for this photo, the Campsie Hills are way in the background!
One final photo near home with a much closer view of the Campsies!
This was just the lift I needed after feeling awful yesterday, I only need another 49 miles now to reach 5000 for the year! It was such a great ride in perfect cycling conditions, we have a mini heatwave arriving tomorrow and ending on Thursday...23-26C which is hot for this part of the world!
Attachments
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Scotlands looking dry, thats when you know its hot.
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Partial eclipse Wednesday for us, 93% blocked.
Next one is 2081, so it will be cloudy.
Next one is 2081, so it will be cloudy.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
A Brother Lost & Found
My first cousin (a.k.a. maternal brother) Zbyszek has found me after many years via Facebook! He lives in Cork Town, Ireland!
I'm going to pay him and his wife a visit still this August! He will take me to Kerry with his car and I intend to hire an e-bike in either Killarney or Kenmare!
Brother suggested I took the Gap of Dunloe to Blackwater, the heart of Gaeltacht (communities speaking Gaelic Irish). He would pick me up there and transport the e-bike back to the rental shop. I'm excited!
P.S. As we spoke, he suggested "Why don't you ride an old mountain road between Cork and Kerry?" -- I laughed and said -- "You wouldn't belive brother but I just drove a car via Priest's Leap..."
He meant the same route!
My first cousin (a.k.a. maternal brother) Zbyszek has found me after many years via Facebook! He lives in Cork Town, Ireland!
I'm going to pay him and his wife a visit still this August! He will take me to Kerry with his car and I intend to hire an e-bike in either Killarney or Kenmare!
Brother suggested I took the Gap of Dunloe to Blackwater, the heart of Gaeltacht (communities speaking Gaelic Irish). He would pick me up there and transport the e-bike back to the rental shop. I'm excited!
P.S. As we spoke, he suggested "Why don't you ride an old mountain road between Cork and Kerry?" -- I laughed and said -- "You wouldn't belive brother but I just drove a car via Priest's Leap..."
He meant the same route!Chargeride
Well-Known Member
My stepfather could speak Gaelic, scots and Irish can sort of understand each other , but it depends where each is from.
A maternal brother is a step brother surely?
A maternal brother is a step brother surely?
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
No no. In English, he is precisely a "first cousin", a son of my Mother's sister. We call such a relative a "paternal/maternal brother" in Central Poland (especially people of the older generation say that). For instance, my first cousin Jacek as well as his brother Piotr are sons of my Dad's brother, so they are "paternal brothers" to me. Naming a first cousin "brother/sister" helps improving family relationships.
Zbyszek (who is just five years older than I) has always been a kind of a mentor to me. Born and raised in Wrocław, he gave me a fascinating guided trip over his city when I was only 11. He, 16 years old knew all historical facts, and he also led me through a little dangerous neighbourhood to add up some thrill to our walk! Later in his life, he turned to be a modern windmill specialist for Scotland. He is certainly retired now.
Last edited:
