2020 : Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Mulezen]

Looking at the weather conditions in some recent posts I'm almost (but not quite) embarrassed to post. The pictures are from several rides this week but it's my short ones w/o pictures I'll start with. I took a short one today (11miles) I hit my short steep decline where I push it as much as the gearing allows...the road with its ski jump short finish was on my homestretch as I enjoyed it in the low 30s a young blade-thin spandex drifted by me...not good at where we were but all was well as we floated along the bottom me, in Turbo now, catching up and actually holding back as we ran back up the undulating hills back up. I was polite enough not to pass him but still stayed right on his butt. A few times he looked back as if to say "will not someone rid me of the troublesome priest."
Earlier in the week on a whim and challenge to my torn rotator I turned off the busy section of road I was on to cut through Bobby Lloyd's 3000 acreage farm. I had years past walked a bit of it from my place but never where I was traveling now. The recent record rains would prove a challenge but I wished to try out my Schwalbe Mondials on rougher terrain. They did well through the washout as well as the rutted farm tracks. IDespite saving two miles I saved no time. No the smartest move for my ancient body but it was interesting to see the Nunnery (TY Hamlet) from the rear. I'm told by someone who played back there in the 1950's there is a grinding wheel, and also debris from moonshine ventures.

These other pictures were taken during a long ride (for me). I'll begin with Echo Meadows where on misty early mornings looks spooky enough for anything to come marching out. Just across the road its guardian stands ready.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Mulezen, @Dallant, @Alaskan - as you all ride TREK e-bikes:
On my latest ride, I met a roadie riding a Trek Domane (traditional road bike). I was talking with him and mentioned the Domane+. His reply was:
-- Yes, I'm aware of that e-bike. Will buy it -- or a similar e-bike -- after 20 years

He looked 40 to me

 

[Mulezen]

Let him develop an ailment and he will change his mind. I was 69 when I hung up my Giant CoMax

 

[Art Deco]

@Mulezen, @Dallant, @Alaskan - as you all ride TREK e-bikes:
On my latest ride, I met a roadie riding a Trek Domane (traditional road bike). I was talking with him and mentioned the Domane+. His reply was:
-- Yes, I'm aware of that e-bike. Will buy it -- or a similar e-bike -- after 20 years

He looked 40 to me

That would put him right in the EBR demographic.

 

[Art Deco]

Looking at the weather conditions in some recent posts I'm almost (but not quite) embarrassed to post. The pictures are from several rides this week but it's my short ones w/o pictures I'll start with. I took a short one today (11miles) I hit my short steep decline where I push it as much as the gearing allows...the road with its ski jump short finish was on my homestretch as I enjoyed it in the low 30s a young blade-thin spandex drifted by me...not good at where we were but all was well as we floated along the bottom me, in Turbo now, catching up and actually holding back as we ran back up the undulating hills back up. I was polite enough not to pass him but still stayed right on his butt. A few times he looked back as if to say "will not someone rid me of the troublesome priest."
Earlier in the week on a whim and challenge to my torn rotator I turned off the busy section of road I was on to cut through Bobby Lloyd's 3000 acreage farm. I had years past walked a bit of it from my place but never where I was traveling now. The recent record rains would prove a challenge but I wished to try out my Schwalbe Mondials on rougher terrain. They did well through the washout as well as the rutted farm tracks. IDespite saving two miles I saved no time. No the smartest move for my ancient body but it was interesting to see the Nunnery (TY Hamlet) from the rear. I'm told by someone who played back there in the 1950's there is a grinding wheel, and also debris from moonshine ventures.
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These other pictures were taken during a long ride (for me). I'll begin with Echo Meadows where on misty early mornings looks spooky enough for anything to come marching out. Just across the road its guardian stands ready.
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Nice. Empty road and big sky.

 

[Chargeride]

I remember 1976 being a scorcher of a summer but I don't remember snow like that in the winter, however either 1985 or 1986 we had a massive snowfall...my car was buried for over a week outside my house! Luckily in those days I lived right next to my workplace!

I might have that wrong was it 77?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I cannot say anything about the UK but Poland got its most severe Winter hit in 1978-1979, with the first dramatic snowfall and attack of frost on New Year's Eve 1978.

 

[Chargeride]

I cannot say anything about the UK but Poland got its most severe Winter hit in 1978-1979, with the first dramatic snowfall and attack of frost on New Year's Eve 1978.

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Ha thats exactly what happened to me!

 

[Chargeride]

2010 was a bad one too, I used to repair boilers back then and I earned a fortune in one day doing emergency repairs for an insurance company.
Which is epic.
7am to 11pm in my 4x4 going to remote villages...I'd have done it for free

 

[Chargeride]

The music a bit annoying, which I always say, cant be arsed changing it...just a range test in the dunes, starting at Joseph Bruce Ismays house, builder of the Titanic for some novelty.
Speeded up 2X as usual and a few accidently mirrored shots, because I made it with a few drinks, so dont think Im going back on myself.
I might have mentioned this before , all the rubble Im riding over is all the bombed buildings from Liverpool after ww2, they dumped the lot to protect the dunes, but 80 years later its starting to fall out as they receed.
In Ismays day there was no sea wall or lake and the dunes extended from his house to mile out, with luxury buildings in them, it was a millionaires paradise, the Captain lived in a smaller house in the same road.
Its now quite tatty, but slowly being regenerated and becoming very trendy for young with money to spend.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

2010 was a bad one too

Of the latest Polish winters, the one starting in October 2012, and continuing for six months was really hard. With the first October frost, I discovered my boiler dead...

Easter 2013, March 31st.

 

[Chargeride]

Of the latest Polish winters, the one starting in October 2012, and continuing for six months was really hard. With the first October frost, I discovered my boiler dead...

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Easter 2013, March 31st.

Its always the condense pipe, combi boilers are not a good invention.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I meant a gas-furnace for heating my home.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

The music a bit annoying, which I always say, cant be arsed changing it...just a range test in the dunes, starting at Joseph Bruce Ismays house, builder of the Titanic for some novelty.
Speeded up 2X as usual and a few accidently mirrored shots, because I made it with a few drinks, so dont think Im going back on myself.
I might have mentioned this before , all the rubble Im riding over is all the bombed buildings from Liverpool after ww2, they dumped the lot to protect the dunes, but 80 years later its starting to fall out as they receed.
In Ismays day there was no sea wall or lake and the dunes extended from his house to mile out, with luxury buildings in them, it was a millionaires paradise, the Captain lived in a smaller house in the same road.
Its now quite tatty, but slowly being regenerated and becoming very trendy for young with money to spend.

That looks fantastic fun!! Some well deserved cheesy chips at the end there too. And I love the Anthony Gormley figures sticking out of the sands, all lonely and rust/salt encrusted, very powerful. I hadn't given much thought to fat bikes in UK, thinking they are best suited to vast continental snowy landscapes or deserts. Never thought of dunes and coastline. Really looked fun to ride with plenty of technical riding, plenty of interest to see - I find the shoreline endlessly interesting - and a good 29 mile run. Brilliant!

 

[Readytoride]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Well, maybe. But when it comes to ebikes vs. a non-ebike, you can easily sum up a description with a few captions digitally slapped on the picture. Like this:

See? Doesn't take a thousand words. Just a few strategically placed ones.

However, I can add that the ride yesterday with @jabberwocky (hereinafter referred to as "J") and his lovely, fun wife (whom we shall call "Mrs. J" in this rendition) was exceptional once again. Perfect jacket weather - two jackets for me, one for Mrs. J, and only t-shirt for J who must have a thicker hide than the two ladies to not feel the chilly air. J probably had no need of a jacket as he, alone, would be on an analog bike which was bound to help him work up a healthy sweat, especially on the lovely roller coaster route I had planned.

Suffice to say that conversation filled our scenic ride along the gravel roads of southwestern Loudoun County, so not too many photographs were taken except when we stopped to regroup. (J did get some nice photos so hopefully he'll share them in a following post). Mrs. J and I have the same riding style, so we found ourselves riding most often side by side, chatting, while J got his kicks and giggles in hilariously zooming between us going downhill like a kid just let out from school. Mrs. J and I both stand in awe of anyone that can rocket down a gravel road hill with complete abandon. We are more the "brake in the downhills and rocket the uphills" personality types.

And this 26 mile route gave all of us ample opportunity to find that bliss.

Mrs. J above, and R2R below, at the Beaverdamn low water bridge crossing. When the creek floods the waters overrun the roads sometimes close to a foot deep.

We also found that getting your feet wet halfway through the ride by crossing a creek ford when the temps hover in the chilly range means your toes turn to blocks of ice pretty quickly just moments later. I had honestly thought the creek would be reduced in width because of the lack of rain recently. Nope. It was just as wide as always, and just as deep - my feet being the first to tell me that when the silt and sand swale bogged my wheels down just a few feet from the other side, forcing me to ignominiously walk my bike the rest of the way. J bombed right through the water, of course, making huge waves and having a blast. Easy peazy on an analog bike where water is no object. Mrs. J capabibly handled the creek with both ease and grace, pedaling through on the underwater swale without breaking stride to show us how it should be done. Of course, once on dry land on the opposite side I was treated to the engaging and very funny story of how she had first handled crossing this creek on the electric bike, going full tilt into the big underwater hole in the center which, by virtue of the sheer volume of water and depth of the hole, brought her to a complete stop whereby she slowly tipped over, submerging both herself and J's ebike. J claimed he was sure the ebike floated for a second before going under. The bike, to no ones surprise, was obviously astonished at the unexpected dunking and thus miffed enough to refuse to turn itself back after its rescue back to dry land. J said the bike wouldn't turn on until it had dried out the next day. So Mrs. J was forced to do the "walk of shame" up the hill to where she and J had parked their car.

Riding through water, like snow, is a great opportunity to garner memorable stories.

The day was rapidly getting chiller and chiller by the time we summited the last hill for home. Mrs. J and I were (once again) waiting for J to slog up the final short but viciously steep hill when an elderly neighbor driving past in his exhausted old work pickup stopped to tell us ladies how impressed he was that we had ridden "all this way" from where he had seen us first about 15 miles down the road. I thought that was sweet of him that he got a kick out of seeing us twice so many miles apart, especially ending up in his neighborhood. I have never contemplated what people think of a cyclist when they see us at one spot, and then later at another a significant distance apart. Crazy? Yes, acording the the scruffy old gentleman in the tired pickup, although he wasn't going to call us crazy until I freely announced the title first. But he sure was thinking it, he laughed, before heading his truck down the gravel hill in a rattle of loose farm equipment in the bed and a cloud of exhaust.

By then J had crested the hill, and we made the final downhill back to my farm for a final photo op before hustling to get the bikes loaded and into someplace warm (them in their car to head home with the heater on, and me into the house for dry socks) because our feet were FROZEN. Next time I'm carrying extra socks to put on after I cross that creek.

Next time we'll head south to enjoy my favorite route in Fauquier County....weather gods permitting of course. This coming week will see us bundling up for colder weather for sure.

 

[Art Deco]

I cannot say anything about the UK but Poland got its most severe Winter hit in 1978-1979, with the first dramatic snowfall and attack of frost on New Year's Eve 1978.

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Terrorizing.

 

[jabberwocky]

My pics of our outing. As readytoride said, I spent most of the day off the back. I think my comment at the top of every hill (as I finally catch up to the ladies watching me bemusedly) was "you guys probably don't realize it, but that was actually a fairly substantial hill!"

Super fun day. Mrs jabber and readytoride had a very nice group ride, and I had fun chasing them!

 

[RabH]

@Chargeride I don't recall any major snowfalls in the 70's but it may have been a different story in your part of the world! Back then we were guaranteed lots of snow every year though!

It was a very chilly day (-3C when I set off) but I was determined to do another 50 miler, it never really warmed up any but it was still a fun ride due to the lack of wind, always a bonus at this time of year! Some of the downhills were taken very gingerly today, I just couldn't trust the roads which were very slippy at times! It was one of those days when the climbs were more enjoyable and there were plenty of them, best way to keep warm! I had to stick to the main roads today but being a Sunday they were quiet for the most part!

 

[Art Deco]

The music a bit annoying, which I always say, cant be arsed changing it...just a range test in the dunes, starting at Joseph Bruce Ismays house, builder of the Titanic for some novelty.
Speeded up 2X as usual and a few accidently mirrored shots, because I made it with a few drinks, so dont think Im going back on myself.
I might have mentioned this before , all the rubble Im riding over is all the bombed buildings from Liverpool after ww2, they dumped the lot to protect the dunes, but 80 years later its starting to fall out as they receed.
In Ismays day there was no sea wall or lake and the dunes extended from his house to mile out, with luxury buildings in them, it was a millionaires paradise, the Captain lived in a smaller house in the same road.
Its now quite tatty, but slowly being regenerated and becoming very trendy for young with money to spend.

OK, that bike can go anywhere. Anywhere at all.

 

[JES2020]

I cannot say anything about the UK but Poland got its most severe Winter hit in 1978-1979, with the first dramatic snowfall and attack of frost on New Year's Eve 1978.

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Someone should warn that guy ...THERE'S A TRAIN COMING !