2020 : Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[RabH]

You're a living inspiration for me, Rab I could have returned by a commuter train but was fighting, as I wanted to make impression on you @RandallS is the witness: He reads my FB

You are making me blush, Stefan You impress and inspire me so the feeling is mutual!

 

[FlatSix911]

getting ready for a grocery run 42 degrees and it started raining of course. it stopped after a bit. my wife is blind but can see light and close so we wandered around looking at Christmas lights.
I would call out what side of the street they were on. I would look down streets to to see who had the most lights then go down that street. kinda looks like a drunk walking.
this map was not as crazy as the last time we did it. then I was all over the place. View attachment 74891

Congratulations on getting out with your wife! The bike lights look great... time to add some Christmas colors.

 

[Sierratim]

Congratulations on getting out with your wife! The bike lights look great... time to add some Christmas colors.

..and it's not too late to add some colored lights for a Christmas Eve ride!

 

[fooferdoggie]

Congratulations on getting out with your wife! The bike lights look great... time to add some Christmas colors.

hey they change to green and red and a bunch of colors so there. when my wife was using a little bluetooth speaker we had them synced to the music.

 

[PaD]

I haven’t been riding much during November and December, just a few shorter rides. weather has not been inspiring and too often I’ve found I don’t know where to ride.
I have however been walking to try to stay in shape. I walk 3-3.5 miles 5 days a week and have been doing that for several months. Try to keep walking speed 3.5mph.
It’s supposed to be winter in Sweden but it’s been above freezing temp. most days so far except for a few days last week of November.
So I post a photo from a walk that week in November and wish you all a Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday or whatever you prefer

 

[Stefan Mikes]

a Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday or whatever you prefer

Hi, PaD! I was missing you. My friend in NYC wrote an enlightening post about the difference between these two greetings just yesterday

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Bramki Xmas Eve Turbo Ride (Oh no! Raining AGAIN!)

It was unthinkable not to see my daughter Magda on Christmas Eve (that day is the most important to us Poles of all season holidays). I could have taken my car. I should have taken my car. Yet, the temperature of 9 C (48 F) was too tempting. Yes, the weather forecast predicted 0.1 mm of rainfall, meaning a drizzle in the worst case. I shouldn't have trusted the weather forecast...

As soon as I left Brwinów, it poured. I had insufficient clothes on me. Yet, my appointment was for 2 p.m. and I had no choice. Armed with the spare battery, I went in 100% Turbo mode and started pedalling very hard and fast. I was surprised how much of instant power my legs could deliver if I were really pressed.

Once I reached the Social Care Home in Bramki, my trousers, boots/e-socks and gloves were already soaked with rainwater. (Funnily enough, the heated socks worked!)

Because of the Holidays, visiting restrictions have been relieved at the Home. Magda and I could see each other and talk over a thick transparent film. We both were so happy to see each other!` Here, Magda demonstrating her Christmas Eve gift.

I'm very much afraid of catching cold. I had no stops en route today. I was just dreaming of reaching home, getting rid of wet clothes, taking a hot shower, and drinking warm tea. So I pedalled... Battery temperature reached 26 C (79 F) and the Vado motor reached 50 C (122 F) which is in the "yellow" or warning zone.

The averaged metrics do not reflect that but I was constantly pedalling at 100-160 W leg power with high occasional bursts, and I was maintaining the cadence of 85 to keep my body warm...

Happy & Healthy Holidays!

 

[john peck]

Why would you want to ride in a lush secluded forest, or on pristine beach trails under vibrant blue skies, when you can ride in this:

View attachment 43548

Been at least 15 years since I´ve been a a city like that; I get panicky just thinkin´ about it. I couldn´t live like that.

 

[Chargeride]

Bears Dancing in the Streets, or Warsaw Southern Bridge Grand Opening [RAINING]
Poland's Prime Minister Doesn't Like Being Disturbed by the Public!

Well, them bears dancing in the streets is the Bulgarian thing (as in the saying: "A hungry bear won't dance") and actually there were no bears to be seen on my Tuesday's ride but it didn't make it less interesting! I rode out on my Vado at 9:09 a.m. clad with four layers on my torso and three layers on my legs, plus e-socks. It was cold and windy; I rode quite fast in 50% Sport mode with traffic and reached the first waypoint -- Jazza's place -- in less than 51 minutes!

Jazza was waiting for me: A large comfortable chair next to the heater (so I could rest my feet and warm them up) and excellent coffee. We both were enjoying presence of Frezja (Bernese Mountain bitch) and talking. Meanwhile, it started raining... and it was only getting worse for the rest of the day! I put my clothes on -- also set e-socks to Level 1-- and continued the ride with traffic -- over very straight sequence of streets -- to reach the Wilanów Royal Palace.

View attachment 74894
Wilanów (Villa Nova) is a 17 c. palace of our most successful King Jan III Sobieski, the victor of Vienna (1683) who actually drove out the Turkish from Europe. I had a nice talk with a ticket inspector (she even gave me a free ticket I had no time to use!) and then a security guard came over. We had an unpleasant quarrel as it turned out I was not allowed to even walk my bike there! Irritated, I continued my ride, because...

View attachment 74895
...the latest of Warsaw bridges (the eleventh of them), the Southern Bridge was to be opened on the day! I lost my way but @Jerzy Bańkowski was guiding me on Facebook and by phone, so finally I could see this: the bike ramp at the southern side of the new river crossing.

At that point, my "waterproof" motorcycle gloves were already soaked with rainwater. I changed them to thick winter ones.

View attachment 74896
How strange... No cars there?! (Interestingly, the bridge has been constructed by a Turkish firm: Poor King Jan the Third!)

View attachment 74898
An unnamed sandy island southwards of the bridge.

It soon turned out why the bridge was empty. I was approached by an extremely polite policeman:
-- How can I help you? -- I started the conversation
-- Sir! You cannot continue your ride! I suggest you ride back. You see, the bridge opening is happening right now, and Mr Prime Minister and the Voivod (the governor) don't want to be disturbed by the public! -- How odd. One might think those guys had been public servants...
-- I'll rather wait, sir -- I replied -- I've already ridden for thirty-eight kilometres to cross the bridge...
-- Let him go! -- the policeman's partner shouted -- I think them have already left the place!

No, it was not over When I continued the ride, I could see a canopy, under which a large group of politicians stood, being televised. No public, though...

View attachment 74899
On the descent over a MUP. My next destination was Makenzen's place. We had agreed with Joanna I would ride up to her and we would both go back to ride over the northern bike path of the bridge.

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At the Wał Miedzeszyński (a Wall, or Enbankment) in the Praga South, a right-bank Warsaw quarter. Drivers are patiently waiting until the PM finishes his auto-promotion on the telly

I found the Makenzen's place, dried some clothes a little, had a mug of warm tea and we went back together with Joanna onto the Bridge. Joanna is an avid cyclist, owning no less than four recumbent bikes! I'm so jealous she can make over 100 mile trip with 4000 ft of elevation gain a day! She's been my cyclist ideal and I still do whatever I can to match her achievements on e-bike!

View attachment 74903
"Luke, I'm your father! Nooooo!" - or Lord Darth Vader treading the national flag Nowadays with our Nationalist government, they call everything "National". Joanna's guess is, the new bridge would be named "National" soon. And the unnamed island, too!

View attachment 74904
Me & Makenzen on the virgin Southern Bridge ride (the north bridge section).
The weather was getting worse and worse! From constant raining to the downpour, combined with strong wind and cold. Below the bridge at the Wilanów side, I had to fix the saddle and had an "S-Pedelec talk" with a group of construction workers (only Poles, and a single Ukrainian). The number plate on my Vado certainly attracts attention!

The night fell. I was riding hard with traffic towards home. At some point, the batteries in my heated socks went flat and I started suffering. I covered the last segment in the Turbo mode.

View attachment 74905
Ride map.

View attachment 74958
Detailed map.


View attachment 74906
Ride metrics.

At home, it turned out any piece of my clothing was soaked with rainwater! Yet, I felt no cold. The modern cycling clothes are good, really good... (Don't catch the cold, Stefan!)

Im feeling an ever growing connection between Poland and the UK after we finally spit our dummy out and send Europe in a different direction.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

after we finally spit our dummy out and send Europe in a different direction.

May I refrain from making any comment?

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Christmas Day, at last …

Yarra River​

This is the view from where I am sitting on the veranda at this moment. Just a few more days with the family and then back north.

Anything different from the average backyard? Anti-bunny rabbit netting over the vegetable patch? Yes, but that's not too unusual. Look beyond the right bench: ventilators coming out of the ground. Ah, that's a bit odd: firestorm bunker below!

Time to go for another ride: 20º max today, pleasant cycling weather following the cooler and wetter days that we've just had. Oh, and I'd best not forget being with the family!

 

[Jetsfan901]

Just some pics from my post covid ride today. Manhattan skyline from Roosevelt Island and Long Island City. And my OCD kicked in when I got home and gave it a quick shower..Never would have known there was a lighthouse on Roosevelt Island if not for my bikes..

 

[Sierratim]

Christmas Day, at last …

View attachment 75029

Yarra River​

This is the view from where I am sitting on the veranda at this moment. Just a few more days with the family and then back north.

Anything different from the average backyard? Anti-bunny rabbit netting over the vegetable patch? Yes, but that's not too unusual. Look beyond the right bench: ventilators coming out of the ground. Ah, that's a bit odd: firestorm bunker below!

Time to go for another ride: 20º max today, pleasant cycling weather following the cooler and wetter days that we've just had. Oh, and I'd best not forget being with the family!

No bunny netting for us, we use deer resistant fencing around the raised garden beds.

 

[Twin Valley]

No bunny netting for us, we use deer resistant fencing around the raised garden beds.

I noticed David's family has that as well, some kind of page wire with a couple strands of barb wire on top (maybe?) had me thinking of kangaroos or at least some kind of Aussie critter bigger than the bunny

 

[FlatSix911]

Merry Christmas! The Beaches in Carmel are almost empty...

 

[Dallant]

Merry Christmas to all!

 

[Deleted member 18083]

I noticed David's family has that as well, some kind of page wire with a couple strands of barb wire on top (maybe?) had me thinking of kangaroos or at least some kind of Aussie critter bigger than the bunny.

Indeed, the rabbit and wallaby-proof fence has been heightened with electric fence tape (visible but not connected) to keep feral deer in their place. (Santa's sleigh-pullers excepted.)

An extra helping of Christmas pudding for TV!

The devil is in the detail: a zoomed-in fragment of the image…

 

[Chargeride]

May I refrain from making any comment?

Feel free, I'm open to all sides of the discussion, a breakup is always two arguments.

 

[FlatSix911]

A few more photos from my ride on Christmas day...

 

[PatriciaK]

Merry Christmas! The Beaches in Carmel are almost empty...

View attachment 75093 View attachment 75094 View attachment 75095 View attachment 75096

Beautiful pics! Merry Christmas!