2020 : Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Stefan Mikes]

Yeah, like I was waiting for a pic on the 45 degree, 100% grade incline.

Won't happen soon. The Siekierkowski Slab requires driving to Warsaw and a companion to do the movie (and to call the ambulance, should it be necessary) There's another Slab used by skateboard stuntmen near to the place my brethren live, similar angle, three times as tall. Unluckily, the next weekend means a long group ride using the Vado, and the Vado wouldn't make it. Some time in the future for sure! (Though I'm afraid again!)

 

[byunbee]

North, across the Columbia river and about 60 miles (96 km) away... 40 years ago today this prominent in the Pacific Northwest in the state of Washington erupted.

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At 8:32a.m. Pacific time, volcanologist David Johnston made a radio call, "Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!" He was camped on a ridge 6 miles (10 km) to the north studying the volcanic activity when a magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurred, signaling the beginning of the eruption, he was never heard from or seen again.

The eruption of Mt. Saint Helens sent an estimated 540 million tons of ash up to 80,000 feet into the air spreading over 11 states and 2 Canadian provinces. At the time I lived 977 miles (1572 km) east-southeast of the volcano and cleaned a good amount of ash from my vehicle a day or two later.


The picture above and the next pictures were taken in an area south of Portland known as Skyland... some incredible views and real estate.

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That mountain in the horizon reminds me of Mt. Fuji.

 

[byunbee]

I've been off the bike a few weeks on account of a tumble. Fear not, nary a scratch on my new bike - my parenting instincts kicked in and my chin and knee took the weight of the fall. Phew!

So healed knee and jaw that can once again clench, strong headwind, icy 12 degrees out (ahem, celcius - cold for our temperate climes), perfect night for a ride!

And it was. Night riding is that bit more exhilerating. There's a quality of the 'other' about it, it's not an activity I'm accustomed to so it's that bit more exciting. Plus you have the tracks and roads to yourself.

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OMG!!! It's the Slender Man!!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

That mountain in the horizon reminds me of Mt. Fuji.

It looked much more like Mt. Fuji before the 1980 eruption that removed the top 1500 feet from the mountain.

2560px-St_Helens_before_1980_eruption_horizon_fixed.jpg

 

[Twin Valley]

today's ride to the "headwaters" of the Columbia River as it begins it's 2000 km journey to the Pacific via British Columbia, Washington State and Oregon

 

[Stefan Mikes]

today's ride to the "headwaters" of the Columbia River as it begins it's 2000 km journey to the Pacific via British Columbia, Washington State and Oregon View attachment 53380

A very nice e-bike!

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Goodwill remembered …

Goodwill Bridge across the Brisbane River.​

The second half of 2001 when the Goodwill Bridge was opened to cyclists and pedestrians was not the best of times.

During the 1980s the Olympic Games were in disarray. In late 1979, ten years after I had made my unaccompanied way across Afghanistan, the Russians invaded that determinedly-dysfunctional land. Sixty-six countries boycotted the Moscow Olympics the following year and, not surprisingly, the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc countries retaliated by staying away from the next Games in Los Angeles.

Enter Ted Turner and his alternative to the Olympics. Held every four years between 1986 (Moscow) and 2001 (Brisbane), the short-lived Goodwill Games were to be 'above politics'. (Yes, there's a glitch in the mathematics but that's about to happen to the Olympics, too!)

The Goodwill Games closed forever on 2001-09-09 and their final host city named the new cycle and pedestrian river crossing the Goodwill Bridge in their memory.

Two days after Turner's dream ended, the world was shaken by the most dreadful demonstration of hate-Laden ill will.

 

[FlatSix911]

Memorial Day Ride... remember the fallen.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Why you need to be young and fit… or have an ebike!

Brisbane seen from Mount Coot-tha.​

Every self-respecting Brisbane roadie zooms to the top of Mount Coot-tha and hurtles back down to the city. Training! The over-enthusiastic do a few laps. Those were the days.

With an ebike the climb is still doable but I am always tempted to stop for the view. Downhill is still easy, and fast, but I am no longer tempted to let the speedo equal my age. That's one thing that has become more difficult – actually off limits – despite power assist and hydraulic brakes.

• View is looking east, towards Brisbane Central and Moreton Bay.
• 'Hills' on the horizon (left and centre) are actually islands separating Moreton Bay from Pacific Ocean.
• Brisbane River flows in from our left, winds around towards us (just visible) and then turns back on itself to pass to the right of the city centre before meandering off towards the bay.

• A — Mount Coot-tha viewpoint.
• B — Brisbane River seen in photo.
• C — City centre.

 

[pmcdonald]

Today is National Sorry Day here in Australia. It is a day to pause and reflect on the government policies of forceable removal of children from their Indigenous families. The reverberations of these policies - merely some of the more recent examples of our brutal history - reverberate with devastating consequences today.

It's a story all too familiar around the world.

I chewed these thoughts over on my ride tonight. (I rode through beautiful Awabakal land at the mouth of the Hunter, where dunes and swamps and pockets of remanent rainforest sit wind swept and rain drenched after a big downpour.) I looked up at one point and saw a Tawny Frogmouth sitting on an old railway sign eyeing me warily.

Somewhere in our kids book collection there's a Dreaming tale featuring a Tawny Frogmouth. I can't find a copy online so this beautiful account from D'harawal dreaming stories (https://dharawalstories.com/) offers a wonderful substitute:

https://dharawalstories.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/muggago-binnit10-5mb.pdf

 

[Chargeride]

Heres my first ebike build on the beach which is about 1/2 a mile from the house.
Its a weird Muddyfox frame teamed up to chinese DH forks.
Suspension was dreadfull, it finally snapped the rear stay and that rear wheel is on my new bike.

 

[bob armani]

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:

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Elliot-You really hit my funny bone on this post. This is more like the landscape I am used to living in a large Midwestern city. Being down under must be a real treat for city dwellers. Cheers!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

I think I found the greatest road ever. With a little bit of work it would be an awesome flow trail. Of course, I had to pay the price and went over the handlebars. The bike is fine, I have no injuries except a few scrapes and wounded pride, but the metal frame on my handlebar bag is bent and I need to figure out how to bend it back.

 

[Cowlitz]

I had no plans. I just rode that way for 10 miles and came back this way so as to get 20. I figured I'd have the nasty wind at my back on the way home but it switched direction so as to be a headwind again, except for the side gusts.

Here is where I turned around. This is Salmon Creek.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The Inner KPN Loop
(Or, Testing the Trance E+ 500 Wh Range and Performance Off-Road)

The night was rainy and cold. The morning was cold and the skies were overcast. Yet my decision was firm: I wanted to ride off-road. Period. Meanwhile Jacek was bombing my Messenger: "Brother, I want a ride together with you after work. I'm done at 16:00 and could be waiting for you in Truskaw at 16:20" -- to which my reply was -- "Jacek, it is hard for me to even estimate how long it takes to complete my ride. Yet my feeling is if I started in Leszno at noon, we could have a rendezvous somewhere around Truskaw after 4 p.m. Track my position in Endomondo and ride to intercept me en route! -- "Agreed."

My feeling about weather was correct. The skies cleared up, sun shone. With 18 C and mighty sunshine, it was enough to wear the base layer and even the bibs were almost an overkill. The wind that had been bugging me for the whole winter was now a pleasant coolant for my body overheated with effort. Because yes, I had a solid workout. I was not aware riding off-road was really harder than zooming roads. I had to use PAS 2 (called Basic or Eco+ by Giant) for off-road and PAS 1 (just Eco) for easy segments and for maintaining the battery range. I failed having the pedal-assist 3 km from the destination! Read on!

The Kampinos National Park (KPN) consists of sand dunes and wooded marshes. There are very few bike trails and not many fire-roads there. I would estimate about the third of the off-road trails as consisting of sand. I will never regret buying my Giant Trance E+ e-MTB: No fear of sand anymore! The 2.6" tyres and the full suspension make the ride in such terrain just a pleasure although adrenalin level is high There was a large clearing just filled with deep sand; my Monster was sliding and swerving, yet we both made it! What a beauty that e-bike!

The single track was overgrown with bushes; the handlebar grip caught some leaves. A helmet and gloves were strongly recommended for the ride. Luckily, no face-mask is required to be worn inside National Parks anymore.

On the Green Bike Trail in the KPN. The whole trail is 144 km and it is beyond my capabilities yet. There are shelters and information tables for tourists on the trail. My first rest took place near to remnants of a 12 c. burgh.

A perfect day. Here, at the 20th kilometre, I ate some cheese and re-planned the route. The original ride plan seemed to keep me on-road too often. I revised the plan to mostly ride off-road. Regarding the food, I was pretty tired and very hungry around the 34th kilometre, so I bought me a large piece of strawberry cake there!

I was extremely happy at that point. The route stats didn't matter anymore. I was sitting in the grass, enjoying the hot sunshine. It was burning through my trousers!
I realised that I would have to be using only the Eco mode from that point to make back to Leszno on the battery.

At the Northern Edge Trail. It is in fact the Vistula River flood-bank. The area at the right hand side is one of many strict Nature reservations, and the river would be even farther on the right hand side were it visible. I walked the Monster up the bank... oh, wait. It was Monster who walked me up the bank! I had to run upwards to catch up with the bike! It was pulling me up, so strong the Walk function in the Trance was!

Out of sudden, I found myself on the Palmiry road, which I was already riding only two days before with Piotr. As you can see, it was the Eco mode and rather low speed (uphill, true). The 42 km "estimated range" was a grim joke. I had only 25 km more to cover and the battery got flat just 3 km before the destination.

Our rendezvous with Jacek took place on that dreaded cobblestone Palmiry - Truskaw road. Jacek was surprised how easy it was to meet each other on the route! By the way, Jacek made 67 km on that very day, just as after-work pastime. True, he made most of it on-road.

Oh, no! The battery cut the motor off and stayed at 1% just 3 km before Leszno. Mind you, these were sandy trails. I had a tremendous workout on pedals only at that last trip segment. Had no choice though. The speed was 10-13 km/h. Jacek was assisting me with his presence and words of encouragement.

"Have the rest of water and let's ride on!". For your information, the 500 Wh Giant EnergyPak was good for 40 miles sharp.

The counters as documented in Leszno. I was so hungry! There was a supermarket nearby so I ate a mini-pizza, another onion-mini-pizza and a frankfurter

18 C, sunny.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

A gentle start to the day …

Redland Bay, Queensland​

I paused to take this photo at the beginning of the ride (red dot). The view is NNE with the furthest point in the photo being where the ferry leaves for the islands (dotted white lines on map).

The 'spikes' in the right foreground are a mangrove's aerating roots.

The ride? A dozy dawdle but thoroughly enjoyable.

Southern Moreton Bay​

 

[Chargeride]

I think I found the greatest road ever. With a little bit of work it would be an awesome flow trail. Of course, I had to pay the price and went over the handlebars. The bike is fine, I have no injuries except a few scrapes and wounded pride, but the metal frame on my handlebar bag is bent and I need to figure out how to bend it back.

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That lake...its soooo hot here this week..lockdown is falling apart.

 

[RabH]

No ride yesterday as my motorbike had to go for its annual test which it passed with flying colours! I had to take it for a little ride after the test to make sure it really was in tip top condition... While I was waiting for the garage to complete the test I walked to a local canal to have my lunch and I was greeted with this wonderful sight!

Back on the e bike today for a glorious 41 mile trip, it was a little cooler today but perfect for cycling! Lots of ups and downs once again which is my bread and butter, ridewithgps said my max speed was 44.8mph but my gps said 45.4 so I'm having that! 576 miles now covered this month with a few days to go so I should beat last months 627 miles all going well, although I may have to look after my sick dad tomorrow! From tomorrow our temps are going to increase to around 20/24C so I will be going for early morning rides when its a bit cooler...I don't like heat!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

That lake...its soooo hot here this week..lockdown is falling apart.

Generally my favorite spots for a swim in these parts are in rivers. There's an abandoned bridge site about two miles from my house where you can jump ten feet from the pilings into a pool about twenty feet deep. The water is swift but you quickly wash into a shallow riffle downstream where you can easily walk out. Of course the water here is freezing cold, especially this time of year.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

No wind and no hills …

On Wednesday I spent a perfect autumn day riding the southern section of the Moreton Bay Cycleway. Here, in the Redland Bay region, the bike path is separated from the calm waters of the bay by mangroves or a low rock wall.