2020 : Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Chargeride]

Not the way ahead …
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Thompsons Beach, Redland Bay, QLD​

This ramp is quite useless for launching a boat. What on earth, or sea, were its designers thinking of! Boat ramps need to be steep (within reason, of course) so that the trailer is properly in the water and the wheels of the towing vehicle are decidedly out of it.

Thirty or forty years ago, I visited this place with my father who had spent his war years servicing and crewing PBY Catalinas and Short Sunderlands. He immediately recognised the ramp for what it had been or, more exactly, what it should have been.

During the nineteen-fifties and sixties this stretch of water was Brisbane's international airport. Could there be anywhere in the world as idyllic to 'land' a flying boat? (Answer: Yes, many places!)

In the 1970s along came jet airliners and the flying boats' days as long-distance passenger aircraft were over. The first aircraft that I flew in was a de Havilland Comet (from Blantyre, Malawi, to Dar es Salaam and return; sometime in the 1960s). Surely, the Comets were the most beautiful jet airliners ever built; however, you did need to be brave to fly in them.

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As far as I can find out, the old Grumman G-73 amphibian (built 1947, current registration N2950) is enjoying a quiet but still active retirement in southern California.

You flew in a Comet!

 

[jabberwocky]

You are so lucky to have such expanses of nature, I'd come over except I hear the entire nation is on fire with looters.
I'll wait till the shooting stops

Just get a gun and shoot back. Its the american way!

They should strive to be more like us Virginians.

As a PA transplant whose family is from the midwest, it has always amused me that Virginias redneck population sincerely believes they are different than the midwest variety.

My better half grew up in this area, and I'm still tempted to argue with her whenever she refers to NoVA as the south. That line has been creeping south for decades. I'd probably put it somewhere around Culpepper now, as much as some of Loudoun and Fauquier would like to think otherwise.

 

[Mulezen]

Another point of view in case the reader misses the gleam in R2R’s eye. Virginia invented the concept of the redneck. They know how to fire a still, roll coal from their ten foot high Pick’em’up but have to buy ebikes (Trek) from the Midwest though it’s unlikely the thought ever passed their minds. I agree with jaberwocky mostly. I live amidst confederate flags in Central VA and was raised around DC in the 50’s where because of dad’s business as Country music promoter and TV producer the most prominent hillbillies in the nation rolled through. Some my mom from proper NY hated for their low down ways (she wrote checks to Roy Clark for 3 years...”a drunk forever chasing other people’s wives“) others like the ethereal Patsy Cline she allowed to babysit us kids.
I remind R2R that it wasn’t Grant who burned Richmond. Unfortunately things remain as Faulkner wrote ‘the past isn’t even passed yet.’ Witness Charlottsville

 

[Deleted member 18083]

You flew in a Comet!

And survived!

de Havilland Comet 4S (5Y-AA0, East African Airways)
Blantyre, Malawi, 1968​

Yes, passengers really did board on the right side and, all going well, clambered down that way later.

This was the final version of the Comet. A quick internet search reveals that it had been 'reskinned' – I'm not going to check on what that means! – before being leased to EAA. The year after I flew in this beauty, it was returned to the UK with 'severe corrosion issues' and used 'for spares'.

 

[Chargeride]

And survived!

View attachment 53694

de Havilland Comet 4S (5Y-AA0, East African Airways)
Blantyre, Malawi, 1968​

Yes, passengers really did board on the right side and, all going well, clambered down that way later.

This was the final version of the Comet. A quick internet search reveals that it had been 'reskinned' – I'm not going to check on what that means! – before being leased to EAA. The year after I flew in this beauty, it was returned to the UK and used for spares.

Round windows.....check.

 

[Readytoride]

Ya'all are funny. The verable Father of Our Country and our first president , Geo. Washington, came from Virginia, as did president Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry of "Give me liberty or give me death" fame, presidents Madison and Monroe, Pocahontas who led Lewis and Clark all the way across the US to the Pacific Ocean (she was the only one who would stop and ask for directions), presidents Tyler and Taylor, and I could go on and on quoting Wikipedia.

Least we forget, at one time the whole of the US was Virginia. That's when manners ruled and before trashy rednecks encamped on our august soils. We don't like those Mountain Williams (read this as "hillbillies") any more than the rest of ya'all.

Jaberwocky - I believe the defacto North/South line is Rappahannock County, VA these days. Or so my one southern leaning friend tells me.

Used to see the Confederate flag flying here and there a while ago, but not so much anymore. The only ones I've seen lately have been in the graveyards on Memorial Day. Small flags, pushed into the ground at the head of tombstones of those who had fought and died in the War of Northern Aggression. I think the Daughters of the Confederacy put them there, but not sure.

(And in the case of our friends from other countries, rest assured my comments are just lighthearted fun poking with a stick named satire since I'm actually a Northern Virginian who drives an electric car and has electric bikes - one from California (used to live there when the Beach Boys were #1 - wanted to live there forever. Loved it!), and two from Taiwan which I hear is a nice place and maybe I'll visit it one day to thank them for making such a nice bicycle. And yes, while I do have a pickup, it ain't no coal roller. That's just trailer trashing a good truck for no reason. )

Mulezen - Patsy Cline (her first name actually was Virginia) was a legend! Am I right that she gave Loretta Lynn a leg up to country music stardom?

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Pocahontas who led Lewis and Clark all the way across the US to the Pacific Ocean (she was the only one who would stop and ask for directions)...

Pocahontas lived and died nearly 200 years before Lewis and Clark. You must be thinking of Sacajawea, who was Lemhi Shoshone and born somewhere in what is now Idaho.

 

[Chargeride]

I might have started something here.
Anyway its interesting, that pic of my old bike on the beach, that sea is where the last ship of the confederacy..the SS shenandoah sailed into its home port of Liverpool flying the last active confederate flag and surrendered to HMS Donegal
The flag was furled, but strangely thousands of people lined the docks to cheer its return.
The captain entered the city hall and surrendered to the British, that being the last surrender of the civil war and the last furling of the confederate flag.
The crew were released without charge and the ship returned to the States...though it never made it back.
Anyway..thats why Im making a vid its an unexpected story.

 

[Saratoga Dave]

No, no, Pocahontas is alive and well and in Boston, waiting for the phone to ring

(Easy, just a little satire along with everyone else)

 

[Readytoride]

Pocahontas lived and died nearly 200 years before Lewis and Clark. You must be thinking of Sacajawea, who Lemhi Shoshone and born somewhere in what is now Idaho.

No, no, Pocahontas is alive and well and in Boston, waiting for the phone to ring

(Easy, just a little satire along with everyone else)

Are you sure Pocahontas didn't head west with L&C? I was pretty sure she did but if not I'm just gonna blame my little faux pas on this cold delicious mint julip sitting here in my little ol' hand.

 

[Readytoride]

I might have started something here.
Anyway its interesting, that pic of my old bike on the beach, that sea is where the last ship of the confederacy..the SS shenandoah sailed into its home port of Liverpool flying the last active confederate flag and surrendered to HMS Donegal
The flag was furled, but strangely thousands of people lined the docks to cheer its return.
The captain entered the city hall and surrendered to the British, that being the last surrender of the civil war and the last furling of the confederate flag.
The crew were released without charge and the ship returned to the States...though it never made it back.
Anyway..thats why Im making a vid its an unexpected story.

Interesting. Wonder why the captain surrendered to the British? Guess he couldn't stomach surrendering to the Yankees.

 

[Mulezen]

Pocahontas sailed East to Liverpool where she met up with Paul McCarthy’s grandfather.
Patsy sometimes used my baby sister as a prop on the XMAS TV show. Patsy’d sing to her sitting under the tree. Some people thought my sister was hers.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

The things we see on our rides!

Brightview, Queensland​

If your ebike were overtaken by one of these, you might be off to the undertaker!

I suspect this giraffe tractor was on its way to spread around some growth-inducing, pest-reducing chemicals.

I had pulled over to the other side of the road to take the shed photo below when this odd bod announced its approach with an asthmatic wheeze accompanied by a tyre rumble equal to that of a whole peloton of road-going eMTBs.

 

[Cowlitz]

The Lewis and Clark expedition took a French guy named Charbeneau (probably spelled it wrong), Sacagawea, and their baby Pomp along on their trip. Sacagawea had been captured by another tribe and taken away from her people and ended up in the Mandan area, I think. Her people were Shoshoni. Pomp is buried in Eastern Oregon. https://traveloregon.com/things-to-...n-trail/jean-baptiste-charbonneau-grave-site/

It is said that taking along a woman and baby showed the tribes met along the way that the expedition was not a war party. the Lewis and Clark expedition would have starved if it weren't for the help of the tribes.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Reminders of times not quite past …

Brightview, QLD​

Laidley Primary School​

A decent gravel road!​

 

[OrTrek]

This is why I like my older 2018 Radmini (I have other ebikes as well). And yes I actually fold it and take it with me - either in my Jeep for forest roads or in my Crosstrek.

South Beach (Newport, OR) - 6 miles of uninterrupted beach riding. Oregon's beaches are all public - NO private barriers. So one can find hundreds of spots to ride - alone. Screw the bikeways.

 

[Chargeride]

Pocahontas sailed East to Liverpool where she met up with Paul McCarthy’s grandfather.
Patsy sometimes used my baby sister as a prop on the XMAS TV show. Patsy’d sing to her sitting under the tree. Some people thought my sister was hers.

Good old Paul McCarthy and Rongo Stir.

 

[pmcdonald]

Motor off for a lovely evening ride of conversation and gentle exercise with a friend. I forget how easy these things can be to ride unassisted sometimes!

It was a beautiful cool night out. Australia is coming out the other side of the pandemic - daily new cases barely breaking the double digit mark, at least for the time being - so restaurants, bars and paths are starting to fill up again with night owls.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

I do like to be beside the sea …

Southern Moreton Bay​

The Pacific's drained out to somewhere else but my Trek Powerfly's tyres don't qualify for beach work. Pity.

Beware: where there are mangroves, there'll probably be tidal mudflats and the danger of being caught out at sea. If you look 'through' the centre mangrove, you might just glimpse the appropriate form of recreational transport, a sea kayak…

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A 50-km Quickie ("Are you riding to join me at the morning coffee?")

I wish I were. Yes, I'd like to take the spare Vado battery with me and ride up to Jacek's place. Especially as brother Jacek is enjoying riding my e-bike right now and we're going for a long trip together tomorrow. Unfortunately, Tygra the cat and I had an appointment with the vet at 1 p.m., so I had to be quick with my morning ride.

The weather was only slightly better than during the most of last Winter. 10 C (50 F) at the start, very strong headwind, occasional drizzle. I pulled my winter clothes on and off I rode, upwind as always. My plan was to test the Vado range under these conditions and with Assist 50% and Maximum Power 100%. The fully upgraded Grizzle ran as a full-blood steed!

I was taking a rest at some bus shelter when a man in his thirties approached me. He wanted to know how to register a Speed Pedelec. He turned out to be a DIY man. I had to disillusion him: his e-bike wouldn't pass the Conformity Certification, or it would be a long and painful procedure. He admired the clean, minimalist looks of my e-bike; and I was very proud of it.

May 30th, 2020. We expect May to be a warm month... Jacek was tracking my position on Endomondo, of which I was not aware of. At the midway rest-place (see picture above), I got a message: "Are you heading to have the morning coffee with me?" Oh, I was just a few kilometres from his place but had to go back rather fast. The strong downwind facilitated the ride!

A TREK LBS in Pruszków. They don't carry e-bikes. Another bunch of arrogant road-cyclists if you ask me. Yet I have bought another water-bottle-cage I needed. Bontrager, what else?

"My" Hwy 719. I feel at home there.

I reset the daily counter only after some 2 km ridden. Yet the average speed of 25.6 km/h was confirmed by Endomondo. A conservative estimate tells me a single battery of my Vado is safe for 60 km.

The ride stats.