RabH
Well-Known Member
@ElRojo Your photos are incredible!
2 rides today combined, 16 miles in the morning and 18 in the afternoon! Lots of cyclists out this morning as it was a very nice morning, first nice Sunday for quite a while actually! I have now covered 9,958 miles in just 27 months so I should hit 10,000 miles this week at some point! My Evo display is about 200 miles out, no real surprise there...
6 hours 51 minutes to cover 34 miles, I'm really slacking!
No time for photos today...
2 rides today combined, 16 miles in the morning and 18 in the afternoon! Lots of cyclists out this morning as it was a very nice morning, first nice Sunday for quite a while actually! I have now covered 9,958 miles in just 27 months so I should hit 10,000 miles this week at some point! My Evo display is about 200 miles out, no real surprise there...
6 hours 51 minutes to cover 34 miles, I'm really slacking!
No time for photos today...Attachments
ElRojo
Active Member
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Took a nice ride on the High Trestle trail in central Iowa. It was a quiet, beautiful ride that was somewhat sullied by a pair of young women who I could hear yelling at each other over the blaring of a Bluetooth loudspeaker playing very loud and raucous country music. I could hear them from 50 yards away! What is it with people and their insistence to be obnoxious?!
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Curious what the load rating is for that bike? My Allant is rated at 300 lbs total.
JES2020
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Other
This thread is the bomb! so many bueatiful pics.
I'll have to remember to bring my camera.
Today I had a nice ride to places I have never been, 4 miles away! Crossing wooden bridges over lakes, (creeped up on a crane fishing in the shallow, water lilly cover pond), man this bike is quiet.
Got to try out my new horn too, under an overpass so it was all echcoed and loud.
Best $800 I ever spent !
JES2020
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Other
Lol, I turned back for a jacket this AM cuz it was 75f.
PatriciaK
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Pacific Northwest and Piedmont Triad
Short, windy ride today - DH on acoustic was really battling the headwind.
No nice pics, sorry!
Giant app said we went 7.51 miles; Map My Ride said 5.15. Tried to upload Giant and the app lost the ride again!!! So, here's the Map My Ride version:
We were not really riding in the water - it just recorded it that way!
No nice pics, sorry!
Giant app said we went 7.51 miles; Map My Ride said 5.15. Tried to upload Giant and the app lost the ride again!!! So, here's the Map My Ride version:
We were not really riding in the water - it just recorded it that way!
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I thought maybe you rode in a ferry!
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Great timing/patience/focus/exposure!
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
The Holy Cross, or How It All Went Wrong
Started from Nowa Słupia (a small town that is the gateway to the Świętokrzyski Park Narodowy or The Holy Cross National Park) at 12:33 p.m., I was met with climbs from the first minute. I was expecting that, so the Trance E+ was my ride intentionally on that trip.
The Holy Cross Mountains are the lowest range in Poland that deserves the name of "mountains", and that's because it is very old kind of rock that underwent detrition over ages . The special beauty of the range is the fact it is totally covered with fir-trees except of the tops, which are "bald", hence the names of the two tallest peaks: Łysica and Łysa Góra, both meaning "bald mountain". There are also numerous stone-runs at the top of the Holy Cross Mts.
My grand plan was to climb Łysa Góra (also known as the Holy Cross), ride down, and circumvent the Holy Cross Mts. The distance was puny: mere 50 km. Puny, if it were a flatland but it wasn't... Stupefied, I observed the battery level going down as fast as never before. I even didn't use high assistance levels: PAS 2 of 5 was the maximum while climbing tarmac inclines. I soon realised my elaborate route plan turned into a ruin. And even not that was the worst.
My GPS planning/navigation software loves selecting the shortest cycling trails possible. It knows all approved bike trails, so where's the problem? Aha.
So called "Large Bieliny Bike Loop". The trail-marks were visible on some trees. So yes, that was an approved bike trail. I was somewhat surprised but well, having ridden a trail-capable e-bike I was not afraid in the beginning...
Holy Cross Mts are not the Rockies, Cascades, Tatra or Sudety
The TV tower marks the peak of the Bald Mt.
At that very moment, I looked optimistically into the future... Then I rode a decline... Wait, it was very hard to ride a trail that had no single track!
...and it turned out that the "trail" was neglected, not maintained at all! Name any imaginable obstacle and I'll confirm it was there. The fact I survived that segment can only be attributed to the virtues of my Trance. Never ever before was its full-suspension working so hard as on that "trail".
Later, it turned out there was another brand new "red" bike trail nearby: made of perfect tarmac. Someone just forgot about the "green" trail and let it decline... All that ride was an adventure for me but I would prefer to avoid it.
Conquering the Holy Cross
That was the most pleasant part of the ride. Once I hit a steep tarmac incline, I switched to PAS 3 of 5 and started pedalling very hard. The first thing I had to do was overtaking a slow road cyclists also climbing up the Holy Cross. He was red on his face and panted heavily while moving so slow he appeared to be at standstill. "Good day!" I cheered him and spurted up the hill. Okay, it was 13.8 km/h at the steepest part and 15.8 km/h later.
In the past, it was large horse-carts taking tourists up the Bald Mt. Because of animal-rights activist actions, the horses were replaced by electric mini-buses. I read with a great interest a large notice at the main gate:
"The only vehicles allowed on this road are ones operated by employees of the National Park, or electric vehicles". Hah! So I read e-bikes are banned from national parks of some overseas countries but are encouraged in Poland? Great! Of course, the notice was about the electric tourist buses but anyway... If you wanted to drive a Tesla onto the Holy Cross, you are welcome
My climb was observed with great interest by passers-by, tourist walking up or down the hill. Soon, I reached the peak (by the TV tower). Then, it was a sudden decline completed by equally sudden incline by the famous monastery and church. I let my Trance go! The crowd of tourists atop gaped at my exploit when I rode up the last incline at full speed and triumphantly stopped for some rest
Just after conquering the Holy Cross. See my "happy" Monster as well
The monastery & church at the Holy Cross are important to Poland. Kings used to pilgrim there by foot from Nowa Słupia (hence, "King's Road"). The crypt of the church stores mummies of people of 17th c in original clothes (possible because of very dry air there). On the other hand, the legends tell us of witches flying over the other "Bald Mt" (Łysica) during their covens. There are many bats in Holy Cross Mts, adding to the mystery of the area. I used to be at the Holy Cross many times, often hiking there by foot. I even ate a lunch at the monks' refectory. So there was nothing new to me there, only the fact I could ride up that hill on an electric bike.
The place is beautiful and magical.
I was busy with taking pictures to avoid the crowds of tourists obscuring the view. Suddenly, I spotted an interesting person. That guy was carrying a mechanical Trek bike up the hill. I approached him.
I explained Grzesiek I needed a photo for the EBR Forum. He told me there was no bike ban in the Holy Cross National Park. No official bike trails but once you paid 8 zloties (US$2) for the entry ticket, no guard said any word against any bike. The most vital question of Grzesiek was: "D'you think we're wet soon?" -- "It will be raining in a minute" -- I replied.
Grzesiek had also told me if I wanted to ride down to Nowa Słupia fast, there was a "not overly steep" path in the place indicated by the arrow. Later, I actually rode down to the clearing and what I saw there was a steep, technical, rocky single track among the trees So I returned and I must tell you I rode up all the way from the indicated figurine back to the place I met Grzesiek before. I didn't need to carry my Trance up. Just rode up (PAS 5 of 5). Viva e-bikes! Note: In perfect weather conditions (Winter) you can see Tatra Mountains from the Holy Cross, and these are perhaps one hundred miles from this place.
It was raining but I didn't care.. After I rode from the end of the clearing up the church, I took the return way by paved roads. While descending from the Holy Cross I was applying brakes whenever the Trance exceeded 45 km/h (because I am accustomed to that kind of speed on my Vado). When I reached Nowa Słupia, I rode up...
...the entrance of the King's Road. There you can find an ancient statue of Emeryk The Pilgrim. The statue is made of quartzite. The lore says Emeryk is moving by the distance of one grain of sand every year. When he climbs up to the Holy Cross and touches it, the world will end The photo was taken by a friendly MTBer. He and his steed were very "happy", that is, totally covered with mud!
Under controlled & safe conditions, I managed to ride downhill at the speed indicated here. Nothing compared to @RabH but the decline was not steep enough there! (I wouldn't take any risk at the Holy Cross descent in the rainfall). As you can see, a relatively short trip ate 2/3 of the 500 Wh battery. When I packed the bike & stuff into my car, I happily escaped at the moment the Police arrived to issue tickets to all wrongly parked cars (including mine!)
Ride map and stats.
The stupid ride route.
Within Poland.
Started from Nowa Słupia (a small town that is the gateway to the Świętokrzyski Park Narodowy or The Holy Cross National Park) at 12:33 p.m., I was met with climbs from the first minute. I was expecting that, so the Trance E+ was my ride intentionally on that trip.
The Holy Cross Mountains are the lowest range in Poland that deserves the name of "mountains", and that's because it is very old kind of rock that underwent detrition over ages . The special beauty of the range is the fact it is totally covered with fir-trees except of the tops, which are "bald", hence the names of the two tallest peaks: Łysica and Łysa Góra, both meaning "bald mountain". There are also numerous stone-runs at the top of the Holy Cross Mts.
My grand plan was to climb Łysa Góra (also known as the Holy Cross), ride down, and circumvent the Holy Cross Mts. The distance was puny: mere 50 km. Puny, if it were a flatland but it wasn't... Stupefied, I observed the battery level going down as fast as never before. I even didn't use high assistance levels: PAS 2 of 5 was the maximum while climbing tarmac inclines. I soon realised my elaborate route plan turned into a ruin. And even not that was the worst.
My GPS planning/navigation software loves selecting the shortest cycling trails possible. It knows all approved bike trails, so where's the problem? Aha.
So called "Large Bieliny Bike Loop". The trail-marks were visible on some trees. So yes, that was an approved bike trail. I was somewhat surprised but well, having ridden a trail-capable e-bike I was not afraid in the beginning...
Holy Cross Mts are not the Rockies, Cascades, Tatra or Sudety
The TV tower marks the peak of the Bald Mt.
At that very moment, I looked optimistically into the future... Then I rode a decline... Wait, it was very hard to ride a trail that had no single track!
...and it turned out that the "trail" was neglected, not maintained at all! Name any imaginable obstacle and I'll confirm it was there. The fact I survived that segment can only be attributed to the virtues of my Trance. Never ever before was its full-suspension working so hard as on that "trail".
Later, it turned out there was another brand new "red" bike trail nearby: made of perfect tarmac. Someone just forgot about the "green" trail and let it decline... All that ride was an adventure for me but I would prefer to avoid it.
Conquering the Holy Cross
That was the most pleasant part of the ride. Once I hit a steep tarmac incline, I switched to PAS 3 of 5 and started pedalling very hard. The first thing I had to do was overtaking a slow road cyclists also climbing up the Holy Cross. He was red on his face and panted heavily while moving so slow he appeared to be at standstill. "Good day!" I cheered him and spurted up the hill. Okay, it was 13.8 km/h at the steepest part and 15.8 km/h later.
In the past, it was large horse-carts taking tourists up the Bald Mt. Because of animal-rights activist actions, the horses were replaced by electric mini-buses. I read with a great interest a large notice at the main gate:
"The only vehicles allowed on this road are ones operated by employees of the National Park, or electric vehicles". Hah! So I read e-bikes are banned from national parks of some overseas countries but are encouraged in Poland? Great! Of course, the notice was about the electric tourist buses but anyway... If you wanted to drive a Tesla onto the Holy Cross, you are welcome
My climb was observed with great interest by passers-by, tourist walking up or down the hill. Soon, I reached the peak (by the TV tower). Then, it was a sudden decline completed by equally sudden incline by the famous monastery and church. I let my Trance go! The crowd of tourists atop gaped at my exploit when I rode up the last incline at full speed and triumphantly stopped for some rest
Just after conquering the Holy Cross. See my "happy" Monster as well
The monastery & church at the Holy Cross are important to Poland. Kings used to pilgrim there by foot from Nowa Słupia (hence, "King's Road"). The crypt of the church stores mummies of people of 17th c in original clothes (possible because of very dry air there). On the other hand, the legends tell us of witches flying over the other "Bald Mt" (Łysica) during their covens. There are many bats in Holy Cross Mts, adding to the mystery of the area. I used to be at the Holy Cross many times, often hiking there by foot. I even ate a lunch at the monks' refectory. So there was nothing new to me there, only the fact I could ride up that hill on an electric bike.
The place is beautiful and magical.
I was busy with taking pictures to avoid the crowds of tourists obscuring the view. Suddenly, I spotted an interesting person. That guy was carrying a mechanical Trek bike up the hill. I approached him.
I explained Grzesiek I needed a photo for the EBR Forum. He told me there was no bike ban in the Holy Cross National Park. No official bike trails but once you paid 8 zloties (US$2) for the entry ticket, no guard said any word against any bike. The most vital question of Grzesiek was: "D'you think we're wet soon?" -- "It will be raining in a minute" -- I replied.
Grzesiek had also told me if I wanted to ride down to Nowa Słupia fast, there was a "not overly steep" path in the place indicated by the arrow. Later, I actually rode down to the clearing and what I saw there was a steep, technical, rocky single track among the trees
So I returned and I must tell you I rode up all the way from the indicated figurine back to the place I met Grzesiek before. I didn't need to carry my Trance up. Just rode up (PAS 5 of 5). Viva e-bikes! Note: In perfect weather conditions (Winter) you can see Tatra Mountains from the Holy Cross, and these are perhaps one hundred miles from this place.It was raining but I didn't care.. After I rode from the end of the clearing up the church, I took the return way by paved roads. While descending from the Holy Cross I was applying brakes whenever the Trance exceeded 45 km/h (because I am accustomed to that kind of speed on my Vado). When I reached Nowa Słupia, I rode up...
...the entrance of the King's Road. There you can find an ancient statue of Emeryk The Pilgrim. The statue is made of quartzite. The lore says Emeryk is moving by the distance of one grain of sand every year. When he climbs up to the Holy Cross and touches it, the world will end
The photo was taken by a friendly MTBer. He and his steed were very "happy", that is, totally covered with mud!Under controlled & safe conditions, I managed to ride downhill at the speed indicated here. Nothing compared to @RabH but the decline was not steep enough there! (I wouldn't take any risk at the Holy Cross descent in the rainfall). As you can see, a relatively short trip ate 2/3 of the 500 Wh battery. When I packed the bike & stuff into my car, I happily escaped at the moment the Police arrived to issue tickets to all wrongly parked cars (including mine!)
Ride map and stats.
The stupid ride route.
Within Poland.
Last edited:
Anna
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Thank you for another splendid tour. Such a beautiful country!Exploring West Mazovian and Cuyavian Forests
I was desperate on last Friday: The weather forecast reported rainfall or thunderstorms at all large forest areas accessible by short driving for Saturday. Finally, I managed to find a single area located around 100 km from my place and (hopefully) rain-free: The Gostynin-Włocławek Landscape Park. The woods there are shared by Mazovia and Cuyavia-Pomoria. I reached Gostynin (which is the most western of Mazovian cities) at Saturday's noon. I parked my car at some parking lot and the future trouble* started: A guy leaving the property with his truck told me they didn't let "alien" cars park at their property but after he heard I was from Central Mazovia and was interested with riding "beautiful Gostynin woods" the guy relented and let me leave my car there. It was drizzling when I began my ride.
View attachment 58629
Half an hour later: At the Przytomne (Conscious) Lake. The rain had already stopped. It was pretty cold (14 C/57 F) though. I was wearing full-finger gloves!
It was the first off-road part. The area is rolling there. I met two guys, a father and son on high-class MTBs, studying the map (I wonder how it comes people using paper maps are never able to find their way...) I greeted them and -- smiling -- asked how their sand-riding (the area is terribly sandy) was. The son looked at me with aversion and said with disgust:
-- That's OK. You shouldn't complain as you're riding an e-bike! -- to which I smiled even more and replied -- I don't complain at all!
I could understand the young man's feelings: His dad had bought him his dream: a 150-mm travel sus fork, 2.6" tyre MTB and there comes an elderly clown (that's me) who rides an equally good, but e-bike, and asks him how his wet-sand-riding was
View attachment 58630
At the Lubiechowskie Lake. I regret I hadn't taken my swim trunks with me!
View attachment 58631
Ms Mummy has handlebars so weird even I wouldn't have dared to use it
View attachment 58632
A scarecrow.
View attachment 58633
The proof I was in the Włocławek County. (Włocławek is one of major cities of Cuyavia).
View attachment 58636
Such nice a fire-road. The 500 Wh battery in my Giant is just a joke. It is probably good for riding groomed single-tracks but not for serious tourism. I had to ride all paved roads and part of off-road in the Eco mode (PAS 1), or I wouldn't make the 60 km trip on the battery. I rode the sand with the 150% Basic mode, and closed the loop with 5% battery left! (Getting me a spare 625 Wh battery now).
View attachment 58637
I'm very fond of such views.
View attachment 58638
I was trying to demonstrate with the photo how sandy the roads were there but failed. At some forest crossing, I was politely stopped by a teacher who was a leader of a teenager group-ride. He of course had a paper map and got lost. We both consulted my digital maps and the group was saved
View attachment 58639
Cuyavia is famous of their cereal production. There is even a song: "Wey-hey! A ship was on its course from Gdynia to Hull; Wey-hey! With its holds full of wheat from Cuyavian fields!" (The ship had eventually drowned). The field seen here is already in Mazovia though, and the road is the border between Cuyavia and Mazovia.
View attachment 58640
A huge linden tree. The Polish name of the tree is "lipa" and the name of month of July (lipiec) means "the month of linden trees".
View attachment 58641
A stork feeding in the meadow. The bird was absolutely not afraid; storks are sacred in Poland. I asked it to fly but the bird refused doing that
*) The Final Trouble
When I reached the parking lot, my car turned out to be alone there and two exits were locked with a chain and sturdy padlocks! Oh no! It was even not possible to ride out through the curb, as it was protected with decorative boulders and plants! I remained calm. Unhurriedly, I packed my bike and the other stuff back into my car and went to inspect the chain and the padlock.
It was a fake. The padlock was there just to make an impression: the chain was just hanging on a hook
View attachment 58642
Ride map.
View attachment 58644
Within Europe.
View attachment 58645
Ride stats.
ElRojo
Active Member
Thank you! I tend to ride to take photos! Not the other way around!
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Mind if I ask what camera/lens you’re using?Thank you! I tend to ride to take photos! Not the other way around!
D
Deleted member 18083
Guest
The pub with no beer …
Why is that the facades of so many old buildings are disfigured by billboards advertising temptations – poker machines, sports broadcasts and betting – that were unheard of when the establishment first opened its doors to weary farmers and dusty travellers? Long may the Marburg Pub‘s new coat of paint, received during its 2020 forced closure, stay fresh. Please, not this…
Marburg, Queensland
Perhaps my title should have been The Pub With No Signs. Curmudgeon alert…Why is that the facades of so many old buildings are disfigured by billboards advertising temptations – poker machines, sports broadcasts and betting – that were unheard of when the establishment first opened its doors to weary farmers and dusty travellers? Long may the Marburg Pub‘s new coat of paint, received during its 2020 forced closure, stay fresh. Please, not this…
Last edited by a moderator:
Art Deco
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Selinsgrove Pennsylvania
I wonder if businesses that look like the unpainted pub are even going to reopen when I go by one. If anyone wants work during a shutdown painting, patching, trimming, and mowing are all social distancing actions that an owner can do.
ElRojo
Active Member
My pleasure, I use a Canon EOS R. Lenses I normally carry with me the RF 70-200 2.8 and the Zeiss 18mm f2.8 or the Canon rf 24-70 2.8 (This one is rare that I take with me on my rides). I also carry with me a set of filters Circular Polarizer, graduated ND (2, 4 stops, and a 4 stop reverse) and nd filters 6 and 10 stops. Plus a small tripod.
Please let me know if you have any more questions.
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
My last real working pro camera was a 5d mkll with the 80-200 2.8 L, 24-70 2.8 L, and another wider 2.8 L zoom. I’ve not looked at another EOS since. These days I shoot exclusively (and lazily) with my iPhone 8 plus as I’m too damn lazy to lug and mess with good glass/filters. I shot a lot of successful corporate stills/video with it and at the time it was the best out there.
The R looks like a great setup! Good luck and happy hunting!
ElRojo
Active Member
Before my EOS R I had a 5d IV, really liked that camera but decided to move to mirrorless and sold all my setup before it lost all its resale value. I am very happy with the EOS R., In any case, the cameras on the phones do a great job, it is not about the equipment, it is about the composition, now the equipment helps
I hope! Have fun and stay sane!Similar threads
- Deleted member 18083
- General Ebike Discussion
