2023 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[Stefan Mikes]

Giving Roadrunner Some Airing

As the weather of today was just magnificent (18-20 C, sunshine, and relatively mild wind from NNE), I decided to give my Roadrunner some airing before the Big Day* of tomorrow. I thought if anything would break, let it break today instead on the tomorrow's ride. Yet, I had no idea where actually ride to...

Of course, taking the Tour de Cake was the first idea (I think I could have given me a shave before the ride!)

The next idea was taking the same old boring return route as always. (Proudly presenting the new DT Swiss wheel!) However, I recollected I needed a loaf of bread of the kind I usually eat, and it could be only bought in my usual "far" shopping mall. So I did everything to make the ride longer and less boring!

Interestingly, as I was descending a railway overpass in Milanówek, I was spotted by a friend who was driving her car there!

The Palace in Brwinów. A villa of a rich family of 1937, it was given to some institution by the new rule after WWII, and as it was usual for those times, the nice building became a ruin over the time. Recently, the property was bought back by the Town Council and restored to nice shape as a cultural centre.

------------------
*) This Saturday, I'm leading a small group of friends on a ride through picturesque places of Land of Łódź. I had to ensure today my Vado 6.0 was in the perfect shape!

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Today was the Champlain Canalway, north from the Glens Falls area to Fort Ann, east of Lake George on the other side of the mountain. Very nice day, mixed sun and clouds, about 60 degrees with a pretty hefty wind out of the south to make the return ride interesting for my two non ebike friends. I haven’t been on this arm of the canal system before, next will be up to Ticonderoga along the same route.

 

[Prairie Dog]

It was a bit on the chilly side for a road ride today so instead I headed out to check the trail conditions since the last time that I was out was almost three weeks ago. I wasn’t totally surprised that there clearly were still remnants of snow and ice along the singles as the evenings have steadily dropped below freezing leaving even less time to allow for a complete thaw out particularly concerning sections under the cover of shade. I expect by the end of the month, ground conditions should be bare and dry for the most part.

Here’s a short-split screen video of the same uphill section of trail at Heritage Ranch. The left screen shows footage from today with the Levo and on the right almost one month earlier when I was riding the studded Norco Bigfoot on Mar 24. If you’re wondering, the Levo was slightly slower due to the number of exposed roots on the trail but not by much. There was a seven second delay as I pulled over for a couple of other riders on today’s ride but even so the Norco had the slight edge. You can really tell how noticeably smoother the ride is when the trail is completely covered in snow.

A few images from today’s ride.

 

[BlackHand]

Still sneaking in extra miles on my commutes when I can with a goal of every daily commute riding some new stretch of road/trail I've never biked:

Last Friday I had to split my day between 2 locations and took the opportunity to ride the Elliott Bay Trail along the Seattle waterfront.

This is looking back toward the stadiums and the cranes at the Port.

Looking the other way from almost the same spot, this is a shot of pier 86 with grain elevators that load about 5 million metric tons/year of grain for export.

Not a bad way to break up the workday

The nicest day to ride would have been this day, but I needed to pick up a birthday cake and a bonsai tree on the way home from work and didn't want to risk marital bliss. We ended the day with a nice evening walk along the Edmonds waterfront. Crazy how a hand-held phone camera can get such nice, albeit somewhat unnatural looking, photos.

There are still a few somewhat undeveloped spots in the Seattle city limits. I'd never headed down this dead end road before and assumed it would be lined with mansions. Turned out to be a nice ride down to the bluff on an empty mossy road with just scattered residences.

About 27 miles of 'new' roads so far this month, sometimes just a block or 2 at a time.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I wasn’t totally surprised that there clearly were still remnants of snow and ice along the singles as the evenings have steadily dropped below freezing leaving even less time to allow for a complete thaw out particularly concerning sections under the cover of shade.

Oh... And just think we experience warm, true Spring in Poland at the moment...

I led a group of five on a picturesque 70 km ride on Saturday. I regret not having any pictures/movies ready by now but that relatively short ride left me totally exhausted! The reason was one of the riders was slowing the group to the extent I had to ride my Vado at the assistance level of... 20%! Which turned my heavy e-bike into a lightweight bike but I had to provide the whole energy into the ride with my own pedalling! A lot of adventures, and I will certainly post an interesting report later. Now, preparing for a "Kampinos National Park East Short Loop" with my close friend Jerzy (a senior traditional cyclist), who has never been to the KPN on a bike and is eager to experience it!

"A Band Called The Bikers" A photo by the fifth ride member.

We've been to so many interesting places... I really need to show you some pics and vids from the Folk Museum of The Family Brzozowski in Sromów, which is totally unique!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Still sneaking in extra miles on my commutes when I can with a goal of every daily commute riding some new stretch of road/trail I've never biked

Perhaps the closest thing to being an ideal daily commute if there ever was one, IMO. The colors of spring exemplify the urge to get out and ride.

Oh... And just think we experience warm, true Spring in Poland at the moment...

We’re not that far away from our own ‘True spring’ but in these parts we have come to expect the unexpected. Fortunately, if the trails are too icy or soggy I can always log time on the road.

 

[Art Deco]

Still sneaking in extra miles on my commutes when I can with a goal of every daily commute riding some new stretch of road/trail I've never biked:

Last Friday I had to split my day between 2 locations and took the opportunity to ride the Elliott Bay Trail along the Seattle waterfront.

This is looking back toward the stadiums and the cranes at the Port.
View attachment 152184

Looking the other way from almost the same spot, this is a shot of pier 86 with grain elevators that load about 5 million metric tons/year of grain for export.
View attachment 152185
Not a bad way to break up the workday

The nicest day to ride would have been this day, but I needed to pick up a birthday cake and a bonsai tree on the way home from work and didn't want to risk marital bliss. We ended the day with a nice evening walk along the Edmonds waterfront. Crazy how a hand-held phone camera can get such nice, albeit somewhat unnatural looking, photos.
View attachment 152197

There are still a few somewhat undeveloped spots in the Seattle city limits. I'd never headed down this dead end road before and assumed it would be lined with mansions. Turned out to be a nice ride down to the bluff on an empty mossy road with just scattered residences.
View attachment 152204View attachment 152205
View attachment 152206
About 27 miles of 'new' roads so far this month, sometimes just a block or 2 at a time.

"A goal of every daily commute riding some new stretch of road/trail I've never biked" What a great goal ! Just the right mix of challenge and variety.

 

[gromike]

It was Earth Day yesterday so I went full pedal power on a bike that I recently acquired after my local co-op bike shop was shut down. At a hundred bucks it was a bit expensive for me, but it's my first carbon fiber bike. It's the fastest bike that I have ever pedaled!

In my early teens me and my friends stopped riding bicycles because they weren't cool, and something only for children. Adults did not ride bicycles back then! Then the first Earth Day happened and bicycles were cool again. So I pumped up the tires of my old cheap 10 speed and got back in the saddle, and have been riding ever since.

This bike ride was a tribute to that first Earth Day. I was going to ride it in an Earth Day parade but due to rain, wind, and cool temps there was no parade.

 

[Prairie Dog]

It was Earth Day yesterday so I went full pedal power on a bike that I recently acquired after my local co-op bike shop was shut down. At a hundred bucks it was a bit expensive for me, but it's my first carbon fiber bike. It's the fastest bike that I have ever pedaled!

In my early teens me and my friends stopped riding bicycles because they weren't cool, and something only for children. Adults did not ride bicycles back then! Then the first Earth Day happened and bicycles were cool again. So I pumped up the tires of my old cheap 10 speed and got back in the saddle, and have been riding ever since.

This bike ride was a tribute to that first Earth Day. I was going to ride it in an Earth Day parade but due to rain, wind, and cool temps there was no parade.View attachment 152249

Sweet find! I was out on an e-ride yesterday but an analog bike would have been more appropriate for Earth Day. We made up for it today and even stopped by a local greenhouse on the way home so that my better half could check out their latest arrivals.



It was a blustery ride heading out on our run as we encountered wind gusts up to 40 kph. Not that bad coming back but there was still a stiff cross wind to contend with.

 

[Chargeride]

Its not electric and its not me, but the wife did a 44m ride in the hills with 4400ft elevation and she was destroyed.
I have ridden the three big climbs on my hubdrive without breaking sweat.
Thankyou lord of li-ion.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Tour de Sromów (On Gravel Bikes)

I managed to gather a group of five for the Saturday's trip. I and three people arrived to Łowicz by trains, and the man Przemek pedalled his gravel bike for 40 km to intercept us en route! The weather was magnificent: warm, sunny, windless, true Spring weather!

The city of Łowicz is the capital of the "model quaint Polish countryside". Here, Jacek, Izabela and Pawel at the Old Market of Łowicz posing as the "Łowicz country maid" The traditional Łowicz folk attire is colourful! (Necessary to mention Łowicz is located in the Land of Łódź, which forms the actual Central Poland; our Mazovia with Warsaw is to the east and north!)

Them three approaching the Folk Museum of Sromów.

You need to give Ms. Maria Kosińska (the daughter of the famous folk artist) a phone call so she could come up and do the guided tour in the Museum. On Saturday, there was four of us as well as a female English speaker visitor with her own translator.

The homestead of the Family Brzozowski. Julian Brzozowski (1925-2002) was a peasant who spent 60 winters carving wooden figures, animating them, and creating the Folk Museum. The Communist rule didn't want the farmer to create the Museum; in fact the authorities were obstructing his activities (he had his home full of figures by that time). Therefore, Mr. Brzozowski declared a construction of four big pigsties. Only those pigsties had never seen a pig! Instead, the farmer made his own Museum against all odds!

Brzozowski created a number of mobile displays. These are so detailed that even a little dog running has it legs moving! Initially, the displays were hand operated. Later, electric motors and background music were added.

One of the mobile displays: "The Łowicz Wedding"

Another kind of local folk art: The Łowicz Spiders. These "spiders" were hung under the ceiling in the Łowicz countryside homes for decoration. Unfortunately, the Łowicz spiders are perishable so new ones need to be created every 5 years; and there are less and less folk artists in the area!

Another Brzozowski's mobile display: "The Wedding Feast". See the "wreath" on the head of the bride. At midnight of the wedding, the wreath was thrown in the air, and unmarried girls were fighting to catch it (the one who caught it was expected to get married next year). Then, the bride head was adorned with a bonnet as the symbol of a married woman.

An outdoor scene: "Clothes Washing".

Julian Brzozowski as himself. The original tools including the carving block, clothes, and an unfinished sculpture.

At the "Bednary Inn". Soft pork, four types of kasha/groats, and cooked red beet. Just delicious!

It must be a happy village to have its own craft brewery! Here, the quaint beer garden at the Bednary Brewery. The place was full! I'll tell you what: the brewery makes excellent ale!

On our trip, we had to just bypass Arkadia Romantic Park (cycling unfriendly!) and the beautiful Nieborów Park & Palace. I asked Przemek to find a detour between Nieborów and Bolimów so we did not need to use the highway. Przemek (otherwise a fine man!) has the talent to lead his groups into the troublesome offroad. That time, he chose riding in the mud, dirt roads full of ruts, and even into a marsh! I have forgiven the guy anyway... He cannot help being himself!

At the picturesque Bolimów Lake. Now, we have entered the Bolimów Landscape Park!

On the Fire-Road #33 dubbed "Gravel Bike Freeway". A straight 7.8 km stretch of the highest quality gravel! A dream!

Now... The girl who was with us was a liability as she simply rode too slowly. That forced me to ridiculously reduce the assistance on my Vado (some 10-20%). That turned my heavy e-bike into a lightweight bike but I had to pedal very hard (and provided a lot of energy into my ride) making me exhausted. In a place called Mrozy, we realised we had to ride very fast to catch the return train! Jacek, Paweł and Iza got onto the train to be thrown out of it in Grodzisk Mazowiecki for not having valid tickets! Meanwhile, I ate at McDonald's, got onto the next train and met my friends there (with tickets that time) Przemek returned home by bike (114 km on that day!)

I rode for 50+ miles on that day myself.

An extra foto by Pawel Jonca: A proof I was on the ride myself!

 

[Mulezen]

wonderful ride report Stefan. Kicked off the train indeed!
I’ve had some great rides over familiar Roads this week including yesterday though these will cease for awhile. After yesterday‘s 16miles I went to mow on tractor and had an accident which broke my hand in several places. There goes my spring mileage as well as my 3K goal for the year. Fortunately I get to read this thread and see what I’m missing.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Tour de Sromów (On Gravel Bikes)....
The homestead of the Family Brzozowski. Julian Brzozowski (1925-2002) was a peasant who spent 60 winters carving wooden figures, animating them, and creating the Folk Museum....
View attachment 152301
Another Brzozowski's mobile display: "The Wedding Feast".

"I don't know what she sees in that man," said the mother of the bride woodenly.

The second spider reminds me of the models used to visualize the 3D arrangement of atoms in minerals, with the sticks being the atomic bonds. Many of the professionally made models could pass as art objects.

https://www.mindat.org/a/exploring_crystal_lattices_1_starting_small

Had lots of nerdy fun making these DIY models with my own Zometool collection.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I’ve had some great rides over familiar Roads this week including yesterday though these will cease for awhile. After yesterday‘s 16miles I went to mow on tractor and had an accident which broke my hand in several places.

What a disaster! I'm very sorry to hear about your misfortune, Joe! Hopefully your hand would heal sooner than you think?

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

wonderful ride report Stefan. Kicked off the train indeed!
I’ve had some great rides over familiar Roads this week including yesterday though these will cease for awhile. After yesterday‘s 16miles I went to mow on tractor and had an accident which broke my hand in several places. There goes my spring mileage as well as my 3K goal for the year. Fortunately I get to read this thread and see what I’m missing.

Yikes, that's no fun! Hope your hand's back in business soon.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Jerzy Wanted To Find Out How It Was To Ride A Bike Inside The Kampinos National Park...

My friend Jerzy (76) has decided to be riding his 20+ years old Wheeler 1600 bike for the rest of his life. He had been asking me to take him for a trip inside the KPN, so he could learn himself why Warsawers were so keen to be riding there. I rode my Vado SL for 24 km to meet Jerzy at Metro Młociny subway station on Sunday morning. A friend met on one of the gravel/MTB rides Jarek (44) also joined us.

The place to see. During the Cold War era, the Nuclear Warfare Alternate Command for the Warsaw Pact (The Atomic Command Centre) in Dąbrowa Leśna was established. After the system collapse, the facilities were dismantled, and the underground structures became a shelter for bats. The overground surface is a tiny sandy desert with rare plants and insects now. A wooden gangway above the "desert" was built, so the tourists can admire the surroundings. The wall of the Command was covered with an impressive bat mural.

Jerzy (George) teasing the bat
He does not usually wear the helmet. I specifically asked him to wear the helmet for the forest ride. Just 200 metres before, he crashed into the sand! (Harmlessly, as it turned out).

There has been a meme very popular among my friends. It read: "Probably, there are very few people to spot a horse there. Share the picture if you spot a horse there". The wording of the 2013 meme has become fun between my friends. Whenever we see a horse in any form, we "spot a horse there as, probably, very few people do" As we were riding, Jerzy yelled at me: 'STOP! Turn back! Haven't you spotted a horse there?!" Yes, these primitive figures of Marshall Piłsudski, his Chestnut Mare, and a Duckosaur were adorning the garden of a local grocery store

"Share if you have spotted a horse here" - the 2013 meme.

We had a stop at the Palmiry Massacre Memorial so Jerzy could see it again after many years.

I could not be as cruel as to take my friends through the rough cobblestones of the Palmiry Road. We took the detour through the forest, riding via the site of the pre-WW2 Central Military Storage of Poland.

I'm riding with my senior friend quite often. Jerzy had already been at that landmark, the small shrine in Mariew. However, that was a road trip over my greater neighbourhood, not the Kampinos Forest.

We had tried to get food at the "Inn On The Trail" in Palmiry. Unfortunately, that restaurant was booked for a private party! I could get any food only at the Biker Pub, a popular cycling inn. Jarek having non-alcoholic beer, and Jerzy enjoying genuine Czech Dark Lager "Opat" from Broumov.

Meat Pierogi, a fermented cucumber, and Aperol Spritz.

Out of respect to Jerzy, and for practical reasons, I needed to ride unassisted or with minimum SL assistance (10-20%) on that loop. It made me totally exhausted! After we said goodbyes, I ate a substantial meal at McDonald's, turned the Turbo on and sped up home to make 100.4 km for Sunday!

P.S. I asked Jerzy for a comment. He looked at me gravely, and distinctly replied: "NOW I KNOW WHAT RIDING IN THE KPN MEANS!" (meaning, he did not like it at all!)

 

[Chargeride]

Poland seems to have many interesting areas, it is involved in so much culture from its position in a way England is not.
We dont have mass memorials or actual on the edge military.
And we dont have Duckosaurus

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

View attachment 152334
Meat Pierogi, a fermented cucumber, and Aperol Spritz.

Is Aperol popular in Poland? VERY popular here in coastal SoCal. Had my first-ever Aperol drink, also a spritz, in Del Mar last winter. Yum! Now a big fan.

Especially like Aperol in Pellegrino after a brisk ride. Very refreshing with very little alcohol, so I can guzzle as many as I like to slake the thirst.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Is Aperol popular in Poland? VERY popular here in coastal SoCal. Had my first-ever Aperol drink, also a spritz, in Del Mar last winter. Yum! Now a big fan.

Especially like Aperol in Pellegrino after a brisk ride. Very refreshing with very little alcohol, so I can guzzle as many as I like to slake the thirst.

Aperol Spritz has become mainstream throughout Europe for several years now. Biker Pub was almost emptied on food and drinks on the Sunday afternoon, yet they strongly advertised Aperol as one of the last drinks available there (the only two other were that dark Czech lager and non-alcoholic beer!)

We dont have mass memorials

Britain has not seen any invasion since 1066!

P.S. I have added the 2013 "spot a horse" meme to my post.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Another Brzozowski's mobile display: "The Wedding Feast". See the "wreath" on the head of the bride. At midnight of the wedding, the wreath was thrown in the air, and unmarried girls were fighting to catch it (the one who caught it was expected to get married next year). Then, the bride head was adorned with a bonnet as the symbol of a married woman.

I'd like to draw your attention to the background picture in the "Wedding Feast" scene. It is a folk tale: "Guests of Stork vs. Guests of Fox". As you can see, the Fox cannot feed himself from the Stork's jar, and the Stork cannot eat from the Fox' plate

The Folk Museum is so vibrant and valuable! You can see collections of the folk clothes and many paintings there. Strange that the Communist rule did not want that Museum to be created as the official line was promoting the peasant & worker culture. However, the explanation is very simple: Were it the State or Party initiative, another boring museum would be created. What Brzozowski did was a dangerous act of individualism for the System!

@Jeremy McCreary:
'I disliked those KPN roads' said Jerzy gravely.