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

Twin Valley said:
We live in the southern part of the province and fortunately (for us) a southwest breeze has finally brought spring our way - hence, the smoke has been blowing away from us. Our mountains are still covered in white and spring run-off is usually a June event. It seems so surreal to me that we are dealing with such wide spread fires so early in the season. The out of control fires extend to our neighboring province in British Columbia and must be a real challenge to all of our fire fighting resources.
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Yeah usually it's us in B.C. leading the way for burning over the last 10 years or so.
I hope our Neighbors in Alta can snuff the fires out soon. They are way harder to put out than they used to be. :(
 
Active Recovery Pizza Ride

Even if I was really exhausted post my Saturday ride, I took the advice of a Forum member (to go for an active recovery ride) quite seriously for the Sunday late morning! As the day was cold, I took the precautions (goggles! balaclava! gloves!) and prepared for the outward leg of the trip upwind (the same steady easterly wind as helped me on my Saturday ride...) To make the trip light, I only took a single 532 Wh Vado battery and set the Smart Control for "70 km, 250 m elevation gain, 20% of the battery left at the end of the ride". Mission Control Smart Control decided to assist me with 40%, and I admire how precise that control was!

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Chilled, I arrived in META Bar ("Finish Line") located at the southernmost tip of Warsaw (near to the Kabacki Forest and Specialized Warsaw). On warm days, the restaurant's garden is teeming with picnicking cyclists. On that cold day, all the guests chose staying inside the cosy interior of META heated by a firewood stove and propane burners. (You can safely leave your bike outside; it is a cycling friendly place with no single case of bicycle theft!) My real 31 km ride aim was to have Countryside Pizza with Winter Tea. I love the pizza at META, as it is made in a firewood stove! (If it is of interest, the meal cost the equivalent of US$14; nothing is cheap these days).

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I must have burnt too many kcal on my recent rides because I still felt hungry. So I pedalled to SUCRE Cafe at KEN 49, Natolin, Ursynów, Warsaw. The cafe is located in the same apartment block as the flat I and my girlfriend @Brix stay at during Ewa's trips from London to Warsaw, so the place is close to my heart! I was so full I could not finish that big mug of Chocolate Mocha!

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I chose a random interesting ride home, so my way led near to the Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW). Here, a grounded LOT aircraft.

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The Ferrari dealership is there, too.

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As the WAW airport is actually located inside the city, it is a heaven for plane-spotters. Just fancy I took that photo with an ordinary smartphone!

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The south-eastern end of the airport runway must be devoid of any obstacles. Hence, an unobstructed view onto the Warsaw City skyline from Kinetic Street (the latter flanking the airport).

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A real shock for me! Can you see the high-tower in the centre and the Palace of Culture and Science (far right)? It looks the building in the centre is higher than the Palace (the latter being the tallest building in Poland only recently). Yes! The high building is the Varso Tower (310 m or 1,017 ft), completed in September 2022! It is the highest building in Europe, and it is even higher than The Shard in London! Fancy that I learned about it only today!

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As a nice surprise, my wandering led me to the nicest bike path of my nearer neighbourhood. Some cyclist named it "The Bike Path In The Memory Of The Stoney Road Race" :D I can imagine how the road must have looked like before the bike path was constructed! :D

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The interesting part of my 66.66 km leisure ride.

In the praise of Smart Control: I returned with 24% of the battery, and there was still battery juice for another 4 km to get down to 20%, as planned!
 
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The whole area was full of place-names sounding very funny to a Polish ear. Like "Whiteshore Nearer" and "Whiteshore Farther.

Me...most normal Polish name ever
 
Had lots of parent shenanigans and now wish I had siblings.
Anyways, finally getting out properly tomorrow to visit the Eurovisioned city on the bike.

I presume youre all glued to it 😎
Croatia through to the finals with the possibly the oddest act
Germanys entry all about blood and being happy to die..not entirely sure what they were thinking there in the present situation 🤔.
Anyway my moneys on Israel.
 
Chargeride said:
Anyway my moneys on Israel.
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It was always a mystery for me why non-European countries were ever admitted to the Eurovision contest. Why not some Americans or Canadian? :)
Same with the Euro football championship (although I could be wrong there as I am not a football fan!)
 
Stefan Mikes said:
It was always a mystery for me why non-European countries were ever admitted to the Eurovision contest. Why not some Americans or Canadian? :)
Same with the Euro football championship (although I could be wrong there as I am not a football fan!)
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Not much of a mystery. Eurovision is run by the European Broadcasters Union. Has been since 1954 and so any of their members like Israel can enter. Australia were invited to partake for one year for some reason I forget. It was such a big success they’ve been invited back every year since. But if Oz wins then the next competition has to take place somewhere in Europe. God my brain is filled with useless information.
 
Chargeride said:
Rode about, it was sunny.
The cafe I stop the camera at is actually Americas first overseas consulate, as usual for brits, no plaque and turn it into a cafe.
en.m.wikipedia.org

Consulate of the United States, Liverpool - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org
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Chargeride you weren’t cycling around Bude last Sat afternoon? The Coronation day? Was walking with family along the canal by Summerleaze beach when a fella on a fat ebike passed by. My wife commented on the size of the tyres. It was only later I wondered if it was you! Think you were in Cornwall recently.
 
What about the Liver Bird (atop of one of the Three Graces), @Chargeride? :)
I did not watch the full video (I admit) as I am preparing for the longest e-bike ride of mine to be taken on Friday.

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As CR correctly said, the huge building in the middle is just a ventilation tower for one of the Mersey Tunnels. The three beautiful buildings around (once hosting shipping companies) are known as Three Graces.

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The Liver Bird atop one of the Three Graces.
 
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Rás Cnoic said:
Chargeride you weren’t cycling around Bude last Sat afternoon? The Coronation day? Was walking with family along the canal by Summerleaze beach when a fella on a fat ebike passed by. My wife commented on the size of the tyres. It was only later I wondered if it was you! Think you were in Cornwall recently.
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No, but I have.
Off to the Brecon Beacons this weekend, theyve just been renamed Bannau Brycheiniog for a number of reasons including climate change, they dont want the word beacons to clash with their net zero target...yes..hmmm.
The PM Rushi Sunak said he wouldnt use the new name, which is causing a stir.
 
Stefan Mikes said:
What about the Liver Bird (atop of one of the Three Graces), @Chargeride? :)
I did not watch the full video (I admit) as I am preparing for the longest e-bike ride of mine to be taken on Friday.

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As CR correctly said, the huge building in the middle is just a ventilation tower for one of the Mersey Tunnels. The three beautiful buildings around (once hosting shipping companies) are known as Three Graces.

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The Liver Bird atop one of the Three Graces.
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I used to work in that building, years ago it was so dirty from coal soot in the air it was completely black.
I dont know why it didnt effect the other buildings, but it was the first concrete building in Europe.

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I rode about 11 miles today and went through a small town of Fandon. At one time a lot of people were saying this part of Western Illinois was forgotten and wasn’t getting very much funding. This was the late 1970’s. It was somewhat jokingly declared Forgottonia and Fandon was the capital. It’s hard to say what the population is but I’m betting less than 50. There is a business though, the Amish have established a lumber yard.
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