Stefan Mikes
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, Poland
Rab, 160 miles? Seriously? What a feat! ![Smiling face with heart-eyes :heart_eyes: 😍](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/7.0/png/unicode/64/1f60d.png)
Dave, i'm so glad you could avoid the accident!
![Smiling face with heart-eyes :heart_eyes: 😍](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/7.0/png/unicode/64/1f60d.png)
Dave, i'm so glad you could avoid the accident!
Beautiful tribute ride, Rab! Your Dad must have been smiling down in you the whole wayView attachment 156422
I have been waiting for the right conditions to cycle to St Andrews again, I was doing it in my dads memory as he passed away just over a year ago and it was his favourite place to visit in Scotland! It was his happy place and he visited every year until a couple of years ago when he was no longer able to make the journey! Conditions were just perfect, I set off at 5.20am with the intention of heading up the coast road to the town which is an 82 mile trip! I would then head home inland which is just over 70 miles!
My first photo was at the Black Loch, I was hoping it would be flat calm as there was very little wind at this time but I was out of luck!
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A couple of miles later I had to stop to capture this photo while the early morning mist was still hovering in the fields, it actually looked much more misty than the photo suggests!
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I stopped taking photos until I reached the Forth bridges as I wanted to make sure I missed the busy morning traffic, I timed it perfectly!
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I passed over the bridge and at the other end there were big queues of traffic trying to get over the new bridge, I sort of felt sorry for them...well maybe not!The old bridge is only for buses and taxis so it is very quiet these days, it can't handle the modern traffic! I was now on the coast road and tackled the big climb at Aberdour, the sign says 16% but it looks way steeper! I love the view down the Firth of Forth from here!
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The road leads to Kirkcaldy and is so much fun to ride, its all ups and downs and twists and turns which is what I love most about cycling!
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I reached the Esplanade at Kirkcaldy which was totally rebuilt in the last couple of years and probably cost a small fortune but they did such a great job of it!
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Kirkcaldy can be a very busy town but once again I timed it perfectly to miss the worst of the morning traffic, it was all planned with military precision you see!I continued along the coast to Leven where the bridge over the River Leven was undergoing massive renovation work so I was diverted over the old rickety bridge which has big signs saying weak bridge all over it, the limit was 18 tons though so I think my bike was safely under that...
After passing through Leven the road turns inland for a bit, I was passing the Lundin Links golf course and stopped for a snack and a photo!
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Next stop would be the small town of Elie right on the coast where my sisters recently stayed in a caravan while our new heating system was being installed, the tide was way out today!
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This one was taken at the other end of the town where the small lighthouse is situated!
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I hugged the coast all the way to St Andrews, 5 miles from the town I changed my first battery which had lasted for 77 miles! Not bad for a 5 year old battery! As I arrived in the town I popped into the caravan site which overlooks the town way up on the hill to grab some photos! My sisters were actually here last week and had an awesome week of weather, their caravan had an unobstructed view of the beach and the town!
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I then descending down the huge hill into the town proper and headed for the harbour where I enjoyed a delicious lunch from the cafe, my dad knew the woman that runs the cafe very well from all of his visits spanning more than 60 years! The water in the harbour was very low as the tide was out!
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I decided to take my food to a bench overlooking the beach, not a bad view to enjoy your lunch!
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It was so lovely sitting on the bench with the sea breeze keeping me nice and cool!After a nice break it was time to hit the road home, I think I spent a little too much time on that bench as my legs had turned to jelly now and I was now riding into a strenghtening headwind! The road out of St Andrews is a bit of a nightmare but thankfully they built a nice cycle path which keeps you away from the traffic all the way to Guardbridge! I was still struggling a bit after my extended break and it took me quite a while to get my second wind, once it came I was feeling way better!
That soon changed though as my backside was starting to ache, I really should have bought proper chamois cream for such a long ride! I have been using vaseline and it has been working really well but with todays heat I think it evaporated and it was getting rather painful! Anyway I had my strength back now and was making good progress, just before reaching the village of Dairsie I grabbed my last photos!
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Thankfully due to my first battery lasting 77 miles I only had around 76 miles to go with 2 batteries at my disposal so I was able to crank the assist up to negate that strong headwind all the way home! I arrived home very tired and my aching derrier was really troubling me but I had such a brilliant ride and I'm sure dad would have approved!I always rememeber the first time I cycled all the way to St Andrews in 2012 on my Focus Cayo carbon road bike and when I got home I informed dad where I had gone (I kept it a secret) and he couldn't believe I had ridden all that way in one day! I then showed him all of my photos and he was just loving it, he was so proud of what I had achieved and I told him he was my inspiration and that he played a big part in making me the person I had become! I'm welling up now but I will always have those amazing memories of a very special person!
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@RabH you're an animal... and I like it!View attachment 156422
I have been waiting for the right conditions to cycle to St Andrews again, I was doing it in my dads memory as he passed away just over a year ago and it was his favourite place to visit in Scotland! It was his happy place and he visited every year until a couple of years ago when he was no longer able to make the journey! Conditions were just perfect, I set off at 5.20am with the intention of heading up the coast road to the town which is an 82 mile trip! I would then head home inland which is just over 70 miles!
My first photo was at the Black Loch, I was hoping it would be flat calm as there was very little wind at this time but I was out of luck!
View attachment 156424
A couple of miles later I had to stop to capture this photo while the early morning mist was still hovering in the fields, it actually looked much more misty than the photo suggests!
View attachment 156426
I stopped taking photos until I reached the Forth bridges as I wanted to make sure I missed the busy morning traffic, I timed it perfectly!
View attachment 156427
View attachment 156428
I passed over the bridge and at the other end there were big queues of traffic trying to get over the new bridge, I sort of felt sorry for them...well maybe not!The old bridge is only for buses and taxis so it is very quiet these days, it can't handle the modern traffic! I was now on the coast road and tackled the big climb at Aberdour, the sign says 16% but it looks way steeper! I love the view down the Firth of Forth from here!
View attachment 156429
The road leads to Kirkcaldy and is so much fun to ride, its all ups and downs and twists and turns which is what I love most about cycling!
View attachment 156430
I reached the Esplanade at Kirkcaldy which was totally rebuilt in the last couple of years and probably cost a small fortune but they did such a great job of it!
View attachment 156431
Kirkcaldy can be a very busy town but once again I timed it perfectly to miss the worst of the morning traffic, it was all planned with military precision you see!I continued along the coast to Leven where the bridge over the River Leven was undergoing massive renovation work so I was diverted over the old rickety bridge which has big signs saying weak bridge all over it, the limit was 18 tons though so I think my bike was safely under that...
After passing through Leven the road turns inland for a bit, I was passing the Lundin Links golf course and stopped for a snack and a photo!
View attachment 156432
Next stop would be the small town of Elie right on the coast where my sisters recently stayed in a caravan while our new heating system was being installed, the tide was way out today!
View attachment 156435
This one was taken at the other end of the town where the small lighthouse is situated!
View attachment 156436
I hugged the coast all the way to St Andrews, 5 miles from the town I changed my first battery which had lasted for 77 miles! Not bad for a 5 year old battery! As I arrived in the town I popped into the caravan site which overlooks the town way up on the hill to grab some photos! My sisters were actually here last week and had an awesome week of weather, their caravan had an unobstructed view of the beach and the town!
View attachment 156438
View attachment 156440
I then descending down the huge hill into the town proper and headed for the harbour where I enjoyed a delicious lunch from the cafe, my dad knew the woman that runs the cafe very well from all of his visits spanning more than 60 years! The water in the harbour was very low as the tide was out!
View attachment 156443
I decided to take my food to a bench overlooking the beach, not a bad view to enjoy your lunch!
View attachment 156444
It was so lovely sitting on the bench with the sea breeze keeping me nice and cool!After a nice break it was time to hit the road home, I think I spent a little too much time on that bench as my legs had turned to jelly now and I was now riding into a strenghtening headwind! The road out of St Andrews is a bit of a nightmare but thankfully they built a nice cycle path which keeps you away from the traffic all the way to Guardbridge! I was still struggling a bit after my extended break and it took me quite a while to get my second wind, once it came I was feeling way better!
That soon changed though as my backside was starting to ache, I really should have bought proper chamois cream for such a long ride! I have been using vaseline and it has been working really well but with todays heat I think it evaporated and it was getting rather painful! Anyway I had my strength back now and was making good progress, just before reaching the village of Dairsie I grabbed my last photos!
View attachment 156445
View attachment 156446
Thankfully due to my first battery lasting 77 miles I only had around 76 miles to go with 2 batteries at my disposal so I was able to crank the assist up to negate that strong headwind all the way home! I arrived home very tired and my aching derrier was really troubling me but I had such a brilliant ride and I'm sure dad would have approved!I always rememeber the first time I cycled all the way to St Andrews in 2012 on my Focus Cayo carbon road bike and when I got home I informed dad where I had gone (I kept it a secret) and he couldn't believe I had ridden all that way in one day! I then showed him all of my photos and he was just loving it, he was so proud of what I had achieved and I told him he was my inspiration and that he played a big part in making me the person I had become! I'm welling up now but I will always have those amazing memories of a very special person!
![]()
Follow-up: Last night, about 90 were injured and 7 hospitalized when a severe thunderstorm dropping golfball-sized hail struck an outdoor concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheater outside Denver.In Denver at least, hail's a monsoon-season phenomenon — summer and early fall — with impressive to apocalyptic thunderstorms almost every afternoon or evening. At my house, these brought significant hail maybe 12 times a season.
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From our Denver back yard in 2016 and 2017. Two foot-high splashes from hailstone impacts on the lake weren't uncommon. Imagine getting caught in a barrage like that on a ride!
"Awesome" is so overused, but thunderstorms truly are awesome forces of nature. Kinda miss the atmospheric drama now that we're in coastal SoCal, but not on a daily basis, and no hail, thank you.
What a fitting tribute to your Pop.I have been waiting for the right conditions to cycle to St Andrews again, I was doing it in my dads memory as he passed away just over a year ago and it was his favourite place to visit in Scotland! It was his happy place and he visited every year until a couple of years ago when he was no longer able to make the journey! Conditions were just perfect, I set off at 5.20am with the intention of heading up the coast road to the town which is an 82 mile trip! I would then head home inland which is just over 70 miles!
Gorgeous shots of the harbor and ships. I forgot how beautiful Coronado was and the SD skyline. Awesome! I can’t believe how clean your bike is.SD skyline from the ferry. SD's an old city with lots of wonderful Spanish-style architecture. But downtown now bristles with modern high-rises, many with innovative architecture.
Thanks Dave, it was quite a day! The last pictures were taken a long way from home..Rab, what a ride! I don’t know how you could even get on and off the bike there near the end to take those last pictures!
And that is the best bike/pedestrian bridge lane I’ve ever seen. Nice job by the traffic engineers.
Thanks Jeremy, he was one heluva dad for sure!Sorry to hear of your dad's passing. He clearly meant a lot to you. I can see why he liked St. Andrews.
As you might have guessed, I'm kinda partial to water views, but these are some of your best photos yet.
That was last year, I was slacking a bit this year with only 153 miles...Rab, 160 miles? Seriously? What a feat!
Dave, i'm so glad you could avoid the accident!
Thanks Patricia, he was for sure! I just wish he had told me to buy good chamois cream...Beautiful tribute ride, Rab! Your Dad must have been smiling down in you the whole way!
Thanks Dave, I think!@RabH you're an animal... and I like it!![]()
Thanks Art, just the way I like it!What a fitting tribute to your Pop.What I admire most about you is that you go about your business in an uncompetitive manner sans fanfare. Your trip reports speak for themselves both in metrics and scenic beauty leaving other members such as myself inspired. Well done!
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Cool ride! Are there more trees down than usual after the storm? Curious if things are changing...I was back riding three local trails today and thought that it would be a good opportunity to check out what the conditions were like after the storm showers we received over the weekend. The last time that I rode the Levo was almost two weeks ago in Lake Louise so I was well over due for another spin on it even though I knew I wasn’t going to experience any of those epic mountain views.
After a couple of warm sunny days, there wasn’t much slop to deal with and the bike and I returned home less mud caked than expected. The number of fallen trees that I came across didn’t really catch me off guard too much other than interrupting my momentum on a couple of occasions. I could either carry the bike over, around or underneath them.
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However, this behemoth poplar along the Bench Trail didn’t leave me any other option than to seek another way down toward the river.
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It was finally nice to be riding under clear skies and the warming rays of the sun were remarkably soothing and calming to the soul.
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Closer to the MTB Park, a patch of fireweed along the banks of the river were in full bloom and hence too vibrant to pass up.
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At the bike park, things weren’t much better. Although this tree wasn’t that large, it was a bit too high to bunny hop over.
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When I was sixteen, this might have been doable but now this 62-year-old fart gets nauseous just thinking about it.
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Taking my last corner along the Pines Trail.
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A fitting view to the end of my ride after exiting the Pines Single.
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It‘s difficult to say but I suspect that more trees had fallen in the woods beyond the trails that I ride. The large poplar and one spruce in particular were pretty significant in girth and I think it might be a while before someone comes along and removes them. The tumultuous weather of late has played havoc with outdoor pursuits and we’ll likely see this familiar pattern repeated over the summer months according to the experts. I personally feel that there is more to this than just a few anomalous events. In fact, areas around southern AB reported multiple tornados on one day last week which was unprecedented even for storm chasers.Cool ride! Are there more trees down than usual after the storm? Curious if things are changing...
Oooohhh!It‘s difficult to say but I suspect that more trees had fallen in the woods beyond the trails that I ride. The large poplar and one spruce in particular were pretty significant in girth and I think it might be a while before someone comes along and removes them. The tumultuous weather of late has played havoc with outdoor pursuits and we’ll likely see this familiar pattern repeated over the summer months according to the experts. I personally feel that there is more to this than just a few anomalous events. In fact, areas around southern AB reported multiple tornados on one day last week which was unprecedented even for storm chasers.
The local singles around here are pretty much rated blue (intermediate) and one would have to travel a bit further out to ride anything more advanced. I try and fit a few rides into my normal road routine each week so that I can be better prepared to take on anything more progressive. I find that the trails such as the ones at our local mtb park, are a great way to improve one’s bike handling skills and have your ride suspension dialed in. They are rooty, twisty over undulating terrain and your own velocity will dictate how potentially challenging they can be.
Hey you get the scenery without the pain on EBR . What's not to like ?My rides always feel so lame compared to others. RabH, 160 miles, 12 hours? You’re killing me, it hurts me just thinking about it. As usual I also like the scenery of other peoples rides. We have no ships, castles or mountains in the Midwest but we do have corn and soy beans.
My ride today was 17 miles, a few more hills with 626 feet of elevation gain. I rode by a recently remodeled school in a nearby town. It was suppose to be open this last school year but they are just finishing up. It looks pretty nice compared to what it did before.
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Yeah, i am replying to my own post. So going on about the lack of castles and other extremes: mountains, waterfalls, real wildlife (where is that damn grizzly mode?), barns and livestock , other scenes you can find on EBR ... I leaned to ride bike in the cornfields of Ohio, and I really miss it, except the wind. It never stopped.Hey you get the scenery without the pain on EBR . What's not to like ?
Oooohhh!
I LOVE local blue singles... especially the rooty, twisted, undulating kind!![]()
Speaking of which, I enjoyed my session at the bike park yesterday and by sheer coincidence the second half of the run is aptly named Roots, Turns and Twists. As far as I can tell, most of the trails out there are riddled with roots.Oooohhh!
I LOVE local blue singles... especially the rooty, twisted, undulating kind!![]()
I love seeing everyone's stories and pictures from around the world, but of everyone's posts yours are the ones that remind me the most of the roads I grew up riding before I forgot how much I loved cycling for almost 30 years.My rides always feel so lame compared to others. RabH, 160 miles, 12 hours? You’re killing me, it hurts me just thinking about it. As usual I also like the scenery of other peoples rides. We have no ships, castles or mountains in the Midwest but we do have corn and soy beans.
My ride today was 17 miles, a few more hills with 626 feet of elevation gain. I rode by a recently remodeled school in a nearby town. It was suppose to be open this last school year but they are just finishing up. It looks pretty nice compared to what it did before.
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