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

[Stefan Mikes]

So, the Forum was down for a pretty long while?

My ICRI Commutes
Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th of June, 2023

Now, I could use my Vado SL as a commuter e-bike to visit the Industrial Chemistry Research Institute for my professional purposes two times this week! I am a process engineer working in the process simulation business; one of our customers and my first employer company asked for a two-day training in the software we sell and support. As you know, I am reluctant to drive my old car. It is not only about the car but also about the all-day traffic jam in and around Warsaw, and difficulty to find a parking place in Warsaw. (For certain reasons, using public transportation in my case was not practical at all!)

Hint: I would love to commute on my full power Vado (no sweat) but tell me how would you transport a heavy e-bike in a small lift/elevator of an old high-rise? I could put my lightweight Vado SL into that small compartment vertically! And I could carry that e-bike with a single hand downstairs!

I could afford looking semi-formal during my training sessions: trainers, blue jeans, shirt, and a jacket, and the helmet for the ride, of course (I carried the laptop and everything else I needed for work in a Specialized Tailwind pannier).

No pictures from the training: it was totally successful. The first day was easy for riding: warm, dry, and nice wind to cool me on the ride.

I completed the afternoon with late lunch in the Milk Bar "Sady". What you can see in the picture, could be well served 40 or 50 years ago!

• Cold Soup with Egg
• "Breton Beans" strongly seasoned by me with available salt, ground sweet pepper and Herbal Pepper and a bun
• Cucumber salad
• "Tymbark" apple and peach juice.

If you are interested, the "Breton Beans" is the meal only known in Poland; Bretagne has never heard of it! Haha! It is baked beans in tomato sauce with a lot of sausage and bacon in it. (Another Poland's only meal is called "Hungarian Pancakes"; no Hungarian has never heard about it in Hungary!)

Upon returning home, I found a shipment with my new Specialized Echelon II helmet While women buy shoes and hand-bags, I cannot resist buying a new helmet!

The next day started with rain showers. Oh-oh. I just pulled a thin windbreaker onto the jacket, took my Abus helmet with a raincover and I pedalled against the drizzle and headwind. It was cold! I only repeated to myself: "You are setting off for a 160 miler this Saturday! Practise endurance!" Not that hot coffee at a service station and drying my gloves with a hand dryer didn't help a little! The afternoon was dry and sunny; my clothes could dry during the training!

Another lunch at "Sady": Sorrel Soup with Egg, Pork Meatball with Potato, and a salad. I won't be at "Sady" again for a few months so I had to take the opportunity!

Whichever way I tried, it was always 50 km return trip I have put several labels for Warsaw. The city is pretty extensive with a big part on the right bank of the Vistula (while the central quarters are located on the left hand bank tall escarpment of the river). I need to mention the history of Warsaw as a big city only dates back to 1916. The historical Warsaw was a really small city by area because it had been surrounded by a ring of Russian fortresses making sure those damn Poles would not start yet another independence uprising again!

 

[MacGoreth]

Last night I took a 2 hours detour into the wilderness, on my commute home from work. The dual suspension, wider tires, and MTB style really do open the door for a bigger map. I’m loving every second I spend riding this bike.

I swapped the previous fat spring saddle (sofa with a spring as @Stefan Mikes called it) for a more esthetic one.

 

[Chargeride]

Ive lost 11lbs, but put 2 back on reading Stefans posts .

Anyway, this looks really good

New 130-mile Traws Eryri cycling route comes to north Wales

Cycling UK has announced its intention to launch a new long distance off-road cycle route in north Wales, at the end of the summer 2023.

singletrackworld.com

 

[Art Deco]

Is the idea that Palm Springs is also unsafe at any speed?

No, that's just the safest storage positioning of a Corvair.

 

[Art Deco]

Nope

It didn't look much like a straw bale house to me.

 

[Chargeride]

So, the Forum was down for a pretty long while?

My ICRI Commutes
Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th of June, 2023

Now, I could use my Vado SL as a commuter e-bike to visit the Industrial Chemistry Research Institute for my professional purposes two times this week! I am a process engineer working in the process simulation business; one of our customers and my first employer company asked for a two-day training in the software we sell and support. As you know, I am reluctant to drive my old car. It is not only about the car but also about the all-day traffic jam in and around Warsaw, and difficulty to find a parking place in Warsaw. (For certain reasons, using public transportation in my case was not practical at all!)

Hint: I would love to commute on my full power Vado (no sweat) but tell me how would you transport a heavy e-bike in a small lift/elevator of an old high-rise? I could put my lightweight Vado SL into that small compartment vertically! And I could carry that e-bike with a single hand downstairs!

View attachment 155936
I could afford looking semi-formal during my training sessions: trainers, blue jeans, shirt, and a jacket, and the helmet for the ride, of course (I carried the laptop and everything else I needed for work in a Specialized Tailwind pannier).

No pictures from the training: it was totally successful. The first day was easy for riding: warm, dry, and nice wind to cool me on the ride.

View attachment 155937
I completed the afternoon with late lunch in the Milk Bar "Sady". What you can see in the picture, could be well served 40 or 50 years ago!

• Cold Soup with Egg
• "Breton Beans" strongly seasoned by me with available salt, ground sweet pepper and Herbal Pepper and a bun
• Cucumber salad
• "Tymbark" apple and peach juice.

If you are interested, the "Breton Beans" is the meal only known in Poland; Bretagne has never heard of it! Haha! It is baked beans in tomato sauce with a lot of sausage and bacon in it. (Another Poland's only meal is called "Hungarian Pancakes"; no Hungarian has never heard about it in Hungary!)

View attachment 155946
Upon returning home, I found a shipment with my new Specialized Echelon II helmet While women buy shoes and hand-bags, I cannot resist buying a new helmet!

The next day started with rain showers. Oh-oh. I just pulled a thin windbreaker onto the jacket, took my Abus helmet with a raincover and I pedalled against the drizzle and headwind. It was cold! I only repeated to myself: "You are setting off for a 160 miler this Saturday! Practise endurance!" Not that hot coffee at a service station and drying my gloves with a hand dryer didn't help a little! The afternoon was dry and sunny; my clothes could dry during the training!

View attachment 155947
Another lunch at "Sady": Sorrel Soup with Egg, Pork Meatball with Potato, and a salad. I won't be at "Sady" again for a few months so I had to take the opportunity!

View attachment 155948
Whichever way I tried, it was always 50 km return trip I have put several labels for Warsaw. The city is pretty extensive with a big part on the right bank of the Vistula (while the central quarters are located on the left hand bank tall escarpment of the river). I need to mention the history of Warsaw as a big city only dates back to 1916. The historical Warsaw was a really small city by area because it had been surrounded by a ring of Russian fortresses making sure those damn Poles would not start yet another independence uprising again!

I cant read the word Warsaw without my my mind popping up Lech Walesa, he was on the telly so much in my youth.

 

[BlackHand]

Had a choice on Monday evening whether to spend an extra 75 minutes driving with 25 minutes on the couch or take the bike with me to my son's practice and have 90 minutes to ride. Not really a tough choice.

Got in a little over 27 miles altogether headed from Everett down to the town of Snohomish and back and around Marine View Drive around the perimeter of downtown Everett.

The park at the bend of the river in Lowell is really pleasant this is looking up and downstream

After getting to Snohomish I came back down the other side of the river, watched the swallows catching flies for a few minutes at this spot.

Spotted this shaggy donkey who decided I wasn't very interesting.

From there it was back over the trestle into Everett

And a quick loop around Everett, just enough time to snap a picture above the waterfront before heading back for the end of practice

 

[dodgeman]

I rode 18 miles today. I posted a picture a couple days ago looking down a rode, very flat, corn on both sides, and the road seems to disappear into infinity. Not everything is flat open ground around here, lots of smaller hills, gully’s and trees also. A couple pictures looking at the LaMoine River area.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Bad News!
There is the Hel Peninsula on the Baltic Sea coast of Poland. There was a "magical" 666 bus line to Hel...

...but the conservative citizens made the line number to be changed! No more 666 to Hell anymore!

Some news on the upcoming Mazovian Gravel race. @Readytoride: I've read your Gravel Grinding report again, thank you! I'm starting and finishing the 160 mile race on my Vado SL. The e-bike is lightweight, and it handles the rough terrain exceptionally well (@rochrunner!) It can be carried through a river or be carried upstairs (two mandatory obstacles on the route!) There will be a 50 mile boring ride on paved roads; I will switch to Vado 6.0 there. I'm using my brother Jacek as a SAG car driver, and we will stay at the 140th km overnight at the agro-touristic farm (I'm restarting the ride at dawn). The coming Saturday and Sunday will be tough... At least the weather is expected to be fair!

Wish me luck

 

[JRA]

That road is actually what they call oil and chip. I’m lucky most of the roads are paved like that but can be a little rough. I especially like the farm ground at certain times of the year.

That surface treatment was used alot in VT. where I grew up. We called it Chip and Seal. The windshield installers loved it due to the inspection laws in that state requiring no windshield cracks and if you followed someone too closely you were in the line of fire.....

 

[BlackHand]

I rode 18 miles today. I posted a picture a couple days ago looking down a rode, very flat, corn on both sides, and the road seems to disappear into infinity. Not everything is flat open ground around here, lots of smaller hills, gully’s and trees also. A couple pictures looking at the LaMoine River area.
View attachment 155973

The bridge is wider than the road - usually see that the other way around.

Oh, and we called it tar and chip back in PA

 

[dodgeman]

The bridge is wider than the road - usually see that the other way around.

Oh, and we called it tar and chip back in PA

That’s not uncommon. It’s a newer bridge and there is usually a minimum width they build them per the DOT’s requirements.

 

[kahn]

View attachment 155877

It was time for a recovery ride after Thursdays beast, 53 miles felt like a trip round the block in comparison! I set off at 7am when it was a lovely 15C (59F), its now 27C (84F) and we Scots can't take heat! I picked a route to avoid the Monday traffic and it worked out perfectly, I was never further than 20 miles from home during the ride! The sky had a thundery look about it but thankfully it didn't come to anything, this was just a few miles from home on nice smooth tarmac yet again!

View attachment 155878
After the awesome descent down into the valley its straight into a big climb up to the main road from Newhouse to Salsburgh, a road I was only crossing today to join my awesome back roads again!

View attachment 155879
View attachment 155880
I know these roads like the back of my hand and after riding them for over 50 years I still love them and probably always will, I'm so lucky to have quiet roads like this a matter of minutes from my doorstep! I continued on with not even a single car in sight for miles, I was passing this field and this youngster wanted to say hello!

View attachment 155881
Eventually I had to join one of the main roads but it was past 9am now and the traffic wasn't too bad! I stopped at the Leavenseat recycling centre for a short break and a snack after the climb up to just over 1000ft!

View attachment 155882
Thankfully its just a gradual climb and the road is also in really good condition here!

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Just after this its the big descent down towards Breich where the road isn't in the best condition but still pretty awesome, it undulates all the way down!

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This is looking back up the road to the south!

View attachment 155885
Looking north now at all of the undulations, I used to love this part on my motorbike where you really get to enjoy these ups and downs at high speed! I remember my older brother telling me about the time he took his then 11 year old daughter on the back of his bike and he looked back to see her with her arms out like wings pretending to fly!

View attachment 155886
At the bottom of the road there are traffic signals which is a real shame as the road plunges down into the valley before yet another steep climb up to Longridge and then its downhill all the way to Whitburn where I took the new cycle path to Armadale!

View attachment 155887
From there I joined the back roads again towards Westfield, taking the big climb at Bridgehouse to enjoy the brilliant fast descents back down to Armadale at the far side of the town! Then its a straight road home passing the Hillend Loch which was pretty calm today due to the light winds!

View attachment 155888
I actually joined the cycle path round the loch here but decided to turn back as there was some kind of school outing going on with kids walking along the path, I let them enjoy their walk! One final photo of the loch from the road!

View attachment 155892
It was getting rather warm now so I was glad I was close to home, I had a lovely cool shower as soon as I got there! Another lovely ride on my local roads, I will have a break for a couple of days now and might be taking the bike in the car on Thursday for a change of scenery! I have a couple of places in mind and will decide on the day which one to choose...

@Readytoride I don't blame you for cutting your ride short in that heat, what a turnout you guys had! I'm sure the charity will be very happy with all of your efforts!

While I'm glad you folks still use Imperial measures that I can quickly discern, the numbers quickly put me to shame. Another great account.

 

[kahn]

Yeah, the revenue from this ride alone is amazing, and a substantial portion goes towards the gravel roads preservation efforts. A very good cause to support. The organizations and sponsors hosting the ride are top notch and the professional setup - including a massive start and finish arch - is designed to make all the riders feel really special. The venue is a private school with stunning grounds, and they even have a DJ to keep the atmosphere upbeat and lively. The aid stations are well stocked and each has a bike repair station set up, just in case. I have noticed those guys are always busy! Several photographers are stationed enroute as well.

Not surprising the number of riders, quite a lot coming from several states away, are happy to enter this event.

I will admit to feeling a touch out of place in that swelled ocean of testosterone, but once we were out on the roads my bike more than made up for any shortcomings I felt personally. I did spot one other ebike with it's lady rider, but that was it. Had my shoulder ceased complaining, I might have continued on for the next 20 mile loop as I don't often ride on the gravel roads chosen for that loop. I had swapped out to a fully charged battery, too, in anticipation. But even with an Advil taken just before I set off for the ride, precautionary self medication, the shoulder wasn't about to cry Uncle. Ah, well. Maybe next year I'll complete the 60!

I am going to look into possibly volunteering next year to help with the day-before setup since I live so close.

"I will admit to feeling a touch out of place in that swelled ocean of testosterone,"

Ah, but you were equipped with electronic testosterone!!!

 

[kahn]

I did my usual 23 mile urban loop through some of its less urban views. With a start near Greenlake and then on to and through the Ship Canal, Discovery Park, Smith Cove Park, Myrtle Edwards Park and Seattle Center.


"June Gloom" in all of its cloudy glory.

Somehow, between Burlington Northern and the Port of Seattle they carved out a narrow bike (running) path between their respective properties. In a few places it is barely a bicycle handlebar wide. Newly paved in the last week, all of those trees have roots that like to heave the pavement. At the far end of this segment is a narrowed angled bridge over the tracks. Always fun with runners or other bikes in either direction.

I've pictured "Upon, Adjacent, whatever" before with the mostly defunct newspaper Post-Intelligencer Globe.

Echo (which has echoes in other places around the globe) at the Olympic Sculpture Park at the north end of downtown.

Seattle Center which I ride through is UPhill in the background here.

"Upon, Adjacent", as seen from above on the pedestrian/bike bridge over Burlington Northern tracks and connecting Myrtle Edwards Park and Queen Anne Hill

Pedestrian/bike bridge over the tracks.

 

[kahn]

That road is actually what they call oil and chip. I’m lucky most of the roads are paved like that but can be a little rough. I especially like the farm ground at certain times of the year.

We call it "chip seal" and they lay down a thin coat of asphalt (or maybe just oil) and toss gravel allowing cars and traffic to blend the two but leaving bikes with waves of this loose crap along the shoulders. Real fun on bikes, particularly narrower road bike tires.

 

[RabH]

Back in August 2021 I did this ride and the mist came down, no mist this time thankfully! I put the bike in the car and drove to beautiful Loch Lubnaig, arriving at 6am to avoid the searing heat we are experiencing at the moment! There was quite a chill in the air at 6am but that didn't last long, not a bad view to start my ride!

10 miles into my ride I had the big climb up to Glen Ogle to warm me up, it did the trick! The Glen Ogle viaduct was lit up in the morning sun!

After reaching the top of the climb I had the awesome descent to enjoy down into Killin, where I had the Falls of Dochart all to myself! When I passed a few hours later it was awash with tourists taking photos, its just a shame about the recent dry spell as they are very spectacular when the water is in spate!

I was passing through Killin and spotted a boating pond and decided to stop and investigate, I made the right decision as I was greeted with this magnificent view with Ben Lawers in the background! The mountain I would be climbing after another 24 miles!

I was now riding alongside the picturesque Loch Tay, the last time I couldn't see much for the mist...it was a very different story today!

I think I stopped about 50 times along this road not hard to see why!

I was nearing my turn off for Ben Lawers but just had to stop at Fearnan for more stunning pictures of Loch Tay!

Its now a short but very sharp climb up to Glen Lyon which leads to the foot of the climb up Ben Lawers, the nice views didn't stop here!

Nice new tarmac to enjoy along Glen Lyon also!

Years ago I used to drive my car along here and park up before climbing the mountain but one day I realised it would be better to park the car near Killin and cycle it instead, its way better using the bike and a lot more convenient if you meet traffic coming the other way! Today I only saw a handful of cars, its a very different story at the weekend!

My last photo in the valley before the big climb begins!

I started the climb and the summit software on my Wahoo gps informed me I had a 4.5 mile climb ahead with an average gradient of 4% and it would take 15 minutes...yeah right! Well I did stop a few times on the way up to take in the views and have a snack, eventually I reached the top of the climb at the reservoir! I was surprised to see the water fairly high after the dry spell!

I now had the awesome descent to enjoy but it was spoiled a little by some workers fixing the electricity pylons, there was quite a crew and lots of vans! I stopped just past them to grab this photo part way down the descent!

At the bottom of the road I was back alongside Loch Tay and grabbed another couple of photos before taking the same route back to the car, not much choice I'm afraid but I did enjoy the descent at Glen Ogle despite the strengthening headwind!

The road back to the car was much busier now which was expected, lots of trucks and buses to endure but thankfully they were all well behaved (probably due to the lovely weather) Its the A84 and one of the main routes to the north of the country, thats another reason I left so early! What a brilliant ride in perfect weather though, it was 8C at 6am and 26C at 12pm! I'm glad I got my car aircon fixed recently, I needed it on that trip home!

 

[dodgeman]

I did 16 miles today and rode around the nearby college campus of WIU. The first building was the first built, finished in 1902. You can see the deer in the first picture but I didn’t notice them right away. I zoomed in and got a couple more pictures. This is on the middle of a town of 20,000 people, they have adapted to living in town. The last picture is a new performing arts center they are building at the college. When I was still working I did the boundary and topographic surveying for this project. I can’t remember when that was but a little more than 20 years ago at least. After the bids came in too high several years ago they rebid it and finally funded it. They need it, like a lot of state colleges in Illinois they are struggling to attract students.

 

[kahn]

Had a choice on Monday evening whether to spend an extra 75 minutes driving with 25 minutes on the couch or take the bike with me to my son's practice and have 90 minutes to ride. Not really a tough choice.

Got in a little over 27 miles altogether headed from Everett down to the town of Snohomish and back and around Marine View Drive around the perimeter of downtown Everett.

The park at the bend of the river in Lowell is really pleasant this is looking up and downstream
View attachment 155966


After getting to Snohomish I came back down the other side of the river, watched the swallows catching flies for a few minutes at this spot.


Spotted this shaggy donkey who decided I wasn't very interesting.


From there it was back over the trestle into Everett


And a quick loop around Everett, just enough time to snap a picture above the waterfront before heading back for the end of practice
View attachment 155969

You make Everett look nice! I do love the Schack Gallery.

You did not get any shots of the homes/buildings on stilts along the River on the ride to/from Lowell. But your pictures do give me a reason to take the bus up to Everett from Greenlake and pedal one of the various routes back. Thanks for posting.

 

[Art Deco]

While I'm glad you folks still use Imperial measures that I can quickly discern, the numbers quickly put me to shame. Another great account.

That's just @RAB and a very few others doing the mega miles , plenty of casual riders on EBR won't clock anywhere near that many miles ... I don't even put that many miles on a car in a year.