2024 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[JGcycle]

A few pics from today's 33km ride:

 

[RabH]

Our good weather was due to end after today and with a free afternoon I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to get out there! After my big ride 2 days ago I intended to go for a much easier one! Once again the temp was just ideal, around 16C but with a chilly ENE wind this time which was around 18mph! I started with the awesome descent at Gartness and trumped my 44.9mph I managed on Sunday, 45.9mph this time! The road takes you into Chapelhall on the main A73 but I was only on the main road for a few hundred yards before turning off and heading up the back road to Salsburgh, a big old climb to get the heart rate up!

This photo makes it look almost flat...at the top of the climb I met a tipper truck turning to head down the same road so I was glad I didn't meet it on the steep climb!

At Salsburgh I headed up the climb towards Harthill and I was looking forward to the big descent and despite the 18mph headwind it was still brilliant, I then turned off and took the narrow back road to Blackridge! It starts with this big climb which never seems to register as a climb on the Wahoo gps summit software despite it being a 10% gradient!

I reached the top of the climb and started along this cracking little road which finishes with this very nice descent!

Another photo before arriving in Blackridge!

Then it was another narrow back road which leads to Armadale and with lovely new tarmac it was a lot of fun to ride!

I arrived in Armadale and took the cycle path down into Whitburn where I then joined the new cycle path from Whitburn towards Bathgate, the path stops before Bathgate but I joined another path which runs through a housing scheme which takes you past the Fire Station in Bathgate! Then I joined the cycle path which leads to Dechmont but I turned off that path and took the big climb up to Cairnpapple, this is only the second time I have gone up this beast of a climb as I usually come down it at very high speed!

Just as I started heading up the climb a 4x4 appeared behind me so I pulled in to the side of the road and waved them past before the steep part where they would have no chance of overtaking me, then an idiot in the passenger seat decided to scream at the top of his voice to try and scare me.... What an absolute moron, to think I had let them pass and that's how they repay the favour...anyway I continued up the climb and quickly forgot about the incident and got back to enjoying my ride! I then had the steep climb up to Cairnpapple to tackle!

I stopped at the top for a few photos!

The corkscrew was awaiting me, this is just incredibe to ride!

The corkscrew from the other side!

I enjoyed the final descent and turned west for Torphicen and stopped for more photos before the awesome descent down into the village!

I then shot down the descent and had a short climb before plunging down the next descent towards Westfield! I passed through Westfield and was now heading for Avonbridge but decided to take the back road to the village which starts with a very steep but very rough descent! I stopped at the bottom for these photos of the fields which were only recently cultivated by the farmer and had already grown so much!

Then I enjoyed the cracking little back road to Avonbridge which is like this most of the way!

Its very picturesque also!

I then took another awesome back road which leads to Slamannan, it starts with this climb and then its descents all the way into the village!

From Slammanan I took another stunning back road which leads to Longriggend, before heading down the very fast descent into Upperton! I had now covered 40 miles and if I had headed straight home I would have been a few miles short of 50, so I took another back road down towards Luggiebank before turning south for home and tackling the big climb up to Wattston and finally on to the back roads to home! For the final 30 minutes or so of my ride I could feel some rain in the air, it had been predicted to rain around 5pm and it was only 4.30pm and it looked like it could pour at any minute now!

I got lucky though and arrived home totally dry and enjoyed a lovely shower, then looked out to see the rain pouring down and the roads soaking wet! My lucky day for sure and what a cracking ride it was, I wasn't intending to do so much climbing after Sundays ride but it just sort of happened! So many amazing back roads today, I really am blessed to have such wonderful roads virtually on my doorstep!

 

[dodgeman]

I rode 22 miles on a hot and windy day. Last time I nearly hit a deer, today a turkey vulture. I normally just let the bike coast down hills but since last time where a deer ran out in front of me I’ve slowed a little. Some hills are steep enough you an hit 35 mph. Today I was probably going about 25 mph when I spooked a turkey vulture out of the roadside. That side was lined with trees so of course it flew in front of me, maybe within six feet.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I rode 22 miles on a hot and windy day. Last time I nearly hit a deer, today a turkey vulture. I normally just let the bike coast down hills but since last time where a deer ran out in front of me I’ve slowed a little. Some hills are steep enough you an hit 35 mph. Today I was probably going about 25 mph when I spooked a turkey vulture out of the roadside. That side was lined with trees so of course it flew in front of me, maybe within six feet.

I've read that turkey vultures seldom kill healthy prey themselves. May have been sizing you up for an exception.

 

[JGcycle]

A few pics from today's 23km ride:

 

[Chargeride]

Its gone from 27C to cold and torrential rain.
Going to Troulos in Greece next week, tbh I cant be arsd, too hot, dont do beaches.
I'll hire an ebike.

 

[Twin Valley]

Back at the family ranch in Central British Columbia, picture of Deep Creek the ranches namesake and my 3 biking companions, including 14 year old Molly

the lab, we have put on a lot of miles together over the years but she really is beyond coming now but I don't have the heart to tell her, just plod along with lots of rests

 

[Stefan Mikes]

GTX Battery Repair Service

As my first Vado battery got internally damaged, I had a phone call with a battery service in Warsaw's Okęcie (the same area where the Chopin Airport is located). As I was just three minutes Vado ride from my destination, a

torrential rain

erupted. I was kept by red light, too, making me soaked. Well, I left the battery for the repair, with a weak hope it could be ressurected and as the raining stopped, pedalled vigorously to my friend Jazza for a chat and coffee. When I was sitting with the friend and almost got dry, a thunderstorm erupted outside Well, we waited until the lightnings seemed to go away, then I pedalled in a crisp rain (That was a nice and refreshing experience after weeks of dry weather!) 4 km farther, I stopped at Burger King.

A nice looking man in his forties approached me and exclaimed:
'I really admire you! I do!' -- I looked confused so he continued -- 'I was driving behind you and when I saw you pedalling in the rain I thought "This man seriously means his business!" What a professional e-bike! What a professional lighting! Such things can be seen in Germany but certainly not here! I respect you!' -- to which I replied 'Thank you for your kind words. Have a nice day!'

As I finished my lunch, I was dry again and with a great pleasure pedalled home with a perfect weather around, making 40.0 km for the day

Komoot has found a nice and safe shortcut for my rides towards/from Warsaw. The name of this street cheers me up. It is "Airborne Shipping", which is an early term for aviation from the times of baloons. No wonder aviation uses nautical miles for distances and knots for speed! (Until this day, the legal term for an aircraft in Polish is "an airborne ship"! Although we have a term for "aviation", too).

P.S. It suddenly dawned on me: "Żegluga powietrzna" is directly translated to "Aeronautics!"

 

[Chargeride]

Sudovia Gravel Sprint Race Start

See the e-bikers at the end of the group of 28 Me wearing black.

Ive just seen your over the bars on youtube, dont know how I missed that.
You need to get more exercise rsther than laying on the floor

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You need to get more exercise rsther than laying on the floor

The pot calling the kettle black!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Saska Kępa Days!


A jazz musician who could pedal his bike while singing and playing!

On the Warsaw ride now

 

[Prairie Dog]

It's been somewhat of a tumultuous week on the weather front here but we’ve still managed to squeeze in a few rides in between showers. Glad to see the rains though as it’s been a blessing for those who have been fighting the wildfires up north.

Today the sun finally broke through and (not to sound greedy) but it appears that we could be in store for more consistent and favorable weather patterns.

It was nice to see a few others out as well enjoying a break from the rain.

There’s no way I’m giving up on my emtb just yet, but there is a chance that I might find myself hanging out more with a short travel, down country bike that would get me to the top of most any trail with minimal fuss and provide plenty of speed on the way back down. It was tough choice as the contenders were, for the most part, on equal footing. After checking out and test riding a few brands over the past week, the answer came in the form of this - The Epic 8 Evo Comp. It should be ideal for steepish climbs as well as finding itself ripping down singletrack quite capably. I will be adding a few enhancements to the EE over the next few weeks including a GX T-Type drivetrain. Having an ultra lightweight analog mtb has always appealed to me for several reasons but I’ll reserve that discussion for another forum thread more suited to this category of bike.

 

[DaveMatthews]

It's been somewhat of a tumultuous week on the weather front here but we’ve still managed to squeeze in a few rides in between showers. Glad to see the rains though as it’s been a blessing for those who have been fighting the wildfires up north.

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Today the sun finally broke through and (not to sound greedy) but it appears that we could be in store for more consistent and favorable weather patterns.

View attachment 176477

It was nice to see a few others out as well enjoying a break from the rain.

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There’s no way I’m giving up on my emtb just yet, but there is a chance that I might find myself hanging out more with a short travel, down country bike that would get me to the top of most any trail with minimal fuss and provide plenty of speed on the way back down. It was tough choice as the contenders were, for the most part, on equal footing. After checking out and test riding a few brands over the past week, the answer came in the form of this - The Epic 8 Evo Comp. It should be ideal for steepish climbs as well as finding itself ripping down singletrack quite capably. I will be adding a few enhancements to the EE over the next few weeks including a GX T-Type drivetrain. Having an ultra lightweight analog mtb has always appealed to me for several reasons but I’ll reserve that discussion for another forum thread more suited to this category of bike.

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Nice ride!
I can see the rear tire is Ground Control, is the front a Major Tom?

 

[Prairie Dog]

Nice ride!
I can see the rear tire is Ground Control, is the front a Major Tom?

Lol. You truly are a marketing genius. Think of how many pairs of tires Spec would have sold if only they could have come up with a more creative moniker for an trail tire. How ‘bout Rock and Roll.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Lol. You truly are a marketing genius. Think of how many pairs of tires Spec would have sold if only they could have come up with a more creative moniker for an trail tire. How ‘bout Rock and Roll.

Aw yeah!
BMX tires called Hip Hops!
Gravel tires called Rolling Stones

 

[Prairie Dog]

Aw yeah!
BMX tires called Hip Hops!
Gravel tires called Rolling Stones

Fat Tires (Meat Loaf)
Studded (Heavy Metal)

 

[DaveMatthews]

Fat Tires (Meat Loaf)
Studded (Heavy Metal)

Road tires (Thin Lizzys)

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The Epic 8 Evo Comp

I've demo ridden an Expert. Outstanding bike for sure. For someone with good legs but I was crawling on that bike!

How ‘bout Rock and Roll.

BMX tires called Hip Hops!
Gravel tires called Rolling Stones

Fat Tires (Meat Loaf)
Studded (Heavy Metal)

Road tires (Thin Lizzys)

Are you guys working for SCHWALBE?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Photos of me from Sudovia Gravel 2024 race

All photos by Szymon Gruchalski Cycling, a world-class photographer who covers the biggest cycling teams of UCI World Tour as his primary work. The dates of Sudovia Gravel have been specially matched to Szymon's roster! (He is a cycling enthusiast and a road-cycling coach, too).

I just negotiated a preceding climb (see a man walking his bike in the background). I could see two riders who occupied the smooth road tracks. Which way to overtake them? I chose riding the loose surface between them, hoping my Vado would maintain the traction and kinetic energy.

I started climbing the 15.4% ascent in 44-46T gearing and full TURBO mode.

Then I spotted a photographer lurking by a wooden fence. As the hill started flattening out, I took a sporty position and pretended pedalling hard!

No-one else could take such good photographs of me riding! Thank you so much, Szymon!

That girl was the last rider of the Sprint on the finish line. Once on the trail, I asked her whether she needed any help (she was just taking a rest). She has completed the demanding race! Respect!

Many Sprinters had to walk their bikes up that hill!

For the record: My competitor in e-Sprint seems to have appeared there too late to get a photo. Same with a nice guy (I later raced with) whose seat-post broke, he returned to the base to have the part replaced, and then was as good as he crossed the finish line before me!

@mfgrep: I doubt I would have been able to make that race on my Vado SL! You probably could on yours! @BurroBabe: Have a look what a Vado can do!

 

[Prairie Dog]

I set out this evening for a 35 km ride a couple of hours before the rains arrived. It was serenely quiet with the exception of the melodious trill of red winged blackbirds and an army of croaking frogs to keep me entertained.