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

[Jeremy McCreary]

Yeah, one route I regularly take peaks at 22%. My Garmin peaks at 14% on the same route!

Do you have any way to confirm that OnTheGo is closer to the mark?

The road up to Double Peak is my steepest yet. Just after reaching the top, gasping for air, a very fit guy rolled up on a gorgeous analog gravel bike, barely out of breath.

Said he rides this road often, and his bike computer gives a consistent 22% for the last half-mile. As I recall, RideWithGPS gave ~15%, and OnTheGo gives up to 34%. The last might be too high.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Do you have any way to confirm that OnTheGo is closer to the mark?

The road up to Double Peak is my steepest yet. Just after reaching the top, gasping for air, a very fit guy rolled up on a gorgeous analog gravel bike, barely out of breath.

Said he rides this road often, and his bike computer gives a consistent 22% for the last half-mile. As I recall, RideWithGPS gave ~15%, and OnTheGo gives up to 34%. The last might be too high.

Not sure how they gather data, all I know is that the Garmin did not represent enough granularity/hi res data points to give me "real time" feedback. It always felt like an average over too much distance.
So I tend to trust the OnTheGo data at this point. It just shows the opposite of Garmin in that it is super granular. Perhaps if you took the average of the OnTheGo stats it would end up looking close to the Garmin.

 

[Chargeride]

GPS is highly accurate in the horizontal plane, but very poor in the vertical. This is due to the angle between the line of sight to the various GPS satellites and the ground. Small errors result in big differences in height, but not big differences in location on the earth. As such, a barometric sensor is going to give you the best elevation measurement.
GPS in the 90s used to be utterly hopeless at altitude, our unit would bounce thousands of feet up and down

 

[Stefan Mikes]

As such, a barometric sensor is going to give you the best elevation measurement.

In an aircraft perhaps. Not in cycling. It is because you start the ride with one value of barometric pressure but the barometric pressure varies during your ride and is never updated.
In the aircraft, pilots are planning the descent and landing with updated pressure of the destination airport. Plus, they have a radio altimeter.

Having said the above, cycling GPS computers or smartphones running cycling apps are hopeless for the altitude measurement.

EDIT: I think the grade of a climb/descent as given by a GPS bike computer is as accurate as the associated digital map is.

 

[Chargeride]

Exactly as I thought, surely knowing where you are to a ten foot circle will give your exact height from a tiny database.
I just pasted that from a gps forum.

 

[dodgeman]

GPS isn’t really that much worse in the vertical than the horizontal. Think about how the error might affect things. If you ride ten miles and the distance is off a 1000 feet, that’s not that much. If your climbing elevation is off 1000 feet, that’s a lot. Your elevation climbing amount is probably not off that much either. If you are looking at percent slopes or grades, how is the software handling elevations? Is it grabbing just one at the top and bottom, using several along the way? I used gps all the time for land surveying and knew how the software handled things, I don’t know how the various bike apps handle it. Surveyors are also usually using equipment that has roughly cm level accuracy.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Barometric altimeter (Wahoo)

Map (Strava)

 

[JGcycle]

A few pics from this morning's 26km ride:

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Guys, I was on a 94 km ride on the probably hottest day this year with temperature approaching 36 C (96 F), almost all the time in the sunshine. The last 60 km were upwind, and I rode my Vado SL with the 40/100% asssistance (SL Turbo for the few last kilometres). I'm surprised I've survived the ride, as the dehydration was close! My stomach hurt from all the beverages I was forcing into my body! Again, my Fearless deserved its name

It is an interesting experience when you discover the coldest part of your e-bike is the place where you hold the handlebars

I'll make a photo report later. It is a very warm night here...

"Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat, what are they feeding you?" (A picture from the Häulander Land).

 

[Chargeride]

It rained all day here, in fact I had to put the lights on in the house, my mother had the heating on!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It rained all day here, in fact I had to put the lights on in the house, my mother had the heating on!

@Brix says 'It is the ideal weather in London now, and let it stay that way!'
This year was so warm in Poland we now have the apple season, and the harvest is coming! (It should be in August!)

Besides, congratulations to England for qualifying to the Euros final!

 

[Chargeride]

Thankyou, though the penalty decision is causing much debate, even here the pundits were close to fisticuffs.

 

[RabH]

I finally managed to get 2 rides done in the same week for the first time in quite a while! Conditions were overcast with rain threathening but I was determined to get out, especially given it was a very calm day for a change! I decided it was going to be a day for me and the bike only, just amazing roads with no photos or distractions! I headed for the back roads down to Allanton, opting for the amazing descent down into Hartwood and on into Allanton! I have only been climbing this road recently, its way more fun going down it at close to 40 mph!

From Allanton I headed east on the main A71 out to Addiewell where I turned south towards Auchengray and up the big climb to Tarbrax at 1100ft! I then enjoyed the descent on one of the best cycling roads in the country down into Carnwath, it really is amazing and the road is in great condition! I headed west from Carnwath on the main A70 and turned south for Lanark which is another very enjoyable descent over the railway crossing at Cleghorn, for once I got across without stopping for a train!

I was amazed to see Lanark quiet for once, possibly due to the schools being closed for the summer break! I then shot down the big descent to Kirklfieldbank and into the Clyde Valley, another road I have been climbing mostly recently and not a car in sight all the way down...not that they would be able to overtake as the bike can go way quicker on this twisty descent! I continued along the valley to Crossford where I turned north to take on the Coziglen climb, a really tough one but a powerful e bike just zips up it when you use level 3 assist!

At the top of the climb I arrived in Carluke and turned before the town centre to take the back road past the golf club and garden centre! Then I had another big climb up to Law Village, all the time I could feel rain in the air but it wasn't even making the roads damp! I continued up the climb and turned towards Bogside where I took the back road to Morningside which has 2 nice descents to enjoy, before tackling the big climb up to Allanton!

Then I headed up the back road to Hareshaw, yet another big climb and joined the main road to Newhouse with 65 miles covered! From there its a straight road NW to home, with a nice descent down into Chapelhall where I came across some road works and a big line of cars and trucks! I took to the paths and left them all in my wake...then up the final climbs to home! What a brilliant day on the bike, I loved every minute! I actually passed 33000 miles today, 33037 to be exact! After all the 100 milers this felt like such a short ride...

 

[dodgeman]

We met my sister in law and brother in law at a nearby state park called Weinberg King. We rode all the park roads twice and it was still only about 10 miles but it was a nice day. I plane was crop dusting a nearby field and flying very low over us.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

'Antonio, fa caldo!'
Hauländer Land Ride, Wednesday July 10th, 2024

There was a Nestea Ice Tea commercial, in which an Italian wife was wriggling in the bed and moaning 'Antonio, it's hot!' So Antonio had an idea and brought the wife a glass of cold Nestea I always moan 'Antonio, fa caldo!' when the heat becomes unbearable! (Only last night we had a thunderstorm and rain!) I set off for a Vado SL ride on Wednesday, so far the hottest day of this year

Fortunately, Poland is not Germany, so unlike the Deutsche Bahn, the Mazovian Railways do operate It is so convenient for me to save unnecessary bike ride kilometres just riding a train! (It is sunflowers outside!)

I'm planning a group ride for August 4th, so I wanted to do a recon of the route just to make sure. The ride would be almost purely on asphalt with a short segment of a poor gravel road.

The entry of the Wilków Road (winding through the Kampinos National Park forest). This place feels magical to me!

I just love Wilków Road! It crosses several parallel high sand dunes that form the KPN, is winding, and of the top quality! You also are hidden from the direct sunshine there!

In the Hauländer Land. The stork family brings the prosperity to the village!

Hauländers
You who are with me for a long time know everything about the Hauländers but let me explain the matter to you new friends.

Original Hauländers were Mennonite refugees from the Netherlands and Frisia who settled along major Polish rivers since 16th century. They were river/flood control experts, and were given a great freedom and autonomy in Poland. Hauländers were free people (nevers serfs), acted as a whole community, and used money for paying the land rent (never labour, unlike serfs). The Hauländer community was soon joined by a huge number of Protestant German settlers. Some Polish communities based on the Hauländer model were created, too. Unfortunately, the great Hauländer culture was lost as the outcome of WWII, as almost all Hauländers were expelled to Germany post 1945 (However, not all of them; some members of my greater family are direct descendants of Hauländers). Note: Wikipedia names that nation Olenders but I keep the original German spelling here.

The store "At Marta's" in Secymin Polski, or a favourite destination of road cycling pelotons It is interesting to learn Marta's family are horse breeders! It became very hot at that point with temperature approaching 36 C or 96 F. I understood the importance of being properly hydrated at that point, having some 60 km ahead of me! OSHEE (an isotonic drink), aloe drink, and a bottle of beer for later (I am drinking it as I am writing, haha!) "Kampinoskie" is a local brand, which is brewed in the craft Błonie Brewery. The guys to brew Kampinoskie have understood regular people would not drink craft beer so they brew Lager of the top quality, and that sells extremely well!

An Hauländer Protestant Church in Nowy Secymin. (I can bet the village name was Secymin Niemiecki, or German before 1945!)

Hard to believe but this is a numbered state road #898 "incidentally" broken by the Vistula! Of course there should be a ferry there, but there isn't!

And they say there are no steep hills in Mazovia, heheheh Yes, you need to climb the Vistula embankment!

The harvest time in the Hauländer Land. It smells the summer! (The vegetation sprung up to the life very early this year. Usually August is the harvest month!)

The two eating places en route did not operate outside weekends.

I guess it is the opium poppy in the full bloom!

A landmark. The Vistula embankments continue for hundreds of kilometres; the Hauländer nation used to live along the big part of the river!

The return was the hard part. I was riding in the sun with hot headwind that acted as an air fryer! Had to keep the SL 40/100% assistance to arrive home still on a single battery set. I was forcing myself to intake more and more fluids to the level my stomach hurt! I was fully aware I had to drink: it was easy to dehydrate at that temperature!

Taking a long rest in the shade, Roztoka KPN recreation site.

Overheated in the air-conditioned McDonald's in Błonie. The last 10 km was such an ordeal I had to refrain to the SL Turbo mode! Back with 9/16% batteries.

A Soultmate

As I parked my Fearless by McD, I could spot a beautiful pale blue bike there, no logo on the frame. I had a closer look at the equipment... As I entered the restaurant, I approached a helmeted man having his ice cream. I friendly begun:
-- 'Is it your bike, Sir? I can see you have a good taste for the equipment! Redshift suspension, a Specialized Tailwind pannier...'
He looked through the window:
-- 'Unbelievable' -- he remarked -- 'we both even use the same Ortlieb rear racks!'
-- 'It is so good to meet a soulmate!' -- I smiled -- 'What is the brand of your bike?'
-- 'That's an Orbea!'

Guys, the man had even ordered a custom frame painting from Orbea to have his bike in the beautiful pale blue, and no logos!

I admit I was shaking from exhaustion upon my return home!

 

[jabberwocky]

Family vacation up in central PA last weekend, I managed to sneak away one morning to visit Raystown for an early morning solo MTB ride in sauna conditions. Banged out 20 miles in about 2 hours, saw only 3 riders, abandoned my sunglasses about 2 minutes in, went off the trail due to overconfidence twice, found one trail that the locals definitely don't ride and scratched up my arms and legs in a dozen places.

 

[JGcycle]

A few pics from this morning's 23km ride:

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A Brotherly Ride: Bathory Farm
(Along rivers Bzura and Vistula, Kampinos National Park)

'Any plans for Saturday?' -- my laconic brother Jacek messaged me the evening before -- 'The wind direction?' -- I followed the suit -- 'Westerly' -- 'Grab the route then, and we are going to meet each other on the train!'

Just the general ride map so you are oriented.

Jacek and I know each other "as good as two bald horses" or "as good as a bad shilling" Jacek now rides a Marin DSX 3 flat handlebar gravel bike, and keeps his Giant Trance E+ only for the cold season or for high mountain trips (although he could successfully ride his Marin in high mountains this year!) After 16 km of a fast ride on good asphalt, we crossed the River Bzura trestle bridge in Witkowice.

We missed a gorgeous view of Bzura from a meadow but later got onto a long river embankment to catch a quite nice panorama! Necessary to mention the off-road segments are usually a pain to ride because of the abundant sand but fortunately two violent rainfall on preceding nights made the sand quite packed and smooth.

Jacek exploring a dilapidated narrow-gauge railroad. (Hard to believe my brother is 60!)

From that point on, we only rode narrow, perfect, quaint asphalt roads for many kilometres. During very warm weather, I do not pull the braces (American: suspenders) of my Castelli bibs on. The downside is the chamois becomes crumpled, and I need to get up from the saddle once in a while to relieve my butt! (When the bibs are properly braced, I pay no attention to my butt at all!)

In an old Olender (Evangelical) graveyard. An interesting story was found by Jacek later, after he inspected genealogical records. Mr. Karol Klatt, a sentry from Żyrardów married Miss Olga Link (living with her mother) in 1937. Olga must have sadly died during childbirth (1938). One of the marriage witnesses, Edward Czens (a factory worker) married the older sister of Olga, Alida already in 1922! (Genealogy is something impossible...) How Olga's remains ended up in the Olender cemetery on the Vistula will remain a mystery.

Note the "Schwięty spokój". In proper Polish, it is "Święty spokój" (holy peace). It looks the Olenders, or Vistula Germans could speak Polish but not necessarily write it!

As we eventually got onto the 575, we could ride at high speed with tailwind! I got myself at 45.6 km/h (28.3 mph) riding my Vado 6.0 only at 40/40% assistance!

"At Marta's". My brother and no beer? Unbelievable!

The Olender land is full of horse-breeders!

At the Bathory Farm. It is a large family owned recreational area. Established by a Hungarian family and maintained with the help of their Poland's born children.

In 1920, Entente enforced the Treaty of Trianon, depriving the huge Kingdom of Hungary of most of its land and nationals. That makes a big part of Hungarians ultra-patriotic, and you can see that in the Bathory Tanya/Folwark Batorówka/Bathory Farm. (The farm was named after Stephen Bathory, a Hungarian national and one of the most successful Kings of Poland-Lithuanian Commonwealth). There is a saying: "Pole and Hungarian are two nephews/comrades: As good to the sabre as good to a wine glass!" Indeed, the Polish-Hungarian history was quite friendly and with no big tensions (the two countries shared the border for hundreds of years).

I felt like in Hungary! A bowl of Gulyasleves (literally: Shepherd's Soup) incorrecly known as Gulash Soup. Accompanied by a slice of proper Hungarian white bread. I asked for hot pepper, and I got a jar of the iconic Erős Pista (Strong Little Stefan) which is a staple condiment in any Hungarian home. Of course I put a full tablespoon of Hot Paprika into the bowl!

I hated the thought of riding through the Kampinos National Park on my heavy Vado. However, the rain made the surfaces a tad easier to ride...

The interesting ride part with POI. I rode the main part of the trip in 40/40% assistance with the battery swap at 80.0 km (14% battery left).

 

[JGcycle]

A few pics from this morning's 34km ride:

 

[Rás Cnoic]

A few pics from this morning's 34km ride:

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Man your ride discipline is great! Getting out everyday looks like. Making the rest of us look bad!