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

A chill ride to the beach via the tidal rd, Im pretty sure I was doing more that 39mph down the monster hill.

Wonderful! Thought for sure you were gonna ride across that shallow channel where the mom and kid were wading.
 
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Unfortunately, the quaint little Carmel we knew from those days has been taken over by Silicon Valley money. Downtown shops and restaurants are totally unaffordable and uninteresting now, and the streets are clogged with Bentleys, Lamborghinis and Mercedes GTs.

Way beyond even La Jolla!

A least Casanova — one of our favorite Italian restaurants anywhere — is still there.
Yeah, I’m smelling what you’re stepping in. We couldn’t believe the prices. Even our cheap motel was outrageous. $150 for dinner for 2 at this place. I had a burger and she had fish.
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The cost of living isn’t a whole lot cheaper where I live, in Sonoma County. Night #2, we hit the El Torito at happy hour and had tacos and margaritas on the cheap! 😉
 
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We hauled our bikes up to Minburn Iowa and road a trail called the Raccoon Trail. It’s very nice and smooth concrete the piece we rode on, it’s a little over 10 years old. Straight as an arrow that follows an old rail line. A picture of the old depot in Minburn, our truck and my in laws Jeep hauling out bikes and the trail.
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I have been out nearly everyday for two weeks on rides over two hours, usually battery flattening, and I'm freaking knackered, its nothing but ckimb and descend, I did an epic three hour offroad ride this morning before seeing my dad and I can barely stand up :)
Bodys getting old.

Anyway, visited my cousin in Teignmouth, gorgeous little port town, her boyfriend has a boat, he took me down the Jusrassic coast as they call it, where all the fossils are found.
They stayed on board drunk and rowed me to the shore to drive home, living the dream.
Its the same tune, but hey ho.

 

You're a talented videographer, editor, and narrator, @Chargeride . Keep 'em coming!

I have been out nearly everyday for two weeks on rides over two hours, usually battery flattening, and I'm freaking knackered, its nothing but ckimb and descend, I did an epic three hour offroad ride this morning before seeing my dad and I can barely stand up :)
Bodys getting old.
... he took me down the Jusrassic coast as they call it, where all the fossils are found.

Then you should feel right at home.

;^} I'm even older, but hey, the best defense is a good offense!
 
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I wont link the article, its a dreadful webpage.
Wales Online.
Seems they have rerouted cycle races because the 20mph blanket limits across Wales, but its because of the cars not the bikes.

The Junior Tour of Wales cycling race has been forced to change at the last minute due to Wales' default 20mph speed limit according to race organisers. The race, due to begin on Friday, August 23, attracts some of the best British junior cyclists with previous participants including Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas and Josh Tarling, who narrowly missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics due to a puncture.

Several sections of the race have been rerouted, meaning that the usual 237 mile race is shorter this year at under 230 miles. Race organiser Richard Hopkins said that safety for riders and the public could not be guaranteed on all 20mph sections due to support vehicles not being up to keep up with the riders, whom speed limits to do not apply to, without speeding.

Its new to me that the speed limots dont apply to bikes.
 
You know, you just never know exactly what you will see and do on one of these rides. We went on a short 17 miler, mostly paved path.
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About 5 miles out, my rear brake failed. The cable pulled the lever but it wasn’t moving the caliper pads. So I took the caliper apart, didn’t see anything wrong, put it back together and it worked great. Go figure. Anyways, this happened right outside this guy’s custom furniture shop.
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We talked for a bit and he took us on a tour of the shop and showed us what he was working on, he builds mostly wall unit fold down beds but can make custom furniture to order.
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As a general contractor, I was very interested and impressed by his work.
We continued on, having lunch in Sebastopol, then rode some dirt trails around the Laguna de Santa Rosa, a preserved wetlands park.
After that we headed back and got back to our home town just in time for a market festival thing that we didn’t know was happening.
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The live band was very good, they played rock and country from the 80’s, everything from Dwight Yokam to AC⚡️DC.
So I ended the day with a couple of Racer 5’s, good Mexican food, and great live music.
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And I thought it would be just another uneventful ride! 😁
 
We road the High Trestle Bridge Trail in Iowa yesterday. We started at Woodward and this pic is the old depot.
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The next couple of pictures are the bridge and views from it.

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The last couple of pictures of the restaurant we ate at called the Flat Tire. Also a picture of the bike rack for the serious bikers without a kickstand.
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A really nice trail, all concrete and very smooth. I wish it was closer, it’s about a 4 hour drive from our house.
 
Longest West Coast beach ride yet!

On this gorgeous day last week, got in a 7-mile down-and-back beach ride between Terramar head and the South Ponto jetty. As usual, the put-in was North Ponto Beach, just 2 mi from home.

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I've had much longer rides on North Carolina beaches, but this was my West Coast record.

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North turnaround at Terramar. Beyond is another mile or so of rideable sand — but only at tides a good bit lower than this.

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The rock at water level above is 40-something million year old Del Mar Formation — a greenish marine mudstone with abundant oyster shell fossils that tends to erode into oddly organic shapes under wave action.

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Parked below a cliff face of slightly younger Torrey Sandstone just south of Terramar. The Torrey sits on top of the Del Mar, here obscured by sand.

I should know better. The Torrey's sand grains are poorly cemented, and that makes it prone to fall. Just last week saw a fresh Torrey rockfall at Cardiff Beach 10 mi south.

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Had the beach pretty much to myself on the southbound leg.

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South turnaround just short of the South Ponto jetty armoring the mouth of Bataquitos Lagoon. First time I've been able to ride all the way from Terramar to South Ponto at any tide.

I normally avoid direct ebike-seawater contact like the plague but just couldn't resist this day. By some miracle of sand migration since my last visit, the mile or so of totally unrideable beach cobble usually blocking bike access to this part of the beach had acquired a rideable veneer of sand.

First time I've seen this and wasn't about to pass up the opportunity, incoming tide be damned! Don't worry, I only rode between waves to minimize splashing.

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Bike dirt doesn't get much scarier than salty sand. The bike got an extra-thorough rinse this time.
 
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I was looking forward to cycling to Knockhill Racing Circuit tomorrow for the motorcycle racing but on checking the latest forecast on Friday night it wasn't looking as promising as it was previously, it was showing a gusty 30mph easterly wind with a 30% chance of rain in the afternoon so I thought it would be a day for the car this time! I then had a lightbulb moment as I noticed Saturday was looking really good but I very rarely get a Saturday ride due to family commitments! Some family bribery then ensued and I secured Saturday and was extremely delighted with myself, only then I noticed that the racing doesn't start until 1pm on a Saturday whereas Sunday is a 10am start!

Then I had another lightbulb moment, why not do the scenic route and make it another 100 miler so that's what I did and what a decision it was!:D I set off at 7.40am with early morning mist around and a light easterly wind which was rather chilly at around 7C! The afternoon temp was expected to be around 17C which is just perfect for watching the racing and cycling, the wind was expected to increase in strength in the afternoon but for once that would be in my favour as I would have it at my back almost all the way home!

5 days ago I crossed the Forth bridges and that was going to be my plan again today but after crossing the Forth I would be continuing east to Burntisland and not turning for home! A few miles after departing I passed the Black Loch at Limerigg and stopped for these photos!

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Strangely the mist wasn't hanging around the loch!

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After 18 miles I arrrived in Linlithgow, the mist was hanging around the Ochil Hills and it was rather hazy!

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I was now nearing the bridges and stopped for this photo!

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For once the path was open at both sides of the bridge so I chose the western side to get some photos of the Queensferry Crossing from the Forth Road Bridge! The mist had now lifted thankfully!

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After crossing the Forth I continued east towards Burntisland, soon I had the 16% climb to take on at Aberdour where I stopped for a snack and a short break and some photos of course!

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I reached Burntisland where it was time to head up the big climb towards Mossmorran wind farm and I had the wind at my back for the first time, at the top of the climb I stopped for this photo looking back down the hill! Next time I'm going down it...;)

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I was loving the breeze at my back as I reached Crossgates where it was time to turn north towards Kelty, more big climbs ensued until the big descent down into Cantsdam near Kelty where I managed 43.2mph! If only it was an easterly descent, I would probably have hit 60mph if that was the case!😂 @Chargeride I'm surprised you didn't know cyclists can't be charged with speeding, that has been the case for a very long time! There is a crazy law called furious cycling which we can be hit with instead, looking at your videos you better be careful...🤣

I arrived in Kelty where it was time for yet another big climb but at least the wind was at my back and I managed up the difficult climb in eco mode! It was now due east to the Knockhill turnoff, after cresting the climb I was flying along with the strengthening beeze at my back! Well I thought I was until I spotted a peleton of around 15 riders waiting to join the road, a short time later they passed me as if I was going backwards!😂 I reached the turnoff for the track but I had only covered 53 miles which would have been 55 miles when I arrived at the track! As I was still early I decided to continue east towards Saline and enjoy that tailwind, its such a great road to ride especially with the wind pushing you on!

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I then enjoyed the fast descent into Steelend and decided to stop for a snack before taking on the big climb up to Knockhill! This is looking back up the hill, you can imagine how much fun it was hurtling down it with a tailwind!:D

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The road then leads into Saline which is another big descent, sadly there were roadworks with traffic signals on the descent so it wasn't as much fun as usual! At the bottom of the descent I turned on to the narrow back road that takes you back up to the track and its quite a climb, at this point my first battery had dropped to 22% at the 58 mile mark and I had climbed 4000ft so I switched to battery 2 to continue up the climb! I grabbed a few photos on the way up!

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As you can see the weather was glorious and it remained that way right through the day, most unlike Scotland!😂 I sure wasn't complaining and enjoyed a few hours of excellent racing, some photos from the track!

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It was then time to depart and I decided to turn south and enjoy the descent down into Saline again, it starts with a climb from the circuit and then its mostly downhill for a good 18 miles and I had a tailwind to enoy! This is at the top of the climb looking back down at the entrance to the track!

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I was flying along and hardly used any battery power for many miles (I still had 40% left when I got home), I passed through Forestmill and was heading to Kincardine and finally got a decent view of the Ochill Hills which were hidden in mist and haze for most of the day!

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From here I used the same roads as most of my rides from the east and I reached Longriggend and headed down the Telegraph Road and grabbed my final photos before turning for home! The first one is looking south which was the direction I was heading and the second looking north! As a Dire Straits fan I always think of them when I take this awesome road!

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I don't think I could have asked for a better day, a truly awesome ride and a great day of racing!😁I am just about to to hit the sack and I won't have any problem falling asleep!;) Just before I go, I passed the 34000 mile mark on my amazing bike today!👍
 

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I was looking forward to cycling to Knockhill Racing Circuit tomorrow for the motorcycle racing but on checking the latest forecast on Friday night it wasn't looking as promising as it was previously, it was showing a gusty 30mph easterly wind with a 30% chance of rain in the afternoon so I thought it would be a day for the car this time! I then had a lightbulb moment as I noticed Saturday was looking really good but I very rarely get a Saturday ride due to family commitments! Some family bribery then ensued and I secured Saturday and was extremely delighted with myself, only then I noticed that the racing doesn't start until 1pm on a Saturday whereas Sunday is a 10am start!

Then I had another lightbulb moment, why not do the scenic route and make it another 100 miler so that's what I did and what a decision it was!:D I set off at 7.40am with early morning mist around and a light easterly wind which was rather chilly at around 7C! The afternoon temp was expected to be around 17C which is just perfect for watching the racing and cycling, the wind was expected to increase in strength in the afternoon but for once that would be in my favour as I would have it at my back almost all the way home!

5 days ago I crossed the Forth bridges and that was going to be my plan again today but after crossing the Forth I would be continuing east to Burntisland and not turning for home! A few miles after departing I passed the Black Loch at Limerigg and stopped for these photos!

View attachment 181451
Strangely the mist wasn't hanging around the loch!

View attachment 181452
After 18 miles I arrrived in Linlithgow, the mist was hanging around the Ochil Hills and it was rather hazy!

View attachment 181453
I was now nearing the bridges and stopped for this photo!

View attachment 181454
For once the path was open at both sides of the bridge so I chose the western side to get some photos of the Queensferry Crossing from the Forth Road Bridge! The mist had now lifted thankfully!

View attachment 181455
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After crossing the Forth I continued east towards Burntisland, soon I had the 16% climb to take on at Aberdour where I stopped for a snack and a short break and some photos of course!

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I reached Burntisland where it was time to head up the big climb towards Mossmorran wind farm and I had the wind at my back for the first time, at the top of the climb I stopped for this photo looking back down the hill! Next time I'm going down it...;)

View attachment 181462
I was loving the breeze at my back as I reached Crossgates where it was time to turn north towards Kelty, more big climbs ensued until the big descent down into Cantsdam near Kelty where I managed 43.2mph! If only it was an easterly descent, I would probably have hit 60mph if that was the case!😂 @Chargeride I'm surprised you didn't know cyclists can't be charged with speeding, that has been the case for a very long time! There is a crazy law called furious cycling which we can be hit with instead, looking at your videos you better be careful...🤣

I arrived in Kelty where it was time for yet another big climb but at least the wind was at my back and I managed up the difficult climb in eco mode! It was now due east to the Knockhill turnoff, after cresting the climb I was flying along with the strengthening beeze at my back! Well I thought I was until I spotted a peleton of around 15 riders waiting to join the road, a short time later they passed me as if I was going backwards!😂 I reached the turnoff for the track but I had only covered 53 miles which would have been 55 miles when I arrived at the track! As I was still early I decided to continue east towards Saline and enjoy that tailwind, its such a great road to ride especially with the wind pushing you on!

View attachment 181463
I then enjoyed the fast descent into Steelend and decided to stop for a snack before taking on the big climb up to Knockhill! This is looking back up the hill, you can imagine how much fun it was hurtling down it with a tailwind!:D

View attachment 181464
The road then leads into Saline which is another big descent, sadly there were roadworks with traffic signals on the descent so it wasn't as much fun as usual! At the bottom of the descent I turned on to the narrow back road that takes you back up to the track and its quite a climb, at this point my first battery had dropped to 22% at the 58 mile mark and I had climbed 4000ft so I switched to battery 2 to continue up the climb! I grabbed a few photos on the way up!

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As you can see the weather was glorious and it remained that way right through the day, most unlike Scotland!😂 I sure wasn't complaining and enjoyed a few hours of excellent racing, some photos from the track!

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It was then time to depart and I decided to turn south and enjoy the descent down into Saline again, it starts with a climb from the circuit and then its mostly downhill for a good 18 miles and I had a tailwind to enoy! This is at the top of the climb looking back down at the entrance to the track!

View attachment 181474
I was flying along and hardly used any battery power for many miles (I still had 40% left when I got home), I passed through Forestmill and was heading to Kincardine and finally got a decent view of the Ochill Hills which were hidden in mist and haze for most of the day!

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From here I used the same roads as most of my rides from the east and I reached Longriggend and headed down the Telegraph Road and grabbed my final photos before turning for home! The first one is looking south which was the direction I was heading and the second looking north! As a Dire Straits fan I always think of them when I take this awesome road!

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I don't think I could have asked for a better day, a truly awesome ride and a great day of racing!😁I am just about to to hit the sack and I won't have any problem falling asleep!;) Just before I go, I passed the 34000 mile mark on my amazing bike today!👍
Awesome ride and report, thank you Rab. Congrats on 34k.
 
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I was looking forward to cycling to Knockhill Racing Circuit tomorrow for the motorcycle racing but on checking the latest forecast on Friday night it wasn't looking as promising as it was previously, it was showing a gusty 30mph easterly wind with a 30% chance of rain in the afternoon so I thought it would be a day for the car this time! I then had a lightbulb moment as I noticed Saturday was looking really good but I very rarely get a Saturday ride due to family commitments! Some family bribery then ensued and I secured Saturday and was extremely delighted with myself, only then I noticed that the racing doesn't start until 1pm on a Saturday whereas Sunday is a 10am start!

Then I had another lightbulb moment, why not do the scenic route and make it another 100 miler so that's what I did and what a decision it was!:D I set off at 7.40am with early morning mist around and a light easterly wind which was rather chilly at around 7C! The afternoon temp was expected to be around 17C which is just perfect for watching the racing and cycling, the wind was expected to increase in strength in the afternoon but for once that would be in my favour as I would have it at my back almost all the way home!

5 days ago I crossed the Forth bridges and that was going to be my plan again today but after crossing the Forth I would be continuing east to Burntisland and not turning for home! A few miles after departing I passed the Black Loch at Limerigg and stopped for these photos!

View attachment 181451
Strangely the mist wasn't hanging around the loch!

View attachment 181452
After 18 miles I arrrived in Linlithgow, the mist was hanging around the Ochil Hills and it was rather hazy!

View attachment 181453
I was now nearing the bridges and stopped for this photo!

View attachment 181454
For once the path was open at both sides of the bridge so I chose the western side to get some photos of the Queensferry Crossing from the Forth Road Bridge! The mist had now lifted thankfully!

View attachment 181455
View attachment 181456
After crossing the Forth I continued east towards Burntisland, soon I had the 16% climb to take on at Aberdour where I stopped for a snack and a short break and some photos of course!

View attachment 181459
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I reached Burntisland where it was time to head up the big climb towards Mossmorran wind farm and I had the wind at my back for the first time, at the top of the climb I stopped for this photo looking back down the hill! Next time I'm going down it...;)

View attachment 181462
I was loving the breeze at my back as I reached Crossgates where it was time to turn north towards Kelty, more big climbs ensued until the big descent down into Cantsdam near Kelty where I managed 43.2mph! If only it was an easterly descent, I would probably have hit 60mph if that was the case!😂 @Chargeride I'm surprised you didn't know cyclists can't be charged with speeding, that has been the case for a very long time! There is a crazy law called furious cycling which we can be hit with instead, looking at your videos you better be careful...🤣

I arrived in Kelty where it was time for yet another big climb but at least the wind was at my back and I managed up the difficult climb in eco mode! It was now due east to the Knockhill turnoff, after cresting the climb I was flying along with the strengthening beeze at my back! Well I thought I was until I spotted a peleton of around 15 riders waiting to join the road, a short time later they passed me as if I was going backwards!😂 I reached the turnoff for the track but I had only covered 53 miles which would have been 55 miles when I arrived at the track! As I was still early I decided to continue east towards Saline and enjoy that tailwind, its such a great road to ride especially with the wind pushing you on!

View attachment 181463
I then enjoyed the fast descent into Steelend and decided to stop for a snack before taking on the big climb up to Knockhill! This is looking back up the hill, you can imagine how much fun it was hurtling down it with a tailwind!:D

View attachment 181464
The road then leads into Saline which is another big descent, sadly there were roadworks with traffic signals on the descent so it wasn't as much fun as usual! At the bottom of the descent I turned on to the narrow back road that takes you back up to the track and its quite a climb, at this point my first battery had dropped to 22% at the 58 mile mark and I had climbed 4000ft so I switched to battery 2 to continue up the climb! I grabbed a few photos on the way up!

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As you can see the weather was glorious and it remained that way right through the day, most unlike Scotland!😂 I sure wasn't complaining and enjoyed a few hours of excellent racing, some photos from the track!

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It was then time to depart and I decided to turn south and enjoy the descent down into Saline again, it starts with a climb from the circuit and then its mostly downhill for a good 18 miles and I had a tailwind to enoy! This is at the top of the climb looking back down at the entrance to the track!

View attachment 181474
I was flying along and hardly used any battery power for many miles (I still had 40% left when I got home), I passed through Forestmill and was heading to Kincardine and finally got a decent view of the Ochill Hills which were hidden in mist and haze for most of the day!

View attachment 181475
View attachment 181476
From here I used the same roads as most of my rides from the east and I reached Longriggend and headed down the Telegraph Road and grabbed my final photos before turning for home! The first one is looking south which was the direction I was heading and the second looking north! As a Dire Straits fan I always think of them when I take this awesome road!

View attachment 181477
View attachment 181478
I don't think I could have asked for a better day, a truly awesome ride and a great day of racing!😁I am just about to to hit the sack and I won't have any problem falling asleep!;) Just before I go, I passed the 34000 mile mark on my amazing bike today!👍
You know, with just a little more effort, you could've beaten my distance above by a factor of 10.

Really a shame that you guys didn't name the next river over "Back".
;^}
 
No epic rides here, but I did pack in quite a few extra miles on this week's commutes before we say goodbye to summer and life gets busy again next week.

Monday: 35 miles, 2700' ele

Rode over to Magnuson Park and the long way home by Lake Washington. This installation uses the dive planes from decommissioned nuclear attack subs to create a 'pod' of killer whales.
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Tuesday: 40 miles, 3200' ele

Across the Ballard Bridge. The larger ship down there is the Wizard, it's been on the TV show 'Deadliest Catch' for the last 19 years. Looking a little tired, but considering she started life as a navy oil tender at the end of WWII and has been crab fishing in the Bering Sea for the last 50? years I'd say she's a survivor.
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Across Magnolia, then back across Queen Anne, which means several 20% hills. Some of the streets are split due to the steep hills -this is me taking a ramp to get from the lower half of 9th street up to the upper half of 9th street.
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I'm probably not the first person to take a picture of the Needle in this eye.
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And back across the Aurora Bridge to head home.
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Wednesday: 30 miles, 2200' ele.
No pictures, just a few extra miles on the way home

Thursday: 41 miles, 2975' ele

Headed down to the downtown waterfront where the new Aquarium building was opening. It's the copper building nestled on the left. The Aquarium exhibit was open but most of the stairs and promenades are still being finished, so it still feels like a (festive) construction site.
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The bike and pedestrian path along Elliot seems pretty well done. We'll see once it is fully open, I suspect the pedestrian lane will be the defacto bike passing lane which sounds like trouble.
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Came back through the Arboretum then around Union Bay by UW.
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Friday: 38 miles, 2700' ele

These look pretty new.
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Light rail finally opened up on my end of the Metro area. It was first voted on in 1996, the year before I moved to Seattle! Light rail was severely delayed by bureaucracy but also because in 1997 Seattle voters approved an initiative to expand the monorail from the 1962 World's Fair. Turns out the taxi driver who came up with the initiative didn't have a well thought out plan, but a lot of people think monorails are cool so we spent $125 million and 8 years to realize it wouldn't be practical.

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Bike lockers at the light rail station, a very reasonable $.05/hour. I just hope I get a spot on the ground level if I ever need to use them!
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Its me again, bit grainy, I took them off the editor screen.

I roughly did this rather epic ride from Modbury to Newton Ferrers with most of it being bridleway or back lane vehicle unsuitable,
which is the understatement of the century, I didn't do the river crossing on the way back as I missed the tide and wasnt going
to ride the Haibike through 2ft of incoming tide.

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These tracks are full of abandoned farming infrastructure, at least I think its abandoned, you seem to be travelling on the original
paths that connected these tiny hamlets
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I had to navigate towards a larger road at this point and this is the entrance to Audley Flete house which is now a retirement home for the very well off
they soon wont be.
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This trail starts next to that entrance and its simply stunning as it climbs over the rolling hills and passes under bridges.
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The scenery is exquisite and I presume is the left over of created landscape from the stately home.
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Huge rock path descent into Holbeton which is beyond cute
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The village post office and shop, I sat there for ten minutes and all I could hear was Devon accents inside, local gossip, screaming laughing
and they all emerged at once, slightly tubby, flowery dresses..'allright my lovely!
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The next track was blocked by a local who uses it as his parking space. I managed to squeeze past while only collecting one armful of
bramble.
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I was the other side of the edge and these cows were making an unworldly collective noise that literally scared me , it sounded like the beast from Forbidden Planet
was in the field. they were all snorting and charging the gate, I'm glad there was also an electric fence.
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This was typical of the tracks, but the images don't portray how beautiful they are, everyone is like riding along a fantasy rabbit hole, leaving you no context for where you are heading except for occasional flashes of the outside world.
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One of them was two miles of this, I just slowed to a crawl and let the tyres deal with it.
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Nearing the coast and you start seeing some weird fantasy house down obscure tiny lanes, I could imagine how it would feel at night without the parked cars,
you would think you had entered a strange cult district.
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Reached the coast, pretty well perfect conditions, slight warm breeze, miles of visibility.
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I rode down the farmers track to the base of the cliffs, met this family on the way back up, as usual theres always one huffing adult and one smiler.
It switches between male and female, but its mostly the wife who smiles, the man is reverting to protector mode because some drug dealing
electric motorbike riding scallywag seems to be trying to mug people in the countryside.
I have considered comical beach shorts to put them at ease, but my legs would be ripped to bits.
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This final descent track into Newton Ferrers was superb, and it was so unused that I picked up a good bit of speed, came around the end to find this couple who
obviously thought a monster truck was on its way down.
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Missed the crossing, too deep even for me.
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The village is preparing for a festival, bit patriotic this, I'm sure they'll get a visit from Starmers thought police
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That's more like it...though I'm not sure....
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Climbed the coastal path because two posh ladies called Cressida and Helena said it was fine.

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I mostly rode the larger country roads back to Modbury because my vans ticket was running out, took three hours, battery lasted well, still three bars left, main road was terrifying.
Never ever plan a bike ride in South Devon, the drivers want you dead.
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Highlights include the endless friendly locals, tourists not so much
One trail i found two survivalists, Dad and son in balaclavas, huge back packs,
those waistcoat style jackets full of pockets, camo pants tucked into army boots, I stopped for a chat, they loved my bike.
'Thats the proper gear for these trails'
I spoilt the whole thing by taking a swig of my drink and having a coughing fit in front of them.
They walked off, probably writing me off as not suitable for the rebellion.
Every track was rideable, the loop down to elford house was simply superb, extremely challenging descent and climb and it hilariously went straight through the
garden of a rental property where the holiday makers were sat sunbathing.
'Which way?'
They all pointed together to the exit.
I got my first puncture, but it sealed itself after a few minutes, fine for the rest of the ride, but they tyre was flat the next day.
Going to plug it today.
 
We started September off on the right foot with an 80 km loop beginning at the Delburne Road (Hwy #595). My final ride tally for the month of August was 1067 km and the only blemish on the calendar was one day missed due to rain.

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With the threat of a rail workers strike the furthest thing on their minds now, famers rush to get their crops off while the weather gods play nice.

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Hay, let the good times roll! 🙃

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Hwy 595 to Delburne is a 45km stretch of rural tarmac which runs east/west and is often used by the village residents as well as many of the small farming communities along the way such as Springvale. Red Deer would be the primary destination for most seeing that it is home to the major grocery stores as well as most other modern conveniences that a smaller hamlet might be without. We would only be riding 15km of this road before turning south onto #816 where the pace of traffic would be significantly less.

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Harvest time is one of the busiest times of the year for farmers as they work to maximize yields and safely take off their crops. Everywhere we rode the fields appeared to be a hive of activity.

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Sai pushes her way up 816 along one of the many hilly sections of the ride. This outing didn’t present huge climbs since much of the gradient ranged between 4-6% though I must admit that it was an up and down affair most of the way.

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This old parish with its humble looking cemetery is one of the oldest pioneer churches in the district of Red Deer County.

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Looking back down the same highway with harvesting having been completed on one side of the road and combining not yet started on the east side.

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Further up the road, the missus spotted this artificial nest post for raptors. One species of hawk has experienced dramatic declines so the introduction of more of these nesting poles can only help to increase the number of these native prairie birds.

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The area is also home to wetlands and deciduous forests and with little traffic along this rural road it makes a great habitat for moose, coyotes, mule deer, grouse and waterfowl. The stonhouse/Pope natural area is managed by the Alberta Conservation Assoc, Alberta Fish and Game, and Ducks Unlimited Canada.

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A few hundred meters or so away is the Lockerby site. A family friend, Ninian Lockerby, donated the 300 acre parcel of land which is managed by several partners.

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We didn’t have time to wander into the site but having done so two years ago I can honestly say that it was definitely worth the ride out then. It’s known for pristine aspen parkland, native wildflowers, old hayfields, wetlands and abundant wildlife.

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With the sun at its peak, we decided to head home and complete the last leg of the loop before it got too hot. At the corner of Hwy 42 and 816 sits the Ghostpine Market. It’s only minutes from the Pinelake Resort which makes it a popular stop for campers needing to stock up on last minute supplies and gas. We stopped for a cool treat before pushing off west along 42 and back towards homebase.

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A few parting images of the final leg.

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