Saratoga Dave
Well-Known Member
Scranton, NJ is gonna be a tough one 
2024 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos
- Thread starter Saratoga Dave
- Start date
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Great Lakes Gravel Technical Pre-Ride
We arrived in Mikołajki on the Great Masurian Lakes together with Jacek on Friday afternoon. Very soon, we were on a ride to detect any issues related to our bikes, and understand the terrain.
Which turned out to be washboard gravel combined with cobblestone
Jacek, wannabe King of Cobblestone taking a photo of the beginning of the Premium segment mark (there is an extra competition held there!)
Damaged cobblestone. The terrain was as shaky as the Range Extender cage loosen up and the Range Extender cable plug was falling out the socket all the time! (All these things to fix after our return).
A brief look on Śniardwy, the biggest lake of Poland. A place known as Suchy Róg (Dry Corner).
The return way felt a way easier and faster!
Back at the guesthouse. We had to fix our bikes. (Jacek's derailleur had almost fallen apart!) Later, we were issued our Starter Packets by the organizers.
I rode my Vado SL (unassisted) to an Italian restaurant for supper. Mikołajki is the capital of inland sailing of Poland but now it is off-season. 700 people coming here this weekend will be a nice boost to the local economy!
After the evening briefing, we went to the bar
34 km ridden today.
We arrived in Mikołajki on the Great Masurian Lakes together with Jacek on Friday afternoon. Very soon, we were on a ride to detect any issues related to our bikes, and understand the terrain.
Which turned out to be washboard gravel combined with cobblestone
Jacek, wannabe King of Cobblestone taking a photo of the beginning of the Premium segment mark
(there is an extra competition held there!)Damaged cobblestone. The terrain was as shaky as the Range Extender cage loosen up and the Range Extender cable plug was falling out the socket all the time! (All these things to fix after our return).
A brief look on Śniardwy, the biggest lake of Poland. A place known as Suchy Róg (Dry Corner).
The return way felt a way easier and faster!
Back at the guesthouse. We had to fix our bikes. (Jacek's derailleur had almost fallen apart!) Later, we were issued our Starter Packets by the organizers.
I rode my Vado SL (unassisted) to an Italian restaurant for supper. Mikołajki is the capital of inland sailing of Poland but now it is off-season. 700 people coming here this weekend will be a nice boost to the local economy!
After the evening briefing, we went to the bar
34 km ridden today.
RabH
Well-Known Member
I just got round to watching your video, PD and I'm just blown away! Its like Scotland on steroids!
Just spectacular mate!
Prairie Dog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Red Deer
True, but then I could say the same about Scotland. Videos do have a way of capturing our attention but can only provide a glimpse of what it is really like to cycle amongst such incredible beauty. I can only imagine what kind of footage you could provide for viewers if you were to strap a camera to your bike. I'm waiting for that day.I just got round to watching your video, PD and I'm just blown away! Its like Scotland on steroids!
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
GR8 LAKES GRAVEL E-SPRINT
Anna! She beat four men!
My competitors: Sebastian, Wojtek, Darek. Kudos to them!
More: later It was a hard race. I was the tenth last rider of 59 who finished the Sprint race (e-bike and traditional bikes).
@Jeremy McCreary: the young man riding a Vado SL could have won hadn't he made a single stop!
- Anna Pilecka-Kalamarz (Mondraker Prime R G4 750 Wh, 2.6" tyres) first place overall, second place Female Sprint
- Wojciech Bortkiewicz (Vado SL 4.0 EQ, 38 mm tyres) first place Men
- Dariusz Bigus (Decathlon Rockrider e-MTB, 2.8" tyres) second place Men
- Darek Ługowski (Kross e-trekking 630 Wh, 45 mm tyres) third place Men
- Stefan Mikulski (Vado SL 4.0, 42 mm tyres) outside podium
Anna! She beat four men!
My competitors: Sebastian, Wojtek, Darek. Kudos to them!
More: later
It was a hard race. I was the tenth last rider of 59 who finished the Sprint race (e-bike and traditional bikes).@Jeremy McCreary: the young man riding a Vado SL could have won hadn't he made a single stop!
Last edited:
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
I must tell you a story guys before I fall asleep
It was the nth segment of the rough cobblestone on the race today. I had enough so rode full speed without even trying the roadside (which actually didn't exist there).
As I was zooming the rough road, i could feel some liquid sprinkling on my legs.
It was the water bottle shaken by the stones
Goodnight!
It was the nth segment of the rough cobblestone on the race today. I had enough so rode full speed without even trying the roadside (which actually didn't exist there).
As I was zooming the rough road, i could feel some liquid sprinkling on my legs.
It was the water bottle shaken by the stones
Goodnight!
Jeremy McCreary
Bought it anyway
- Region
- USA
- City
- Carlsbad, CA
You're lucky. No guarantee at your age that it was just water.I must tell you a story guys before I fall asleep
It was the nth segment of the rough cobblestone on the race today. I had enough so rode full speed without even trying the roadside (which actually didn't exist there).
As I was zooming the rough road, i could feel some liquid sprinkling on my legs.
It was the water bottle shaken by the stones
Goodnight!
;^}
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
I actually thought it was the sealant
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Or, you've just completed a morderous climb and turned into a singletrack. The trail is blocked by an infantry armoured carrier. You slow down and push yourself between the vehicle and a ravine. Behind, you find an Army squad in new uniforms and with impeccably clean assault rifles.
Not knowing what to say, you address the soldiers with 'Good day to you!' to which they machinally respond "and to you, too!'
Nice it was not said in Russian!
Not knowing what to say, you address the soldiers with 'Good day to you!' to which they machinally respond "and to you, too!'
Nice it was not said in Russian!
Prairie Dog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Red Deer
With the end of the month quickly approaching and the autumn equinox set to arrive, the final days of summer will soon be a distant memory.
Harvest season has all but wrapped up for all but a few locals who are in a rush to get their crops off or need to haul bales from field to storage.
Highlight of today’s 35 km ride was being passed by this trio of riders who had just exited off the gravel portion of this range road.
Harvest season has all but wrapped up for all but a few locals who are in a rush to get their crops off or need to haul bales from field to storage.
Highlight of today’s 35 km ride was being passed by this trio of riders who had just exited off the gravel portion of this range road.
RabH
Well-Known Member
I was worried about mist and fog preventing my ride to Knockhill Racing Circuit yesterday for the 50th anniversary bike festival meeting, I really didn't want to take the car! The circuit opened in 1974, I first attended in 1979 and have been every year since! Luckily it was just misty with no sign of fog and despite a chilly NE wind I elected to take the bike and wrap up well! I was so glad I made that decision, especially once I had reached the circuit after battling that chilly wind!
I made my way down to Falkirk and over the Kincardine bridge and as I was nearing Forestmill the mist cleared a bit and I got a nice view of the Ochil Hills for the first time on my ride!
At Forestmill I turned on to the quiet back road to Saline and immediately had a massive tractor in front of me taking up the whole road, thankfully the driver spotted me and pulled over enough to let me pass! I thanked him with a cheery wave and he gave me a thumbs up!
I got some respite from the wind thanks to all the trees lining this road, I then had the climb up to Saline!I chose to to take the back road from Saline up to Knockhill and would use the main road on the way back with a nice tailwind to enjoy! The road is a bit rough at the start but as you head up the climb it gets better and better until the recently resurfaced part near the top! I could feel the wind here but the climb kept me toasty!
A short time later I arrived at the circuit and it was very busy on the way in so I was very glad I was on the bike and was able to pass all the cars and jump the queue!
Some photos from the races and track displays which had most of the champions from 1974 up to this year!Then came the best part, they had arranged a track walk at lunchtime so I was walking round with my bike and on reaching the hairpin which is the last corner before the main straight I took this photo!
I waited for the crowds to clear and rode my bike up the main straight!
At the start/finish line!
I wanted to ask one of the officials if I could do a quick circuit of the track but they were surrounded by people so maybe next time, not in 50 years though!
After the meeting I was really looking forward to my ride home with a lovely 20mph tailwind all the way! The descent down in to Steelend and Saline was just incredible, nudging 40mph all the way down! I then joined the back road to Forestmill again and got some nice views of the Ochils again!I continued over the Kincardine bridge again and took the road into Carronshore this time, before heading up the big climb near Falkirk! I stopped at the canal for a snack and a break before tackling the climb and grabbed a few photos!
I then headed up the 20% climb (ridewithgps says the max was 13.6%)
At the top of the climb I normally turn left for home but I made the decision to turn right and enjoy the tailwind for a few miles more, I was greeted with this sight soon after so I was very happy with my decision to turn right!This road is in great condition also and has some lovely big descents!
The road takes you into Allandale where I turned left for Castlecary with the wind still right at my back, its amazing how much warmer a cold wind is when its behind you!
From Castlecary I took the road to Abronhill and then the big climb up towards Slamannan!This road is also in great condition after a resurface earlier this year, this is the flatter part before it ramps up again!
At the top of the climb I turned right for Greengairs and still had the wind at my back, from there it was a ride over the back roads to home where I arrived fresh as a daisy after enjoying that tailwind all the way from Knockhill!
After dinner I conked out though, I guess the day took a lot out of me but what a day it was!After my last ride I only needed 16 miles to reach 5000 for the year, that was surpassed not long into my ride! Check out the climbing stats for the year, its just mindblowing!Attachments
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Great Lakes Gravel Day 3: The Ryn Ride
Back from the Great Lakes of Poland! Let me share some new photos and impressions.
Your typical Great Lakes, 7:37 am in Mikołajki, by Lake Mikołajki. It was 9 C and dense fog!
Great Lakes are driven by the season. Crowds of people (including sailors and motorboat folk) come there in the Summer but September means closing most of restaurants and stores. Now, stores are closed not only because of the general closure but also for Sundays! How to buy anything you need including sports beverages? Well, there was a single small grocery store open on that very Sunday morning... (I was riding my Vado SL with assistance OFF for anything I needed to do in the town! Walking is not for me!)
10 am, and the best restaurant in the town opens for breakfast. My brother Jacek is regularly riding with two gravel groups in Warsaw, so he has many friends!
Mikołajki is a nice cosy town when it is free from the holiday crowds!
On a beautifully undulated bike path north of Mikołajki.
Lake Tałty. Still some sailing activity there!
I was using one of ready made Komoot routes. It lead us into technical singletrack I better avoided! (The little cove to the left is called Skanal).
Now, I started regretting the choice of the route! Here, I had tu push my Fearless up a steep hill in deep sand! And then dangerous descents followed!
We got onto premium gravel roads. Here, a place of a funny name: Rybical
The first Teutonic Knights arrived here from Germany in 1283. Upon seeing the location, they reportedly exclaimed: 'How beautiful here! It reminds us Rhine River!' hence they named the place Rhein. The current name of the town is Ryn. Here, the view across Lake Ryn.
For so many years of the Communism, the province of Masuria (in the former East Prussia) was totally underdeveloped. A sailing crew could expect a dilapidated marina, a single dirty grocery store, and occasionally a dive bar. Nowadays, any significant Masurian sailing place has a glamorous waterfront, an Ecomarina, a petrol station for motorboats, several stores, restaurants, hotels...
The Ryn Inn in the foreground, and the Teutonic Castle of Ryn far in the background. Rhein was planned to become a Teutonic Prosecutor town in 1377, and the construction of the castle began. Unexpectedly, Rhein was elevated to the rank of Komtur town in 1393, and the castle got greatly expanded. One Friedrich von Wallenrode became the first Komtur; he was brother to the Grand Master Konrad von Wallenrode, the latter being the hero of one of our national poems (Konrad was pictured by our poet Adam Mickiewicz as a Lithuanian agent deep in the structure of the Teutonic Order, which was not a historical fact).
You decide to take an easy path back towards Mikołajki and then you think how to make a detour
As we were sitting in Knife In The Water bar, Jacek spotted this man. Mariusz (age 65) was the oldest Ultramarathon rider of the 480 km race. He needed 57 hours for the ride (with obvious overnight stays) to cover the distance. He rode a simple bike with 3x9 drivetrain, and used one of the first "armoured" GSM phones from late 1990s! What a feat! For comparison, the Ultra winner only rode for 17 hours, 27 minutes and 50 seconds, so he arrived two minutes to midnight the same day he started his ride at 6:30 am!
Back from the Great Lakes of Poland! Let me share some new photos and impressions.
Your typical Great Lakes, 7:37 am in Mikołajki, by Lake Mikołajki. It was 9 C and dense fog!
Great Lakes are driven by the season. Crowds of people (including sailors and motorboat folk) come there in the Summer but September means closing most of restaurants and stores. Now, stores are closed not only because of the general closure but also for Sundays! How to buy anything you need including sports beverages? Well, there was a single small grocery store open on that very Sunday morning... (I was riding my Vado SL with assistance OFF for anything I needed to do in the town! Walking is not for me!)
10 am, and the best restaurant in the town opens for breakfast. My brother Jacek is regularly riding with two gravel groups in Warsaw, so he has many friends!
Mikołajki is a nice cosy town when it is free from the holiday crowds!
On a beautifully undulated bike path north of Mikołajki.
Lake Tałty. Still some sailing activity there!
I was using one of ready made Komoot routes. It lead us into technical singletrack I better avoided!
(The little cove to the left is called Skanal).Now, I started regretting the choice of the route! Here, I had tu push my Fearless up a steep hill in deep sand! And then dangerous descents followed!
We got onto premium gravel roads. Here, a place of a funny name: Rybical
The first Teutonic Knights arrived here from Germany in 1283. Upon seeing the location, they reportedly exclaimed: 'How beautiful here! It reminds us Rhine River!' hence they named the place Rhein. The current name of the town is Ryn. Here, the view across Lake Ryn.
For so many years of the Communism, the province of Masuria (in the former East Prussia) was totally underdeveloped. A sailing crew could expect a dilapidated marina, a single dirty grocery store, and occasionally a dive bar. Nowadays, any significant Masurian sailing place has a glamorous waterfront, an Ecomarina, a petrol station for motorboats, several stores, restaurants, hotels...
The Ryn Inn in the foreground, and the Teutonic Castle of Ryn far in the background. Rhein was planned to become a Teutonic Prosecutor town in 1377, and the construction of the castle began. Unexpectedly, Rhein was elevated to the rank of Komtur town in 1393, and the castle got greatly expanded. One Friedrich von Wallenrode became the first Komtur; he was brother to the Grand Master Konrad von Wallenrode, the latter being the hero of one of our national poems (Konrad was pictured by our poet Adam Mickiewicz as a Lithuanian agent deep in the structure of the Teutonic Order, which was not a historical fact).
You decide to take an easy path back towards Mikołajki and then you think how to make a detour
As we were sitting in Knife In The Water bar, Jacek spotted this man. Mariusz (age 65) was the oldest Ultramarathon rider of the 480 km race. He needed 57 hours for the ride (with obvious overnight stays) to cover the distance. He rode a simple bike with 3x9 drivetrain, and used one of the first "armoured" GSM phones from late 1990s! What a feat! For comparison, the Ultra winner only rode for 17 hours, 27 minutes and 50 seconds, so he arrived two minutes to midnight the same day he started his ride at 6:30 am!
Last edited:
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
GR8 LAKES GRAVEL 2024: The Racing Day
There were three racing formats this year: Ultra (480 km), Classic (100 miles) and Sprint (50 miles). E-Sprint was a subcategory of Sprint; production e-bikes restricted to 25 km/h were allowed. There was not much talking about the batteries though; the intention was to disallow DIY and throttle/fast e-bikes from the competition.
My brother Jacek instantly took the lead in his Classic Group 8!
There was a very steep climb in the race beginning. To make it better understandable: I had to use SL Turbo mode and the 32-51T gearing to climb there myself! The arrow points at Jacek. (I also have a photo showing weaker riders dismounting and walking their bikes uphill!)
My first e-bike competitor met on that morning: Wojtek. As you can see, my facial expression means fear (Why does Wojtek ride an e-bike? Lower back ache. He is otherwise a healthy and strong rider).
Specialized Vado SL 4.0 was the most chosen e-bike for E-Sprint Wojtek's EQ was hardly modified. He added the Cane Creek Thudbuster suspension seatpost and had two Range Extenders stowed in water-bottle cages. He was carrying the water-bottle in a pouch on handlebars. Regarding the tyres, he used 38 mm Schwalbe Marathon (tubed).
Anna rode a Mondraker Prime R G4, a full suspension e-MTB with a Smart System Bosch motor and a 750 Wh battery. She said: 'My husband is racing in the Classic. I thought I would ride the E-Sprint not to get bored waiting for him!'
Darek (riding a Kross Hybrid Prestige 630 (a Polish made e-bike with a Shimano motor and 630 Wh battery, 45 mm tyres) was my only competitor on Sudovia Gravel race.
Sebastian (centre), a friend of Darek, came with a Decathlon Rockrider e-MTB. I do not know much about that e-bike except it had a Brose motor and 2.8" tyres. Sebastian was as young and strong as he could easily ride that e-bike above the speed restrictor, at a really high speed!
Wojtek (627) starting his race!
(The day before) There was a lot of cobblestone on the race route. Washboard gravel was one of the worst surfaces we had to ride though. (I rode my 42 mm tubeless wheels at 40 psi as I am a heavy person).
(The day before) Masuria is known for her stoney roads... I soon got used to it!
(The day before) I must admit there were long segments of premium gravel on the race as well. The first part of the race led through the woods, where the surfaces were adequate, and the greenery was giving us a nice shade against sunshine on a warm day!
(The day before) Masuria is the Land of Three Thousand Lakes. Here, a small cove of Śniardwy, the largest lake of Poland. Unfortunately, we didn't see much lakes on the ride, as the route was planned for the maximum "ride flow", or fast uninterrupted ride, so most lakes were bypassed at a distance.
(On the race). The distance table (km) made me laugh, so I had to stop and take this picture. A distance to Warsaw would be understandable but the other city is rather small and not the most distant from Masuria at all!
35 km into the race. Because of drought this year, even good gravel roads became sandy! (In the last part of the race, we had to negotiate deep sand for even 2 kilometres!) Here, I shortly stopped to discover I lost my tail-light (because of the road vibration). The light was later found by the organiser crew and I could collect it in Warsaw on Monday!
Your typical Masurian countryside during the drought.
The only pit-stop for the Sprint. I realized I was the last rider on the race there! That could not last long... I greatly accelerated!
No time to stop and take pictures! Masuria is undulated. It is not as hilly as Sudovia but the share of climbs was significant (I consistently rode at SL 75/75%, 25 km/h restricted).
One of very few places where we actually could see some water was Szymoński Canal, one of many canals connecting Great Lakes.
Actually Racing
As soon as I learned from a rider I was the last person in the race, I accelerated and didn't allow me any more stops on the ride! This way, I could overtake nine riders. As we met "the bathtubs of sand", I took the opportunity of that chance equalizer. The lightweight Vado SL helped me riding on the edge of the field (even if the surface was still loose there). I was actually sprinting, and used SL Turbo for the last kilometres to stay at 25 km/h. 10th last place in Sprint? Come on, I am a 63-yo person with medical conditions!
When I was riding through the finish line, the announcer said through the PA: 'Here's Stefan Mikulski, the winner of Sudovia Gravel E-Sprint! He was not lucky this time!' and all my e-Sprint competitors cheered!
Anna won the E-Sprint race, and was the 2nd Female Sprinter overall! Kudos to her!
The E-Sprint Men podium: Wojtek (1st), Sebastian (2nd), Darek (3rd). Wojtek told me he had a chance to win E-Sprint but he made a stop on the ride...
Jacek finishing the Classic Race. He was 81st/251.
My brother missed a riding partner on that race to get a better place!
My E-Sprint race map. I started Wahoo 300 m from the starting line.
After the race, people started gathering for social events. I admit we drank a little that night
There were three racing formats this year: Ultra (480 km), Classic (100 miles) and Sprint (50 miles). E-Sprint was a subcategory of Sprint; production e-bikes restricted to 25 km/h were allowed. There was not much talking about the batteries though; the intention was to disallow DIY and throttle/fast e-bikes from the competition.
My brother Jacek instantly took the lead in his Classic Group 8!
There was a very steep climb in the race beginning. To make it better understandable: I had to use SL Turbo mode and the 32-51T gearing to climb there myself! The arrow points at Jacek. (I also have a photo showing weaker riders dismounting and walking their bikes uphill!)
My first e-bike competitor met on that morning: Wojtek. As you can see, my facial expression means fear
(Why does Wojtek ride an e-bike? Lower back ache. He is otherwise a healthy and strong rider).Specialized Vado SL 4.0 was the most chosen e-bike for E-Sprint
Wojtek's EQ was hardly modified. He added the Cane Creek Thudbuster suspension seatpost and had two Range Extenders stowed in water-bottle cages. He was carrying the water-bottle in a pouch on handlebars. Regarding the tyres, he used 38 mm Schwalbe Marathon (tubed).Anna rode a Mondraker Prime R G4, a full suspension e-MTB with a Smart System Bosch motor and a 750 Wh battery. She said: 'My husband is racing in the Classic. I thought I would ride the E-Sprint not to get bored waiting for him!'
Darek (riding a Kross Hybrid Prestige 630 (a Polish made e-bike with a Shimano motor and 630 Wh battery, 45 mm tyres) was my only competitor on Sudovia Gravel race.
Sebastian (centre), a friend of Darek, came with a Decathlon Rockrider e-MTB. I do not know much about that e-bike except it had a Brose motor and 2.8" tyres. Sebastian was as young and strong as he could easily ride that e-bike above the speed restrictor, at a really high speed!
Wojtek (627) starting his race!
(The day before) There was a lot of cobblestone on the race route. Washboard gravel was one of the worst surfaces we had to ride though. (I rode my 42 mm tubeless wheels at 40 psi as I am a heavy person).
(The day before) Masuria is known for her stoney roads... I soon got used to it!
(The day before) I must admit there were long segments of premium gravel on the race as well. The first part of the race led through the woods, where the surfaces were adequate, and the greenery was giving us a nice shade against sunshine on a warm day!
(The day before) Masuria is the Land of Three Thousand Lakes. Here, a small cove of Śniardwy, the largest lake of Poland. Unfortunately, we didn't see much lakes on the ride, as the route was planned for the maximum "ride flow", or fast uninterrupted ride, so most lakes were bypassed at a distance.
(On the race). The distance table (km) made me laugh, so I had to stop and take this picture. A distance to Warsaw would be understandable but the other city is rather small and not the most distant from Masuria at all!
35 km into the race. Because of drought this year, even good gravel roads became sandy! (In the last part of the race, we had to negotiate deep sand for even 2 kilometres!) Here, I shortly stopped to discover I lost my tail-light (because of the road vibration). The light was later found by the organiser crew and I could collect it in Warsaw on Monday!
Your typical Masurian countryside during the drought.
The only pit-stop for the Sprint. I realized I was the last rider on the race there! That could not last long...
I greatly accelerated!No time to stop and take pictures! Masuria is undulated. It is not as hilly as Sudovia but the share of climbs was significant (I consistently rode at SL 75/75%, 25 km/h restricted).
One of very few places where we actually could see some water was Szymoński Canal, one of many canals connecting Great Lakes.
Actually Racing
As soon as I learned from a rider I was the last person in the race, I accelerated and didn't allow me any more stops on the ride! This way, I could overtake nine riders. As we met "the bathtubs of sand", I took the opportunity of that chance equalizer. The lightweight Vado SL helped me riding on the edge of the field (even if the surface was still loose there). I was actually sprinting, and used SL Turbo for the last kilometres to stay at 25 km/h. 10th last place in Sprint? Come on, I am a 63-yo person with medical conditions!
When I was riding through the finish line, the announcer said through the PA: 'Here's Stefan Mikulski, the winner of Sudovia Gravel E-Sprint! He was not lucky this time!' and all my e-Sprint competitors cheered!
Anna won the E-Sprint race, and was the 2nd Female Sprinter overall! Kudos to her!
The E-Sprint Men podium: Wojtek (1st), Sebastian (2nd), Darek (3rd). Wojtek told me he had a chance to win E-Sprint but he made a stop on the ride...
Jacek finishing the Classic Race. He was 81st/251.
My brother missed a riding partner on that race to get a better place!
My E-Sprint race map. I started Wahoo 300 m from the starting line.
After the race, people started gathering for social events. I admit we drank a little that night
Last edited:
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Some interesting metrics from the GLG E-Sprint:
An E-Bike Segment for the 'cobblestone' part of the ride.
I checked on Anna stats: She was riding at a high heart rate, and I can bet she had to pedal hard above the speed restrictor! Two riders are missing here as both Sebastian and Darek are 'lamers' as it comes to recording rides in particular, and to using the internet in general. They should take the third and the fourth place here!
Another interesting fact: I hear Wojtek could pedal his Vado SL at 32 km/h (20 mph) on asphalt, which again proves a strong young man could benefit from riding a lightweight e-bike!
The view from our "Sunny Terraces" guesthouse. Mikołajki is an expensive town! The guesthouse was reasonably priced, offered a great view, and was so close to the starting line of the race!
The waterfront in Mikołajki (German: Nikolaiken). The starting line was just several metres from that place!
The main square of Mikołajki. Villa Mazur was there since 1888!
A gorgeous Kross Esker RS. A full carbon, electronic drivetrain gravel bike made in Poland.
That specific bike was GLG branded. Not a cheap bicycle at all!
This is how my smart brother transports bikes inside his car! Note the board with thru-axle attachments he made himself!
I guess no woman would like to live together with us!
No littering!
One of the race rules was "No littering!" If someone reported a rider for littering the trail, the offender could even be disqualified. The organisers made several Toyota Hilux (and bike) rides along the route prior and after the race. The early trips were to ensure the routes had a good "flow" for riders, while the last trip was to collect any litter left, and foremost to find any lost equipment. So they could find, among others, my lost Knog Road Blinder tail-light! What great people!
An E-Bike Segment for the 'cobblestone' part of the ride.
I checked on Anna stats: She was riding at a high heart rate, and I can bet she had to pedal hard above the speed restrictor! Two riders are missing here as both Sebastian and Darek are 'lamers' as it comes to recording rides in particular, and to using the internet in general. They should take the third and the fourth place here!
Another interesting fact: I hear Wojtek could pedal his Vado SL at 32 km/h (20 mph) on asphalt, which again proves a strong young man could benefit from riding a lightweight e-bike!
The view from our "Sunny Terraces" guesthouse. Mikołajki is an expensive town! The guesthouse was reasonably priced, offered a great view, and was so close to the starting line of the race!
The waterfront in Mikołajki (German: Nikolaiken). The starting line was just several metres from that place!
The main square of Mikołajki. Villa Mazur was there since 1888!
A gorgeous Kross Esker RS. A full carbon, electronic drivetrain gravel bike made in Poland.
That specific bike was GLG branded. Not a cheap bicycle at all!
This is how my smart brother transports bikes inside his car! Note the board with thru-axle attachments he made himself!
I guess no woman would like to live together with us!
No littering!
One of the race rules was "No littering!" If someone reported a rider for littering the trail, the offender could even be disqualified. The organisers made several Toyota Hilux (and bike) rides along the route prior and after the race. The early trips were to ensure the routes had a good "flow" for riders, while the last trip was to collect any litter left, and foremost to find any lost equipment. So they could find, among others, my lost Knog Road Blinder tail-light! What great people!
Last edited:
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
I havent ridden for a few days, my mothers neighbour, a lovely woman with bad health problems, but still goes shopping for my mum, and has done for decades, well her entire kitchen floor collapsed with dry rot, quoted 5 grand, she hasnt even got 500.
So I volunteered to rebuild it, cant be that bad surely.
15 6 x3 joists ,4m by 3m, I picked them up, cut them, fitted them, then 20 floorboards as well.
Im completely and utterly fickd, just crashing on the bed every night.
That is proper exercise.
So I volunteered to rebuild it, cant be that bad surely.
15 6 x3 joists ,4m by 3m, I picked them up, cut them, fitted them, then 20 floorboards as well.
Im completely and utterly fickd, just crashing on the bed every night.
That is proper exercise.
DaveMatthews
Well-Known Member
Nicely done mate!
Similar threads
