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

[Stefan Mikes]

Before he says it, let it be known @MartsEbike rode for 116 km/1480 m (72 mi/4,855 ft) on his Vado SL yesterday! At 3 C, dark, and in strong wind! Kudos kudos kudos!!!

As we say in Poland: 'I can't recognize my mate!'

Martin: Please tell me about the assistance you used on the ride!

 

[MartsEbike]

Before he says it, let it be known @MartsEbike rode for 116 km/1480 m (72 mi/4,855 ft) on his Vado SL yesterday! At 3 C, dark, and in strong wind! Kudos kudos kudos!!!

As we say in Poland: 'I can't recognize my mate!'

Martin: Please tell me about the assistance you used on the ride!

Thanks Stefan! This was a painful ride! So bad I didn't bother with many photos! After a couple of hours of riding, it was dark. I caught all the rush hour traffic and cars were flying by me constantly, much of it down dark country lanes - a horrible experience. I grew tired and weary of riding them, and it became disorienting after a while - just darkness and more darkness. On top of that my fingers were freezing, I had to ride with one hand in my pocket to keep them warm! Places to stop were few and far between, and it was so cold I often thought "Just keep going"!!!

I've knocked up the map below to show what I mean...

I bailed out of riding my intended route which was a massive mistake. I didn't realise how close I was to the flatlands of Buckinghamshire. Instead, I stopped and set my Garmin to take me home - thinking it would be by the most direct route. Well, this didn't happen. It routed me back through the hilliest terrain around here - The Chiltern Hills. Some are very long steep hills. I had no energy by this point, cold and hungry, the last thing I wanted was hill after hill after hill. I needed Turbo mode to make it, and that depleted the battery levels on the bike quickly. At the furthest point, I had over 80% (Started with 125% Battery + RE). By the time I arrived home, I had just 7%!

Not an experience I ever wish to repeat! I'll leave the long rides for the summer months!

These are the only photos I took along this ride!

The Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal. Photo taken from a bridge!

The other side of the same bridge with an old canal lock.

St Pauls Church in the village of Bledlow Ridge. It was illuminated and one of the few things it was possible to photograph!

Fun Fact: Strava is telling me my max power increased over 50w after this ride, from around 698w to 751w.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

On top of that my fingers were freezing, I had to ride with one hand in my pocket to keep them warm! Places to stop were few and far between, and it was so cold I often thought "Just keep going"!!!

Terrible! Fortunately for you, the 14 C weather shall return to England soon!

Or, that's what @Brix is telling me

 

[MartsEbike]

Terrible! Fortunately for you, the 14 C weather shall return to England soon!

Or, that's what @Brix is telling me

That's better! But I just bought a load of cold-weather clothing! I certainly needed thicker winter gloves! It became hard to even change gears on the bike!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I certainly needed thicker winter gloves!

It's not easy to find appropriate ones. These shall have a membrane inside but even that does not guarantee warm hands under wet weather.
I've standardized on the German brand Chiba. I wear:

• Bioxcell Light Winter at 4-10 C and above
• Bioxcell Warm Winter at 0-4 C
• Alaska Pro for the frost.

Not sure about the UK availability. I sometimes wear modern motorcycle gloves (with a membrane). In case of wet conditions, I always carry a spare pair of gloves!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I've knocked up the map below to show what I mean...

I guess that means something different in the UK.

Fun Fact: Strava is telling me my max power increased over 50w after this ride, from around 698w to 751w.

Impressive! Per the Specialized app, cracked 500W once but usually max out in the low 400s.

The SL continues to lure me into working a little harder on every ride. My adjusted average rider power is creeping up, weight's below 190 lb for the first time in decades, and I'm constantly hiking up my pants now.

My health insurer should be giving me a rebate for buying this thing!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Nov 5 – Nagano Highlands (Kamikochi)

This was the second of two rides during a visit to Nagano Prefecture. Considered more of an out and back side trip, it focused primarily on the kaleidoscope of fall colors in the Kamikochi Highlands.

To get to the visitor’s center we first had to run a gauntlet of sorts through a couple of tunnels, the first being 2.5km long with a 10% grade from start to finish. No shoulder to speak of and with tour buses frequently passing by it wasn’t an easy task. One might think that the walkway to the left would be wide enough to ride on but I can assure you that it was not. The Varias became an indispensable tool on all of our rides.

When we finally emerged, we were provided a glimpse of what would be in store for us.

Home free after somewhat of a tight squeeze to get by this bus and some sketchy sections of tarmac that kept us on our toes.

A few exceptional sightlines of picturesque Taisho-ike Pond which was created when a nearby mountain erupted over a century ago and blocked the river. The reflection of the mountain range has made the pond an iconic image of Kamikochi.

Up at the visitor’s center, we could understand why tourism drives the local micro economy during this time of the year. The center is only open until Nov 15 to allow folks sufficient time to enjoy the fall colors. Most of these buses were packed with Chinese tourists who were constantly jockeying for position along the pathway to get the ultimate selfies.

Sai texts her brother to let him know that we made it safely through the tunnels.

On our way back, these snow monkeys seemed oblivious to the constant flow of vehicles passing by them.

I take one final shot of the Azusa River before we head back up the hill and finish our ride.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Nov 5 – Nagano Highlands (Kamikochi)

This was the second of two rides during a visit to Nagano Prefecture. Considered more of an out and back side trip, it focused primarily on the kaleidoscope of fall colors in the Kamikochi Highlands.

View attachment 186405

To get to the visitor’s center we first had to run a gauntlet of sorts through a couple of tunnels, the first being 2.5km long with a 10% grade from start to finish. No shoulder to speak of and with tour buses frequently passing by it wasn’t an easy task. One might think that the walkway to the left would be wide enough to ride on but I can assure you that it was not. The Varias became an indispensable tool on all of our rides.

View attachment 186407View attachment 186406

When we finally emerged, we were provided a glimpse of what would be in store for us.

View attachment 186408

Home free after somewhat of a tight squeeze to get by this bus and some sketchy sections of tarmac that kept us on our toes.

View attachment 186409View attachment 186410

A few exceptional sightlines of picturesque Taisho-ike Pond which was created when a nearby mountain erupted over a century ago and blocked the river. The reflection of the mountain range has made the pond an iconic image of Kamikochi.

View attachment 186411View attachment 186412View attachment 186413View attachment 186414

Up at the visitor’s center, we could understand why tourism drives the local micro economy during this time of the year. The center is only open until Nov 15 to allow folks sufficient time to enjoy the fall colors. Most of these buses were packed with Chinese tourists who were constantly jockeying for position along the pathway to get the ultimate selfies.

View attachment 186415
View attachment 186417View attachment 186418
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Sai texts her brother to let him know that we made it safely through the tunnels.

View attachment 186416

On our way back, these snow monkeys seemed oblivious to the constant flow of vehicles passing by them.

View attachment 186420View attachment 186421

I take one final shot of the Azusa River before we head back up the hill and finish our ride.

View attachment 186422

That first shot should be a postcard! Do snow monkeys ever chase bicycles? Who knows, if they caught one, they might even be able to ride it!

 

[JGcycle]

A pic from today's 14km ride:

 

[Prairie Dog]

That first shot should be a postcard! Do snow monkeys ever chase bicycles? Who knows, if they caught one, they might even be able to ride it!

These ones didn't seem to have a care in the world and were more likely interested in handouts from the tourists. The ones in Sai's hood in comparison are really skidish and bolt at the drop of a pin.

Forgot to include the link to the footage of that ride.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Woke up to powdery goodness this morning and -17C wind chill so snow stayed light and fluffy. Shoveled for 45 minutes then took this bad boy out for a spin around the block. More snow on the way so I may wait until tomorrow before hitting one of the local trails.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Woke up to powdery goodness this morning and -17C wind chill so snow stayed light and fluffy. Shoveled for 45 minutes then took this bad boy out for a spin around the block. More snow on the way so I may wait until tomorrow before hitting one of the local trails.

Oh my... Who will I impress by saying -1 C now?

 

[Prairie Dog]

Oh my... Who will I impress by saying -1 C now?

@Jeremy McCreary is the first person who comes to mind.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Oh my... Who will I impress by saying -1 C now?

@Jeremy McCreary is the first person who comes to mind.

Wait, you mean there are negative temperatures, too??

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Wait, you mean there are negative temperatures, too??

If you think Fahrenheit, yes, these could be experienced in Canada and Siberia In our scale, anything below your 32 degrees!

Check this A rare situation in which Celsius = Fahrenheit!

 

[JGcycle]

A couple of pics from this morning's 21km ride:

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A proper MTB helmet!

 

[JGcycle]

A proper MTB helmet!

Coming from a motorcycling background, where full-face helmets are the way to go, I just had to have a full-face ebike helmet.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Coming from a motorcycling background, where full-face helmets are the way to go, I just had to have a full-face ebike helmet.

Nothing wrong with it! Safety first!

 

[Prairie Dog]

And so, it begins. Snowfall wasn’t as significant as I thought yesterday but that’s all about to change by this weekend as we expect a heavier dose of 15 to 25 cm to fall today.

Loved the traction afforded by the studded 4.5s and the frozen ground beneath provided the foundation for all of that divine grip.

I came across only one other fatbiker on my ride at Heritage Ranch.

I followed this mule buck a block from home and he seemed unperturbed by my presence.