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

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Sometimes you just get lucky and today was the case in point, I suppose I was due it after my hard drive failed on my pc last week! It was pouring down in the morning and it cleared up just a little so I chanced a walk at a local park and made it round without getting a soaking! The wind wasn't too bad for a nice change, it was from the SW once again and around 20mph! On the way home from the park the sky didn't look very promising at all, when I got home I had a look at the forecast for various areas but it was mostly 40-60% chance of rain! Looking at tomorrow it was just dire so I decided to brave it fully expecting to get wet!

The sky to the north and the south was pretty dark so I opted to head east as it looked the most promising, my choice was beginning to look good until a dark cloud seemed to appear from nowhere and the rain started to fall at Limerigg which is only 8 miles from home! It wasn't heavy rain but it was that stuff that just seems to soak you, thankfully it soon cleared and I reached Avonbridge 4 miles later and the roads were dry! I took the back road up to Standburn which involves some big climbs but its such a great road for a bike!

I then had a brilliant descent to look forward to down to Whitecross then more climbing out to Linlithgow, where I stopped for lunch and the sun made a welcome appearance! I continued the climbing to the far side of Linlithgow and stopped for some photos looking north with the Ochils shrouded in dark clouds in the distance!

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I also got my first glimpse of the bridges over the Forth from here, which was going to be my destination!

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I then continued east passing through Kingscavil and Threemiltown, enjoying some lovely descents with the wind at my back! At Winchburgh I turned north towards Newton, near the town I had a nice view of the Pentland hills to the south!

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Those dark clouds were also shrouding the Pentlands but luckily I was in the middle with dry weather! I arrived in Newton and got a nice close view of the bridges!

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I then crossed the Forth road bridge, where I looked to the west and all I could see was a wall of darkness in the direction I would be heading very soon! It was still dry though so I was having fun and had the bridge mostly to myself!

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After crossing I was heading north for the Rosyth and got some more photos looking north at the Queensferry Crossing!

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I arrived in Rosyth where it was time to turn west for home, now into the headwind but it was still dry so no complaints from me! A couple of miles later I turned on to the coast road down into Limekilns, stopping for this photo looking south at the Pentlands!

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I passed through Limekilns and arrived In Charlestown where I had this cobbled climb to tackle, only an 8% gradient though so no problem for my e bike!

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The road then heads north and joins the main A985 which runs from Rosyth all the way to Kincardine, of course I wasn't taking the main road! I joined the cycle path that leads to Crombie and didn't like the scene ahead of me! The photo doesn't really show it but that was a huge squall ahead, luckily it was moving to the north though and I was turning west on to the coast road!

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I passed through all the villages along the coast and reached Kincardine bridge with no sign of any rain, what a result! After crossing the bridge I grabbed these photos looking north at the Clackmannanshire bridge and the Ochils which were still covered in those dark clouds!

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The construction work on the Kincardine bridge (which was sinking at the western end) is due to finish next March and I will be glad when its all done! I then headed south towards Grangemouth and then on to Falkirk and up the big climb near Shieldhill, its more fun going down it!;)

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From here I took the awesome back road to Slamannan and had the road all to myself, its mostly farmland!

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I had this climb next directly into the wind but its quickly followed by a great descent down into Slamannan!

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Looking back down the road!

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I had about 10 miles to go now and took the usual roads to home and all I could see was darkness out to the southwest, I was certain I was going to get drenched but as I said at the start of this post I got lucky! I got home totally dry, the rain completely missed my area! In essence I picked a route that cut right through the centre of the squalls, what a fantastic day that was!:D Thankfully the photos seem to be uploading again and very quickly too, I hope it remains that way as my last post took forever...
 

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Today’s ride was a bit of a mixed bag but there never seemed to be a dull moment.

From the usual root riddled singletracks.

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To some that were lusher.

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From high vantage points.

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To ones that were slightly less elevated.

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From wide open expanses.

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To ones more that were more verdant.

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Encountering different strokes…

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as well as different folks on the way home.

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Through it all, the Magpeds haven't let me down.

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this is a great ride though forrest park you go through a very nice neighborhood to. get there.. it used to be a paved road Burt the pavment is mostly gone. the bad part is its 27 mile round trip to get there and back and about 16 miles mostly climbing as zig zag route. kind of on the rough side. so on the tandem you can't go too fast or the wife is banging my on my back to slow down. but is the nice right and we got almost to the top maybe another 1/2 mile. not much up there but a portapotty and connection to a fast narrow road.

That a lovely place, but two hour video 🤣, how do you film for that long?
 
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Today’s ride was a bit of a mixed bag but there never seemed to be a dull moment.

From the usual root riddled singletracks.

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To some that were lusher.

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From high vantage points.

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To ones that were slightly less elevated.

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From wide open expanses.

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To ones more that were more verdant.

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Encountering different strokes…

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as well as different folks on the way home.

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Through it all, the Magpeds haven't let me down.

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That vantage point shot, delicious.
 
After telling everyone I was cutting back on my drinking, I started a sad solo pub crawl.
This is the scenic entrance to the Crab Pizza restaurant
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I visited a few more, but they were full of families and toddlers, so I don't like to take pictures.
This is on my way to the Rock Box, i was told there was some bands on.
This guy said 'awesome tyres' as I passed, you could tell his girlfriend was thinking, youre not having one
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Another Haibike and a pretty rad escooter, kinda looks like they just based it on an eskateboard.
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Getting a bit merry now and rode up the hill, no I havent crashed, just a handy way to park, sun is going down and Im 5 rum and cokes riding near cliff edges.
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It was very surreal, there were jetskiers on the water, the sky was getting dramatic and you could hear the dance music from the field.
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It was like entering a polite festival.
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I was sat on a log listening to this guy, he was an incredible singer, knocking out country songs and then oasis, even did baby shark for the kids.
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I was getting all Ibiza chill down as it changed to cool beats and the sky was helping along.
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The beach house was still open and I got cheesy chips and Havana Club, living the dream.
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Of course I was three miles from home, pitch black, no lights, single track 60mph country roads, all uphill, what could go wrong.
Ofcourse falling off the bridge straight away was a possibility
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Another bar, one for the road.
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This was my view all the way home, I held my phone light as a back or front light, but no cars were seen.
It was actually better to leave the light off and let my eyes adapt, I could see relatively well after a few minutes.
Such an exhilarating ride in the warm night air, made me feel alive.
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Took the hub-drive on an undulating 24-mile coast ride this morning to simulate certain aspects of the Vado SL coming in the next few days — nearly all with motor off. More about the test here.

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The ride took the Coast Highway and side streets from home in south Carlsbad to Del Mar and back. This bluff-top park in Del Mar was the turnaround.

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Part way down this failing sea cliff is a locally infamous but supremely scenic stretch of passenger and freight rail doing a slow slide into the Pacific. The constant repairs warrant its own work yard.

Knowing the importance of in-ride nutrition from watching the 2024 Tour de France, I grabbed a kombucha and chipotle aoli dog at the Moonlight Beach concession stand on the way home.
 
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Jacek tells me we should do a 1 Rab ride on Sunday :)
A little bit scared: Now, I have only got two Vado batteries left!
Hopefully, I will survive yet another "No-Man's Land" gravel ride!

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Over 3,000 ft elevation gain, and over 100 miles if you count the train station rides...
 
Took the hub-drive on an undulating 24-mile coast ride this morning to simulate certain aspects of the Vado SL coming in the next few days — nearly all with motor off. More about the test here.

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The ride took the Coast Highway and side streets from home in south Carlsbad to Del Mar and back. This bluff-top park in Del Mar was the turnaround.

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Below the failing bluff is a locally infamous but supremely scenic stretch of passenger and freight rail doing a slow slide into the Pacific. The constant repairs warrant its own work yard.

Knowing the importance of in-ride nutrition from watching the 2024 Tour de France, I grabbed a kombucha and chipotle aoli dog at the Moonlight Beach concession stand on the way home.
Now thats California, not the excavator shot though.
I love showing people this picture, Im pretty sure its real.
Maybe this is why they are pretending to be so anti oil.
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I rode here last year but chose the left track and Im glad I did, it was far more interesting, but I'll give this look.
This is where it starts :cool:
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Its a private road, but with access via the bridle way, you can bet they've spent many a night with the
local council at the local expensive restaurant trying to get the bridleway discontinued.
The landscaping here is magical, the road just winds through beautiful gardens still being created.
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Looks like the entire farm has been converted into expensive apartments, immaculate.
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Finally reach the proper bit, steep ascent, right down into high, bottom gear and still pushing hard.
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Arrived at a ploughed field hilltop full of seagulls and cows, one of whom is either tired or dead.
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It seems the path goes through the back garden of this farm, I actually rode past the window as they were sat having lunch.
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I didn't see any cats
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Not even silly ones.
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After a brake pad scorching descent for over a mile I was back in the village, I love the fact old men are buying bikes enough to skew the styling to these
over the top retro beasts.
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Took the hub-drive on an undulating 24-mile coast ride this morning to simulate certain aspects of the Vado SL coming in the next few days — nearly all with motor off. More about the test here.

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The ride took the Coast Highway and side streets from home in south Carlsbad to Del Mar and back. This bluff-top park in Del Mar was the turnaround.

View attachment 181229View attachment 181230
Part way down this failing sea cliff is a locally infamous but supremely scenic stretch of passenger and freight rail doing a slow slide into the Pacific. The constant repairs warrant its own work yard.

Knowing the importance of in-ride nutrition from watching the 2024 Tour de France, I grabbed a kombucha and chipotle aoli dog at the Moonlight Beach concession stand on the way home.
My sister lives near San Diego, we’ll have to bring the bike next time we go!
 
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