Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
That's another thing! Noted!
2025 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos
- Thread starter Saratoga Dave
- Start date
stompandgo
Active Member
- Region
- USA
Out here on the sandbar, this behavior starts around Memorial Day and ends around Labor Day. No occasion needed. It's "I'm on vacation, I'm paying $500/night, and I can do whatever the f*ck I want.". Fortunately, the local gendarmes live here too, and have a limit with what they put up with. It got so bad on Independence Day two years ago, with massive underage drinking, public fornication right in front of children, and huge brawls, mostly over women, that the cops shut the beach down and kicked everybody out. The little pukes then hopped in their vehicles and tried going to another beach, but the cops were ready for them. Last year, the cops were all over social media warning that there would be immediate arrests, and it was a lot calmer.
I'm all for having a good time. Rent your AirBnB and have a party in the back yard. Play your music and have your bonfire. As long as you're not disturbing me, do whatever you want. It's the entitled ones that forget that they are a guest here that are the problem. All ages. From teenagers to middle aged golfers. During high season, we stick to the locals joints when we go out. The closer you get to the water, the worse it gets.
I've noticed something lately, though. If we're out somewhere and meet some young people and strike up a conversation, the difference between Gen X and Gen Z can be quite significant. When we tell them where we live, Gen X would say "You're so lucky to live so close to the beach", where Gen Z would ask "How did you do it"? So there's hope.
Well, I'm waaaay off topic, so carry on.
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Everything is ruined by everyone wanting to do it.
My whole life has been trying to ride just in front of the wave, not because I think Im some cutting edge or hip.
I just lose interest once its a thing and it becomes mainstream.
I know thats periously close to hating my alternative band when they popular, but its just something in me.
This is hardly exceptional and Im trapped in the realisation that not wanting to be mainstream is now quite possibly mainstream.
You might have guessed I ride that silly fatbike because everyone has a Velo.
That trip to Abergele, I make excuses based on the bike, but really I just have to climb that hill over there, not ride well groomed trails.
Im sure theres a name for people like me.
Dont say contrarion
My whole life has been trying to ride just in front of the wave, not because I think Im some cutting edge or hip.
I just lose interest once its a thing and it becomes mainstream.
I know thats periously close to hating my alternative band when they popular, but its just something in me.
This is hardly exceptional and Im trapped in the realisation that not wanting to be mainstream is now quite possibly mainstream.
You might have guessed I ride that silly fatbike because everyone has a Velo.
That trip to Abergele, I make excuses based on the bike, but really I just have to climb that hill over there, not ride well groomed trails.
Im sure theres a name for people like me.
Dont say contrarion
stompandgo
Active Member
- Region
- USA
Sounds very GenX. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Im a boomer 
stompandgo
Active Member
- Region
- USA
Nothing wrong with that, either.Im a boomer
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
A non-conformist.
What was that band?
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Theoretical, they could have been big.
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
I cant think of anything better than an ebike to mooch around such glorious scenery
stompandgo
Active Member
- Region
- USA
Today I took the rail trail to Lecount Hollow Beach in Wellfleet. This is the last beach that you can get to directly from the rail trail. It is where I plan to find a way to strap a small sand chair to the rack and ride here later this year. 52 miles, 147 AP, charge start 100%, charge finish, 30%. I rode all the way out and about halfway back in Mode 1 (Eco). The headwind really started to get to me in the last 12 miles, so I cranked it up to Mode 2 (Tour) for the final stretch home. My legs are "knackered" but my fitness is definitely improving.
The dunes are about 20 meters high here.
The dark patch in front are fish schooling. No sharks yet. They're off the New Jersey coast right now.
Imagine living here year round. You'd have about 100 years until the dunes took it away.
The dunes are about 20 meters high here.
The dark patch in front are fish schooling. No sharks yet. They're off the New Jersey coast right now.
Imagine living here year round. You'd have about 100 years until the dunes took it away.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
It probably looks more dangerous than it really was?
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
The real danger in mtb is that OTB at 5mph.
Chazmo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Central Massachusetts
JG, I took a double-take on this one. This looks exactly like the spot (and water scenery) at my usual turn-around spot at Maple Spring Pond in Holden, MA. You didn’t take a road-trip down here, did you?
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Did a 35 miler with an old friend on his 400wh Focus with the extender battery, he was worried about my freewheel, I said dont worry, its safely jammed solid.
Half way through the ride his started skipping and jumping the chain.
He took the freehub apart that night.
Half way through the ride his started skipping and jumping the chain.
He took the freehub apart that night.
Lovely bike and that's a great ride! Bring your togs & towel as well as the chair when you come back - that seawater would be great for tired muscles!
RabH
Well-Known Member
It had been almost 2 years since I visited the Isle of Arran on the west coast of Scotland, last year the ferries were a shambles so I decided not to chance it! At the start of this year the long awaited new ferry (Glen Sannox) finally took to the water, 7 years later than planned and I have to say I was very impressed with it!
This is it berthed at Troon Harbour where it set off at 6.30am this morning, getting up at 4am was a struggle!
The ferry sails from Troon harbour on the mainland to Brodick harbour on the island, on my way into the harbour the other ferry (MV Alfred) was departing! This one is a catamaran and is being chartered from Pentland Ferries while they await another new ferry which has also been badly delayed...not the best photo as it was taken from inside and the windows were a bit filthy...
I arrived at the port at 8am and stopped for this photo before setting off on a clockwise circuit of the island, it was pretty chilly but absolutely glorious!
Its pretty much ups and downs all the way round the 56 mile circuit and you can hug the coast road for almost the entire circuit! I was heading to the south of the island first, passing through Lamlash and Whiting Bay and as I turned west at the southern tip of the island Pladda Lighthouse came into view with Ailsa Craig jutting out of the water in the background!
The roads are pretty much like this all the way round, some very smooth and some pretty rough, the scenery is just breathtaking at every turn!
Another photo of Ailsa Craig!
My progress was halted round every turn with views like this!
Blackwaterfoot's tiny harbour!
The road turns inland for a couple of miles as you leave Blackwaterfoot but the views don't diminish!
I was soon back on the coast road again and the NE wind was keeping me nice and cool as the temps were now rising, I was keeping my fingers crossed hoping I would catch the seals today and my luck was in!
I continued north to Lochrana where I stopped for lunch, I was hoping I might catch the ferry from Claonaig arriving but it was way across the bay at this point and I had to be back at Brodick for the 1pm sailing or it would be almost 3 hours for the next ferry! Lochranza is the northern tip of the island and the road ramps up as you leave before plumetting down into Sannox!
The climb begins!
At the top of the climb I stopped for photos of the mountains before hurtling down the descent at 41.2mph into a 20mph headwind!
I then stopped near the bottom of the descent for this photo looking back up, I was glad I was going down this time!
The stunning views just kept coming!
Sten Nordick Oil Tanker!
Brodick Beach!
I arrived back in Brodick with 20 minutes to spare, time for more photos before boarding the ferry!
Glen Sannox awaiting my arrival!
Waiting to depart the ferry back at Troon!
After missing out last year this more than made up for it, Arran really is cycling heaven and I can't wait to go back again! I couldn't have asked for a better day, it was 4.5 hours of pure brilliance! Just for the record in case @dodgeman thinks I was slacking, I did 65 miles with 4500ft of climbing on Tuesday on a very hot and very hazy day!
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Chargeride
Well-Known Member
That is very pretty, the pictures look lovely but I can imagine how it feels standing there.
Im sure that ferry was in our local docks a few months ago
Im sure that ferry was in our local docks a few months ago
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