2025 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[stompandgo]

You two are dressed like it's fall. What was the temperature?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

You two are dressed like it's fall. What was the temperature?

16 deg C. It is raining recently (good after all that drought!) The perceived temperature was only 11 C!

 

[RabH]

Haven’t posted any pix of my daily 20-mile ride recently, but here are a couple. Today was a beautiful day for Fättie to preen by the pond — my 10-mile-out turn-around point. The second pic is of some lily pads on the pond that are sprouting lovely flowers. I don’t know lily pads normally do that, but it’s pretty cool to behold.

A quick shout-out to @RabH who turned me on to the Selle SMP TRK saddle a while back. This thing is transformative. I’m having no issues anymore staying comfortable in the saddle. Thanks so much, Rab!!!

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I'm glad the saddle did the trick for you, I love it also!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Our Holiday in England
I and @Brix have decided to spend our holiday in Kent, England, 21-26 Aug 2025. Notable locations will be Canterbury, Margate, and Ramsgate (with the train travel from/to London). On August 23rd, we will enjoy the concert of Sex Pistols* with Frank Carter, Buzzcocks* and The Stranglers* in Margate.

English Forum members: Please tell me: why Kent is gorgeous and what to see there?
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*) That is like winning a jackpot for me, a 1970s PUNK rocker

P.S. I got my ETA (a British electronic visa) after 1 minute after I applied via UK ETA app.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

Our Holiday in England
I and @Brix have decided to spend our holiday in Kent, England, 21-26 Aug 2025. Notable locations will be Canterbury, Margate, and Ramsgate (with the train travel from/to London). On August 23rd, we will enjoy the concert of Sex Pistols* with Frank Carter, Buzzcocks* and The Stranglers* in Margate.

English Forum members: Please tell me: why Kent is gorgeous and what to see there?
------------------
*) That is like winning a jackpot for me, a 1970s PUNK rocker

If you happen to bump into ol' Ten Pence Trump/Nigel Farage on some cliff top ranting about small boats, give him a good arse kicking from me.

 

[Chargeride]

My entire knowledge of Kent is the weird shaped beer hop buildings, its quite rural and outside of posh it attracts a lot of alternative types

 

[Chargeride]

So im researching more rides towards Manchester by the ship canal and came across this, the Barton swinging aqueduct, the first and only in the world.
Only we would leave it to rust and graffiti.
Opened in 1894

 

[Chazmo]

Only we would leave it to rust and graffiti.

Most decidedly not just Brits… Sigh. Even though the air was a lot dirtier when I was a kid, the world was not.

Oh, and there are lots of swing bridges around, but this is the only one used in an aqueduct? That’s a pretty amazing factoid!

 

[JGcycle]

A few pics from this morning's 20km ride:

 

[Chazmo]

A few pics from this morning's 20km ride:

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Sweet, JG… Do you ride on the rail bed or on the road?

And, I know I’ve said it before, but I love the color of your bike!

 

[JGcycle]

Sweet, JG… Do you ride on the rail bed or on the road?

And, I know I’ve said it before, but I love the color of your bike!

Thanks for appreciating the colour--I'm quite happy with my colour choice. I ride mostly on the road, and occasionally on gravel roads and hard-pack.

 

[Chargeride]

Was dragged into a very partying weekend, still couldnt face a ride today.
New bike collecting dust, maybe tomorrow

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Was dragged into a very partying weekend, still couldnt face a ride today.
New bike collecting dust, maybe tomorrow

You Brits should have learnt drinking

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Paul Gray (67), the bassist for the English band The Damned (formerly the bassist for Eddie & The Hot Rods as well) is an e-biker! See and read what he's got to say!

I thought The Damned would play in Margate on 23rd August but not. It is Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks and The Stranglers!

He is such a lovely person!

Paul Gray onstage, 2025

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Lots of hills today! Washington County again, just west of the Vermont border. High 80s and very humid, but as long as you keep moving it never really seems to be a big problem until it gets closer to 100, for me at least.

So this is a “good” hill, going in that nice Down direction:

So’s this one, going down to the old Rexleigh covered bridge. Not of a lot of these left in New York. This spot is sort of the focus of this particular ride, and happily located almost exactly at the halfway point, so once you start this ride you ain’t bailing out just because it gets a little hot.

So obviously, heading on from here is going to be the other end of the Hill spectrum! I was a little surprised by how enthusiastic the hills were today... had to go to first gear on my Stance for the first time since I bought it (and just over 1000 miles) on a section that peaked at 17% and ran consistently at 15% for a respectable distance. I do love climbing these things on this bike, always looking for another one!

Can’t ever get enough of riding this area. Hardly saw a car at all till the last four or five miles down a state road, and even that was very lightly traveled, with a good shoulder and the Battenkill Creek right next to you.

Also, for the third year I am keeping up with my self imposed rule that says I can’t watch the day’s Tour de France coverage until I have a 20 mile or more ride behind me. Recaps okay, but the actual show with Bob Roll trying to keep Phil on task for the whole time. Gotta love Bob!

 

[JGcycle]

A few pics from this morning's 24km ride:

 

[Chargeride]

A few pics from this morning's 24km ride:

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Hang on, who gave you daffodils?

 

[Chargeride]

Woke up this morning in new bike test mode, hammering down all day.

 

[JGcycle]

Hang on, who gave you daffodils?

They're daylilies.

 

[Chargeride]

Well Ive never heard of them, you learn a new thing everyday