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

[Stefan Mikes]

News: The reportedly 1/8" Chinese made hex wrench turned out to be as good as the rest of the Chinese scrap metal. 1/8" = 3.175 mm. The key measures 3.08 mm on one side and 3.52 mm on the other (I didn't measure the third side). So the key does not fit the 1/8" American bolt socket of the Imperial Mirrycle.

Riding to Jacek tomorrow. Bro has recollected where he had put the original key (together with his own American Mirrycle of course) I may want to visit the totally rebuilt Warsaw West railway station, too.

 

[Twin Valley]

Nope not today, fresh snow.

View attachment 203230

And the fresh snow is usually ok to ride through it's the icy patches that you don't see under the snow and then there seems like no braking the fall, just a dazed what just happened . . . speaking from experience one too many times

 

[RabH]

A beautiful day for a bike ride which made a nice change so I made the most of it and had an absolute blast on amazing roads! The wind wasn't howling also which was also very welcome, it was a direct sourtherly around 20mph so I made my way south down into the Clyde Valley at Crossford! I continued along the valley to Kirkfieldbank where I joined the back road to Brocketsbrae (a proper Scottish name ) and started up the big climb, part way up I stopped for a couple of photos!

The view across the valley with Lanark in the background!

Soon after came the next steep part!

The view from a little further up the climb!

After passing through Brocketsbrae I joined the cycle path south towards Uddington where it was time to turn north and enjoy a nice tailwind at last, with a big climb up to Rigside ahead the tailwind was most welcome!

I had some nice views across the valley at Rigside!

More climbing to come and then some awesome descents!

The amazing A70 road to Lanark, its just incredible and when you have a tailwind its even more fun!

This view was looking east with Tinto Hill looking stunning today!

The views to the west weren't too shabby either!

Still on the A70, another awesome descent before yet another climb!

The River Clyde!

Then I had this cracking descent down to Hyndford Bridge, a cyclist was making his way up the climb on the cycle path!

I crossed the bridge and started up the climb towards Lanark but I turned off near the top and took the road to Carstairs to avoid the busy town on Friday afternoon! I stopped for some photos of Tinto Hill and the Pentland Hills on my way!

Another amazing road!

From Carstairs I continued north on the back road to Yieldshields, passing the Alpacas again!

At Yieldshields I joined the back road to Carluke and on to Allanton, then up the climb to Hareshaw where I caught the sun just as it was going down!

Then it was over the back roads to home just before darkness fell, only 46 miles now to hit my 7000 target! I passed 43000 miles today on my amazing bike, if I can do 7000 again next year I will make it to 50000! How awesome would that be? I'm not counting my chickens though...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Elks in Valley of Josaphat, Rabe Mountain, Fixing the Second Mirrycle, Vistula Gravel, The New Warsaw-West Train Station

I rode to my brother Jacek in the late Saturday morning. This time, I chose one of the shortest routes, that is, the one leading through Kampinos National Park (KPN).

Elks!
As I was merrily riding through some inhabited area (but among some woods), something drew my attention on the left. It was a majestic elk slowly chewing on some vegetation in a tiny meadow! It looked like some statue but it actually ate grass! I could not recognize the beast at the first sight as the animal must have shed his antlers. However, the sheer size of the beast and the shape of its snout were very familiar to me! Better! Two more elk cows peacefully munched the grass nearby! I regret I didn't take a picture as the animals were so close to me! Yet, I preferred leaving the location soon!

I only stopped at the Valley of Josaphat nearby Funny how some people name the locations. Was the person to name the street indeed expecting the Judgment Day just there?

While the KPN is hardly rideable during the warm/dry season because of abundance of sand, it is very pleasant to ride during the cold/wet part of the year. I should have taken a forest fireroad familiar to me. Instead, I blindly followed Komoot to be led into a singletrack first, onto Rabe Mountain (92 m a.s.l.) next Don't laugh! It is very difficult to climb a sandy steep hill and then descend it! (I admit I walked my Fearless down the hill: even if the picture doesn't look so, the descent was dangerous! Packed sand, tree roots...)

Jacek fixing my second Mirrycle
Turned out, my second Mirrycle was metric, too (Jacek keeps his Imperial version) only one of the bolts was damaged. It was a quick and nice fix! Jacek showed off his Xmas present as well: he bought a SRAM GX electronic derailleur (the Upgrade version can be installed with a legacy derailleur hanger) as well as the electronic shifter. He bought the gear on Black Friday at a German online store at a steal price! (He would only install the thing on his Marin DSX 3 pedal bike in the Spring). You wouldn't believe how heavy this derailleur is!

A Gravel Ride Along The Vistula
I took the opportunity to ride to and in Warsaw via gravel trails.

Before entering Młociny Woods...

...and after emerging onto Vistula Boulevards

The City
I hoped to climb Vistula Escarpment by some alternate street. However, part of the city was blocked by St. Barbara Car Rally, so I had to climb the notorious Tamka Bear in mind, I have just recovered from my illness and was forced to climb a steep hill on a low power e-bike! All good though.

I ate in Świętokrzyska (Holy Cross St.) in the very city of Warsaw. See the bike path, the pavement/sidewalk and the rest area with benches. I was the 582th rider on the day (although I admit most of riders were the food couriers or e-scooter users).

The New Warsaw-West Railway Station
The total reconstruction of the Warsaw-West took a very long time and cost a huge amount of money. The station has been completed and as it is now, it is the nicest and the most practical of the Warsaw's railway stations.

Before the reconstruction, the station was just terrible and dilapidated. I regret I had no time to explore the overground part of the station, only focusing on the new hall and the tunnel we waited for such a long time. Interestingly, an underground tram station was built too, so people will have the opportunity to switch to trams in some two year time-frame!

Then I had to ride home for some 20 km in the darkness and at the temperature down to 4 C at some places. My clothing was perfect for the ride though!

It was my longest ride after a month of illness!

After I reached home, I had to install the rear rack on my Vado SL and ride to a parcel locker for Xmas gifts for Magda and also for my new Cycplus electric bike pump. I need to learn how to assemble the pump yet!

 

[stompandgo]

What a gorgeous railway station.

The only thing to assemble with the Cycplus pump is putting the silicone cover on, and screwing the hose on if you want to. It just needs a charge before use. That's assuming that you have the same one as I do.

 

[Dima]

I need more snow !!))

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Is your R&M the High Speed (HS) version, @Dima? Well, well, well... Snow?

"Motivation" Ride with Tommy

Tommy had requested a relatively short but interesting ride, so I invented something for him in my neighbourhood

The first 15 km were totally uneventful, almost all on bike paths. As we got in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, I showed Tommy the local attraction, Walczewski Ponds (15 km). Some people were actually winter swimming there!

As we leaved GM, we mostly rode off-road (I let Komoot suggest a weird "gravel cycling" route from A to B). Despite Mazovia being notorious of her deep sand, the cold season made the sand rideable. There was an area of singletracks where we were constantly meeting dog-lovers walking their pets! Even if we rode in my neigbourhood, I realised we rode an area unfamiliar to me! Specifically, we rode many horse trails very much damaged by the hooves! As we left the last forest, I made a mistake: instead of following the route familiar to me, I dragged Tommy into more horse trails, until...

...we crossed a little river and got stuck in the meadow ending with a swamp! We had to re-trace our steps and go back to the civilization.

A pasture belonging to a nearby equestrian club. Of course, the horse riders could cross the ford but we were unable to do it.

I promised Tommy taking him to "Caffe Italiano" in Pruszków for a lunch. Turned out, the restaurant was closed for 4 days! (I think the proprietor could be ill). We ended up in McDonald's!

Certainly, the off-road part was not boring at all. How come I can still discover new routes in my own neighbourhood?

 

[Dima]

Is your R&M the High Speed (HS) version, @Dima? Well, well, well... Snow?

"Motivation" Ride with Tommy

Tommy had requested a relatively short but interesting ride, so I invented something for him in my neighbourhood

View attachment 203292
The first 15 km were totally uneventful, almost all on bike paths. As we got in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, I showed Tommy the local attraction, Walczewski Ponds (15 km). Some people were actually winter swimming there!

As we leaved GM, we mostly rode off-road (I let Komoot suggest a weird "gravel cycling" route from A to B). Despite Mazovia being notorious of her deep sand, the cold season made the sand rideable. There was an area of singletracks where we were constantly meeting dog-lovers walking their pets! Even if we rode in my neigbourhood, I realised we rode an area unfamiliar to me! Specifically, we rode many horse trails very much damaged by the hooves! As we left the last forest, I made a mistake: instead of following the route familiar to me, I dragged Tommy into more horse trails, until...

View attachment 203293
...we crossed a little river and got stuck in the meadow ending with a swamp! We had to re-trace our steps and go back to the civilization.

View attachment 203294
A pasture belonging to a nearby equestrian club. Of course, the horse riders could cross the water but we were unable to do it.

I promised Tommy taking him to "Caffe Italiano" in Pruszków for a lunch. Turned out, the restaurant was closed for 4 days! (I think the proprietor could be ill). We ended up in McDonald's!

View attachment 203295
Certainly, the off-road part was not boring at all. How come I can still discover new routes in my own neighbourhood?

My version is Speed Box + 25 km) so m, my maximum is 74 km/ h

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My version is Speed Box + 25 km) so m, my maximum is 74 km/ h

I asked because you put a kind of "number plate" on your e-bike and I thought you wanted to cover the number plate support (which is present on HS e-bikes)

 

[Dima]

I asked because you put a kind of "number plate" on your e-bike and I thought you wanted to cover the number plate support (which is present on HS e-bikes)

no no ) number plate is just to add some beauty to the bike itself, for fun and for international tracks ( BLR - Belarus, but also nothing official in it , just for fun !) for some smiles of strangers)

 

[dodgeman]

Nope, I don’t do snow. Yesterday at my house. Air temp peaked at about 4 degrees F today.

 

[Chargeride]

Your personal snow clearing equipment is bigger than our council gear.

 

[dodgeman]

Your personal snow clearing equipment is bigger than our council gear.

It’s also my lawn mower, firewood mover, gravel grader and diesel powered wheelbarrow. My driveway is about 600 feet long.

 

[BlackHand]

Unseasonably warm here. We've had a break between storm systems the last few days and no flooding in my immediate area, so I've still been able to bike in to work.

Friday evening down in Seattle. Unfortunately, I wasn't free to head to the waterfront so this was the best I could get. You can see the hint of the fog bank that is at sea level. Kind of unusual to have evening fog but be clear enough to have a sunset above it.

And Saturday evening on the way home from work. The Holiday boat parade was Sat night in Seattle, here was a small boat putting in at a public launch ahead of the parade.

And today, stopped down at the waterfront and watched the usual Sunday 12pm coal train roll through.

Got 13 miles I today around the neighborhood - 1150 ft of climbing and very breezy. At one point I was pedaling into the wind at 18.5mph on a busy-ish street where it's really better to go close to the speed of traffic. Looked down and I was putting out 350 watts while in Sport mode, which means the bike and me must have been at about 1000w combined but I couldn't get up to 20mph.

176 miles to go to my 5200 mile yearly goal. Not sure if I'll ride in tomorrow as it looks like 29mph headwinds+rain in the morning with gusts possibly up to 45mph. Still it seems almost criminal not to ride when it's so warm in December.

 

[Chargeride]

Its been a reflective week, every twenty years they go into the forest with massive machinery to cut out dead trees and forest 'manage', it never seems obvious to anyone why this required but it is what it is as they say.

Utter carnage as all the trails are ripped up by 10ft high tyres driven straight through beautiful areas that have become almost friends to the mind.

Ive seen it before and when I first rode in the woods all the trails were rutted with huge three inch deep tread marks that rattled the bike to bits.

So we visited Llandegla trail centre and the entire forest has been felled, the stunning dark forest trails and all the boardwalks have been ripped out

Yes they are rebuilding, but I will never see that area again as it was.

They are building estate after estate up our coast, it looked like even the RAF base would be demolished for houses, it was saved hilariously saved by its asbestos runways.

Times change, needs are must and Im lamenting my privilege, but its a march of time thats sucks your soul.
Beautiful farms ,hundreds of years old flattened for boxes and boxes of humanity with zero interest in the area except the boast that they live there.

And to put the final nail in the coffin, there is a new chef at the Llandegala trail centre and he put mixed beans and kidney beans in the beans on toast!!

The girl on the counter warned us with a rolling eye look, he looks French...all is lost.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

And to put the final nail in the coffin, there is a new chef at the Llandegala trail centre and he put mixed beans and kidney beans in the beans on toast!!

Nothing will surprise me with the nation who puts the fried potatoes (aka chips/French fries) or crisps/chips into a toast sandwich
P.S. Still fond of the British cuisine perhaps with the exception of lamb or jelly eels
P.S.2. Still cannot understand the nation that thinks cheddar is the only cheese worth attention Ever heard of Tilsit?

 

[Chargeride]

Still cannot understand the nation that thinks cheddar is the only cheese worth attention

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hahaha! He said, however, "Cheddar is the most popular type of cheese in the world". Is it?

 

[Chazmo]

Times change, needs are must and Im lamenting my privilege, but its a march of time thats sucks your soul.

Nicely said, Charge. It’s too bad that when things decay and fall apart later on, things don’t return to their natural state.

As for periodic clearing of woods… As a guy who lives right next to a mile of forest, I can only say that it is a good substitute for nature’s way that clearings and fire barriers are put in place from time to time. I’m not sure how I’d feel if I lived in the middle of the Brazilian rain forest, but since Massachusetts has been populated for hundreds of years, I’m grateful for the intervention. But, I get it, man.

 

[Chargeride]

This was one of the generated images 'I' created for my space telescope video, whatever you say about AI, it knows how exactly what you want.
This is the prompt..
'man riding electric mountain bike towards a gigantic alien radio telescope along a treelined wavy path with puddles english countryside dramatic sky low sun long shadows sky , follow drone shot, golden hour, warm color grading'