Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[ChezCheese:)]

Friends!
I admit I'm afraid a little bit, as I seem to have unleashed some hell I announced a group ride for the coming Sunday on a Facebook cycling group. To take some cover, I entangled Ania The Roadie as the co-organizer We got a good response; I'm worried, however, as the majority of potential participants are roadies.

The three people to play their roles on the ride would be: Ania to select and direct ride leaders (she wants to ride in the head of the peloton but not as the leader), I (on my Vado) as the rear guard to assist the weakest riders; and Jacek as the group mechanic. I'm taking most of tools necessary to help fix a bike en route; Ania takes CO2 cartridges. We told the participants to bring spare inner tubes.

View attachment 90095
123 km (76 mi). We shall experience wonderful cycling weather if not very strong headwind on the way out...

Keep your fingers crossed!

Who has the lemonade stand at the halfway point? I want to invest in that!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Who has the lemonade stand at the halfway point? I want to invest in that!

Certain Marta has done it

"At Marta's" in Secymin Polski is famous as a cyclist-friendly store, opened on Sundays, with special cookie delivery for Thursday through Sunday. Marta's Mascarpone Cheese & Fruit cakes are legendary Although there are several other stores nearby, roadies always stop at Marta's.

Most of Warsaw roadies start their Big Kampinos Loop (100 miles to 200 km doable) somewhere in the bottom-right corner of the map. They tend to avoid the principal roads and ride vacant local asphalt roads (indicated here in white). The Marta's is located on Hwy 575 where any roadie has no option but take that road segment And her store is located halfway on the loop.

Another popular cyclist-focused site is Klimatyczna Cafe in Leszno. The owner family is involved in the road-cycling world, and cyclists are preferred guests there, getting discounts, being able to bring their bike in during the rain etc. Pictured: The preferred guests of Klimatyczna Cafe: A Canyon, a Scott, and a Specialized roadies. The owner asked the guys to let her take their photograph (perhaps these guys are famous?)

Now, let me tell you a funny story about the Klimatyczna! That time, Jacek and Justyna decided to pay my cake and coffee. They were chatting with the owner and I could hear: "...he brought new customers to you". I approached and said: "I've been here for several times..." to which the owner said something I could not hear because of her face-mask and ambient noise. Jacek and Justyna laughed aloud. What the owner actually said was:
-- "Yes sir. You visited us four times before. I can name any of your orders. For instance, you had Pani Walewska cheesecake when you came here for the first time..."

The cakes at Klimatyczna are heavy but truly organic. The coffee is delicious! (I haven't tried ice-cream yet).

Did you know Haibike used to make acoustic bikes before e-bikes came?

 

[Prairie Dog]

It was a hot and muggy day today but thankfully riding the trails in virtual shade kept things on the cooler side. Rode the usual trails on this day including Heritage Ranch and the Pines. Also a great day to be out on the water.

I’ve jumped a few logs in my time but this one takes the proverbial cake. I can only assume that this large spruce came down during the wee hours of the morning when a severe storm came through the area. No choice but to crawl over it and carry on.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No choice but to crawl over it and carry on.

A Specialized SL e-bike would have come handy

 

[RabH]

Back on my local back roads today, the winds have finally abated which is a big relief! It was overcast today but perfect for cycling and I got a real treat when I stopped at a local loch and I was presented with this wonderful sight!

2 swans and 8 cygnets! They had 6 young ones last year and 8 the year before!

Nature is so wonderful at this time of year as is cycling, what a beautiful day to be alive! The rain is coming tomorrow but Thursday and Friday are looking promising!

@PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee I'm glad the photo of the cows cheered you up, I was laughing for ages after taking it! I don't think it was my ride they were checking out, they were in search of food for sure!

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

I seem to be finding all sorts of critters these days

They're putting some new A/C units up on the roof.
Tomorrow, I'm going to explore the eastern side of Baltimore County, maybe head up to the eastern shore, who knows

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

Wow, thought these went out with the Dinosaurs! I'll keep an eye out for a good movie and come back on the ebike hahaha, bring one of my camping chairs

I'm off later today, going to Gunpowder Falls Park, it's just 3 miles further than Dundee. The bummer is that they charge $5 per vehicle, even ebikes! grrrrr. I did notice that the drivers this direction are a little more aggressive, so I have to be more proactive in riding. If the videos are worth watching I will upload them on youtube. Stay tuned my fellow fanatics

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Bird's-eye view, an accidental self-portrait…

The Kookie Monster​

On returning from today's ride up the rail trail, I made myself a cup of coffee, grabbed a few homemade Anzac biscuits (cookies to some) and went to relax on the deck.

Swoop! Down came the Kookie Monster. Where's mine?

Suitably chastised, I returned to the kitchen to fetch KM's little baking dish in which his (her?) favourite shredded cheese (low fat, of course) had been sprinkled.

Peace in our time? I flicked on the camera to check ride photos – more of the same!

Camera: Delete… delete… delete…!​

KM: How about a photo of me?​

Camera: Click… click… click…! (I didn't even bother to look through the viewfinder to frame the shot.)​

​

Hours later I pulled up Kookie Monster's image on the computer. Was that a glint in his (her?) eye? I zoomed in a bit; and then a bit more; and still some more! There, reflected in KM's eye was the little baking dish (foreground) sitting on the slatted bench with the deck's alleged safety railings and the blue sky to the right, the roof above, and me – looking straight back at myself – just left of centre!

So there is a photo resulting from today's ride after all…

 

[RabH]

After yesterdays rain it was nice to wake up to sunshine and light winds, another perfect day for cycling with a temp of 15C! I didn't really have a planned route today and just made it up as I went along, with the quiet roads it wasn't too difficult to choose! It worked out perfectly and it was such a lovely ride, not much to report other than I had a blast! It wasn't my most scenic ride but it was ok as you can see from my photos! I might be doing a 50 miler tomorrow if everything goes to plan! No ride on Sunday as I will be at the motor racing again, I was hoping to cycle to it this time but it looks like it will be a wet ride home after the racing...no thanks!

 

[steve mercier]

Hello again folks!
I just woke from what appears to be a 4 hour nap. Todays ride was a culmination of many previous rides all linked together along with some inspiration of the Heat-maps feature. Parts of this ride have not been viewed by me since circa 2009; about the last time all of my bikes started to collect dust, and I got fat! The first photos below are of a RC airport in Livermore. Was amazing to see these folks do acrobatics with fly by sight. I did/do FPV drones from my house, but these folks blew me away…. (Zoom in on the spec!)
View attachment 90230
View attachment 90231

I stupidly forgot to turn on my battery pack power meter (and apply SPF!) but came back from this ride with 69% batteries (72% after some rest). Though I BONKED on personal energy, I am inspired as to how far the EVG girl went today. She brought me home….
-BB
View attachment 90236View attachment 90235

This is the vid, its a nice place to visit but hasnt got that feel you are going anywhere that isnt well trodden by modern agriculture or swarms of tourists.
Theres no cycling signs everywhere which are a sharp contrast to a large bike hire shop in the village and I expect that conflict to increase as more people tread further with their electric helper.
Sometimes I feel we are living in the glory days of ebiking before it becomes mass transit and mass rules.

Chargeride your videos are my favorite !

 

[Chargeride]

Went for a little blast through the very softsand dunes and the far less..if ever ,used deep trails.
Ended up in crawler gear.
Ended up climbing everything.
Ended up bending a rear cog.
Im claiming first ever, I dont think anyone in the world has such a picture.
Its actually sheared at both fold points.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

CR…
We all, I'm sure, eagerly await the video to see how it was done! The 'little blast', that is.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Life in the slow lane…

Pine Mountain Bush Reserve
Ipswich, Queensland​

About five minutes from home.

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

These 60 klicks a day are killing me


really nice long beach for swimming

Back River

C-130 at Martin Airport

Boat ramp for kayaks and canoes

Main Gate

Ahem, no comment hahaha

This monster showed up at the Inner Harbor!

New absolute record for speed!

Taking down day today, looking forward to a rainy, cool day for some riding tomorrow, stay tuned...

 

[Art Deco]

Went for a little blast through the very softsand dunes and the far less..if ever ,used deep trails.
Ended up in crawler gear.
Ended up climbing everything.
Ended up bending a rear cog.
Im claiming first ever, I dont think anyone in the world has such a picture.
Its actually sheared at both fold points.

View attachment 90626

Soon ... Chargeride's guide to the UK's best maintained trails.

 

[Chargeride]

Scotland and England are playing in the Euro socball as I type, so I'll keep it short.
The police gave up as thousands of Scottish supporters descended on London and sprayed all the England fans with beer.
Visited Llandegla mtb trails today, Pronounced clandegla with a throat clearing for the chllan bit.

It would seem everyone is still off work on government covid furlough..it was completely rammed and the defacto bike was the ebike, from 14 to 70yr olds.

Great ride around in super dry conditions ,overcast but nicely warm ..but not too warm.
Obviously the only fatbike there, so much high tech..so many 5 grand plus bikes.
They are also becoming the standard for the grey haired camper van brigade instead of the usual city car in hitched tow.
I can see why, theyll get you from the campsite to the local pub..no parking problems and you can have a few drinks.
Emptied the battery in 2 hours, kept the speed down on busy trails...tbh 15mph is fast enough.

Finished off with a sausage bap and an apple monster.
Burnt face...big smile, no punctures..made a vid.
Girl serving the food is insanely hot.
9/10..would recommend..

 

[steve mercier]

Another 95 km today in perfect cycle weather.

 

[steve mercier]

Capilano reservoir

 

[steve mercier]

Many seagulls at the mouth of the Capilano so methinks there must be fish entering.

 

[steve mercier]