Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[RabH]

I was back to full strength today and it was just as well with the route I chose, lots of big climbs and lots of big descents! I was racing a bit to beat the rain but today my luck was out as I got drowned 5 miles from home, I thought my luck was in at first as I was riding through trees when it started coming down! I quickly sheltered under a tree and waited a few minutes hoping it would clear, 5 minutes later and it was gone! Only a mile down the road and it returned with a vengeance, this time there was no shelter so with only 4 miles to go I plodded on with rivers flowing down the side of the road!

Then came the hail, that hurt big time!!! I reached my home town and it was dry, unlike me! My shoes were filled with water, I could hear the squelch with every pedal stroke! Did it bother me? not one bit! Skin is waterfproof and so it seems is my bike, it didn't skip a beat! I had a real blast despite the downpour, with roads like this its hard not to have a great day!

Who are you looking at?

Their friend (or sister) was only interested in the grass!

It was so good to get out for a longer ride again, it was much needed! Metric century completed, possible imperial century to follow next weekend if the stars align!

Happy Independence Day!

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Sign of the times:

 

[reed scott]

Sign of the times:

View attachment 92231

Time for the forest arsonists to go to work.

 

[Art Deco]

Sign of the times:

View attachment 92231

No campfires I have seen. No chainsaws is a new one. Sparks I guess. SAD.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

No campfires I have seen. No chainsaws is a new one. Sparks I guess. SAD.

It is dry enough that sparks from lawnmowers and weed whackers (with the steel wire) are an issue.

The county has sent multiple alerts over the last several days about how fireworks are banned here. Given that most wildfire starts are on the 4th here that makes sense:

 

[Art Deco]

View attachment 92218

I was back to full strength today and it was just as well with the route I chose, lots of big climbs and lots of big descents! I was racing a bit to beat the rain but today my luck was out as I got drowned 5 miles from home, I thought my luck was in at first as I was riding through trees when it started coming down! I quickly sheltered under a tree and waited a few minutes hoping it would clear, 5 minutes later and it was gone! Only a mile down the road and it returned with a vengeance, this time there was no shelter so with only 4 miles to go I plodded on with rivers flowing down the side of the road!

Then came the hail, that hurt big time!!! I reached my home town and it was dry, unlike me! My shoes were filled with water, I could hear the squelch with every pedal stroke! Did it bother me? not one bit! Skin is waterfproof and so it seems is my bike, it didn't skip a beat! I had a real blast despite the downpour, with roads like this its hard not to have a great day!

View attachment 92219
View attachment 92220

Who are you looking at?


View attachment 92221

Their friend (or sister) was only interested in the grass!

View attachment 92222

It was so good to get out for a longer ride again, it was much needed! Metric century completed, possible imperial century to follow next weekend if the stars align!

Happy Independence Day!

Riding in hail on a bike? Scotsmen are different...

 

[Art Deco]

It is dry enough that sparks from lawnmowers and weed whackers (with the steel wire) are an issue.

The county has sent multiple alerts over the last several days about how fireworks are banned here. Given that most wildfire starts are on the 4th here that makes sense:

View attachment 92232

That's another LIKE that means SAD. Who would set off fireworks when a spark from a lawnmower is enough to start a wildfire? Seriously.

 

[reed scott]

That's another LIKE that means SAD. Who would set off fireworks when a spark from a lawnmower is enough to start a wildfire? Seriously.

Who would do lots of the despicable things we see more and more of now? There are always the irresponsible scum of society but there could be a tipping point and I think we are very near it.

 

[RabH]

Riding in hail on a bike? Scotsmen are different...

Not much choice when theres nowhere to shelter and I wasn't wearing my kilt today!

 

[Art Deco]

Not much choice when theres nowhere to shelter and I wasn't wearing my kilt today!

Me neither.

 

[Nashcruiser]

Rode yesterday with unseasonably cool weather for Nashville, Tn standards. Low 80’s and humidity about 35%. Was shooting for 40 miles but came up a little short. Not complaining though as it was a great day for riding. Finished with 50% battery left.

 

[Art Deco]

Who would do lots of the despicable things we see more and more of now? There are always the irresponsible scum of society but there could be a tipping point and I think we are very near it.

Another LIKE that means

 

[steve mercier]

It is dry enough that sparks from lawnmowers and weed whackers (with the steel wire) are an issue.

The county has sent multiple alerts over the last several days about how fireworks are banned here. Given that most wildfire starts are on the 4th here that makes sense:

View attachment 92232

Yes and I read that when it gets that hot trains can start fires ( with sparks from their wheels I assume) too.

 

[Art Deco]

Rode yesterday with unseasonably cool weather for Nashville, Tn standards. Low 80’s and humidity about 35%. Was shooting for 40 miles but came up a little short. Not complaining though as it was a great day for riding. Finished with 50% battery left.
View attachment 92256

Love the sky shot. Nice ride.

 

[Taylor57]

Rode yesterday with unseasonably cool weather for Nashville, Tn standards. Low 80’s and humidity about 35%. Was shooting for 40 miles but came up a little short. Not complaining though as it was a great day for riding. Finished with 50% battery left.
View attachment 92256

That looks like nice ridin country Cruiser! We are taking a cruise from Memphis to Nashville in about a month. Cant wait to check out Music City!!

 

[Art Deco]

That looks like nice ridin country Cruiser! We are taking a cruise from Memphis to Nashville in about a month. Cant wait to check out Music City!!

Your first cruise A.V. ? After Vaccinated?

 

[Taylor57]

Your first cruise A.V. ? After Vaccinated?

Yes! First time back in the water. We decided to stay local and try out a river cruise. American Cruise Lines gets great reviews and the boat we are on is practically brand new. Neither of us have ever been to Memphis or Nashville. I kinda like country music too!

 

[PatriciaK]

It is dry enough that sparks from lawnmowers and weed whackers (with the steel wire) are an issue.

The county has sent multiple alerts over the last several days about how fireworks are banned here. Given that most wildfire starts are on the 4th here that makes sense:

View attachment 92232

We've had quite a few bangs and blasts, and a fire in an empty lot a block away, yesterday afternoon. Freedom on North Whidbey Island, I guess...

Where were those bike cops yesterday ???

 

[Art Deco]

I have been both, but I haven't been to Memphis since I was child. Nashville a few times,

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Can A Road Bike Be Ridden Off-Road? (Sunday July 4th Group Ride)

"I strongly recommend that you take your full-power Vado for the ride" -- brother Jacek messaged me early on Sunday morning. Jacek, who is forced to work on all Sundays this month (but is a member of our small cycling club) was so right. I would have probably become a disgrace of the "gravel biking" group ride, and would have suffered if I chose Vado SL on that day.

Dramatis personae:

• Przemek "The Gravel Biker", riding a Merida Silex 400 gravel bike, and expertly using a Wahoo GPS bike computer. Przemek is a natural group leader with great sense of responsibility and camaraderie. His only little foible is the fact he loves off-road cycling above anything else and is apt to drag his group into a real jam
• Ania "The Roadie", riding a Decathlon Triban road bike on 25 mm tyres. Although she thinks she's a shy person, she's really ambitious and never declines a challenge.
• Justyna "That Woman", riding a Haibike Land 8.40, a Cross Country bike, the best suited for the terrain we rode on Sunday's trip. She is a strong and fast rider, dreaming of a gravel bike.
• Michał & Leszek: Przemek's riding buddies. Good match for our ride leader!
• Yours truly, riding Speed-Vado 5.0 on 47 mm Smart Sams. I was the author of the ride route, and Przemek executed the plan perfectly using his Wahoo.

"You better revoke your opinion road bikes could not be ridden off-road!" - snapped Ania in her Facebook comment So I made a route involving some easy off-road segments (unpleasant for a road bike though). The two bikes seen in this picture are so different! The one standing upright (Ania's) is a classic road bike that normally requires perfect paved surface. The other one (Przemek's) is a gravel bike, of very different geometry, gear, and especially with off-road suitable tyres. I was the only person to bring my bike with a car (I wanted to make the ride on a single battery). That made all other participants ride at least a metric century on that day.

At Zamczysko (The Burgh, or the remnants of a 13th c. burgh) inside the Kampinos National Park (KPN), on the first off-road segment. (Przemek tells me the Burgh should be sight-seen in the winter, when lack of foliage makes the sight really impressive). Left to right: Ania, Leszek, Michał, Przemek, and Justyna. I need to mention Ania made the off-road segment on her "Princess" pretty aptly, which proves it is all not about the bike type but about the person who's riding it!

At a road-side store. We cyclists in Poland actually suffer our Government policy of banning trade on Sundays. Only some small family run stores can operate (and petrol stations, too) on Sundays. There are places like this countryside store in Stara Dąbrowa where cash-payments are allowed only, and who carries cash on them nowadays? Anyway, such rare open store on a popular cycling route is a place where you can unexpectedly meet friends or neighbours. For one, Justyna met her neighbours, and Ania met members of her cycling club there! Bottom: On the ride. Notice I'm panting here as I had to sprint to the pack front to be able to take that photo! (Przemek, Ania, Justyna and the two other guys following me here).

On-road. I went Turbo and made a good sprint to get enough of lead to photograph the peloton but nobody appeared! It turned out my buddies took a rest behind the bend while I was waiting for them...

At the Biker Pub at the southern edge of KPN (by the way, only 14 km from the place I live). It was a new place for all five companions of mine. I had a proper lunch there (sour soup with white sausage, Ruthenian pierogi, and an apple tart followed by tea). Przemek and Ania tried some Czech alcohol-free beer.

And then it poured! After some waiting, we decided the raining wouldn't stop and we had to ride home. I had 13.5 km of a lone ride in downpour to reach my car. Turbo on, and my Vado brought me to the safety. Oh man! Don't tell me riding a 45 km/h Vado in Turbo mode has anything to do with cycling! It is like riding a lightweight motorcycle. Delicate pedalling, and I was constantly cruising at 35 km/h to cover the distance in 25 minutes at average speed of 31.1 km/h (19.3 mph). How right my brother was that morning! And the battery dropped from 43 down to 13%...

It was a good ride albeit a little too short for me!
I mentioned a "Memorial Site" in the map. It is about the place where Nazi mass murdered many Polish civilians during WW2. No picture taken there.