Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[RabH]

We have weather warnings in place for 3 days but I managed to get out this morning in the dry! With the threat of thunderstorms I will be resting my legs until Friday! It was actually a perfect morning for cycling with light winds and a temp of 16C, a little misty again but that helped keep me cool as it felt so much warmer! I didn't take any photos as I have covered this route so many times this year! No sign of the promised rain yet, maybe they have got it wrong again! Not much to report, other than I had a real blast on amazing quiet roads!

 

[Dallant]

You ride a Creo, right? That explains how you were able to get your bike on the fast ferry. My tires and fenders rule that ferry out for me last I checked.

Curious why your tires/fenders would rule a fast ferry out? Interested as we may be out there in a month or so.

 

[Dallant]

Got in a 23+ miler this morning with 1017‘ elevation gain averaging 13.8 and still had well over 50% of my 500wh battery left when I got home. Corn is finishing well…very tall and looking great for still being in a drought. Never ceases to amaze me about how close together they plant corn these days!

 

[BlackHand]

Curious why your tires/fenders would rule a fast ferry out? Interested as we may be out there in a month or so.

The Seattle-Bremerton fast ferry has fancy racks that arent very functional:
Bremerton Fast Ferry: The current design holds 12 bike (each space with inside openings of 2.25"). The current rack design makes it impossible to safely secure bikes with fenders, disc brakes, or balloon tires.
When they added the Kingston-Seattle run a few years ago, there was concern that they would use the same racks, but upon further research, it looks like that ferry does have better racks.

The WSDOT ferries use a decidedly lower tech solution:

The upside is that you get to disembark first. The downside is it kind of feels like the Running of the Bulls as you get about a 60 second head start on the Harleys.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I received a last-minute call to join the boys on an abbreviated trail ride yesterday afternoon so not much to report other than it felt like we spent much of our time negotiating fallen trees as a result of the previous night’s squall.

The pitfalls of riding in, underneath and around deadfall after a storm. This is the second tempered glass protector that’s fallen victim to the trail but considering the alternative of not having them is simply no longer optional for me.


My wife and I had planned on riding another leg this day along the Icefields Parkway from Saskatchewan River Crossing to the Crowfoot Glacier but the air quality index (smoke) had dashed any ideas of that. Hopefully by Thursday the skies will be clearer.

 

[kahn]

You ride a Creo, right? That explains how you were able to get your bike on the fast ferry. My tires and fenders rule that ferry out for me last I checked.
The trails are all linked together by the service/logging roads and those are in good shape with few ruts and very little washboarding. The singletracks I tried do have a fair number of roots but not much loose stuff so I guess it would depend on your skill/comfort level. Gravel tires would be better for sure.

I took Gunderson as well. I grew up in the country cycling on 2 lane roads with no shoulders, deep ditches, and cars going 45-55. Not great but I almost prefer it to roads like 104 where the shoulder is almost wide enough and cars dont feel like they need to slow down or give you space.

I do ride the Creo but my friend has a Rodriquez e-bike with wider tires and fenders. I had called and the rep made it sound like it was not as restrictive as posted on their site. They also mention NO cleats (and we brought spare shoes!) but that was not an issue - we both had SPD's. We did ride NON-rush hour and only 3 bikes in total. I don't know if they go stricter some of the time. Pictured onboard. I see her bike was not precisely in the narrower spacing.

 

[kahn]

Curious why your tires/fenders would rule a fast ferry out? Interested as we may be out there in a month or so.

Actually, I think at one time it mentioned e-bikes, too. Maybe the lithium batteries fire potential. Maritime rules can be stricter??? The "foot" ferries are smaller and have more limited bike space and rack sizing. You can see in the above picture her bike did not fit the narrow slots. Cleats, potentially because the older ones that protruded below the sole could be quite slippery on the metal decks and stairs.

There's no problem on the regular car ferries, although there is no specific bike parking - find a rail and tie it on! (g) There are short lengths of rope along the rails to tie.

I'll post a picture of the full size ferry.

 

[kahn]

I received a last-minute call to join the boys on an abbreviated trail ride yesterday afternoon so not much to report other than it felt like we spent much of our time negotiating fallen trees as a result of the previous night’s squall.

View attachment 94622

The pitfalls of riding in, underneath and around deadfall after a storm. This is the second tempered glass protector that’s fallen victim to the trail but considering the alternative of not having them is simply no longer optional for me.
View attachment 94623

My wife and I had planned on riding another leg this day along the Icefields Parkway from Saskatchewan River Crossing to the Crowfoot Glacier but the air quality index (smoke) had dashed any ideas of that. Hopefully by Thursday the skies will be clearer.

Fun video. Looks like the protection was well advised.

 

[Dallant]

Thanks for the ferry info folks!

 

[kahn]

Thanks for the ferry info folks!

I will make clear that the foot ferry in my picture was the one from downtown Seattle to Kingston (north and west) about 45 minutes on the ferry. There's also a foot ferry to Bremerton which apparently has a different setup. And who knows if they ever change boats since they are both run by Kitsap County!!!! The WA state, WSDOT, ferries are full size car ferries that have bikes and foot passengers.

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

So looks like my body has gotten used to the high heat and humidity, didn't even feel bad!

Young fawn didn't even pay any attention to me while I was riding by!

First Contact Landing Pad

The Hand of God

Nekkid Fly 9

Two new 700 lumens headlights, nice and bright!

Supper, 2 pounds of meat lovers lasagna! Gonzo, mmm mmm good.

Live long and prosper fellow earthlings...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Nekkid Fly 9

It looks a proper e-MTB now!

 

[PatriciaK]

The Seattle-Bremerton fast ferry has fancy racks that arent very functional:
Bremerton Fast Ferry: The current design holds 12 bike (each space with inside openings of 2.25"). The current rack design makes it impossible to safely secure bikes with fenders, disc brakes, or balloon tires.
When they added the Kingston-Seattle run a few years ago, there was concern that they would use the same racks, but upon further research, it looks like that ferry does have better racks.

The WSDOT ferries use a decidedly lower tech solution:
View attachment 94617

The upside is that you get to disembark first. The downside is it kind of feels like the Running of the Bulls as you get about a 60 second head start on the Harleys.

Hope there are no Harleys heading up to Lopez on Thursday!

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Interloper?

Australian White Ibis
Threskiornis moluccus​

Over the last fifty years our native ibis, just like its ever-so-distant human cousins, has moved into the cities. In urban areas pickings are more easily come by and the white ibis has earned itself the names 'tip turkey' and 'bin chicken'.

This fellow, stalking the mudflats next to the northern section of the Moreton Bay Cycleway was in the species's natural habitat. A glance at the Ride with GPS map might suggest that it is actually another species that is the interloper!

I believe that the American white ibis frequents a similar environment in Florida where St Petersburg and Tampa Bay are the equivalents of the Redcliffe Peninsula and Moreton Bay.

 

[kahn]

View attachment 94657
First Contact Landing Pad


View attachment 94660
Supper, 2 pounds of meat lovers lasagna! Gonzo, mmm mmm good.

Live long and prosper fellow earthlings...

You'd need that lasagna to survive first contact. And where did you get the TWO POUND monster? I need it.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I and Jacek are going together for a week's long e-bike mountain trip, starting from August 8th. That would be Polish and Czech Sudetes, and specifically:

• Kłodzko Valley
• Owl Mts
• Polish Table Mts including the One Hundred Bends Road
• Broumov Czech National Park
• Krkonoše/Karkonosze /Riesengebirge/Giant Mts.

As both of us hold EU Covid Passports, no trouble with travelling abroad.
I was thinking what I would be riding. And simply changed the gearing of my Vado to MTB grade

My Vado as an MReB (Mountain Road e-Bike). 38T front, 11-46T rear. Steep long climbs? I fear not!

I devoted this day to mechanical work and test rides. We experience very warm and quite humid weather now.

 

[Dallant]

I and Jacek are going together for a week's long e-bike mountain trip, starting from August 8th. That would be Polish and Czech Sudetes, and specifically:

• Kłodzko Valley
• Owl Mts
• Polish Table Mts including the One Hundred Bends Road
• Broumov Czech National Park
• Krkonoše/Karkonosze /Riesengebirge/Giant Mts.

As both of us hold EU Covid Passports, no trouble with travelling abroad.
I was thinking what I would be riding. And simply changed the gearing of my Vado to MTB grade
View attachment 94689
My Vado as an MReB (Mountain Road e-Bike). 38T front, 11-46T rear. Steep long climbs? I fear not!

I devoted this day to mechanical work and test rides. We experience very warm and quite humid weather now.

What kind of terrain are you riding?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What kind of terrain are you riding?

Depending on the day: either roads or reasonable off-road. Great Owl is steep on downhill but the decline is straight and brakes can be used

 

[Dallant]

Depending on the day: either roads or reasonable off-road. Great Owl is steep on downhill but the decline is straight and brakes can be used

Just curious how rough a terrain you were going to subject your non-EMTB to.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Just curious how rough a terrain you were going to subject your non-EMTB to.

The most dangerous part would be a pretty wide, steep and rocky fire-road. I rode it on my FS e-MTB last year. There are no sudden turns or whatever. You just fly downhill. The vibration there were so strong my Ortlieb pannier detached (it was a part of the unsprung mass), flew in the air, and damaged my expensive camera kept inside (the camera was wrapped in clothes; it didn't help). Now, if I deflate wheels in Vado, drop the seat, and use the brakes with modulating them, I'll probably survive the ride