Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[kahn]

Haibike Trekking S 9.0 with a spare 500wh powertube.

The gravel and gradual climb kept my speed down lower than usual so I got better mileage than I'm used to. I think the second battery was still reading somthing like 70 mile range when I got down to Rattlesnake Lake again. I burned some up riding in Tour mode the last 11 miles or so.

Most of the climb up the incline is just a steady 1- 2% with occasional level spots. The tunnel is dead level and the trail along the lake has maybe 50ft of elevation change over 8 miles.

It was weird going up because it didn't feel like climbing but I knew I was because I could look down at the I-90 on the valley floor and in the car you can tell you're climbing. Once I came back down and was cruising at 20 mph without working I could tell I was descending for sure!

Well done. I did the tunnel once when it first opened. Heading back west you reached a drop off - the trestle had not been replaced. There was no tape, fence or barricade - just about a 100 foot drop off. And I can also testify how flat it is east of the tunnel along the lake. While I've done it a few times it is one of the most boring cross-country ski trails around - just flat, flat, FLAT.

Sounds like you are pretty well ready for a Century. Good luck.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

"Delikatesy Podkowa"

Delicatessen? Oh, not really A centrally located Podkowa Leśna grocery store started in 1960s as a state-run vegetable & fruit shop, and despite of several ownership changes, perfect location, and a little town full of rich people, the store has never become nice or impressive Yet, searching for a goal for a ride, I took my Bike downstairs and we both rode to the said "delicatessen" Let's talk about some Polish food.

I cannot name the type of cheese seen in the picture (ser koryciński). It has been certainly allowed to ripen, and it was for sure marinated in brine. Addition of walnuts and herbs makes it delicious!

"Cracower Dry" sausage (kiełbasa krakowska sucha) is a Polish delicacy. As smoked cold meat, it is totally different from German Krakauerwurst, the latter being served warm.

See the different colour of the cucumbers. The ones at left are ogórki małosolne (low-salt cucumber), and are shortly fermented. Intensive flavour of those (dill, garlic, etc) can be described as "Polish Summer Flavour" as they are only available in the summertime. The ones at right are ogórki kiszone (kwaszone) and they are long fermented. The latter can be kept in barrels all year long. The juice of fermented cucumber is believed to be one of the best anti-hangover cures

(I'm even not showing the map of the 17 km ride).

It was the first time I used my Ortlieb Vario backpack as a pannier. The thing is very very smart. You just unclick four connectors of the backpack harness, and the backpack turns into an Ortlieb pannier. And you just put the empty harness on your back again. So smart! It saved me from carrying heavy shopping on my back...

 

[PatriciaK]

Like many of you I wanted to get in one last good ride for July. Probably my last ride for a few weeks due to travel, so I wanted to make it a good one.
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I started off in the town of Snoqualmie where I parked and rode a couple miles to pick up the Snoqualmie Valley Trail in this convenient spot:
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Sometimes there are small details you miss from just looking at a trail map I guess a little upper body workout to get the blood going is a nice way to start the ride.

Lots of other bridges and trestles (without stairs !) along here, including this one with a nice concrete top, but the bottom looked like it may still have some of the original 1911 timbers.
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About 11 miles into the ride at Rattlesnake Lake I picked up the Palouse to Cascades Trail AKA the Iron Horse Trail AKA the John Wayne Pioneer Trail depending on the age of the map you're looking at. From there it's a long gradual climb along the south side of the river valley high above I-90.

Lots of trestles here also, but these are a little newer.
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Finally, you get to the 2.5 mile long Hyak tunnel which goes under Snoqualmie Pass. It's very cool in the tunnel which generates fog on the upper west entrance with the cold air blowing out and meeting the warm summer air.
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After coming out on the east side I still had a decent amount of battery left so I rode the 8 mile length of Lake Keechelus to the dam on it's SE corner.

view looking back towards the pass
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After swapping batteries I turned around and headed back. I used about 85% of the first battery going up, but only about 60% of the second battery on the way down, so I should have plenty of battery for a hundred miler when I decide my legs are up for it.

PS: navigation apps don't know what to do with tunnels. RWPGS said my elevation gain was almost 7400 ft, when it was closer to 2250-2300. COBI on my bike had it at 1 mile. Komoot and Strava build their rides on the data pushed from COBI. Komoot had my climbs at 4650 ft while Strava came in at 2295 ft.

PPS: No pickles were consumed on this ride. But I did take a couple baby cucumbers to snack on !

Beautiful ride! On our list for some day!

Unfortunately for me, since our little jaunt around Lopez last week, I've been using my rescue inhaler almost every night . Something is in the air (smoke? dust? assorted grit?) so I'm going to either mask while riding or stick to short jaunt until things clear up for me... Damn asthma and reactive lungs .

 

[BlackHand]

Beautiful ride! On our list for some day!

Unfortunately for me, since our little jaunt around Lopez last week, I've been using my rescue inhaler almost every night . Something is in the air (smoke? dust? assorted grit?) so I'm going to either mask while riding or stick to short jaunt until things clear up for me... Damn asthma and reactive lungs .

Yeah, the light has been orange the last few days but supposedly all the nasty stuff is in the upper atmosphere not where we're breathing. I'm mostly just leaving my mask on again except when riding its easier than trying to figure out each place. Hopefully the rain later this week will clear the air out.

 

[Nashcruiser]

It’s been hot lately so I haven’t been riding any. Got out yesterday with temps in the mid 70’s. The temps cooled off after some weather passed through and dumped a bunch of rain in the area. So the route that I took would have gone down a gravel road but it was mud so I turned back and went another way. Only took the one pic of the cows as I was just enjoying the ride and didn’t think to get one until I happened on to them.

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

Reclaimed artwork, he had some really cool things, too big to carry on the bike, I'll have to come back. He is there all the time.


Solidarity Stefan! Who wears short shorts? Nair wears short shorts! hahaha remember the gym shorts in Junior High? Aaaaagh, never again, of course I didn't mind when Lorraine Bossa was wearing hers, heh heh


Another shameless selfie.


Having this for Supper, 2 pounds of deliciousness in a box! I burned another 3500 calories today so it's all good. This thing is 1850 by itself, yikes

I have been seriously upping my daily average for riding lately, having decided to realize a long time dream for riding across country for charity. The MS Society to be exact. I planned on riding ten years ago however my late Mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer and there was no way I was going to be out of pocket for two months. The doctors said she could last a year, or maybe one month. I couldn't take the chance so put off the ride. She ended up lasting 14 months and it was the right decision. Fast forward to now, the Covid cancelled this year's ride but they have decided to stage the ride next year. So for June and July I will be pedalling my a$$ across the United States of America. I will be giving more details later as time nears, so for now, I am looking forward to the journey unfolding. Good thing I'm retired

I'm supporting Bike the US for MS!

Pedaling to make a difference. Cross country bike rides for multiple sclerosis research & awareness.

ride.biketheusforms.org

 

[Art Deco]

Half way through the year, so I looked at the 2020 thread and we are about 500 posts ahead of last August.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

I looked at the 2020 thread and we are about 500 posts ahead of last August.

And that's the cue for a reminder that we can find our way around this thread by going back to page #1 where there are quick links arranged by month and every fifth page.

 

[RabH]

Today was supposed to be the only dry day of the week, 5 miles from home I got soaked! Until then it was a brilliant ride on the quiet back roads with very little traffic around and roads like this which are just superb!

This is actually a 12% climb but the camera makes it look almost flat!

The locals weren't taking much notice of me!

Another fun ride despite the rain, at least it wasn't cold so I wasn't too bothered about the precipitation! Its now looking like Sunday before I will get to ride again, the lovely July weather is now a distant memory! If there's any chance to get out I will take it of course!

 

[Dallant]

20 miler with wifey on a beautiful day with cooler weather and no real wind! Unfortunately we wanted to go further but work on the trail stopped us short! And no more forest fire smoke!

 

[Nashcruiser]

Today I got out again with great weather for riding. Temps in the mid 80’s and dew point in the 50’s which is rare in Nashville in August.

Went out with the plan of going out to the gravel rode that was so muddy the other day. Started out going through town to the park I love riding in. It has about 15 miles of paved road and 1,800 feet of hills to climb. Today I wanted to ride in the country though so I just cut through the back side where there’s a steeplechase horse track that also serves as a cross country track for area schools. When not in use it’s open to the public.

People bring their horses out to practice jumping or ride the trails that are marked for horse riding. From there it’s pretty close to country riding where there are mostly horse ranches and farmland.

Then I got to the gravel road. This is a new area for me. I recently discovered where there’s a pedestrian bridge at an arboretum park that crosses a creek. Crossing there allows me to avoid getting on major roadways in heavy traffic. Nice isolated riding on back roads that goes by a nature sanctuary and through this arboretum.

Major find for me. Great path to take instead of getting on the main roads that are heavily traveled. From there it’s through a couple of neighborhoods and back home.

Nice to have another route to enjoy.

 

[BlackHand]

Nice looking ride! - both the route and the bike

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

There were tons of deer out today, lots of fawns! I didn't even take photos of all of them.



Still Life


Ol' faithful


Got my new t-shirt in the mail


Stuck for the train, 197 boxcars full of coal, I counted hahaha. Most of them had a load limit of 238,800 pounds per car!!! The calculator doesn't even go that high!

 

[steve mercier]

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There were tons of deer out today, lots of fawns! I didn't even take photos of all of them.
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Still Life

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Ol' faithful

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Got my new t-shirt in the mail

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Stuck for the train, 197 boxcars full of coal, I counted hahaha. Most of them had a load limit of 238,800 pounds per car!!! The calculator doesn't even go that high!

And it will all go up in smoke.

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

And it will all go up in smoke.

Probably less than a day too

 

[reed scott]

And it will all go up in smoke.

Not all. Lots of byproducts and ground up cinders to go on the icy roads. Instead of salt that rots your vehicle undercarriage.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Got my new t-shirt in the mail

Remember that shaver you wanted to buy for me?

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Cataract operation a success; now for the dentures …

Junkyard Buick
Next to the Brisbane Valley RT​

Oh dearie me, the insidious rigours of growing old!

I think almost everyone else passes the old Buick, and a few dozens of its kind, because they are hidden in the bush; however, it rests exactly where my Ride with GPS happily chirps to let me know that I'm ten kilometres from home.

 

[Dallant]

Cataract operation a success; now for the dentures …

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Junkyard Buick
Next to the Brisbane Valley RT​

Oh dearie me, the insidious rigours of growing old!
I think almost everyone else passes the old Buick, and a few dozens of its kind, because they are hidden in the bush; however, it rests exactly where my Ride with GPS happily chirps to let me know that I'm ten kilometres from home.

That’s considered “good bones” by many car restorers these days! Missing the doors of course…and don’t we all miss the Doors?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Just for some fun

I rode my usual 7.3 km route to/from the parcel locker to collect this:

(Cycling) Creme & Gel against PITA Pre- and post-ride!