Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[DiggyGun]

It varies state to state and even county by county. No drive thrus around here, but lots of good little breweries. I was actually thinking of the big 'sports bars' that popped up around all the cities with my comment about light beers.
People around here use Seattle as a model for good beer.

Traditional American beer is very different from traditional British beer, more what we would call a Lager. Agree about the beers around Seattle, as I recall trying a number of craft beers when I was there.

In the UK as well as the large brewers, we have a very good network of small local brewers and also micro-breweries. Indeed, some pubs have their own micro-brewery attached to them.

Our beer tends to range from 3.6% alcohol for an IPA up to around 8% alcohol for a Porter style beer. Compared with American beer, they will always be, flat, not chilled and brown.

 

[kahn]

I decided to take a ride on Sunday over as much of the Tolt Pipeline Trail as I could. This pipeline is Seattle's secondary water supply and the primary supply for Bellevue and much of the eastside. Turned out to be a tougher ride than I expected as utility trails tend to cut straight across the landscape without regard for topography. Lot's of short steep climbs and descents. The scenery mostly consists of mini horse ranches and endless blackberries lining the right of way. Ended up with a 100km ride after a few detours due to private property.
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The easiest place to get on the Pipeline trail was about 14 miles into my ride where I was greeted with the 20% grade of Heart Attack Hill. No heart attacks here, but I did end up walking the bike up the last 50 ft or so after I lost traction in the loose gravel that I got into when avoiding blackberries.

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Once at the top, you start the ride of ridgeline to ridgeline - saw a couple groups of horseriders and quite a few folks out walking, but only 1 or 2 other bikes on this whole stretch. Fun except for the gates at the top and bottom of virtually every grade.
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I found out why my nav really didn't want to let me route from the western edge of the Pipeline Trail back to the Burke Gilman trail even though they are only separated by one last ridgeline. That last 500 ft drop is REALLY steep and choked with blackberries in the middle. Feeling tired and stubborn after 50 miles, I decided to hike the bike down on some switchback trails and an unofficial MTB trail that was showing on OpenMaps. Probably a dumb move but I did make it down the combination of trails to about 2/3 of the way down then was able to go straight down the -25% grade for the rest after getting past the choke point.
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I will stick with the Burke-Gilman Trail (BGT) and Sammamish Slough. We used those about two weeks ago then transferring to the 520 Bike Trail which just ends and throws you on streets to find you own way to another segment of the 520, then the Bridge and home. I've always seen the connector to the Tolt along the Sammamish. The 520 Trail leaves a lot to be desired - like quiet from the continuous traffic noise!!!! What is fascinating is that some sections of the other major water pipeline for Seattle is still wood staves/pipes.

edited to add - looks like the wood was finally replaced after 60 years:

"For 60 years, an old wooden pipeline carried water from the Cedar River to the Seattle Water Department's Lake Youngs reservoir. Now, it's finally been replaced with a pipeline made of steel.

While construction is going on, there will be no public access to the pipeline right of way.

Construction crews will work through May on a 4.3-mile section of pipeline between Southeast Petrovitsky Road east of Southeast 196th and Southeast 248th streets.

The 78-inch-diameter wood-stave pipeline was installed above ground in the 1920s. The new 92-inch pipeline will run underground."

 

[BlackHand]

Yeah, the 520 trail is noisy and navigating on and off on both sides seems like its harder than it should be. I usually go around the top of the lake as that's easier and closer for me.

The most tranquil part of this ride was the couple miles of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail I did from Duvall down to Novelty. Felt like I had the trail to myself.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Our beer tends to range from 3.6% alcohol for an IPA up to around 8% alcohol for a Porter style beer. Compared with American beer, they will always be, flat, not chilled and brown.

It is possible to find real "new wave" craft beer brewed by the British in the UK, too. Brewdog in Scotland is the example of a large company than cannot be described as a microbrewery, for instance. It's true the British typically brew weaker Ales than the American do. The American IPA starts with 6% abv. Imperial Stout is typically 11% or even more.

Enjoying the best British craft ales with my gf and friend five years ago in London.

I have bought air-tickets and booked hotels in England for the last 6 days of September. If governments won't stop me, I'm going to England to re-unite with my gf in London. One of my plans is to make a share-bike ride along the Thames in London (I think getting anything electric would be too complicated?) Then we will relocate to Kingston upon Thames for car trips over Southern England.

 

[DiggyGun]

It is possible to find real "new wave" craft beer brewed by the British in the UK, too. Brewdog in Scotland is the example of a large company than cannot be described as a microbrewery, for instance. It's true the British typically brew weaker Ales than the American do. The American IPA starts with 6% abv. Imperial Stout is typically 11% or even more.

View attachment 98623
Enjoying the best British craft ales with my gf and friend five years ago in London.

I have bought air-tickets and booked hotels in England for the last 6 days of September. If governments won't stop me, I'm going to England to re-unite with my gf in London. One of my plans is to make a share-bike ride along the Thames in London (I think getting anything electric would be too complicated?) Then we will relocate to Kingston upon Thames for car trips over Southern England.

Looking forward to see you come over to England. My fiancé is Polish too and she hasn’t been able to get back home to see her children.

Might be able to meet up for a bike ride and / or beer.

 

[RabH]

I wasn't feeling so good yesterday so I decided to wait until today, thankfully I was fine this morning! So I decided to do a longer ride and what a ride it was, my power switch was working flawlessly today which made me very happy and able to do the big climbs a little bit easier! I think it was probably water ingress from the misty ride last Sunday and it has now dried out properly, my new switch is on its way from the Netherlands so hopefully it will be more water tight! I was back on one of my favourite roads which is such a blast, what's not to like about this? and with very little traffic it was pure heaven!

I wonder if this is to make it easier to count the sheep?

No more rides for over a week so I'm glad I finished on a high, cycling at its glorious best!I have now covered 3,811 miles from 89 rides this year, an average of 42.82 miles and hopefully many more to come! September is one of my favourite months for cycling so I hope the good weather continues!I really can't wait to get out again, cycling on our roads is just the best and it can't come soon enough!

 

[kahn]

View attachment 98661

I wasn't feeling so good yesterday so I decided to wait until today, thankfully I was fine this morning! So I decided to do a longer ride and what a ride it was, my power switch was working flawlessly today which made me very happy and able to do the big climbs a little bit easier! I think it was probably water ingress from the misty ride last Sunday and it has now dried out properly, my new switch is on its way from the Netherlands so hopefully it will be more water tight! I was back on one of my favourite roads which is such a blast, what's not to like about this? and with very little traffic it was pure heaven!

View attachment 98662
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I wonder if this is to make it easier to count the sheep?
View attachment 98664

No more rides for over a week so I'm glad I finished on a high, cycling at its glorious best!I have now covered 3,811 miles from 89 rides this year, an average of 42.82 miles and hopefully many more to come! September is one of my favourite months for cycling so I hope the good weather continues!I really can't wait to get out again, cycling on our roads is just the best and it can't come soon enough!

Once again - it's great to see you out in such pleasant countryside. And the sheep don't seem too disturbed by your "motor" cycle!

I wonder if it might help future e-bikers to know what bikes we use on our rides for examples of range and hill-climbing, etc.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have now covered 3,811 miles from 89 rides this year

Congratulations! (However, you need to try harder this year, as this year seems to be the best of mine 4,646/189)

 

[RabH]

Once again - it's great to see you out in such pleasant countryside. And the sheep don't seem too disturbed by your "motor" cycle!

I wonder if it might help future e-bikers to know what bikes we use on our rides for examples of range and hill-climbing, etc.

There are just too many parameters involved, wind speed and direction, rider weight, bike weight and elevation just to mention a few! Before I got my second battery I managed many 100 mile rides with a single battery but it was a case of picking the proper day with ideal conditions! Thankfully my bike is a compact double with 22 gears to choose from so it is rideable without assist for a good part of the ride, i.e. when its flattish and no strong headwind! I actually completed a 152 mile ride with my single battery by riding with no assist for the first half of my ride which was flattish and a 10-15mph tailwind!

Stats!

 

[RabH]

Congratulations! (However, you need to try harder this year, as this year seems to be the best of mine 4,646/189)

Great stats Stefan I won't be trying harder though...its not a competition!

 

[Prairie Dog]

View attachment 98661

I wasn't feeling so good yesterday so I decided to wait until today, thankfully I was fine this morning! So I decided to do a longer ride and what a ride it was, my power switch was working flawlessly today which made me very happy and able to do the big climbs a little bit easier! I think it was probably water ingress from the misty ride last Sunday and it has now dried out properly, my new switch is on its way from the Netherlands so hopefully it will be more water tight! I was back on one of my favourite roads which is such a blast, what's not to like about this? and with very little traffic it was pure heaven!

View attachment 98662
View attachment 98663

I wonder if this is to make it easier to count the sheep?
View attachment 98664

No more rides for over a week so I'm glad I finished on a high, cycling at its glorious best!I have now covered 3,811 miles from 89 rides this year, an average of 42.82 miles and hopefully many more to come! September is one of my favourite months for cycling so I hope the good weather continues!I really can't wait to get out again, cycling on our roads is just the best and it can't come soon enough!

With countryside like that I can see why you are able to ride for so many miles. Bravo Rab!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Some user here thought the UK was totally metric. Not

The photo as of today, London.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Not your typical sub-tropical beach…

Reef Point, Scarborough
Queensland​

The tide was out and the fog had settled in for the morning. Apparently, it was the ideal time to be out searching for pipis – cockles or clams to many – or taking the dogs for a stroll. Or going for an ebike ride!

 

[Art Deco]

Not your typical sub-tropical beach…

View attachment 98626

Reef Point, Scarborough
Queensland​

The tide was out and the fog had settled in for the morning. Apparently, it was the ideal time to be out searching for pipis – cockles or clams to many – or taking the dogs for a stroll. Or going for an ebike ride!

Cool B&W silhouettes. Some kind of filter or did it really look like a poster ?

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Cool B&W silhouettes. Some kind of filter or did it really look like a poster?

It was that sort of a day: foggy and drained of colour. (In the image above, note the bright blue label on the man's bucket. Australians will recognise the man's straw hat as a $5 special – 'everyone has one' – from our hardware megastore chain, Bunnings.)

And from 35 km and a coffee stop earlier (image below 7:10 am; above 9:30 am):

Click twice to view larger image.​

Brisbane Airport's runways are beyond the mangroves lining Schulz Canal (the constrained version of Kedron Brook). A passenger looking down through a relatively thin layer of fog would see the ground clearly; the pilots looking forward through a lot of fog would be relying on instruments and runway lights (plus thousands of hours experience!).

 

[Chargeride]

We buy fuel in litres, but still work out consumption in MPG. A UK gallon is eight pints, known as an “Imperial Gallon”, whereas in the US, it is six pints. We still have the Pound, £ (GBP), made up of 100 pennies. We also refer to stones and pounds, when asked about our weight.

When I was a kid, it was all imperial, bug when the metric system came, some old imperial units were retained and we’ve just got used to this anomaly.

Mind you, it is still nice to buy beer in Pints.

The absolute worst of the whole thing is threads.
There were dozens of Imperial standards and local standards and industry standards.
Now its all metric, you replace an exact part, but the threads dont fit.
Sometimes you can long spanner them on.
I reckon half of the UK is held together with slightly stripped threads.

 

[Chargeride]

Drove up to my favourite spot for epic views, the Pennine Way in Cumbria where Englands tiny little version of the grand canyon resides.
Its a glacial scar that has left unusual for us, vertical rock formations around the edges.
Ive been a few times , but thought Id try it on the fattie..yes I got a puncture and yes I actually got a bit annoyed with the universe, when really its all my own fault.

Its a slightly challenging climb on the Pennine way from a 200 population town called Dufton.
This soon turns into a track made from presumably mining debris and is basically like riding over pinapple sized lego blocks, randomly placed in every orientation.
I ended up walking it to conserve my puncture patch reserve.

It became very windy as I neared the top, but it was a very warm wind and was just right to keep me cool but not cold.
Passed groups of walkers and solo hikers, mostly friendly, this is a proper cycle and horse track, so I was ready for any grumpy buggers with a polite..
Am I still on the bridleway?
Which is English for, your face has no power here.

The picture makes it look a lot more exposed than it is, and the biggest problem is looking at the view and not watching where you are going, the multiple rutted terrain can spill you over very easily..especially an idiot riding with one hand.

As comedian Al Murray said..you should really watch his stuff if you havent, he plays a pub landlord character who has the most unlikely knowledge of world history.
He said Britain doesnt have very big mountains, they are just big enough to practice on to conquer other peoples...its all tongue in cheek of course.
Anyway the scenery here isnt huuuge, just enough to look dramatic but still be accessible for a daytrip with the kids.

The next fell along has an air traffic control domed dish on top and the service bridleway to it was eventually tarmaced and became Britains highest road.
I'll paraphrase Mr Murray..Britain doesnt have very high..highest roads..but.
Its doable by a fit manual mtber and even a gravel style ebike if you walk about 400m over the very worst parts.
Getting weather that isnt horizontal rain is the challenging part.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Beautiful scenery, Chargeride!

 

[kahn]

Drove up to my favourite spot for epic views, the Pennine Way in Cumbria where Englands tiny little version of the grand canyon resides.
Its a glacial scar that has left unusual for us, vertical rock formations around the edges.
Ive been a few times , but thought Id try it on the fattie..yes I got a puncture and yes I actually got a bit annoyed with the universe, when really its all my own fault.
View attachment 98706
Its a slightly challenging climb on the Pennine way from a 200 population town called Dufton.
This soon turns into a track made from presumably mining debris and is basically like riding over pinapple sized lego blocks, randomly placed in every orientation.
I ended up walking it to conserve my puncture patch reserve.
View attachment 98708
It became very windy as I neared the top, but it was a very warm wind and was just right to keep me cool but not cold.
Passed groups of walkers and solo hikers, mostly friendly, this is a proper cycle and horse track, so I was ready for any grumpy buggers with a polite..
Am I still on the bridleway?
Which is English for, your face has no power here.
View attachment 98710
The picture makes it look a lot more exposed than it is, and the biggest problem is looking at the view and not watching where you are going, the multiple rutted terrain can spill you over very easily..especially an idiot riding with one hand.
View attachment 98713
As comedian Al Murray said..you should really watch his stuff if you havent, he plays a pub landlord character who has the most unlikely knowledge of world history.
He said Britain doesnt have very big mountains, they are just big enough to practice on to conquer other peoples...its all tongue in cheek of course.
Anyway the scenery here isnt huuuge, just enough to look dramatic but still be accessible for a daytrip with the kids.
View attachment 98714
The next fell along has an air traffic control domed dish on top and the service bridleway to it was eventually tarmaced and became Britains highest road.
I'll paraphrase Mr Murray..Britain doesnt have very high..highest roads..but.
Its doable by a fit manual mtber and even a gravel style ebike if you walk about 400m over the very worst parts.
Getting weather that isnt horizontal rain is the challenging part.

Neat. And it looks exposed enough to give me the willies. But I am an exposure nut, although I have done climbing in the past. When I say to myself "What the F am I doing here?!!!???!!!" the third time, it is time to turn around IF POSSIBLE. That's when the tongue is stuck to the roof of the mouth, the armpits are drenched and "sewing machine legs" and pumping!

 

[Art Deco]

The absolute worst of the whole thing is threads.
There were dozens of Imperial standards and local standards and industry standards.
Now its all metric, you replace an exact part, but the threads dont fit.
Sometimes you can long spanner them on.
I reckon half of the UK is held together with slightly stripped threads.

Does that mean the other half has a screw loose ?
Sorry, I couldn't resist.