Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[reed scott]

Back In The Saddle Again

Has been quite some time since I last posted on this forum. Dreadfully hot spring and summer weather meant the bikes stayed home for months at a time while we stayed closeted with the AC. The few forays out were short around-the-block trips as the heat and humidity allowed. Nothing exciting to write about, and already well photographed from prior posts.

Today the weather had thrown off the suffocating cloak of wilting heat and panting humidity for a breath of fresh cool dry air. Perfect riding weather. My ebike neighbor and I got together at 10am to watch 18 carriages (mostly 4-in-hands) go off from a neighboring estate. We were joined by 9 cyclists who had paused in their ride to spectate as well. Much cheering and clapping on our part for each exquisite turnout was rewarded with tipped top hats from the gentlemen on the carriages and smiles and returned waves from the impeccably dressed coaching passengers. It was quite the exciting, unexpected treat for the cyclists who, one and all, had whipped out their cell phones to record the entorage of stunningly beautiful teams and pairs put to gleaming antique carriages dating back to well over a century when they were first put behind a team of horses. What a different world it was back then.

As the last of the carriages embarked on their 5 mile drive down the road and through neighboring estates, and the cycling group, phones now tucked securely away, followed at a sedate pace until they had the road to themselves again, my neighbor and I returned to my farm where she dropped me off to head home to grab her Vado and meet me back at my place for our planned ride.

We took off on our Vados, riding a 21 mile loop down into the next county and back - a loop that will be the route used for an ebike group club ride this October from my farm. Ride With GPS and my Garmin recorded the route for me so that I could uploaded it for the club participants to preview. I didn't take time to stop for photos because we were having too much fun talking and zipping along the roads, so here is a photo snatched from a prior ride on the same route:

View attachment 98948
It was a beautiful ride, and exceptionally fun with lots of smooth paved rolling road just perfect for blasting down with the wind in your face and hands clenching the handlebars tightly, trying not to touch the brakes until the descents became too fast for one's nerves. Then up the next rolling slope to blast down the other side. We were like two kids on holiday!

Along the border of one large estate a terrific rain and wind storm last month had produced several wind sheers, one uprooting vunerable old oak trees and snapping other trees in half like matchsticks. The resulting carnage of now dead wood was still littering the landscape like the aftermath of a battle, but we noticed among the broken foliage the chipper trucks, vehicles and staff of the tree companies hard at work picking up the debris and returning the estate to its pristine condition. It was just a small area, and once we were past the sad remains of so many fallen trees, the landscape shrugged off the carnage, left the woods behind, and once again opened up to proudly present an endless vista of spectacular natural beauty. The charm of the views had been aided and abetted by the hardworking staff of the resident estates who had claimed the lands as far as the eye could see, grooming pastures, fields, woodlands, stone walls and fencing for the entire route home.

My neighbor and I whole heartedly agreed that this route was our favorite paved road ride. Bar none.

It is nice to be back in the saddle again.

I hope to be writing more as the rides begin again in the cooler pre-autumn days of September.

No pictures of the carriages?

 

[Prairie Dog]

Oh, so this was the awful fallback bike ride that you just threw together when the other option did not work out!!!

BRAVO! And I saw your bike defying gravity again.

It’s funny that you should mention that. I was truly looking forward to riding some big trails down in Bragg Creek as it would have been a good test for the Trance and, more importantly, for myself to improve upon my MTB skills level as a rider. We just didn’t think that it was worth the risk since many of the DH single tracks are steep and fast and the rain over the previous days would have made the rocky descents too slick.

The Badlands outing was in the works later this month but was moved up with the deferral of Bragg Creek. Drumheller is only 1 ½-2 hr drive from my home so it makes for an ideal day trip out on the bikes. An overnighter might be needed if one wishes to take in all of the attractions including the Tyrrell Museum and a bit of hiking along some of the Badland trails.

…and, once again, there were no natural props around that I could find to stabilize the bike.

 

[kahn]

It’s funny that you should mention that. I was truly looking forward to riding some big trails down in Bragg Creek as it would have been a good test for the Trance and, more importantly, for myself to improve upon my MTB skills level as a rider. We just didn’t think that it was worth the risk since many of the DH single tracks are steep and fast and the rain over the previous days would have made the rocky descents too slick.

The Badlands outing was in the works later this month but was moved up with the deferral of Bragg Creek. Drumheller is only 1 ½-2 hr drive from my home so it makes for an ideal day trip out on the bikes. An overnighter might be needed if one wishes to take in all of the attractions including the Tyrrell Museum and a bit of hiking along some of the Badland trails.

…and, once again, there were no natural props around that I could find to stabilize the bike.

MTB is out for this old guy. I don't like healing from injuries! Well, I do like healing from injuries as the alternative is NOT healing. But you get the idea. I've had my day in the sun years ago when I pushed my hardtail and hard front (no shocks whatsoever) and hard head (me) across half of the Slickrock Trail in Moab and did some other really fun rides. But I've never really been a mt biker - just the occasional forest service roads but mostly urban adventures where I did not want flat tires.

I do remember a mt bike ride in Saguaro East in Tucson. The guy I was following said that if I did not bleed, I was not having fun. Well, only one bleed, I managed to jamb my little toe into a 3 inch cactus thorn, through my running shoe. Pulling it out, I bled - so it was fun!

Now I stick to the mean urban streets of Seattle and vicinity.

 

[Prairie Dog]

MTB is out for this old guy. I don't like healing from injuries! Well, I do like healing from injuries as the alternative is NOT healing. But you get the idea. I've had my day in the sun years ago when I pushed my hardtail and hard front (no shocks whatsoever) and hard head (me) across half of the Slickrock Trail in Moab and did some other really fun rides. But I've never really been a mt biker - just the occasional forest service roads but mostly urban adventures where I did not want flat tires.

I do remember a mt bike ride in Saguaro East in Tucson. The guy I was following said that if I did not bleed, I was not having fun. Well, only one bleed, I managed to jamb my little toe into a 3 inch cactus thorn, through my running shoe. Pulling it out, I bled - so it was fun!

Now I stick to the mean urban streets of Seattle and vicinity.

Yikes, a cactus thorn in your baby toe doesn’t sound pleasant at all. I guess it beats doing a face plant into one or several cacti. There have been many times when I’ve worried more about cycling in an urban environment or along a busy roadway than hurtling down a mountain trail. Perhaps that comes from growing up in a relatively small center.

I don’t consider myself an extreme MTBer but do like a challenge now and again. I agree, injuries at our age are not an option so I wear body protection in the form of elbow, knee/shin pads at all times while I’m on the trail. I meet my objectives by not extending beyond what I’m capable of riding.

West Bragg Creek is only one of a few areas where the trails have become e-MTB friendly. This recent precedent provides the perfect incentive to ride the tracks there.

https://www.trailforks.com/route/loamzilla-loop/

Pistolero Loop | Trailforks

- Go up Husky Road to Road to Gondor- Stay right on Loamzilla to Pistolero- The end of Pistolero meets up with Loamzilla again

www.trailforks.com

 

[Readytoride]

I'm so sorry but...I didn't. I was too busy explaining what each turnout was (type carriage, type horses, harness, attire, etc) to the other cyclists as everyone else took pictures. I'll to ask my friend for some of the photos she took. (Disclaimer: long time member of the Carriage Association of America, and have been driving carriages for over 45 years. Also wrote quite a few carriaging articles for various driving magazines for many years many decades ago.)

But you are welcome to have a few of me and my carriages if you'd like. These photos ended up as magazine covers - two front, the other back - while one is in a nationally published book under the author's carriage driving section. All antique carriages. The photo taken of the back of my carriage going down a driveway is at the farm that hosted the 21st annual 4-in-hand club this weekend, the same driveway the carriages drove out of while we watched.

Wonder what the odds are of ever making the cover of a cycling magazine one day. I think it's about time a photo of someone on an electric bike was featured, don't you?

No pictures of the carriages?

 

[voidedwarranty]

Latest iteration of my bike, along with my wife's Super73 Z1.

At the local playground with our 3yo son who rides on "daddy's bike"

 

[Adventum]

I'm so sorry but...I didn't. I was too busy explaining what each turnout was (type carriage, type horses, harness, attire, etc) to the other cyclists as everyone else took pictures. I'll to ask my friend for some of the photos she took. (Disclaimer: long time member of the Carriage Association of America, and have been driving carriages for over 45 years. Also wrote quite a few carriaging articles for various driving magazines for many years many decades ago.)

But you are welcome to have a few of me and my carriages if you'd like. These photos ended up as magazine covers - two front, the other back - while one is in a nationally published book under the author's carriage driving section. All antique carriages. The photo taken of the back of my carriage going down a driveway is at the farm that hosted the 21st annual 4-in-hand club this weekend, the same driveway the carriages drove out of while we watched. View attachment 99070
View attachment 99072
View attachment 99071
View attachment 99073

Wonder what the odds are of ever making the cover of a cycling magazine one day. I think it's about time a photo of someone on an electric bike was featured, don't you?

Thanks, Flora, for posting the carriage cover-shots. I too wondered why you didn't blaze away with i-camera when you encountered the mass carriage ride.

 

[Chargeride]

I'm so sorry but...I didn't. I was too busy explaining what each turnout was (type carriage, type horses, harness, attire, etc) to the other cyclists as everyone else took pictures. I'll to ask my friend for some of the photos she took. (Disclaimer: long time member of the Carriage Association of America, and have been driving carriages for over 45 years. Also wrote quite a few carriaging articles for various driving magazines for many years many decades ago.)

But you are welcome to have a few of me and my carriages if you'd like. These photos ended up as magazine covers - two front, the other back - while one is in a nationally published book under the author's carriage driving section. All antique carriages. The photo taken of the back of my carriage going down a driveway is at the farm that hosted the 21st annual 4-in-hand club this weekend, the same driveway the carriages drove out of while we watched. View attachment 99070
View attachment 99072
View attachment 99071
View attachment 99073

Wonder what the odds are of ever making the cover of a cycling magazine one day. I think it's about time a photo of someone on an electric bike was featured, don't you?

Ah dog paddling...never tire of that.

 

[Readytoride]

@Adventum I was too busy chatting, as usual!

Photos of the turnouts from their website: https://fourinhandclub.com/photos

 

[reed scott]

@Adventum I was too busy chatting, as usual!

Photos of the turnouts from their website: https://fourinhandclub.com/photos

I can't even imagine what it takes to drive a team of 4 horses. And more than that ... to train 4 animals to take the harness AND work together. I've watched one horse being trained to pull a cart and it is no easy task. Tremendous amount of progressive repetition and the patience of Job on the part of the handler.

 

[ActionJackson]

$25 to rent those bikes

Hey Sailor, how ‘bout a trip down memory lane? :

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Mucking around in the swamps…

Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Nudgee Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD​

Swamps and bogs are now known as 'wetland habitats'. Fair enough: they're our fellow creatures' homes and it is much better that they remain messy in our eyes (and sometimes mosquito-ridden!) rather than being turned into $$$ through canal 'developments'.

Loss of wilderness habitat is probably the most significant threat resulting from enormous increases in human population.

Here are some photos of my wetland companions, all taken from the Moreton Bay Cycleway: there's no need to go looking for them… and none seems bothered by our (that is, cyclists') presence! Exact location is recorded in the metadata — if you're interested.

left: Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia
right: Intermediate Egret, Ardea intermedia
beyond focus: Magpie-lark, Grallina cyanoleuca

Pied Stilt, Himantopus leucocephalus​

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Here are some photos of my wetland companions

Lovely!

 

[Chargeride]

Mucking around in the swamps…

View attachment 99139

Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Nudgee Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD​

Swamps and bogs are now known as 'wetland habitats'. Fair enough: they're our fellow creatures' homes and it is much better that they remain messy in our eyes (and sometimes mosquito-ridden!) rather than being turned into $$$ through canal 'developments'.

Loss of wilderness habitat is probably the most significant threat resulting from enormous increases in human population.

Here are some photos of my wetland companions, all taken from the Moreton Bay Cycleway: there's no need to go looking for them… and none seems bothered by our (that is, cyclists') presence! Exact location is recorded in the metadata — if you're interested.

View attachment 99140

left: Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia
right: Intermediate Egret, Ardea intermedia
beyond focus: Magpie-lark, Grallina cyanoleuca

View attachment 99142
Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus​

I bought the missus a nice zoom camera so she could photo all the birds in the marshes by us.
All her pictures are awful.
It might because she insists on going at dusk and using 60× zoom.
Black and white noisy blur

 

[reed scott]

Mucking around in the swamps…

View attachment 99139

Dusky Moorhen, Gallinula tenebrosa
Nudgee Wetlands, Brisbane, QLD​

Swamps and bogs are now known as 'wetland habitats'. Fair enough: they're our fellow creatures' homes and it is much better that they remain messy in our eyes (and sometimes mosquito-ridden!) rather than being turned into $$$ through canal 'developments'.

Loss of wilderness habitat is probably the most significant threat resulting from enormous increases in human population.

Here are some photos of my wetland companions, all taken from the Moreton Bay Cycleway: there's no need to go looking for them… and none seems bothered by our (that is, cyclists') presence! Exact location is recorded in the metadata — if you're interested.

View attachment 99140

left: Royal Spoonbill, Platalea regia
right: Intermediate Egret, Ardea intermedia
beyond focus: Magpie-lark, Grallina cyanoleuca

View attachment 99142
Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus​

Today's camera image stabilization is a magical thing!

 

[Chargeride]

Today's camera image stabilization is a magical thing!

Yes..I mistakingly thought it was monitoring the image.
Its just very accurate accelerometers.

 

[PatriciaK]

I've been riding, just nothing out of the ordinary to report... Until yesterday - my first flat!

Effing staple !

Fortunately, my "mechanic" was along on his acoustic bike, and spared me having to do the roadside repair myself . Our planned snack stop, a military golf course, was nearby, and they happened to have compressed air for their golf carts, so we after the initial manual pumping, we completed the reinflation there. I knew my tire luck wouldn't last forever, but, what the heck was a staple doing out on a country road in the middle of nowhere???! Laying in wait for some unsuspecting cyclist, I suppose .

 

[kahn]

I've been riding, just nothing out of the ordinary to report... Until yesterday - my first flat!
View attachment 99200
Effing staple !

Fortunately, my "mechanic" was along on his acoustic bike, and spared me having to do the roadside repair myself . Our planned snack stop, a military golf course, was nearby, and they happened to have compressed air for their golf carts, so we after the initial manual pumping, we completed the reinflation there. I knew my tire luck wouldn't last forever, but, what the heck was a staple doing out on a country road in the middle of nowhere???! Laying in wait for some unsuspecting cyclist, I suppose .

My flat about six weeks ago was also a staple - easy to spot the reason for the flat. You have to figure the odds of a probably FLAT/prone oriented staple flipping its two legs up and embedding in a tire. Mine, too, was, of course, the rear. Had a heck of a time getting the tire off the rim and even more of a heck of a time getting it back on. Glad you had your concierge service along for the ride!

 

[kahn]

I went for a short ride this morning. Went to the wild life refuge hoping to spot native birds, there are two species of owl in Hawaii and some ducks and King fishers also some wild peacocks and peahens. Did not see any.
There were wild chicken and roosters.

So I pedaled my way to the mall, where my son works as a part time "Mall Security "
You will see him in one of the photos skateboarding. By the way he is a prison guard, trying to get in the sherrif department.
He barrowed my Ford pick up 3weeks ago and has not returned it.
We had breakfast and returned home, in time for the game.
I stop to watch some guys flying RC jets.

I also checked my timeline on my device.
I don't have one of those fancy mapping gadgets like some guys on this thread (David Berry).
@PatriciaK have your tires tubeless setup but lucky you, your bike mechanic was riding along.
Excuse the food pics. I was asking my ol'lady which she wanted.

Now I'm hungry

 

[ActionJackson]

Club Hubba Hubba. Jarheads and grunts would have some spectacular fist fights in the back over a stripper and by the time MPs arrived all would be calm as if nothing happened

I think it's an upscale pub now that serves pizza.

Pizza?!!! Oh man. I held my enlisted seps party there on the way to AOCS in the 80’s. What a pity it’s been gentrified - but then again so have I .