Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Deleted member 18083]

City ride with my TOP friends…

Early on Tuesday morning six Tyred Old People set off on a gentle ride around Brisbane's River Loop. As this is one of the state capital's three top road cycling routes, we had plenty of company from pre-workday 'training' pelotons.

The other Brisbane roadies' favourites are the flat out-and-back – and 'flat-out' – ride through the wetlands to Nudgee Beach; and the anything-but-flat loop around Mount Coot-tha which enthusiasts insist must be ridden several times in alternate directions before quitting and heading off to earn some dollars to buy next n+1 road bike. We were more interested in coffee and conversation. I was also able to squander some time on taking a few photos.

7:15 am; 39 km
Brisbane Central, Story Bridge & Howard Smith Wharves
​

This photo was taken facing roughly west – note the morning shadows, bottom right. The Brisbane River is flowing towards us.

The cycle route passes beneath the Story Bridge (through the mangroves on our left; 36km), before looping back to cross the bridge (38km) and follow the clifftop to where it was necessary to take a sustenance/photo break (39km).

If you look carefully (remember to right-click to enlarge photos), you should see a fashionably 'rusty orange' tower near the end of the bridge. This is a cycle elevator to the riverside. There is a second elevator (to our right, just out of photo) which was used to drop down to the walking and cycling 'riverwalk' (39–40km) which is visible at the bottom left.

 

[kahn]

City ride with my TOP friends…

Early on Tuesday morning six Tyred Old People set off on a gentle ride around Brisbane's River Loop. As this is one of the state capital's three top road cycling routes, we had plenty of company from pre-workday 'training' pelotons.

The other Brisbane roadies' favourites are the flat out-and-back – and 'flat-out' – ride through the wetlands to Nudgee Beach; and the anything-but-flat loop around Mount Coot-tha which enthusiasts insist must be ridden several times in alternate directions before quitting and heading off to earn some dollars to buy next n+1 road bike. We were more interested in coffee and conversation. I was also able to squander some time on taking a few photos.

View attachment 109732

7:15 am; 39 km
Brisbane Central, Story Bridge & Howard Smith Wharves
​

This photo was taken facing roughly west – note the morning shadows, bottom right. The Brisbane River is flowing towards us.

The cycle route passes beneath the Story Bridge (through the mangroves on our left; 36km), before looping back to cross the bridge (38km) and follow the clifftop to where it was necessary to take a sustenance/photo break (39km).

If you look carefully (remember to right-click to enlarge photos), you should see a fashionably 'rusty orange' tower near the end of the bridge. This is a cycle elevator to the riverside. There is a second elevator (to our right, just out of photo) which was used to drop down to the walking and cycling 'riverwalk' (39–40km) which is visible at the bottom left.

View attachment 109736

Looks like a really splendid urban ride. You've reminded me of a few elevators we've used although not intended for cycles. Which further reminds me that rather than take that elevator we'd cycle up the 5 or 6 story parking garage ramps to achieve the same elevation gain or loss. This is by our Pike Place Market downtown.

 

[Chargeride]

Nipped up to the Lakes, and was undecided where to visit for the whole drive, about an hour and twenty minutes, to this spot.
Very damp, very slippy, but a comfortable temperature all day.
This is a mock castle by the lake and that dot in the sky is one of those American Osprey VTOL planes with the huge propellers, I don't know if the RAF have them, unfortunately the ultra wide angle gopro lens has reduced it to a speck.

This is castle Wray by Lake Windermere, obviously someones gone to a lot of trouble to build a glam version of a Castle, and I'll have to say it does look good.
It's owned by the National Trust and my membership gets me free parking...happy days.

There's a cafe in the grounds, which is seriously cute, it's actually built into the building and makes for a very atmospheric experience.

No matter how many time sI tuck in in, my tshirt pops out and makes me look like the scruffbag I am, that road was covered in a moss slime and was not far off as slippy as grease.

This is the road that goes past the Castle, luckily it wasnt slippy at all, it does show what a gorgeous surrounding scenery it has, the whole place presses all the buttons.

It was so quiet I chanced a cheeky ride along the footpath, though strangely I met two walkers who assured me it was a cycle path, even though it wasnt.
Which was a pleasant turn up for the books.

There were no byelaws on the reverse and I'm sure theres about 12 legal books covering my right to ..or not to ignore that sign, probably including what hat I'm wearing and
the length of the sheeps coat.

A very rare sight these days, I suspect this is not connected to anything, maybe a a mobile phone left on the shelf.

The council have built a splendid array of shared cycle tracks all over the Lakes, firstly giving you height or position to better admire the views and separate you from the sometimes
budding Lewis Hamilton locals,, who see 60mph as a minimum. Most of them follow the roads , but like this one they veer off gorgeous wood trails and bridleways, simply magical tracks
with stone walls and cute arched bridges over streams and rivers.

I was heading for ambelside, but the light started to fade and a quick calculation made me realise it would be dark for most of the ride back, and I didn't have any lights.
So I called it a day after 2 hours on the bike.
The wood trail was totally blocked by fallen trees, so I tried to shortcut along a private road, which basically had me cycling past million pound holiday homes hidden in the forest.
Simply gorgeous Victorian buildings that have merged with hte scenery over the years......how the other half live.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Gorgeous. That lone red phone box against the rural backdrop tells it all.

 

[dodgeman]

My wife worked for a local phone company for years and they ended up giving away phone booths to employees who wanted them.

 

[RandallS]

My own experience with the Red phone boxes in the UK is that they are more like urinals than anything else these days - especially in London.
Sad...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Visiting Magda (White December Ride)

The automatic switchboard at the Social Care Home stopped working, and no-one was answering phone calls. As you need an appointment to meet a SCH resident, it made me worried. So I just hopped onto my Vado SL to find out.

I thought I would be more happy with the full power Vado 5.0 but my Fearless was just at hand. The more I rode in the snowy scenery the more I liked that lightweight e-bike! No, you cannot expect high speed from Vado SL in the Winter, upwind, and with my legs but my Dove Gray steed was patiently taking me towards my destination, with me spinning the cranks at very good cadence.

While I was riding, I was smiling to myself. How sensitive, overworried and paranoiac person I was during the beginning of my e-bike adventure! Now? Headwind? Let it blow!; it will help me on my way back! Frost? But hey, my winter cycling clothes do protect me against the elements! Ice & snow? Come on! My Fearless rides so controllably on her Marathon Winter Plus tyres! Range anxiety because of the Turbo mode? Easy, man, we'll get into the Sport on the return way! Just pedal harder! Lean on the handlebars and pedal faster!

When I saw the fire truck in the front of the SCH, I was sure something very wrong was happening there. "No worries, sir" - a Professional Firefighter smiled at me -- "We're just installing a Christmas decoration here!" If you are interested, there are two flavours of firefighting service in Poland. The Professionals are a state-run service and they are expected to fight fires in the first place. The Volunteers are present in any bigger village or a small town, and they are expected to assist the Professionals. Or, do daily chores expected from firefighters, such as removing a cat from a tree I was surprised to see Professionals there, as such activity would rather be in the Volunteers domain.

My Magda so happy with her little emerald!

My Snowy Fearless If you pay attention, you will see the e-bike covered with frozen snow in several places.

I was using the assistance in a smart way. Turbo mode to get possibly fast to the SCH upwind. Sport mode to travel with the tailwind, and occasional bursts of Turbo whenever necessary. The remaining charge was 21% out of 150%, with 11% still usable at the end of the ride.

As you can see, the average SL assistance was 82%. A full power Specialized e-bike would do with 41% of assistance to achieve the same. Some long segments of bike paths were clear of snow, same with major roads. Still, more than half of the trip was ridden on snow and ice, no issues whatsoever!

A recipe for a Polish casserole (one of the most popular fastfood in Poland):
Take a half of a wheat roll (cut lengthwise). Top with mushroom and grated cheese. Bake at 250 C for 1 min 50 sec More rich casseroles are topped with, e.g., bacon, fungi, etc. Can save your life when you are starving on your winter ride!

@RabH: Just 34 km left...

 

[Chargeride]

I would have panicked seeing the fire brigade, how lovely that it was something so uplifting.
No pun intended

Great t-shirt as well.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Today officially marked the winter solstice known more accurately as the day with the shortest amount of daylight. Thank goodness it wasn’t the coldest day of the year. With this in mind, I decided to head out a bit earlier for a short ride before lunch to check out an ice carving display at a local garden center near the city’s perimeter. I had visited it once before but most of the pieces had yet to be completed. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait much longer for sunnier skies as it was a tad gloomy outside and the forecast was calling for more snow over the next 48 hours. Not the best conditions at all for taking photos.

Upon returning home, I had a quick bite to eat then made a beeline to see what would lie ahead at the local trails after the fresh snowfall that we received a couple of days ago. The trails at Heritage Ranch were decent enough that I was able to ride a complete loop around along the somewhat soft packed trails without any problem.

With not a soul around, I stopped at a nearby frozen creek and took in the silence and beauty of the surroundings.

 

[peterh_nz]

Day Trips in the Countryside around Christchurch NZ

In recent decades, like many cities around the world, Christchurch (NZ) has successfully constructed a major network of dedicated cycle paths and delineated cycle lanes. These have been a boon to the increasing numbers of both commuter and recreational cyclists.

In Christchurch, the substantial design and construction of the cycle infrastructure (ie no tokenism) is changing the mindset of people towards using this healthy and environmentally friendly form of transport. Cycling within the city has become safer. Besides, cycling is simply more fun!

As elsewhere, the development and availability of e-bikes have accelerated the trend in cycle use.

In addition to the intra-city cycle network the country districts around Christchurch now have a wide range of scenic cycle routes both dedicated and along “country lanes”. Exploring the local countryside by bike is one of my favorite activities. Pack a lunch and I’m off!

The video in the link below is of examples of my day trips and shows animated GPS traces, with popup photographs to illustrate the route and the varied landscape.

The direct link to the video is:
Day Trips

Full screen mode on a display larger than on a mobile is recommended for viewing the video.

(If the above link to the video on a page on my personal site is inappropriate then please let me know ASAP and I will remove it.)

Cheers

Peter

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Day Trips in the Countryside around Christchurch NZ
The video in the link below is of examples of my day trips and shows animated GPS traces, with popup photographs to illustrate the route and the varied landscape.
Peter

Extraordinary, Peter! I've never seen anything like that before. And I enjoyed the photo galleries on your website. More please!
David

 

[Chargeride]

Day Trips in the Countryside around Christchurch NZ

In recent decades, like many cities around the world, Christchurch (NZ) has successfully constructed a major network of dedicated cycle paths and delineated cycle lanes. These have been a boon to the increasing numbers of both commuter and recreational cyclists.

In Christchurch, the substantial design and construction of the cycle infrastructure (ie no tokenism) is changing the mindset of people towards using this healthy and environmentally friendly form of transport. Cycling within the city has become safer. Besides, cycling is simply more fun!

As elsewhere, the development and availability of e-bikes have accelerated the trend in cycle use.

View attachment 109834

In addition to the intra-city cycle network the country districts around Christchurch now have a wide range of scenic cycle routes both dedicated and along “country lanes”. Exploring the local countryside by bike is one of my favorite activities. Pack a lunch and I’m off!

View attachment 109835

View attachment 109836

View attachment 109837

The video in the link below is of examples of my day trips and shows animated GPS traces, with popup photographs to illustrate the route and the varied landscape.

Chch Day Trips

Full screen mode on a display larger than on a mobile is recommended for viewing the video.

(If the above link to the video on a page on my personal site is inappropriate then please let me know ASAP and I will remove it.)

Cheers

Peter

That path up the mountain, incredible, though my old manual legs would have buckled at the sight of it

 

[Chargeride]

Heres. the unfinished vid of my last trip, because I probably won't be out on the bike for a bit.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

That path up the mountain, incredible, though my old manual legs would have buckled at the sight of it

My friend @Jerzy Bańkowski always says at such sights: "It's too crooked for me!" I have shown Jerzy that photo of Peter and his comment was exactly as I have quoted!

 

[dodgeman]

I’m jealous of those of you that have access to nice bike trails.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Unpleasant Situation, In Which You Open Your Fridge...
...just two days before Xmas Eve to find out it is empty... Aha, another pretext for a ride. Okay... let's ride for grocery shopping with a little detour to Brwinów petrol station

That's the Polish Casserole, the rich version. It is so deliciously warm when you have just sat inside after the first 10 km in -4 C and cold wind!

Ride. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. My motto printed on a Freeze balaclava. Other winter riding paraphenalia seen as well.

I was talking about Polish firemen just yesterday! Here, a Volunteer Fireman. 8-pc pack of half litre, 6% abv lager cans. Price per a can of 0.61 US$. "We are sponsoring the Volunteer Firefighting Service! Join and support the Volunteers yourself!" Haha, I wouldn't drink that lager... Although it is as popular as Bud, Coors or Corona in the U.S. (Harnaś means: "A Tatra mountains highwayman").

Outcome: 3 km left for 10,000 km, 16 km left for 6223 miles Will do tomorrow!

 

[Chargeride]

I actually love that pizza, but I dont want to overdo the Lurv button

 

[mschwett]

not a single ride, but two short and one long ride on the southern Oregon Coast. tagged along with some lifelong friends on a golf trip - i don’t golf but a round of golf takes around the same time as a nice long bike ride, and the refreshments and entertainment after are compatible!

Ride 1: pouring rain, around 40-45f, mud, sticks, branches, pine needles, etc on the roads. my route included a short stretch of US-101, which has a shoulder suitable for bikes but unfortunately said shoulder was covered in some sort of very slimy, slippery bright green moss. in the wet conditions, i fell twice going in a straight line with nearly no traction whatsoever! Following that, i got off the big road for a serious of steep windy forest roads which had terrible paving conditions, huge potholes, totally covered in mud etc. a very challenging ride, which i cut short at about 28 miles, essentially as soon as i could figure out a safe way home! turned the creo’s motor on a few times on very steep sections, although the limited traction had me leery of any major efforts!

among the best of the road conditions!



a very dirty bike, but not as dirty as it had been before a downpour rinsed it off.



Ride 2: the weather cleared a bit, and i set off for a longer ride to the nearby coastal town of Coos Bay and back. A few of my selected roads turned out to be unpaved, so it wasn’t as much of a loop as i hoped. while the roads were still wet and dirty in spots, it was a beautiful day with changing skies, some sunlight, and even rainbows! total distance, 62.62 miles (a metric century!) and 4,429 feet of elevation in a bit under four hours. no battery usage at all - although there were rolling climbs, for the most part roads in this part of the world have been built with shallower grades than around San Francisco.

better conditions!



The Oregon coast, and rainbows!


Everything is so green!


Bridge over one of many Sloughs around Charleston and Coos Bay


Ride 3: an easy inland loop ride for a lovely morning. Unfortunately i misjudged the weather a bit, and although it was partly clear and not raining, i rode through a fast section of cold mist and found my hands very, very cold… going from cold to painfully cold to some mixture of numb and painfully cold. not much choice but to soldier on, but shifting and braking became clumsy, and when i arrived back at the hotel, I could not unclip my helmet for over 15 minutes. the normally easy act of squeezing the plastic clip was impossible - no matter how/what i tried my fingers could not generate the small force required! it was comical!

beautiful wetlands


chilly mist


all in all, an interesting couple days of riding.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Rusty pelicans and a squabble over a tree (or should that be 'fee'?)…

6:50 am; 33.5 km
Bio-mechanical Pelicans by Christopher Trotter​

Beyond the marooned (since 1995!) pelicans, the Brisbane River is crossed by the arched cycle and pedestrian Goodwill Bridge which was opened in 2001 to coincide with the last of Ted Turner's Goodwill Games which were held in Brisbane that year.

7:00 am; 35 km
Town Reach, Brisbane River​

The heritage-listed Customs House (1880s) is somewhat overshadowed by its new 47-storey neighbour. There was an extended histrionic court battle over the new building and its proximity not only to the old Customs House but – gasps of outrage! – the fig tree. Despite what thousand-dollar-an-hour (more?) barristers might say to the contrary, there's really no problem in growing a new Moreton Bay figs in Brisbane, apart from having to wait a full human lifespan for one to reach this size.

It looks like the developers won, even to the point of having a spiralling carpark installed next to the tree! Who needs a customs house, anyway; we have computers now (probably housed in the financial towers in the upper photo).

There is a cycle and pedestrian trail between buildings and river. It dates from around 1990 and is now sorely in need of an upgrade; this being Brisbane, the upgrade will definitely happen. Hope I get to use it.

 

[DiggyGun]

Tried to do a new route today via Kamoot. Unfortunately, someone else had other ideas as two roads were closed, so resorted to Plan B.

Ended up following my nose and was out for about three hours or so. Had lunch at our normal watering hole in Addington; St. Mary the Virgin churchyard.

Had a nice stop at Botolph Claydon to have a cup of Bovril, with some nice views of the Chilterns countryside.

The weather was very cold today. Temperature was 2oC, but with wind chill it was around 0oC, so plenty of layers were needed.