Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Deleted member 18083]

The river's too wide now for crossing…

Brisbane River
Burtons Bridge – about 100 km inland​

The river's too wide now for crossing​

The current goes too deep for mending​

It looks like an unhappy ending​

'Cause the river's too wide.​

Ten days after the rain and, despite a six-metre drop in the river's level, the people on the north bank remain isolated. I suspect that most of their farmland – see the first photo in this thread – would have 'gone under' in the flood. I had the option of turning around and heading home (10 km) for a reviving mug of coffee… and a fresh muffin.

 

[Art Deco]

Over the weekend, Manchester Ian and I rode the Bench Trail but we found it slow going at times when it came to dealing with the snow along the hilly sections of the track. There was zero hard pack on top to gain any traction over the soft snow. I have to admit that this is the most snow that I’ve ridden on along the Bluff. The day started out a bit gloomy and overcast but by the time we completed the Bluff single we were greeted with blue skies.

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More ice bike antics on the local skating pond.

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Snow at Heritage was also deep but the trails were slightly easier to navigate around.

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I switched up cameras on this day for one which allows me to capture wider, immersive footage. It's just a slightly expanded POV from behind the bars. The funny looking mount that you see on the bars actually comes into play in the second video.

I had a bit of playful fun with a lot of help from the camera in this short solo segment.

Wow. So the famous Ground Hog went back into hibernation over here, but the Prairie Dog is still riding on ...

 

[Prairie Dog]

Wow. So the famous Ground Hog went back into hibernation over here, but the Prairie Dog is still riding on ...

I don’t want to make any predictions but this dog ventures out regardless of whether or not he sees his shadow. Our own Balzac Billy has already predicted six more weeks of winter here in Alberta and I’m beginning to think that he’s not going to be too far off.

 

[Art Deco]

I think Puxatauny Phill blew it this year ... no snow or ice left ... just a steady cold rain. I even let the woodstove go out yesterday, a couple weeks early.

 

[PatriciaK]

Just finished delivering my La Free to its "foster home" for the next couple of months, and having an orientation with its "foster mom" .

MY next ride will be on my Flow, in NC , later this week !

 

[Prairie Dog]

I think Puxatauny Phill blew it this year ... no snow or ice left ... just a steady cold rain. I even let the woodstove go out yesterday, a couple weeks early.

I might need to borrow that woodstove of yours. This is what it was like here yesterday morning.

 

[Art Deco]

Unlike an ebike, soapstone stoves are heavy. A bit over 500 pounds of heavy. Hard to loan or ship.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

At My Favourite LBS

No ride today! I drove my station-wagon to Specialized Warsaw over the newest Southern Beltway of Warsaw at noon, just thirty minutes to get to the store. My big Vado is getting a wash, tyre replacement and general inspection. It has already turned out the bearings in the front wheel were healthy (Jacek had suspected some issue there).

What a lovely place and people!

Specialized Turbo Kenevo SL Expert Carbon 29. Not for me!

The anatomy of a full power Specialized motor. See the carbon drive belt.

Sipping coffee in the nice environment.

Specialized Sirrus 2.0, a traditional sister of Vado SL. I wish my friend @Jerzy Bańkowski could get one! Still too expensive for a Polish pensioner!

My Vado washed...

And with new tyres!

 

[Deleted member 18083]

I think it reads…

This area is subject to flooding during extreme conditions.​

I've always thought that these notices were a trifle exaggerated: until this morning. There'll be a lot of clearing to be done during the next week, but fortunately I was able to get through without too much trouble.

Kedron Brook Bikeway, Brisbane​

 

[kahn]

I think it reads…

This area is subject to flooding during extreme conditions.​

I've always thought that these notices were a trifle exaggerated: until this morning. There'll be a lot of clearing to be done during the next week, but fortunately I was able to get through without too much trouble.

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Kedron Brook Bikeway, Brisbane​

What's with the sign for "trolleys?" We call them shopping carts! But our stores try to prevent them from leaving the grounds.

 

[Art Deco]

I think it reads…

This area is subject to flooding during extreme conditions.​

I've always thought that these notices were a trifle exaggerated: until this morning. There'll be a lot of clearing to be done during the next week, but fortunately I was able to get through without too much trouble.

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Kedron Brook Bikeway, Brisbane​

Sad. Especially tough on a man that believes in " never getting wet while riding ", I expect.

 

[Art Deco]

I might need to borrow that woodstove of yours. This is what it was like here yesterday morning.

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Obviously I let the wood stove go out too soon. 3 to 4 inches expected. Bah.

 

[Mulezen]

I just started my wood stove after letting it grow cold the last week. I’ve been reading about the flooding in eastern (?) Australia.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

The perfect autumn morning…

Wanora, SE Queensland
9:05 am; 10 km from home​

No rain and no wind; and neither hot nor cold. What better excuse could there be to take a ride in the country?

And no one to argue over whether it really is autumn. Whatever might be favoured elsewhere, Australians embrace the calendar month – the so-called 'meteorological' – convention for naming seasons. Autumn is March–April–May: not a day more; nor one less.

Trivia: Spot the old-style windmill; almost exactly in the centre of the photo. Odd place to put it (in the field, not the photo!).

40 minutes earlier with the mist still rising.​

 

[Chargeride]

gopro max or 360?

 

[Chargeride]

Finally the Sun returns and I got out for a ride, visited the trendy Birkdale area and then took a path Ive never been on in my life and was amazed to find it was a beautiful and challenging ride right through the amazing Birkdale championship, links golf course.
This course has quite a history,
heres the website blurb..

'Royal Birkdale is possibly the finest of all courses in England. Royal Birkdale has held more Championship and International events since World War 2 than any other course in the world. Open Championships, Ryder Cups, Women's British Opens, Senior Opens, Amateur Championships, Walker Cups and Curtis Cups.
Royal Birkdale Golf Club has been voted the number one golf club in England, one of the top five clubs in the UK and amongst the top 35 in the world. '

So there you go, dont follow golf or play it myself, but it is a lovely and dramatic course and the height climb along the path made for some amazing views.
Havent got time to screenshot the vid as Im off to Madeira , so heres the video, the golf path starts around 2.45.

 

[RabH]

The nice weather didn't materialise but today was better, there was a good chance of rain but I wasn't letting it stop me! Thankfully the rain wasn't too bad and it quickly dried up, with a morning temp of 8C I had my pick of the back roads with no danger of ice! Speaking of danger I had two scary moments today, I haven't had any for a while so the law of averages caught up with me I guess!

The first one was right after I left my driveway, I was heading down my hill which has a 10% gradient so I wasn't going slow, probably around 25-30mph and I could see a taxi (minicab) waiting to come out of the side road at the bottom of the hill! Anytime I see them I am always wary and ready for the unexpected, I was watching him looking left constantly and I was approaching from his right! I was getting closer and closer and I had both hands ready on the brakes expecting him to pull out and he duly obliged! I let out a roar and he actually stopped and held his hand up to apologise, I quickly reminded him about looking both ways before moving off...

The next one was much more scary as I wasn't ready for this total moron, I was approaching a tight bend on a narrow back road and there was a man walking on the right and just as I was about to pass this imbecile in a small van came flying round the blind bend at high speed and because this man was walking on his side he had to swerve into my path, he was easily doing 40mph (maybe closer to 50) and I had to react quickly and pull on to the grass to avoid him! We didn't manage to get his registration number, I wish I had a camera recording my trip to report this total idiot to the police before he kills somebody! This road is littered with farms so this guy was very lucky he didn't plough into some farm machinery which uses this road a lot...

After this I had a fantastic ride in near perfect conditions for the time of year! I quickly forgot about the earlier incidents and just enjoyed myself, sights like this sure help! I love this time of year when the Spring lambs are jumping about the fields without a care in the world! This one was staring me down!

Here's one for those that think my bike never gets dirty! This is a very challenging climb, at times like this I'm glad I have the smaller ring on the front to make it to the top, Ridewithgps says the gradient was only 13.1% but its easily 20% in some places...

I love this view at the top of the climb, even on a murky day!

Just over 3000ft of climbing today and I can feel it in my legs but I had such a great ride on amazing roads, it will probably be Monday before I can get out again as Sunday is going to be very windy but I might chance it if I can work out a safe route!

 

[Chargeride]

Those stories are terrifying, my occasional roadbike friends lost a friend of theirs to a skip lorry/truck coming around the bend on the wrong side of the road.
The driver was texting his boss, but unfortunately the friend was overtaking the pack with his head down and didnt even try to swerve.
You are right to ride defensively.

 

[Twin Valley]

Finally the Sun returns and I got out for a ride, visited the trendy Birkdale area and then took a path Ive never been on in my life and was amazed to find it was a beautiful and challenging ride right through the amazing Birkdale championship, links golf course.
This course has quite a history,
heres the website blurb..

'Royal Birkdale is possibly the finest of all courses in England. Royal Birkdale has held more Championship and International events since World War 2 than any other course in the world. Open Championships, Ryder Cups, Women's British Opens, Senior Opens, Amateur Championships, Walker Cups and Curtis Cups.
Royal Birkdale Golf Club has been voted the number one golf club in England, one of the top five clubs in the UK and amongst the top 35 in the world. '

So there you go, dont follow golf or play it myself, but it is a lovely and dramatic course and the height climb along the path made for some amazing views.
Havent got time to screenshot the vid as Im off to Madeira , so heres the video, the golf path starts around 2.45.

right "through" royal birkdale - are you sure the path was for golf carts and bike riders, hmm, can't stop chuckling imagining you riding through the surprised but traditional players out there

 

[Twin Valley]

ah should have watched the video first, the links courses of Britain are so different than the "manicured" courses on this side

right "through" royal birkdale - are you sure the path was for golf carts and bike riders, hmm, can't stop chuckling imagining you riding through the surprised but traditional players out there