Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

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.
 
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 😁!
 
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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.

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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!

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

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

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Sipping coffee in the nice environment.

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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!

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My Vado washed...

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And with new tyres!
 

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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 : 2022 Flood


Kedron Brook Bikeway : 2022 Flood


Kedron Brook Bikeway : 2022 Flood

Kedron Brook Bikeway, Brisbane
 
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.
 
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.

View attachment 116264

View attachment 116265

View attachment 116260
Kedron Brook Bikeway, Brisbane
Sad. Especially tough on a man that believes in " never getting wet while riding ", I expect.
 
The perfect autumn morning…

Pine Mountain Road, Wanora, SE Queensland

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!).

What a lot of bull!

40 minutes earlier with the mist still rising.
 
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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.

 
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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! :rolleyes: 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! 😁

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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...

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

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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!
 

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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.
 
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
 
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
 
Another morning; another ride…

Fairney Brook from Brisbane Valley Rail Trail

Fairney Brook Floodplain
Seen from Brisbane Valley RT

Brisbane Valley Rail Trail at Fairney View

Brisbane Valley Rail Trail
This is the section of the rail trail that I think is not up to standard: gravel riders beg to disagree!
 
gravel riders beg to disagree!
Funny breed they are indeed! On one of the recent rides, I was forced to ride through -- inter alia -- roads damaged by heavy forestry machinery and blocked by fallen trees. I had to carry my heavy Vado through the obstacles (sometimes my mates had to help me) and walk the e-bike at times. When I was walking the Vado through the terrain as shown in the photo below, I met another gravel cyclist riding from the opposite direction. I greeted him and expressed my dissatisfaction (he was riding slowly but without stopping). His reply was:

-- But that's the whole fun of riding!

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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.

Thanks for sharing that video tour of Birksdale, Charge. Kind of brought a tear to my eye. Both of my folks were avid golfers, me Mum in particular who would have loved to have visited the area and walked along the paths just to catch a glimpse of some of the best golfers on tour. The closest she ever got to seeing Tiger play was at Pebble Beach. As for me, I could never catch on to the game although I did enjoy watching events with her on the telly when she could no longer play. 🥰
 
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