Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Stefan Mikes]

I Could Have Spared My Visit to Specialized Today...

...as the store got a huge delivery of bikes. A real inferno for the personnel! I agreed my Vado SL could be left there for two days to:

• Get it washed
• Front fender removed for the warm season, and replaced with an Ass Saver (a temporary blade fender)
• Pathfinder Pro tyres installed.

That gorgeous Sirrus (a sibling of Vado SL) must have just come back from a demo ride.

A lunch at META BAR (a cycling restaurant). The bar is now operating outdoors because of warm weather. It was the first time I paid a visit to META with the car. Trust me: It is extemely easy to get to the bar by bike but hardly possible to drive up there!

I will be busy with online training for next two days, so I can live without e-bike for that period of time.

 

[kahn]

weathers looking good for the next two weeks

That's what when you generate good karma on Madeira to make the wife happy.

 

[DiggyGun]

Have the bikes a good clean on Monday, it was amazing how much dried on mud we removed.

Took a fairly leisurely circular route near where we live, but this time only took coffee and some cereal bars.

 

[RabH]

Utility ride today, my car was booked in for its annual service and MOT! My 9 year old Toyota passed with flying colours so that was quite a relief! I put the bike in the back of my car and drove to the garage early this morning and cycled home to help dad! After dealing with all his needs I went out for an hour locally to enjoy the quiet roads, the roads to the garage are far from quiet but the drivers were well behaved thankfully! It was then a case of waiting for the call that my car was ready for uplift and hoping there weren't any problems!

I finally got the call at 2.30pm and everything was fine, time to cycle back to the garage and I was so thankful that the timing was perfect to miss the school traffic and the mad rush hour! I really don't like riding in cities but to my great pleasure the worst road had a nice cycle path installed, with heavy trucks bombing past I was extremely happy to see it! Just a few photos today when I was on my local roads! I just paused my gps to keep it all as one ride, hence the 7 hours plus duration!

 

[Cowlitz]

Up around and down. A bit dark today. There was a pitbull that scared the crap out of me. His person was there but the dog wasn't obedient. It was all slobbering and mean looking but did not bite. I had to stop twice on an uphill so he could try to catch the beast.

Oh, the flag makes me think about tractors. I passed a tractor. Stefan, you've forever made tractors humorous for me. Maybe John Deere will put out a Special Tank Towing model?

Some scenery, including a pear orchard. Not very scenic today.

 

[Art Deco]

Up around and down. A bit dark today. There was a pitbull that scared the crap out of me. His person was there but the dog wasn't obedient. It was all slobbering and mean looking but did not bite. I had to stop twice on an uphill so he could try to catch the beast.
View attachment 117607
Oh, the flag makes me think about tractors. I passed a tractor. Stefan, you've forever made tractors humorous for me. Maybe John Deere will put out a Special Tank Towing model?

Some scenery, including a pear orchard. Not very scenic today.
View attachment 117608

View attachment 117609

I would love a yellow and blue John Deere. Just sayin'.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I spent some time up in the mountains today at sunny but windy Kananaskis Country, AB in hope of riding some of the local trails. Regrettably, it was far too warm as my wheels dug into the soft snow. Hope to have better luck in Banff tomorrow otherwise we’ll be sticking to paved roads.

Ribbon Creek

Barrier Lake

Nakiska - Site of the '88 Winter Olympic Downhill Event

 

[Art Deco]

I spent some time up in the mountains today at sunny but windy Kananaskis Country, AB in hope of riding some of the local trails. Regrettably, it was far too warm as my wheels dug into the soft snow. Hope to have better luck in Banff tomorrow otherwise we’ll be sticking to paved roads.

Ribbon Creek
View attachment 117613Barrier Lake
View attachment 117614

Nakiska - Site of the '88 Winter Olympic Downhill Event
View attachment 117615

From Getty Images

 

[RandallS]

I spent some time up in the mountains today at sunny but windy Kananaskis Country, AB in hope of riding some of the local trails. Regrettably, it was far too warm as my wheels dug into the soft snow. Hope to have better luck in Banff tomorrow otherwise we’ll be sticking to paved roads.

Ribbon Creek
View attachment 117613

Barrier Lake
View attachment 117614

Nakiska - Site of the '88 Winter Olympic Downhill Event
View attachment 117615

Hope we get that sun tomorrow but i think the forecast says otherwise.

 

[RandallS]

We did get out today - more to follow from @Prairie Dog , and although it was snowy it was a beautiful day.

We didn't ride too far as I managed to hurt my self a bit (just teetered over after sinking my front wheel into a foot of snow - right where a large tree was sitting after being blown over).
Appears to just be a bruise - being monitored at present but no fun. I was able to ride for a while and then decided I shouldn't be continuing and should probably get back out of the forest.

Before we took off from the Hoodoos parking lot (Banff Alberta) we had a visitor - it even tried to fly up onto my shoulder.
It liked Art's rear fender.

Art getting his own pictures:


Here's Art again with his brother in law Dale.
Note the depth of snow - that's what you got if you were off the high point of the trails. There were many points where it was deeper.
It was more of a Fat Tire type of place for this time of year - but there were many parts of the ride that were very rideable.

The views:

I am sure Art will top up in the next few days.
Any idea what that bird was?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

it was snowy it was a beautiful day.

And just think of the early Polish Spring with the daytime temperatures of 13 C and sunshine... and I have no time to be riding!

 

[minigrrl]

View attachment 117726

Any idea what that bird was?

Could it be one of these? https://www.purelypoultry.com/canada-spruce-grouse-p-1424.html

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Any idea what that bird was?

Could it be one of these?

Try Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab; it's on the App Store. It's free and covers birds from across the world.

Here are three screenshots from my iPhone:

• Open the app.
• Choose whether to photograph the bird or upload a photo. I usually (as here) photograph the computer screen (who cares if there's a light reflected in the photo!).
• Merlin IDs the bird, or provides suggestions.
• Follow the info arrows for maps, descriptions and calls,

 

[Prairie Dog]

Try Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab; it's on the App Store. It's free and covers birds from across the world.

Here are three screenshots from my iPhone:

• Open the app.
• Choose whether to photograph the bird or upload a photo. I usually (as here) photograph the computer screen (who cares if there's a light reflected in the photo!).
• Merlin IDs the bird, or provides suggestions.
• Follow the info arrows for maps, descriptions and calls,

View attachment 117731

Awesome app David!

 

[Prairie Dog]

We did get out today - more to follow from @Prairie Dog , and although it was snowy it was a beautiful day.

We didn't ride too far as I managed to hurt my self a bit (just teetered over after sinking my front wheel into a foot of snow - right where a large tree was sitting after being blown over).
Appears to just be a bruise - being monitored at present but no fun. I was able to ride for a while and then decided I shouldn't be continuing and should probably get back out of the forest.

Before we took off from the Hoodoos parking lot (Banff Alberta) we had a visitor - it even tried to fly up onto my shoulder.
It liked Art's rear fender.

View attachment 117726

Art getting his own pictures:
View attachment 117727 View attachment 117728

Here's Art again with his brother in law Dale.
Note the depth of snow - that's what you got if you were off the high point of the trails. There were many points where it was deeper.
It was more of a Fat Tire type of place for this time of year - but there were many parts of the ride that were very rideable.

View attachment 117722

The views:
View attachment 117723

View attachment 117730

View attachment 117725View attachment 117724

I am sure Art will top up in the next few days.
Any idea what that bird was?

Great photos Randall and I hope that you feel better by tomorrow. It certainly turned out to be a beautiful day once it stopped snowing and it was such a pleasant feeling the moment the sun broke through the clouds. Just what the soul needed. The pristine snow covered forest was amazing to ride in and who could forget those striking mountain views. The Bench Trail was, at times, difficult to follow due to the fresh snowfall but I have to admit that it wasn’t well defined or marked. It certainly appeared that there was very little to no traffic that had passed through recently.

 

[RabH]

It was such a joy to get back out on the country roads again, I just hate the city! It was a beautiful morning, 8C and light winds and plenty sunshine once the early morning mist dissipated! I made sure I stayed pretty local as my dad isn't doing so well, thankfully I didn't get any calls and enjoyed a really nice ride on my local roads! This one is very close to home and has many farms dotted along it so when its wet it can be pretty nasty, today it was just perfect!

A couple of weeks ago I turned on to this road and I had to beat a hasty retreat, it was covered in sheet ice! It was a very different story today! I was actually wishing I was coming down it this time, its such a nice descent!

The trees look so amazing at this time of year, I just love Springtime!

Just about to leave the country roads now, this last road can be a real drag if there is a strong westerly wind! Its just a very gradual climb but its very exposed! Years ago I took my 2009 Giant Hybrid (the one I still own) on a long trip and I reached this road with 114 miles in my legs, I was never so glad to get to the end of it! That same day I was 50 yards from home and a kid on a mountain bike hit me head on, we were both lucky and escaped injury! Imagine riding 120 miles and crashing 50 yards from home!

Well that was such a fun ride in perfect conditions, I'm looking forward to Sunday now and hoping dad will be ok as its going to be another gorgeous day! Our good weather is set to end next Tuesday, back to the cold and wet again but it has been fun while it lasted! Compared to others we have been very lucky, I hope the weather improves soon for you all!

 

[DiggyGun]

Had two rides out today as the weather was 16oC with only a 10mph wind.

Plus we saw this little fella at the churchyard in Addington.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Another excuse to go ride an ebike …

23 km; 6:15 am
Moreton Bay seen from Shorncliffe, Brisbane​

 

[Mulezen]

^ Exactly why I need to get up earlier

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Magda Goes To Zakopane!

I indeed had a chance to ride today. My daughter goes for a two-week vacation to Zakopane, which is to Poland what Calgary is to Canada I rode my Vado SL to see my daughter before her departure, and to bring some sweets and books for her. I was also interested how my last purchase, being Specialized Pathfinder Pro tyres, would fare on the trip.

I didn't wait for a surprise too long. The road nearest to the place where I live went for immediate reconstruction. A hopeless gravel road (full of potholes) shall be paved very soon! For this reason, I rode the old gravel, dirt, new coarse gravel, cracked asphalt on that segment. Then, I had a chance for riding on a perfect asphalt bike path for several kilometres. And then I was riding very long damaged bike paths made of paving blocks. In other words, an ideal environment to try the new gravel tyres.

Fast rolling! I was riding upwind, and still could maintain very good speed! Not saying anything on the way back, where I reduced assistance from Sport to Eco and still enjoyed pretty good speed downwing. And how comfy the new tyres were! They are so suple and cancel road vibration perfectly! I won't look for any other tyres for my Vado SL; I have already found them!

The weather was gorgeous: Sunshine, +15 C (60 F). Only the cold northwesterly wind required wearing the balaclava! Spring cycling clothes! At last!

A bridge over River Utrata. Reportedly the oldest steel bridge in Polish lands!

At least 80% of the trip consisted of bike paths (of varying quality).