Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

Too cold or inclement for a ride? Welcome to my neck of the woods. ;)

I woke up this morning to a trifecta of sorts. Snow, fog, and a temp of -6C but that did little to discourage me from getting out on the bike. It sure beats riding through slush that would have greeted me on the trails later in the afternoon. I must admit that this was kind of a downer after my trip up to the mountains but I’ll get over it. :rolleyes:

View attachment 118259

View attachment 118260
View attachment 118263

The trails at Heritage Ranch were in superb condition as usual with a few icy spots.

View attachment 118261
View attachment 118262

I followed up that up by riding an out-and-back along the icy Pines Singletrack.

View attachment 118264View attachment 118269

Upon heading back out, I always try and follow my tire tracks to the best of my ability preventing the chance of any misjudgement which could result in a nasty fall.

View attachment 118265

A sure sign of spring when Canadian geese can be seen and heard anywhere near the river.

View attachment 118266

Even though the temps have been feeling more spring like over the past few weeks, large patches of ice are still prevalent especially on morning rides.

View attachment 118267

A parting shot of our local tributary on my way home.

View attachment 118268
Don’t mind the cold, can wrap up for that. It’s the rain, even with good clothing, it just makes the ride uncomfortable.
 
Here's what I've been doing rather than biking. Well, doing the early work threw my back out quite painfully. I have managed to bike a few times as only mounting/dismounting seems to stir it up- coughing, sneezing and laughing don't go over well. Sports Medicine doc said I've got a frozen something or other at the base of the spine. What's suppose to be a hinge is some rigid confluence of spine and pelvis. But PT is still two weeks off.

So, the gardening and two most recent rides:

PXL_20220329_201126855.jpg


So, what would have taken me weeks (already has!) took them about an hour... Oh, those stock tanks replaced rotting wooden raised beds that we put in about 30 years ago (when my back and most other parts still worked).

PXL_20220329_194939456.jpg


PXL_20220327_223826566.jpg


PXL_20220324_215828401.jpg


And I will ask in the Specialized forum why I get no cadence or power
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20220327_223827992.jpg
    PXL_20220327_223827992.jpg
    202.5 KB · Views: 154
The weather today was a lot colder then it had been of late. It’s been around 16oC, but today is 6oC with a wind of 6mph, making it feel like 4oC, so a bit nippy.

At least it’s not raining, so on with a few more layers and off we go, I even had to put my Gore skull cap on.

However, during the ride I had to put my Gore lobster mittens on as the headwind was a bit cold.

Our first lunch stop, a favourite spot of ours. The Churchyard in Addington, which is always a nice place to relax.
AD5664D9-F4FD-4AF1-816E-B7C6D3CA9819.jpeg


DA46E715-FCFA-4B65-832C-8659C1C059EE.jpeg


Our second lunch stop. This is a new place for us, the Memorial Gardens in Swanbourne. Ridden past it many times, but never noticed it before. Again, a nice relaxing place to have a spot of lunch.
1494C111-20FC-42FA-958D-871E132E5F98.jpeg


We did a figure of eight around the villages for a change. And these are the stats for today.
4FB46460-B806-476C-9829-C1DBF1A63A79.jpeg

8C45050F-F090-4879-A989-781784CA7879.jpeg
 
The Most Disappointing Full Power Turbo Ride (Ice Cream Ride v.2)

I have got a shipment of SQlab Innerbarends 410/402 with 710 grips from the same brand. I had to collect them at a parcel locker 3.5 km away. Normally, I would have ridden my Vado SL to pick the parcel up but my plan was to ride to Klimatyczna for ice cream again :)

To make it simpler for you: I drove to "The Junkyard by The Tank" in Pruszków, where I unloaded my "big" Vado, and then rode it to the parcel locker. And then I went westwards to Leszno in 100% Turbo Mode! I had a funny incident en route: I spotted a roadie; as he seemed to be riding in the same direction as me, I overtook him, merrily saying "Hi!" and he returned the greeting. I was at 35 km/h when the roadie sprinted and overtook me! "Oh, you..." :) Now, I followed him. At 38 km/h, I overtook him again! Now, he was smart and was simply drafting. It was me who lost the leg power first :) I let him overtake me, and we had a chat:

-- Why, a number plate on your bike? Is it an electric?
-- Yes, it is. A fast one. Mind you, you are racing with a disabled person! :)

I followed him, and when I was again riding two abreast with him, I said:
-- Forgive me my little jest. I'm not capable to compete with a roadie for a longer distance!
-- That's clear! -- He smiled, and we parted our ways.

1648666361248.png

Unshaven, bad hair, enjoying Rose Ice Cream at Klimatyczna :)

1648666447407.png

Studying Innerbarends by Almond cheesecake :)


After leaving Klimatyczna, I started considering to improve my Strava E-Bike Course Records...

1648666602054.png

After the attempt at the 579 -> Pilaszków segment. I was aware it didn't go well...

To make a long story short: My results of today were not fantastic as for a full power e-bike. Yes, very good trip average speed. The previous records not beaten. Vado SL has turned out to be a fast e-bike, provided a solid tailwind. And that result was the most surprising...

1648666898728.png

A Course Record and a King Of Mountain titles on two so different e-bikes! :) The average speed for the big Vado was 40.1 km/h.
 
Last edited:
I did this ride to climb to the top of this hill behind our house. my Karoo said I hit 22 degrees on the steepest part and ride by gps shows 18.9 but this thing is so hard to climb even in turbo and me putting out 450 watts I can hardly get up it. I wish I tried it when I had the 11-42 cassette rather then the 11-32. I need more of a spin to climb it well and I Was down to 32 rpms. got my heart rate to around 160 getting up there. found burned down house and when I defended through this huge cemetery found this very expensive crypts right on the road. its a bit weird to have such fancy crypts right next to the road. only 13 miles total but burned almost 500 calories.
Screenshot 2022-03-30 at 6.30.21 PM.jpg

Screenshot 2022-03-30 at 6.14.45 PM.jpg

IMG_0932.jpeg
IMG_4119.jpeg
IMG_4120.jpeg
IMG_4121.jpeg
IMG_4122.jpeg
IMG_4123.jpeg
IMG_4124.jpeg
IMG_4125.jpeg
IMG_4126.jpeg
IMG_4127.jpeg
IMG_4128.jpeg
IMG_4129.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Well I borrowed the bike and went back up a big hill with friend, an Orange Surge RS, omg, I was utterly goosed, even in turbo it only has half the power of my midrive, 7 grand bike as well , but thems the rules.
Fantastic day out, only horizontal snow storm forced us back.
Im so glad I kept going, I felt like turning back the whole way, but with my friends support I got to one of the high peaks.
I havent exercised like that for twenty years, both legs went into severe cramp at the top, my age is catching me up 😀

IMG_20220331_134212727_HDR.jpg


 
Didn’t go out riding today, drove 82 miles each way to order some new cycling glasses. These were the ones I selected.
329FD72C-BFD1-45F2-A2A4-AF71DACEA944.jpeg

They are larger than my current ones, which have a prescription insert. To be honest, I was finding them uncomfortable to wear and the insert was a bit on the small side and I was often getting blurred views because of the slightly thick insert frame.

Plus this morning, we too had horizontal snow, but it didn’t last long, the temperature was 1oC, with a wind of 20mph, making it feel like -5oC.

However, on the drive back from Surrey, I noticed that the temperature was 12oC and it was quite bright. But when I got towards Beaconsfield, the skies darkened, the temperature plummeted and the snow started and stayed till I got home.

Nothing like @Prairie Dog gets and it was soon gone, but it is now cold at 1oC, but feels like -3oC.

Hopefully, it will be OK for a ride tomorrow.
 
Plus this morning, we too had horizontal snow, but it didn’t last long, the temperature was 1oC, with a wind of 20mph, making it feel like -5oC.

However, on the drive back from Surrey, I noticed that the temperature was 12oC and it was quite bright. But when I got towards Beaconsfield, the skies darkened, the temperature plummeted and the snow started and stayed till I got home.

Nothing like @Prairie Dog gets and it was soon gone, but it is now cold at 1oC, but feels like -3oC.

Hopefully, it will be OK for a ride tomorrow.
I’m sure that it beats riding in the rain which luckily, we don’t have to endure over the winter season here. I can’t imagine what it’s like not being able to ride due to wet precip worse if it’s of the horizontal kind. :oops: As long as we bundle up, we can still ride even when it’s snowing and cold out.
 
The intent was to take a long ride this afternoon. That didn't happen. I started to pull over for a sip of water and remembered that my water bottle was on the kitchen counter. I rode a couple more miles and turned back.

On the way up, the wind was blowing smoke across the road. It's on an uphill section so I had to breathe, and then cough. On the way home, the wind had switched. This was a fruit orchard last year. I expect it will be houses next year. That'll add more traffic to my unsafe part of this ride. Part of it being unsafe is that there is no speed enforcement at all and cars fly up and down.

DSC01706.JPG

This is where I turned around. It burned in 2014, I think. That was my up and down ride today.
DSC01703.JPG
 
I’m sure that it beats riding in the rain which luckily, we don’t have to endure over the winter season here. I can’t imagine what it’s like not being able to ride due to wet precip worse if it’s of the horizontal kind. :oops: As long as we bundle up, we can still ride even when it’s snowing and cold out.
In the UK we don’t get a lot of snow, but when we do get a good fall, the whole country grinds to a halt. That’s mainly because it is so infrequent and the Councils don’t want to tie up cash in salt or equipment that may only be used once a year.

What we do get is rain, a lot of it. Our winters are like this, grey and damp.
 
man my wife went to see her mom and I have to keep myself entertained. I wanted to throw my bike on the bus to the beach but I can't get the battery extender and I need it for all the hills. so instead of the 8 miles to work I made it 15 miles. up through the cemetery then back down to work burned 450 calories about the same as the commute both ways. the rode home charged the battery a bit then 15.5 miles up to Mt Tabor an extinct volcano vent in the middle of portland. 7 to 9% grades to the top so not a big deal. but the two rides another 700 calories
those concrete roads suck so rough.
IMG_4140.jpeg
IMG_4141.jpeg
IMG_4142.jpeg
IMG_4143.jpeg
IMG_4144.jpeg
IMG_4145.jpeg
IMG_4146.jpeg
IMG_4147.jpeg
IMG_4148.jpeg
IMG_4149.jpeg
IMG_4150.jpeg
IMG_4151.jpeg
 
Back