Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Stefan Mikes]

There were tractors but thank goodness, no Russian tanks to be towed. The tractors sit, waiting for work.

How comes all tractors I could recently see were green with yellow wheels?!
Is it a kind of fashion making all gravel bikes green with tan sidewall tyres?

 

[Twin Valley]

How comes all tractors I could recently see were green with yellow wheels?!
Is it a kind of fashion making all gravel bikes green with tan sidewall tyres?

Stefan - I suspect you are referring to the John Deere company which has stood the test of time founded in the mid nineteenth century - interestingly a bicycle boom hit the United States at the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the 20th and John Deere captialized on that as well, not just tractors - below is the neighbor's John Deere hoist truck that I actually used to help lift the trusses up on my what was then a new barn - the neighbor has long passed but the John Deere keeps guard on the old property, not sure that is tan sidewall or rust . . .

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Stefan - I suspect you are referring to the John Deere company

I understand. However, do you think all Ukrainian tractors are John Deere? Because I don't think so!

 

[Chargeride]

Yesterday I rode the long way to the Post Office. Nothing happened there except a little girl shouting 'Hello bicycle man'. Her mother for some reason apologized but I was energized and went further than planned. Pointing past the cattle to the draw, hidden ponds and woods beyond is where my smaller pastures intersect. While here after strays I was told by the farmer the draw was from 3000 Yankee Cavalrymen off loaded from a narrow gauge railroad. This force confronted the Rebels the next day in The Battle if Yellow Tavern where a celebrated Confederate General was killed. A simple swivel to the other side of the road reflects this past.
View attachment 119110

Its a pity really, I think its a great looking flag and represented total cool in the UK back in the day, mainly because of the Dukes of Hazzard.
But....

 

[RabH]

It was good to get out on the bike again after days of awful weather, today was glorious and most welcome! Yesterday we had very strong winds which helped to dry the roads, just light winds today thankfully! I decided to start on the local cycle path today which was pretty quiet other than some dog walkers, the path is in really good condition!

After a mile or so it leads you past the Hillend Loch which had quite a few fishermen enjoying the morning sun, there wasn't much wind but it was coming straight from the north so they were all well wrapped up for the cold! The loch was looking nice in the morning sun with only small ripples from the light winds!

Soon I was back on the quiet roads and enjoying the calmness of it all, cycling really frees the mind of all the awful stuff going on in the world! Later I was heading home and I reached a crossroads where I normally head up a back road which has all the wind turbines in the fields, I decided to try another road which I haven't ridden for a very long time and I wasn't sure exactly where it would take me! A mile or so on and I reached a junction that I recognised, it actually joins a road I ride quite often and I knew there was a huge descent on the other side! Today I had a tailwind (the wind had picked up a bit by now) so I knew it was going to be fast, I blasted down at 42.6mph!

This is the top of the descent and it starts off with just a gradual descent with twisty turns and then there is the straight part which drops steeply into the valley below, with the tailwind it was such a blast today! The descent is very smooth so it just makes you want to hammer it, I still have an inner child lurking in me!

I'm looking forward to Sunday now as the weather is looking promising with a high of 9C, its starting to warm up a bit again so hopefully Spring is returning!

@Readytoride I really hope your weather improves soon, I miss your wonderful stories when you are out on your adventures!

 

[Deleted member 18083]

There were tractors but, thank goodness, no Russian tanks to be towed.

How come all tractors were green with yellow wheels?

Do you think all Ukrainian tractors are John Deere? Because I don't think so!

Oh, Deere! What dirty wheels you have. Our JDs are kept hard at work, as these not-so-yellow wheels attest.

This tractor appears to have been modified to straddle, and remove, unwanted intruders… presumably, after they've been neutralised by its anti-tank ray guns.

Photo from a ride from home in May 2020, which is why the vegetation is brown instead of its present green!

Trivia: Australia is presently purchasing seventy-five new M1A1 Abrams tanks, and some petulant wags have dared to ask what they are for. (There's a rather effective moat around the country, isn't there?)

 

[ChezCheese:)]

Might be money better spent on reforestation.

 

[Cowlitz]

How comes all tractors I could recently see were green with yellow wheels?!
Is it a kind of fashion making all gravel bikes green with tan sidewall tyres?

A red one went by me and hid somewhere so I couldn't get a picture. It went by when I was contemplating Wilbur and friend and wondering if they were truly fenced in. There was an old Farmall being used for a lawn ornament. Other tractors, some which are blue and gray, were out working in the orchards.

You can tell when Spring has arrived because the tractors go by my house on their way to fuel up, or go get parts. Lots are towed by as they have to go to the tractor doctor after having had a lazy winter.

I learned to operate old style tractors. Friends asked me to feed their cows a few years ago. I couldn't figure out why the tractor died every time I stood up off the seat. I figured it out eventually. Safety always!

 

[Cowlitz]

Oh, Deere! What dirty wheels you have. Our JDs are kept hard at work, as these not-so-yellow wheels attest.

This tractor appears to have been modified to straddle, and remove, unwanted intruders… presumably, after they've been neutralised by its anti-tank ray guns.

Photo from a ride from home in May 2020, which is why the vegetation is brown instead of its present green!

View attachment 119211

Trivia: Australia is presently purchasing seventy-five new M1A1 Abrams tanks, and some petulant wags have dared to ask what they are for. (There's a rather effective moat around the country, isn't there?)

I saw a picture of our army unloading equipment in Denmark. One tankish looking thing had TOW chalked on the side. Makes you wonder.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Highway Star

I didn't want the Friday afternoon go to waste. The weather was rather cold and very windy yet it seemed to be sunny. I put the proper clothes on, "saddled" my big Vado and rode to... Rozalin's "At The Girls" cafe I just wanted to try the Strawberry & Yoghurt Shake I gave up the day before!

At the 11th km (exactly at the midway to Rozalin), I stopped to take the photo of the new cockpit of my Vado. It looks like some space warship now! And a minute later, there was rain and hail! I put all my effort to leave the raining zone! When I arrived in Rozalin, a thunderstorm started. I had just enough time to park my e-bike and run into the café!

I started with the Strawberry & Yoghurt Shake. It was not bad even if I had an impression it was thickened with starch

Just a while ago, there was Bacon Quiche at the display. No idea what Quiche was, I was just hungry!

So I ate Bacon Quiche (whatever that was!) Tasty!

As I followed the lunch with Flat White, it stopped raining. Now, I took a fast ride home!

On this day, I never rode into any bike path! Roads only, with traffic if necessary. And that machine is so easy rolling and fast! On the Nadarzyn - Strzeniówka - Granica road, I just was The Highway Star

Needless to mention the riding properties of my full power e-bike have greatly improved after installing Specialized Electrak 2.0 (Armadillo w/ Gripton component) tyres. These tyres are in the Type Approved specification of European Speed Vados not without the reason: these are extremely fast rolling, grippy even at low temperatures, and so comfortable! (I should have never got rid of them except for Winters).

Ride Map.

 

[Chargeride]

Thats a classy cafe.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Lunch In The Spool Building (Speed King)

"I'd like a fixie said Little Miss @Brix-ie
When she was riding an e-bike one night
Vado SL (ooh!) was not the best
When she was riding her from east to west
Hard-headed woman and a soft-hearted man
They've been causing trouble since it all began..."
/Although my best youth is associated with the early Punk-Rock, I used to be a Deep Purple fan before 1977!/

Well. I was inspired by a friend of mine who recently spent two nights at a hotel located in the former Yarn Factory in Żyrardów and ate his dinners in the Spool Building Restaurant! That restaurant was not new to me but it is rare for me (is it?!) to ride a longer distance to just eat a lunch

There was a strong (and cold) headwind on my way to Żyrardów. I worked hard even in 60/60% Specialized full power assistance!

The Yarn Factory in Żyrardów (where M. Philippe Girard played as important role as to deserve for naming the city after him) used to be a major Polish yarn manufacturer. Now, the area has gentrified.

Yours truly at the front of an restaurant located in the former Spool Building. Note a sculpture of a pregnant female worker behind me.

A Beef Slip Rolled In Bacon was the reason I had vigorously pedalled upwind for 35 kilometres!

My plan was to ride 100% on roads. However, there were two gravel segments on my way. It is not nice to ride gravel with your 2" tyres inflated to as much as 4.5 bar (65 psi)!

Somewhere on my return way, I was riding with the traffic on a bike ban. (My big Vado is not a "bike". It is a "moped"). A driver aggressively honked at me, to which I responded with high beam light thrice. He stopped, and I was quite polite to explain the guy he should accept an electric moped (a number plate!) The guy seemed to understand. However, that quarrel made me miss my route! So more kilometres ridden!

There is a limited number of roads to be ridden in the greater neighbourhood. Therefore, I was not surprised much to find myself by gorgeous Walczewski Ponds in Grodzisk Mazowiecki!

Ride Map. When on my way back, I decreased the assistance to 40/40% and rode at high speed, feeling like a Speed King Will I make more kilometres on Sunday?

 

[Chargeride]

"I'd like a fixie said Little Miss @Brix-ie


Oh and kudos for spelling neighbourhood correctly

 

[Chargeride]

Stefan - I suspect you are referring to the John Deere company which has stood the test of time founded in the mid nineteenth century - interestingly a bicycle boom hit the United States at the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the 20th and John Deere captialized on that as well, not just tractors - below is the neighbor's John Deere hoist truck that I actually used to help lift the trusses up on my what was then a new barn - the neighbor has long passed but the John Deere keeps guard on the old property, not sure that is tan sidewall or rust . . .View attachment 119168

And as if by magic, up pops in my youtube feed
John Deere is facing a farmer revolt.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I hit the trails once again this time with a buddy of mine. Not much new to report other than some sections have dried significantly where as others still remained quite muddy.

This pretty well says it all.

 

[Prairie Dog]

The following day, my wife and I rode out on our first road ride of the spring season. The indoor roller training sessions that we undertook over the winter season did wonders as we started out cycling without PAS and things were going so well that we were anticipating on completing the loop without any assistance. However, on the westward swing back toward home we encountered stiff 50km wind gusts and much to our chagrin we reluctantly rode the remainder in sport.

I'm afraid there's not much to look at this time of year as the surroundings are pretty much still drab and brown. There’s even remnants of snow in some of the roadside ditches.

 

[Prairie Dog]

A slight wheel upgrade for my wife’s Creo to help her ring in the start of a new cycling season. We’ll both continue using her stock wheels for indoor training on days when neither of us wish to ride in the wet. It’s becoming difficult to tell our bikes apart anymore.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Highway Star

I didn't want the Friday afternoon go to waste. The weather was rather cold and very windy yet it seemed to be sunny. I put the proper clothes on, "saddled" my big Vado and rode to... Rozalin's "At The Girls" cafe I just wanted to try the Strawberry & Yoghurt Shake I gave up the day before!


View attachment 119233
I started with the Strawberry & Yoghurt Shake. It was not bad even if I had an impression it was thickened with starch

View attachment 119234
Just a while ago, there was Bacon Quiche at the display. No idea what Quiche was, I was just hungry!

View attachment 119235
So I ate Bacon Quiche (whatever that was!) Tasty!

As I followed the lunch with Flat White, it stopped raining. Now, I took a fast ride home!

That dessert case looks amazing. I can’t believe how well you eat on the road. Bacon Quiche, bacon wrapped beef, yogurt shakes… It all looks so good but I’m not sure how I would feel cycling with all that satisfying goodness in my belly.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

That dessert case looks amazing. I can’t believe how well you eat on the road. Bacon Quiche, bacon wrapped beef, yogurt shakes… It all looks so good but I’m not sure how I would feel cycling with all that satisfying goodness in my belly.

I check "calories burnt" post-ride. Still, I'm putting on weight! (Slowly).

Oh and kudos for spelling neighbourhood correctly

I try to write in English, which is the language of England Unfortunately, I am forced to drop several English words such as "flyover" or "mudguard", and use their American versions instead. Still, it is "tyre" not "tire" (the latter makes me feel tired)

Now: I have been challenged to ride to Góra Kawiarnia and meet the challenging person at noon there! Need to prepare for the ride!

 

[Twin Valley]

That dessert case looks amazing. I can’t believe how well you eat on the road. Bacon Quiche, bacon wrapped beef, yogurt shakes… It all looks so good but I’m not sure how I would feel cycling with all that satisfying goodness in my belly.

and I thought the "DiggyGuns" had great picnics!