Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[kahn]

Good news, bad news here: I just discovered the power cord on my bike charger wasn't fully seated so my battery is still only at 50%. OTOH, I managed to successfully charge my lawnmower battery....looks like chores first and a shorter ride later.

After ride three in a row, I mowed the lawn because it needed it and the forecast meant rain for the next two days. Pretty pooped.

Here's some images from the ride across 520.

And the final bike ride of the trio (80% chance of rain or 100% exhaustion tomorrow). Through the Univ of WA campus to the 520 Floating bridge across Lake Washington to the east side enclaves of the rich and richer.... Looking east toward the Cascades. Looking west back to the Olympics. Looking north to Mt Baker at the Canadian Border and looking south to Mt Rainier, all 14.000+ feet of it. Husky Stadium. But we start off with today's cooking project - making Rhubarb Syrup for use in Gin and Tonic!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Latest news!

Jacek dislikes Vado SL. It is not about the e-bike power. My Vado SL is too small for him in the first place. Secondly, he is totally spoilt by wide tyres and the full suspension of his Trance E+, and he believes my Vado SL is shaky on the bike paths here (even with the Redshift system). Now, he will commute on my big Vado with those extremely comfy Electrak 2.0" tyres (deflated). Meanwhile, I'm collecting Vado SL, as I need it for my daily rides. I will keep the Monster for a while, so I can attend another gravel group ride on May 1st It's getting complicated with all these chargers, battery keys...
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P.S. A fun fact (Sunday): I forgot wearing my Adidas FiveTen for the off-road ride, and set off in ordinary trainers (Skechers). Not exactly the same shoes... but Skechers did their work!

 

[RabH]

Latest news!

Jacek dislikes Vado SL. It is not about the e-bike power. My Vado SL is too small for him in the first place. Secondly, he is totally spoilt by wide tyres and the full suspension of his Trance E+, and he believes my Vado SL is shaky on the bike paths here (even with the Redshift system). Now, he will commute on my big Vado with those extremely comfy Electrak 2.0" tyres (deflated). Meanwhile, I'm collecting Vado SL, as I need it for my daily rides. I will keep the Monster for a while, so I can attend another gravel group ride on May 1st It's getting complicated with all these chargers, battery keys...
----------
P.S. A fun fact (Sunday): I forgot wearing my Adidas FiveTen for the off-road ride, and set off in ordinary trainers (Skechers). Not exactly the same shoes... but Skechers did their work!

This reminds me of a bike swap I made years ago, although I'm talking about motorbikes! I had a road bike and my friend had a trail bike (on *cough* and off road) and he let me have a ride on it in a field, I was in love instantly! He asked to try my bike on the road and he too was in love, we decided to swap there and then! Every spare moment I took the bike to the trails and it was just so much fun, then we decided to go for a road trip...I hated it on the road! It was useless, 50mph top speed and it handled like a truck! By comparison my bike was capable of 80mph (it was only a 125cc) and it cornered as if it was on rails! I then had to talk him into swapping back which didn't go down well, I ended up getting a proper off road bike to use only on the trails and kept my road bike for many years! The moral of the story is, if you buy a road bike don't expect it to perform off road without changing it into a mountain bike!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

On the positive note, Jacek has returned the Vado SL shining from cleanliness, with the chain looking as new, etc He has even replaced the brake pads! Now, as he is to ride the big Vado, he makes it not only clean but perfect, too. He has even verified my Third Party Liability Insurance for validity!

Yes, the insurance is valid Several people have asked me whether my number plate was real or fake...

 

[Anna]

On the positive note, Jacek has returned the Vado SL shining from cleanliness, with the chain looking as new, etc He has even replaced the brake pads! Now, as he is to ride the big Vado, he makes it not only clean but perfect, too. He has even verified my Third Party Liability Insurance for validity!

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Yes, the insurance is valid Several people have asked me whether my number plate was real or fake...

Stefan, I need a brother like yours! 3 hour drive off the mountain to get help changing out an inner tube…again…couldn’t get tyre off myself.
Evidence of spring. It has been a frosty winter.

 

[Prairie Dog]

@BlackHand and @kahn – I’m envious of anyone who lives near or close enough to ride to such wonderful coastal settings. It’s still pretty brown here and the scenery is pretty blah in comparison.

My wife and I did still manage to knock off a metric century today 80 km of which was without the aid of PAS as we started our ride off in the historic town of Lacombe, AB.

Once underway, our ride would involve a loop around Gull Lake and through the hamlet of Bentley. If it wasn’t for a very strong headwind on the southern return leg, we would likely have been able to complete the entire ride without help from the Creo batteries.

It's hard to tell but my bike is actually leaning against that mural wall.

I really love what the town of Lacombe has done in retaining the authenticity of this historic smithy. It's the oldest operational blacksmith shop in Alberta (circa 1902).

The resort town of Gull Lake. Nothing much to write home about here folks and parts of the lake were still frozen. There was not a soul around which made for a serene stopover for lunch.

Not sure if these were alpacas or llamas being tended to on this enterprising hobby farm. The cute custom-built barn for the animals complete with cupolas looked well cared for as did the animals.

The Monkey Top Saloon. Bentley's infamous watering hole appears to be popular spot with the biker crowd.

These vestiges of snow are a constant reminder that weather here can be unpredictable. More snow is expected to fall this Friday but I expect it to be short lived with the temps remaining well above freezing.

Still miles to go before we arrive back in Lacombe.



Nothing beats a already prepared meal after a ride especially when it’s homemade. We tucked into a generous helping of my red Thai curry with chicken, cauliflower, potatoes, fire roasted tomatoes and baby spinach. The delectable broth made from coconut milk and veg broth was soaked up by a bed of Jasmine rice underneath.

Keepin’ dessert simple with scoops of vanilla ice cream smothered with warm blueberry sauce with a splash of maple syrup. As if it wasn’t sweet enough.

 

[kahn]

@BlackHand and @kahn – I’m envious of anyone who lives near or close enough to ride to such wonderful coastal settings. It’s still pretty brown here and the scenery is pretty blah in comparison.

My wife and I did still manage to knock off a metric century today 80 km of which was without the aid of PAS as we started our ride off in the historic town of Lacombe, AB.

Once underway, our ride would involve a loop around Gull Lake and through the hamlet of Bentley. If it wasn’t for a very strong headwind on the southern return leg, we would likely have been able to complete the entire ride without help from the Creo batteries.

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It's hard to tell but my bike is actually leaning against that mural wall.
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I really love what the town of Lacombe has done in retaining the authenticity of this historic smithy. It's the oldest operational blacksmith shop in Alberta (circa 1902).

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The resort town of Gull Lake. Nothing much to write home about here folks and parts of the lake were still frozen. There was not a soul around which made for a serene stopover for lunch.

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Not sure if these were alpacas or llamas being tended to on this enterprising hobby farm. The cute custom-built barn for the animals complete with cupolas looked well cared for as did the animals.

View attachment 121412

The Monkey Top Saloon. Bentley's infamous watering hole appears to be popular spot with the biker crowd.

View attachment 121413

These vestiges of snow are a constant reminder that weather here can be unpredictable. More snow is expected to fall this Friday but I expect it to be short lived with the temps remaining well above freezing.

View attachment 121414

Still miles to go before we arrive back in Lacombe.

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Nothing beats a already prepared meal after a ride especially when it’s homemade. We tucked into a generous helping of my red Thai curry with chicken, cauliflower, potatoes, fire roasted tomatoes and baby spinach. The delectable broth made from coconut milk and veg broth was soaked up by a bed of Jasmine rice underneath.

View attachment 121416

Keepin’ dessert simple with scoops of vanilla ice cream smothered with warm blueberry sauce with a splash of maple syrup. As if it wasn’t sweet enough.

View attachment 121417

You've done well in spite of REAL water being hundreds of miles away. That was some fantastic day completed with some fine looking food. Love the his/her Creo's. NICE.

But I, too, am envious of Dave Berry's ( @David Berry ) coastal adventures of rare and exotic trees, flowers and birds. But, also, of those Brits who seem to find wonderful vistas in Jolly Ol' England. Can I do an @Brits (to get their attention?

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Prairie Dog, the twins are looking great! But where’s the tool bag?

 

[Surly]

Here you go @kahn

 

[Bill G]

I'm currently (4/26/2022) on South Hutchinson Island in Ft. Pierce, FL. The Island is very narrow and has the Atlantic on one side and the Indian River (actually a really long lagoon)on the other. Our condo is on A1A, which is my usual out and back ride. No hills, but often strong winds. There are several unpaved tracks that loop between A1A and the Indian River and I tried one today. I usually had the Indian River on one side and mosquito control canals on the other. Mangrove trees border all of the waterways. Nice ride and will be nicer once I'm more comfortable going through sandy patches. Next month I'll be back at my primary home in Upstate NY about 6 miles south of Lake George. There are hills and farms there.

 

[kahn]

Here you go @kahn

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Thanks - remarkable vista.

 

[Prairie Dog]

@kahn- You've done well in spite of REAL water being hundreds of miles away. That was some fantastic day completed with some fine looking food. Love the his/her Creo's. NICE.

But I, too, am envious of Dave Berry's ( @David Berry ) coastal adventures of rare and exotic trees, flowers and birds.

Totally agree. I’m a big fan of @David Berry ‘s coastal adventures as well and am all too familiar with his adept talent with the lens. I should have been more explicit of that in my initial post.

Conditions were decent for our first century of the year and it was remarkably warm out (17C) despite how gloomy the conditions might appear to be in the photos. However, afternoon wind gusts of over 40 kph made the ride back somewhat challenging. The fields are still far too wet for the farmers to venture out with their heavy equipment to start seeding. Hopefully things will begin to look a bit greener in the coming weeks.

@Saratoga Dave - Prairie Dog, the twins are looking great! But where’s the tool bag?

I started out carrying my kit in a saddle bag but found it more convenient toting it inside a compact 7L hydration pack instead. As for the twins, they’re virtually inseparable and rarely venture out on their own. BTW, love the color scheme on your ride.

 

[DiggyGun]

But, also, of those Brits who seem to find wonderful vistas in Jolly Ol' England. Can I do an @Brits (to get their attention?

I’m listening and at attention…

 

[Saratoga Dave]

I need to fly Dave Berry up here to take a proper picture of this bike. The color really is amazing.

 

[Surly]

Rearing the next generation of geese for Canada. Are these part of Brexit trade talks?

And a Heron for @BlackHand

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Friends,
What Jacek does to my e-bikes is just amazing. Let's start with the Vado SL. He managed to modify the e-bike to fit his own needs for the weekend; then he totally "unmodified" it, returning the e-bike to me in the original configuration, only clean, maintained, and with fixed brakes. But not only that.

-- Bro -- he said -- buy the Jagwire 1x Pro Shift Cable Kit and make it delivered to me. You're going to lose the shifting if I don't fix it!
Later, I'm giving him a phone call:
-- Bro -- I say -- did you notice that the brake lever and the handlebar remote on my Vado were...
-- Swapped? -- he replied -- Already fixed that haha! I could not fail noticing reaching to the brake lever was rather hard. I have also moved your horn button to the right hand side, where you'd expect to have the bell...

He's thinking faster than the light!

 

[RabH]

The crazy winds have finally abated, it was around 3C when I left but it didn't feel cold due to the lack of wind! I stayed local once again and I was treated to this beautiful sight, they were giving each other a wash! I tried hard but I couldn't get the foal to show its face!

I think I managed to pick the twistiest route possible and I loved every minute, nothing more boring than long straight roads! I decided to head for the loch I take my dad to when the weather is warmer, I was surprised at the lack of ducks and water hens, I think they may have been hiding in the long reeds to keep warm! Hopefully we will get to see all the new borns pretty soon!

I was using some roads I haven't been on for quite some time and forgot how awesome they were, some parts were a bit rough but the good parts like this made up for the bad!

On the way back home I used the cycle path which was very quiet, its so smooth and great fun to ride when you don't have to dodge kids and dogs and sometimes horses!

I should get out on Friday again and make April my best month of the year so far, I only need 28 miles to equal last months 450 miles! 1,485 miles so far from 36 rides which is an average of 41.25 miles per ride!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Been to the Court as a witness in a formal case. I made some effort to look civilized, pulled non-cycling clothes on, the helmet on my head, and rode I off to see Her Honor 30 kms round-trip. The point was the case was urgent (even if formal), so it all was on a short notice!

Before that, I made 20 kms for shopping and leisure. My day was well spent!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

"This Is Not A Bicycle"
Another story! On numerous occasions, I had to explain to other people (especially to drivers) that my Speed Vado "was not a bicycle". It is a moped, even if you have to pedal it to ride. Jacek has understood it in the practical terms only today!

Jacek has strong legs, so he can max the powerful motor out even in the Sport mode easily. He was commuting home, and expertly deeply leaned to the side to corner on an roundabout at speed of 44 km/h (27.3 mph). Despite of warm air, the pavement was very cold and slippery. As Jacek reported "the Vado rode on its own while I remained on the pavement"...

Fortunately, no harm to Jacek's body and no damage to the e-bike. Crestfallen, Jacek reached home and wrote a post on Strava:

"This is not a bicycle!" Average speed of 32.3 km/h (20 mph), top speed 45.6 km/h (28.3 mph).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

"An Aware Roadie"

As Jacek commutes to work on my Vado with the traffic, he has to take a short bike path segment near to his business. Today, he had to stop for awhile there.
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Funny thing is that while I enjoy riding my Speed Vado on-road and perceive those e-bike rides as smooth (especially with the lowly inflated Electraks), Jacek's Garmin treated the bike path vibration as a crash and was trying to send messages to my brother's son Jacek stopped to switch the feature off.
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And he was approached by a road cyclist, who also stopped to talk. The guy took a look at the number plate:
-- Hey, should you be there in the first place? -- he demanded.
-- Heck, no! -- Jacek replied -- but do you ask me to ride with that dense traffic in Połczyńska?
-- Oh, I see... Good luck!

Unbelievable. A road cyclist could understand he saw a moped not a bicycle. And so many drivers honk at me when I ride the Vado with the traffic. Are they blind or what?!