Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[DaveMatthews]

"Come on, stink!"

Take a whif on me, that ain't no rose
Roll up your window and hold your nose!

 

[Readytoride]

Delayed too long this morning for a ride. Had to take a truck full of demo'ed 36 year old insect riddled and age cracked barn boards (off our carriage house) to the landfill early this morning just as the facility opened. The line to the scales was 13 vehicles long. It was 31 vehicles long by the time we had offloaded all the old boards, paid and left. Stopped to get some diesel for the truck and put 8 gallons in the tank. $50 worth. I gritted my teeth and bore it, thankful for the truck when it was really needed, and for our electric car for everything else. Got home and hubby wanted to rip down some of the new 10'x12" barn boards into 3 1/2" wide battens for the new siding. A 2 person job with the table saw. Meanwhile the heat and humidity outside was mounting by the second. Then he wanted to put up some corner pieces while the side of the carriage house was still in shade. Again, a 2 person job.

By the time we finished the thermometer was touching 90°f (32°c). The humidity was off the charts awful. And we were both whipped.

So...no bike ride. Again.

Maybe tonight I'll attempt a ride ... if the temps stop climbing. It is 92°f now. Same forecast for tomorrow. Then rain (again)

But here is a gratuitous photo of the newly renovated 21'x27' carriage house we've been working on since early May (and the 2nd reason why I haven't been riding my bikes as much - the 1st reason being all the excessive rain day after day after day and then on the sunny days we were mowing the farm fields etc every other day it seemed AND getting work done on the carriage house): the old exterior being demo'ed (a sledge hammer was needed to get the old boards off), old window replaced by a door, new barn board going up, and now waiting for the trim and the battens (once we rip them down) to be nailed on. Have to wait for the heat to break first. Working outside sawing, fitting, nailing, and hammering is brutal right now. Upper garden was left fallow due to the exterior work space needed.

My bikes will move from the garage to the carriage house once it's finished - and will be parked alongside our 5 antique horse drawn carriages (temporarily stored in the barn) that will have half the building. The other half will be a brand new workshop for hubby with plenty of floor space.

I did manage to grab last Saturday for myself to join in the 20/26/34 mile group ebike ride. 11 members, a perfect day, and a very memorable, fun ride that was incredibly challenging (difficult) on the paved assent up to the summit of the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland, and then on the rough washed out interior gravel roads running along the crest in an endless gorgeous woodland with full rushing streams on both sides. I was planning on doing the 26 because I haven't been riding much at all due to other more pressing and time sensitive commitments. But when the assent sucked my battery down to just 52% for the first 7 miles - it sucked at least half the life of the batteries of everyone - several of us were going for the 26 opted to switch over to the 20.

More photos (taken by others) from the ride:

 

[kahn]

Short ride on a hot (90°!) day to run a few errands and make sure the battery is down to about 60% before putting the Flow away until the fall . Heading back to WA and the La Free tomorrow.

I'm going to miss my Flow - I think I might actually prefer it to the La Free ! Maybe I'll feel different after a few rides around the fair isle of Whidbey???

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Welcome to this home. We are just skirting 90F at a whooping 60F . I had to zip up my wind shirt on yesterday's 21 mile ride across 520 to Medina and Hunts Point.

But it was finally time for something else...

A hike (and am I out of shape unless you count ROUND as being in shape) to Rattlesnake Ledge and a view of Mt Si and a view east toward the Cascades.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Take a whif on me, that ain't no rose
Roll up your window and hold your nose!

Cant roll up the windows on a bike.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Cant roll up the windows on a bike.

Stinkin' to high heaven!

 

[Mulezen]

My friend who took his first ride on an ebike last week was back for more punishment...which he promptly delivered to me now that he got the hang of the shifting...mechanical and electronic. Today on our 20 miles he was no longer a follower instead pushing me a bit faster than my desire. After hearing me tell of the other friend last week's 36mph he tried on several hills to beat it but gave up on 33mph. I didn't have the breath to tell him not all hills are created equal. Funny how almost 50 years ago the two of them competed against each other in the Nationals (Olympic Lifting).
I will get a better picture of the giant fowl trailer soon...hopefully with someone outside to pose with a big one.

 

[PatriciaK]

From Italy to Croatia on Two Wheels https://www.nytimes.com/interactive..._ecXhgbh3CWZgLo-hBpJZVJFvx1UssAQnKaCgoqKLpHF_

Hope it's not paywalled - using the gift share option.

Looks like a wonderful ride!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Welcome to this home. We are just skirting 90F at a whooping 60F . I had to zip up my wind shirt on yesterday's 21 mile ride across 520 to Medina and Hunts Point.

But it was finally time for something else...

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A hike (and am I out of shape unless you count ROUND as being in shape) to Rattlesnake Ledge and a view of Mt Si and a view east toward the Cascades.

Awesome views there @kahn. Now that is something else!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Another unassisted hilly(ish) morning ride, this time an out-and-back along a less frequented township road. Hoping for good weather tomorrow as we take on some bigger hills in Banff National Park.

 

[Chargeride]

Came to post a sulk, the wife booked a few days in the Peak district, I checked the weather..rain..so left the bike and gopro at home.

She was secretive about the accomodation, turns out we had the top floor of North Lees Hall, a 16th century building used by Charlotte Bronte as inspiration for Thornfield Hall in 'Jane Eyre'.

And now its an Airnbnb guesthouse, how things have changed.

So we climb up the nearby Stangate edge, which looks completely walker territory, only for me to find its entirely a bridle path with bike access

So we had a fantastic walk along the stunning outcrop for miles, incredibly remote once we'd left the touristy bit, the entire time Im moaning how I could have ridden the path, until I started getting a bit annoying and shut up.

The Peak District is kind of the second cousin to the Lakes in England and gladly doesnt get the publicity it deserves.

I'll be back with the bike and my drone, see if I can crash both

It was a mile walk through utterly gorgeous countryside to the town...which was also a bike path!!!
In the dark walking back after much beer and food was a terrible uphill slog, I was hallucinating having the bike to whizz me up the trail.
This pic was taken in practically the pitch black while drunk, incredible that my bottom of the range, 100 quid phone has an auto night vision mode that gives results like this, I could barely see the house myself.
Even the sky was dark, it holds the shutter for 5 seconds, but stabilises for you...amazing for the price.

Im off to Lakes with the Tribe next week and the bike is going with me no matter what, I cant take this walking uphill malarkey.

 

[DiggyGun]

Came to post a sulk, the wife booked a few days in the Peak district, I checked the weather..rain..so left the bike and gopro at home.

She was secretive about the accomodation, turns out we had the top floor of North Lees Hall, a 16th century building used by Charlotte Bronte as inspiration for Thornfield Hall in 'Jane Eyre'.

Nice accommodation.

We did the opposite for our cycling Honeymoon in April this year, starting with a week in the Lakes followed by a week in the Peaks. But we stayed in Premier Inns.

Enjoy the Lakes and where will you be staying?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

North Lees Hall, a 16th century building used by Charlotte Bronte as inspiration for Thornfield Hall in 'Jane Eyre'.

What I admire about the English people is they can make a museum out of anything

How can you make a museum of someone who has never existed? Yet, we love to believe in magic, and gladly pay the tickets.
In the Sherlock Holmes Museum, May 21st 2022, Baker Street 221b, London, England.

Dr. John Watson, Irene Adler, Sherlock Holmes.

Who of these three guys would win a street race you think? My bets are on the Asian! (See the proportion: two e-bikes and one trad bike). All wearing the helmet. And the traditional bike is of course a road bike.
Waterloo Bridge/Strand by Somerset House London, May 28th 2022.

One of the public share city e-bikes. Southwark, London (south of the Thames). May 20th 2022.

Here's a comment of a friend, John from Brixton: "Because of the street congestion, and basicaly short distances in the city, the bike is the fastest means of transportation in London".

 

[Chargeride]

yes, and hilariously we complete ignore or lose interest in actual epic figures of history.
The prime minister of England at the absolute height of Empire is buried in a tiny church with a small urn on it and doesnt even mention he was a politician.
One of Faradays plaques was removed for a bypass and they stuck it back on underneath the concrete monstrosity where no one can see it without jumping over a fence.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The prime minister of England at the absolute height of Empire is buried in a tiny church with a small urn on it and doesnt even mention he was a politician.

If we are talking about the same man, he at least got his name for a big city in Australia.
Or, do you mean Sir Robert Peel?
Lord John Russell?

 

[Readytoride]

I was determined to beat the heat this morning. Which meant rising with the sun around 5:45am. Walked the dogs first at 6am - I had one with recent surgery and he's still in his 2 weeks of confinement and only allowed short, leashed walks. By 6:45 we were back in the house, dogs had their treats and had snuggled back in their beds for an early morning snooze, and I was writing a note on the back of an envelope to let my still sleeping husband know that I was heading out for a bike ride around the block and would be back by 7:30 a.m.

I couldn't have picked a better time. Despite the forecast for another 90+°(f) scorcher, the morning air was as cool and crisp as an autumn day. I took the gravel road loop for the peace and quiet since my ride was technically right at the start of rush hour and the paved road would have seen more fast moving cars and trucks than I'd like. The morning traffic rarely uses the gravel roads, so any cars I encountered were few and far between. Plus the back roads scenery is serenely beautiful.

The county roads department had apparently had my 8 mile loop on its calendar for grading because every mile of road surface was freshly scuffed up and turned over, presenting a rough ride. Still, I was happy to take my time enjoying the solitude. Even overhead the skies were empty except for two faraway early morning flights, both westward bound.

My ride's only disadvantage was the strong rising sunlight was very harsh when it hit me sideways, and made it difficult to see the road. Not even my sunglasses helped. At times I felt like I was riding blind unless I shaded my face with my hand. The routes were mostly tree shaded, thankfully, but with the roads being so roughed up by the recent grading any moments of sun induced blindness made riding the gravel difficult. I decided any other morning rides needed to be earlier when the sun was less high in the sky and the shade was deeper.

The pesky flies, emboldened by the recent heat, were already up with the sun and bothersome to every equine enroute. However, the stable manager for this farm had the horses fully prepared from ears to tail for the onslaught, and his suited-up charges were thus grazing unmolested and undisturbed until I stopped to take a quick snapshot.

A grouping of cat tails blooming in a roadside ditch.

I had just remounted from taking this shot when another cyclist, a local, came up behind me and said good morning. He was riding a mountain bike and as he passed me with a grin I could see he was already drenched in sweat. I caught up to him quickly and we talked as we rode along. He'd only given himself an hour for a quick ride but had to get home because he had a business flight to take this morning. I wished him a good flight as I left him behind on a hill. My driveway was just ahead and I pulled in a few minutes past 7:30am, with only a trace of sweat. The heat was starting to make itself known, but my early morning ride had escaped the heat and humidity trap completely.

Next time the temps are due to hit the 90s again I'll ride at 6:30am and see how that goes.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

90 F!
It is 6:20 am on June 2nd here and the temperature is 60 F (15 C) now...
I often say the Spring has not happened to Poland for many years. It is a long cold season and a short summer later.

 

[Prairie Dog]

A quick stopover at Gap Lake along Hwy 1A on our way to the town of Canmore, AB. The forecast has been downgraded to possible showers tomorrow which might shorten or pre-empt our ride around Banff. Fingers crossed.

 

[kahn]

A quick stopover at Gap Lake along Hwy 1A on our way to the town of Canmore, AB. The forecast has been downgraded to possible showers tomorrow which might shorten or pre-empt our ride around Banff. Fingers crossed.

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First, I hope your weather cooperates.

Second, why post those boring pictures of Gap Lake with the humdrum background!!!!

 

[DiggyGun]

As it was the start of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations and Mrs DG had a surprise day off, we decided to go out cycling for the day.

We ended up at the Millennium Park which is in the Martston Forest near Bedford.

We’ve been here many times before as it’s not too far from us with good parking. It is some old clay pits that were used for making bricks.

The area has been re-instated as environmental centre in the forest. There’s walks, cycle paths, nature trails, bird watching and water sports, so a bit for everybody.

The route is not long, being about 4.3 miles, so we do it a number of times, this time we did it four times. Plus a couple of picnic stops along the way.

It was also another opportunity to do a shake down of Mrs DGs new bike, pleasing to report that no further adjustments were necessary.

The weather was very kind to us with temperatures being around 17oC and sunny with no wind, so very pleasant.

 

[RabH]

This ride is dedicated to my dear old dad who passed away peacefully on May 30th 2022...

After losing my dear old dad at the start of the week I really needed a ride to clear my head, it was another windy day and today it was from the east! I was actually fully expecting to get wet today but my luck was in and the misty conditions evaporated eventually and it brightened up a little!

The first 22 miles were into a 25-30mph headwind, was I glad when I turned to have that wind behind me? You bet I was and what a return ride it was, I decided to check out some new roads and I wasn't disappointed!

I have passed this road many times and today I decided it was time to check it out, what a shock I got when I turned the corner to see this! Of course the camera doesn't do it justice, it was just over 20% despite Ridewithgps saying my max grade was 15.7%...

This is my kind of road, at the top I joined the road I have cycled many times so I knew what was in store and today I had that wind behind me, its a huge downhill where I have reached 40 mph+ many times! Well today I was unlucky as I was closing in on 45mph some cars ahead had me on the brakes, I'm sure I could have hit 50mph today...another day maybe!

This is the hill from the opposite direction!

There are some nice views around this area, its not just the roads that are awesome!

The hill I descended at 44.3mph can be seen in the distance here, it doesn't look that steep huh?

I was now back on familiar roads but once again I decided to try a new road and this turned out to be spectacular with big ups and downs and twists and turns, it eventually led me to Beecraigs Country Park which I know really well!

I was now heading for another twisty road I know very well, this one is also very steep and a lot of fun to ride!

The cork screw which always reminds me of Laguna Seca, except for the weather!

It was very surreal today, for the first time in years I had no time constraints as dad wasn't awaiting my return! It will take some getting used to but I know he is in a better place now! What a fantastic ride I had despite the windy conditions, the roads were just sublime!

My Ridewithgps recap for the month of May, not many rides but my best month of the year so far mileage wise!