Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Chargeride]

Im glad your back Dave, obviously I thought you'd been eaten by a crocodile and then I thought when they eventually captured it, could they post the last pics on the forum.

 

[kahn]

omg, those watch towers, my childhood dream to leave society behind and live in one for good, but that one needs a lift

That is about one of the tallest around. Most were torn down as planes became the fire spotters. The upper level is open for rental and is quite spacious. I've seen where you ride - you do not need a lift. You could probably ride your bike up those steps. While I was there, a renter exited to use the facility, down all those steps and to the SEAT hidden in the trees! I did comment that these days that would be my downfall as I have to make a few trips overnight.

Jack Kerouac lived in one, one summer in a fairly desolate, remote wilderness and wrote about it. I've got more pictures of some wonderful towers I've hiked to. Come on over.

 

[RabH]

@Readytoride Congrats on your new steed, I hope you have many miles of fun riding it! After your post I won't complain about our paltry 45mph winds...

 

[Readytoride]

@Readytoride Congrats on your new steed, I hope you have many miles of fun riding it! After your post I won't complain about our paltry 45mph winds...

Thank you! Its a sweet riding bike with a lot of interesting technology that I'm still exploring. I'm excited about being able to do more organized gravel road rides and metric century rides since I also purchased a 2nd battery for the bike. The Vado can go back to being strictly a metric century paved road ride. The LaFree can be the stay-at-home-around-the-block ride, or fill in for the half century gravel rides.

I think I've covered all the bases.

I'm going to test charge the LaFree battery off of an inverter attached to a marine battery before the next power outage. Want to see if it's possible, and how much charge I can get out of the 12 volt. I can recharge the marine battery via a set of portable solar panels...as long as the sun is out. Of course, I can always plug the bike's charging unit into our gas powered generator when it is running...but where's the fun in that? More interesting to see if the "green technology" is capable.

Those 90+ mph winds were probably the highest ever recorded in northern and central Virginia. Previous record holding wind was 88mph from a hurricane. Trees came down across interstate roads, major arteries, and power lines shutting off power to over 100k homes and businesses. I dont think the winds were expected by the forecasters to be that high. It made a mess from Richmond to Washington DC.

From now on any 40-50mph winds are going to feel like a summer breeze!

 

[Mulezen]

Jack Kerouac lived in one, one summer in a fairly desolate, remote wilderness and wrote about it. I've got more pictures of some wonderful towers I've hiked to. Come on over.

Edward Abbey spent many summers working the fire towers while he wrote

 

[kahn]

Okay, totally off topic and totally off the bike. Some shown from below with only a glimpse.

Mt Pilchuck 3
Hidden Lakes Peak 4
Green Mt 3 (someone screwed up the foundation work rebuilding and it tipped off under snow load - removed completely and then restored after controversy)
Fremont Lookout - Mt Rainier National Park 4
Thorp Mt 2
Granite Mt 3
Park Butte - Mt Baker 3

 

[Stefan Mikes]

How Naughty I Was...

First of all, I took a chance for a Sunday Vado SL ride because...

...The Klimatyczna Café celebrated its 3rd anniversary! Here with the owner, Mrs. Ewa.

Non riding is taking a devastating effect on my legs. I'm scared the left leg might be soon jeopardized. It was a hot day with 30+ C temperatures. My leg was hurting, I was swearing but riding to activate the leg.

At some point, riding upwind rather slowly, I was overtaken by two roadies. And then I woke up. SL Turbo on and hard pedalling. I was "sitting on the wheel" of the second man of the pack. How nervous he became Mind you, it was only a Vado SL! Sometimes, I'm just a naughty person...

 

[PatriciaK]

Today's ride:



It was just stunningly gorgeous on the island today, so I'll let the pictures do most of the talking !

South to Mount Rainier:


East to Mount Baker:


Penn Cove with the Olympic Mountains behind:


Obligatory bike shot of the two La Frees:


Great blue heron:


When it's nice here, it's really, REALLY nice !

 

[ChezCheese:)]

To anyone concerned:
Finland is located in a very inconvenient corner of the world. Despite of the cruel 1918 Civil War and the 1939 aggression of the Soviet Union, the country managed to become one of the most democratic and European Union countries where politicians are to find solutions instead of fighting one another. An expensive country with free health service and education, the latter involving inexpensive Universities.

I was truly impressed.

Well, they must be very brave people - - note that sculpture of nude blacksmiths whacking away at red hot iron...

 

[Twin Valley]

A Prairie Creek beach - with school holidays starting in 2 days the local kids will cover this sandy spot for the next two months - @Diggyguns note the lunch kit we can also have picnics across the pond in the colonies but unfortunately it contained only healthy items which I blame on a recent cholesterol test

 

[Stefan Mikes]

My newly purchased Gazelle C380+ had arrived and was ready for pickup.

I seem not to have seen the pics of your new Gazelle, Flora?

Well, they must be very brave people - - note that sculpture of nude blacksmiths whacking away at red hot iron...

The funny things about that 1932 statue are:
1. The master blacksmith keeping red-hot iron in his hand
2. The guys standing as closely to one another as they would rather smash their heads with the hammers than forge the iron


1930s was a strange time to art in many countries. There was the Italian Fascism. There was the German Nazism. There was the Soviet Socialist Realism. (The Norwegian sculptor Vigeland created a huge collection of sculptures of naked men, women and children with no love but rather hatred and violence already in 1920s). Many artefacts from the era present naked raw human power. The only thing making the Soviet Socrealism different was Soviets didn't dare to show naked human bodies. "The Three Blacksmiths" is at least pleasing to the eye.

What is sad is the thought the worst was yet to come for Finland back there in 1932.

The statue was damaged in a bombing during the Continuation War in 1944. Marks of the damage can still be seen in the base of the statue, and the anvil has a hole caused by a bomb shrapnel.

Thinking of the 1939 Soviet-Finnish Winter War, the Continuation War, the loss of the Finnish Karelia to the Soviet Union and the later "Finlandization", no-one would tell me Russia was ever a decent country. (I say this in the context of the recent war in Ukraine).

 

[Prairie Dog]

Carstairs Loop – Farmland Vistas

It was a glorious summer day for a ride in the country as my sister, BIL from Calgary, and my wife and I took to the rural roads outside the town of Carstairs, AB in Mountain View County. We were all riding our e-bikes but on this day my better half and I rode the entire distance without PAS.

Despite it being Sunday, the traffic was light and most of the time we had the roads to ourselves. We began by setting out along a 20km stretch of township road surrounded by acres and acres of lush farmland and a nice view of the snow-capped mountains in the distance.

Oh give me a home…..This herd of bison appeared content as they quietly went about their business grazing on this tract of pasture grass.

Today’s ride was all about the fertile fields that flanked us on both sides and given the recent rains, it’s evident that the farmers are off to a good start.

Those who work the fields never seem to stray far even on a Sunday.

This road seemed to lead a direct path to the mountains. It would have to wait another day…sigh.

Not all of the roads were paved smooth but this stretch of gravel proved to be rather enjoyable at the time if it wasn't for the cloud of dust raised by an oncoming vehicle.



We saw this muley running for its deer life away from the tractor. It was no contest as it came up on to the road shortly after then jumped the fence on the other side of the road. It looked bewildered and likely was thinking what was all the fuss about.

No trip along this route would be the same without a visit to Pasu Farms. One of the many operations that provide quality food products and goods to visitors both local and abroad.
http://www.pasu.com/

Heading back to Carstairs after a stellar day on the road.

 

[Friserando]

looking for some shade

 

[RabH]

@Prairie Dog What a beautiful place to ride your bike, that was quite an effort to ride without assist with all those ups and downs! Hopefully you can go back there one day and enjoy those awesome rolling roads up into the hills!


My legs had recovered from last weeks epic ride but the weather wasn't looking at all promising, (same all week actually) but I made my mind up that I was going no matter what! I got everything ready and just as I planted my backside on the saddle the rain started, it was looking rather bleak to the west and the south so I headed east as I mostly do anyway and managed to outrun the rain pretty quickly! As I was cycling along I was scanning around me to see where the worst of the rain was and I managed around 24 miles before there was little chance of avoiding it anymore! This will give you an idea of what I was facing....

Anyway I soldiered on and thankfully it wasn't that heavy at this point, as I approached the town of Linlithgow it started to get heavy! I could have stopped for shelter here but I decided to brave it as it wasn't cold so I cycled on and the next thing a roadie appeared alongside me, nice bike he cried! I said its a shame the weather isn't nice to which he replied, it is Scotland after all! He was asking me loads of questions about my bike and was very impressed that I had covered more than 20,000 miles in 4 years! We carried on through the rain for a few miles where we finally parted and I said we might see each other on these roads again!

I stopped for a snack and the rain actually stopped at this point! I then headed for the local hills and then I could see the roadie in the distance again, as I was climbing now I was catching him quickly and I saw him look back and he gave me a wave! He crested the climb not far ahead of me and it was then downhill, I was actually catchin him up at this point but I was turning at the next junction and he went straight on! I waved him a goodbye and he returned the favour, he was such a nice guy! I think he missed out not going the same way as me as this road was recently repaired and its mostly downhill! Amazingly the rain hadn't reached here so I had a lovely dry descent!

A few miles on and I was back into the rain, the roads were pretty wet now but I was really enjoying my ride!

Another few miles on and the rain stopped again and the roads dried pretty quickly, its always a good sign when you can see the hills!

I arrived home dry thankfully and very pleased I took the chance with the weather, I'm hoping I can get another ride in before the month is over but its not looking good for the next few days! I'm prepared to get wet again though so watch this space! I used the cycle path at the start of my ride and passed the Hillend Loch, I was shocked to see how low the water was! I have never seen it so low in all my years, its not like the weather has been dry....

 

[Prairie Dog]

I arrived home dry thankfully and very pleased I took the chance with the weather, I'm hoping I can get another ride in before the month is over but its not looking good for the next few days! I'm prepared to get wet again though so watch this space! I used the cycle path at the start of my ride and passed the Hillend Loch, I was shocked to see how low the water was! I have never seen it so low in all my years, its not like the weather has been dry....

Consider yourself in good company as the weather here doesn’t look any better for the remainder of the week. We were set to ride the Highwood Pass in K-Country this week but it’s not looking too promising with a high probability of rain in the forecast.

It’s hard to fathom folks here can still get out on the ski slopes in July!

Banff Sunshine Village Opens for Summer Skiing and Snowboarding

With over 900 cm of snow accumulating over the course of the winter at Banff Sunshine Village, the famous Banff resort finds itself able to open for some...

www.globenewswire.com

 

[kahn]

Consider yourself in good company as the weather here doesn’t look any better for the remainder of the week. We were set to ride the Highwood Pass in K-Country this week but it’s not looking too promising with a high probability of rain in the forecast.

It’s hard to fathom folks here can still get out on the ski slopes in July!

Banff Sunshine Village Opens for Summer Skiing and Snowboarding

With over 900 cm of snow accumulating over the course of the winter at Banff Sunshine Village, the famous Banff resort finds itself able to open for some...

www.globenewswire.com

Way back when - we use to telemark at Sunshine as a relief from backcountry climbing and descending.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

A reminder of times past…

5:00 pm; Noosa River
Tewantin, QLD, Australia​

Late in the afternoon as I was riding Homage #1 back to our holiday accommodation, I spied this trailer yacht moored in the Tewantin stretch of the Noosa River. It was uncannily similar to the little boat that I had built forty years ago and sailed with my father right here. Mine was blue and cream—almost the same colours—with bright teak trim and a mainsail stowed beneath a blue cover. Memories!

I paused beside the old casuarina tree at the river's edge, rummaged through the pannier for a slice of homemade fruit cake and a flask of hot warmish chocolate drink (as important amongst every bikes emergency supplies as spare tubes and multitools).

At this shivery cold time of the year the forestry authorities do selective 'cool burns' to reduce accumulated forest floor litter (fuel for wildfires!). Provided the resultant smoke cloud is directly between the setting sun and where you are relaxing—enjoying aforementioned fuel for famished ebikers—you'll be treated to a golden end to the day.

I’ll head off somewhere tomorrow in search of a smouldering cool burn: an excuse for the next ebike ride as well as a memory from the last one!

 

[PatriciaK]

Another training ride - a shortish one for me, but cycling buddy lives almost 5 miles from where we met, so she's got some on me today! Will have to make that up later this week!

Taking a day off tomorrow, then meeting a new ebike friend for coffee and this same ride again with us on Wednesday... The beginnings of a riding group, perhaps ?

More pretty Cascade mountain view scenery:




Bike shot - we'll be adding an Aventon on Wednesday :



And, the ride:



A little weather change tomorrow - cooling off considerably - so happy to have seized these gorgeous days!

 

[Kayakguy]

Well, you can call it, but it won't come... That is definitely a grizzly. The shape of the head, the ears - - very different from a polar bear. Not to mention its neighborhood.

Sadly, the polar bears may be nearing extinction. I've heard they have started to hybridize with grizzlies, so maybe more white ones will start to show up (in the far north, of course).

 

[Chargeride]

Quiet day, really hot breeze, so nipped down the beach and the sand was just right.

Watch yad2g4 | Streamable

Watch this video on Streamable.

streamable.com