Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Chargeride]

Im aware no politics

But OMG, Im soooo bored with the Royals in the media now and not a single interviewer has asked what the King thinks about electric bikes , quite an oversight I believe.
C'mon Charlie, make pedal assist 30mph by Royal Decree

 

[PatriciaK]

Another training ride a couple of days ago...



End of season blackberries were a delicious little treat:



Unfortunately, my knee is not much better so now waiting for my doc to check it out - I'm worried about my miniscus and hoping I have time to do some rehab before my ebike tour !

 

[Djangodog]

Another day on the back roads between West Windsor and Woodstock Vermont.

The trees are starting to turn. It’s been a hot and dry summer, so I don’t know if the colors will be vivid this year. This will look very different in a few weeks.

South Woodstock. I don’t know if this is art, but I like it.

More South Woodstock.

Rush Meadow Road, West Windsor, Vermont.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Unfortunately, my knee is not much better so now waiting for my doc to check it out - I'm worried about my miniscus and hoping I have time to do some rehab before my ebike tour !

So sorry to hear that! Get well soon, Pat!

 

[DiggyGun]

Update.

My bike is still off the road, over four weeks now;

• The tubes and tyres have been changed.
• The Enviolo cables have been changed.
• Unfortunately, the speed sensor got broken with the rear wheel being taken off a number of times. The LBS has ordered a new one, but not arrived yet. So they are trying to repair the broken one.

Hoping to get it back this Friday.

DG…

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hoping to get it back this Friday.

Good luck, Diggy!

 

[retiredNH]

Another day on the back roads between West Windsor and Woodstock Vermont.

The trees are starting to turn. It’s been a hot and dry summer, so I don’t know if the colors will be vivid this year. This will look very different in a few weeks.


South Woodstock. I don’t know if this is art, but I like it.


More South Woodstock.


Rush Meadow Road, West Windsor, Vermont.

Lovely series of our beautiful New England. Vermont is much more open than our part of New Hampshire, isn't it? For example, my rides are mostly through pretty dense forest to the edge of the road, with homes scattered back into the forest. Not nearly as photogenic....

 

[Prairie Dog]

There's nothing bad about these lands.

We decided, at the last moment, to make the 1 ½ hour drive from home to the Drumheller Badlands yesterday as the skies appeared to be mostly free of smoke and we knew that traffic would be light now that the hectic holiday traffic was no longer an issue for this popular summer destination.

The 50km loop was relatively benign with the exception of a couple of steeper climbs so, as usual, we departed town non-PAS and only deferred to it on the final push up the second ascent.

Sai makes her way up to the midway point of the first climb. There was still a bit of haze that lingered in the skies but at no time did we ever detect a hint of smoke in the air.

View from the top looking down on the Red Deer River and a backdrop of the steep sloped mesas. Cycling the Badlands has to be one of the best ways to experience this geological wonderland.

Shortly after, we arrived at Horse Thief Canyon we were greeted with more stunning vistas. The drone was the ultimate tool to bring along particularly on this ride.

While we were parking our bikes, it wasn't long before I met up with a few furry acquaintances who treated me just like one of their own.

Then it was off to the Bleriot Ferry where we would hop on for the shortest river crossing of the trip.

Near the midway point on the second climb was another breathtaking view of this otherworldly landscape. All of that elevation gain is translated to lovely downhill stretches that fully compensate for one’s efforts.

The icing on the cake was this stunning aerial shot of the Red Deer River Valley as seen from Orkney Point.

A video tribute to the Drumheller Badlands

 

[reed scott]

There's nothing bad about these lands.

We decided, at the last moment, to make the 1 ½ hour drive from home to the Drumheller Badlands yesterday as the skies appeared to be mostly free of smoke and we knew that traffic would be light now that the hectic holiday traffic was no longer an issue for this popular summer destination.

View attachment 135227

The 50km loop was relatively benign with the exception of a couple of steeper climbs so, as usual, we departed town non-PAS and only deferred to it on the final push up the second ascent.

View attachment 135228
Sai makes her way up to the midway point of the first climb. There was still a bit of haze that lingered in the skies but at no time did we ever detect a hint of smoke in the air.

View attachment 135229

View from the top looking down on the Red Deer River and a backdrop of the steep sloped mesas. Cycling the Badlands has to be one of the best ways to experience this geological wonderland.

View attachment 135230

Shortly after, we arrived at Horse Thief Canyon we were greeted with more stunning vistas. The drone was the ultimate tool to bring along particularly on this ride.

View attachment 135231
View attachment 135232


While we were parking our bikes, it wasn't long before I met up with a few furry acquaintances who treated me just like one of their own.

View attachment 135233

View attachment 135234

Then it was off to the Bleriot Ferry where we would hop on for the shortest river crossing of the trip.

View attachment 135236
View attachment 135235View attachment 135237

Near the midway point on the second climb was another breathtaking view of this otherworldly landscape. All of that elevation gain is translated to lovely downhill stretches that fully compensate for one’s efforts.

View attachment 135239
View attachment 135240

The icing on the cake was this stunning aerial shot of the Red Deer River Valley as seen from Orkney Point.

View attachment 135245

A video tribute to the Drumheller Badlands

WOW !!!

 

[Chargeride]

Im up to my neck in ageing parents and partners, so havent been out on the bike.
Got some pics of my last ride down on the Southern coast.

Never knew this pub existed, you have to ride down a long alley, barely wider than a car to get to it.
God knows how they get the beer delivered, the pub and Tower are 14th century, the tower is the ruined remains of a Chantry.

Before the road was built across the beach, this was actually the main route to nearby Dartmouth, which was the port many of the Crusades were sailed from.

I love that you dont need a sidestand with fat tyres on the beach

The farmers fields go right up to the cliff edges down here, and its not unusual to see cows standing right next to the drop and Ive even seen them trying to push each other off !

I actually considered riding the bike along this to the end, but common sense kicked in, also I had just finished two pints of cider.

This became my go-to spot for breakfast before the crowds moved in, I'd make a bacon sandwich in my dads and ride down, its only about a mile.

Not sure if I've posted this, but there you go, and yes I forgot my helmet.

Im going back down and Im determined to find something new and interesting, Im sure theres loads of places I havent been.
Ive got a few ideas of places to take the bike and probably annoy the locals!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

WOW !!!

+1!!!

 

[Djangodog]

Lovely series of our beautiful New England. Vermont is much more open than our part of New Hampshire, isn't it? For example, my rides are mostly through pretty dense forest to the edge of the road, with homes scattered back into the forest. Not nearly as photogenic....

I do prefer Vermont, but I have some nice gravel riding available from home as well. There are lots of small farms on the back roads. Living 5 minutes from the border gives me some good options.

I hope that you will be able to get out and enjoy the fall colors. A few years ago, a TSA agent was looking through my mostly full passport and asked where I liked the best. I didn’t have to think at all. I just said home. New England will always be home to me.

 

[reed scott]

Im up to my neck in ageing parents and partners, so havent been out on the bike.
Got some pics of my last ride down on the Southern coast.

Never knew this pub existed, you have to ride down a long alley, barely wider than a car to get to it.
God knows how they get the beer delivered, the pub and Tower are 14th century, the tower is the ruined remains of a Chantry.
View attachment 135238

Before the road was built across the beach, this was actually the main route to nearby Dartmouth, which was the port many of the Crusades were sailed from.
View attachment 135241

I love that you dont need a sidestand with fat tyres on the beach
View attachment 135242

The farmers fields go right up to the cliff edges down here, and its not unusual to see cows standing right next to the drop and Ive even seen them trying to push each other off !
View attachment 135243


I actually considered riding the bike along this to the end, but common sense kicked in, also I had just finished two pints of cider.
View attachment 135244

This became my go-to spot for breakfast before the crowds moved in, I'd make a bacon sandwich in my dads and ride down, its only about a mile.

View attachment 135246


Not sure if I've posted this, but there you go, and yes I forgot my helmet.
View attachment 135247

Im going back down and Im determined to find something new and interesting, Im sure theres loads of places I havent been.
Ive got a few ideas of places to take the bike and probably annoy the locals!

I for one am very glad you did not tempt fate on that saddle. Discretion ... valor and all that.

 

[RabH]

@Prairie Dog What a spectacular landscape, totally mind blowing! Well worth the drive for certain, I'm hoping to jump on a slightly longer ferry than yours (55 minutes) to the island of Arran again! Hopefully next week when I'm fully recovered! I cancelled it twice last week but I'm on the mend now and looking forward to getting back on the bike again! I won't go crazy this time, just an anticlockwise circuit of the island which is 56 miles in length! I loved the clockwise circuit a few weeks ago and the trip over the centre of the island and can't wait to try it the other way before the weather turns nasty!

 

[Prairie Dog]

@Prairie Dog What a spectacular landscape, totally mind blowing! Well worth the drive for certain, I'm hoping to jump on a slightly longer ferry than yours (55 minutes) to the island of Arran again! Hopefully next week when I'm fully recovered! I cancelled it twice last week but I'm on the mend now and looking forward to getting back on the bike again! I won't go crazy this time, just an anticlockwise circuit of the island which is 56 miles in length! I loved the clockwise circuit a few weeks ago and the trip over the centre of the island and can't wait to try it the other way before the weather turns nasty!

It’s a bit surreal when one first visits the area and it can best be described as resembling a lunar landscape. We missed out on a visit to Horseshoe Canyon this time as our departure took us on a different road towards home. Glad to know that you are on the mend and that you have made plans for a return visit to Arran. It would be a dream to join you on one of your rides but, in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the scenic views from my desktop.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A 60 km group gravel ride on Saturday. I will give my Fearless a good test! The area is a former military range in the forest, and I expect some sand there Despite of the forecast strong westerly wind, I consider returning home "on the wheels" to make a Metric Century Let us see how my Vado SL fares now with a strong traditional cyclist group!

I'm upset with what happened to the last shipment from Amazon. It was a combined order of:

• Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack - arrived
• Redshift Accessory Mount - lost

One of the stores involved tried to be cool and added a bonus: a pair of platform pedals (the reflector on one of the pedals was missing). The traction pins on the unsolicited pedals first rubbed through the Redshift bag then cut a slit in the envelope. The Accessory Mount was lost. I made a complaint to Amazon and they say the issue will be sorted. I am still unable to relocate my headlight to a better position!

 

[Vewlix]

Just testing out inserting photos.

Cycled up the smallest mountain in Wales today.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Cycled up the smallest mountain in Wales today.

I dream to go to Wales for an e-bike trip but I think I should rent a good e-MTB to be able to ride there?

 

[Djangodog]

More misery on the back roads of Vermont.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Spring is in the air…

Blue-faced Honeyeaters (Entomyzon cyanotis)
Grasstree Flowers (Xanthorrhoea glauca)​

Our forum is drifting inexorably towards winter mode: threads on winter clothing and tyres are appearing; there are musings on whether autumn colours will be up to their usual standard. Rest assured, it will be 'more of the same'.

Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere, spring is upon us and native flowers are in bloom (they often 'jump the gun' and flower as early as July) and the birds have come to enjoy the nectar bounty.

I spied this pair of Blue-faced Honeyeaters as I left home to ride into Ipswich to visit Jen, whose garden it really is. These honeyeaters' possession of the grasstree flowers would be brief: our bossy little attack birds, the Noisy Miner mob (also honeyeaters), had already dispatched an assailant to see them off.

Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala)
Grevillea Flowers (Genus: Grevillea)​

The trunk of this grasstree was about a metre wide and two metres tall which is well advanced for a xanthorrhoea growing close to town. By contrast, the erect flower spikes seen in the photo had grown to over four metres in about the same number of weeks! In the garden photo, the honeyeaters' grasstree is on the right. The lower parts of the flower spikes are obscured by the 'grassy' leaves from which the plant—neither a tree nor a grass—takes its common name.

The age of grasstrees cannot be determined by 'counting rings'; instead, one relies on the 'tried-and-tested method' (really!) of reckoning 25mm increase in height per year. Divide 2000mm by 25mm and you get? About my own age!

Apparently, grasstrees can have it both ways in their senior years—life in fast lane as well as the slow lane.

Scene of the Action​

Look carefully and you'll notice several Rainbow Lorikeets on the tallest grasstree flower stalks. Lorikeets aren't molested by miners (they wouldn't dare!). I wonder whether wearing a rainbow-hued clown suit sends a don't-mess-with-us message to other birds: just musing, almost certainly nothing of the sort!

There are some smaller grasstrees (species Xanthorrhoea australis) around my Trek Powerfly. Some of these sport last year's flower stalks, each spike bearing hundreds of seeds in hard cases.