SHOW us YOUR PIX here .... Odd, WeiRd ,UnUSuAl or EyE CaTchIng things from your rides

First time I've seen an ebike patrolling a beach in North (San Diego) County.

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This was yesterday at the Del Mar Dog Beach, our favorite spot on Earth. The friendly City of Del Mar officer told me that the city bought the RadRunner-style Pedego fatty, but he has to maintain it. He cleans and lubes the drivetrain every week, but the chain and derailleur were still showing a good bit of rust. The 4" knobbies are usually enough to keep him from bogging down in the loose, dry sand farther from the water.

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Looking north toward Solana Beach, where dogs are never allowed on the beach. Del Mar allows leashed dogs year-round and off-leash from after Labor Day through May 15.

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Roxie and I are making the 15-20 minute drive everyday now till the off-leash season closes. Such a joy to watch her run free and romp in the water!

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Looking south with the La Jolla Peninsula in the distance. The big sand replenishment project in March-April left the beach face steeper than I'd prefer for long wading walks, but you can now go the entire length of the beach at high tide. The newly raised back-beach gives the unstable sea cliffs some protection against high-tide winter storm waves.

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Sign in the garden at the entrance to the path down to the beach. Roxie usually does her business between here and the beach, but guess where she picked yesterday while I wasn't looking.

My longer southbound coast rides pass here, but it's not a good place to take a bike with 2.3" hybrid tires down to the water.
 
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Don't laugh @Prairie Dog :) You may own the best e-MTB in the world, still it won't fly over a log! :D I am used to ride, not to walk! :)
P.S. Some MTB-ers just jump over a log, not always doable!
 
Deadfall comes with the territory, Stefan. Do you really think that a fallen tree(s) is reason enough to turn your back on riding singles? I don’t ride gravel but I applaud those who do because my mind is open to anything bike related. Besides, I have enough on my plate to keep me busy. I admit that it does take a certain skill set to ride technical trails but I’ve never let a few downed trees cause me to turn away with my tail between my legs. Best e-mtb in the world? I think that is a bit of a stretch.
 
I’ve never let a few downed trees cause me to turn away with my tail between my legs.

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I always carry my e-bike over fallen trees if I have to (we have to ride forests and woods because of the scarcity of gravel roads in the region).

However, my bad legs do not allow me walking (I can ride all day long but a short walk is a punishment for me!) I usually take my lightweight e-bike on the trails as it is easier to be carried. Yes, I tried a Levo SL. A lovely e-bike for rough terrain but underpowered and slow!
 
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I always carry my e-bike over fallen trees if I have to (we have to ride forests and woods because of the scarcity of gravel roads in the region).

However, my bad legs do not allow me walking (I can ride all day long but a short walk is a punishment for me!) I usually take my lightweight e-bike on the trails as it is easier to be carried. Yes, I tried a Levo SL. A lovely e-bike for rough terrain but underpowered and slow!
Looks more like a form of XC style riding to me. I find it intriguing that we are all able to find our niche in the global jungle of cycling genres. Gravelling is making such huge strides in the biking industry and many roadies combine both disciplines as it’s more of a natural transition than say someone who crosses over from tarmac to singletrack.

As for ebikes, I do find myself riding them a little less often now which seems a bit odd at my age. I’m certainly not willing to part ways but as long as I stay healthy and fit there is a good chance I can continue down that path.
 
First time I've seen an ebike patrolling a beach in North (San Diego) County.

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This was yesterday at the Del Mar Dog Beach, our favorite spot on Earth. The friendly City of Del Mar officer told me that the city bought the RadRunner-style Pedego fatty, but he has to maintain it. He cleans and lubes the drivetrain every week, but the chain and derailleur were still showing a good bit of rust. The 4" knobbies are usually enough to keep him from bogging down in the loose, dry sand farther from the water.

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Looking north toward Solana Beach, where dogs are never allowed on the beach. Del Mar allows leashed dogs year-round and off-leash from after Labor Day through May 15.

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Roxie and I are making the 15-20 minute drive everyday now till the off-leash season closes. Such a joy to watch her run free and romp in the water!

View attachment 177428
Looking south with the La Jolla Peninsula in the distance. The big sand replenishment project in March-April left the beach face steeper than I'd prefer for long wading walks, but you can now go the entire length of the beach at high tide. The newly raised back-beach gives the unstable sea cliffs some protection against high-tide winter storm waves.

View attachment 177432
Sign in the garden at the entrance to the path down to the beach. Roxie usually does her business between here and the beach, but guess where she picked yesterday while I wasn't looking.

My longer southbound coast rides pass here, but it's not a good place to take a bike with 2.3" hybrid tires down to the water.
Long ago, I had two Irish setters. The male loved the water, and would enthusiastically drag ashore the biggest stick I could throw. The female would stand at the water's edge, and go "Eww" if her toes got wet.

Is that succulent Ice plant? I remember it from my basic training days at Fort Ord.
 
Is that succulent Ice plant? I remember it from my basic training days at Fort Ord.
My plant app says the succulent at the bottom of the photo is ghost plant.

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This is ice plant. Roxie could spend all day smelling this stuff.

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Also her favorite place to do her business, which makes it especially hard to pick up. Strongly suspect that's part of the charm.

Long ago, I had two Irish setters. The male loved the water, and would enthusiastically drag ashore the biggest stick I could throw. The female would stand at the water's edge, and go "Eww" if her toes got wet.
Pretty much spans the approaches you see at Del Mar. Roxie wanted nothing to do with the ocean on her first beach trip to North Carolina at age 4. We'd walk in formation — me wading, and her as far from the water as a 30' Flexi-Lead would allow.

One day, our formation passed an older woman who called down in a classic East Carolina accent, "That dog don't like that water, do she?" And being an old Carolina boy myself, I said, "No ma'am, she don't. Funny, she's not the least bit afraid of the water on our lake."

"Well, son, this here lake don't act right." Which of course was exactly the problem.

Nowadays, Roxie wades right along with me, reading the waves better than I do. Pretty important when you have short legs.
 
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Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous — sunny, mid-70s, balmy breeze, marine layer nowhere in sight.

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More people at South Ponto Beach than I've seen all year. This beach went from one of the most popular in North County to one of the least after losing most of its sand to winter storms several years ago. This is about as sandy as it gets now.

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The good and bad news about the loose cobbles making up the steep gravel berm: They're all nicely rounded. They make the berm look climbable in bare feet, but the footing's so loosey-goosey that your poor feet get bashed from below and all sides the whole way up. Sheer torture with old feet as poorly padded as mine, and you can tell that the kid at lower left wasn't enjoying it much, either.

Funny testament to human stubbornness: Saw 3 people try it with shoes in hand. You could see the torture in their faces and body english after just a few steps.

But did any of them stop and put their shoes on? Nope. They winced and grimaced and teetered and slipped and stubbed toes and turned ankles the whole way up. Anything not to admit that carrying the shoes was a dumb idea.
 
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