http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=321230

Fort Jackson, SC

Aidan,

You are destroying Scotland's reputation with all those beautiful sunny day pictures!

Brent

I know, It's not right. Either global warming has happened quick or we might have summer. I'll make sure to take photos of rain and restore Scotland glorious reputation.
:thumb:
Also I think I may have contracted 'Sun burn' I think that's what it is called, pretty uncommon in Scotland!
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=321239

Early to work,out of work early. So, 42 miles today on the De Rosa in Scituate and Foster RI. Sunny and gorgeous, just like Scotland.
Ok, maybe a little less scenic.

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...ps349101aa.jpg

Tried a new road with a bridge out sign. Sometimes you can get around that with a bike. Not this time.

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...psc50d5452.jpg

This loud guy was chirping his head off for a pic!

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...ps770bb9ac.jpg

still life

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...psfaf2d121.jpg

I took a ride through the river valley for the first time this year on the Garlatti... the legs protested when I was climbing out (despite the low gearing) but the view is so worth it.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...reek%20(4).JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...reek%20(2).JPG

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...reek%20(3).JPG

This used to be my commute every day.

Pretty bike!

My wife went out for the evening with some girlfriends so I skipped dinner and did a gravel road ride up to snoqualmie pass. somewhere about 50 miles.
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps275f25eb.jpg
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps3ea37f57.jpg
The hall of the mountain king. You access the pass via this tunnel. Over 2 miles long.
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps35b61705.jpg
Turn around point
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...psaab15a91.jpg
All downhill on the way back. Fast return.
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps30e0bdba.jpg
Racing the sun. Home before dark
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/j...psc3043830.jpg

where I "rode" yesterday. ;)
http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...psfad91bb7.jpg

The only riding I did yesterday was pushing a lawnmower, not the riding kind. And riding a keyboard. Northbend, that tunnel looks interesting. I assume you ride with a headlight, right? Your rides always seem spectacular. Rootboy, that looks very peaceful.

This is one of my favoritest threads, the chance to see places I'll likely never see in person. Telemark, Yucatan, Pacific Northwest, somewhere in Canada, parts of New England, the left coast (where I had pleasure of hiking once long ago), the great plains in the central US, etc. It's mind-boggling.

Behind me here at the office is my Bianchi, resting after the morning commute. The fun part, i.e. the more downhill part, comes this afternoon.

Never done that kind of fishing, Scott. Any luck yesterday?

Thank you for the compliment Jim.
I feel much the same as you. This is my favorite thread for the same reasons and I guess also because I don't feel very knowledgable or opinionated enough to contribute to some of the other threads I read here.

Like you, when I commute, look at my bike in my office cubicle ( or gypsy encampment as it looks somedays..) and view the ride home as the best part of the work day.

As for the tunnel, yes, I used a Mininewt 200. Pretty much have to use a light in there. It's pitch black once you get in there a half mile or so except for a little pin prick of light you see on the other end almost 2 miles away. The weirdest part is when you first go in as it takes a while for your eyes to adjust to the darkness as the ambient light diminishes from the tunnel opening where you came in and the headlight takes over as your source. As the light changes the temperature drops as well and I fight off feelings of vertigo. Pretty freaky experience to be in there all by yourself like I was yesterday evening. I saw no one for miles on either side.

- Matt

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=321550

The Cardinal Greenway outside of Muncie Indiana.

Today's commute was one for retrospection. Every day as I leave home I fight off a wish that traffic would delay me so much that I miss the train and have to just drive in. Then I tell myself no, that's not what you really want. But sometimes overcoming the inertia is a chore. And I'm always afraid that in the rush to grab everything from the car at the train station I'll forget something critical, like my helmet or gloves or wallet or lunch. Once I step aboard the train I am committed, and once I climb aboard the bike I have no regrets.

Today's ride in was wonderful. Fresh, cool, dry September air. A mild headwind. Light traffic. Courteous drivers, as usual. Roads that have been largely swept clean of the winter's sanding. I had a critical meeting this morning and made it with time to spare.

The run home was different. To bypass an always tense intersection I took the hilly Wilbur Rd route I discovered a few weeks ago, rural (see JJScaliger's pics!), quiet. But it is a mile or so longer, and I left the office a bit later than usual thanks to some work stuff. So I pushed pretty hard and felt fatigued. On the Blackstone Bikeway I was confronted by an adult Canada goose protecting half a dozen goslings, a sort of wake-up call. The air was cool but damp. Between the cool air and my pushing I sort of zoned out. By the time I reached the train station I was finally feeling loose, warmed up yet cool, and I realized I had just ridden 13 miles and probably noticed less than 5 of them.

As the train was approaching the platform an Amtrak train swooshed by on the inside track. It could have been the regional or the Acela express, both of which come through ahead of the commuter train. Then as we were approaching our first stop the train slowed, slowed, slowed and stopped just short of the station. We sat. An announcement said the Amtrak ahead of us had hit something, apparently an ATV. Eventually they let us creep into the next station but all trains on that line were stopped while officials examined the train for damage and searched the track, presumably for a body or other debris.

While we waited a number of people struck up conversations. One guy asked about my helmet (a Giro Transfer), said the newer ones didn't fit him as well. One gentleman from England commented that the bike was "old school" because it was steel and had DT shifters. He said cycling was really popular in Britain partly through the success of Sky. All this helped to pass the time.

I finally made it home about an hour later than normal.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Thanks Jim.

Very nicely written.

Brent

Today I worked from home, so no bike commute. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain so I'll probably drive it. As compensation I took off an hour today to ride. Took the Masi out, exploring new urban bikeway sections that run off from the east end of the Minuteman. Pretty cool stuff!

I've been riding the Bianchi a lot lately. It took me a few miles to become comfortable with Italian spoken with an American accent instead of a Japanese accent. :D Dang, that bike speaks fast. Well, they both do when you get right down to it.

Where'd You Ride Today? (New & Improved)
 

14 miles by 6:30 am. All along the Pacific Ocean and 10 knots of wind from the NW.

Took a short evening cruise around town on the Crosscut. Right knee is giving me grief again after riding the Fuji last night. Fit wasn't quite right on it and 27mi last night made me know it. The Schwinn seems to have a similar fit issue as it too was making itself known so kept my cruise down to about an hour.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_..._2640-Edit.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E...G_2647_HDR.jpg

The flume. Stopped to take a few pictures with the cell phone. Then chasing the sunset home:

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/p...0606-00149.jpg

It was yesterday, on the Mont Ventoux ....

http://s20.postimg.org/o013esuel/100_4223.jpg

Bricktown, NJ
 

Just back from early morning ride with crappy iphone pics.

http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/...psaab943bf.jpg


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Beautiful bicycle, beautiful pics.

Scott, what brand/model of open top kayak do you have?

Can you recommend it or another?

I am in the market and there are so many choices.

Thanks Grady. No wind, few early morning drivers, temps in the 70's, Vintage Steel...Did about 20 miles and rode with a smile on my face the whole way.

I rode 29 miles this morning on the De Rosa before the family woke up. Sunny and nice at around 65 degrees.

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...psd7613cb8.jpg

Wild turkey half on the road, half off.

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...ps43f02648.jpg

These guys have made such a come back I'm surprised I don't see more like this.

Took k1 and k2 for a hike today in Foster. Saw frog and toad and some old farm house foundations. 3-4 miles in total.

http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...pscc51c1e2.jpg
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9a78e51a.jpg

dad & k2
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...psd04a919d.jpg
k1
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...pscf9184ee.jpg

abandoned farm reclaimed by forest
http://i1131.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3363db51.jpg

Hosted a little classic and vintage ride this morning and we started by meeting for breakfast at my favourite restaurant which was opened back in 1942 and had a few guests who came all the way from England so that they ride a proper British bicycle... I loaned them a pair of Raleigh 20's as the ride was a pootle and after a breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausages, and toast who wants to go fast ?

It was wet and drizzly so seeing ten people show up was impressive, a good number of people peeled off through the ride and when it was down to a few friends and I, we rode farther and then two of us laid down a nice 40km that took us in and out of the river valley, and nearly blew up my legs, as Reg only has one speed and I am only up to running at half speed.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...ride%20(3).JPG

After it all I swung by the hotel to retrieve my Twenties and figures that I could actually carry 8 bicycles in and on a Nissan Sentra as a pair of 20's tucks in to the rear seat quite nicely and then the racks will hold 5 more, and I keep my mini folder in the trunk.

Weird shot...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...ride%20(1).JPG