I think @Wildwood and I got only about 10 miles in (my vintage front tire's sidewall began to split apart, necessitating an immediate turn-around upon discovery) on the BG trail, but it was a fun day out just the same. Hung about and did some shopping at Recycled Cylces, ran into @Epicus07 and his better half/Bianchi Volpe outside as we were getting ready to hit the trail. Small world :) We then did lunch at Delfino's in University Village. Good to know Stuart is also into hiking, so we may be hanging out more as the springtime approaches and the mountains beckon.

I took the Sparrow, and was the ride ever a revelation? I guess so! I will not be unhappy if she doesn't sell this weekend at the Bike Swap - tho she'll still be hanging in the Consignment Hall.

DD

Another warm sunny day today! Took the Hobbs out for a ride around the lower valley. I didn't wear a jacket. This is February?
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1456/...1d69709b_k.jpgP1080493 by NBend, on Flickr

I was planning a ride in the Ravensdale area, only to see NB's post. I would say, "Great minds think alike", but no need to overrate my brain.
My river shot isn't looking as clean.
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Giant towers impress me
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A stop along the way
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Hard to miss your turn at this intersection
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The idea was to take a number of pictures when I rode to Stanley Park but in the end just these two from closer to home on the local pathway, hopefully next time. First ride on The Urago since the Fall of last year. The 20 odd lbs. it weighs made the hills much easier with the 44/26t lowest gearing.



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It started out dry this morning but the rain began just as I was climbing up the Sammamish Plateau.
I decided to cut my ride short when it was obvious the rains were not going to stop.
I returned home after looping around Beaver Lake, cold and wet.
it didn't suck too much :-)

I never thought I'd see a picture of Platanitos anywhere, much less on C&V! What a great little beach off the beaten path. I spent a day there last Spring with my family eating pescado frito, drinking cervezas and playing in the waves.
Thanks for the reminder of good times!
Brent

20-30 mph wind gusts, headed off the road into the woods. Looks like it will be minus 10-20 wind chills Saturday...ouch

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@Vonruden those pics are great. Love the first shot with the straight line of trees. From my delusional CA perspective (as I sit with the window open and still currently in a t-shirt), looks like a beautiful sunny day!

Thanks @gaucho777, I wish I were in California this week. The sun helped, the winds were a killer on the road...still better then being on a trainer in the basement. :)

Ah yes, all things are relative. I'm out on the roads more this winter as I built a salt road bike which I WILL NOT worry about then I'm splashing thru brine and riding freshly salted roads with that misty salt powder floating in the air just a few feet off the pavement. And I won't wash it after each ride. It was a free BSO Free Spirit and I've decided
the worst day on the salt bike is better than the best day on the trainer
the worst day on the trainer is better than the best day at the office.

VR- You've once again built a beautiful, practical bike.

Congrats. I'd love to have one built like that.

I have a Rivendell Rambouillet at my BIL's in Bayern.

It may be time to ship that thing back here.

I can't get that much tire on there, but the rest of it is feasible.

30 miles on the fixie yesterday, temperatures in the mid-sixties and green grass sprouting up everywhere.
Paid a visit to the local Texas Longhorn.

https://obrentharris.smugmug.com/pho...zbXB9z5-XL.jpg

Brent

Thanks Grady! I'm really enjoying the Hunq, a very versatile and fun bike. I'm keeping an eye out for a well used Atlantis, something I can ride the snot out of without a worry. :)

Nice pics Brent, that's a nice looking fixi, love the TA cranks!

Enjoyed a quick 10 miler today on the Ebisu

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I registered for the the Belgian Waffle Ride this April in San Diego. Fortunately they have added a shorter, 70 mile route - for those not up to the 140 mile event. I'm hoping to use this years event as a sampler - so maybe next year i can do the full event. I was out doing some tire pressure testing yesterday, because there are several dirt sections in the course. I don't get off-road on my road bikes much, so I'm considering which bike will work the best for me. The C40 handled very well in the dirt with 25mm Continentals @ 70 psi. Breaking is not what I've become accustomed too on my disc equipped mountain bike though. So I will have to definitely add some stopping distance.

I had beautiful weather and a rare Saturday off from my normal work schedule, plus temps in the 70's - a little cooler at the start. My area doesn't offer much in flat to rolling dirt/gravel roads, mostly steep to very steep climbs. I managed to locate a two mile section that will work well for getting used to off-road riding on street tires.

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I would love those temps Velomateo, looks great.

I've been forced into the woods with the winds and low temps.
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@Vonruden Even if you had to bundle up a bit, that still looks like fun trail. I like the bars on your Surly.

Thanks, the Jones bars very comfortable.

Rode the Oregon Randonneurs Hillsboro to Dallas (OR) and back 200k brevet yesterday. A couple dozen riders were at the start, and I spied a very new looking Santana Ti Tandem, both riders were wearing PBP windvests. After the go-ahead to start, I lost them in the city streets, but found them up ahead of me, just behind the lead pack. I knew it was worth burning a match to catch them, so after about 3 miles of nearly all out time trialing I caught them. My view of their massive rear disc didn't change until 34 miles later when our small group decided to stop at a small store in Lafayette. We were averaging around 20+ up to that point. They took off, so I rode the rest of the way to Dallas (turnaround point) with a young guy I had met once before. We rode at a reasonably leisurely pace. Just before Dallas, the turaround point, I got dropped on one of the few hills on the course. I think everyone got scattered in that town, saw a few lead riders headed back alone just before I pulled into a Subway for a sandwich and receipt. Another stop at a Safeway Starbucks for a coffee, and I was off to ride home by myself.

The weather held up until about 3 when it started to rain. When it started to come down harder around 3:30 I pulled off under some tree cover to don my raingear. Somewhere around 4 I was looking at the cue sheet in my handlebar bag, and then my newly mounted cyclometer, and realized I had a chance to break 10 hrs for the ride. I also knew that my calibration was just a bit off on the new device, at about 2 extra miles every 100. I was tired, no spring left in the legs, just grinding it out, and I was having difficulty doing the simple math in my head, but at every turn I calculated that at my current rate I'd finish just over 10 hours. This brevet ended without a timekeeper to sign out with (it's a small club), so I had to get a receipt at or near the finish line-the time stamp on the receipt would be my official finish time, just mail everything in with receipts at a later date and my brevet card to make it official. I knew there was a mini-mart near the finish point, so that was my goal.

No matter what I told my legs to do, I couldn't get them to turn the cranks hard enough to pick up my pace-I was just under the speed I'd need to go, and it was almost perfectly flat the rest of the way in, with no head or tailwind to speak of. I remembered I had a few packs of peanut butter flavored Gu, so I dug around in my bag while riding and found them. Sucked 'em down, finished off the half bottle of water that I had left, and waited for them to take effect. After about 5 minutes I felt that slight extra boost of energy I needed, and started turning the cranks with a bit more authority. I was now going just a bit over the paced needed to break that 10 hr mark, but then I met up with a stoplight, and cross traffic was too high to even consider breaking the law. Lost a couple of minutes that I really needed. "Sprinted" to make up for that, then ran into another 45 second stop light just before the penultimate turn. Rode as hard as I could with 2 miles to go, and saw the mini-market.

I pulled in with my wallet and 4 minutes to spare, grabbed a Snickers bar at the counter, and proceed to wait behind some trailer trash couple arguing about the numbers to play in the lotto game. Of course. I politely asked if I could go ahead of them, making up an excuse that I had a bet with a buddy that I would get to the store before 5:30, and that a receipt would be proof-the real story would take too much time to explain. They were fine with that, and went back to arguing about their numbers. Of course, the cashier had problems figuring out how to back out of the current transaction, but he recovered in time to give me a receipt.
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Nice work. For the 200k, I'd need the Snickers bars on the ride instead of after.

You west coasters are making me envious. We had 9 degrees yesterday, 18 today. Managed only slightly more miles than degrees each day. This is OT fat bike weather which means slow speeds, low miles, but fun trails. Whodathunk that riding the drop bar mountain bike would seem like racing.

Working in Vegas this month. The River Mountains Loop Trail is close to my hotel. Did 19.5 miles and the most climbing I have ever done, which still was not all that much. Time on the trainer does not help me climb. But I will say I am doing better than had I done no time. I probably will not be able to do the whole loop due to time constraints. Shipped my gravel grinder to the hotel using Bikeflights at half the cost of FedEx (and I have an account with FedEx). Opted for a TA 51/46/30 triple and some different wheels. (Thank you Icepick-Trotsky for the triple) The SLJ front has been flawless handling the three rings. I was somewhat surprised as it is not really designed for a triple. Train is an excursion that runs along a part of the trail.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1531/...2b5b040b_b.jpgLejeune Pro by L Travers, on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1589/...4e4212cc_b.jpgNevada Southern Excursion Train by L Travers, on Flickr

I had hoped to ride in Death Valley over the weekend but I am "on call" and cell service is iffy out there. Maybe another time.

Shot down the canyon in Crockett Hills...
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Nice MB riding area.
Crockett Hills Regional Park

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I knocked out 45 miles or so today on my road bike in semi-sunny weather. A squirrel I've gotten to know over the last few months sat next to me eating a slice of apple with PB on it while I ate my energy bar. :)

Thanks for that reminder. If I'd had some gel along, I would've been able to make it home yesterday. As it was I welcomed the ride of shame for the last 20 km.

I really debated doing this ride after you posted your original thread about it coming up, gugie. My scheduling would've made it difficult though. Maybe next year? I havent ridden over 75 miles but I'm pretty sure I can knock out the 200km of the ride. We'll definitely be better prepared nutritionally if that happens. ;)