Vonruden

Bit by the French bug

northbend 

^ I really like this one VR!

Lascauxcaveman 

^ No kidding. Do you have a thread on this bike, @Vonruden? I'd like to see some closeups.

Vonruden

Thanks NB, it probably hung next to your Singer at one time in upstate NY. I purchased from DB, who had ordered it when Ernest was still building. I'll start a thread after I take some closeups.

northbend 

I suspected it may have come from DBRK! Nice score. Is he getting rid of all his Singers? No longer riding because of his injury? I recall he had an especially beautiful dark blue one with a Chrome head tube like yours. Set up as a Rando.

Please include your thoughts on the collection in his Barn if you picked it up in person when you do a thread on this bike. Realy looking forward to seeing more of this gem..

Again, very very nice!

Matt

northbend 

I drove up to Anacortes early Wednesday morning, parked my car in town and rode the 6 miles over to the Ferry terminal. I stuffed a small tent, sleeping pad, silk liner, spare clothes and other small goods into a backpack and took the Bruce Gordon bike.

I soon realized how uncomfortable riding with even a light 15LB backpack can be. I had broken my collarbone a few years ago and I could not get the left shoulder strap to fit over the boney lump where it had healed so my shoulder ached the whole time I was riding with it but in spite of this, I really enjoyed this short foray into bike camping. Panniers are on my future wish list now..

Arriving at Orcas Island, I am the last passenger to leave the ferry
Arrival by NBend, on Flickr

Rolling hills as I head north to the town of Eastsound, small farms line the road.
Orcas Rd. view by NBend, on Flickr

I head over to Moran State Park and climb up to the primitive campsite set aside for hikers n bikers.
Moran Entrance by NBend, on Flickr

I set up camp and now that I am free of the backpack, it’s time to ride up Mt. Constitution. Beautiful views open up as you get higher.
View on Constitution by NBend, on Flickr

The summit is reached. Mt. Baker is seen in the distance
The Summit by NBend, on Flickr

After a fun descent, I explore the rest of the Eastern side of the island. Here is view of the road on the way to Doe Bay.
On the way to Doe Bay by NBend, on Flickr

I head back over to Eastsound for dinner. Fish Tacos and Beer. Still plenty of daylight so I do a loop on the West side of the Island.
Enchanted Forest Rd by NBend, on Flickr

Back in camp for the night, I went for a walk on one of the trails that bordered the campground. I saw an owl and passed by deer who had no fear of humans, one fawn grazing not more than 10 Ft. away from me. I fall asleep to the sounds of campers laughing and singing and the wind passing through the trees overhead…

Friday morning, another hike, this one about 4 miles over to a lake then it was time to pack up and go home. I took a different route back to the ferry - Crow Valley Road
Crow Valley Rd by NBend, on Flickr

To Westsound before linking back up to Orcas Road.
West Sound by NBend, on Flickr

And caught the next ferry back to Anacortes
Exiting Orcas by NBend, on Flickr

I came away from my little adventure with some fine memories and learned that I like bike camping. Now I’ll have to get set up with some proper gear to do a longer tour..

Sir_Name 

Wow - that's a catch. Nice evolution of the collection!

^Awesome ride, NB.

greg3rd48 

@Vonruden What a beauty! How I love all things French especially les vélos! Exceptional photos @northbend! P.S. How does one post photos from Flickr?

Vonruden

Hi Matt,

We met halfway in Scranton, so did not see his amazing collection in person. I believe the blue one and black ones are keepers of his, can't hurt to ask.

Anyway, nice pics as usually, you have some amazing scenery out there.

This morning did 50 miles down to Island Beach State Park and back. Saw an Osprey carrying a large fish, a ballsy fox, and a small bird that flew into my front spokes and luckily for me (not the bird) it was spit out quickly. Lots of wildlife for the Jersey Shore.

iab

A couple of things. First, I was always relegated to blacktop when riding at our cabin as the bike I always brought has 25mm tires. I finally built a bike to stay there with 32mm tires and I can ride it anywhere, blacktop or fire roads. Next, about 10 days prior to our arrival, it rained 12 inches one night. About 4 days prior to our arrival, it rained another 4 inches with wind gusts of 100mph.

So there are road closed signs everywhere. But mostly east of the cabin. So my first ride out, I am going down Old Grade Rd, lots of repair work and horribly soft. Hard to control the bike and I had to pedal downhill. Take a right on Wisco and start heading to the Marengo river. About a half mile down the road, I came to this. A quarter mile just missing. Carved down 8 feet. I was told a squad car got washed down with it too (the cop is OK). I turned around and did a different route.

Marengo01 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Marengo02 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Marengo03 by iabisdb, on Flickr


So the next day, I decide to go west, towards Cable, on Rock Lake Rd. First, on the road by Lake Namakagon.

Namakagon 02 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Namakagon 03 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Rock Lake Rd is mostly shade. Absolutely no flat areas, steep grades and soft from the rain.

Namakagon 05 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Not Rock Lake, but a mosquito breeding ground. I killed 5 of the buggers with one slap before I got going again.

Namakagon 06 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Typical grade, with washed out sections. Not as bad as Wisco Rd. though.

Namakagon 07 by iabisdb, on Flickr

So Rock Lake Rd leads to Telemark Rd., which is the back door into Telemark Resort. Telemark Resort is the end point of the Chequamegon Fat Tire Forty race and the start or end (I forget which) of the Birkebeiner xcountry ski race. Golf course. Downhill skiing. Airstrip that can handle a large jet. Lodge built in the 50s. The place went through many owners in the last 20 years. Closed 5 years ago. Downhill skiing closed maybe 15 years ago. The SC Johnson family bought it last year. They are selling condos if anyone is interested. At this point, I guessing dirt cheap. This downhill run was called Valhalla. I have been up the chairs and down the slope hundreds of times as a kid.

Namakagon 15 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Lodge is abandoned.

Namakagon 16 by iabisdb, on Flickr

Chrome Molly

Call it a nibble if you like, but I'd say the gravel bug has bit...

northbend 

Good practice for Cino, iab...

Johnny Mullet

Took a couple friends to Cleveland for the Critical Mass ride...........

iab

Rock Lake Rd was a hard 10 miles. Harder than any 10 miles at the Dare or HHH. I'm told that it was just an ATV trail at the beginning. The other fire roads were better graded. Pictures aren't as exciting.

Ed.

My'normal' Westborough/Northborough 'loop', but getting better, I am. About25-30 miles (I forgot to turn the Strava ap on...), but I made a detour to getsome photos:

There's a building in here!





Somemight recognize these buildings are at the former Lyman School in Westborough

And,if you're in the neighborhood, this is the new Massachusetts Wildlife building. Well worth a stop in to check it out. Pretty neat, and environmentally very up to date!

gomango

Sounds familiar.

The hardest 14 miles I've ever ridden. Even tougher than Moab.

The snowmobile route from the cabin back to town.

I won't do that ride again.

IMG_2029 by gomango1849, on Flickr

IMG_2031 by gomango1849, on Flickr

IMG_2019 by gomango1849, on Flickr

IMG_2023 by gomango1849, on Flickr

CV-6 

I did a 31 mile pancake ride today. I call it a pancake ride because it is flat as a pancake. The only climbing is going over railroad tracks which are slightly elevated. Went to Smartt Field hoping the CAF might have their hangar door open but no such luck. Some might recognize the photo as being taken in the same place I took another a while back. Pretty boring photo compared to iab's and gomango's offerings.

Lejeune Pro Pancake 1 by L Travers, on Flickr

jimmuller 

No pics, alas, and a day late reporting. We met some friends visiting from Florida. They have their own tandem but didn't bring it with them. So they rented a tandem for Bike Stop in Arlington. We started from in Waltham, met them, and had lunch at the North Bridge, rode back through Concord Center. By the time we got back home Sharon and I had ridden 53.5 miles.

greg3rd48 

@CV-6 That Lejeune is pure class!

CV-6 

Thanks. That's my baby for sure. Coming up on 44 years of ownership.

jefnvk

34 miles at the Bluewater International Gran Fondo across the border in Sarnia, Ontario. Great day until I didn't win the raffle for a trip to Italy! Ended up riding alongside some really fancy Cervelos, and wondering how the old stuff ran so much quieter. Also found out I need jerseys sized two sizes larger if they are a Euro cut :/

fender1

Sunset ride on the Hunqapillar

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My son brought the Trek 950 along:

[IMG][/IMG]

northbend 

My wife said she needed to quiet time at home to focus on some paperwork she had been meaning to get to. She said, “go for a ride” so I wouldn’t be a distraction to her. Well, OK honey :-)

So on Monday I took that opportunity to do a gravel century which actually begins from my home.
Pioneer2Pioneer by NBend, on Flickr

I rode into North Bend via the Snoqualmie Valley Trail and had Breakfast at the Pioneer Coffee in North Bend. After breakfast, I took the trail up to Rattlesnake Lake where I pick up the Iron Horse Trail for the ride over Snoqualmie Pass to the town of Cle Elum where I had lunch at Pioneer Coffee’s original Cafe. It made for a nice bookend. I retraced my route back home making it a 125 mile day.

Almost home.. by NBend, on Flickr

There are more photos of the ride in my flickr album if you care to look at em..

https://flic.kr/s/aHskEotnBH

Now it’s time to clean the bike..
The dust collector by NBend, on Flickr

Hypno Toad

I rode the Mondonico for the first time since April. On it's first ride of spring, a twig got into the rear derailleur. This trashed the derailleur, the chain, and the rear rim, plus bent the derailleur hanger. It took a few months to get the parts to complete the project, including a great NOS Campy derailleur. What a great joy to be back on this bike!
IMG_20160802_104738291.jpg

Here's the damage from April:
IMG_20160410_163025028.jpg

Wildwood 

Nice road ride on the old S. Skagit Hwy. Sedro Wooley to Concrete.
Love to ride the DeRosa. Sunny and 70s for the entire 50 miles.
Not exactly a hopping day at the Police Dept.
I love a little town with excessive civic pride.