treebound 

When I first looked at your second to last pic I thought it was some sort of temporary flexible water culvert/pipe/tube for an aqueduct system, probably due to you mentioning water and the positioning of the thing in the photo. Then I realized it was your handlebar and tape wrap. Looks just like it flows over the edge of the roadway like a large flexline would.

Been a long day here, I think I need a bike ride this weekend.

Nice ride report, thanks for sharing.

bigbossman 

More mountain bike antics at Mammoth Mountain, from the top at over 11,00' to the base at 8'000, with repeats.

whostolemybike

Rode over by the LA river this evening. We just got through a bit of a heat wave.

ScottRyder 

So much stunning scenery in this thread! .. it makes my quaint New England countryside look pale in comparison.

Scott

Mike Mills

Scottryder, do not despair. I also live out here and am familiar with all the places you see in the photos - Mammoth, the LA River,... Still, I yearn for the country side of which you speak. I miss it so much we are discussing traveling to the east coast on vacation. They are all beautiful, each in its own way. Cherish what you have. <-- nostalgic philosophising is complete

-holiday76

last night i rode a quick 15 mile jaunt through the countryside (the only real riding i get to this these days aside from when i can eak out a commute). as it turns out half way into the ride the 90 degree sky gave way to gray and black and within minutes i was fighting to be able to see ahead of me in the torrential downpour. Luckily for me I'd left my phone and wallet behind. I've toured through this type of thing before, but I'd been better prepared for it. No visor on my helmet, only dark sunglasses. It did bring the temperature down at least 10-15 degrees and I suppose it gave my bianchi a good washing it needed.

I did find out that right after a storm it's not a good idea to pedals all out through a wooden covered bridge, that is unless you're into pooping your tights and/or getting your fair share of splinters. Not cool but I did manage to stay upright.

All in all it was a fun experience.

I did have a few moments of double when a giant lightning bolt seemed to hit the ground a half mile away. I was after all the only steel thing in site and an open field.

But i'm still here.

brockd15 

I made it home in time yesterday to change clothes, load up the tandem (and the wife ), and get in a 20 mile loop before it got dark. It was pretty uneventful, which is a nice change since we've had a string of bad luck with flats and other annoying issues lately.

I love summertime.

Veloria

We rode from Portsmouth, NH through Southern Maine. Absolutely fantastic!

scozim 

No photos today. Rode 50 miles this morning with a fair amount of climbing (longest hill was 3 miles/5k) in just over 2 hrs 44 minutes. Was slowed by a bulging rear tire. I let some air out of it and was at least able to make it home before a blow out. Followed that up with a 27+ mile fast group ride tonight. All of this on the Gitane Sprint. My legs are fried but I'm a happy camper. Been a long time since I pulled two rides in a day.

whostolemybike

Did a 4.5 mile loop to test out the bib shorts I just bought. Having never ridden with a chamois, I must say I've been missing out big time.

Though the ride was short, I climbed the steepest hill of my life, which was particularly hard after dropping my chain right at the bottom of the hill.

As always, the LA air is smoggy

junkfoodjunkie

Went for a hot ride today, still trying to dial in the new build. Only 25 miles, I am hoping to take it on a nice long ride Sunday.

Blue sky...


One of our States many casinos...


A friend of mine beside me on his Panasonic...






Jake

due ruote 

Just a quick 20 miles or so but there were a couple highlights. First, met a man and his teenage son on vintage steel bikes, something of a rarity around these parts. The son's bike was a gorgeous 1972 Le Champion and he was loving it. Pretty cool. Dad was on a repainted and unmarked Trek something or other.

Riding home solo on a stretch of road that's been waiting a couple months for the final coat of asphalt, I braincramped at about 24 mph and hit the edge of the curb - on the curb, off the curb, foot out of the clip, oh no - fortunately I ride rollers often enough or I was due a bit of luck, so I didn't go down, but I think my heart hit the red zone briefly. Not a mark on the Paselas, btw. Great tires. I'm glad I elected not to ride the tubulars today. Sorry, no video.

scozim 

32 miles at 98 degrees - no wonder I feel a little wiped out. I didn't realize it was that hot. First ride on the Gitane Sprint with tubulars and even with a flat (on an old tire) it went great. Changing the tire went quickly and it was back on the road.

YoKev

I just got back from three days of mountain biking at the NE Kingdom trails in East Burke, VT. Fun!

junkfoodjunkie

^^^^
Nice photos!!!!

Jake

Mike Mills

You know, it hacks me off. I get a break from work and come to look at bikes in these threads but can't see anything because they are all hosted at Photobucket (or wherever) and those sites are blocked by the firewalls they have here at work.

markmontana

Now you know why they block them- too many people looking at pictures at work. One reason productivity in America is going downhill. You may be on break- but most everyone else is spending their work time on personal pleasure. I'm not on a break!!!

bigbossman 

Saturday, I teamed up with a few friends and did one of my favorite rides. What we do is meet up at the Martinez, CA AMTRAK station, ride ~85 miles though the Sacramento Delta to Old Town Sacramento, have lunch, and then take the train back to the cars. It is a scenic, pleasant, easy, and enjoyable ride, with added benefit of going with the wind all the way and a nice comfortable train ride back.

Along the way, we followed the Sacramento River, stopped in small delta towns for refreshment, and enjoyed a wonderful day out and about.

A few pics:

The only really ugly part of the ride - getting over the Antioch Bridge. The view is nice enough, but the crosswind at the top is a real eye-opener (note the flags at the toll house), and the traffic at-speed just off your left shoulder is a bit disconcerting:




First delta stop - the town of Isleton. The Riverbank Cafe is the place to eat:


Paceline with a tailwind, on the way to Walnut Grove:


Bridging the gap. I jump off one group to catch the next:


Great local bar in the historic Chinese town of Locke - "Al The Wop's":


Coming into the capitol city of California - Sacramento. The palace of thieves, liars, and duplicitous rat-bastards looks resplendent in the California sun:


Cruising through historic Old Town Sacramento:


My steed of the day, the Ciocc:


Waiting for the train doors to open:

Mike Mills

I know you are correct. Still it bugs me.

mkeller234

I futzed around town after getting my haircut this afternoon. The weather was perfect today, it was nice to have no real plans.

I noticed some additions to a downtown mural:

The same mural, last year:




Hall of fame week is coming up. Here is the site where it all started:

scozim 

Today was a "rest" day after an agressive week on the bikes. 99 degrees with a small wind and little humidity (thankfully). It was the first ride of the year for the pay it forward Nishiki Marina 12. Perfect bike to just take an easy ride and enjoy my afternoon before the family comes home after being gone all week.

The best advantage we have here is the vast majority of rural roads are paved with very little traffic.



I always wanted to take one of these:





Looking toward the hills I go mountain biking in:

YoKev

Did a quick little bike and hike at Mohonk Preserve this evening. The destination was Bonticou Crag.

Typical Carriage Road. There are over 70 miles of these here:


Took Spring Farm Rd. most of the way


Bonticou Crag


Paint marks on the rock scramble up:


View of the Catskills. Directly behind me is the view of New Paltz, but there was a cozy couple there so I gave them their privacy


Jack Pines


And another view of the Catskill Mountains

bigbossman 

Just a little jaunt yesterday, doing the Santa Cruz Mtn Challenge with fellow BF member MarkoPolo. We opted for the metric century, which totaled up to ~62 miles and 6750 or so feet of climbing. The ride was very scenic, the locals were a bit surly, and the climbing involved left me a little worse for wear and tear.

I'm no stranger to rides with significant climbs, but Jamison Creek Road was a real back-breaker for me. By the time I flopped off my bike at the top, I had used up everything I had brought to the dance that day. From then on, it was grind along and pray for a descent.

Along the way I did manage to recover enough to build up some endurance, and a refreshing stop at DJ's convenience store in Santa Cruz helped to seal the deal and get me home. Even so - this was a difficult ride for me to finish, and I'd sooner do repeats on Oakvill Grade in Napa before going up Jamison again.

Top of first climb - morning fog giving way to sunshine:


A day at the beach:


Ride profile:

big chainring 

No pics but I managed to finish the Alberto's Cyclery ride today thru the northern burbs of Chicago. Nice bunch of steady riding bikers. Probably 40 people out on the ride. One guy had a flat on the return end of the ride. Gave me some time to recover. About a-2 1/2 hour ride, maybe around 50 miles.

Heres a pic of the trusty steed. Had some nice comments regarding the bike. Everyone else was on modern rigs.

Mike Mills

That's a 2,000 foot climb in what distance? The course plot makes it look completely vertical.