I first saw this approach to free-standing one's bike at a race in the early 80s. In this case, keeps me from having to scuff up the pedals laying the bike down on its side, or dinging the chainring teeth trying to stand it up with the rear wheel out.

Plus, check out the access I have to my seatbag :)

DD

31 mile roll with the 78 Davidson on the Fairfax County CCT. Gorgeous day.
These yellow groundcover flowers have taken over all the wet spots along the trail for miles and miles and miles.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b0b7522f_b.jpgCCT 4 11 22 narrow by Doc Mertes, on Flickr
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...af4ef5a8_b.jpgP3307620 by Doc Mertes, on Flickr

After re-assembling it yesterday, this morning was the shakedown cruise for the Raleigh Pro that I will take to eroica. Sunny, windy day with thermometer hovering in the mid fifties. Our green hills are already turning brown. 49 miles was enough of a shakedown to reveal 8 small items that need attention.
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Brent

Nice weather today, and mrs non-fixie suggested we go for a ride after work. I hastily finished the build I had been working on so I could take it for a test ride.

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The '88 Trek 400 at Fox's Mill, Daretown Lake, Salem County NJ.


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Local lakes ride on the 83 Davidson. With those 38's, such a great All-Rounder!
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Finally went for another ride after a week of work. Last time was 22+ miles with no pics.
This time I decided to take it easy and stop for some pics along the way. Did 25+ miles this time.
Most of my rides run through Fredericksburg, kind of like a hub to other locations.
This firs shot is along the Rappahannock. I've shown you lots of pics of the river. This is Spring (DUH!)
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There is a "short" street named after George, Washington St. with a division between the directions and a lot of grass. This Monument is to Brigadier General Hugh Mercer. "January 3, 1777, Washington's army was en route to Princeton, New Jersey. While leading a vanguard of 350 soldiers, Mercer's brigade encountered two British regiments and a mounted unit. A fight broke out at an orchard grove and Mercer's horse was shot from under him. Getting to his feet, he was quickly surrounded by British troops who mistook him for George Washington and ordered him to surrender. Outnumbered, he drew his saber and began an unequal contest. He was finally beaten to the ground, then bayoneted repeatedly—seven times—and left for dead." he was riding a white horse, like George. Washington took command and pushed the read coats back.
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His apothecary shop is in town and is open to visitors.
The houses along this stretch of the street are upper scale for their time.
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The one that is most interest is Kenmore. This was the residence of Fielding Lewis who was married to Georges sister. He went bankrupt to support the Continental Army. He was a merchant and was well-off to build this home.
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Down the street just before the drop to the canal is Mary Washingtons grave. Showed you 'al that pic before.
Couple of more pics along the street.
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Have to give the Daughters of the American Revolution a plug that was not in the Wikipedia sites. The Mary Washington grave was one of the first projects of the Washington Lewis Chapter and also sponsored the restoration of Kenmore.

My ride today consisted of me pulling my bike from my trunk, at my LBS. I did bump into this local guy I'd not met, who rode up on this beautiful Eddy Mercyx.
Original owner, purchased in 1986 (I think) and redone by a guy named Tom Kellogg. Excuse my thumb.....


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I created this build two years ago to have a fast interpretation of a Raleigh Sports for my commute. We know what happened - and this week my company went back to the office for 3 days a week, so my commuting season has finally begun.

She's been gone a year now. I took a late night/early morning ride in her memory this evening:

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It's still tough, and I'm no tough guy; shed a few tears tonight in addition to scattering some ashes - but I remember the good times, too :)

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I miss the eye-blinks and silent meows, the constant purring, and soft head butts, too. I hope you've got a special, sunny, and warm spot to enjoy for all eternity in pet heaven!

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You were loved, and you are missed...

DD

Technically lastnight as I am doing almost all my riding in the evening after 10pm (young child + working from home = hard to get out during the day).

Did my normal route along the Tamagawa here in Tokyo. Started in Fussa city near Haijima station, followed downstream the northern bank of the Tamagawa to Tachikawa station area (~10km). Crossed the river into Hino city and headed upstream along the southern bank of the river. Took some detours away from the river to do some climbing, but back to the river and home. ~22km ride.

@Drillium Dude - I get it. We have had several that were very affectionate. The two we have now are affectionate too, in different ways. Maggie does much of what you describe, head butts, purrs, rubs, etc. She often will crawl up my chest when I am lying down and settle in with asks for rubbing her face and neck while looking straight in your eyes. She also sleeps with me and follows me around always wanting to be in the same room. Very special relationship.
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Maybe she is happy to be out of the Ukraine where she was born.

Well that looks familiar. Took this on our walk back to Penn Station at the end of our visit. Unfortunately this was the only sunshine we had the whole time☹️

Today was a quick ride, saving my legs for what promises to be a brutal Eroica training ride tomorrow. Today was notable for the first ride of the year in short sleeves and short pants! Scary moment in that shortly after the pic taken, steep pitch in the downhill, shifted into the big small combo. The crank locked up, almost pitched me over the bars. It was easily fixed however and no arm done to bike or rider. I also rode the city bici to my annual (well, close to annual) doctor check up.
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Different angle on the McCormick Observatory today.
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New doctor’s office, but still no bike rack.



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34th St, where miracles happen! Sorry for sideways load.

First ride of Spring
 

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Took the Super for a ride around my community. I’m not ready for the local backroads. That’s our million dollar fountain in the main roundabout. Quite a blustery day here.

Took some friends on a loop ride. Rain cleaned city....

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Eroica Training Ride
 

Nice bike Horace!

Today was the day to get some distance, climbing, and gravel in on the Basso. Great riding weather although there was one wind at the end. I have 3 bikes to choose from (and one on the stocks) for Eroica and the Basso is the middle choice. If legs were strong today, I’d thought I might take the Paletti with the 53-42 crank. If legs were soft, it would be the Masi with ghettoed drive train. Legs were so so, so Basso it will be. 54 miles, a little shorter than I’d hoped, but the other option was 70 and I’d still be out there, and 5700 feet of climbing which is more than I’d planned.
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Just before I stopped for the pic, the calves were in full on sprint and Mama cow was running behind to keep them from wandering too far. They eyed me warily when I stopped but went back to horseplay (cowplay?) when I got back in the bike.
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Mission Home. This is a Mennonite orphanage and adult group home. Top of a steep climb, on the way up there were Mennonite kids in traditional outfits playing disc golf in a field.
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1/3 way up Simmons Gap Road on the way to Skyline Drive. This is a close approximation of the Cypress climb.
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Skyline Drive, looking back at where I just clumb.
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Looking southwest across the Shenandoah Valley
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This is the connector trail to Jarman Gap Rd. Today I just realized it’s a close approximation of the first pitch of Kiler Canyon .
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Forced rest at the bottom of Jarman Gap. This is a descent that’s actually dicier than the Cypress one. 1500 feet in 3 miles!

The heart of it all
 

Columbus Ohio
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I was there the day before you!I made the drive out to West Yellowstone a week ago last Wednesday. I saw the weather window opening up for a car-free ride through the park and just had to go. The opportunity to do this is very short - I guess the Park Service only allows hiker/biker access for 2 weeks prior to the opening to the general public and their vehicles each spring.

Thursday Morning it was 19 degrees at 10AM when I set out for the Park entrance.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b116bc87_b.jpgThe sign you like to see by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

The surprising thing was it didn’t feel nearly that cold. The sun was out, the humidity low and winds were calm. As I followed the Madison River Valley inside the park. Bike nirvana, every now and then I’d encounter other riders. Many were on E-Bikes. A fair number had panniers. They were riding to the town of Gardnier at the north entrance of the Park for the night, returning the next day.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...33cd0fd6_b.jpgLots of others enjoying the park by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...391bdc1b_b.jpgFollowing the Madison River out from West Yellowstone by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...d93765f8_b.jpgMadison River Valley by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

There was alot of Bison in the Madison River Valley. A bunch of us riders were held up by some bison on the road just before the Madison Campground. Eventually they moved off the road and we were able to proceed.

This is where I liked to see Bison.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1e42b668_b.jpgBison by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Not here

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0099288b_b.jpgSo many Bison encounters by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Riders became more infrequent past Madison Junction. A long gentle climb up to a high plateau.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...704e325c_b.jpgThe climb up from Madison Junction by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Gibbon Falls

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...76e0138a_b.jpgGibbon Falls by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Roadside geothermal activity

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c028fb13_b.jpgOne of many geothermal features lining the road by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...cca432b7_b.jpgOpen road poetry by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Continued...Temps became very comfortable (low 50’s) in the afternoon

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6dd0a26c_b.jpgme n my mule by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I met a rider coming up in the other direction. She lives in Gardnier, a park employee on her day off. She said this was her favorite view inside the park. It’s hard to disagree with that.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...560cac77_b.jpgOpen Road Poetry 2 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

There are places up on that high plateau where the forest disappears and you’re riding alone in a wide open park area. The openness and stillness were so intense it gave me a heavy feeling of just how small I am in relation to the world around me. It’s a wonderful and humbling feeling.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...edc3655f_b.jpgVistas 2 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

The plateau ends suddenly as you drop down to Mammoth Hot Springs.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b1d1401c_b.jpgThe wide plateau ends suddenly at the North End of the Park by this canyon by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a99758dd_b.jpgA decent thru a rock garden by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I had set a 2PM deadline for a turn around point in order to ensure I got back with plenty of daylight.

The Upper Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs was this point. I had a picnic lunch there before heading back.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c3960a85_b.jpgI turn around at Mammoth Hot Springs by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I really liked the views riding back up to the Plateau..

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c93b2fb6_b.jpgOpen Road Poetry 3 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5a4ce7ea_b.jpgOpen Road Poetry 4 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bf16bd62_b.jpgOpen Road Poetry 5 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Continued....Some riders approaching on the high plateau

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f8b16ef1_b.jpgOpen Road Poetry 6 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Spring thaw on the Gibbon River

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8ee4a943_b.jpgSpring thaw by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...656c5f43_b.jpgOpen Road Poetry 7 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Open road poetry

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1c04f68f_b.jpgOpen Road Poetry 8 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Dropping down to Madison Junction

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e87c61bf_b.jpgOpen Road Poetry 9 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Heading back through the Madison River Valley

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f82bb374_b.jpgHeading back thru the Madison River Valley to West Yellowstone by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Then…traffic jam. This herd held me up for over 30 minutes. They just slowly walked down the middle of the road, the old guy in the rear was having trouble keeping up. He was obviously lame and in pain. The herd would wait for him to catch up then trundle slowly forward. More Bison joined the procession from the steep embankment on the left. I had no idea how to safely get around these guys so I just slowly followed them at a safe distance until a Park Ranger drove up in his pickup truck. He told me to follow him off his rear bumper as he slowly drove into the mob, trying to force them all to the right side of the vehicle. There were 4 large ones in the front that would not go along with the plan. We stopped, the herd surrounding us as the 4 crossed us on the left. I had moved over to the left side of the Truck by the driver’s side door as this happened and it startled one that was less than 10 feet away from me. It jumped and startled one of the others. My heart was in my throat at that moment. The ranger quickly nudged the truck forward a little and I rode past the bison and the truck thanking the ranger for his help. Whew!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1b8b13a9_b.jpgTraffic Jam by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I was back at my hotel in West Yellowstone by 7PM, 93 miles for the day and longest ride of the year so far.

I drove back home via the route I took on my TRANSAM ride back in 2019. The same bike I had used for that adventure snoozing on it’s side in the back of my car this time. 2 days of driving, recalling the memories of that trip and this one. A real fine road trip.

Oh! and one more thing... Car-free is a misnomer in Yellowstone N.P. during this short window in the Spring: There are Vehicles on the road inside the park. These are park employees and contractors getting the Park ready for re-opening for the season.
It's not a distraction though :-) they pass by very infrequently.

Today we had a nice post-covid ride in the Netherlands.
Was great to see each other again.

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That's a great crew you got there fabiofarelli
Nice turnout!

That's gotta be the biggest C&V group I've ever seen outside an organized, sponsored, L'Eroica-style event! And I thought this was a crowd:

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Looks like a fun group :)

DD

Agree and thank you. We try to keep the group small, or at least not too big. Safer and cozy.

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Thanks, most people know each other for years in their common hobby, ridin' old bikes. And, as I already mentioned, this is kept small. There are informal rides in the Netherlands and Belgium with far more participants.