Inkwolf

Oh, good, a non-hardcore forum in which to discuss riding for fun!

So, what's your best ride? By that, I don't refer to your most expensive bike, or fastest time, or most amazing downhill survival story--where do you most enjoy biking, or what is one bike ride you particularly remember?

My favorite trail is the much-too-short gravel trail in Pine Beach State Forest in Wisconsin. Very small, easy hills, and just the right degree of roughness to enjoy a hybrid or comfort-bike ride.

I don't remember any particular trip with extreme fondness, though...they're all good!

detrieux

I have several but the one that stands out the most is the ride from my house to a little crossroads called Dairy. This is not a town and probably not on a map. What makes it so great is that it wanders thru a nicely wooded area with moderate undulations. Then you get to the bottom of the hill and this is a major climb. Probably climbs about 700 feet in a mile or two. Some very steep and some really nice. Go to Dairy, turn around and start toward home and you have the greatest view in the county. Looking out over the rolling hills and fields of the county. Up so high that many times I look down on the hawks flying below my position. Do this on a blue sky, full color fall day and this is just paradise. I like to do this ride on my recumbent even if it is harder to climb the steep part of the hills. When I turn around and getting to the overlook, I am seated on the recumbent just as if I am in a lounge chair. If the sun, wind, clouds are just right, then it's like touching heaven.

SamDaBikinMan

Snodgrass trail in Crested Butte Colorado is the most enjoyable ride to me. Great singletrack with beutiful scenery.

WorldIRC

Downtown Montréal, Quebec. All that pollution and smog.

No, up in Haliburton, Ontario (250-300km northeast of Toronto). Many forests. Nice little town. Friendly people. The air is nice and fresh. Some mountain trails around the lake their. Be sure to wear a sweater in the fall.

ParamountScapin 

My best ride is always my most recent one. Did ~25 miles on the road with my MTB today (with two other members of our local club). Trails were still socked in with snow and ice, but the roads/shoulders were quite clear and it was a balmy 35 F and almost no breeze. Was a great break to get outdoors for a ride after three weeks of being socked in. Come on Spring!

Chris L

Alright, you asked for it! Mountains and waterfalls, November 27, 2001. Mt Barney to Queen Mary Falls, South Queensland. A picture tells 1,000 words, and I don't feel like typing much, soooo.....

I started here...

Chris L

And climbed through this...

Chris L

Which led to this....

Chris L

But there was more climbing to be done...

Chris L

Before reaching "The Head"...

Chris L

There was an optional detour (an option that I exercised) here...

Chris L

Before finishing here....

MediaCreations 

Chris will be receiving his chrque from the Australian Tourism Board later this week.

It looks absolutely gorgeous.

detrieux

Chris,

That is a great ride. Thanks for the pictures.

DnvrFox

Gosh - that is a real toughie.

We have so many great rides around here, it is difficult to choose. I think I will list some of my best rides, and why:

1. Leaving my home, heading out the front door, and in 50 feet hitting the bike path that follows Cherry Creek south for about 10 miles. There are bridges at every single road crossing, so you always go UNDER the road - you can go for ten miles without having any roads or cars. There are deer, foxes, birds. You go through some pastures with goats, horses, cows. Very seldom do I see other riders or walkers - perhaps, on a typical non-Saturday-afternoon-trip, about 10 bikers, 20 walkers and 10 joggers. Not bad for a 20 mile round trip. There are branching trails if I want to do 30 miles or more. Generally, I stick at 20.

Please see:

https://members.aol.com/dnvrfox/CCTRAIL1.htm

I love this because it is convenient, extremely relaxing, I get fit and I love being near nature. On weekends there are more walkers, families, etc., but they are pretty much used to me and my biking bell, and move over and say "hi!"

2. The third day of the "Ride the Rockies" in 1998, when I went from Granby to Steamboat Springs, traveling over two passes, doing about 85 miles that day (on my MOUNTAIN BIKE!!). I loved the feeling of accomplishment, the extremely open territory, and the very scary (to me) last 10 miles of steep downhill into Steamboat, where I stopped every mile or two simply to get control of my nerves. I am not one for 60 mph downhills!!

See "Rabbit Ears Pass" picture at:

https://members.aol.com/dnvrfox/fambicy.htm

3. Going from Frisco to Vail Pass and returning (25 miles round trip and about 2,000 feet in elevation change going up). Absolutely gorgeous country where you pass through several different alpine zones - pines to fir and spruce to tundra. Surrounded by 14,000 foot snow-covered peaks. The feeling of satisfaction as these 63 year-old legs bring me into the 10,500 foot parking lot at Vail Pass filled with tourists who gawk at me and my wife as if we are something from outer space. "Yes, we did bike all the way up from Frisco." Then going back DOWN those 2,000 feet.

4. The Santa Fe Century. Traveling 100 miles through wide open New Mexico country, seeing only one country store - hey, it was closed - this is New Mexico on Sunday - the feeling of accomplishment, the camarederie (sp??). See:

https://members.aol.com/dnvrfox/santafec.htm

Also, see my picturer essay of nearby Waterton Canyon

https://members.aol.com/dnvrfox/fambicy.htm

DnvrFox

Ditto, Chris. I WANT TO GO THERE!!

MikeR

My favorite ride (so far) is a 20 mile loop that starts at my door. It’s got everything:

Hills for fitness (I can still remember the first time I made it up non stop).

Some great gradual downhill runs on winding roads – slanted bends that you can fly around –what fun!

Some ‘technical’ stuff – like a sharp turn with gravel at the bottom of a hill.

Nice flats along 2 streams and small, rolling hills through some woods.

Great scenery – mountains in the distance, pastures, woods, streams, wildlife.

This loop can be expanded to another valley If I want so I can grow with my abilities.

MikeR

My most memorable single ride was not typical. When I started riding bike as an adult, many childhood memories came back to me. Visions of tooling around my old home town 40 years ago came flooding back. So, last summer, when in the area I took my bike over to the old neighborhood. I parked in front of the old house, under the shade of a big old tree that I helped Mom plant 45 years ago. I rode my old routes to the ball park and to school. I even parked my bike in the school bike rack and walked around the grounds. On the way back I stopped at the old ‘Mom & Pop’ store (yep it’s still there). I bought a Pop-Cycle, sat on the store’s steps and ate it, just like I was 10 again. It was a great experience.

ngateguy

This is a real toughie. I would have to say the most beautiful was the ride me and a buddy did through the river delta where the Skagit river flow into the Puget Sound up in the Mount Vernon/Anacortes area of Washington State. They have tons of Tulip and Daffodil farms to browse as you ride. But I think thew coolest thing was my buddies reaction (he is from Chicago) when we came to Padua Bay and the tide was out and all you could see was mud flats and Orcas Island. He went "Holy sh@@ whats that?" When I told him he freaked for the rest of the ride. "you know I could be in Downtown Chicago right now, but no I have to be in the most beautiful place in the country instead" he kept saying that for the rest of the ride. It re-opened my eyes to the beauty around me that I had been taking for granted since I have been going through the area for 20 years now. A very cool day for a ride. Of course there was also day 2 of the STP last summer.

bikeCOLORADO

When I proposed...and she said yes...riding Barr Trail on the way down Pikes Peak (14,110ft)...

Pics Here

MikeR

bikeCOLORADO, What a great way to propose. I loved the photos. Especially the one of you Fiancée after you proposed. Her expressions is great!

MikeR

IMHO
bikeCOLORADO wins! He has the BEST of the best rides.

The only way to beat that one is a weeding or birthing during a bike ride. (or maybe a conception on the trail?)

bikeCOLORADO

Thanks!

And - how about some pics biking in Costa Rica on our honeymoon? The "hitchin" date is June 21st...we leave for Costa Rica on the 22nd!

MikeR

Congratulations on the wedding. Best of luck to both of you. I’ve been married over 30 years so (obviously) I think married life is the best.

My brother just bought some land in Costa Rica.
Where you going - the shore, or inland up in the rain forest & cloud forest? Do you intend to cycle a lot? The area my brother is in sounds very hilly.

bmw_maniac

haha! wait till I get pics of my favourite ride. from one end to the other of a 40km twisting steep road through some of the best scenery around. Then I turn around and come back. Just excellent!