SurferRosa

two lousy bucks.

SurferRosa

Is it cold enough for ya?"

<jack torrance frozen.gif>

rjsmit1

It's winter and I am a wimp! ;-)

botty kayer

Dudley, Eunice, Franklin and Gladys sound like the local whist drive hustlers, but it is in fact the list of named storms to hit the UK in the last 10 days. Eunice was the worst of the bunch here in London, with 70mph winds last week howling though the city streets and kept me off the bike for a few days. Today was much calmer so I ventured to the brutalist architecture of the Barbican, which despite looking like the cross between a grim gulag and a moon base, flats here are sought after and expensive.


And for some contrast to the masses of grey concrete I rode west, and was warmed by the summer colours and the gaze of a beautiful lady on Portobello Road


At the end of Portobello road is Portobello wall public art project, which has been going for over a decade now and devotes 100 yard stretch of road to public artworks, on different themes, the most recent being rhythm and sound. In some kind of magic colour harmony my bike was drawn to this one, which features steelpan virtuoso Kyron Akai and his pan.

I didn't do it, but apparently if you scan the QR code you can "be taken to an augmented reality where you can play the pan on your smartphone using a Snapchat Augmented Reality filter", which sounds like a line out of an episode of Buck Rogers to me, so I'm heading back to the moon base to look up what that means

Drillium Dude 

Your Simoncini has found its Shangri La

Love your pics from out 'n about London. Next time you're over on the Isle of Dogs, might you get a pic of the Cascades Tower? Used to live there in 1995 while working for the US Navy at 7 North Audley Street. My two years there lit the flame of my classic & vintage obsession.

Cheers!

DD

botty kayer

Yes sure, no problem, gives me an excuse to get over there and should be able to get over there at the weekend, watch this space

Spaghetti Legs 

Taste of spring today before winter comes back tomorrow. Lots of folks out and about town today with all kinds of sports going on at UVA. I stopped by my secret knothole to watch a little Women’s lacrosse UVA vs BC. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of enjoying my little college town; starting to see some signs it might happen.

Drillium Dude 

Awesome - thanks!

DD

gaucho777 

Forgive me for posting a couple days late, but thought I'd share some photos from a President's Day ride with a few forum members. Dave davester), Alex 73StellaSX76, Brett numbernine, plus a few other non-forums members (Dana, Emily, and Katie). It was a beautiful, though chilly, day in the east bay. We met at the Pleasant Hill Bart, and then made a loop around Mt. Diablo via Morgan Territory climb. Morgan territory if a gem of a climb--a little over four miles, secluded, steep at times but undulating, and wooded (nice shade on hot days). The East Bay Strangler, a notorious serial murderer and ****** active in the 70s and 80s is known to have left some of his victims' bodies along Morgan Territory Road back in the 70s. We didn't have anything quite that serious happen, but there were two misfortunes. First, on the narrow descent on the backside of the Morgan Territory climb, Dana was run off the road by a passing truck coming as he came over a blind crest. Although he and the bike were uninjured, a phone was dropped in the fall--fortunately recovered after a short jaunt back up part of the descent/climb. The second misfortune befell Emily when her e-bike ran out of battery toward the end of the ride, causing her to limp home the last few miles. Notwithstanding these setbacks, a good time was had by all:

Here's a shot of part of the group on the run-up to the climb. (Kudos to Dave for representing with his vintage Raleigh.



Near the top of the Morgan Territory Rd. climb:



Once you cross the top of Morgan Territory, the landscape transforms from wooded backcountry, to windy grassland pastures. Here's a portion near the top of the fast, technical descent:

gaucho777 

Today, I drove down from the SF bay area to SoCal to visit family. Along the way I made a brief stop in Paso Robles for a bit of Eroica prep. I only had enough time for a quick run up Kiler Canyon, about 15 miles total out and back from where I parked. The gravel conditions were good. Some places definitely had some deep ruts and rocks, but most places had at least one good line up on hard pack. Choosing your line and avoiding the big stuff is key. I am super happy with the Red Clover triplizer chainring I installed on the Colnago - thanks jonwvara . Last time I went up this climb I struggled with a 36x26 (T.A. Cyclotouriste crankset). A 32x28 makes a huge difference. If I have time, I may try to do a little reconnaissance of Cypress Mountain on my way back to Berkeley in a few days.

This first "bike-on-the-ground" shot is dedicated to djkashuba

Untitled by gaucho777, on Flickr

A view near summit, and at the summit looking east toward majestic clouds over the valley.

rccardr 

Mrs. Doc and I spent two weeks in Palm Springs, in an attempt to avoid the worst of Washington DC's Winter weather. We succeeded. Temps in PS were in the 60's or higher every day, no rain, just gorgeous. As a result, got in 263 miles on the '78 Richard Sachs, including a fun roll around town with fellow BF member krakhaus (Joey), who rode his lovely Tommasso:


One of the highlights is stopping by a large 'found art' installation up in the Movie Colony neighborhood. This guy has been working on it for decades:


We also did a bunch of hiking on days when I wasn't out for a ride. The palms in the canyons were splendid:

But there were also long stretches of mesquite:

rccardr 

We arrived home Tuesday night after spending a week with friends in LA/SFO, to more lovely weather ahead of a snow storm that arrived this morning. Yesterday was in the mid 70's, so got in a 32 mile shakedown ride on a '95 Bob Jackson Diamond Jubilee 753 that I've been working on for a few months:


I'd forgotten how terrific later Tricolor 8 speed is- just snickety-snick through the gears, no drama. Great stuff!

rumrunn6

looks like it's set up nicely. how's the action on those down tube shifters? I had a bike w/ those a few years ago & they were always really stiff

rumrunn6

oh that would be nice to ride thru

gaucho777 

I am visiting family in the Agoura/Thousand Oaks area north of L.A. I went out this morning for one of my favorite local rides up the "Rock Store climb" on Mulholland. The Rock Store is a popular motorcycle hangout on the weekends. They used to speed up & down the winding ascent/descent, which made it a dangerous road at times. However, after some severe rain and mudslides several years ago, they closed the road to vehicles, so it's a dreamy stretch of road for cyclists now with only bike and foot traffic.

Before getting to the climb, I made may way through some nice California coastal landscape of hills, valleys, and oak trees



A nice view of Malibu Lake



Near the base of the climb, there is this cool old saloon, The Old Place. A fitting C&V backdrop:





Road *NOT* Closed





A view from the summit. If you look closely at the very distance ridge of mountains, you might be able to make out the snow on top of the San Gabriel Mountains

bironi

Don't be parking one of your classics at that bike rack below Wiley Coyote!

Straightblock

This road was marked "private" for years, but about 2 years ago I noticed the sign was gone. It gives me a variation on a route I've ridden a thousand times, and instead of another mile on the bike lane on a 60 mph expressway I get a mile and a half of quiet road through vineyards and horse ranches, with about a third of a mile of easy gravel.

thinktubes 

Sigh…haven’t ridden since Dec 31, 2021.

Drillium Dude 

Two flats today - had to get rescued after the second one! Both caused by goatheads; the first bit of thorn may have been in the tread (front tire) already and rolling along pushed it in far enough to puncture the tube. Quick fix using my spare tube - on my way in less than 10 minutes. Got my 30 miles in, but flatted (front again) about 4 miles from home. This time the culprit was in evidence: a big, fat goathead stuck in the non-drive sidewall. Since I'd only brought along one spare tube - and no patch kit - I was either walking or phoning a friend

I think there's a bit of extra debris out on the roads after the recent rains, and the AZDOT guys/gals were out cleaning the trail today, too, so some debris is ending up on the path as a result. Just have to be a touch more vigilant - and carry a couple extra tubes plus the patch kit just in case!

Sorry, no pics - I was out for a leisurely ride today and figured I wouldn't need it. Yeah, right - finally saw a beautiful roadrunner just after I flatted the second time and he wasn't in a hurry to get away, either. Sigh...

DD

Drillium Dude 

Look on the bright side: you haven't had a flat since December 31, 2021, either

DD

botty kayer

Last week @Drillium Dude asked if it would be possible for me to take a pic of his old haunts when he was living and working over here 20+ years ago. I replied and said I’d b able to swing by this weekend, but I had a few hours this afternoon so I thought I’d do a modern version of DD’s route from work in North Audley Street Mayfair in London’s west end, 6.8 miles through central London to Cascades Tower over in the Isle of Dogs in the heart of the old docklands in the east end, from where goods from all over the Empire came and went.

As I understand it, when Cascades Tower was built, the fancy new Docklands development was still in its infancy, a lot of the area was still run down, the docks had long since closed and its best days were deemed behind it. As I understand at one point they couldn’t find enough occupants so they offered apartments to local students at budget rates. I don’t know if DD’s US Naval employers were also offered discount rates the occupy it at the time, but the area has been further developed over the intervening 20+ years and I’m pretty sure there are no budget student lets there now. I just did a quick google search and one of the smaller 2 bedroom departments there costs from approx £575,000 or approx $770,000.

If you thought that was pricey, you should see the prices where DD used to work, on North Audley Street in Mayfair. The building has I think had a major redevelopment since DD’s days working here and has been converted into luxury private accommodation. I think they have kept the concrete columns of the original entrance, and changed the rest but I’m not sure and maybe DD can confirm. I’ve not been in as a scruffy street urchin like me wouldn’t get past the front door, but I’ve heard many of the original and rather grand fixtures and fittings have been removed.

Despite that you still need very deep pockets to buy an apartment here. There are still some 4 bedroom apartments available, at approx 320suare metres that go from, and I hope you#re sitting down, £18,000,000 which at today’s rate of exchange is about $24 million. And there’s some 5 bedroom apartments in the 490 square metre range that go from £35,000,000 or $47million. See here for details: https://1newhomes.com/twenty-grosvenor-square-london
That sure is an expensive extra bedroom, and is way beyond my pay grade. But this is Mayfair after all, the most expensive property on our Monopoly Board.

I don’t know if DD even cycled to work back then, or if he did, exactly which way he went, but London is constantly changing and evolving. There is now a network of Cycle Super Highways criss-crossing the city, I did not go that way today but there's a cycle track all the way along the river from Big Ben/Houses of Parliament, almost all the way to Canary Wharf, none of which existed in DD’s time here.

As it happens, this week I found my brothers battered old Gopro Hero3 (the current version is the Hero10 so this one has antique status!). It was assumed lost but was found down the back of a cupboard, where its been for God knows how long. I didn’t even know if the battery would still hold charge, but plugged it in for a few hours and it showed signs of life, so I thought I’d have a crack at filming the route. I decided to go a more direct route, partly as I didn’t think the battery would last, and also because I just thought this would be a bit of a test run. As it turns out the battery just held out to the destination. Full disclaimer as I didn’t think I would make it, I have not given a sparkling commentary of all of the historic places I pass along the way, so a slick travel documentary this is not. I do blurt out some comments about a few places I pass along the way, but this was so budget its hilarious. I don’t have any proper Gopro mounts, so I just electrical taped the camera to my handlebars in an almost level position. As wind noise is always an issue with Gopro’s I taped some cloth over the mic in a lo-fi attempt to muffle some of the surrounding din, so I’m not sure you can even hear me properly, so maybe best viewed with a drink and background music of your choosing.

London’s roads have been dug up and pounded by hoofed and now wheeled traffic for so long nobody can tell what is original road and what is a repair, or a repair on a repair. Billiard table smooth it is not. On reflection 28c tyres would have been more comfortable today, and provided some budget anti vibration technology that the GOPro3 does not come with, but my Simoncini only has 25c tyres, and as you may have gathered by now I’d not really thought this through. I’ve got no software for editing and no idea how to do that anyway, With the bar set suitably low, from which any future videos can surely be deemed an improvement, I set off……

I appreciate this was done originally for an audience of one, and I’m not sure even he will make it to the end. It has Blair Witch budget and production values but if anyone is interested in seeing a middle aged man cycle 6.8 miles east from Mayfair, passing Regents St, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, The Strand, Fleet Street, St Paul’s, some cobbles, Tower Hill where I pick up Cycle Super Highway 3, which takes me nearly all the way to the Isle of Dogs, then you’re more than welcome to come along for the journey. As jetpacks have not yet gone mainstream, and helicopter travel is pretty expensive, cycling is probably still the fastest, cheapest and best way to get around the city, just as it was in DD’s time here. It took me 32 mins by bike but that was probably still quicker than public transport.

Hopefully you don’t find it too bumpy or stressful. I often look longingly at the lovely pics of deserted country roads through amazing terrain posted on this forum, but I must admit I also love the mayhem and the hustle and bustle of the city, and when I’m away I miss it and still love coming back. Anyway here it is and despite the crusty old Gopro it did manage to record in 720p so set the Youtube player to that for the best picture. "Drillium Dude's old London commute":
If anyone wants to see the exact route I travelled here’s a GPX track of the ride, so you can to do your own Google Streetview tourist spotting of any places I rattle by if you want.
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/83713804
And as the original brief was to take a pic of Cascades Tower, I thought I’d better do that, so here is the pic taken from the end of the ride,.

Where was your apartment here DD, dockside or roadside view?

Wildwood 

Full sunny day, no family commitments. 40* at start, climbing to 45 finally.

Not a cloud

I never really understood naming every collection of houses, but it seems to be a ‘thing’.

Have yet to meet a horse that cleaned its’ own stall.

Post ride pic of my wishfulness

Drillium Dude 

Wow - what an amazing post! I was hoping for a nice shot of Cascades (which of course I got), but I was not expecting a 30 minute video of my old commute! Yes, I made the run between 7 North Audley and Isle of Dogs at least once per week - weather permitting - on this very bike:



The route you took was almost identical - my major departure from your route was at Tower Hill where I took East Smithfield/The Highway and the subterranean Limehouse Link as the CS3 did not exist back in 94/95. Much has changed (tho much has remained the same), but I see that the number of roadworks throughout the run definitely has not! For the two years I rode around London I was constantly dodging cones and barriers. Btw, Botty - we had (still have, if I'm being honest) similar riding styles; I felt as if I were watching a vid of myself making my way home, for real. Thanks very much for the added effort it took to set up and record that super-cool video - brings back many good memories from a couple of the best years of my Navy career

And since you asked: my flat was on the 15th floor overlooking the Thames. I moved in after another Navy tenant transferred and she put me on to the owner to let it for my final year. IIRC, it was going for about £1500 a month; of course, it was paid for out of my cost of living allowance, not out of my own pocket - hopefully I gave the US Government value for money with my dedication at work.

Great photo of Cascades Tower! I've modded the pic to point out my old flat:



Looks like the local is gone from across the road, unfortunately

Again, many many many thanks for your efforts - and the video came out great, especially considering the budget! I've saved it to my bookmarks so I can watch it again whenever I feel the need to get sentimental. Cheers

DD

gaucho777 

botty kayer and Drillium Dude - awesome posts! Botty kayer, that was really a nice gesture to make the video. I love London, but I wouldn't envy that commute.

gaucho777 

I'm here in Agoura/Thousand Oaks for one last day before heading back to the bay area. I spent the morning riding another one of my favorite local routes through Hidden Valley - an beautiful pastural hideaway just minutes from SoCal suburbia.