Southwest Ohio Four Day Tour
 

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4e38a96b3d.jpg
Monday October 23, view of reservoir from Buck Creek State Park Campground
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6aef1bb90e.jpg
Monday October 23, End of Four Day Tour, Downtown Dayton, Mad River in Background
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7a21437e60.jpg
Saturday October 20, Obligatory Cincinnati glamour shot
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4fcd73bf26.jpg
Little Miami Trail, between Springfield and Xenia, October 23. A little behind the peak fall color.

Castilla la Mancha Weekend

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6c73a42b4e.jpg


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b7dd66745a.jpg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bb51d7317b.jpg

Middle shot--we used to call that the magic hour to do those sort of shots. Especially shooting slides you had a small window to get the perfect combo ambient, sky and electric lighting.

France
https://live.staticflickr.com/1845/4...73e978e7_c.jpg

My Thorn Nomad
 

That's very nice looking. I like it.

Interesting front brake placement. I guess it's to better survive the bike's rated 60kg gear carrying capability.
Reminds me of the debates for placing disc brake calipers in front of or behind the fork.

There was a custom frame builder in Media, PA who used to mount one or both brakes that way. His name was Harry Havnoonian. Someone who had one of his bikes said Havnoonian claimed it provided better stopping power.

Nice looking Nomad Mk II. Too clean to be on a tour. Mine has not been that clean for several years, even though I washed it a few days ago.

I have never understood that brake setup. I have had a lot of trouble adjusting the brake on mine, the part of the canti brake post on the fork that the brake rotates on should be close to perpendicular to a line towards the axle. But, that is far from the case. You can see in the photo how the brake pads are not anywhere close to being parallel with the canti brake posts, thus getting the brakes adjusted just right can be a chore.

I made some strong complaints about that design several years ago on their forum. That bike is the Mk II version, they came out with a newer Mk III version a few years ago and now the canti brake posts are in front of the fork instead of behind.

I am not sure when they started making a disc brake fork, but that became available several years after I built up mine. The fork has to be much stronger to handle the force of a disc brake and their early tests on disc brake forks did not succeed, thus they were one of the last to offer a disc brake fork.

That said, I am content with rim brakes. They still offer a choice on their newer Nomad Mk III model of rim brakes or disc brakes.

That brake design is my main complaint with the design of the Mk II. But otherwise I have had a lot of good things to say about my Mk II. Mine has handled some heavy touring very well. I have also used mine with a suspension fork on mountain bike trails.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...deaacad94e.jpg
Early morning. Crossing the Mojave Desert, California.

Lovely section of road with zero traffic due to washed out bridges.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1aa69da6e8.jpg
Old Morrocan pic from the 1920ies, Casablanca. Man showing object from the future that mysteriously appeared in his garden.

I've ridden through the Mojave twice. It's my favorite part of the US for touring. Not many cars, giant vistas, hours-long climbs and long descents. Not a lot of food, water or shade though.

My Roberts Roughstuff at Stonehenge while doing The King Alfred Way last year.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...10f76ad335.jpg

And my Raleigh Royal from Pilsdon Penn in west Dorset.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...cc835ff683.jpg

And a well laden Brompton crossing southern India earlier this year.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3b8c8d9549.jpg

Wisconsin-- Sandhill Cranes
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...1672e983_c.jpg

Nice Doug, that's a whole squadron of them lifting off (or landing) . Fascinating the shapes, angles and positions of birds wings throughout all the various parts of flight isn't it? The world is a pretty fascinating place.

And they can be noisy as all get out. Two of them took exception to my presence when I wasn’t even a threat.

HA! That's a pretty good similarity to native behaviour on this and other dumbass online activity isn't it?!

On the previous note, I've had the same view and experience with big parrots and whatnot, noisy buggers, holy geez.

This was a great ride for birds.

Michigan-- Wild Turkeys
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a064624d_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6481e42b_c.jpg

3 days tour... :)

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...05a85ec196.jpg


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1041c11e39.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...13721ccc93.jpg

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a6173fcbac.jpg

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...eb1b7505a0.jpg

From 6 weeks ago, an advertisement for Ortlieb, "4 out of every 5 seasoned bicycle tourists use Ortlieb Panniers"
Ha

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a8d358f186.jpg

One Week Castilla la Mancha

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b76caa5119.jpg


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...afc0590b35.jpg


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1bcca0d372.jpg


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4add148734.jpg


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7d250198b6.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5c7727aae1.jpg


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a37b0849b1.jpg


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...147bc4ac2f.jpg


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...71ece4f842.jpg

Just in case I'm not the only one watching an approaching snow storm and thinking about hot, clear summer days. I've been thinking back 6 months to

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...17a8147b6.jpeg
6:00 am on the Erie Canal, east of Lockport, NY, and eastbound. Cool morning but a fine, hot, clear day ahead. 4 days after canal operations were re-opened for the summer.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...42fc674b3.jpeg
One of my 4 campsites on this trip. And my well loaded 1987 Schwinn Voyageur holding up that tree. One flat tire, one slipped derailleur cable (easily reset) and 285 miles of New York State. Packed a dry tent each morning. Wow.

Eastern Germany
This is a 2-way road. My wife is in the passing area waiting for the car.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c6b0ef35_k.jpg

A genuine cobble road with a sett stone "bike path" edge.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...89c309f8_k.jpg