curbtender

I can always tell when a vintage locomotive will be coming through. The trail loads up with photographers.

ExPatTyke

Here in the UK they're known as gricers (the photographers that is, not the locomotives). We live just a few hundred yards from a bridge over the mainline - the bridge is packed out with them when there's a steam hauled special going through.

1989Pre 

ExPatTyke, thanks for the photos and the full description. I was unfamiliar with R.R.T.Y. Does this mean you have done rides of this distance before? My family lived near Taunton, and Joseph Widdecombe was married there in 1299 a.d. Small world! I like those pictures of the Channel, the Canal and the Harbour. I like your B.S.A, too! The skies look sort of "iffy". Did you stay dry?

ExPatTyke

Glad you enjoyed the 1989Pre . RRTY is an Audax UK award for a 200k ride every month - https://www.audax.uk/awards-pages/ra...round-the-year. I'm on month 11 now, the ride in the photos was August's ride. I tried for September's ride last weekend, but it didn't go so well - photos will follow. I find the C&V bikes are perfect for randonneuring, comfortable and robust for a long day in the saddle.

It is a small world indeed - West Somerset's a lovely area and my photos really don't do it justice. The weather on the day of the ride was typical of this year's summer, grey skies, rain showers, and a gusty breeze. I managed to stay dry for most of the day luckily, the rain showers were short and not too heavy.

esasjl

I find myself in Malvern for a few days and the Malvern Hills Trust MTB trails looked interesting to ride with the all-road bike.

Most of the trails are in the woods (deciduous) and cool on a hot and sunny day. The ridge is accessed at a few points but the paths are quite eroded.


Malvern is famous for its spring water. This is Holywell Spring.



There are a few old quarries that let you see the igneous rocks.


The views from the ridge alleviate the claustrophobia of the woods.

cooperryder

I only rode

11 miles today in the heat.
Bike is 1982 Trek 614, a sweet ride.

Weather app show we get 10 to 15 degrees cooler temps starting Sunday or Monday.

Bring it!!!

Warbird21

No pictures - but back on the C&O Canal Towpath. In May, I somehow fractured my hip, had the replacement in Mid-July. I've cycled on my Salsa with Zwift a few times last week, and this week 8 miles on the Canal with the wife on Sunday, a leisurely ride (on the Hybrid I picked up). 10 miles on the road Monday and 10 miles on the Canal this evening. I averaged 14.5 mph, which pleased me, as it caused no discomfort and I had more in the tank. It was 94 degrees tonight, but shady, so that was welcomed. I even raced three fawns, and kicked their white-tailed butts! I encountered no one on the tow-path this evening. It was simply great to be able to cycle comfortably again. (I had forgotten which button starts/stops my Garmin Edge ride activity, that made me laugh after I figured it out).

northbend 

Trolls have been in the local news lately with the construction of multiple sculptures by a Danish artist.

https://www.nwtrolls.org

The most recent troll was completed in nearby Issaquah got me to thinking yesterday it would make a neat ride theme to go visit some of them by bicycle.

A late 11AM start to begin, I drive to Preston where I follow the Issaquah - Preston trail into Issaquah on the bike.
The roar of traffic from Interstate 90 assaulting my left eardrum at odds with my eyeballs as I pedal through the forested trail that parallels the highway.
Anyone who travels this stretch of roadway westbound is familiar with the ’12th man’ flag that a Seahawks Football fan hangs in the hills between Preston and Issaquah.

12 by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

“Jakob Two Trees” was hiding in the woods just off the Rainier Trail in Issaquah.

Issaquah Troll by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Time to head west, back on the I90 trail bound for Seattle.

I90 trail by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Seattle Skyline from Beacon Hill by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Crossing Lake Washington, I ride to the terminus of the I90 trail and pick my way to West Seattle via the Alki Trail admiring the view of the Seattle skyline across Elliott Bay.

The view from Alki by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Hugging the coastline around Alki Point to Lincoln Park I find “Bruun Idun” playing her Ocarina in the woods behind Coleman Pool.

The West Seattle Troll by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I head back after eating a picnic lunch, retracing my route along the seawall in Lincoln park wishing I’d gotten an earlier start. It would have been fun to visit the old “Fremont Troll” that lives under the Aurora Bridge but I was running out of time.

Heading back through Lincoln Park by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

One last photo. Taken while crossing the I90 Floating Bridge of the Bellevue skyline. It was a beautiful day for a bike ride. Mid 70’s, clear skies and no wind.

Bellevue Skyline from the I90 Floating Bridge by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Back at the car in Preston, 79 miles for the day. The route could have been shortened, but the ride around the south end of Mercer island is so much fun…

Two Trolls by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

When all the trolls are completed, it would be great to set aside some time to visit all the trolls. Perhaps a “Tour De Trolls” next summer?

SurferRosa

Read your post before I set out for some errands this afternoon, which brought me to Fremont. Even though tourists were all over, I snapped a quick pic.



I'm in.

thinktubes 

Rode 50 after work on Wednesday - posting a day late. Got dark at 7:15pm

Last day in the 80s for awhile. Wildflowers are holding up, but it smells like fall.



Stairway leading to the earth’s core.



Old RR bridge - now a bike path.



Decaying wall with a decaying Schwinn.

SJX426 

Over did it today with a 36.5 miler. I am way out of shape. Note the railroad tracks in front of the monument.
MeadeMonument-Not on Flickr
MeadeMonument-Described b on Flickr

The victor gets to change names and destroy history.

jamesdak 

Today was an "Old Man Shout At The Clouds" ride. Encountered the path flooded again. Two multi million dollar homes built there recently and they totally screwed up the drainage on their property and keep flooding the path with about two inches of standing water. Then a large group of cyclist with a kid that kept weaving back and forth and not giving way to oncoming riders. Another pair of young adult riders staying side by side as I passed instead of going single file, the path is narrow. Then folks walking there unleased dog and taking no steps to control him as I go by. Anothe group stopped in a blind curve, bikes strewn all over the path and then looking dumb when I called out I was coming through. Over in Huntsville where I normally have a quiet 7 mile loop of country roads I do laps on there is now a "farmer's market" each Saturday. So now I get cut off and almost hit pretty much every time by as well as having to deal with traffic totally ignoring the speed limit, not giving 3 feet to pass, and blowing through stop signs. Then to top it all off, I got a flat. This one I say is my fault though, LOL! I have a set of brand new GP5000s tires for this bike with latex tubes. I was just too lazy this week after work to put them on. So the Michelin Pro Race tire in the rear picked up something and flatted. Other than all that it was a beautiful ride out this morning.

I took the P&S camera but didn't wind up shooting much.


Always have to grab shots of the new bikes by this door



The mountains are pretty much done with sharing water for the year.

Fresh pavement on one of the dead end roads I use to pile up the miles. The first of many new homes to be built here I'm sure.

rustystrings61 

I set out for Hodges, expecting it to be the usual sleepy place - but they had a town festival going today! I rolled up as a young lady was singing “”The Star Spangled Banner” and stopped to doff my helmet and stand with hand over heart, then slipped through the barricades where they’d blocked off Main Street to go take a breather at the gazebo housing the old town pump.




Ruby the Lighthouse looks less and less like a race bike to me and more and more like a velo that wants to cover some ground. I like this bike more and more with each mile.

People were friendly and having a good time, and the whole vibe lifted me up the rest of the day. I wound up with just under 17 miles for the morning as I get myself back on the bike again.

SurferRosa

It looks accessible, though.

Also, sweet Pina.

etherhuffer 

A small secret on visiting the Seattle/Puget Sound area: Between Labor Day and the last week of September when the UW goes in session are the best weeks ever for weather and less crowds. Today was a classic day. Decided to do the 'tourist in my own city' ride.

Mouth of the Duwamish, fishing for salmon. Stunk of old bait

Seaplane port, Lake Union

Old Mosquito Fleet ferry from 100 years ago

King of Mercia


Orca vs upside down boat

JP Patches. If you are from the Puget Sound area, you know.

Not on fire. Yet.

etherhuffer 

Pollution on the way to China

Tourists on the way to Alaska

Airborne salmon

Myrtle Edwards Park


Spaced Noodle and Calder

Norwegian Covid factory

Ivar's! Fish and chips. Keep clam.

Alki Beach

Thunder***** IPA from Future Primitive brewery

MrGastrognome

Gorgeous day to take a spin around the lake at Mt. Mazama. 30ish miles and nearly 4000 ft of climbing. Good times at 6000-7000 ft elev.

merziac

Going back next week?

merziac

2 new miles on the HCRH, plus about 15 more miles out and back from Wyeth.

https://content.govdelivery.com/acco...letins/36c928c

I rode all of this last year including up to the new Mitchell point tunnel when it was still all gravel and much of it was on I84.

MrGastrognome

I'd do it again if I lived closer. It's a 6+ hour drive each way. Will go back for the 2024 event and take the train next time.

darkmoon

Cycling starts again, at last!
The weather has been unfavorable for 2 months!
I'm not fit enough, I rode just 10km/6mile to look for summer roadside beauties.


cannas



cocmos



golden cosmos, and cosmos



tiger lilies



tiger lilies and sarusuberi, Indian lilac



kusagi, harlequin glorybower
When you come to Japan in summer and your nose catches the scent of white lilies but find no lilies around you, it must be this kusagi, harlequin glorybower.
They smell like white lilies.



kudzu
An invasive alien species in America.
It's flowers smell sweetly.
We Japanese has made the starch from its root and made kudzu mochi sweet and a medicine, kakkonto since 8th century.

merziac

I would have gone but leaving for Eroica on Wednesday and need to conserve traveling energy, 3 hour drive for me 1 way to CL so the Gorge ride was plenty.

bark_eater 

Ride in any direction, and ya hit water.

zookster 

Out on my '88 Raleigh Technium Tri-Lite this morning on the Le Tour De Ham Views and Brews ride.

jamesdak 

Decided to use this ride to test out the changes to the Team USA. It's running a new crank/cassette, wheels, tires, and pedals. Everything seemed to work fine today. Hit some of the gravel areas to see how the tire/wheel change would do. Nice cool morning out but did have a rain cloud chasing me around for awhile.


Cool ol' truck

Water level is finally starting to drop some

Heading up into one of the inlet areas.

How the Raleigh is set up now.

Fishing

Morning reflection in the cove

One of the nicer sections of the bike path

Heading up into one of the wildlife management areas

The beginning of one of my favorite hikes that followed a draw up into the mountains. Old knees can't make that one anymore.

More of the path, this part keeps getting flooded by the new homeowners messing up the drainage to the left there.