Machka 

That photo wasn't taken this past Sunday ... that was about 18 months ago, and on the opposite side of Tasmania from where we were last weekend.

Last Sunday, the only time we sat on the 200 km (other than on the bicycle saddle) was at a bakery for about 5 min.

I didn't take any photos on either the 300 km or the 200 km last weekend because we were too busy riding.

cooker

It was just a random thought.

I-Like-To-Bike

You have random thoughts about seeking shade?

cooker

I have a lot of random thoughts about all kinds of stuff. Sometimes they seem worthwhile to post, usually they don't.

Machka 

No cycling this weekend, but a whole lot of cycling for fun all week this past week! Just exploring.

cooker

I've been training my 11 month old dog to tolerate being in a fairly snug softshell airline carrier on the living room floor, and this AM we did a test run of towing her around the driveway by hand, with the carrier mounted on a bike trailer. She seemed a bit confused. Later today I will do a short bike ride in the neighbourhood but I don't want to stress her by doing too much, too fast.


Here we go:

Walter S

Hooters downtown!

350htrr

Last weekend I cycled up to a ski hill, a 298M of elevation gain in 4.5 Km, on a gravel road that really needed some grader work... Sure felt good to have done it, at the top, and going down.

cooker

I have been on holidays that past week and hardly biked. Today I did another brief round of towing the dog on the trailer just a block or so to continue to get her used to it, so maybe tomorrow we will do our first real outing, 5-6 km to a dog park.

This is a staged photo. For towing she would be completely zipped in:

Machka 

Saturday -- Rowan and I travelled to the north of the state with the intention of starting ... and perhaps finishing ... a 400 km. We weren't sure if we'd complete the 400 because we haven't been well in recent weeks, and haven't done nearly enough cycling recently ... so we figured it might be a bit of a struggle.

Also, while this weekend presented us with sunshine during the day, it was not at all warm. Shortly after we started, Rowan's thermometer read -1.8C and the high reached 12C for a little while. Tonight it is supposed to drop below freezing again with frost.

So, we started the 400 km, and covered the part of the route I really wanted to ride ... a section we've driven but have never ridden. And it is beautiful! The route twists and turns and climbs a little and has some flat sections, and presents riders with a lovely view of the Great Western Tiers which are topped with snow at this time of year.

All up, we covered 183.8 km and I really enjoyed the ride. I was so pleased to be able to do that distance, and had fun out there!


Also ... when we reached 157 km, Rowan and I decided to go out for dinner to celebrate our anniversary (it's next week). Evil Rowan made the booking for 6 pm, which gave us an hour and a quarter to cover the last 27 km, a quarter hour to get ready and half an hour to get there. We made it! I can move briskly when there's Mexican food at stake.

To be fair to Rowan, he did try to get a booking for later, but this place is popular and busy and 6 pm was the only time we could get in.


Distance 183.8 km
Elevation: 1256 metres
Moving Time 9:02

cooker

Where do you sleep if you don't finish the loop? Or is it some kind of lapped course where you are always close to base?

Machka 

I designed our 400K and 600K routes so that they've each got at least one bail-out point where the route either returns to the start before heading out a different direction, or comes close to the start. We cannot ride in laps (that's an Audax rule), but we can design routes in a sort of clover leaf pattern.

The 400K route comes within 27 km of the start at the 157 km point ... that's where we decided to head back to the start. It also comes within about 5 km of the start at about the 280 km point.

Walter S

Nice setup. What about comfort for the long haul? Is the trailer bouncy? Seems like that might be an issue you might not be certain of since it's not you riding... I like the idea. My dog is about 50 lbs. Wouldn't fit so compactly

cooker

The carrier comes with a sheepskin that offers a little cushioning and the tires are at 40 psi. Even so I have been in the habit of calling out "bump!" when we are about to go over a pothole or speedbump in the car, and plan to do that with the bike trailer too. I'm ambivalent about how far to take her, but today was the first actual ride to a park (1-2 km) and she didn't object to going in the case either way.

Sangetsu

Fun enough. I rode a long circuit around Tokyo, from my home to Akihabara. Then I headed toward Shinjuku via Yasukuni Street (which has one of Tokyo's most difficult climbs). I tailed a couple of roadies for awhile, then passed them on the climb, I never saw them again. I puttered around Shinjuku, bought some bike parts at the big bike shop there, and then visited the nearby music store to get guitar strings. I headed toward home, but stopped to ride a circuit around Yoyogi Gyoen (a large park). Though it was only 2pm or so, there were thousands of people lined up on the sidewalk to watch the one hour fireworks show held that evening. I stopped at Sushi Zanmai, enjoyed a plate of sushi for lunch and a Heineken. A good ride and a good day.

cooker

How much of it is a clear path with few stops?

Sangetsu

Almost none of it. But I do have a 2.5km circuit which has no stops. I live in Midtown, so I ride down Higashi Gaien street almost to Aoyama street, then cut back on Nishi Gaien street. About half the course is flat, then there is a gradual descent along Aoyama cemetery to the National Art Center. Then there is a short but steep climb back up to Higashi Gaien street. I can't think of any other place in Tokyo where it is possible to find a loop that big except for the riverside bike paths. But I don't live anywhere near them.

I do ten laps each morning on the circuit, averaging 30kph. On days I don't feel like riding in circles, I ride out into the city. Tomorrow I'll head out to Chiba, I need to get a front pannier rack for my bike, and the only shop which stocks one which fits my bike is out that way. I'll spend more than half my time waiting at traffic lights...

Machka 

161.9 km in northern Tasmania!

Machka 

https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...ber-2-3-a.html

Complete with monthly recap.

And yes, some of those were indeed "car free" kilometres.

cooker

Towed my dog around the neighbourhood again - 5 km biking and 2-3 km walking. I am getting less enthusiastic about taking her on a longer day trip or overnight, as I realize she will just be stuck in carrier for most of it. She tried to hide under the car when she first saw the trailer, but then hopped in willingly when I led her up to it, and again twice more after we got out for walks. She shrieked once when we had to wait at a long stoplight. So I don't know if it is Hell for her, or she is just gradually getting used to it.

wipekitty

Last weekend was the La Crosse Bike Fest, and there were a number of events - including road rides, MTB rides, and family/special interest rides in town. I volunteered to be a "ride ambassador" for two of the road rides, and had a fun time leading some out of town guests and a few locals around some of our favorite country roads.

This coming weekend is looking beautiful for some longer rides: highs around 70F, sunshine, and dry, with brisk mornings and nights. I might venture over to Minnesota, where the leaves are just starting to change and the farmers are hard at work.

enigmaT120

Sat. 12/9 I drove my old mountain bike to Dunn Forest and rode something under 10 miles.

Weyerhauser has closed off all of the roads near my house unless you have a $75/year permit, which probably is no good since it's fire season anyway. It makes where I live a lot worse than it use to be. I almost feel trapped. They own the land around 3 sides of my forest property.

If I get tired of owning and working my forestland, I'll try to sell it and buy the cheapest, smallest place I can find within easy biking and running distance of McDonald Forest north of Corvallis.

KD5NRH

I'm off Monday, so depending on wind, weather and how I feel tomorrow after church, I might head out to a state park about 35 miles away for an overnighter. Going to pack the panniers tonight just in case.

Machka 

Sunday - A decent spring day, for a change! So we had a lovely, relatively flat ride in rural countryside along the Huon River.

Distance: 44.3 km
Elevation: 320 m
Moving Time: 2:02:04
Elapsed Time 2:20:09
Speed: Avg: 21.8 km/h | Max: 38.9 km/h


I'd post photos, but the internet is too slow to load them at the moment.

Machka 

Saturday -- Rowan had to work today, so we did a late-afternoon/early-evening ride. It was cool, but not particularly windy and we had clear blue skies above ... so it was quite nice out there. The ride was a simple out-and-back on the Cycleway.

Distance: 26.9 km
Elevation: 220 m
Moving Time: 1:18:35
Elapsed Time 1:19:09
Speed: Avg: 20.6 km/h | Max: 30.6 km/h


Start of the Cycleway




Sunday -- Rowan had to work again this morning, so we opted for a shorter, flatter ride later this afternoon.

It was relatively warm, for a change ... I actually got away with a sleeveless jersey, a long-sleeved jersey, and a rain jacket + shorts and knee warmers. I had a bit of brilliant white lower leg exposed to the elements and, no-doubt, blinding drivers.

We had wind, as usual, and a bit of rain toward the end of the ride.

Distance: 34.2 km
Elevation: 195 m
Moving Time: 1:43:27
Elapsed Time: 1:45:18
Speed: Avg: 19.9 km/h | Max: 37.1 km/h
Heart Rate: Avg: 134 bpm | Max: 160 bpm