BTinNYC

Got out with the wives!

We joined my buddy and his better half for a nice ride on the Harlem Valley Trail in Dutchess County, NY.

2cam16

Took this one out on it's maiden voyage. It was a gravel type of morning.
IMG_1455 by 2cam16, on Flickr

BTinNYC

Decent ride, great espresso after.

Wildwood

Only going to low-mid 70*s, full overcast to start. Down the roads and up the hills to the flattish trail ride. 50mi = longest ride post surgery and equal to longest of 2022 (tho gentler this time). Cutout saddles by rhm a savior given new circumstances.

Ride On. Ride Strong. With Vigor… and for next year.


No pics of city roads, almost crowded by my departure time. But the trail is smooth enough for rolling pics

90* turns in engineered rivers (albeit not too large) dictates earthen reinforcements and salmon spawning habitat. No concrete walls permitted - yet. So lots of big sticks and periodic rehab of the levee protecting a ‘major evacuation route’ . And a busy local highway.

This ‘field’ will be flooded for a salmon spawning - well below the upstream dam.

Cedar River - did not see salmon running upstream yet. Still early, plus - the stops were short.


The English Falcon 531c, is sweet. VeloFlex Roubaix, 25mm tubulars @ ~110 rear and bit less up front, which run 25mm on vintage rims.

Hypno Toad

This Toad made it to the top of Old Fall River Rd in Rocky Mountain National Park. It's a gravel road that's 9 miles long with 3,200 ft gain, getting up to 11,796 ft elevation.

I rode from our hotel in Estes Park to the start of Old Fall River Rd. This is where it starts to get interesting


The visitors center at the top of the road



I rode my '21 Bianchi Infinito on GravelKing SK 32 mm tires. Great combo for the conditions.


This made me laugh ... Never seen this before ?!? 😂

BTinNYC

4000 feet on gravel...at 10000 feet above sea level. Go man, go!

jppe

very cool!! I’ve ridden Trail Ridge Rd to the Visitors Center several times but wasn’t aware of the gravel road. From my experience you just never know what the weather is going to give you. We did it in blinding sleet and snow the first time, wind blowing 40-50 mph another time and also on a really nice clear calm day. Did you ride back down the gravel road or descend Trail Ridge?

BTinNYC

Morning ride

Hypno Toad

Thanks! Trail River Rd with high winds would have been a no-go for me, that road has some very exposed sections with step drops off the road. I'm kinda white-knuckled driving a car on it!

I talked with a couple riders over the weekend that did this loop, riding up Old Fall River Rd and descending Trail Ridge Road (reference map). For a couple reasons, I took a ride back down with Frau Toad in the car (mostly because I 'm pansy on descents in Minnesota ... a proper Rockies descent would have melted my rotors ). Old Fall River Rd is a one-way, up to the visitors center only.

I was so lucky to have amazing weather! I started from Estes Park around 6:30 to beat the heavy traffic and it was sunny, with light winds, and temps around 40F/5C the whole ride. RMNP had heavy rain, snow, hail the day we arrived in Estes Park (but nothing like the piles of hail in Estes in July), and some of the snow was still along the road in the shady areas. I only had two days to make my ride, and was ready to ride in bad weather, but everything worked out perfectly!

jppe

Got it!!! The descent on Trail Ridge is actually not that bad but you have to stay within your comfort zone for sure.

The time we rode Trail Ridge when it was super windy up top, it was literally blowing us into the lanes of oncoming traffic on the descents. I was riding the brakes like crazy just trying to stay upright. You didn’t want to ride too close to the edge of the road for fear of being pushed off the pavement and down a cliff. I was probably riding the center of my lane and the wind would move you over into the other lane. It’s the most scared I’ve ever been on a bike. I saw a number of riders getting off their bikes and walking down some hills. Once you’d dropped down a 1000’ or so in elevation the wind calmed down.

Its certainly a beautiful spot when the weather is agreeable but it can really bare its teeth when not. Estes Park is a good spot for an overnight stay for sure.

BTinNYC

Bronx Whitestone Bridge

Jtmav

Final summer ride on Cape Cod, 26 miles on the Shining Sea Bikeway North Falmouth to Woods Hole and back. I’ve done the ride 3 times a week since early June. Leaving the Cape and back to reality soon. Feel grateful to have had such a beautiful summer in spite of the heat and drought.

BTinNYC

Quick ride before dinner

Imaginos

Rode 4 miles today,a short ride before the dentist appt. I try to ride every day and this is my third day in a row after a crash a few weeks ago. I think my record is twenty days in a row.

jppe

First ride in 2 months. Too many other priorities plus a bout with COVID. 30 miles at a slow pace. No issues riding in traffic, felt normal.

Wildwood

Nice day to give a full check ride to a new build I call frankenpractical.
’87 Bianchi Vittoria. Light and sprinty.


Sunday traffic - luckily for much of the time





Sammamish Animal Shelter - new neighbors, 3km down the hill.

BTinNYC

City loops.

jppe

What size is the Bianchi? I just might have to "borrow" that one!!! Beautiful bike, love what you've done with it.

Wildwood

59X58cm ctc with 17 headtube. Rides small, even with 125mm stem. Bianchi Formula One tubing feels like Columbus SL, fork is sturdier for this frame size.

Chuck M 

I planned a road ride yesterday before church but the 13 miles of running Saturday and post COVID wonkiness made me decide to wait until today. I still didn't feel up to it, so I took a 14 mile spin on the local river side MUP. I think this is the longest ride I've done since having COVID last month.

Wildwood

Just a local jaunt. Mid 70*s. Blue, blue sky


‘59 Rickert. 60+yo gearing really should be changed, down the road.


Roam in a new home.


Look at that sky.

Roll on.

edit: without realizing at the time the last pic was taken = you can almost see my house - above the red barn, near the blue sky, below some trees. About 3+km of paved road and ~400' (130m) elevation gain. Aka - the only road home.

2cam16

California heatwave is in full bloom. Started at around 8 this morning with temp at 76. Ended after 10 and it was high 80's. My type of weather.
GPTempDownload (8) by 2cam16, on Flickr

philbob57

I had a great 25 mile ride - sunny, warm, light wind, strong (for me) all the way, pretty quick recovery; 1080 miles for the year so far.

BTinNYC

Hour in the surreal while it was raining and a quick trip in the real for groceries.

GhostRider62

I did not ride today, unfortunately. I had RF ablation to the occipital nerves for pain and due to anesthesia, Doc said to take it easy. If my wife wasn't home, I'd sneak out for sure, it is a perfect day for a nice ride in the country.