Again a beautiful sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. Today’s ride is longer with more climbing as we approach the Ammergau Alps, it is also more interesting. HERE is the journal entry.
Read MoreFour Days on the Road: Day 2
Category: Rides
Four Days on the Road: Day 1
We finally screwed up our courage, packed our panniers and took a real tour, the first time since last summer. Bavaria has a lot to offer, so we opted to dispense with trains and planes (well, we don’t fly with our bikes anyway) and start and end our tour at our front door. HERE is … Continue reading "Four Days on the Road: Day 1"
Read MoreAn archback selfie
Does this count? It’s a shot taken looking up at the mirrored ceiling in the lobby of our hotel, at the end of our ride to Labin. It’s a stretch (ha, ha), but there’s nothing else archlike in this post so it will have to do. There are a few arches in the photo gallery … Continue reading "An archback selfie"
Read MoreMore looking for arches
I’ve been really impressed with all the arches everyone has been able to find. I’m really becoming convinced that here in New England (or at least my little corner of it), builders are much more into angles than curves. On my ride yesterday, I looked carefully at every house I passed, and there was nary … Continue reading "More looking for arches"
Read MoreCoyote Hills
Coyote Hills is relatively close to the Berkeley home of John, with whom I’ve pedaled in San Francisco and in Santa Rosa. He agreed to accompany me. (You’d think he would have learned better by now!) We met at the Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge parking lot, where my heart momentarily sank when I realized the … Continue reading "Coyote Hills"
Read MoreHave a little hit of fresh air
A deep marine layer swept in this morning, blew away the smoke, blotted out the sun, dropped the temperature, and provided the first real taste of fresh, sweet, cool air in days. I hopped on the Ogre and headed out the Greenway. Read more at Bill Bikes
Read MoreIn Search of an Arch
When Scott put forth this month’s Arch challenge my first thought was, “This should be easy!”, but as I’ve looked around the last few days, there seems to be a lot fewer arches in our local architecture than I thought. So, maybe not so easy. Today is a rainy day. It rained quite heavily all … Continue reading "In Search of an Arch"
Read MoreStarting the month off right
I like this! The first subject of interest that I see this month has an arch or three! And, stepping a bit further back, we can bring in a veritable tunnel of arches pointing at them like a weapon. Really, there are enough arches here that I can kick back and take the rest of … Continue reading "Starting the month off right"
Read MoreNot McDonalds
Personally, at a bicycling website I prefer photos with bikes, but I also enjoy photos with fries or onion rings. 😉
Read MoreIn Međimurje
I can’t believe it’s the end of the month already. I have to say that the August challenge fell off the mental map for the last few weeks while we were transitioning to Croatia, but I’ll try to do better next month. Surely we’ll see an arch or two along the way here. i wasn’t … Continue reading "In Međimurje"
Read MoreAshes
The “LNU” mega-fire complex in the North Bay includes several big burns—some separate, some merged—like the Walbridge Fire and Hennessy Fire. These roared through sparsely populated areas, but threatened multiple towns and cities, such as Santa Rosa. The populated areas have mostly been saved after more than a week of strenuous effort. But some communities … Continue reading "Ashes"
Read MoreSmoke City
This morning the AQI (air quality index) looked reasonably decent at “moderate.” Not having been out on two wheels in more than two weeks due to heat, fire, and smoke, I decided to cruise out the Greenway in order to determine if my legs still function. Smoke-filtered sunlight cast a hazy, yellowy pall over the … Continue reading "Smoke City"
Read MoreMore Moraine Surfing
Ascending the Ellis Moraine on a project intended for Pope Gregory Moraine surfing is indeed a more hygenic activity than Illinois River surfing — while Chicago has cleaned up its sewage act, the effluent still goes into the Illinois River Peoria even adds a little water into their chlorine system now 😉 Anyway, off to … Continue reading "More Moraine Surfing"
Read MoreAnother Ride Thru The Countryside
Previous to today’s ride, a sunset photo of the radiating sun and irrigation system Today was a perfect day for August in Illinois Cool temps to start, little to no wind Dwight, Dave, and Rich made the trip to Rossville in a somewhat circuitous route — other than Illinois Route 1 there is no direct … Continue reading "Another Ride Thru The Countryside"
Read MoreFinally back out and about
Back a few weeks ago, I headed over to New York State to watch over my son’s house and cat while he was away. It was great to get away (despite being without power for two days), but there was a downside. According to Vermont’s current travel restrictions, when visiting a county in a neighboring … Continue reading "Finally back out and about"
Read MoreCycling with Nancy #2 — McNeely Lake Metro Park
It didn’t take me long to say yes when Nancy asked if I could find a day to do another virtual tour during August. We settled on Tuesday, which at the time was supposed to be dry. The night before that changed to thunderstorms at 1 and 4. I think it was Mark Twain who … Continue reading "Cycling with Nancy #2 — McNeely Lake Metro Park"
Read MoreIn search of marsupials
Australia is a perfect place to find examples of adaptive radiation. Find yourself a kangaroo or a wombat or a koala or any other marsupial… and there you go, adaptive radiation. Alas, at this time of year, in the areas near my home, I don’t see many marsupials. Many of them nocturnal, which is one … Continue reading "In search of marsupials"
Read MoreGravity/Ejecti or Both?
We have all seen various items along the road as we ride, some more interesting than others. Some, for the sake of decency will not be shown here 😉 Road Swag or just plain stuff that fell off, jettisoned, or whatever, who knows? Here are a few photos taken over several rides
Read MoreLittle Shasta
Siskiyou County (that’s “sis – kew”) is larger than the state of Connecticut but with a population of only about 45,000 spread across its 6,347 square miles. The county stretches from the Oregon border in the north to majestic Mount Shasta (14,179 feet in elevation) and points south, from Lava Beds National Monument in the … Continue reading "Little Shasta"
Read MoreMoon over Montague
Yesterday my ace support crew and I drove up to Siskiyou County on the far northern edge of California—adjacent to southern Oregon—to spend a few days inspecting our new granddaughter. Naturally, Old Grumble-Face found it necessary to bring along the Ogre, and today I managed to slip away for a short ride in and around the … Continue reading "Moon over Montague"
Read MoreA bit of Radiant Heat wouldn’t go amiss
I have some catching up to do – you have all been very busy riding and writing. I noticed one challenge is radiation – or something similar. Well, I did make reference to ‘radiant’ in my most recent post so I will link to it HERE. The thing is that we have days following an … Continue reading "A bit of Radiant Heat wouldn’t go amiss"
Read MoreSonomarin
Up the road in Yreka important family business was in progress, but in Santa Rosa there wasn’t much I could do about it except maybe boil some water. To pass the time, I drove out to the crossroads known as Two Rock and parked at the church. From there I pedaled toward the coast to … Continue reading "Sonomarin"
Read MoreRiding to Rankin, Illinois
Dave, Dwight, and Rich take a longer bicycle ride Perfect weather, great company, terrific ride HERE is our ride today
Read MoreCoping with Solar Radiation
Solar radiation in Malaysia is such that ride organizers lay on the Fire Department to cool down participants at the finish.
Read MoreHeat, snakes, ticks, and poison oak
Last week I drove over to Winters in Yolo County to pedal through the far western edge of the Central Valley and up into the foothills of the range separating Yolo from Napa County. Today I drove to Lake Berryessa in Napa County on the opposite side of those hills. From the lake, I wanted to pedal … Continue reading "Heat, snakes, ticks, and poison oak"
Read MoreRide to Rossville
Ascending the back slope of the Paxton moraine Met up with Dave, and had our usual quandary of where to head on a ride today. He suggested Wellington, 6 miles north, or Rossville, 6 miles south. Thing is, Wellington is on a road that goes directly north, and Rossville requires a diversion east and west … Continue reading "Ride to Rossville"
Read MoreThe Big Valley
The Central Valley of California, larger than nine US states, produces more than half of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts grown in the United States. It’s divided geographically into the Sacramento Valley to the north (drained by the Sacramento River) and the San Joaquin Valley to the south (drained by the San Joaquin River). Today I decided … Continue reading "The Big Valley"
Read MoreBein’ Green
Yeah, the challenge of the month is blue, but July in my part of Australia is all about green. It is in that very short period of time in the year when the landscape is well-watered. So we got out and enjoyed all that green on Saturday with several new roads, a fair bit of … Continue reading "Bein’ Green"
Read MoreGrizzly Island
I found a bike club website with directions for a ride to the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area in the Delta. It noted the route could be extended to the far side of the island for riders willing to grind gravel. I combed through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website and the Grizzly Island … Continue reading "Grizzly Island"
Read MoreA little bit of everything
Today’s ride took me on a route that’s one of my favorites, since it has a little bit of everything. It starts out on a quiet two lane paved road, then jumps on to a busier state highway, then onto nice gravel, followed by some miles on the West River Trail, then in through town, … Continue reading "A little bit of everything"
Read MoreLost in the Sloughs
I try to pedal from Sonoma to Napa at least once each year, but it’s been a while. Time to ride. The winding route through the Carneros wine region is for the most part flanked on both sides by vineyards. I sometimes think of it as the Grape Road. I had no reason to think … Continue reading "Lost in the Sloughs"
Read MoreSeasons change
We got good rain over the weekend which made the gravel roads very fast to ride today. I made good on a promise to take the guys up to Reedy Creek for a float. You can check out all the float action and the seasonal change in Reedy Creek here: https://rambleoutyonder.org/2020/07/13/shifting-july-ride-2-untethered/
Read MoreLooking for Chains for a Change + Fox
Suprisingly little is known about the origin of chains First use in Indo-European language dates back to 225 BC Leonardo DaVinci has drawings of a chain that looks amazingly similar to modern bicycle chains The most familiar chain to us Generally 114 inner and outer links with either 10 or 8 parts per link … Continue reading "Looking for Chains for a Change + Fox"
Read MoreSerendipitous Blues
The Paya Indah Wetlands – Paya Indah means Beautiful Swamp – is a man-made wetlands area that was created on land which had been heavily degraded by tin mining and sand dredging activities. The excavations left by the mining works have been converted into lakes which are now home to fish, lotus plants and water … Continue reading "Serendipitous Blues"
Read MoreFamiliar Route / New Sightings
Been down this road many many times, almost daily, but this afternoon there was something different to see. This time, a deer I have seen previously was out in plain sight — photo shot on the fly — and blurry, but there she is! On the way south, there were two foxes who watched as … Continue reading "Familiar Route / New Sightings"
Read MoreDraining Ilsanjo
I’ve been busy with lumber and power tools on a DIY project for a few days, but my ace support crew allowed me off leash today, so I headed up to Lake Ilsanjo in Annadel State Park. Read more at Bill Bikes
Read MoreNot doing too much
It’s mid-winter here and we are having a foggy, frosty damp time of it. It feels like my brain has shut down and I have gone into a state of torpor. The above picture is from a wintery Melbourne some years ago. Found it when looking at pictures taken in June over the past few … Continue reading "Not doing too much"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 45: That’s a Wrap
I’ve come to the end of my “Travels on a Bicycle” archive of photographs. I’ll finish with some of my favourite photographs. Not all taken while on a bike ride, but all related to cycling. Malaysia I really like the composition of this one. The shot was taken by a photographer for Cycling Malaysia magazine … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 45: That’s a Wrap"
Read MoreBlue Skies at Tolay
After retiring a few years ago, I’ve made it a point to get away every two or three months for at least a couple of days of bicycling in parts unknown. The lockdown followed soon after I returned from riding in Nevada in February, and that caused me to cancel a couple of expeditions. Since then, … Continue reading "Blue Skies at Tolay"
Read MoreCornflower Blue
Not cornflowers, but wild lettuce chicory with a cornflower blue blossom County Line road — Vermilion to the left, Iroquois to the right We aren’t quite up to crop circles yet, so do road circles instead 🙂 Winter wheat ready for harvest beyond the bean field
Read MoreVirtual Tour 43: Teluk Intan
Teluk Intan is in the state of Perak. About 160km / 100 mi north of Kuala Lumpur. The area around Teluk Intan was originally populated by refugees from the Malacca Sultanate who fled the Portuguese conquest of Melaka in 1511. The sight to see in Teluk Intan is the Menara Condong or Leaning Tower. More about that … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 43: Teluk Intan"
Read MoreBlue Laguna
Out the Greenway and then via gravel to the wastewater pond where Santa Rosa Creek meets the Laguna de Santa Rosa. The gate—usually locked—was open today, allowing me to venture past the “No Trespassing” signs near the water treatment facility. More at Bill Bikes
Read MoreFox!
Interesting clouds on a ride down 7th street Ride got more interesting as I was headed back north I had seen this guy before, but never able to get to the camera fast enough This time I saw him early on, but way far away so the photos are far from the best Barely visible, … Continue reading "Fox!"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 42: Alkmaar
Alkmaar is best known for its traditional cheese market. Cheese has been bought and sold on Waagplein square since 1365. Today’s Alkmaar Cheese Market is for the tourists. Dutch cheesemaking has been a mass-market industrial operation since the 1960s, and the real business if buying and selling cheese takes place in corporate offices. Much of the … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 42: Alkmaar"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 40: Downtown Houston
Houston was home from 2008 to 2010. Zulfa and I lived in this building on Main Street. You can’t get more downtown than that. Commerce Towers is marked by the red dot in the centre of the map below. I started cycling in Houston as a painless way to exercise following ACL replacement surgery. My … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 40: Downtown Houston"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 39: Fraser’s Hill
You have seen Cameron Highlands. Fraser’s Hill is another hill station that dates from the British colonial era. Not quite as high up as Cameron, but closer to KL. I spent many a childhood family holiday in a Fraser’s Hill bungalow. Louis James Fraser, like Cameron and Dickson, is Scotsman who has a place in … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 39: Fraser’s Hill"
Read MoreBuilding up the miles
I had mentioned in an earlier post that I had a bit of a break from cycling earlier this year, so I’m still in the process of ramping back up to my pre-break mileage. Today’s ride was exciting, since it’s my first ride over 30 miles since sometime late last fall. The ride goes north … Continue reading "Building up the miles"
Read MoreI Just Couldn’t Contain Myself
A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and shipping.[1] Things kept inside of a container are protected by being inside of its structure. The term is most frequently applied to devices made from materials that are durable and are usually at least partly rigid. That said, (thanks … Continue reading "I Just Couldn’t Contain Myself"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 38: Random Dutch Views
Low levels of inspiration today. So today’s offering is a selection of photographs taken from Dutch cycling paths. Unusual for it to be so still in the Netherlands. The almost constant wind makes up for the lack of hills. This was taken on the way to Moerkapelle. Rippled water is the norm. Looking down one … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 38: Random Dutch Views"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 37: Murals in KL
A fellow R@SKL turned me on to the fact that there are a lot of murals in KL. I knew of some along the bank of the Klang River because they are visible from the rapid-transit trains. I had no idea that there were so many more within 8km / 6mi of where I live. … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 37: Murals in KL"
Read MoreFog season riding in Oz
This is winter – fog season – riding in my part of Oz. I dash out the door as soon as work ends and get in a short ride as the sun sets. Sunset is around 5.07pm. On the day of the feature pic, it had been drizzly mixed with showers all day. The clouds … Continue reading "Fog season riding in Oz"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 36: Malacca
Malacca, or Melaka as it is known locally, has a history that dates back to around 1402. Parameswara, the last king of Singapura, fled the island kingdom after a Majapahit naval invasion in 1398 and founded his new stronghold on the mouth of the Bertam river in 1402. Malacca is a good port. It is accessible in all seasons and … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 36: Malacca"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 35: Port Dickson
Port Dickson (PD) is a beach resort destination in the state of Negeri Sembilan, about 100km / 62mi south of Kuala Lumpur. It was originally a small fishing village named Arang. It was renamed after a British official named Sir Frederic Dickson who turned Arang into a port for transporting the rich tin ore deposits … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 35: Port Dickson"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 34: Den Haag 2
If you don’t want to ride a bike to these spots in Den Haag you can ride one of these. Everywhere is within walking distance of a tram stop. 1 The Knight’s Hall was built as a castle for the Earls of Holland in the 13th century. It sits in the Binnenhof, which is the … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 34: Den Haag 2"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 33a: Scheveningen
Suzanne asked, “But where are the pictures of the beach?” in response to Virtual Tour 33: Den Haag 1. I have Virtual Tour 34: Den Haag 2 ready to go. There are no pictures of the beach in that post either. To correct that oversight . . . Scheveningen is one of the eight districts … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 33a: Scheveningen"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 33: Den Haag 1
Den Haag was home for two or so years, starting in 2010. We lived very close to the city centre, which wasn’t hard to do given that the area of the city is only 98km2 / 38mi2. I rode to and through these places many many times. 1 We lived in this apartment building – … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 33: Den Haag 1"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 32: Taiwan Revisited Day 4
Wednesday was a wet day. Not a day for riding a bike. But a good day to be in the Nangang Exhibition Centre for the Taipei International Cycle Show. The show featured 1,150 exhibitors displaying their newest products spread over 65,000 square meters on floors 1, 4 and 5 of the Exhibition Centre. It was … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 32: Taiwan Revisited Day 4"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 30: Taiwan Revisited Day 2
The first effort of Day 2 was a gentle stroll to find breakfast. This was the route for the day. Southeast to Tangweigou Hot Spring Park. We were ready to start riding at about 8.30 am. It was a very short distance to the bike path along the left bank of the Tamsui River. We … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 30: Taiwan Revisited Day 2"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 29: Taiwan Revisited Day 1
Dodsun is a Taiwanese OEM bike frame manufacturer. One of their products is a relaxed geometry road bike in titanium. What makes this bike stand out is the build. The groupset is SRAM Red 22 eTap with hydraulic disc brakes. The seat post, saddle, stem and handlebars are Ritchey. The wheels are Ritchey WCS Zeta. … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 29: Taiwan Revisited Day 1"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 28: Cameron Highlands from Simpang Pulai
The road from Simpang Pulai to Blue Valley is part of the second East-West Highway completed in 2004. 56km / 35mi of the route below is on Federal Route 185 before the right turn onto Federal Route 59 to Brinchang. There is much less development along this road (translate that as places to stop for … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 28: Cameron Highlands from Simpang Pulai"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 27: Cameron Highlands from Tapah
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. The Cameron Highlands were named after William Cameron, a British explorer and geologist who mapped the area in 1885. In 1925 a Survey Department report confirmed that tea could be grown in the area. This provided the impetus to build a road from Tapah … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 27: Cameron Highlands from Tapah"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 26: Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk is a village in the South Holland province known for its iconic 18th-century windmills. To drain the polder, a system of 19 windmills was built around 1740. This group of mills is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. 15.5km / 10mi from my … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 26: Kinderdijk"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 25: The Maeslantkering
Vlaardingen is about 23km / 14mi due south of Den Haag. The ride down the North Sea coast and then along the Nieuwe Waterweg to Vlaardingen is more like 50km / 31mi. The cycle route kinks left at Hoek van Holland, where the Nieuwe Waterweg empties into the North Sea. Hoek van Holland is the … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 25: The Maeslantkering"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 24: Ride to Schiphol
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport aka Schiphol is the main international airport of the Netherlands. Before 1852, the entire polder of Haarlemmermeer in which the airport lies was a large lake with some shallow areas. 17% of the country’s current land area has been reclaimed from the sea or lakes. Schiphol is 50km / 31mi from Den Haag. A nice distance for a summer’s evening ride. … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 24: Ride to Schiphol"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 23: Penang
The island of Penang is a favourite destination for the R@SKLs. We’ve gone there annually since 2016 for the Campaign For A Lane (CFAL) rides, and have always done at least one other ride on the island during those weekends. Penang has one of the longest histories of the cities and towns in Malaysia. It … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 23: Penang"
Read MoreOld, damaged and then GONE
I don’t have many old pictures related to cycling, so this month’s challenge is, well, a challenge. I do, however, have some recent before and after pictures from nearby. Taken on bike rides but not showing bikes so not really an entry. The above is my shortest “standard” ride. It’s 15 kilometres that can be … Continue reading "Old, damaged and then GONE"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 22: Kuala Lumpur to Penang Day 3
Ham chim peng (Chinese fried doughnuts) and coffee for breakfast. We rolled out of Taiping at 6:30 am. I used Ride With GPS to plot the shortest route from our hotel to Federal Route 1. We would spend most of the day on that road. All went well until 7km from the hotel. We came … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 22: Kuala Lumpur to Penang Day 3"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 21: Kuala Lumpur to Penang Day 2
We were on the road a 6:00 am. We had 126km / 78mi to cover to Taiping. By the time it was light enough to see our surroundings we were on the A112 Jalan Kampung Bali. A quiet Kampung Bali road. Very quiet. No one had eaten breakfast before we left Kampar. Once we had … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 21: Kuala Lumpur to Penang Day 2"
Read MoreBLM
George Floyd / “I can’t breathe” / Black Lives Matter demonstrators have marched through Santa Rosa every day for at least a week. For the most part the marchers have been peaceful, but on some nights the composition of the crowd alters noticeably. A few of those individuals with a different agenda have been responsible … Continue reading "BLM"
Read MoreJune Challenge, deep into the archives
My entry into the Trike category of the June Challenge. Actually one of the few pictures I have of my early days. 61 years later, I’ve made it to two wheels. Who knows, maybe I’ll be back to three someday. Tried to get the same pose, but didn’t quite make it.
Read MoreVirtual Tour 20: Kuala Lumpur to Penang Day 1
The annual Campaign for a Lane (CFAL) ride on the island of Penang was coming up. My cycling group aka the R@SKLs has made a weekend trip out of CFAL for three or four years now. We usually fly or drive to Penang. This time seven of us decided to cycle to Penang over three … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 20: Kuala Lumpur to Penang Day 1"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 19: The BP MS150 Day 2
Team Hess coming to life early in the morning on Day 2. Some of us were still digesting the excellent barbecue dinner served out of this monster. Adios La Grange. It is usually pretty chilly as we roll over the Day 2 start line. This gentleman never fails to lift the spirits. He occupies the … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 19: The BP MS150 Day 2"
Read MoreInteresting Road Swag
Beautiful morning for a solo ride which became rather interesting south of town. On the lookout for Spontaneous Ejection objects, I spied a black — what I thought was a bicycle tool case or CO2 kit — along the road. Rode on past it, had second thoughts,. and turned around to photograph and investigate it. … Continue reading "Interesting Road Swag"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 18: The BP MS150 Day 1
The MS 150 is a two-day ride of between 150 mi / 240 km and 180 mi / 290 km, depending on which of the three starting points you choose in Houston. Day One ends at the Fayette County Fairgrounds in La Grange. The final destination is the Texas State Capitol in Austin. It is … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 18: The BP MS150 Day 1"
Read MoreFriday Morning Ride
The longest so far this season, not all that long, but long by comparison to what has been so far this season. Dave is semi out of self-imposed isolation — he first words were: “This [stuff] isn’t ever going to end is it?” No. 🙁 So off we went south of town, west to Range … Continue reading "Friday Morning Ride"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 17: Sights along the A12
The A12 motorway connects Den Haag with the German border near Zevenaar. The bike path alongside the A12 was a regular ride route. I would ride through Voorburg to get to the A12. Voorburg is thought to be the oldest city in the Netherlands. It has its roots in the 2nd century when a local … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 17: Sights along the A12"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 16: First Taiwan Trip Day 4
This was our last full day in Taiwan. The itinerary at the start of this trip listed a Day 5 ride as optional. Not having ridden at all the day before, we were all up for riding in Taipei. There are at least 200km of bike paths in the city. We rode a 95km / 59mi route … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 16: First Taiwan Trip Day 4"
Read MoreBay Heat
The prospects appeared excellent for a drive down to San Rafael today and a little two-wheeled excursion. And so it was. Warm weather. Some familiar scenery. Some terra incognita. I parked by the local Target and puttered around San Rafael. Crossed the big bridge to the East Bay and back. Pedaled through the tunnel to … Continue reading "Bay Heat"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 15: First Taiwan Trip Day 3
The plan for Day 3 had been a 125km / 78mi ride from An-Tong to Hualien. With 1,139 metres / 3,737 feet of elevation thrown in just for fun. That plan was modified into something less ambitious. We would instead drive part of the way and then ride. So we lounged in the hotel while the … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 15: First Taiwan Trip Day 3"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 14: First Taiwan Trip Day 2
Our Day 2 route took us northeast out of Taitung across the Beinan River and along the coast for the first 35km. Our first stop was at the Jialulan Recreation Area. Not even 10km under our wheels and we were already stopping for photographs. You must admit that the views are stunning. The site was … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 14: First Taiwan Trip Day 2"
Read More“Silence is violence”
We’ve had two nights of “I can’t breathe” protests and some property destruction downtown. Nevertheless, I was surprised today to discover, as I was riding my usual route westbound on Sonoma Avenue, the street ahead was being blocked by a mass of protesters coming in my direction. Read more at Bill Bikes
Read MoreThe more things change….
In late 1982 or early 1983, a camera-wielding friend photographed me and my Roberts in the driveway of the house where I lived in Illinois. Later she surprised me with a poster-size print of one of the photos. I happened to run across it — rolled up for almost 40 years — the other day … Continue reading "The more things change…."
Read MoreSpontaneous Ejection is Spreading!!
Nothing quite as interesting as what Bill seems to find, but more and more is appearing both in town and out in the countryDiscarded mask along 6th street, another on west Maple was not photographed Black T shirt? Along 1550 E Lacking a 10 foot pole, it didn’t merit further investigation West Maple street Also … Continue reading "Spontaneous Ejection is Spreading!!"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 13: First Taiwan Trip Day 1
I ride with a group that calls itself the R@SKLs. One of the R@SKLs is Taiwanese. He suggested a cycling trip to Taiwan. He would make all the arrangements. So in April 2018 fourteen of us arrived at Taoyuan Airport in Taipei. Our bicycles were loaded onto the two vans which would accompany us over … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 13: First Taiwan Trip Day 1"
Read MoreAlley Loops
Not everyone has an alley behind the home these days. Years ago, every block had an alley, and in the older parts of town they still do. Newer subdivisions have completely left alleys out. Now everything goes to the street: refuse pickup for example and even power and phone/cable lines in many instances (although they … Continue reading "Alley Loops"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 12: Getting from A to B on a Bicycle in the Netherlands
Regular readers know that I lived in the Netherlands for about two years. I miss it. The Netherlands really is a cyclist-friendly country. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly a form of strict liability is the law in the Netherlands for bicycle-motor vehicle accidents. If a car collides with a cyclist, the driver’s insurer is … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 12: Getting from A to B on a Bicycle in the Netherlands"
Read MoreRide of Silence – Milawa, VIC
I am a bit late posting this, but I did participate in the Ride of Silence on the southern hemisphere date of 23 May. I had planned to take flowers to the site but didn’t plan ahead enough to make it happen. The local florist is still only doing phone orders and deliveries, so I … Continue reading "Ride of Silence – Milawa, VIC"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 11: Marina Bay Singapore
Marina Bay is a bay located on the southern side of the island of Singapore. The area surrounding the bay itself, also called Marina Bay, is 360-hectares of prime waterfront built on land reclaimed from the sea. Those of you who are F1 fans will recognize Marina Bay as the site of the street course … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 11: Marina Bay Singapore"
Read MoreEmerging
Sonoma County gradually emerges from lockdown. Since the beginning of March, I’ve only undertaken one bike ride that didn’t involve starting at my front door and returning to the same spot. I was about ready to return to some rides requiring a drive to the trailhead, but that was slow to get going. We had … Continue reading "Emerging"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 10: The Ronde van Vlaanderen
Den Haag (The Hague) in the Netherlands was my home from 2010 to 2012. The Belgian border is about 100km / 62km to the south. Belgium is home to some of the most prestigious one-day professional road cycling races. Including one of the five biggest, collectively known as the Monuments. The Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders).is … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 10: The Ronde van Vlaanderen"
Read More13 Mile Daily Loop
So, I’ve been following along here on cycle365 for awhile, but decided it’s about time that I leap into posting. It’s been a little while since I’ve used WordPress, so bear with me while I get my feet wet. Let me start out with a little bit of an introduction. My name’s Bob, and my … Continue reading "13 Mile Daily Loop"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 9: Southern Thailand
I’ve been three times to Southern Thailand to cycle. In 2013 to ride in the Samila Century. In 2016 to do the Satun Century and a two-day bikepacking tour. And in 2017 to ride in the Satun Century and some more touring. For the Samila Century, six of us drove from Kuala Lumpur to Songkhla. … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 9: Southern Thailand"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 8: Los Gatos Creek Trail
I had one more stop after Chico before I flew home. Los Gatos, in Silicon Valley, to visit a college friend. It was an easy drive from Chico to Los Gatos by way of the Rapha Cycle Club San Francisco. My friend mentioned the trail that runs through Los Gatos. A quick look at Google … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 8: Los Gatos Creek Trail"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 7: American River Bike Trail
I went to university in Chico, California, many years ago. In 2016 I was in the United States to participate in the BP MS150 ride from Houston to Austin. On the way back to Malaysia after the BP MS150, I drove from San Francisco to Chico to visit old friends. My flight into SFO arrived … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 7: American River Bike Trail"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 6: Around Boulder Part 2
Day 4. My legs were sore from the cumulative effects of climbing every day. I wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of 1,100m / 3,608ft of elevation over the course of the next 80km / 50mi. 35km / 22mi into the ride we rode onto the Mayhoffer Singletree Trail. The Mayhoffer turned into the Meadowlark Trail. t … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 6: Around Boulder Part 2"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 5: Around Boulder Part 1
In 2015 I went on a cycling vacation in and around Boulder organised by Cognoscenti. A week of riding, dining, and spectating. We stayed at the excellent St. Julien Hotel. The view from the patio was a sampler of things to come. What was described as the Day 1 “acclimatization spin” was a 57.5km / … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 5: Around Boulder Part 1"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 4: Melbourne
I have done a number of rides in Melbourne. These are some of the sights from those rides. The Melbourne City Baths first opened in 1860, with swimming pools and bathing facilities. It continues to provide health and fitness services to the community. It has the largest swimming pool in the Central Business District, as … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 4: Melbourne"
Read MoreVirtual Tour 3: Public Art
I lived in The Hague in the Netherland for two years or so. What a country for cyclists. Here are two posts about public art I saw from my bicycle while riding in Holland. As I said in the first of these posts, I am sure I missed more than I noticed. The first link … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 3: Public Art"
Read MoreRide of Silence — Illinois
Remembering all who lost their lives doing what they loved And particularly our counselor and colleague John M. (whose bicycle was also blue) Hope you all are enjoying tail winds in the Great Hereafter Thanks to Suzanne for the reminder this year, and to Bill for acquainting me of the Ride
Read MoreVirtual Tour 2: Nyack
I will post one link a day until I run out. I have seven years of blog posts to choose from 😄. In May 2013 I was in Manhattan for the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. It was and still is America’s largest cycling event, with participation capped at 32,000 riders. The 40-mile / 64-kilometre … Continue reading "Virtual Tour 2: Nyack"
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