The Spaghetti Factory was like a institution in Seattle. It closed down a couple of years ago even though it was a very popular place. There is restaurant in Lynnwood that is also popular but the Seattle site is now empty. There is this wonderful brick building sitting amongst the new glass building and other … Continue reading "Old & New #7? What??"

I wanted to let you know that I have hit a mother lode of sorts for the old/new challenge. That is if two can constitute a mother lode. But I forgot to bring along my cable to transfer photos to my iPad so that post will need to wait until we get home from our … Continue reading "An Interlude"

Thanks everyone for your condolences about my Katy Trail tour being canceled. The most annoying part for me was that I had called the week before to ask these very questions. My family had been sending me warnings of storms, tornadoes and flooding, including some flooding on the Katy. The ride coordinator that I talked … Continue reading "No Katy ride — bricks galore in STL!!"

We didn’t wish we had a view from our previous apartment, but now that we have views we love them. Our apartment faces north.  This is the view to the northwest, looking a bit more to the left as compared to the night photograph I posted previously. Two floors up on the roof we have … Continue reading "Hidden Bricks"

Finally, I managed to get on my bike and do a little shake down cruise from home, before I drive it elsewhere. Good thing I did because my computer wasn’t working. Most of my rides will have to be on Tuesdays or Thursdays, because those are the days my husband attends an Adult Day Center. … Continue reading "First Ride of the Season"

It’s been several days now since it has been issued, but I’m still feeling some serious anxiety over Scott’s “Brick Challenge.”  I mean, it’s a BRICK for godsakes.  What am I supposed to say about a brick?  Something like this:  “Here is a brick.  It’s, how shall I say, brick-colored.”  Or how about this:  “I … Continue reading "Brick and I"

I was on my first tour – in Victoria – when I can across this portable toilet.  

Our weekly trip in Leavenworth offered the opportunity for us to extend a day or two, so we took advantage to add a longer ride to Cashmere. There is a busy highway that connects the two towns, but we were able to avoid all but three short stints of that and stayed on back roads. … Continue reading "Through Orchards of Eastern WA"

These past two days I have had some nice riding with friends and have spied a few things that have fit past challenges — and a couple for the current challenge. I could not pass up posting those things here. There were two finds on yesterday’s ride… A sign I have never seen before… …and … Continue reading "Eclectic or Conglomerate (you choose)"

Hello Cycle365ers. Through some irregularity or severe lack of judgment on the part of the facilitators, I have been allowed to join in on the fun. I was a long time Portlander until last May, when Mrs.G and I embarked on a 2400 mile tour from Missouri to Oregon along the ACA Lewis & Clark … Continue reading "Introducing Mr. Grumby (aka The Singing Cycling Cowboy)"

I have had several nice rides this month (it is only 3/7). It snowed a bit yesterday and stopped with no snow on roads. This morning at 6:30 here is what it looks like out my front door. You may not be able to see that snow is still falling (a lot) but now the … Continue reading "OH NO!! More snow ;’-("

I have been away from here for too long! Most of February had us weathered in from bike riding. My post about riding the Tunnel in Seattle and then home in the snow was the last ride I did until the very last week of February, and those were short and close by. But…. now … Continue reading "Flora (no Fauna)"

Indeed, I am having fun with this month’s weather challenge.  Certainly I have fun showing off the weather in my part of the world, but I’m also having fun reading about all of the crazy weather the rest of you Cycle365-ers are enjoying–and trust me, I read every one of your posts.  I don’t always … Continue reading "It’s Not About The Weather, It’s About The Fun"

Other than taking my picture next to a thermometer, which I’ve already done in the past, I really don’t know how to convey coldness.  Snow is easy.  So is fog and ice and slush and sleet.  But today it is bright and sunny and spectacular.  Simply putting on bulky layers of clothing will not convince … Continue reading "COLD Is Not Photographable"

Lots of gray skies, wind, cold, snow, and blowing snow in Salem the past couple weeks, and I have been recovering from a bout of flu (I think) and just plain lazy, so I haven’t been out on bike much. But, Saturday afternoon the temperature climbed into the low 20s(F) and there was some blue … Continue reading "1344"

There is not a cloud in the sky today, so it’s a good thing I met my January challenge early in the month.  So really, this post is just designed to keep you informed as to how I’m doing with my NewYear’s resolution to ride my bike EVERY SINGLE DAY THIS YEAR. Recently I read … Continue reading "This Is Only An Update"

Another pre-dawn start. With an unusually large turnout for such an early start.

According to Wikipedia, the fount of All Knowledge, “France has a maritime climate with no true dry season”. What it doesn’t say is that there are times when the rain never stops. Thus it has been since the beginning of December. According to my ride diary there were only three days all month when I … Continue reading "Last ride of 2018"

Today is a dry and chilly day sandwiched between two rainy days. I knew I wanted to get out for a bit of a ride before the rain sets in over the next few days. I left from home to do my usual neighborhood loops and found some walls. This bare, weathered wall is of … Continue reading "December challenge: chilly morning with walls"

My Ace #1 eye spy found this Free Food Pantry for a chance to do a CRANKSGIVING ride ‘;’-). I had never seen one of these free library-like ideas used for food giving. What a great idea, and a good ride with two friends on this cool but no-rain day. We each brought along a … Continue reading "CRANKSGIVING IN DECEMBER AND A WALL"

Today’s ride was the Cameron Highlands KOM Challenge.  This was a roughly 1,800 metres / 5,900 feet climb over 58km / 23.6mi from Simpang Pulai to Cameron Highlands.  The Cameron Highlands is named after William Cameron, who surveyed the area in 1885.  In 1925 the British colonial administration started developing the area into a hill … Continue reading "RIDE # 165: 09 DECEMBER 2018"

Ok, this is kind of not ‘legal’ as I am not on my bike this weekend. But look who has been here, I could not resist posting this for all to see that even that red-suited man travels by bike once his sleigh lands in town. Must carry that toy bag on his back I … Continue reading "Not my bike. Not my wall."

Oh the frost this morning!! My friend Cindy and I met in the late morning for some frozen fun! It was cold at 38d for most of the day, but the morning temp was at 25d! It climbed to a high of 41 by about noon, then began to fall again. We each said how … Continue reading "December challenge: blue wall with some shadows"

Not much of a photo, but on my cold ride this mid-morning I saw this striking tree. And there was a fence next to it. So… I figured that qualifies under the loose rules of the challenge ;’-)

It has, by our standards here in the Pacific Northwest, gotten rather cold and frosty here. I know that 35-40 degrees is not what some areas consider frigid weather, but it is that here. In these past few days we have had temps in the upper 20s at night, low 30s in the morning, and … Continue reading "December challenge: walls"

After about a month’s hiatus four of us did a pre-dawn ride today.  Pai and I started from his home and we picked up Kelin and Bin Soo where they live. By 8.15am we had covered 70km and were thinking about coffee.  We usually get our cuppas at The Artisan Roast next door to Pai’s … Continue reading "Serendipitous Wall"

Hi fellow Cycle365-ers, Old Grumbleface here.  Today I thought it might be fun to escape sunny California and make a quick day trip up to Minnesota for a bike ride with that clown, Greg Garceau.  I figured I could accomplish that task and be back home before my Ace Support Crew even noticed I was … Continue reading "OLD GRUMBLEFACE AND GREGBLOOD GO FOR A RIDE IN MINNESOTA"

Among my cycling highlights for this year are discovering you good folk at Cycle 365 and participating in the various challenges. A yearend challenge I have pursued since 2014 is the Rapha Festive 500.  The challenge is to ride 500km between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.  To provide some incentive, Rapha sends everyone who completes the … Continue reading "Speaking of challenges . . . ."

As I have mentioned in other posts, those three cycling Grands have moved to Sacramento for what we hope is a temporary move. But, that meant we would not be seeing that family this Thanksgiving. Jenny, Susan’s older daughter invited us to join them this year. Visiting this family is a little more involved as … Continue reading "Grandmas Bike Over The River and Through The Woods"

I did a similar route that Kathleen had done. A little over 3 years ago I took Jaydon on the route with me. I was finally able to dig out the photos. Jaydon is just shy of 6 years old here. I *must* now post recent photos of my bike buddies, ;’-) Jaydon at 9 … Continue reading "MY Trans-Am ride ;’-)"

Susan and I host our women’s riding group every year at this time — the Saturday before Thanksgiving. There are some vegetarians in our group so I have dubbed this get together “Unturkey Thanksgiving”. I cook vegetarian chili and corn bread and everyone else brings sides and desserts of their choice. It is a great … Continue reading "A LITTLE CRANKSGIVING"

This is not “challenge related”, just a bit about my bike ride today. I met up with my bike buddy to scout a route we had found on maps to see if it was worth keeping for future riding. It isn’t. At the park where we met up, there is this monument that I have … Continue reading "A Rather Different Monument"

In the words of Chester A. Riley:  “What a revoltin’ development this is!”

This is about no challenge, but about a bike ride and photo to compare Bill’s cyclisk. Last fall I did a tour in South Dakota. We rode the Mickelson Trail but also cycled briefly through a few towns. Here is the “Bike Monument” I saw in one of those towns. Not neatly formed like Bill’s … Continue reading "CYCLISK-ISH AND A CEMETERY RIDE"

A quick post to get a Reflections photograph in before October runs out. I have just spent two days riding in Taiwan.  More detail to come.  Until then, this was outside the Tea Aroma restaurant in Pinglin.  Where we had lunch.  

I took a little ride around the immediate neighborhood on yet another sunny day. And, as it turns out we will be here until Saturday so I will be getting another teaneuring outing before we leave. Though I do want to head home, our weather in Seattle is …. rain. Hoping for a decent week … Continue reading "Found a Rainbow"

Its here! My new, made-to-measure ride from Cycles Cattin  in Grenoble. 650B wheels with 35 mm tires, Velo Orange randonneur bars, Shimano 2×11 drivetrain, SON lights and dynamo hub, Tubus front rack and custom rack for bar bag, steel tubing throughout, filet brazed frame, plate fork crown, steel fenders (mud guards), custom paint, Brooks B17 … Continue reading "A long way to go for coffee on a New Bike!"

Seeing all of the interest in the upcoming Coffeeneuring season, and thinking about how positive and encouraging everyone is to one another, made me think of this oldie-but-goodie of a video on youtube. At the very end, when it talks about how life is about the people you meet and the things you create… I … Continue reading "The people you meet… and the things you create"

If ever there was a Cycle365 Challenge that seemed to be designed especially for ME, the October Reflectie topic would be the one.  Everybody knows how self-centered I am.  Everybody knows that MY favorite subject to talk about or write about is ME.  Everybody knows that I hold MYSELF in such high esteem that I make Narcissus himself look like the very paragon of … Continue reading "I Love How Reflecties Reflect ME!"