Rides 2014 -- add yours

[JimK]

Egads - a little googling reveals about that Woodstock fellow: "He is currently planning and training to ride the Race Across America in 2015." - Now I have moved to Kingston, so I can talk about other people that way!

[Andre Jute]

I've seen a Thorn here in Ireland, in front of a pub. It belonged to a forum member.

[nztony]

Jags -

remember your not racing anymore nice and easy as the man said.

I hear you - I've got to keep telling myself I'm not 25 years old and a hard core racing cyclist anymore!
I've done five rides this week for 19hrs58mins, so I'm not sure if I'm taking my own advice too well though,
and I must admit the carbon machines the youngsters ride these days do look very nice. (although I am sure
I'd snap one if I ever dared to ride one!)

Sammy, when I say I've had a few coincidences, I haven't actually seen any other Thorns, just cycling related coincidences - the guy that
stopped me to chat was riding one of his 'other' bikes rather than his Thorn the day we stopped and chatted. A couple of weeks a racing cyclist
yelled out "Hey Tony" and it turned out to be the guy who built up my wheels for me, who I had not met. Did you see this too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nztony/11741301623/

Tony

[Slammin Sammy]

After another glorious weekend in godzone, I thought I'd throw my rides into the mix. Saturday was a 45km saunter along the Fernleigh Track, a converted coal railway that traverses some beautiful forest. For some unknown reason, the track was uncharacteristically uncrowded, and I love the quiet pleasure of loping along, listening to the bellbirds and other wildlife. It's only a short drop down into Redhead for a coffee at the surf club:



Today it was over to Merewether Beach - only a few hundred metres away, so I had to ride around town for an hour to make it worth the effort  



We've had glorious weather, but truth be known - we need rain badly. I'd gladly give up a few dry riding days for a good regional soaking!

Sam

[nztony]

Sammy - Great pics. Looks just like my Nomad, just a couple of sizes smaller, and similar weather to what we are having in Wellington lately, although I set out in very light drizzle on my first wet ride today.

[jags]

seriously think you guys should be banned for posting such photos ,do you guys realize we are all feckin freezing on this side of the planet.

only joking  it's great to see all that lovely warm sunney weather.
Sam looking good buddy i can see how a fella could ride a bike all day in that weather and the scenery ain't half bad .

enjoy you lucky sods.

jags.

[Relayer]

Tonka yellow Nomads and sunshine .... heaven!

Many more pics like those and I might tip over the edge and convince myself I need a tonka yellow Nomad, especially since you guys seem to be having so much fun riding them between and before tours.

I had a nice 43 mile ride on my RST on Friday, but I didn't take any pics .... next time I will.

Jim

[Matt2matt2002]

We have been having a lot of bad & wet weather here in UK-shire.
Scotland for a change has had it light compared to Southern England.

However, I manged out to the beach last week.
An exceptional low tide revealed an unusual sight.

Not this picture...



Following a constructive comment by a member here, I purchased some saddle cream and buffed up the Brooks.
I am sure I go faster now!



Unexpected visitor

There are a lot of these in the area but had never seen one basking so close to the harbour.
Being watched over by a cormorant?



Beech trees on the way to the beach. Like the link? 



Seasons all to pot over here so nature never knows when to start Spring sprouting.

Last one showing me well wrapped up.



And that about wraps up this post.

May I tag on a technical question, please?

I save my pictures to Google+
( My phone does this automatically)
When I try to use my Nexus 4 phone or Nexus 7 tablet, I cannot tag the picture to appear here.
I have to use my main PC to link the pictures.
What am I doing wrong folks? Or maybe it technology defeating me?

[jags]

super pic's Matt you sure look cold but still great to be out in the fresh air..

[Slammin Sammy]

Sammy - Great pics. Looks just like my Nomad, just a couple of sizes smaller, and similar weather to what we are having in Wellington lately, although I set out in very light drizzle on my first wet ride today.

Thanks, Tony. Mine's a 565M, but it's home built, so there's lots that's different from the "standard". Middleburn cranks, Magura hydraulic brakes, Abus Amparo frame lock and an n'lock stem, to name a few. I just installed a Thompson Elite layback seat post, and the geometry is finally just about perfect. I'm grinning every time I ride!  

And whilst I feel your pain Anto, I'm not gonna apologise for enjoying this weather. And as nice as we have it here, it'll never be as achingly green as your beautiful Emerald Isle, to which my beloved only yesterday made me promise to take her on a cycling tour, which will probably be 18 months away, but it's now penciled in!

Jim, isn't it funny how we all know the colour as "Tonka yellow". Tonka trucks were the toughest toys from my childhood, and there's a direct connection from them to my mining career! The toys are still yellow, only MUCH BIGGER!  

[jags]

 

[Slammin Sammy]

Following a constructive comment by a member here, I purchased some saddle cream and buffed up the Brooks.
I am sure I go faster now!

Nice, Matt! That Brooks looks fantastic.

I must say though, that I've never seen a reflector placed in that position before. It suggests numerous quips  , but I'm curious if it is actually a useful placement?

[jags]

Say Sam is that a dedicated cyclepath your on in those photos, it seem to hug the coast line for a hell of a long way it must make for a windy ride.on one of my routes i cycle along the strand really nice but when its windy sure is tough going.have you other favourate routes inland.man your country is so so different than ours ,if you've never been to  Ireland or the UK  you would find the roads and scenery so different.
 Spain was a real eye opener for me the views went on for miles big skys.so different from what i'm used to ;Di loved it.

jags.

[Matt2matt2002]

Nice, Matt! That Brooks looks fantastic.

I must say though, that I've never seen a reflector placed in that position before. It suggests numerous quips  , but I'm curious if it is actually a useful placement?

Well spotted.
It usually faces the correct way but I recently purchased the small saddle bag for a spare tube and multi tool.
I turned the reflector 180.
Guess since I usually keep the bag there I should remove the reflector. Not much use there, as you say!

Yet another ( well received ) prompt to tidy up the Old Bird.
Cheers Sammy.

[John Saxby]

He thought the Rohloff beyond the pale, unjustifiable

Thanks, Jim.  They really do things differently on the Left Coast, eh?  Or maybe it's just that there's a different universe 'tother side of the mountains.

I'm with you on getting up the hills, which, oddly enough, seem to get steeper as I get older.  The Rohloff is pricey, for sure, but a 38 x 17 offers me a couple of gears below my current derailleur setup, and liberation from constant adjustment of & uncertainty about the rear der.

On the subject of Ravens and other birds, BTW:  heard a noisy cackle of crows a few times this past week.  There's always one or two that hang around through December/January, but when Feb arrives, then the crows re-appear in numbers, a reminder that we will see spring before too long.