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    • LIhikers wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      at first glance this looks kinda silly -- but upon reflection -- i bet it would make cycling on the highway safer.

      qz.com/1620913/the-best-cyclin…ontent=link&ICID=ref_fark
      That's interesting, I'll have to ponder on it.I wonder what would happen if a car snagged the end of the noodle.
      good point. i'd hate to find out.
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 1 time, last by max.patch ().

    • Just got home from three days of MTB at Tsali, the "kids" wore me out...and I loved every minute of, hope I never crash and end my biking career cause it is a blast, I get a little better each time, can almost keep up with my son down hill but dont have the skills to keep up on steeeep climbs.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • I have been able to use my bikes for 1/2 of Massachusetts. Once with Ov. There is a rail trail along 7 that goes from Pittsfield to Adams. This past weekend I filled in 2 short pieces of the AT, one 7 miles. I camped a mile from where I left my Touring bike, under my poncho liner

      I rode it back to my car on Gulf Road, Dalton.
      (In the morning I see a long lean uler, he takes the wrong trail, we chat, he’s headed nobo. Later, I am leaving the lot on Gulf Road and here he comes. I stop to say hi..... he looks up at my bike and says “wow, that was your bike?!” It seems he parked there, had to relieve himself and almost walked into my poncho liner)
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:
    • I took a six mile spin (12 total out n back) on the Capital Bike Trail, a 50 mile paved pathway connecting Richmond and Williamsburg/Jamestown. Lots of history here. The birth place of our great country, the first capital, native Americans, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War.

      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Riding home from work this past Monday I was nearly run down by a car.
      I was pedaling straight through an intersection with a green light and noticed a car on the side street to the right accelerating toward a red light. It slowed a bit but went through the red light right toward me. In a split second I decided that I wasn't going to be run over that day and thought I'd try to leap to the SUV's hood. As the vehicle neared I pulled my feet from the toe clips and stood up on my pedals, at the same time the car slammed on it's brakes and then so did I. The bumper of the car was 1 to 2 inches from my pedal and I couldn't get my feet to the ground so I tipped over toward the car coming to rest on it's left front fender and hood. As I lay there I heard the window go down and the driver yell "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you" I yelled back that I had had a green light and that if she had stopped before making a right tun on red, as is required, she probably would have seen me. That's when things got nasty and I was informed how I shouldn't be on the road and bicycles were a nuicance bla.... bla.... bla. I yelled back that she should be more careful in the future as this probably wasn't the last time she'd see me on the road. I then got back on my bicycle and finished my ride home.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Riding home from work this past Monday I was nearly run down by a car.
      I was pedaling straight through an intersection with a green light and noticed a car on the side street to the right accelerating toward a red light. It slowed a bit but went through the red light right toward me. In a split second I decided that I wasn't going to be run over that day and thought I'd try to leap to the SUV's hood. As the vehicle neared I pulled my feet from the toe clips and stood up on my pedals, at the same time the car slammed on it's brakes and then so did I. The bumper of the car was 1 to 2 inches from my pedal and I couldn't get my feet to the ground so I tipped over toward the car coming to rest on it's left front fender and hood. As I lay there I heard the window go down and the driver yell "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you" I yelled back that I had had a green light and that if she had stopped before making a right tun on red, as is required, she probably would have seen me. That's when things got nasty and I was informed how I shouldn't be on the road and bicycles were a nuicance bla.... bla.... bla. I yelled back that she should be more careful in the future as this probably wasn't the last time she'd see me on the road. I then got back on my bicycle and finished my ride home.
      Sorry about the incident, but fortunately it sounds as is you were not hurt.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Glad you were not hurt. I would have snapped some pictures and called the police. I'm sick of idiot drivers. I have people in my own neighborhood nearly hit me backing out of their driveway. They never seem to look right or left down the street.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      I took a six mile spin (12 total out n back) on the Capital Bike Trail, a 50 mile paved pathway connecting Richmond and Williamsburg/Jamestown. Lots of history here. The birth place of our great country, the first capital, native Americans, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War.


      Love this. I cannot pass by a historical marker without reading them. Looks like a great route for history buffs.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Riding home from work this past Monday I was nearly run down by a car.
      I was pedaling straight through an intersection with a green light and noticed a car on the side street to the right accelerating toward a red light. It slowed a bit but went through the red light right toward me. In a split second I decided that I wasn't going to be run over that day and thought I'd try to leap to the SUV's hood. As the vehicle neared I pulled my feet from the toe clips and stood up on my pedals, at the same time the car slammed on it's brakes and then so did I. The bumper of the car was 1 to 2 inches from my pedal and I couldn't get my feet to the ground so I tipped over toward the car coming to rest on it's left front fender and hood. As I lay there I heard the window go down and the driver yell "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you" I yelled back that I had had a green light and that if she had stopped before making a right tun on red, as is required, she probably would have seen me. That's when things got nasty and I was informed how I shouldn't be on the road and bicycles were a nuicance bla.... bla.... bla. I yelled back that she should be more careful in the future as this probably wasn't the last time she'd see me on the road. I then got back on my bicycle and finished my ride home.
      Sorry to hear this, glad you survived unscathed.

      I 'doored' a bicyclist once. Still scares me thinking about how bad this could have turned out. I think the only reason he did not sue me is because I immediately took full responsibility for my error and drove him to a bike shop and paid for all repairs. The bicyclist looked pretty messed up, but I guess he was able to walk it off because I never heard from him again even though I left him with all my information.

      I never will open my car door in the city again without looking both ways.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Riding home from work this past Monday I was nearly run down by a car.
      I was pedaling straight through an intersection with a green light and noticed a car on the side street to the right accelerating toward a red light. It slowed a bit but went through the red light right toward me. In a split second I decided that I wasn't going to be run over that day and thought I'd try to leap to the SUV's hood. As the vehicle neared I pulled my feet from the toe clips and stood up on my pedals, at the same time the car slammed on it's brakes and then so did I. The bumper of the car was 1 to 2 inches from my pedal and I couldn't get my feet to the ground so I tipped over toward the car coming to rest on it's left front fender and hood. As I lay there I heard the window go down and the driver yell "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you" I yelled back that I had had a green light and that if she had stopped before making a right tun on red, as is required, she probably would have seen me. That's when things got nasty and I was informed how I shouldn't be on the road and bicycles were a nuicance bla.... bla.... bla. I yelled back that she should be more careful in the future as this probably wasn't the last time she'd see me on the road. I then got back on my bicycle and finished my ride home.
      Wow. That sucks, glad you weren’t injured.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • There was a break in the rain today so I excitedly threw the bike on the carrier, hopped in the car, and drove to my usual cycling spot. Cycled for a little over an hour but not sure how far I rode cuz the watch died. It was hot and humid...I’m not tolerating the heat very well this summer.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Traffic Jam wrote:

      There was a break in the rain today so I excitedly threw the bike on the carrier, hopped in the car, and drove to my usual cycling spot. Cycled for a little over an hour but not sure how far I rode cuz the watch died. It was hot and humid...I’m not tolerating the heat very well this summer.
      The heats been getting to me too on bike rides. And I've had some equilibrium/vertigo or something going on. My lower BP number has been in the mid to low 60s sometimes. My first wife who is a cardio NP told me to increase my salt a little to fix the BP.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Looks nice
      it really is and the city, surprisingly, has done a great job on their part. Really neat area with the old tobacco row warehouses and factories converted to apartments and condos. They do have some night time crime down there so it's rare that we go to restaurants there at night and if I do I'm armed to the teeth.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • This morning Kathy and were trying to decide what to do on our Labor Day holiday.
      We considered hiking and canoeing but ruled those out do to the thunderstorms that were forecast for 1PM.
      Instead we decided on riding our bicycles around town. Kathy was the leader and I followed her as she weaved her way through parts of town we don't normally find ourselves in. We went past the local hospital, where both our sons were born. Then we rode along the local harbor being amazed by some of the boats and how expensive they looked. Makes the money I've spent on gear seem like a pittance. Then we went into a hilly area that required me to use my small chainring and low gears. Once things leveled out we rolled into the downtown area and made a stop at Dunkin Donuts. We sat outside at a picnic table having our drinks as the rain started. We didn't rush away as the picnic table was under an awning. I really enjoyed sitting there talking with Kathy. When we finished our drinks we climbed back on our bicycles, rode through heavy traffic, heading for home. Then it was a long up hill to our part of town, taking a route used by several organized rides to get to our neighborhood and home. While we were soaking wet by the time we got home neither of us had that dirty, wet stripe up our back from rear wheel splatter as we both have fenders on our bikes. With our bikes put away and having taken a shower it was time for lunch. All in all it was an enjoyable way to spend our holiday. Neither of us have a computer on our bike so we don't know exactly how far we rode, we're guesstimating that it was between 15 and 20 miles.
    • I took the plunge and bought a Trek Marlin 5. A lower end mountain bike compared to some, but Trek has two models below this one. It's a 29er so it'll roll over obstacles nicely, 3x7 gearing, hardtail, front shocks, and hydraulic brakes. They changed the seat for me to a thicker and wider seat. Took it to a local park that has a 3.5 loop and gave it (and me) a good workout. I had forgotten how hilly Forest Hill Park is.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      I took the plunge and bought a Trek Marlin 5. A lower end mountain bike compared to some, but Trek has two models below this one. It's a 29er so it'll roll over obstacles nicely, 3x7 gearing, hardtail, front shocks, and hydraulic brakes. They changed the seat for me to a thicker and wider seat. Took it to a local park that has a 3.5 loop and gave it (and me) a good workout. I had forgotten how hilly Forest Hill Park is.
      Disc brakes are good but I don't care for hydraulic brakes on a bike. You don't have to worry about bleeding mechanical disc brakes. Kathy has hydraulic brakes on her bike and I've had to bleed them a couple times for no apparent reason.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      I took the plunge and bought a Trek Marlin 5. A lower end mountain bike compared to some, but Trek has two models below this one. It's a 29er so it'll roll over obstacles nicely, 3x7 gearing, hardtail, front shocks, and hydraulic brakes. They changed the seat for me to a thicker and wider seat. Took it to a local park that has a 3.5 loop and gave it (and me) a good workout. I had forgotten how hilly Forest Hill Park is.
      Disc brakes are good but I don't care for hydraulic brakes on a bike. You don't have to worry about bleeding mechanical disc brakes. Kathy has hydraulic brakes on her bike and I've had to bleed them a couple times for no apparent reason.
      i need to replace my bike that was stolen. that info about the brakes is good to know.
      2,000 miler
    • LIhikers wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      I took the plunge and bought a Trek Marlin 5. A lower end mountain bike compared to some, but Trek has two models below this one. It's a 29er so it'll roll over obstacles nicely, 3x7 gearing, hardtail, front shocks, and hydraulic brakes. They changed the seat for me to a thicker and wider seat. Took it to a local park that has a 3.5 loop and gave it (and me) a good workout. I had forgotten how hilly Forest Hill Park is.
      Disc brakes are good but I don't care for hydraulic brakes on a bike. You don't have to worry about bleeding mechanical disc brakes. Kathy has hydraulic brakes on her bike and I've had to bleed them a couple times for no apparent reason.
      All but the entry level mountain bikes have mechanical brakes, move up a notch and they are all hydraulic. It seems to be a standard upgrade for mountain bikes. They do stop very well.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • So what is the most extreme downhill ride? I once read that the ride from the summit of Haleakala (Maui) to the ocean was the only place you could bike from 10,000 feet above sea level to the ocean on 35 miles of paved public roads. They used to have tours that would take you up and you coast back down, but the National Park now doesn't allow that anymore so the commercial excursions now have to start at the park entrance (6300 ft). However the park service doesn't prevent your from riding down from the top if you do it on your own, assuming you can find a way to get to the top.