Riding the road of fallen leaves

[robt57]

We are still not there, and our conifer mix is heavy in PDX area. So unlike both NJ and TN where we've been previously, not quite as full blown color here.

The leaves are fine, until they aren't, as in 'until they get wet'.


Thanks for sharing the beauteous images...

[lucieli]

Thanks for sharing, I really enjoy your writing style.

Cheers

[tepextate]

Beautiful!

Might be a stupid question, but for those of you who are riding roads like this, how do you know that there's not some giant pothole over a pile of leaves that you're about to ride over?

This comes from a city biker.

[KJMUNC]

This is exactly what I needed.....was planning on going for a nice afternoon ride until I checked the air quality and the recent fires in Irvine have crushed any notion of riding outside today.

thanks for sharing.....always love reading and seeing pictures.

btw, this is how I dream of spending my retirement some day.....chapeau for achieving a Buddha-esque level of cycling enlightenment in what seems like the perfect location.

[OldDog]

Originally Posted by tepextate

Beautiful!

Might be a stupid question, but for those of you who are riding roads like this, how do you know that there's not some giant pothole over a pile of leaves that you're about to ride over?

This comes from a city biker.

If you're not riding in Pennsylvania, no worries.

[choke]

Gorgeous!

[572cv]

Well, this brings on great memories of a particularly visceral sort.

Thanks to this esteemed forum, I was able to contact Hank when we were going over to France not too many years ago, to Talloires, and see if we cold do a ride together. He had already posted about the Col d'Arpettaz and I was already smitten. And as it turned out, myself, and three other pals did join him for a ride. This ride. In September, a stunning time to ride in the French Alps.

I remember many of these turns, the in the forest and out, the narrowness of the road, waiting at one point for the herd being brought down the mountain to go by, the magnificent views and dappled sunlight. Pure magic. We crested with some sense of bewilderment to a view to the east and the Mt Blanc massif, and ran along the ridge to an inn, where Hank had arranged with his friend, the owner and chef, to open for us. And he did so, as our wives joined us, having followed us up the col with great aplomb. They were not going to be denied the pleasure of this gathering or the challenge, urged on by my wife, a former winner of the Mt Washington Hill Climb! A memorable meal of proper regional fare, done with a master's touch, and then the descent.

It is all as Velotel has described it.... but better. Find it on the map, and envision it, and when this crise de sante moderates, and one can go to France, make it a reward for yourselves as best you can. One of my best days ever on a bike, along with the col de Solour/Col de l'Aubisque on an absolutely perfect day.

Hi Hank, thanks for the post, hope all is well!

[Nick12]

Amazing! Beautiful words and beautiful photos to accompany them. Chapeau to you both, that ride you did together, with your wives joining for the lunch, sounds perfect!!


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[velotel]

Originally Posted by tepextate

Beautiful!

Might be a stupid question, but for those of you who are riding roads like this, how do you know that there's not some giant pothole over a pile of leaves that you're about to ride over?

This comes from a city biker.

Might be hard to believe but, there aren't any potholes here! Truly. The ones that appear usually have the lifespan of a fruit fly. Which isn't to say there aren't holes, and cracks of course, but the holes are small, not at all what I would think would be considered potholes. Definitely not large enough to bother a bike, though feelable of course (I know, not a word, feelable, works though). Then again all of that is more reason for why I enjoy riding withh 700x37 tubeless tires; they aren't fazed by cracks and stuff.

[velotel]

Originally Posted by 572cv

Well, this brings on great memories of a particularly visceral sort.

Thanks to this esteemed forum, I was able to contact Hank when we were going over to France not too many years ago, to Talloires, and see if we cold do a ride together. He had already posted about the Col d'Arpettaz and I was already smitten. And as it turned out, myself, and three other pals did join him for a ride. This ride. In September, a stunning time to ride in the French Alps.

I remember many of these turns, the in the forest and out, the narrowness of the road, waiting at one point for the herd being brought down the mountain to go by, the magnificent views and dappled sunlight. Pure magic. We crested with some sense of bewilderment to a view to the east and the Mt Blanc massif, and ran along the ridge to an inn, where Hank had arranged with his friend, the owner and chef, to open for us. And he did so, as our wives joined us, having followed us up the col with great aplomb. They were not going to be denied the pleasure of this gathering or the challenge, urged on by my wife, a former winner of the Mt Washington Hill Climb! A memorable meal of proper regional fare, done with a master's touch, and then the descent.

It is all as Velotel has described it.... but better. Find it on the map, and envision it, and when this crise de sante moderates, and one can go to France, make it a reward for yourselves as best you can. One of my best days ever on a bike, along with the col de Solour/Col de l'Aubisque on an absolutely perfect day.

Hi Hank, thanks for the post, hope all is well!

Good to hear from you and that all is well with you, outside of not being able to fly over. A crazy world these days that hopefully will improve enormously if that guy in DC is removed definitively! Here we're going back into a state of lock down, but not as severe as the first time they did it. On the other hand it's looking like I still won't be able to get down and ride Ventoux, which is a bummer because a friend told me she's never seen the vineyards there so gorgeous in their autumn colors. Despite, or maybe because of, damned if I know, the leaves this year everywhere here seem to be better than normal. They sure were on the Arpettaz. And yea, that was a fun ride with you and your friends and wives. Such a magnificent ride. You really need to bring your Eriksen and ride the Grand Traverse, la Route de Soif. You'd love that!
Cheers