End of year round up: What was your BEST ride of 2012?

[arallsopp]

Evening all,

We're shortly heading into November, and as the nights draw in, I'm having to acknowledge that I've not really ridden much this year. I did a lot of miles, but mostly between home and the office. Nothing to generate a narrative, so, lend me one of yours. I'm all ears.

What was your best ride of 2012? It can be a 3 miler with your child, a land speed record attempt, a pootle with friends, an unexpected view, beating the rain home, clocking a target distance, or simply something that brings a smile to recall.

Mine was probably a couple of weeks back. I took Ted (my 4 year old) up onto the local common for a birthday meal (mine, not his). We rode up, shared food, met up with my baby sister (35), and all barrelled down together.

Getting distracted and accidentally leading them down a gravel singletrack I used to use as a quick way out of the woods in fading light was many shades of hilarious. I've not ridden that way for 20 years or so, and I'm not sure my sister will ever do it again... Ted thought the whole thing was brilliant.

I have a few others, but this is the one that makes me think, "yes. I didn't entirely waste this year".

What's yours?

 

[doctornige]

The last one.

 

[HovR]

It has to be my third ride out with the club - A 51 miler through the lovely Cotswolds countryside, sun shining, blue sky..

And then we took a wrong turn and ended up barreling down a very steep section of double track/dirt road, crossed a ford, ambled along the valley floor next to the burbling stream, crossed another ford, then climbed back up out of the valley along another section of double track/dirt road until we rejoined the planned route - Great fun!

And none of the 15 to 20 road bikes disintegrated, as many would lead you to believe they would. Not even the carbon ones.

 

[gaz]

It's been a tough year for me, still recovering from my shoulder op last year. So i've not done much weekend rides but when I have, i've gone to new places and explored new roads. Finding the new climbs and pushing my self has been really enjoyable.

 

[Peteaud]

My 1st sportive, The New Forest Rattler.

 

[Cyclist33]

Evening all,

We're shortly heading into November, and as the nights draw in, I'm having to acknowledge that I've not really ridden much this year. I did a lot of miles, but mostly between home and the office. Nothing to generate a narrative, so, lend me one of yours. I'm all ears.

What was your best ride of 2012? It can be a 3 miler with your child, a land speed record attempt, a pootle with friends, an unexpected view, beating the rain home, clocking a target distance, or simply something that brings a smile to recall.

Mine was probably a couple of weeks back. I took Ted (my 4 year old) up onto the local common for a birthday meal (mine, not his). We rode up, shared food, met up with my baby sister (35), and all barrelled down together.

Getting distracted and accidentally leading them down a gravel singletrack I used to use as a quick way out of the woods in fading light was many shades of hilarious. I've not ridden that way for 20 years or so, and I'm not sure my sister will ever do it again... Ted thought the whole thing was brilliant.

I have a few others, but this is the one that makes me think, "yes. I didn't entirely waste this year".

What's yours?

I really like yours, and it sounds eerily similar to what I did last weekend!

This really has been my "summer of cycling" - been enjoying riding for ten years now but I really put in the effort this time and have had so many "this is my best ride" moments, I am struggling to pick one!

Okay, and there are as I said a lot of contenders, but i guess it has to be my July century ride, the "airport to airport" as I affectionately call it. 100 miles from Warrington across to Manchester airport, watch some planes, back to birchwood then fisn n chips in culcheth where my mum and dad got married oh so long ago, then over to ormskirk before heading down to my twin sister's in Liverpool for a slap up homemade dinner and belly laughs. One of the special factors about the ride was I'd been anxious to know if a hybrid bike could readily do centuries, which I discovered it can. Another special thing was that it was the day of the Olympic road race, so while so many dedicated cyclists were sitting on the couch, I was out doing a hundred miles. (Albeit at a far more relaxed pace.)

The second airport was taken in on the way home the following day, 23 miles along the TPT, which was another feelgood day for the hybrids capability.

Good thread.

Stu

 

[Oldspice]

Anyride which does not involve someone trying to mow me down

 

[beastie]

Etape Caledonia. So many bikes, epic weather round Loch Rannoch and the post ride Guinness.

 

[Drago]

Still got over 1/6th of the year to go yet so it's a bit early to say. Iceland in February was class, but there've been moments on the commute they've made me smile too.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

1. London to Paris .. loved it
2. Clitheroe to Garstang through the Trough of Bowland

 

[Deleted member 20519]

My first CC Ecosse ride back in August, it was my first group ride and I absolutely loved it.

 

[paul04]

I've only had the bike a couple of months, so abit hard to comment, I would say last weekend, I rode to a local landmark. met a few people there and had a chat. nice just get away from work life and the boring normal monday to friday 9 til 5

 

[sidevalve]

Probably the tiny run I did on the old Dawes road bike down a muddy rough bridleway. Only a few miles but took me back to being a kid again [one bike did everything in them days, don't know they're born today etc etc]. A real reminder of what cycling's all about, having fun.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Still 2 months to go to the end of 2012 and the Autumn light and colours are not to be missed. Some of the most enjoyable rides are in the winter months, with a low sun lighting a thick white frost on the fields and hedgerows.

 

[ohnovino]

It's only October!

My favourite ride of last year was probably on Christmas Day, so I'm not giving up on 2012 just yet.