jefmcg
Guru
St Paddy's, six days early?
Tales from today's utility ride
- Thread starter Pale Rider
- Start date
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marknotgeorge
Hol den Vorschlaghammer!
- Location
- Derby.
classic33
Leg End Member
Part of a bigger parade this weekend?
marknotgeorge
Hol den Vorschlaghammer!
- Location
- Derby.
The pigeon?
Seriously, I think it was the closest weekend day they could get the church.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
I upgraded my brakes and it's mainly meant that I now worry about whether my tyres have enough grip on the road instead of whether the brakes are going to grip...
I just hope I never swallow a fly... 
KnackeredBike
I do my own stunts
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Aaaaargh, now I've got the song going round in my head... 
o/~ There was an old woman who swallowed a fly... o/~
I swallowed a fly yesterday, but didn't deem it necessary to go for the spider and all the other things as well
o/~ There was an old woman who swallowed a fly... o/~
I swallowed a fly yesterday, but didn't deem it necessary to go for the spider and all the other things as well
Effyb4
Veteran
Today's utility ride involved taking an old lawnmower to the tip, buying a new lawnmower and doing the weekly shop. It was a total of 14 miles. The most difficult part was trying to work out which box would fit in the trailer. All drivers were very curteous. We saw some friends give us a wave, as they passed us in their van. We also saw a family out on their bikes who said "look they have a trailer too".
OP
OP
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
My utility ride today involved a trip along my favourite flooded cycle path and an out-patient visit to the eye infirmary.
Lo and behold, the drainage problem on the track leaving Sunderland via South Hylton has finally been fixed.
A trench has been scraped out on the left side, and undergrowth removed.
Remains to be seen, but I doubt it will flood again.
I had some anxiety about locking and leaving the bike at the hospital, no doubt it wouldn't have been the first bike to be nicked from there.
On t'other hand, the chances were quite low a D-lock breaking enabled thief would see the bike for the hour or so it would be there.
Happily, it was still there when I emerged.
The eye drops they give you cause blurred vision, not helped by bright sunshine.
I spent half an hour cowering in the shade in the hospital grounds like a zombie caught in daylight.
Vision mostly restored, I pressed on to Asda to visit the cash point and buy a few groceries.
This put me on a marked cycle lane beside a busy road, which would be OK but it also put me firmly in the door zone of all the parked cars.
I survived that, and risked leaving the bike locked and unattended for another 20 minutes in the supermarket car park.
Commuting time by now, so the return journey was accompanied by the usually impatient motorists.
Doesn't bother me too much on an occasional basis, but I wouldn't want to ride in those conditions twice a day.
As usual after one of these rides, I'm quite chuffed with myself for getting my tasks done on a bicycle.
Lo and behold, the drainage problem on the track leaving Sunderland via South Hylton has finally been fixed.
A trench has been scraped out on the left side, and undergrowth removed.
Remains to be seen, but I doubt it will flood again.
I had some anxiety about locking and leaving the bike at the hospital, no doubt it wouldn't have been the first bike to be nicked from there.
On t'other hand, the chances were quite low a D-lock breaking enabled thief would see the bike for the hour or so it would be there.
Happily, it was still there when I emerged.
The eye drops they give you cause blurred vision, not helped by bright sunshine.
I spent half an hour cowering in the shade in the hospital grounds like a zombie caught in daylight.
Vision mostly restored, I pressed on to Asda to visit the cash point and buy a few groceries.
This put me on a marked cycle lane beside a busy road, which would be OK but it also put me firmly in the door zone of all the parked cars.
I survived that, and risked leaving the bike locked and unattended for another 20 minutes in the supermarket car park.
Commuting time by now, so the return journey was accompanied by the usually impatient motorists.
Doesn't bother me too much on an occasional basis, but I wouldn't want to ride in those conditions twice a day.
As usual after one of these rides, I'm quite chuffed with myself for getting my tasks done on a bicycle.
Toshiba Boy
N+1er
- Location
- By the beach, West Zummerzet
11 mile tootle into Watchet to pick up some bits and pieces from the shops, used the heavy old Btwin hack bike that younger stepson didn't want anymore when he left Oxford. Lovely change bumbling along in "normal clothes", haversack on back, as I spend vast majority of my cycling time Lycra clad on one of the road bikes, commuting, sportives etc.
Lovely little route, along sea front, small climb to Washford, join the mineral line cycle/walking track into Watchet, round the harbour and back.
....and the sun was shining, birds singing and the steam trains running on the West Somerset railway alongside the mineral line, bliss.
Lovely little route, along sea front, small climb to Washford, join the mineral line cycle/walking track into Watchet, round the harbour and back.
....and the sun was shining, birds singing and the steam trains running on the West Somerset railway alongside the mineral line, bliss.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Funny one today. The usual 3 miles of A10 cycle track and country lanes to the pharmacy (more medicine supply problems 
), then I don't enjoy that particular fen road much anyway, let alone into a head wind in cold rain, so I took a train to town, bought two out of an intended three things in a lbs (I forgot one ), then parked outside a shop. On the way in, I stood aside to let another person cycle to the badly- sited parking. I noticed his bike (a beaten Ridgeback or similar) had front top tube mini panniers, which I think are pretty good but they're very rare around here and hints that maybe he rides more than the beater. As I returned to my bike, the same chap was walking past the parking on his way between shops and stopped to say how much he liked my bike. 
The ride home was easier but that's the tailwind rather than the bike praise
), then I don't enjoy that particular fen road much anyway, let alone into a head wind in cold rain, so I took a train to town, bought two out of an intended three things in a lbs (I forgot one ), then parked outside a shop. On the way in, I stood aside to let another person cycle to the badly- sited parking. I noticed his bike (a beaten Ridgeback or similar) had front top tube mini panniers, which I think are pretty good but they're very rare around here and hints that maybe he rides more than the beater. As I returned to my bike, the same chap was walking past the parking on his way between shops and stopped to say how much he liked my bike. The ride home was easier but that's the tailwind rather than the bike praise
OP
OP
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
My utility ride today was a shopping trip to Aldi.
Time to fire up my freebie Rose rucksack because my push bike is not kitted out for the carriage of goods.
No Sheffield stands at the supermarket, so bike locking has to be improvised.
I fell into conversation, as one does, with the cyclist next to me who was locking his bike for the same purpose.
He showed some genuine interest in my Sunday morning cycling group, so I may have recruited a new member.
He described himself as a self-employed sculptor, and this being Sunderland, he knew my mate Mike who is also an artist and rides a bit.
Which all helped to smooth the way to making a new cycling chum.
All that talking gave me a thirst, so time to nip round to the nearest Greggs for a takeaway coffee.
Another short ride to a nearby park to find a park bench to drink it.
Bottle cages have their uses, even for someone of my modest athletic ability.
A short tootle home to unload the shopping, just as a few spots of rain fell.
I may need to improve shopping carrying capacity on the push bike.
My cut loaf got a bit squished, and it looks like one of my avocados has taken a bruise for the team.
Once again, what would have been no more than a chore in the car turned into an enjoyable mini-adventure on the bike.
I know I'm preaching to the converted, but it's a shame more people don't cycle for utility.
You don't even need to be fit, my ride - deliberately lengthened - cannot have been more than three miles.
Anyone who can manage to walk across a room unaided could do it.
Time to fire up my freebie Rose rucksack because my push bike is not kitted out for the carriage of goods.
No Sheffield stands at the supermarket, so bike locking has to be improvised.
I fell into conversation, as one does, with the cyclist next to me who was locking his bike for the same purpose.
He showed some genuine interest in my Sunday morning cycling group, so I may have recruited a new member.
He described himself as a self-employed sculptor, and this being Sunderland, he knew my mate Mike who is also an artist and rides a bit.
Which all helped to smooth the way to making a new cycling chum.
All that talking gave me a thirst, so time to nip round to the nearest Greggs for a takeaway coffee.
Another short ride to a nearby park to find a park bench to drink it.
Bottle cages have their uses, even for someone of my modest athletic ability.
A short tootle home to unload the shopping, just as a few spots of rain fell.
I may need to improve shopping carrying capacity on the push bike.
My cut loaf got a bit squished, and it looks like one of my avocados has taken a bruise for the team.
Once again, what would have been no more than a chore in the car turned into an enjoyable mini-adventure on the bike.
I know I'm preaching to the converted, but it's a shame more people don't cycle for utility.
You don't even need to be fit, my ride - deliberately lengthened - cannot have been more than three miles.
Anyone who can manage to walk across a room unaided could do it.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Regular Tuesday morning ride to market, described previously, but today with the added bonuses of one collision and one near-miss as motorists were basically driving on the right. The collision is described in https://www.cyclechat.net/posts/4804166 but, in short, little harm done except the Dutchie being off the road until spares arrive.
annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Blyth, Northumberland
Trip to the hairdresser and then picked up a few things from the shop. I bought a leek which was too big for the pannier and had to stick out of the top. Annoyingly at some point it's fallen out 
So that means I'll have to alter the plans for tomorrow's tea.
So that means I'll have to alter the plans for tomorrow's tea.
