EltonFrog
Legendary Member
On the other side of that bridge where those buildings are I swam across the Thames when I was about 18, the summer of '76 I think.
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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On the other side of that bridge where those buildings are I swam across the Thames when I was about 18, the summer of '76 I think.
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
Me too, especially as I lived round there for thirty years.
A good day today; I'm back in the flatlands heading towards the Elbe at Gluckstadt from Hessel, maximum elevation 200ft; elevation gain/mile under 10ft....(easier than the 80ft/miles 2 days ago...)
Anyway 97 miles (I know). First 40M at 14.7mph, Last 50 or so at 12.7 -but a lot more towns and the odd slope.
Had a ferry ride across the Elbe if bright sunshine too
.
Anyway 97 miles (I know). First 40M at 14.7mph, Last 50 or so at 12.7 -but a lot more towns and the odd slope.
Had a ferry ride across the Elbe if bright sunshine too
.Went out south from Glasgow City Center on the a77, all the way out to whitelees into the wind, then took the turn and back into Glasgow via the windfarm and clarkston etc. 44km all in.
Avg speed 30.8 km/h on a solo ride - wouldn't have dreamed of this sort of pace this time last year. Chuffed!
Avg speed 30.8 km/h on a solo ride - wouldn't have dreamed of this sort of pace this time last year. Chuffed!
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
16.58 miles today, just my normal loop to test ride the road bike after the four hour fettle it had yesterday. I'm please to report that everything ran smoothly and the bike seemed to be going faster than normal.
Somone in a tatty Subaru 4x4 thing close passed me at speed on a single track road near a T junction, I got a bit sweary bur they didn't hear me, I nearly caught the car at the junction but just missed them. A mile further on up it was parked outside someone's house, I slowed to see if I could see the driver, and I saw a woman coming up the drive to the car, she was wearing horsey clothes.
Me: Do you ride a horse?
Woman: Yes...
Me: you close passed me too fast back there, really dangerous, if I had done that to you whilst you were on your horse you'd have something to say about it wouldn't you?
W: yes...I'm sorry I didn't realise.
Me: we need as much room as horse riders...
W: I'm sorry..
I rode off.
Apart from that it was a nice ride, the roads were dry even after all of yesterdays rain, the sun was out, it was a bit blowy but the bike seemed to fly...I love it when it does that.
Somone in a tatty Subaru 4x4 thing close passed me at speed on a single track road near a T junction, I got a bit sweary bur they didn't hear me, I nearly caught the car at the junction but just missed them. A mile further on up it was parked outside someone's house, I slowed to see if I could see the driver, and I saw a woman coming up the drive to the car, she was wearing horsey clothes.
Me: Do you ride a horse?
Woman: Yes...
Me: you close passed me too fast back there, really dangerous, if I had done that to you whilst you were on your horse you'd have something to say about it wouldn't you?
W: yes...I'm sorry I didn't realise.
Me: we need as much room as horse riders...
W: I'm sorry..
I rode off.
Apart from that it was a nice ride, the roads were dry even after all of yesterdays rain, the sun was out, it was a bit blowy but the bike seemed to fly...I love it when it does that.
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
Brilliant ride today and a conversation with a young, rail thin cyclist on a Spesh Venge.
I headed out on the Wreningham - Hethel route. Said 'hello' to a chap that I am pretty sure was Martin Shaw as I was going along. At Hethel I rode along the cyclepath and then turned left and headed back towards Wymondham. I waited for a bit while the train passed at the crossing and then set off again through one of the little housing estates in Wymondham and then out onto Tuttles lane and then turned right for Little Melton.
Nice wee route along the Melton Road and then up the hill to the B1108. It was up this hill I saw the Venge. Black and red one all shiney and new looking. A lycra clad chap who looked about 20 was struggling up the not very impressive hill there. I overtook him and said 'Hi'. He said something about being knackered and I said to jump on to my back wheel, which he did for about 10 seconds then I heard him say "Can you stop accelerating?" I replied "Rule 5" and left him to it.
Once on the B1108, I turned right, over the double roundabouts and down towards the hospital. I got my head down and pedaled and got up to 30mph on the PX for the first time. I got stopped at the traffic lights for ages and ages. It seems that bikes don't trigger the right filter lights. I was seriously considering RLJing when a car arrived and triggered the lights.
I got up the hill perfectly happily and at the roundabout where I meet Hubster, I noticed that I'd done just over 18.5 miles. I thought that it was just rude to stop there so I carried on up the hill to the Eaton roundabout and then on to the next one on the Roundwell estate and back again and arrived at the layby, where I meet hubster, at 20.02 miles. 1:18:12 so I was chuffed with that. I climbed for 350 feet but don't remember going up anything much so must be getting fitter. I am no longer going up hill and feeling sick with the effort so something good must be happening.
I headed out on the Wreningham - Hethel route. Said 'hello' to a chap that I am pretty sure was Martin Shaw as I was going along. At Hethel I rode along the cyclepath and then turned left and headed back towards Wymondham. I waited for a bit while the train passed at the crossing and then set off again through one of the little housing estates in Wymondham and then out onto Tuttles lane and then turned right for Little Melton.
Nice wee route along the Melton Road and then up the hill to the B1108. It was up this hill I saw the Venge. Black and red one all shiney and new looking. A lycra clad chap who looked about 20 was struggling up the not very impressive hill there. I overtook him and said 'Hi'. He said something about being knackered and I said to jump on to my back wheel, which he did for about 10 seconds then I heard him say "Can you stop accelerating?" I replied "Rule 5" and left him to it.
Once on the B1108, I turned right, over the double roundabouts and down towards the hospital. I got my head down and pedaled and got up to 30mph on the PX for the first time. I got stopped at the traffic lights for ages and ages. It seems that bikes don't trigger the right filter lights. I was seriously considering RLJing when a car arrived and triggered the lights.
I got up the hill perfectly happily and at the roundabout where I meet Hubster, I noticed that I'd done just over 18.5 miles. I thought that it was just rude to stop there so I carried on up the hill to the Eaton roundabout and then on to the next one on the Roundwell estate and back again and arrived at the layby, where I meet hubster, at 20.02 miles. 1:18:12 so I was chuffed with that. I climbed for 350 feet but don't remember going up anything much so must be getting fitter. I am no longer going up hill and feeling sick with the effort so something good must be happening.
Old Plodder
Living at the top of a steep 2 mile climb
- Location
- Surrey/Hants border
That means your cardio vascular system is better than when you first started riding
- next is the hard part..........
Old Plodder
Living at the top of a steep 2 mile climb
- Location
- Surrey/Hants border
That is -> getting the body fitness back - this is where a lot of us seem to have trouble.....next is the hard part..........
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Well it was yesterday.
I had fitted a new aero wheel cover and it was dryand bright, although a little windy; so what could go wrong on the club TT
Woke with gunged up with hayfever that morning (nose perfectly clear, throat clear and just a heavy layer of mucus in between
)
Got circa 2 miles down the road towards a blind corner (a minor road entry to busier road) and catching my minute woman already, then the marshal tells me to slow down for traffic. The last car on the main road was a learner and they got confused my the marshal telling me to slow down and slowed down to a crawl them self
Then struggled to get going again into a strong headwind
Looking at the comparrason the ride seemed to go ok after that and I recaught my minute woman at around 5miles.
I took the last corner too cautious though, not knowing how the wheel would handle suddenly going into a side wind on a tight corner that's often covered in gravel, and sat up.
The wheel never budged a bit and the gravel was gone!
After all that over a minute down on my pb.
You guessed it they had pinned number 13 on my back
Last night's ride is at the bottom.
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2773974
I had fitted a new aero wheel cover and it was dryand bright, although a little windy; so what could go wrong on the club TT
Woke with gunged up with hayfever that morning (nose perfectly clear, throat clear and just a heavy layer of mucus in between
)Got circa 2 miles down the road towards a blind corner (a minor road entry to busier road) and catching my minute woman already, then the marshal tells me to slow down for traffic. The last car on the main road was a learner and they got confused my the marshal telling me to slow down and slowed down to a crawl them self
Then struggled to get going again into a strong headwind
Looking at the comparrason the ride seemed to go ok after that and I recaught my minute woman at around 5miles.
I took the last corner too cautious though, not knowing how the wheel would handle suddenly going into a side wind on a tight corner that's often covered in gravel, and sat up.
The wheel never budged a bit and the gravel was gone!
After all that over a minute down on my pb.
You guessed it they had pinned number 13 on my back
Last night's ride is at the bottom.
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2773974
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Having finished work at stupid o'clock this morning, and into bed by 03:00, I was out and about by 09:00 to meet a mate for coffee at his then a quick blast up to, and around Pitsford Reservoir..We used the bottom end of the Brampton Valley Way, past Chapel Brampton station,
then up and down the hill via Merry Tom crossing.
I wanted to check some bits and pieces out in the LBS at Pitsford, so we decided that an ice-cream was in order,
Purely for cooling purposes.. Smartie and crushed choccy egg, with a flake poked in the top
After the refreshments, we rode clockwise round the water, which today, for a change, was bug free!! Usually it's full of the blighters..
Quick pose at the southern end of the res, then a run for home so I have a few mins for lunch before aiming off to work..Booo
Ne'er mind, 31 miles in lovely warm sunshine, with an espresso in the back garden when we finished.
http://www.strava.com/activities/150094629
then up and down the hill via Merry Tom crossing.
I wanted to check some bits and pieces out in the LBS at Pitsford, so we decided that an ice-cream was in order,
Purely for cooling purposes.. Smartie and crushed choccy egg, with a flake poked in the top
After the refreshments, we rode clockwise round the water, which today, for a change, was bug free!! Usually it's full of the blighters..
Quick pose at the southern end of the res, then a run for home so I have a few mins for lunch before aiming off to work..Booo
Ne'er mind, 31 miles in lovely warm sunshine, with an espresso in the back garden when we finished.
http://www.strava.com/activities/150094629
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theloafer
Legendary Member
- Location
- newton aycliffe
had planned a longer ride as I get fri off work ATM..... I got dragged to a quiz by the g/f last night and woke up with a very fuzzy head 
so did not get out till afternoon still was a good ride in the almost 34 miles
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/514893875
I got dragged to a quiz by the g/f last night and woke up with a very fuzzy head so did not get out till afternoon still was a good ride in the almost 34 mileshttp://connect.garmin.com/activity/514893875
jayonabike
Powered by caffeine & whisky
- Location
- Hertfordshire
Late morning ride today, I finally got out the door around 10.45. I wanted to pop into the bike shop and see how Ian was getting on with my new Ritte build. The weather was warm & sunny so I took a long route to get there heading in the completely wrong direction and looping around. I did 38 miles getting to the bike shop, cycling out of Hertfordshire and into the rolling hills of Buckinghamshire. After a 15 minute stop at the shop I was on my way again heading up Toms hill to Ashridge. Rode to Redbourn before heading back to Hemel.
I've had a good week on the bike. 4 rides in 5 days totalling 263 miles
Bike is almost ready, I should be picking it up tomorrow
I've had a good week on the bike. 4 rides in 5 days totalling 263 miles
Bike is almost ready, I should be picking it up tomorrow
A new longest ride for me today 
and the peak of my training for the BHF Worcester Bike Ride (3 weeks on Sunday).
I had woken to news of the A5 trunk road around Shrewsbury being closed due to a fatal accident and also the diversion route on the old A5 now closed due to another accident and then the M54 closed both ways at Wellington due to a 3rd accident
. I knew this would mean serious travel chaos and boy would I be right. I set out from home and took the usual route over to @Rickshaw Phil's house, passing about 3 miles of queuing traffic already. It was still quite breezy out, but not as bad as yesterday and it was warmer today, thankfully.
Upon arrival at Phil's I was given Vimto refreshment, whilst he very kindly fitted my new bracket and case for my IPhone to sit on my handlebars. Unfortunately Phil's own bike decided to spontaneously fall over from it's stand, whilst he was doing so
. Phil had his helmet hung off the handlebars and it managed to take a big chunk out of his helmet and break his bar end as well 
. Typical when someone does you a favour, that happens!
Phil swapped bikes and then we headed off in not a great mood, with his brother Doug as well. We took the roads to Condover, Ryton, Longnor and then up the big climb to Cardington, where we stopped for lunch in our usual favourite spot. It was then a quick sprint downhill and we decided to call into The Royal Oak at Cardington for a lovely pint of Butty Bach beer. The wind had picked up and it had got quite cool and there were even a couple of spots of light rain, whilst we were sat out, but it didn't spoil the moment and I think Phil deserved that pint after the day he was having!
It was then onto Plaish, Church Preen, Kenley, Harnage and Cound Moor, where it was much warmer again as the sun was out and the wind had died down a little bit. We remarked that there seemed to be much more traffic about on the lanes at Cound Moor and we thought it may be due to the roads still being closed...........we were right!! At Cressage we joined clogged roads and almost witnessed another crash when a car turned off onto the road we needed, but the wrong way up the junction, on the wrong side of the road, meeting another car head on! The driver of the car stopped us and asked for directions to Cannock and so had obviously been diverted off the A5. The road from Cressage was not fun at all, as it was carrying a lot of diverted traffic, especially lorries, but to be fair they all gave us lots of room. We had had enough by the crossroads though and so continued up the lanes to Eaton Constantine instead, to miss the main traffic.
There were still lots of cars using the lanes to avoid the queues and so we had to take it very carefully over to Eyton on Severn and Wroxeter and then we arrived at the old A5. We could see why all the cars were using the lanes, as the traffic was backed up as far as we could see towards Telford and so I'm guessing at least a 10 mile queue! We continued onto Upton Forge, being passed by a van and car down the lane. Upton Forge is a dead end for cars, but bikes can get through and so we wondered if their sat nav had sent them this way to avoid the traffic? Sure enough about 2 minutes later, we met them coming back up the lane from the dead end point! Never rely on Sat nav in Shropshire!!
Next it was onto Upton Magna and Uffington, where we joined more solid queues of traffic, this time going in the direction that we wanted to go in! We were able to sail past it though and up the old canal path and home, where Phil and Doug continued their journey and I needed a nice cold drink! Local news reports are carrying reports of drivers being stuck for 5 hours on the A5 and so I am very glad I was
today!!
43.86 miles
11.0 avg mph
1870 ft of climbing
and the peak of my training for the BHF Worcester Bike Ride (3 weeks on Sunday).I had woken to news of the A5 trunk road around Shrewsbury being closed due to a fatal accident and also the diversion route on the old A5 now closed due to another accident and then the M54 closed both ways at Wellington due to a 3rd accident
. I knew this would mean serious travel chaos and boy would I be right. I set out from home and took the usual route over to @Rickshaw Phil's house, passing about 3 miles of queuing traffic already. It was still quite breezy out, but not as bad as yesterday and it was warmer today, thankfully.Upon arrival at Phil's I was given Vimto refreshment, whilst he very kindly fitted my new bracket and case for my IPhone to sit on my handlebars. Unfortunately Phil's own bike decided to spontaneously fall over from it's stand, whilst he was doing so
. Phil had his helmet hung off the handlebars and it managed to take a big chunk out of his helmet and break his bar end as well . Typical when someone does you a favour, that happens!Phil swapped bikes and then we headed off in not a great mood, with his brother Doug as well. We took the roads to Condover, Ryton, Longnor and then up the big climb to Cardington, where we stopped for lunch in our usual favourite spot. It was then a quick sprint downhill and we decided to call into The Royal Oak at Cardington for a lovely pint of Butty Bach beer
. The wind had picked up and it had got quite cool and there were even a couple of spots of light rain, whilst we were sat out, but it didn't spoil the moment and I think Phil deserved that pint after the day he was having!It was then onto Plaish, Church Preen, Kenley, Harnage and Cound Moor, where it was much warmer again as the sun was out and the wind had died down a little bit. We remarked that there seemed to be much more traffic about on the lanes at Cound Moor and we thought it may be due to the roads still being closed...........we were right!! At Cressage we joined clogged roads and almost witnessed another crash when a car turned off onto the road we needed, but the wrong way up the junction, on the wrong side of the road, meeting another car head on!
The driver of the car stopped us and asked for directions to Cannock and so had obviously been diverted off the A5. The road from Cressage was not fun at all, as it was carrying a lot of diverted traffic, especially lorries, but to be fair they all gave us lots of room. We had had enough by the crossroads though and so continued up the lanes to Eaton Constantine instead, to miss the main traffic.There were still lots of cars using the lanes to avoid the queues and so we had to take it very carefully over to Eyton on Severn and Wroxeter and then we arrived at the old A5. We could see why all the cars were using the lanes, as the traffic was backed up as far as we could see towards Telford and so I'm guessing at least a 10 mile queue! We continued onto Upton Forge, being passed by a van and car down the lane. Upton Forge is a dead end for cars, but bikes can get through and so we wondered if their sat nav had sent them this way to avoid the traffic? Sure enough about 2 minutes later, we met them coming back up the lane from the dead end point
! Never rely on Sat nav in Shropshire!!Next it was onto Upton Magna and Uffington, where we joined more solid queues of traffic, this time going in the direction that we wanted to go in! We were able to sail past it though and up the old canal path and home, where Phil and Doug continued their journey and I needed a nice cold drink! Local news reports are carrying reports of drivers being stuck for 5 hours on the A5 and so I am very glad I was
today!!43.86 miles
11.0 avg mph
1870 ft of climbing
alans
black belt lounge lizard
- Location
- Staffordshire
It's Friday= tandem ride.
A very enjoyable pootle along the canal towpath from Stone to Trentham.Peaceful easy riding.
A less enjoyable pedal along the A34 d.c'way from Trentham to Tittensor.Noisy,frantic traffic.
Into Barlaston,through Meaford & back onto the canal towpath into Stone.
Coffee & scones were consumed at Trentham Gardens.
Didn't bother with time & distance stats..
Best riding weather of the year.In fact perfect cycling weather imo..
Bib shorts,s/sleeve shirt & Shiman sandals.
A very enjoyable pootle along the canal towpath from Stone to Trentham.Peaceful easy riding.
A less enjoyable pedal along the A34 d.c'way from Trentham to Tittensor.Noisy,frantic traffic.
Into Barlaston,through Meaford & back onto the canal towpath into Stone.
Coffee & scones were consumed at Trentham Gardens.
Didn't bother with time & distance stats..
Best riding weather of the year.In fact perfect cycling weather imo..
Bib shorts,s/sleeve shirt & Shiman sandals.
I worked hard this week, so with the sun shining I finished today at 2 ish and hopped on my bike and headed off to Maldon. Colne Engaine, Earls Colne, Coggeshall, Feering, Inworth, Wickham Bishops/ Gt Totham, Maldon, then back via little Totham, Inworth etc. Routes across the A12 are few and far between, so I took my favourite up a side side street in Coggeshall, but it does mean that a lot of the return journey is the same as the way out.
Lovely day for riding, but windy. I fasted yesterday, and I'm always a bit short of energy the following day, but I still did the 46 miles at an average of 18.4, and that includes a mile or two of crawling in Maldon, up little alleys and footpaths, and a wander across the park to see a statue on the headland, dodging dog walkers and mums with prams.
Got back to find I had acquired severalstalkers followers on here. Oi, you lot............bugger off!!
Lovely day for riding, but windy. I fasted yesterday, and I'm always a bit short of energy the following day, but I still did the 46 miles at an average of 18.4, and that includes a mile or two of crawling in Maldon, up little alleys and footpaths, and a wander across the park to see a statue on the headland, dodging dog walkers and mums with prams.
Got back to find I had acquired several
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