Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Donger]

Outer Hebrides, Day 1.
To say we are being lucky with the weather would be understating it. In fact lucky doesn't even come close. I had been slightly dreading this part of our holiday as Mrs D gets seasick in a pedalo, and the outer isles have a fearsome reputation for rough seas and horizontal rain. Turned out it was 18 degrees today though, with blue, cloudless skies, following on from yesterday's ferry across a millpond of a Hebridean Sea. What is going on with the weather? Today was our first full day on the islands, and was to be a busy one, taking in (by car) seven islands, all connected by causeways. Somehow, (and I'm not sure how), I was also able to squeeze in two short bike rides on 3 of the islands. (Well, you've got to, haven't you?).

Ride 1: Got up at stupid o'clock to make the short ride from our hotel along the coast of South Uist and over the causeway to Eriskay and back before breakfast. Watched the sun come up over the hills of South Uist before heading over the causeway to Eriskay. Played hide and seek with a curious seal along the causeway, and carried on onto this little gem of an island. Passed the "Am Politician" pub -named after the steamer full of scotch that sank off this coast in 1941 with predictable illicit consequences, inspiring the book (and film) "Whisky Galore". Some lovely little steep but short hill climbs showed off the coastline and lovely beaches at their best, and after reaching the ferry terminal for Barra, I turned tail and enjoyed it all again, albeit sprinting to get back in time for a quick shower before breakfast. 12.6 miles before my haddock and poached egg.

Dawn ride along the South coast of South Uist.
Sunrise over South Uist - seen from the causeway to Eriskay.


Catholic shrine on Eriskay. South Uist in background.

White sandy beach on Eriskay.

Ride 2: After a great day's drive, we arrived at the Langass Lodge on North Uist after doing a whistlestop tour of 7 islands in a day, In the time between our arrival and our table booking in the restaurant, I managed to do the honourable Cyclechat thing and squeeze another ride in. This time I had to sprint a bit, out along a rough track to the nice wide main road, then a mile along the A road and then hung a left into a little single-track road running along Loch Eport right up to the East coast of North Uist. Passed an ugly old ruined and abandoned whaling station before the road became stunningly beautiful, passing houses and bungalows scattered sparsely above the South bank of the loch, which was looking ridiculously blue in this astonishingly good weather. My maxim has always been "Keep Right On 'Til The End Of The Road", so that was precisely what I did - clock-watching all the way, and eventually turning tail again at the turning area at the very end of the loch (and the last moment possible) and sprinting back hell-for-leather just in time for another shower and our evening meal in the hotel. Made it by 2 minutes! Another 13.6 miles, so 26.2 miles in all today, somehow!
The road along Loch Eport. A cycling paradise (- at least it is in this weather).

And again.Still no traffic.

I've been wondering lately just what it is that I want to get out of my cycling. Rushing around at speed keeping up with others? Putting miles on the clock for the sake of it? Not really. I've decided that I have to do that stuff to keep ride fit, but these are the days I do all that for. It's just fantastic being able to get out and about in new and exhilarating places in the knowledge that you can get up every hill and you don't have to miss a thing.This is bliss.

Planning to get up at stupid o'clock again tomorrow to ride into Lochmaddy and back before Mrs D gets up. Then we are off via the ferry from Berneray to Harris, where I plan to get another ride in before dinner, then a proper ride the next day . Anyway, smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast. Cheers, Donger.

 

[Elybazza61]

Nice steady commute today although a bit chilly and misty;the cross bike is turning into a good commuter,zips along nicely when needed and can take the rough surfaces as well.Just need a better set of pedals(Time perhaps?) and a good seat-post pack(probably looking like a Carradice one when I can afford it).

http://www.strava.com/activities/192905243

Just got to decide whether to bunk off work this afternoon and ride home and complete the Strava Giro challenge or leave it for the club run on Saturday.

 

[coffeejo]

Conquered a couple of hill monsters yesterday, one intentionally, the second by accident because I failed to pay proper attention to the contour lines when plotting the route. Not knowing when the torture would end was hard to deal with but I kept going and oh my, it felt good to get to the top! I even managed to save just enough oxygen to muster a whoop gasp of triumph.

 

[Spartak]

Yesterday I rode out to watch the finish of the Tour of Britain stage in Bristol. Joined the route in Winterbourne & followed the race directional arrows all the way to the finish on The Downs.
I took a place on the very crowded Ladies Mile approx. 2 kms from the finish.

 

[gavgav]

The 5th and final ride of my holidays today, in yet more glorious and very warm sunshine.

We took some routes that we do quite often in the Lakes, but linked them together to increase the mileage.

We set off from Elterwater and climbed up to the Three Shires Inn and then began the off road route up to Tilberthwaite, which has been resurfaced and so much better than last time.

There was a fairly fast descent into Coniston, where we came across the one idiot of the day who firstly pulled out from the roadside in front of us, then dawdled through the village and crept around a turn off, with no indicators used. I shouted my frustration at them about the non use of indicators and continued up to Bowmanstead, passing the house we have stayed in numerous times before, before dropping down to Coniston Hall Campsite.

@Rickshaw Phil enjoying the sun

We continued along the shore path to Torver, including a brief stop for photos by the lake. Whilst doing so I picked up a voicemail that had been left yesterday and a wasp landed on my leg. I attempted to kick it away and succeeded in whacking my shin on the pedal . It was very painful and left a nice gouge down my shin and a large lump and bothered me for quite a few miles afterwards.

Before I whacked my shin!

Next was the undulating section alongside the lake on the busy main road, before turning off to High Nibthwaite and the quieter road on the East side of the lake.

We stopped for lunch and enjoyed watching some canoeists on the lake, before the hard climb up to the top of Hawkshead Hill. Made it without stopping which I was chuffed about

Lunch stop

Next was the mostly downhill section to The Drunken Duck Inn at Barngates, including my chain coming off and jamming itself, which needed @Rickshaw Phil to fix!

We spent a lovely 45 minutes sat in the sun at the pub, enjoying a pint, before the normal route back to Elterwater.

26 miles
9.7mph avg
2303 ft of climbing.

Total for the week is 124 miles and over 10,000 ft of climbing, both records for me.

I have been coming to the lakes for 14 years and this has been the best week ever. Amazing warm sunshine every day and fabulous cycling

 

[Deleted member 23692]

A local MTB ride for me today which links up various minor roads, UUCRs, bridleways and cycle tracks to from a 26 mile route which, at the right time of year, is just superb... and with the recent dry weather and the vegetation starting to die back, it's the right time!

First off I followed the B road from home to Buckabank where I picked up a delightful UUCR which leads to Gaitsgill....

Then back on the road network to follow a minor road through Stockdalewath and on to Highbridge, where I took the bridleway to Middlesceugh. The last section of this PROW is usually tyre gripping mud but today it was rather slpendid

From there it's back on quiet roads gain to Churchtown before picking up another bridleway which drops you back on the road as Bell Bridge, where I crossed the River Caldew for the first time.

Back on the roads up to Borrans Hill where another UUCR descends back to the Caldew to cross it via the newly replaced Bog Bridge. Once over the river it's more UUCR up hill to Beconhill where I followed another very minor road up to Raughton Head and then on to Raughton Head Farm.

Then it's a mix of UUCRs and bridleways to cross Caldew for the 3rd time at Highwath Bridge...

..before continuing past Lime House School on a super UUCR to meet the road at Bridge End....

After Crossing the Caldew for a 4th time (at Bridge end) it;'s a short trip on a cycle track to White bridge in Dalston to make a 5th crossing of the river.

From Dalston, it's an easy ride back down the side of the Caldew on the Cycle track to eventually cross the river for a 6th and final time in Denton Holme, and then it's just a short run through the back streets home.

Here's a special map -
red = road
blue = offr-road off

26½ miles /1500 ft ascent

A super day and super route, although the bikes has copious dollops of in sheep shoot on it, and it's a bit pongy!

 

[MikeW-71]

Scorcher of a day, and a day off so out came the route planner.

I was bold this time and plotted a route that looped through Penrith and across to Pooley Bridge at Ullswater. Then I would follow the lake a short way before climbing around Little Mel Fell and coming back through Greystoke for a decent 63 miles.

First bit is reasonbly flat as I've been over it before, but carried on around the back of Penrith to come in near the Golf Club road. Whizz through the centre and out the other side heading for Hunter Hall School and the underpass beneath the A66. Then around the next corner was objective number 1:


Brougham Castle always looks good. Must go in and have a look round someday.

I was looking forward to objective 2. Abbott Lodge ice-cream farm with home-made ice-cream from their Jersey cow herd. They were right next to the fence, but the ice-cream was melting and when I finished it, they'd buggered off


Now I would be getting some decent climbing, heading through the Lowther estate and towards Askham where I join a singletrack road that will lead me to Pooley Bridge. Then I hit the A592 following the lake shore:


Shortly after that was taken, I had to turn off for the big climb of the day. Up to Little Mel Fell. That is the hardest climb I've ever done. It starts pretty steep, then throws in a 15% ramp just to warm you up. Then it goes down a little, before it climbs again, then gets steep, and then steeper, then just when you are gasping, it gets even steeper than that then it gives you a little break, then gets really steep again

I needed three stops on the way up, but I rode it all, no walking Sheer bloody-mindedness dragged me over the top. This is what the sign says at the top:


It doesn't tell you that on the other side (perhaps just as well...)

After a great descent down the other side it was back to more undulating country and I'd be heading gradually downhill back to base. I stopped in at Greystoke, but the Cafe was closed

My legs were really feeling it in the last 5 miles, but there's another good route and I found a couple of other cafes I didn't know were there before. Useful for next time.

http://app.strava.com/activities/193037359/overview

 

[Hacienda71]

I should have been in work all day today, but when one of my oldest friends suggested meeting up in Wales for a ride I took the morning off. Trekked over early to meet him at Betws-Y-Coed, admired his new Cervelo and headed off to do a loop past Snowdon to Beddgellert via Capel Curig and back via Nantmor.
The weather was fantastic not too much wind, warm and sunny. A buzzard skimmed along the valley next to us for half a mile with a crow dive bombing it. The police helicopter buzzed us at probably no more than 100 ft and then headed towards Snowdon where a search and rescue helicopter was also flying about. Hopefully nothing too serious going on. My friend hasn't been cycling for too long but he is much better than last time we rode together and so although he wasn't riding at the pace I would normally I didn't have to wait long at the top of climbs etc.
Thoroughly enjoyed riding some new roads with a mix of long draggy climbs short sharp ones rolling descents and some scarey steep descents with poor gravely road surfaces.
The injuries from last Sundays crash weren't affecting my riding despite still being fairly tender.
All in all a damn good mornings ride just under 40 miles with a bonus of fish and chips sitting in the sun when we got back to Betws-Y-Coed.

 

[Donger]

Outer Hebrides, Day 2:
Yesterday, I rather cockily announced that 'd be out before breakfast again at stupid o'clock for the second day running. That was before we discovered that we were staying in a ground floor lodge with a footpath running past it, so we had to close the blackout curtains for the night. The alarm clock came as a shattering shock at 6:00, and I fumbled around for ages trying to find my kit (and a pair of matching socks) in the pitch black without waking up Mrs Donger. All of which sounds like an excuse for not bothering to go. So did I make it......?

(taken yesterday in Locheport) These signs are everywhere in the Hebrides.

Got out at 6:30 and headed off bleary-eyed down the track from the hotel to find that there was a very heavy mist everywhere, and my glasses instantly fogged up. I was wearing lycra shorts and a short-sleeved top, having not even considered wearing base layers or waterproofs. But I decided to carry on anyway, as I didn't have that long to get changed again - and we Brummies are made of tough enough stuff to deal with a little bit of (almost) freezing fog. 20 yards down the track I saw something in front of me, standing there in the middle of the track. It didn't move, so I reached for the camera and got a bit closer as quietly as I could. Unfortunately, I'm no ninja, so it started to get a bit spooked and I had to take my picture before the camera had a chance to focus in the mist. Apologies for the next photo, which is awful quality, but the best I could manage in the circumstances. A mother deer and her fawn just standing there in the mist. As they moved off, so did I .... only to find that I disturbed another two adult deer, who leaped across in front of me and melted into the mist in a flash among the heather.



carried on along the two lane main A road into the ferry terminal in Lochmaddy through a surreal landscape of low-hanging mist in the glens and little freshwater lochs among the peat bogs and the heather. In all, I had 5 separate deer sightings, seeing 9 red deer in all, but most were too fast for me. Here are a few more pictures, including another Hebridean sunrise shot. (Don't know whether Hebridean sunrises are any different from any other sunrises, as I'm not usually in the land of the living at that time of day).

Misty sunrise near Lochmaddy.

Eventually I got close enough to a deer to be able to get a photo, despite my auto-focus being thrown by the mist.

Red deer in the mist.



By the time I got to the ferry terminal at Lochmaddy, I noticed with surprise that my arm hairs had gone grey. Turns out they were covered in almost freezing dew, and were showing up like all the little dew-covered cobwebs in the heather. Funny, my arms were cold, but I felt quite comfortable in my lycra this morning.



Sprinted back the 7 miles to the hotel just in time for a shower and my breakfast before making the Berneray to Leverburgh ferry to the Isle of Harris. 14.3 miles this morning, so 40 miles in all on the southern isles. Quite a mystic ride today, what with sunrises, mist in the glens, and deer-a-plenty..... Loved every minute of it. Wish i could have done the whole of the Hebridean way cycle route, which looked like an amazing idea for a short tour. Fantastic weather again and a great drive around the mountains of Harris and Scalpay today, so didn't have time for another ride. Still, I'll make time tomorrow afternoon to ride out to Scalpay again from Tarbert, through the hills and over the new bridge. Looks like being a brilliant, though very tough, very lumpy ride of about 18 miles or so. Will then try to get out before breakfast on Saturday before our ferry to Skye and our week in Inverinate. Just can't get enough cycling round here.

Cheers, Donger.

 

[cosmicbike]

A ride with a mission today, to find me a dog shaped cake tin in which to bake a birthday cake. Started out a bit chilly, so went with L/S top and glad I did, felt a bit nippy the first couple of miles. Found a shop in Addlestone which looked promising so headed out that way via Chertsey. Shop located, nowhere to put bike, but a window shop revealed character cake tins, whereas I wanted an outline tin. Not to worry, guess I'll do it freehand...
Fancied a change today, so headed out through Byfleet and into Brooklands. Not liking it so far, the roads were busy and the surfaces terrible. On the plus side I did get to stop and take a photo of G-CONC, the 40% scale model of Concorde at the entrance to Mercedes Benz world. Originally sited at the entrance to the Heathrow CTA tunnels in September 1990, it was removed in March 2007 as BA felt it did not suit them as an advert anymore (since they were no longer flying the full size).

Because I could, I rode down towards M-B World, noting a lack of AMG's tearing up the tarmac tracks. It was before 10am so maybe a bit early.

The sharp eyed will notice another Concorde, G-BBDG, which is the Brookland Museum one. Moved there in 2004 for a full restoration and opened in 2006 as part of the Concorde Experience.
Left here dosed up with Haribo's, and headed to Weybridge, then back through Addlestone and out towards Chobham, hunting the quieter roads. Sure enough, one I got to Foxhills the traffic melted away and it was lovely Surrey roads and lanes from there to Sunningdale Village before hoping into WGP via the Ascot Road entrance. At this point the sun came out and I felt way too hot in the L/S top, perhaps an idea to buy arm warmers? A steady pedal along Dukes Lane and through Deer Park, noting the young bucks have grown, and are now really quite large with big antlers. They were rolling in a big muddy puddle, made them smell interesting..A quick run down Middle Hill-Egham Hill and home.
31 miles again, in 2.5 hrs again.

 

[Goonerobes]

More late summer sun greeted my forth & final New Forest ride of the week which took in the north & the western edge of the forest in a 50 mile round trip.

Highlight of the day was an engine revving chav on a moped who tried to race me away from a junction only to stall when a gap finally appeared. Childishly I did look back & smile at him when I got across!

Pronounced Low ver by the locals, people used to travel from far & wide years ago to get their valentine card envelopes stamped at the local post office.

Sorry but I cant resist a cute little donkey picture, its just a shame I couldn't get his mum to turn round.

http://www.strava.com/activities/193414374

 

[BigonaBianchi]

http://summeronabianchi.blogspot.co.uk/

40 miles today, windy energy sapping ride full of moron drivers......i blame the full moon

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Today's the last day of my week off , so I thought I'd best do one of my favourite local rides. With MTB on the roof of the car, I headed out to Castle Carrock in the North Pennines AONB. - click the link for a better route description and more pictures.

I didn't take many photos today as I've hundreds of these parts already, but I do have a couple of note...

@MikeW-71 - the bridleway between Cumrew and Newbiggin has been cut, and it's wonderful to ride! If you're going to do this circuit again this year, now is the time :thumbs:

The new bridge at New Water is settling down well and has become part of the landscape...

Here's a shot from the some place taken back in August 2008 (ignore the date on the photo ) to compare it with - how the Rowan tree has grown!

A couple of scenic ones....

The run down to Old Water Bridge with Tarnmonath Fell on the left...

And one of The Gairs - the semi-detached house in the middle of nowhere - with Simmerson Fell on the left and Brown Fell on the right.

It's a great ride and a super way to lose a few pounds in sweat!

15miles / 1600ft acent

Now to clean the crud of the bike...................

 

[Saluki]

I really believe that crappy drivers are like busses. You don't see one for an absolute age and then 3 come along at once. Or 2 in my case but I'll no doubt meet the third at some point over the weekend.

I rode down to meet Hubster from dialysis taking the direct 8.45 mile route as I didn't fancy the fresh gritting on the Melton Road. I've only just picked the tar off the bike.

Somewhere on the Norwich Road while riding past Hethersett, some stupid woman shot past me at a pinch point, forcing me to head left and into a junction. I made a rude gesture at her and she stopped. I could see that she was probably my age but not as fit. Also she was a whole lot smaller than me so I had a small word through her open window. She trotted out the road tax crap and I pointed out that she doesn't pay road tax, or even VED on a Prius so she can shove that argument up her chocolate whizzway. I asked her if it was OK to try and kill a cyclist with her kids watching? She muttered something about grandkids, like that makes a difference. Anyway she didn't mean to squeeze me out "it was an accident". I suggested that as she didn't mean to do it that her car must have done it for her, which she agreed was true. I then suggested that as the 'car did it' that she was not in full control and maybe I should call the police and child protection. She was not happy. I asked her - as a passing copper drove up to see what the problem was - if she would have buzzed a horse rider like that, a small car, a learner driver or a milk float. She said that she wouldn't. Where the policeboy - who had heard this bit - said "so it was only a bike and you thought that it would be OK then?" in a somewhat sarky tone.

I gave policeboy my name and address and my POV on why I was having a word with her and why I had made a rude (peckerhead) gesture that shocked her grandkids. Police chap was taking no crap from her and informed her that she should give vulnerable road users space, not buzz them at pinch points and a right old lecture. She . tried the road tax thing on him too. Nice policeperson. Quite hot too. Commutes to work by bike apparently and was less than impressed with her. I went on my way and he continued to talk to her about driving with due car and attention, respecting other road users and was it worth saving 2 seconds of time to now be spending 10 minutes at the roadside talking to him.

The rest of the ride was nice. The cyclepath was clear and had been swept I arrived at the hospital layby about a minute after Hubster did. Bike is still in the car and there has to be a better way of changing in the car than the way I do it.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Can you get him to have a word with Asda driver down my way too lol!