Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Goonerobes]

I had to do my weekend ride a day early this week due to the small matters of Arsenal playing Spurzzzz & the Ryder cup so I decided that another trip into the Test Valley was due.

The weather was dry & mild on setting off then turned to drizzle 5 miles in & back to sunshine 5 miles further & this pattern then repeated much to my annoyance as I hadn't taken a jacket!

The route itself is a pleasant journey, out to the east of New Forest, then across & along the River Test & the Test Way cycle route, which I must do one day on either the mountain bike or the hybrid. I then headed west through country lanes & small pretty villages before returning to the north of the forest for home. 54 miles in all & no major climbs but plenty of short punchy inclines, just enough to raise the old heart rate!

http://www.strava.com/activities/199604778

A Heron (I think) A little Egret (courtesy of @Stonechat ) doing a spot of fishing on the River Test.

The lovely Hampshire countryside during one of the sunny intervals.

The Test Way cycle route.

 

[djb1971]

My ride today was hard work. Not physically, just struggled to get out, and really wasn't feeling the mojo once on the go. 17 miles.

On the plus side, a pic from Wednesday's group ride. I should point out that I am about half the age of my fellow cyclists pictured here (I'm behind the camera.)
View attachment 57505

Nowt wrong with being a biscuit spitter pensioner. We all get there eventually.


I seem to be well on the way!

Edit. Hope I'm still riding my bike once hitting 60 onwards!

 

[Stonechat]

I had to do my weekend ride a day early this week due to the small matters of Arsenal playing Spurzzzz & the Ryder cup so I decided that another trip into the Test Valley was due.

The weather was dry & mild on setting off then turned to drizzle 5 miles in & back to sunshine 5 miles further & this pattern then repeated much to my annoyance as I hadn't taken a jacket!

The route itself is a pleasant journey, out to the east of New Forest, then across & along the River Test & the Test Way cycle route, which I must do one day on either the mountain bike or the hybrid. I then headed west through country lanes & small pretty villages before returning to the north of the forest for home. 54 miles in all & no major climbs but plenty of short punchy inclines, just enough to raise the old heart rate!

http://www.strava.com/activities/199604778

View attachment 57514

A Heron (I think) doing a spot of fishing on the River Test.

View attachment 57515

The lovely Hampshire countryside during one of the sunny intervals.

View attachment 57516

The Test Way cycle route.

Little Egret

 

[Old Plodder]

Edit. Hope I'm still riding my bike once hitting 60 onwards!

Take a tip from me, don't move to the top of a bloody great big hill when you downsize - it can be off putting.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Not my ride today but my 78 year old Dads ride today.

My Dad has serious mobility issues following two artificial hips and two artificial knees. He also has a heart condition, pagets disease and a form of blood cancer, all of which are being treated .....anyway he has been unable to ride his Marin hybrid for a year now due to a serious of leg infections following cuts that dont heal.

Today I took him up to the top of the mountain I call my favorite place on earth. Kantara in Northern Cyprus. Here he rode 10 km along the top of the mountain ridge and then let the brakes go and decended down the steepest climb some 650m of sharp switchbacks to the village of kaplica below. I followed in the 'support car'.

At one point i pull up alongside and yell if he is ok...he relied "How far back is the pelaton?"

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

End of the week and a lovely day to ride in on. It was and warm enough for shorts and t-shirt on the ride in (15c). No issues with traffic and the wildlife today was more pheasants, a couple of squirrels and a stoat.

After last night I didn't fancy mixing it with the Friday evening traffic so took the longer but quieter way home. This uses cyclepaths alongside one of the busier roads in Shrewsbury so I was riding past loads of slow moving traffic. It didn't feel like it at the time but I was quite quick using this route today and I took only a couple of minutes longer than if I'd used the shorter route home.

There was one niggle on the way when a spotty youngster pointed out the cycle lane to me (It's a bit of a weird contraflow thing, which if you could be bothered to look at the markings you'll find I am using the cycle lane.)

21.2 miles round trip today (a whole mile further ) at 13.3 mph average on a beautiful autumn day which as I write this is finishing off with a cracking sunset over the Berwyn Mountains.

A couple of snapshots from the morning trip: The twin bridges at Atcham........

....and calm conditions on the Severn, looking at Atcham church from the old bridge.

 

[Donger]

Calling @Rickshaw Phil and @gavgav: I've got an OS map of Herefordshire that also covers southern parts of Shropshire, and I've been thinking of doing a 25-40 mile ride in that area some time in October. Got any recommendations for bits I shouldn't miss? Don't mind it being hilly, but the hillier it is, the shorter my route would be. Any suggestions welcome.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Calling @Rickshaw Phil and @gavgav: I've got an OS map of Herefordshire that also covers southern parts of Shropshire, and I've been thinking of doing a 25-40 mile ride in that area some time in October. Got any recommendations for bits I shouldn't miss? Don't mind it being hilly, but the hillier it is, the shorter my route would be. Any suggestions welcome.
Cheers, Donger.

Okay..... bearing in mind I don't ride south of Church Stretton that often, I'd say that Ludlow is well worth visiting - It's a really lovely town. There is relatively flat ground to the north and the south to Leominster and beyond. There's good cafe/restaurant at the Ludlow Food Centre in Bromfield.

If you are willing to try a hilly ride, going west from Ludlow to Leintwardine through the Mortimer Forest is good. It's not too strenuous but feels a bit like a miniature alpine pass and Leintwardine has one of the few remaining "parlour pubs" in the country (The Sun Inn).

A route I haven't cycled yet but would like to is from Leintwardine through Lingen and Kinsham to Presteigne. This is a nice valley and a not-too-busy road (my favourite go-kart track just happens to be down here too.)

If you fancy challenging yourself, the hills around Church Stretton offer some serious climbs. To the west of the Long Mynd you might like exploring the lanes between Bishop's Castle and Ratlinghope, which aren't too bad.

If you're in the Craven Arms area, Stokesay Castle is worth a visit. Not so sure about Craven Arms itself though.

Just a few options to get you started.

 

[welsh dragon]

Okay..... bearing in mind I don't ride south of Church Stretton that often, I'd say that Ludlow is well worth visiting - It's a really lovely town. There is relatively flat ground to the north and the south to Leominster and beyond. There's good cafe/restaurant at the Ludlow Food Centre in Bromfield.

If you are willing to try a hilly ride, going west from Ludlow to Leintwardine through the Mortimer Forest is good. It's not too strenuous but feels a bit like a miniature alpine pass and Leintwardine has one of the few remaining "parlour pubs" in the country (The Sun Inn).

A route I haven't cycled yet but would like to is from Leintwardine through Lingen and Kinsham to Presteigne. This is a nice valley and a not-too-busy road (my favourite go-kart track just happens to be down here too.)

If you fancy challenging yourself, the hills around Church Stretton offer some serious climbs. To the west of the Long Mynd you might like exploring the lanes between Bishop's Castle and Ratlinghope, which aren't too bad.

If you're in the Craven Arms area, Stokesay Castle is worth a visit. Not so sure about Craven Arms itself though.

Just a few options to get you started.

That's a lovely area to travel. You'd enjoy that. @Donger

 

[Mike_P]

15 day break and surprised to find the 16 miles this afternoon takes my monthly total for September beyond both that of July and August. Normal short trip around the rural west of Harrogate in a landscape dominated by Knabbs Ridge wind farm

Last seen I suspect by most on the Sunday of le tour, this is taken from further north than the A59 which TdF used from one of the maze of country lanes which means its easy to vary a route, managed an extra mile largely by trying to cycle with the wind rather than into it as much as possible. Very quite, no other cyclists seen and for around 3/4 hour no cars.

 

[gavgav]

Okay..... bearing in mind I don't ride south of Church Stretton that often, I'd say that Ludlow is well worth visiting - It's a really lovely town. There is relatively flat ground to the north and the south to Leominster and beyond. There's good cafe/restaurant at the Ludlow Food Centre in Bromfield.

If you are willing to try a hilly ride, going west from Ludlow to Leintwardine through the Mortimer Forest is good. It's not too strenuous but feels a bit like a miniature alpine pass and Leintwardine has one of the few remaining "parlour pubs" in the country (The Sun Inn).

A route I haven't cycled yet but would like to is from Leintwardine through Lingen and Kinsham to Presteigne. This is a nice valley and a not-too-busy road (my favourite go-kart track just happens to be down here too.)

If you fancy challenging yourself, the hills around Church Stretton offer some serious climbs. To the west of the Long Mynd you might like exploring the lanes between Bishop's Castle and Ratlinghope, which aren't too bad.

If you're in the Craven Arms area, Stokesay Castle is worth a visit. Not so sure about Craven Arms itself though.

Just a few options to get you started.

@Donger basically what @Rickshaw Phil said!! Only bit I would add is that there are some great pubs in the south Shropshire area.....The Royal Oak at cardington , just north of Church Stretton is good, as is the Ragleth in Little Stretton. Both have plenty of hills around if you fancy challenges!! I've not cycled South of Church Stretton and so Phil is your best bet on that one!

 

[Spartak]

Extended my commute home yesterday & managed 60km !

Starting at Portbury Dock took the very nice climb up to Failand & then past the impressive playing fields belonging to Clifton College. Out of Bristol using the railway path before a final loop including Syston & Pucklechurch.

 

[BSRU]

First ride in anger on my new warranty replacement frame, a Roubaix SL3 Pro.
Same geometry as my old Secteur, but being full carbon it is much lighter and stiffer. Very noticeable difference when accelerating and faster on the 1.6km cat 4 climb I went up.

Creates a nice problem as now I have two best bikes, the Roubaix and the Shand.
Now time for some crumpet(s)

 

[BigonaBianchi]

58 miles today behind the kyrenia mountains with a new cycle mate, lots of wind and duststorm.

http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.com/

 

[postman]

52.07 York.Really nice morning,then around 12 -00 ish,it became cooler.Riding Saturday is a bit of a novelty for me.traffic was excellent,apart from an idiot who overtook a van who was overtaking me at Wetherby Racecourse,well done mr Van man,you deserved a medal,great driving.Thank you for giving me space when you passed.You must have had a fright when numpty came along side you.