Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Jon George]

Well, that was a little weird. For the last couple of months I've been going helmetless on my #3 (hybrid town runabout), but today was the first out-in-the-country ride I've done on one of my road bikes without a helmet in over four years. Felt like I'd re-aquired some of my inner child.

So, 18 miles in the sun and the lower temperatures via Westerfield, Coddenham, Culpho and Bealings, before returning home. The photo is of a view overlooking Great Bealings I was once commissioned to do a watercolour of - I think the spot has a life-affirming quality about it.

 

[PeteXXX]

Only a quick 10 miles this morning between posting here first thing and going to w*rk this afternoon.

Once the initial ice had defrosted, I headed across the golf course to Overstone village, alongside Sywell Aerodrome and onto a newly surfaced road (it'll be luxury now on my Road bike now!!) to Mears Ashby

One of the quite narrow lanes nearby.
Not having too long to ride, I went to Sywell Reservoir for a coffee.

However, seeing a Carte Diore ice cream on sale for only a quid, I skipped the coffee and had one of them instead
He said he wasn't selling many at the moment. Can't see why not..

Homeward bound via the now closed for the winter Byway, I was on about 9 miles and just had time for a circuit of Lings Woods before needing to wrap it up and wipe the bike down before lunch.

A pleasant 10 miles, with no drama and no idiots.

http://www.strava.com/activities/216118442

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Wellesbourne the destination, 50 miles the journey, a couple of days off work, I told my Good Lady time off for good behavior, made her laugh, cold morning with a cold strong wind, but not as cold as I thought, wearing winter gear, overshoes, woolly hat and gloves with a sweatshirt under my cycle jacket by the time I'd crossed Coventry the hat was in my pocket and I was overheating, waited till after nine before I left but it was still busy crossing the city, through malfunction junction up Duggins lane past Nailcote Hall and into Balsall Common to turn left by the church and do a little bit of main road then I was into the small quiet lanes, through Norton Lindsey and a couple of hundred yards of the A46 then I was dropping into Hampton Lucy and riding past Charlecote House to the airfield cafe for a bite to eat, a more direct route home through Barford and Warwick then back into the lanes again I rode round the edge of Coventry before turning to use the path past the allotments and into the city on Fenside Rd and Bagington Rd, riding through Earlsdon I stopped off for a cup of tea with my Good lady before crossing the city home, a hard ride out into the wind but a blast most of the way home with a tail wind.

Charlecote Water Mill

 

[Jon George]

Wellesbourne the destination, 50 miles the journey, a couple of days off work, I told my Good Lady time off for good behavior, made her laugh, cold morning with a cold strong wind, but not as cold as I thought, wearing winter gear, overshoes, woolly hat and gloves with a sweatshirt under my cycle jacket by the time I'd crossed Coventry the hat was in my pocket and I was overheating, waited till after nine before I left but it was still busy crossing the city, through malfunction junction up Duggins lane past Nailcote Hall and into Balsall Common to turn left by the church and do a little bit of main road then I was into the small quiet lanes, through Norton Lindsey and a couple of hundred yards of the A46 then I was dropping into Hampton Lucy and riding past Charlecote House to the airfield cafe for a bite to eat, a more direct route home through Barford and Warwick then back into the lanes again I rode round the edge of Coventry before turning to use the path past the allotments and into the city on Fenside Rd and Bagington Rd, riding through Earlsdon I stopped off for a cup of tea with my Good lady before crossing the city home, a hard ride out into the wind but a blast most of the way home with a tail wind.

Good God, man - haven't you heard of full-stops?

 

[ColinJ]

Good God, man - haven't you heard of full-stops?

Dave put one at the end, when he had finished!

 

[coffeejo]

In a pub on Exmoor. It's chilly out there. Soup was both hot and delicious. Tea pot seems to be bottomless. I may be here some time.

Seems a long time ago now but yesterday's ride on Exmoor was good fun, if chilly - as mentioned - and a bit of a leg-killer. It wasn't the most imaginative route in the world. The first leg saw me follow the main road west to Dunster (where I had to put on a second pair of socks as I'd lost all feeling in my toes), then the (much quieter) main road up, up, up, up, up, up to Wheddon Cross (the highest point of the ride at 301 meters). That leg was a bit odd - a long climb up a road dug into the side of the hill, the edge towering above you and held together with beech trees, resplendent in the autumn sunshine. Unfortunately, the aforementioned sunshine doesn't hit the tarmac at this time of the year so my body was hot from the exertion yet the air was cold enough for me to see my breath as I exhaled. There would be an occasional break in the shadow and I found that the weak November sunshine was hotter than a hot summer's day given my efforts.

I had a bit of a surprise when I finally reached Wheddon Cross as the road I intended to take was closed. Happily the pub opposite was open, hence the soup and tea. It took a lot of willpower to leave without ordering a second pot of tea but not much intelligence to swap my gilet for a jacket for the newly plotted next bit of the ride which was mainly downhill (hurrah). Less fun was the road itself - it's a bloomin awful section, which is why I chose to avoid it when I originally planned the route. It was quiet, dark, gloomy, boring and uncomfortable. There's nothing smooth about this stretch of the A361 here, just mile after mile of pitted, bumpy tarmac, though it made me extremely grateful that I'd left the Orbea at home and was on the steel Ridgeback with its chunkier tyres which just about made it bearable.

There were some more hills to climb later on in the day, thankfully away from the roadside trees and back in the sunshine for the first time in hours which necessitated a change back into the gilet. In fact, the gilet stayed on until I returned to home turf in the market town of Wivesliscombe when, chilled to the bone after a 39mph descent in the shadow of the setting sun, I stopped to put the jacket on over the top. I happened to look behind me and had to take this photo, my only one from the day:

Who needs fireworks to make the sky "pretty"?

I rode the last leg in the gathering gloom and then darkness and found myself singing Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival in my head thanks to the full moon rising ahead of me.

64 miles from door to door with 1,203 meters of climbing, my second hilliest ride of the year (which explains why I was so tired when I got home!) and the hilliest by far on the Ridgeback.

 

[nickyboy]

Yesterday's forecast was really nice. Sunny all day, chilly and a light northerly. Northerlies are not common around these parts and when I get them I like to head north, battle the headwind and then enjoy the tailwind back.
Went out with Wayne. Wayne is keen and fit but 2 stones lighter than me. And he likes to ride hard so it was going to be tough. 60 miles with about 5,000ft of climbing planned. Glossop - Stalybridge - Denshaw - Sowerby Bridge - Mytholmroyd - Littleborough - Denshaw then back via Uppermill. There are 6 categorised climbs on the route. The first is after only a couple of miles....bang.....and off Wayne went into the distance. This was to be a recurring theme....bowling along on the rolling stuff then as soon as we hit a big climb he was waiting for me at the top.
Hard riding into the headwind, which when you got above 1000ft up was blustery and tough. Finally got to Mytholmroyd whish is half way and thankfully the chance to enjoy going with the wind. Up Cragg Vale we went, full gas to take on Colin J's challenge. 3 minutes faster than when I did it full of Hebden Bridge brekkie but still too slow. Wayne kindly waited at the top (again).
Flew down Blackstone Edge, pootled around Hollingworth Lake. Finally got back to Uppermill where it was time for a rather nice latte and carrot cake. Only 45 minutes from home but I was easily persuaded. I think Wayne was feeling a bit sorry for me. Had to sit outside but they had those nice electric heaters. It was a struggle to get back on the bike.
Back home, 13.5mph average and feeling a bit motivated to lose some weight and find a way to keep up with Wayne up those climbs

 

[Jon George]

today was the first out-in-the-country ride I've done on one of my road bikes without a helmet in over four years.

My wife has just asked me if that was legal. Sigh ....

 

[brand]

Woke up with my once in blue moon cold. Runny nose, streaming eyes, sneezes fit to blow the fire out, headache and all my teeth hurt. Had agreed to meet someone 22 miles away at village called Bardney, either cycle there or....... a taxi. So cycle the only option. Really didn't have an option but to go. GPS was already set up...thank god.
Started off 3 times before I was sure I had everything in my 2 carradice panniers. Proper set of locks. I had never been to this village before and as it has 3 pubs it was almost a city. Then back for my wallet even I would be embarrassed asking for tick in a pub I have never been to before! And finally a present for the person I was meeting a 2013 bottle of Sloe Gin.
Now I try to keep my average speed to a very moderate 8 miles an hour, not to hard when I generally have the kitchen sink with me. It was hammering down until I opened the door when it promptly stopped... good start apart from 3 returns home. Didn't last I was struggling with 6 miles an hour in some very harsh wind on the Bluestone heath road. That changed after 4-5 miles when I got of the hills into some nice hedged roads. Decided I needed to put some effort in if I wanted to get there for opening time. Actually got my average up to 9 miles an hour.
Probably did 200 yards on A roads everything else was back roads and the sun was out all the way. And my cold gone or at least symtoms were within a mile of leaving home. Never understand why people think you shouldn't go out in cold weather if you have a cold. If your warm that's all that counts.
Anyway after 4 hours in the pub I was feeling very ruff again "meeting" ended after 6 hours so on my way again. Decided I would go back via my local this would mean no massive hill to climb. Cold symptoms disappeared within 20 mins. Coughed a lot but that was more to do with all the bonfires I passed. Hour into the ride and my main light failed backup good But not sure if would get me home....via the pub. So decided on short way home...up big hill. As it happens I could have ridden without lights as there was a full moon, no cloud or traffic for that matter. Big hill easy..ish was fitter than I thought. Got home.

Bollocks left my keys behind! Went across to neighbours only 9.45pm but told me she would not look after my keys again. Not happy that I knocked her up a few days before at 3.45am when I lost my keys coming back from pub. Got the lost keys the next day when a touring cyclist found them and rung the number on the key ring. Knew that would work. Anyway got in the house sat down for a second and suddenly felt very very tired and not all that well. Lay on the sofa feeling to Ill and to tired to get up. Eventually woke up about....no idea? Sod the shower straight to bed.
I will fetch the keys another day.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

40 miles in Cycling heaven today
http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.com/2014/11/keeping-legs-turning.html

 

[ColinJ]

And my cold gone or at least symtoms were within a mile of leaving home. Never understand why people think you shouldn't go out in cold weather if you have a cold. If your warm that's all that counts.

Er, the next quote might give you a hint ...

Anyway after 4 hours in the pub I was feeling very ruff again ... got in the house sat down for a second and suddenly felt very very tired and not all that well. Lay on the sofa feeling to Ill and to tired to get up.

 

[brand]

Er, the next quote might give you a hint ...

Nothing to do with the weather being cold as I was warmer cycling than sitting round the house. It was my cold that got the better of me not the cold weather.

 

[ColinJ]

Nothing to do with the weather being cold as I was warmer cycling than sitting round the house. It was my cold that got the better of me.

True. I suppose you did emphasise the going out in the cold aspect, but I was thinking more in terms of overdoing it when suffering from A cold rather than THE cold.

 

[Jon George]

A 19 mile spin out to Falkenham, today. Spirits were lifted even further after the following conversation with a woman out walking her dogs.

Me (as she paused, turned and smiled in my direction): 'Afternoon!"
Her: 'Good afternoon. Are you well?'
Me: 'Very. And you?'
Her: 'Wonderful!"

It's not all doom and gloom out there folks - perfect strangers are still quite capable of being friendly.
A view of the hamlet she hails from:

 

[Saluki]

Back from a ride to meet Hubster from dialysis.
I took the same route as Monday, to Earlham 5 ways, Bluebell Road/Lane whatever it's called (You would think that I'd know being a local since 1964 - or nearly since birth) then straight on to the cycle path, which I managed to get all the way up without falling off. Then off to Keswick, back around to Eaton and then to the hospital.
8.56 miles much slower than usual. I wonder if it was the jacket instead of a tee shirt, or the fact the the Planet X carbon job is away for the winter and I was on the Defy 2 which felt weird in the extreme.
Note to self, flip the stem down - the bike feels like a sit up and beg in comparison to the PX. Fertle the left brifter in a bit, it's at a silly angle and maybe move the brifters up 1cm and roll the bars a smidgette and then it might feel a bit better. What a horribly position I had been riding the Defy in, no flippin' wonder I had back ache.

8.56 miles today, in an incredibly slow 42:47 but I did climb a bit more than usual today some 125 metres, which takes some doing in Norfolk