Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Goonerobes]

Having fitted a new chain & adjusted the seat forward a tad I thought I'd better go out for a little test ride this afternoon (like I need a reason to go out ).

So with the sun shining, albeit weakly as it was still cold, I headed around the local roads of Netley Marsh first before heading into the New Forest. After going up Bramble Hill I followed Roger Penny Way up to Redlynch before turning back through Hampworth & Landford before deciding to do Bramble Hill again (its not a big hill) & head for home with a nice 30 miles under my belt & as yet no adverse effects from the seat adjustment.

https://www.strava.com/activities/244529285

A "not very busy" Hampworth golf course

Some slightly different wild life spotted today near Hampworth.

 

[Glow worm]

A work meeting in Central London today for a rare change. Not my natural habitat but an excuse for a ride, and a very pleasant one too on the Brompton.

Managed to take in Hyde park with it's impressive cycle route. Can't believe last time I was down here a few years ago I cycled along the adjacent Park Lane . Either this route is new or I just never spotted it. It was great.

Outside where my meeting was on Millbank, I spotted an amazing palm tree on a roundabout. I think it's been there for years. It wouldn't last a week in East Anglia but it shows how much warmer it is down here.

The only downer was dropping and losing a glove while faffing about taking photos.

Came back past the House of Commons and Buckingham Palace. Some really nice cycling to be had round there.
All in all a very pleasant 8 miles with a zero numpty count.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

In a change to my normal plan I walked over the railway bridge from Wetheral to take a short cut, then it was up the lesser used (and rather mucky) roads to finally end up at my target.

I'm glad to see the 'Cyclists Please Dismount' I put up are being heeded

 

[ScotiaLass]

I decided I really needed to blow off some energy today, so headed to the woods.
Total of 15 miles, about half in the woods and half on shared paths (plus a loop round the Helix).
I bought a handlebar mount for the GoPro yesterday while I was in Edinburgh, so that got fitted and I took some footage.
I may post that later, once I've decided how to work the editing programme!

When I went out it was about -2 degrees and I had to go steady in a few places on the shared paths...it didn't seem as important in the woods and the tyres held up really well through ice, mud and gravel
By the time I got home it was a balmy 3 degrees!
I really enjoyed the ride and forgot how good a winters ride is

In the meantime, here's a few pics...

Half way round and a little fuel break

At the frozen lagoon, Helix Park

Still smiling, despite the freezing cold!

 

[Osprey]

With an easterly wind down to 8mph and 4 deg C, today was my opportunity to attempt Januarys 100km a month ride. Deciding to keep it as flat a ride as possible, I chose a coastal run, heading off the peninsula down the North Gower estuary, through the village of Gowerton picking up the Clyne valley bike path before emerging at the centre of the crescent of the sweeping Swansea bay. Picking up the bay bike path to Swansea Marina before heading up Fabian Way towards Neath. An urban run through Baglan and Sandfields before emerging on Aberavon Seafront.

Onwards past the PortTalbot steel works and out through Margam where a quick drop off in the Margam Country Park for a warming coffee.

Refreshed and onwards for the final 10 miles with the road winding between sand dunes and golf links courses before entering the town of Porthcawl and on to the seafront.


With the temperature too low too to stay too long, it was time to start the return leg home. With 71 miles completed despite the cold, I look forward to the Februarys challenge.

 

[galaxy]

I managed 5.5 miles, went out to deliver a few quotes for work. Surpriesing how the mileage builds up just doing little bits, shopping, deliveries etc.

 

[User16625]

Went out for about 17 miles or so. First ride in ages on my decent bike as I just had the bearings replaced. My toes nearly got frostbite! Otherwise would have been very nice ride.

 

[Arjimlad]

Stopped for brekkie and returned to find a frosty saddle !

Pretty clear indicator of ice risk.

 

[EltonFrog]

No ride today, but a two mile training run, not supposed to do that really as its a platelets day, but hey ho.

A bit of a struggle getting up that hill in the first half mile, I think I over did it yesterday!

 

[Dave 123]

The Met Office term for these climatic conditions are"chilly willy wooooo waaaah", and I can confirm that it was/is.

A day off today and I had an appointment at the University sports centre. I had 3 layers of gloves on and 4 layers on my torso. The cold was getting through the gloves after the 4 and a bit miles, but it was difficult riding and trying not to get too warm, didn't want to get warm then go in a warm building, sweat, then come out into the cold again....

So after my appointment I decided to ride up the boring guided busway as I've not been up there for over a year. It was quite pleasant to be honest, not too many people about, one horse rider. The longhorn cattle were munching at their feeders and there were plenty of birds about.
I saw in no particular order- kestrels, lapwing, a charm of goldfinch, redwing, tufted duck, gadwall, great crested grebe and....

These critters were seen from the bridge in St Ives, the fuller view looks like this....

After taking these pics I headed back as the bridge tearoom was shut

The most notable sighting was a green woodpecker who lazily flew across my path, I heard it call off to the right as it landed.

I jumped off the busway and turned for Dry Drayton and not Girton/Cambridge, which was a mistake! It's one of those stretches of road that there is always a headwind, and my wheels never seem to roll! I turned off for Madingley, the hill out of the village being more preferable than the Drayton road back to Hardwick.

36 cold miles. I've had a cold since Tuesday, and I'm still below par, so I'm happy with that

 

[mooseracer]

Just a little lunchtime ride today, plenty of thick ice around even at 1pm. Lovely sunshine though!

https://www.strava.com/activities/244916393

 

[cosmicbike]

-4 C this morning, what could be better than a bike ride On the bread run, but just over 4 miles was enough for me in regular clothes. Funny, if I'd been on a 'proper' ride and in all the gear I'd not have felt so cold. Odd.

 

[LarryDuff]

A cold 28 miles this morning in a cold wind.

 

[Dirk]

Glorious sunshine in North Devon this morning. The missus and I had a pleasant hilly ride out along the coast road, through Croyde and on to the Rock Inn at Georgeham for a coffee. Then over the top and down to Knowle, back to Braunton, around the marshes to see the Kingfishers and then back home. 15 miles in total, with 697 feet of elevation gain.

 

[Spinney]

Having swum 2000m this morning, I decided the weather was too nice not to go for a ride. I did 17 miles to the Chequers in Potters Bar and back. Lovely sun, not too much wind - all in all a perfect day for cycling. I was on the Brompton which is extremely comfortable albeit a bit slow. I'm not quite up to doing a 25 or 50 but I'm getting there.

Barnet Council tweeted on Thursday how quickly there were mending potholes. In the first 5 miles of my ride I counted 101 holes in the road which needed fixing. If it gets any worse the Beatles will be writing a song about Barnet (probably calling it A Life In The Day).

I know know where @Spinney lives.

I chose my name when I lived in a road called Spinney Brow!