Your ride today.... (part 1)

[gavgav]

best describes my ride today as I come off on what must have been the only patch off black ice in Hampshire!!

The ride started well enough with clear blue skys & a chilly north-easterly but no sign of frost or ice as I set out on mish-mash of roads I'd done before although not in this particular order. Heading north, up the forest, the roads were still damp from the overnight rain but this was to change as I turned east & into the Test Valley where they got considerably wetter but still no sign of ice or frost!

Passing through Whiteparish I turned left & up towards West Dean, going up was fine despite having a car up my ar$e on this single track road but the downhill is rather steep so I was on the breaks very early as I know the road turns sharply at the bottom & this is where it all went wrong! Suddenly I was off & sliding across the road like I'd been shot, I hadn't even thought of ice given the previous 15 miles had been frost free. The following car kindly stopped to help me up, although they had little choice as I was sprawled across the road in front of them & the torn jacket & tights gave me an idea that this was going to be sore!!

Anyway, after a few minutes I decided to carry on, partly because I didn't fancy going back up the steep hill & partly because it was such a nice day. So West Tytherley, Winterslow & Over Wallop were next before I turned back towards home via Broughton, Mottisfont & Wellow although I must admit it was all done very carefully & every wet looking bend & decent was taken very slowly.

50 painful miles completed & I have a feeling I'm gonna ache tomorrow.
https://www.strava.com/activities/245346576

View attachment 77824

Some New Forest ponies playing statues in the sun.

View attachment 77825

Maybe not my best choice of roads today.

View attachment 77826

The scene of the crime.

View attachment 77827 View attachment 77828

& some of the war wounds suitable for family viewing!!

Ouch!! Hope you recover soon!

 

[gavgav]

Well, that's my first audax of the year out of the way now, and a ride I can post on the Century a Month Challenge thread for January. It was the 105km Jack and Grace Cotton Memorial Audax from Aztec West at Almondsbury. Basically a 65 mile Bristol-Gloucester-Bristol ride that came right through my home patch and along many of the roads regularly used by the Kingsway CC on our Sunday rides. It was a chilly, frosty morning, and it didn't bode well when I had to scrape ice off the car.

View attachment 77870 Gromit was at the registration area at Aztec West.
View attachment 77871
Got under way at 09:00, sensing this might be a bit tricky, but not knowing the half of it.

View attachment 77872
The event was organised by Audax Club Bristol, but you couldn't help thinking that Robin Cousins may have had something to do with planning the route. Everyone had to get off and walk at one time or another because of the ice. Personally, I reckon I must have walked a good 3km over black ice in various places between Thornbury and Berkeley -often with 4x4s or horse transporters rushing past just inches away and making absolutely no allowance for the conditions. Still carrying the bruises from last week's crash, I was particulalrly aware of the dangers and kept warning others whenever I spotted black ice. Further North, we also had to pass the exact two spots where I last crashed on ice - one just last week and the other exactly one year ago, and progress was slow for much of the first leg, even when on the bike.
View attachment 77873
I checked in to the control at Epney with only about 25 of the 250 riders still behind me, so I decided to skip the refreshments and make the most of my local knowledge and get a move on without the need for my routesheet. This instantly left another 20 to 30 riders behind me at the pub, so I felt I had a chance of not being last, despite my "Fat Lad at the Back" shirt. Made it to the cafe at Tortworth in decent shape, despite a couple of cruel little hills just before the penultimate control. I like this shot, because the guy behind me is showing what it is really all about .... CAKE! .... lots of cake, to be consumed as fast as possible.
View attachment 77874
Taking a sneaky look at the controllers' list of riders, I was encouraged to see that there were at least 37 of the riders still behind me as I set off again. It's not a race, but you really don't want to be last.
View attachment 77875
Suffered quite a bit over the last 10.5 miles. I think it might have been the cold, and my tights might not have been thick enough to protect against it for so long. I've never been one to cramp up, but I had minor cramps at one time or another in both calves, my right thigh and my left hamstring. Added to that, my front wheel started to make a worrying clicking and creaking noise that I just couldn't trace, I'll have to fettle that tomorrow after I've given the bike a good clean. My best guess is a slightly loose spoke. Was really glad when it all ended - at the Swan Inn, Almondsbury, and I got my brevet card stamped up.
View attachment 77876
Got to go through it all over again on the 1st Feb on the Windrush Winter Warm-up audax. I'm praying it isn't icy next week. This felt like an ordeal today. A bit like the annual wildebeest migration ... you know bad things are going to happen on the way, but somehow most of the herd always gets through. I'm certainly relieved to have got through this one unscathed .... I'm still black and blue from my last ride. Even the end was horrible, as I had to ride back to Aztec West in heavy, fast moving traffic past a couple of huge roundabouts and under the M5 at J16 to get back to my car. Not for the faint-hearted. A 65.6 mile audax in 6 hours 25 mins today. Would have been well under 6 hours without the ice. 66.6 miles in all.
Take care on the ice, everyone. Cheers, Donger.

Superb achievement. Well done @Donger . Hopefully the next one will be a bit more enjoyable for you!

 

[gavgav]

I got a text message this morning from one of my Belles ladies (an old school friend of my eldest daughter), saying she was going down to Helix Park. It was a reminder for me, as I had said I'd go, but with everything going on right now (sorting daddys funeral) I forgot.
So, I said I'd meet her there.

I headed off on the bike, which was filthy from my ride in the woods the other day, and got there in about 18 mins. It used to take me 35mins when I first started! Anyway,we met up and had a nice ride around and along the River Carron and round some local woods.
Then back and home for me, up the hills!
I did a nice 14 miles and really enjoyed it.
I gave the bike a good clean on my return and she's sitting in the hall, awaiting a good lubing.

Well done. Keep the cycling up, I wouldn't have got through losing my mum, without having bike rides to just lose myself in for a bit

 

[Spartak]

Well, that's my first audax out of the way now, and a ride I can post on the Century a Month Challenge thread for January. It was the 105km Jack and Grace Cotton Memorial Audax from Aztec West at Almondsbury. Basically a 65 mile Bristol-Gloucester-Bristol ride that came right through my home patch and along many of the roads regularly used by the Kingsway CC on our Sunday rides. It was a chilly, frosty morning, and it didn't bode well when I had to scrape ice off the car.

View attachment 77870 Gromit was at the registration area at Aztec West.
View attachment 77871
Got under way at 09:00, sensing this might be a bit tricky, but not knowing the half of it.

View attachment 77872
The event was organised by Audax Club Bristol, but you couldn't help thinking that Robin Cousins may have had something to do with planning the route. Everyone had to get off and walk at one time or another because of the ice. Personally, I reckon I must have walked a good 3km over black ice in various places between Thornbury and Berkeley -often with 4x4s or horse transporters rushing past just inches away and making absolutely no allowance for the conditions. Still carrying the bruises from last week's crash, I was particulalrly aware of the dangers and kept warning others whenever I spotted black ice. Further North, we also had to pass the exact two spots where I last crashed one ice - one just last week and the other exactly one year ago, and progress was slow for much of the first leg, even when on the bike.
View attachment 77873
I checked in to the control at Epney with only about 25 of the 250 riders still behind me, so I decided to skip the refreshments and make the most of my local knowledge and get a move on without the need for my routesheet. This instantly left another 20 to 30 riders behind me at the pub, so I felt I had a chance of not being last, despite my "Fat Lad at the Back" shirt. Made it to the cafe at Tortworth in decent shape, despite a couple of cruel little hills just before the penultimate control. I like this shot, because the guy behind me is showing what it is really all about .... CAKE! .... lots of cake, to be consumed as fast as possible.
View attachment 77874
Taking a sneaky look at the controllers' list of riders, I was encouraged to see that there were at least 37 of the riders still behind me as I set off again. It's not a race, but you really don't want to be last.
View attachment 77875
Suffered quite a bit over the last 10.5 miles. I think it might have been the cold, and my tights might not have been thick enough to protect against it for so long. I've never been one to cramp up, but I had minor cramps at one time or another in both calves, my right thigh and my left hamstring. Added to that, my front wheel started to make a worrying clicking and creaking noise that I just couldn't trace, I'll have to fettle that tomorrow after I've given the bike a good clean. My best guess is a slightly loose spoke. Was really glad when it all ended - at the Swan Inn, Almondsbury, and I got my brevet card stamped up.
View attachment 77876
Got to go through it all over again on the 1st Feb on the Windrush Winter Warm-up audax. I'm praying it isn't icy next week. This felt like an ordeal today. A bit like the annual wildebeest migration ... you know bad things are going to happen on the way, but somehow most of the herd always gets through. I'm certainly relieved to have got through this one unscathed .... I'm still black and blue from my last ride. Even the end was horrible, as I had to ride back to Aztec West in heavy, fast moving traffic past a couple of huge roundabouts and under the M5 at J16 to get back to my car. Not for the faint-hearted. A 65.6 mile audax in 6 hours 25 mins today. Would have been well under 6 hours without the ice. 66.6 miles in all.
Take care on the ice, everyone. Cheers, Donger.

Well done @Donger

I was also a 9 o'clock starter.
Great jersey BTW I remember passing you early on. I was wearing a blue/white Sodbury Cycle Sport jersey, we had 8 riders from our club on the ride.

Didn't have chance to take any photos too busy looking out for ICE !

But did take some video - here's the nice tree lined ride into Stinchcombe ....

View: http://youtu.be/BJG10lcp7nQ

https://www.strava.com/activities/245380650

 

[Levo-Lon]

I managed 21 miles oim a bit of a tour through Clitheroe and surrounding villages. I thought about tackling Pendle Hill but made my excuses and decided to leave it till when the snow has gone.

My grandad used to take me up Pendle hill for walks with the collies..Im not sure about biking up that road...
fantastic views..

 

[ColinJ]

I managed 21 miles on a bit of a tour through Clitheroe and surrounding villages. I thought about tackling Pendle Hill but made my excuses and decided to leave it till when the snow has gone.

We might have ridden past each other. I saw lots of cyclists out Waddington way.

I think the road would have been ok. Even the Old Roman Rd near Read was totally clear of snow and ice.

I suspect that might be another reason for the excuses ...

My grandad used to take me up Pendle hill for walks with the collies..Im not sure about biking up that road...
fantastic views..

It's a lovely climb!

 

[Spartak]

@Donger did you get one of these ?

 

[Accy cyclist]

My grandad used to take me up Pendle hill for walks with the collies..Im not sure about biking up that road...
fantastic views..

Yes it certainly is steep if you approach it from Sabden!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv1_0wZ8Smo
I'm thinking about doing it tomorrow but then again.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Just a quick blast to test out the new wheels on the knockabout bike this morning.

I did the short version of my Acton Burnell route which I haven't been on for a while and found that being back on touring tyres and not lugging heavy panniers with me made the bike feel quite nice and lively.

There were plenty of other cyclists about today, all of whom were friendly and said hi or gave a wave. One even gave a salute.

Pitchford through Acton Burnell to Longnor wasn't quick today due to riding into a strongish headwind (15mph according to the Met Office) but after Longnor I had the wind behind me most of the way back which made up for it.

Approaching Ryton I greeted another cyclist coming the other way who said "It's me!" - I'd almost whizzed straight past @gavgav. I'd been in my own little world, enjoying the fast run (and to be fair, Gav was wrapped up against the cold and wearing dark shades ).

Quite an enjoyable run covering 17.3 miles at 14.2 mph average - a wee bit quicker than I've been lately.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Yes it certainly is steep if you approach it from Sabden!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv1_0wZ8Smo
I'm thinking about doing it tomorrow but then again.

My family are all from Bacup,Waterfoot Padiham area tiz a hilly place..
lots of relatives still live there..

 

[sgl5gjr]

Shortish ride today..... Mrs Sgl's first outing on her Triban.... after doing the usual setting up at home, nothing like an on the road session to see where you need to make adjustments for heights etc.... only 5.3 miles.... but respectable for Mrs Sgl... as she is a usual 2 miles each way to work...lol...
We did an average of 8.8 mph which is faster than her usual efforts....... and we made some in ride adjustments too

 

[Jon George]

Well, yet another ride that was a bit bizarre. I've been getting over some upper back/neck pain that may or may not have been caused by cycling, yet been fooled attracted into the 50km a month challenge and thought I'd pop in another for January, but using an amended route I usually take during the week in case I needed to break off. And here's the weird thing - even though it was a tad shorter than the 33 mile ride I did on Thursday (31.7), perhaps because I kept closer to home it felt far, far shorter.

Dozens of people out cycling - I even got into a race with one! (And had a race with some bystanders at Falkenham after I'd taken this shot.)

 

[dan_bo]

90 through Thelwall and Knutsford.

No pics cos Cheshire's a bit dull.

*ducks*

 

[Archeress]

Been a while since I posted. Just got back from my ride with Stokes Cycle Club. We cycled out to the shopping centre at Emersons Green via Winterbourne. We had a small worrying moment when we came across a road closed sign. It was one of the railway bridges in the area that have had to be modified or replaced altogether for the electrification of the rail line. Fortunately they had put a temporary bridge in for pedestrians and cyclists. We decided to use the Costa at the shopping centre for our mid ride break. I had a large latte which came in a bucket sized cup with two handles! It was a busy morning out, with plenty of well equipped cyclists around. The temperature was a chilly 6.5 and I had my new overshoes on. They're a pair of Endura MT500's and they really kept my feet nice and snug. I have a large size as my cycle shoes are a size 9 (i think) and they fit very snugly over the shoe. I had also purchased a new pair of tights, Mavic Primavera tights. They are made with something called Warmtec and I admit my legs were warmer than they might have been in my old sports direct cheapo ones, however, I still felt a very slight chill on my legs which was good as I didn't overheat on the ride. I have come home to find that my cadence sensor has stopped recording, so I'll need to take a look into that.

Ride route is here: https://www.strava.com/activities/245845124/overview

Hugs
Archeress x

 

[Donger]

@Donger did you get one of these ?

View attachment 77893

They'd just sold out...... Shouldn't have stopped for that cake.