Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Spartak]

After finishing work at 02:00 and into bed by 03:00 this morning and then being dragged out of bed a kickin' and a screamin' at 08:30 by Mrs PeteXXX to get into town early to do some Christmas Shopping, all I managed to get done was 7 miles down to Riverside Park to pick up a few bits I needed to fettle the bike.


Luckily, a bottle of Pinot Grigio found its way into my rucksack on the way home so I am easing the pain now..

Still, tomorrow is another day and I have plans for a decent days riding

Christmas shopping

 

[PeteXXX]

Christmas shopping

I know....

 

[arranandy]

Club run today from Strathaven down to Biggar via Lanark and Carnwarth. Café stop in Biggar then back home via Thankerton, Carmichael and Lesmahagow. Dry, bright and sunny but a strong westerly. About 20 out including 2 12 year old who did really well on what was a pretty hilly route. Nearly a perfect day but my chain snapped on a wee hill about 7 miles from home. Unfortunately it was twisted as well so I had to phone International Rescue (the wife) to come and get me and the bike. She did this without a single word of complaint.....

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Was 5 min late to the meeting point for today's ride, they left without me so I went for a wee ride myself.
Having had only 4 hours sleep after Saturday's shift did not venture far, decided on a loop of 2 major parks, finally managed to link them without going through the long winded cycling route, treacherous with slimy leaves this time of the year.
From home along the riverside to Pollock Park, exploring new bits and finally finding @glasgowcyclist 's Elephant, he's in the kids' playground.


Some more pictures of Pollock Park: it was quite chilly and windy today, I felt very snug in my winter gear until Boris' front wheel got stuck in a quagmire, my feet got soaked and it started to rain. Still I carried on exploring
A highland cow refused to get his picture taken, carrying on eating!


Decided to go up a steep(ish) hill to see where it lead, discovered a small housing estate never heard of before, got a QOM from Strava for it ... I'm only the second person that has ridden it ha ha!
Lovely entrance, don't you think?
Traffic was getting a bit too heavy in Pollock Park (it hosts a famous art collection and a popular tea room, cars are allowed in) so I adjourned to the nearby Bellahouston Park.
No cars allowed there, but a charity run was taking place, so some bits where off limits.
Managed to discover a few gems needing to be explored further one day.

Quick coffee stop (horrible coffee ) onto a quick explore of the nearby paths and a wee run around the outdoor cycle track.I can't upload anymore pictures on this post, but believe me there was no other cyclist on the track apart from a lady "cycling the dog" another was actually walking her dog on it, a little boy was riding his scooter, his Granny timing him on the circuit!
Back home the hilly way just 28 miles that will no doubt lead to many more in the vicinity, plenty worth visiting I had never noticed before.
http://www.strava.com/activities/93070425

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

Christmas shopping

What's that?

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

A lumpy 55-miler with relentless head wind on the way out, but so much fun on the way in!!! Great company , who is so rubbing off on me that I had Special Breakfast (scrambled eggs with smoked salmon on brown toast) @jenny Wren's instead of my usual Coffee and Walnut cake! Disgrace!! Tsk!

 

[Fnaar]

... to do some Christmas Shopping...

...but...but...but it isn't 4pm on 24th December yet!!!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Todays ride was more of an excuse to take some photos and soak up the crisp fresh air than a proper milaeage ride. I rode just 29 miles
and saw some beautiful countryside.



The ride through Shoreham airport came to a brief halt while I negotiated a minor flood. Two cars decided not to chance it..erm...it was only
a foot deep..I walked along the ridge carrying my bike and only fell in once!



The ride progressed against a cool northerly wind, I was taking it slow due to hip pain



Came across a lost group of cows, they were scared and wandering free, very jumpy and the car behind didn't help by hooting...moron.



I tried to catch the light in the woods, but the camera doesnt do it justice



All these lanes are withing a 20 minute ride of where I live, guess Im lucky to have all this on my doorstep



On th eway back I decided to ride up the steep side of steyning Bostal hill, one of my fav spots at the top



The lanes were wet and muddy after last nights downpours, the fallen leaves were starting to get dangerous. I had an annoying rattle from my front
raceblade all the way around.



On such a nice day I wanted to ride further, but I decided against it as I didnt want to aggrevate the hip pain





So, another nice (if very short) ride through West Sussex...!

 

[PeteXXX]

Beautiful countryside around there @BigonaBianchi

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Beautiful countryside around there @BigonaBianchi

yes...once i'm out of town the urban decay gives way to some lovely riding...its a joy!

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

Some great pics there @BigonaBianchi (especially good nos 2, 3, 7 & 8)

 

[thegravestoneman]

Our newly formed and still quite small cycling club had its first outing yesterday, an informal 40 miles to get to know each other a nice amble to Selby and back. The sun stayed with us and the wind did its little bit to slow us but a good morning was had by all. there are more than the five of us but not all could get out btw.

 

[skudupnorth]

Cornwall !!!! Had our family holiday back in our favourite county last week and even though we were threatened by super storms the weather was very kind resulting in amazing wave scenes on the coast, blue skies for the majority of the week with a dashing of torrential rain at night when we were all snuggled up in our caravan ! The MTB came along this year as I was determined to have a few short rides to explore the area we stayed in. As ever photo's to show what I had to put up with
On route at Tintern Abbey

Lightning fighter at Castle Air Helicopters near Liskard

St.Micheals Mount

Sea at Kynance Cove full of big waves and sea foam



Cycle path from Marazion to Penzance


Small harbour with the tide out in Penzance

That's all for now,part two later

 

[coffeejo]

Great photos! Love this one in particular.

 

[PeteXXX]

As I was off work today and was in credit with SWTSMBO for being a good boy yesterday when I was getting dragged around the shops without misbehaving, I had the day to myself. The weather was to good to miss, (but with a definite nip in the air first thing), and I set out towards Earls Barton & Wilby then down a closed road that I know is OK as they are rebuilding a bridge but the pedestrian access over a scaffolding bridge can be walked safely. I met a fellow cyclist who was stopped at a junction so I asked if he was OK. He'd lost one of the screws on his cleat. He heard the ping noise it made when he unclipped so it was quite close by. We hunted for it for 15 mins or so but never did find it! He cut his ride short and tootled of homewards.
After a climb through Wollaston village, I decided to go to Santa Pod Raceway and see if I could blag my way in
I rode confidently through the security gate and nodded at the chaps on guard there. No problems!

If I thought I could have got away with it, I'd have given it a blast up the runway!! But as I was already in a restricted area and getting a few looks, I thought better of it..

Still time to grab an optimistic piccy though!

And as a reminder of what the original airfield was used for...

I didn't realise I was getting the reflection of my Defy 2 until I put the pics onto the PC to resize them.

Anyways. Onwards and upwards.. I didn't realize how strong the headwinds were until I got out into the open fields. As I planned to call in at a friends to borrow a Puller to get the cranks of my old SS, I took a route via Turvey, Stoke Goldington and some lovely local stone villages.

As I was getting peckish by now, I went to Salcey Forest for the obligatory slice and a black coffee.

At 55 safe and idiot free miles, I was near my friends house. As I was about to turn into his road, a nobber in a car pulled out straight in front of me and if I hadn't shouted at the top of my voice, he'd have been right over the top of me!! Strangely, he seemed to think that it was my fault for encroaching on his road. He was gesticulating at me so much that he nearly ran into a car coming the other way. Anyways.. I picked up the Puller and set off towards home. I turned left at Nobber Junction and then immediately right into a road to get onto the bike/pedestrian underpasses. B*gger me if a woman didn't pull out from the turning straight into my path and if I hadn't swerved to the left (gawd knows how I stayed on the bike!!) I'd have been flattened. I stopped to allow my sphincter to readjust itself and the lady wound her window down and was really apologetic. She explained that the sun was low and right in her face so that's why I was invisible. Sun or not. I'd still have been dead.
I did text my mate and tell him he lives in a dangerous place..

The remainder of the ride was uneventful and I got back home @ just over a Metric Ton.. 62.6 miles..

http://www.strava.com/activities/93175516