ScotiaLass
Guru
- Location
- Middle Earth
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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BigonaBianchi
Yes I can, Yes I am, Yes I did...Repeat.
- Location
- Iskele TRNC & Mordor UK
The alarm on my phone went off twice between 7 and 7.30...at 8.40 I woke up...a quick inspection from the window told me
the race was on..the race to get dressed and to the club run start point in 20 mins flat that is.
I made it with a minute to spare. The large group of cyclists at the bus stop split into three groups, slow, medium and fast.
For once in my life I stuck to Plan A and joined the minimum effort maximum refreshment group.
I had no idea where the ride was going today or how long it was. In the event we headed off through the centres of Littlehampton and Bognor regis, both delightful
examples of urban coastal decay and off in the general direction of Chichester, through some nice lanes and villages.
Maxiumum refreshment was found at the garden centre cafe. Here I sat alone on one table and I was just about to
get up and 'mingle' when to guys sat down and struck up a conversation about turbo trainers, which is right up my street currently.
One tea bag of green tea in hot water here costs £1.40 and yesterday I bought a box of 80 green tea bags for 90p,
such things trouble me in my advancing years.
Having been suitably ripped off it was time to hit the road again. I resisited the temptation to switch groups and stuck with my master plan to
enjoy drafting along in the slow group soaking up the cold crisp sunny morning, while letting some other poor bastard do all the work up front.
All was going well until WHAM! three cyclists in front of me hit the deck right in the middle of the busy A259 with traffic moving about 50+mph.
Luckily I was far enough behind to avoid the pile up and frantically waved at the cars to stop as I blocked their path preventing them from
turning a minor entanglement into something a lot more final.
On the grass verge out small group shook themselves down and examined the damage. The damage included a seriously buckled rear wheel. After much
umming arring and stoney 'it's all your stupid fault' silences there followed a master class in kerbside wheel truing using a size 10 and
a lot of stamping at stategically identified points. Full removal of brake pads was required and further 'adjustment' whilst in the stays
was applied by a variety of shoe sizes until the wheel finally managed to turn without touching the stays...almost.
By this time I was getting C O L D so seeing all was as well as possible I decided to bail and legged it back to some central heating and a cheaper cup of green tea.
Here is a strava of the route ..it's not from my bike as I don't 'strava' it's from another rider on todays ride.
http://app.strava.com/activities/94250299
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jayonabike
Powered by caffeine & whisky
- Location
- Hertfordshire
My ride today didn't happen, I didn't get out of bed till 1.30 and I'm still sitting on the sofa in my dressing gown.
i hate hills
Its my day to be brilliant
With my old grans family remedy of tennents lager curing all ills, i got the cycling gear on and headed out. Sunny and cold conditions today but pleasant enough if you were wrapped up. Went up by the hillwood and then made my way up west drums road. Made good time and then went right along the edge of Montreamont forest. Then along past Crook Hill and down Aldbar hill. Back into town by way of the Stannochy. Then took a total daft turn and headed back out by the golf course. Wooshed down the hill that leads into Little Brechin. I then was faced with the hill up to Pittendreich Farm. Down through the industrial estate and back into town where i had to stop for the Poppy Sunday Parade. To Lidel via Tesco then home, 17 miles done, to find an empty house. Wife and kids away to her mums for visit leaving me to enjoy my beans on toast in peace. I then find a tickey FA Cup football on .Happy days. Then my bubble bursts as i remember that i start nights tonight and my motivation to cycle on a nightshift week is not great. Got to try and build on this past week. I'll keep you all posted on how it goes . Night night all away to get my head down while i've got a quiet house . 
potsy
Rambler
- Location
- My Armchair
34 miles of 
and 
this morning, we all used our 'winter' bikes as the lanes are a bit wet and muddy, was a good decision I think.
Stop off in Wilmslow for coffee, didn't see @Hacienda71 lurking though.
Longest ride for a while due to man flu, can feel it on my lungs but was good to be out
and this morning, we all used our 'winter' bikes as the lanes are a bit wet and muddy, was a good decision I think.Stop off in Wilmslow for coffee, didn't see @Hacienda71 lurking though.
Longest ride for a while due to man flu, can feel it on my lungs but was good to be out
derrick
The Glue that binds us together.
- Location
- On the edge of London
Out to Abridge to the log cabin for a bit of breakfast. 40 mile round trip, 5 of us stopped for tea and bread pudding at High Beech at the end of the ride, the others all went straight home, unsocial lot.
We seem to be collecting more ladies, which is good,
We seem to be collecting more ladies, which is good,
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nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Forecast for the Peak District was perfect for well 'ard cycling this am. Sunny, zero degrees early on, rising to a balmy 4 degrees by lunchtime. Snake Pass was closed due to ice and snow. Winter has arrived early here.
Got up, had a look out of the window. How come I couldn't see more than 10m? Fog, proper fog. I wasn't going to be put off so I got proper high vizzed up, stuck the lights on and I was off.
Tough loop today. Glossop - Stalybridge - Denshaw - Slaithwaite (more of this place later) - Meltham - Holme Moss - Glossop. 45 mils, 5,000ft climbing.
As soon as I climbed out of Glossop I got above the fog
That's Woodhead Pass in the distance.
All in all a pretty uneventful ride. Caught another roadie near Delph and we had a chat for a while. When I took a turn at the front he quickly dropped off the back. Either that was due to the epic watts I was pushing or he was sick of my inane chatter. I fear it was the latter.
Had a chat with a mobile coffe van lady in Uppermill. Turns out she is a keen cyclist and has plans to corner the mobile coffee market on Holme Moss for the TdF. I suspect she will sell bucketloads if she can get set up.
The ride over Newhey Road (?) was great. Lovely sunshine and a light tailwind
That's looking East towards Huddersfield,
Dropped into Slaithwaite down the precipitous but charmingly named Scapegoat Hill. Despite scoring 97% in the "How Northern Are You" thread in Cakestop I didn't know this was pronounced "Slewit" or "Slawit" by the locals. The shame.
Holme Moss was hard into a headwind. Half way up I saw a group of roadies looking at one of their bikes. Then one of them shot back down the hill. I saw a poor soul pushing his bike up and when I had a chat with him turns out he had a broken spoke. What a proper mate he had though. All the way back down the Moss, get another spoke from somewhere and then all the way back up again. Suspect I wouldn't be volunteering for that.
Here is a slightly different view of Holme Moss (rather than the obligatory view from the top). Taken from the road connecting Saddleworth Moor Road and Holme (not Holmefirth and not Holme Bridge!). In the middle distance is the road continuing to Holme. In the far distance is the transmitter and if you look very closely, one and three quarter miles of pain and suffering
Got up, had a look out of the window. How come I couldn't see more than 10m? Fog, proper fog. I wasn't going to be put off so I got proper high vizzed up, stuck the lights on and I was off.
Tough loop today. Glossop - Stalybridge - Denshaw - Slaithwaite (more of this place later) - Meltham - Holme Moss - Glossop. 45 mils, 5,000ft climbing.
As soon as I climbed out of Glossop I got above the fog
That's Woodhead Pass in the distance.
All in all a pretty uneventful ride. Caught another roadie near Delph and we had a chat for a while. When I took a turn at the front he quickly dropped off the back. Either that was due to the epic watts I was pushing or he was sick of my inane chatter. I fear it was the latter.
Had a chat with a mobile coffe van lady in Uppermill. Turns out she is a keen cyclist and has plans to corner the mobile coffee market on Holme Moss for the TdF. I suspect she will sell bucketloads if she can get set up.
The ride over Newhey Road (?) was great. Lovely sunshine and a light tailwind
That's looking East towards Huddersfield,
Dropped into Slaithwaite down the precipitous but charmingly named Scapegoat Hill. Despite scoring 97% in the "How Northern Are You" thread in Cakestop I didn't know this was pronounced "Slewit" or "Slawit" by the locals. The shame.
Holme Moss was hard into a headwind. Half way up I saw a group of roadies looking at one of their bikes. Then one of them shot back down the hill. I saw a poor soul pushing his bike up and when I had a chat with him turns out he had a broken spoke. What a proper mate he had though. All the way back down the Moss, get another spoke from somewhere and then all the way back up again. Suspect I wouldn't be volunteering for that.
Here is a slightly different view of Holme Moss (rather than the obligatory view from the top). Taken from the road connecting Saddleworth Moor Road and Holme (not Holmefirth and not Holme Bridge!). In the middle distance is the road continuing to Holme. In the far distance is the transmitter and if you look very closely, one and three quarter miles of pain and suffering
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Wayne Tully
Senior Member
Did the Hellfire Corner Sportive, I volunteered at the beginning signing people in, decided to do the standard (56 miles) but when I got out the roads they used were deadly, single track roads, covered in holes and leaves with cars coming the other way had a few near misses so made the choice to just do the short to be safe, on the way back I was coming up a lane and nearly got hit by an organiser's van, he skidded into a bush then gave me a mouthful, never seen so many punchers pretty much every 100 yards, I got lucky due to my Gators, heard a clicking noise stopped to find a big old bit of metal hanging out of my front tyre, pulled it out with no problems (thumbs up for Continentals).
Never again
Never again
OP
OP
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
Lots of sunshine out there judging by the photos, same here so even i, with my pitfully small mileage this year couldnt resist it. 19 miles, not too cold, a little blowy but very enjoyable.
Lots of club cyclists out, all overtook me at a speed i'd have probably sustained two years ago, but wonder if i will ever achieve again
same here so even i, with my pitfully small mileage this year couldnt resist it. 19 miles, not too cold, a little blowy but very enjoyable.Lots of club cyclists out, all overtook me at a speed i'd have probably sustained two years ago, but wonder if i will ever achieve again
I was ok, probably as I was on my MTB,
Didn't get any abuse, maybe having a 7yr old in tow defused any would be situations,
Gonna be using the short route once or twice a week for my own personal benefit,
The roads were at their worst due to all the rain we've had in the last few days. lots of mud and debris
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Glow worm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Near Newmarket
Just a 17 miler here today. More of a 'there and back' job too to Wicken Fen, as the boggy state of my preferred farm tracks and bridleways means my options are now more limited. Still it was a great day to be out in the sunshine.
At Bottisham, these signs caught my eye- You are expected to make a big detour to get to Newmarket if you're on a bike (and go in the opposite (wrong) direction!)
I like the silhouttette of rider and steed caused by the low sun at this time of year. Could almost be on a penny farthing. I did wobble a fair bit taking the pic...
This swan on Reach Lode caught my eye as I ambled over the bridge...
I'd left my binoculars on the kitchen table so that was my best view of him. At least I remembered my flask of tea which was a life saver.
Further along is Adventurer's Fen and some Highland cattle.
I'm very lucky to have a network of quiet lanes and good quality paths so close by. This is the route near Burwell Fen. No doubt the
'I only ride on roads' grumpy old men in the Campaigning section on here would rather be on the A14. Well they're welcome to it - but I'll stick with this route thanks, and judging by the popularity of it, so will thousands of others!
As the light began to fade I hunkered down in one of my favourite quiet spots near Swaffham Prior hoping to see the barn owls that were there at dusk most evenings last winter. Sadly no sign, just a roe deer, but hopefully I'll see them next time.
On the home straight, the moon was getting brighter above our village sign, behind which is a prarie like field the size of a small country. This really is intensive arable country with precious little space for wildlife, which makes places like Wicken so special.
Home after a ride of 2.5 hours, at speeds which would make Pat 5mph look supersonic - just in time too as my fingers were starting to freeze.
At Bottisham, these signs caught my eye- You are expected to make a big detour to get to Newmarket if you're on a bike (and go in the opposite (wrong) direction!)
I like the silhouttette of rider and steed caused by the low sun at this time of year. Could almost be on a penny farthing. I did wobble a fair bit taking the pic...
This swan on Reach Lode caught my eye as I ambled over the bridge...
I'd left my binoculars on the kitchen table so that was my best view of him. At least I remembered my flask of tea which was a life saver.
Further along is Adventurer's Fen and some Highland cattle.
I'm very lucky to have a network of quiet lanes and good quality paths so close by. This is the route near Burwell Fen. No doubt the
'I only ride on roads' grumpy old men in the Campaigning section on here would rather be on the A14. Well they're welcome to it - but I'll stick with this route thanks, and judging by the popularity of it, so will thousands of others!
As the light began to fade I hunkered down in one of my favourite quiet spots near Swaffham Prior hoping to see the barn owls that were there at dusk most evenings last winter. Sadly no sign, just a roe deer, but hopefully I'll see them next time.
On the home straight, the moon was getting brighter above our village sign, behind which is a prarie like field the size of a small country. This really is intensive arable country with precious little space for wildlife, which makes places like Wicken so special.
Home after a ride of 2.5 hours, at speeds which would make Pat 5mph look supersonic - just in time too as my fingers were starting to freeze.
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totallyfixed
Veteran
- Location
- The only county without a McDonalds
Isn't it funny that when you are stood outside your house on a cold sunny morning faffing around, forgetting things, that it feels quite warm, particularly if the sun is hitting you in that particular spot? Then you get on the bike and a few hundred meters down the road the true extent of the icy headwind makes it's presence felt, the low late autumnal sun not high enough to compete with the cold.
In spite of this we [dr_pink and I] headed out on our fixed bikes along darkly wet, chilled roads but with the warm colours of autumn above our heads framed by a perfectly blue sky. It was 9 miles before the first car passed us and shortly after that I had my chance to get dr_pink in the same shot as a Red Kite, typically just as I am fumbling for the mobile a Buzzard flew across in front of us, not sure how this will come out on the thread, but here's hoping:
Incidentally, this ride covers a lot of the route for next Sundays forum ride, so if you like the look of it feel free to join us.
A few more miles under the belt and a [I will be kind here] stout fellow on a road bike dropped in behind us from a junction we had just passed, after taking the measure of us [should have been more observant] he overtook, saying hello as he did, unfortunately he was on a flat part and the road was rolling and well, er dr_pink quite likes hills and lets face it I just follow. We waited for him a bit further on and had a nice chat, turned out he had only been riding for a couple of years.
It was good to do this ride in the opposite direction to our usual route because we had the pleasure of some good downhill bits, though a bit testing on a wet surface on fixed, only 33 mph
We were very aware that 11am was fast approaching and wanted to see if we could be present at an outdoor remembrance service, I knew the village of Knipton was only a mile or so away and luckily we made it just in time to hear the bugler play the last post, very moving. After the 2 minutes silence we were off again into the wooded domain of Belvoir Castle
Twenty minutes later and 27 miles done we arrived at Dove Cottage, one of our favourite stops and one some of you will know. A dozen or so Nottingham club riders were already there but we were lucky to arrive a bit later than is usual so seating wasn't a problem.
I had been trying to devise a route that had minimal hills as per my promise for next weeks forum ride and so far so good, the difficulty is getting out of The Vale of Belvoir without doing a 15 - 20% hill or riding along an A road. We managed it, just, but did end up doing a very narrow mucky lane but still better than endless cars and traffic lights in my book.
Fast forward to 8 miles from home and I thought a pic of dr_pink framed against the skyline and emerging into the sun would make a good photo, I suspect I needed a high spec digital slr camera, not my phone
Shortly after this was taken I start getting cramp in my left calf [I have a thin left leg, long story] and I know that a mile of downhill is yet to come, wonder if it will hold out so drank loads and did a lot out of the saddle to stretch. It turned out ok and just before turning into our street bumped into some good friends who were out for a walk and were amazed to hear we had just done 63 miles on fixed.
So am I, never mind totally fixed, more like totally knackered [dr_pink now cleaning the house
]
In spite of this we [dr_pink and I] headed out on our fixed bikes along darkly wet, chilled roads but with the warm colours of autumn above our heads framed by a perfectly blue sky. It was 9 miles before the first car passed us and shortly after that I had my chance to get dr_pink in the same shot as a Red Kite, typically just as I am fumbling for the mobile a Buzzard flew across in front of us, not sure how this will come out on the thread, but here's hoping:
Incidentally, this ride covers a lot of the route for next Sundays forum ride, so if you like the look of it feel free to join us.
A few more miles under the belt and a [I will be kind here] stout fellow on a road bike dropped in behind us from a junction we had just passed, after taking the measure of us [should have been more observant] he overtook, saying hello as he did, unfortunately he was on a flat part and the road was rolling and well, er dr_pink quite likes hills and lets face it I just follow. We waited for him a bit further on and had a nice chat, turned out he had only been riding for a couple of years.
It was good to do this ride in the opposite direction to our usual route because we had the pleasure of some good downhill bits, though a bit testing on a wet surface on fixed, only 33 mph
We were very aware that 11am was fast approaching and wanted to see if we could be present at an outdoor remembrance service, I knew the village of Knipton was only a mile or so away and luckily we made it just in time to hear the bugler play the last post, very moving. After the 2 minutes silence we were off again into the wooded domain of Belvoir Castle
Twenty minutes later and 27 miles done we arrived at Dove Cottage, one of our favourite stops and one some of you will know. A dozen or so Nottingham club riders were already there but we were lucky to arrive a bit later than is usual so seating wasn't a problem.
I had been trying to devise a route that had minimal hills as per my promise for next weeks forum ride and so far so good, the difficulty is getting out of The Vale of Belvoir without doing a 15 - 20% hill or riding along an A road. We managed it, just, but did end up doing a very narrow mucky lane but still better than endless cars and traffic lights in my book.
Fast forward to 8 miles from home and I thought a pic of dr_pink framed against the skyline and emerging into the sun would make a good photo, I suspect I needed a high spec digital slr camera, not my phone
Shortly after this was taken I start getting cramp in my left calf [I have a thin left leg, long story] and I know that a mile of downhill is yet to come, wonder if it will hold out so drank loads and did a lot out of the saddle to stretch. It turned out ok and just before turning into our street bumped into some good friends who were out for a walk and were amazed to hear we had just done 63 miles on fixed.
So am I, never mind totally fixed, more like totally knackered [dr_pink now cleaning the house
]
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Beautiful day and I decided to make the most of it and met up with some mates in a local cafe, most of them dropped off but four of us continued for 36miles well that was the plan but one bloke started to feel chest pains (probably a false alarm) but I decided to take him home. He felt better when we sat down at his local cafe and had a good chat . The weather was still cracking though so I opted for a wee bit more
Edit a lot of cyclists were out today a I got an enthusiastic hello from @dr_pink 's club and for a moment at the cafe, I thought it might have been her, the above thread confirms it wasn't.
. The weather was still cracking though so I opted for a wee bit more Edit a lot of cyclists were out today a I got an enthusiastic hello from @dr_pink 's club and for a moment at the cafe, I thought it might have been her, the above thread confirms it wasn't.
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Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
Not allowed to lurk since the restraining order.34 miles of
Stop off in Wilmslow for coffee, didn't see @Hacienda71 lurking though.
Longest ride for a while due to man flu, can feel it on my lungs but was good to be out
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Bit late in the day after my Remembrance day commitments, but I took the mountain bike out for a lap of Ennerdale Valley
River Liza above Ennerdale Lake
Bit frosty on the higher fells
The tracks were getting a bit frosty in places, and I was racing the diminishing light but the Lakes had their glad rags on today and it looked gorgeous in all directions. Bouncing around on a mountain bike is very different to road riding, but definitely leaves you with one of those big grins
Also had a bit of a stand off with a couple Galloway bulls who didn't want me to pass and I was a bit scared of getting too close to them
A few more pictures here - I only remembered I had the phone with me on the way back
River Liza above Ennerdale Lake
Bit frosty on the higher fells
The tracks were getting a bit frosty in places, and I was racing the diminishing light but the Lakes had their glad rags on today and it looked gorgeous in all directions. Bouncing around on a mountain bike is very different to road riding, but definitely leaves you with one of those big grins
Also had a bit of a stand off with a couple Galloway bulls who didn't want me to pass and I was a bit scared of getting too close to them
A few more pictures here - I only remembered I had the phone with me on the way back
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