Your ride today.... (part 1)

[cosmicbike]

Urban ride today, innit!!

I had to pick up a new chain from t'other side of town for the road bike this morning due to an 'administrative error' ie: cockup by Halfords yesterday as is wasn't there as promised when I went to collect it at my local branch.. However, I digress.
I headed towards Duston but dropped into an old part of town, Dallington, I've not ridden through before (I've lived here for about 20 years!)

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This is just inside the top ring road and must have been a hamlet away from the town before it grew! Beautiful local Northamptonshire stone houses..

After picking up my new chain, continued my anticlockwise circuit of Northampton and thought that as I was in no hurry today, I'd get a few pics of different bits of the town.

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This is known as the Northampton Lighthouse and can be seen from the M1. Terry Wogan (remember him?) used to mention it regularly. It was the test tower for Express Lifts and was going to be demolished when the company closed but it was saved and is now surrounded by new housing.

View attachment 36169

Living up to its name after a fire over Christmas, Red Hot is no more. Shame really, it served good food from all over the world. Bit burnt now though

The cycle paths pass between, over and under the Grand Union canal and railway lines and are quite picturesque if you like 'urban scenery'. I do, actually. It's as interesting as the out of town scenery, but in a different way.

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And not forgetting the brewery in the town centre..

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I felt the need for tea so headed for a relatively new stop called 'The Outpost' beside the Skate Park beside the River Nene. I've not been there when it's been open before, but will certainly stop by again!

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£1.20 for a pot of tea? Bloomin' heck! Not seen that price for many a year! Food's cheap as well but I must have a chat next time I'm there to suggest a good lockup point for bikes, though most would sit outside to drink/eat anyway.

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21 miles by the time I got home, but several enjoyable chats with fellow cyclists on the way round..

http://www.strava.com/activities/105776865

Great pics Pete

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Great pictures @ianrauk I'm really enjoying your ride reports, ta for that.
@arranandy how did you manage to cycle the Clyde walkway today? It's blocked at Dalmarnock, the Green was a sheet of ice this morning, there are obstructions for works at the Broomielaw.
I took the main roads this early am from Rutherglen to secc

 

[arranandy]

Great pictures @ianrauk I'm really enjoying your ride reports, ta for that.
@arranandy how did you manage to cycle the Clyde walkway today? It's blocked at Dalmarnock, the Green was a sheet of ice this morning, there are obstructions for works at the Broomielaw.
I took the main roads this early am from Rutherglen to secc

I took the diversion at Dalmarnock, there was no ice at Glasgow Green early afternoon and i rode the road at the Broomielaw. Simples

 

[ComedyPilot]

Thanks @ianrauk

That's a brilliant ride/write up.

 

[PeteXXX]

After yesterday's around the town ride, I went for the Road option into the countyside today. The weather was beautifully sunny, and about 5 degrees with a slight headwind at times but nothing drastic.
I wanted to find a new route to save getting bored with the same roads, so headed northeast past Sywell aerodrome and onto Orlingbury. The road from there to Broughton and Loddington is quite lumpy with some great downhill sections before a grind up t'other side!

I aimed towards Lamport and then Holcot where I hoped to call in on a friend and scrounge a coffee, but he was out...
Never mind. Next time, eh?!

This pic is at Holcot crossroad.

As I could hear several planes flying around, I headed back to Sywell aerodrome hoping to catch The Blades practising but sadly they weren't there. (The Blades are ex Red Arrow pilots that do displays etc. They are based here.)

Outside the museum, they have a concrete casing of an old test dummy atomic bomb!! Best I step away carefully..

35 miles in all with quite a few hills to stretch the legs and stamina.

http://app.strava.com/activities/106076563

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Yesterday's ride didn't happen after the 'issues' relating to changing my brake blocks... By the time we had sourced new cartridges & fitted them then dealt with one or two other little issues relating to braking (like brake cables and not wanting to have to remove bar tape I had no replacement for) it had gone dark on us and was raining hard.

So today was a case of setting out rather carefully with that "did a lot of work on my bike yesterday" feeling, how well did I do it? The good news is that the brakes are back to being A1... now I just have to remember not to put myself over the handlebars! But despite the brakes working great, the going was exceptionally hard and I even got off the bike no less than 4 times to double check that the wheel were spinning freely... I felt like I was cycling in treacle this morning, so strong was the head wind, despite the bright blue skies and sunshine...

Only really one amusing incident on the way out - me standing at the side of the road licking an isotonic gel off my phone case (which had no less than 5 car drivers left wondering about my sanity...) I had stopped for bar of something to eat and found that the gel pack that I keep for emergency use in my saddle bag had leaked.... with little to wipe the gel off the inside of the saddle bag, my phone or the gel pack, I resorted to the only tactic I could think of. But how to get the phone case clean? No tissues available and I'm wearing brand new gloves only purchased yesterday so my tongue seemed the best option to me, but in hindsight I can see how confusing it must have been to the 5 car drivers who went passed whilst I was licking the phone case clean... (I washed the saddle bag out at my mum's that really was pushing it too far!). .

Coming home was dark, wet and only one issue with a motorist... standing at a side road trying to turn left onto a main road, I could see it was going to be a really long wait, but this teenage lad was getting impatient and decided to edge his car alongside me with his left hand indicator on... He got a "come on, are you serious?" from me - at which point bizarrely he cancelled his left hand indicator and changed it to a right hand indicator... Oh well...

So for those who like photos, there is one attached - not a ride photo but one of a blanket my mother is knitting for me (she is very skilled at this blanket knitting business and it is good therapy for her whilst my step-father is still in hospital). It is twice the width shown and will grow by another 18 inches in length before it is done, click on the image for a bigger view - I'll leave it for those interested.



Out - http://www.strava.com/activities/106130006 35.1km (22 miles)
Home - http://www.strava.com/activities/106130019 33.6km (21 miles)

 

[ScotiaLass]

After debating whether I should go out today, mainly due to injury rather than weather, I decided, what the hell!
The GP said I could ride as long as I didn't go on trails or risk jolting my shoulder (okay, so that means I'm not allowed an off )

So, I wrapped up...except for my thermal socks, which had been washed and were in the bedroom...with my sleeping husband who is on his week of night shifts.
So, rather than risk waking sleeping beauty, I put on a pair of so-called thermal socks and not my usual biking socks.

I got to my usual stopping point and as I turned around I was thinking, no, I'm not ready to go home yet!
So a little detour ensued. I knew where I was going, I had just never ridden that way before.
I had however walked that way to school from ages 12-16. Talk about blast from the past! (with cycle paths instead of potholes!)
Anyway, I tacked the incline and made it all the way up.

I crossed the main road and headed into the local park. This park is popular with MTB riders as it has miles of designated tracks.
As I was thinking that, a van went past with a trailer which must have been carrying about 12 bikes!
I wonder where they were off to?

This a screen shot from Google Maps of Callendar Park and woods


I took a loop round the park and had a stop for a drink and a couple of pics on my phone.

Looking the other way, miles and miles of track up in the woods <sigh>.
Pity that (a) I'm banned (for now!) and (b) I'm not fit enough to play with the big boys (yet!)

It was a good detour and I felt really good for having taken it.
On the way back the cemetery hill came into view and my heart sank as it always does when I see it.
I stopped at the bottom and had a drink. I then told myself to stop being a wimp and get up the damn thing!

And I did....all in one go
Total 13.5 miles.

All in all, a great ride today!

 

[welsh dragon]

After debating whether I should go out today, mainly due to injury rather than weather, I decided, what the hell!
The GP said I could ride as long as I didn't go on trails or risk jolting my shoulder (okay, so that means I'm not allowed an off )

So, I wrapped up...except for my thermal socks, which had been washed and were in the bedroom...with my sleeping husband who is on his week of night shifts.
So, rather than risk waking sleeping beauty, I put on a pair of so-called thermal socks and not my usual biking socks.

I got to my usual stopping point and as I turned around I was thinking, no, I'm not ready to go home yet!
So a little detour ensued. I knew where I was going, I had just never ridden that way before.
I had however walked that way to school from ages 12-16. Talk about blast from the past! (with cycle paths instead of potholes!)
Anyway, I tacked the incline and made it all the way up.

I crossed the main road and headed into the local park. This park is popular with MTB riders as it has miles of designated tracks.
As I was thinking that, a van went past with a trailer which must have been carrying about 12 bikes!
I wonder where they were off to?

This a screen shot from Google Maps of Callendar Park and woods


I took a loop round the park and had a stop for a drink and a couple of pics on my phone.

Looking the other way, miles and miles of track up in the woods <sigh>.
Pity that (a) I'm banned (for now!) and (b) I'm not fit enough to play with the big boys (yet!)

It was a good detour and I felt really good for having taken it.
On the way back the cemetery hill came into view and my heart sank as it always does when I see it.
I stopped at the bottom and had a drink. I then told myself to stop being a wimp and get up the damn thing!

And I did....all in one go
Total 13.5 miles.

All in all, a great ride today!

Well done Mrs. Nice pics

 

[cosmicbike]

Had to force myself out today. Amazing how de-motivating it can be knowing you have to go for a ride every third day, and that you are limited on speed, distance, how far from home you can go (for fear of pain). Added to that, a visit from the UK variation of Delhi belly was all I needed. Still, gave me an excuse to wait until just after 10 o'clock before going out, by which time the sun was out. Not that it had warmed up much, and a mile in I was kicking myself for not putting the snood on! Still, the roads were quiet so a gentle meander around Thorpe, Virginia Water, Englefield Greenand then back home. Managed a few hills, nothing spectacular but over 350ft of climbing over the 14 miles of riding, so pleased with that. It's also my best distance since the 2nd hospital visit some 15 weeks ago which is nice, and most importantly, no pain
Nearly forgot to take a pic, so afraid it's a last minute railway bridge by the local dump recycling centre

Out of interest, does anyone know what the 'VWW 16/16' means?

 

[numbnuts]

First ride this year 10.12 miles, it bloody near killed me (note to self don't get old)

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

...
Out of interest, does anyone know what the 'VWW 16/16' means?

http://www.abcrailwayguide.co.uk/bridge/VWW.1616.1

tis the bridge ID for reporting incidents on to get the railway line closed asap

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Just a quick one this afternoon round my Acton Burnell route.

I was still a little saddle sore after the 50 miler on saturday and the legs felt like they had no energy in them at the start of the ride, but a couple of minor tweeks to the saddle height and reach seemed to help and I was cruising quite well on the way back. (Certainly better than expected considering that even though the wind was behind me it was only light).

Something I hadn't planned for was . It was nice and dry when I set out but started to rain by the time I got to Longnor and was coming down pretty well by the time I got home so once again I've had to give the chain a wipe down before putting the bike away.

A slightly weird thing was a mile or so from home a small van overtook me and as it came past the brake lights started flashing at about the same rate as my tail light - I don't know if the driver was pumping the pedal to make some sort of point.

17.4 miles this time at 13.5mph average.

Snow on the Long Mynd today.

 

[ASC1951]

A 15 mile trundle - blimey, is that the time? - round the streets and fields of north Leeds. Cold and surprisingly dark.

 

[coffeejo]

Had me a bit of an anxiety attack this morning about the ice (makes a change from my recent wobbles about the floodwater! ) so decided against going out with my group and instead waited until the sun had done its thing and went out for a solo ride closer to lunchtime. I couldn't think of anywhere original to go so repeated our 40 mile ride from Saturday, heading up and out of Stoke St Mary, enjoying the views of the outskirts of the Levels and Moors from my vantage point at the top of the ridge before dropping down into the landscape and cycling through the same villages.

(Looking across the soggy fields to the village of Windmill Hill in the background.)

With Curland and then Broadway behind me, I headed north(ish) through Ilton and past Merryfield Airfield where three drivers did their best to take me out - a lorry driver overtook me on a junction as we both took the right hand turning and then had to swerve back to the correct side of the ride to avoid ploughing into the oncoming car. Luckily I'd already clocked his stupidity and speeded up so didn't end up under his wheels. There was a layby just ahead so I stopped in there to let him past. A few miles up the road (all narrow country lanes) I played chicken with someone in an expensive-looking mercedes - I had potholes to my left, he had nothing but mud ... In the end he gave way but I had unclipped and was ready to dive off the road. I'd barely regained my composure when WVM pulled out from a side road with a squeal of rubber and a shower of gravel. All very impressive, shame he was on the wrong side of the road and hadn't seen me coming. It must have been something about that area as everyone else drove exactly as they should, including on the 15 miles of busy main road that made up part of my ride.

Despite the cold start, the sun was warmer than it should be for this time of year and I'd taken off my thermal gloves within an hour or so of setting out but the temperature dropped again in the early afternoon and I had to stop to put them back on.

(Looking back, a mile or so to the east of the village of Curry Mallet)

My cold fingers and rumbling tummy both agreed that a stop would be most agreeable so I headed down Rock Hill (kept my speed to just under 30mph in case of rogue ice patches) and made my way up the hill to the superb community coffee shop in North Curry where I devoured a jacket potato. Everything there is home-made and delicious, even the coleslaw which I usually can't stand. The rest of the ride was a race to beat the rain home (I lost) but I did stop to say hello to a field of these woolly beasties:

Needless to say, they waited til I'd put my phone away and my gloves back on before skipping and leaping and playing their lamb games. By coincidence, I was going to have lamb stew tonight but when I got home it was still as frozen as when I took it out of the freezer this morning. I've only just realised that and promise that my woolly encounter is not the reason I decided to leave it til tomorrow.

 

[ColinJ]

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Living up to its name after a fire over Christmas, Red Hot is no more. Shame really, it served good food from all over the world. Bit burnt now though

I heard about that fire. I have eaten at Red Hot a couple of times with my family, and I was down with my sister for Christmas just after it happened.

While I was down, there was another restaurant fire nearby. I can't remember the name of the other establishment though.

I asked about that lift-testing tower the first time that I saw it. It didn't look like a chimney so I wondered what it was.