Shrimp_Stu
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Shoeburyness
Just an hours ride in today and only saw 1 other cyclist....you can conquer a hill but you have to respect the wind....loved it all the same 
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
- Status
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Probably the hardest ride i've ever done today. The wind was a real pain in the ass! 23 miles door to door in 2 hours. Far more hills than i'm used to and a totally new route, but pleased i went out and managed it. Always a real sense of achievment and i'm sure doing that distance in those conditions and with those hills will really help future rides... 
Glow worm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Near Newmarket
Went for my 'freedom' ride today. After 2 weeks off the bike due to severe thigh muscle problems. Still some twinges but great to be back in the saddle again (until the next attack) and not to be ferried about in a 4 wheeled metal cage (shuddder). A liesurely saunter along the largely car free Lodes Way to Baker's Fen near Burwell to look for short eared owls. Too wet and windy for them (sensible creatures), and for most folk too apparently, as I was alone on the new bridge over Reach Lode for an hour or two looking for owls. Just a lone whooper swan, golden plover, kestrels and fieldfares today, but good to be out again.
Went out tonight in the p!$$!ng rain and wind. 3 lights on the front, two on the back, reflective jacket and more reflectors on pretty much any bit of my body I could stick one. Was out for about an hour on the back lanes, rain was horizontal and stinging my face on the home leg. Body and legs stayed dry, hands and feet got soaked and cold. It was the first test of the Aldi waterproof leggings I bought back in October and they were excellent. I stayed dry and I'm really not sure it can rain much harder than it did tonight. Got in, had to strip everything off, then warm clothes, gluhwein and a turkey curry. Bliss.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
The wind swung to the north, blowing down from the snow covered hills and mixed with stinging hail stones,
, turned back after 1km. The forecast looks better for tomorrow.
, turned back after 1km. The forecast looks better for tomorrow.
DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
A total of 53 miles on my new 'hilly' route. It's basically the Ravensthorpe CC's Sat am run plus a few miles back home. Except I missed a turn and had to do some more hills 
It's also the 3rd clipless ride and time for the neon Gore overshoes to emerge. The morning was sunny and up to the Windmill Cafe/Nursery there it was fine. Remembering to clip in and out, I'm still making minor adjustments to the left shoe. It's not perfect, but getting there. The cafe had a couple of other solo riders in, one on a Pinarello.
Having had a coffee and teacake I came out to rain
. This continued all the way back, meaning I missed a turn and ended up on the A-roads again. All sorted, except for losing a drinks bottle on a speedbump during a descent (and setting off the speed camera 
) I popped in to a shop to replace the drinks bottle. The lady there said "I passed you on the Penistone road - those shoes stand out". Which is exactly why I got them - hi-viz jackets are worn by most riders. Me, I'm in black with hi-viz overshoes.
A total of 3 hours 22 minutes for 53 miles, which was the same time as Christmas Eve only I did 10 miles less since I took the non-climb shortcut back due to the cold. It'll do - and hopefully keeping doing the route will help with both the sportives I've got planned for Feb and March plus the 3 coast-to-coast rides in April-June.
It's also the 3rd clipless ride and time for the neon Gore overshoes to emerge. The morning was sunny and up to the Windmill Cafe/Nursery there it was fine. Remembering to clip in and out, I'm still making minor adjustments to the left shoe. It's not perfect, but getting there. The cafe had a couple of other solo riders in, one on a Pinarello.
Having had a coffee and teacake I came out to rain
. This continued all the way back, meaning I missed a turn and ended up on the A-roads again. All sorted, except for losing a drinks bottle on a speedbump during a descent (and setting off the speed camera ) I popped in to a shop to replace the drinks bottle. The lady there said "I passed you on the Penistone road - those shoes stand out". Which is exactly why I got them - hi-viz jackets are worn by most riders. Me, I'm in black with hi-viz overshoes.A total of 3 hours 22 minutes for 53 miles, which was the same time as Christmas Eve only I did 10 miles less since I took the non-climb shortcut back due to the cold. It'll do - and hopefully keeping doing the route will help with both the sportives I've got planned for Feb and March plus the 3 coast-to-coast rides in April-June.
fenlandpsychocyclist
Guest
My first ride out in four days, due to heavy cold mixing with my asthma.
Thought i'd try a long planned route with a difference ... wisbech to kings lynn using at least 90% off road tracks on the outward journey.
If you look at any decent map of this area you'll see that impossible, unless you head elsewhere!
Basically me and the mountain bike headed the wrong way to outwell along as much track as possible ... had to drop onto the road
due to parts being overgrown in a couple of places.
Once at outwell, straight through the football field, out the back and over to the banks of the middle level drain.
Along the middle level to wiggenhall, back onto the road and over the ouse bridge, then left along the "fen rivers way" right up to
kings lynn. Simples!!
Basically several miles of muddy grass and hard slog! Fun though.
Thought i'd try a long planned route with a difference ... wisbech to kings lynn using at least 90% off road tracks on the outward journey.
If you look at any decent map of this area you'll see that impossible, unless you head elsewhere!
Basically me and the mountain bike headed the wrong way to outwell along as much track as possible ... had to drop onto the road
due to parts being overgrown in a couple of places.
Once at outwell, straight through the football field, out the back and over to the banks of the middle level drain.
Along the middle level to wiggenhall, back onto the road and over the ouse bridge, then left along the "fen rivers way" right up to
kings lynn. Simples!!
Basically several miles of muddy grass and hard slog! Fun though.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I popped to the PO and back a whole 1 mile with a staggering 60ft of climbing, I don't know whether that even counts as a ride. The weather was cr@p and I'd drank too much last night 
I'll hopefully get a few more miles in tomorrow.
I'll hopefully get a few more miles in tomorrow.
- Location
- The TerrorVortex
Did a 22 mile run with a stop for bacon sarneys and tea 
The hangover didn't help though...
The hangover didn't help though...
endoman
Senior Member
- Location
- Chesterfield
Last chance to get a ride before NYE and work come round again. Headed off along a club route into Lincs, nice tailwind going out, missed one turn but realised so doubled back. Couldn't find a cafe at half way, 35 miles ish, very small roads and little if any traffic. Back into headwind and got a little lost again, meant taking the road bike down some muddy off road tracks, but it coped! Finally found a shop with 15 miles to go, topped up water and got some cake, had gone through 2 gels and an energy bar, so was in need at 55 miles. Had to open a level crossing gate later on the ride and got back as a light rain started, so 70 miles done, very pleasant.
Bike now being cleaned before it has to go back on the turbo until next weekend.
Bike now being cleaned before it has to go back on the turbo until next weekend.
er,,,down to my mates and back ,,prob just about 6 miles all in but it was abs chucking it down and it was very slow ,,it was rush hr and it was mega busy ,,really frustrating ,,travelling down to his its mostly downhill and as its the route i travel when commuting i usually ave about 20 mph+for a good bit ,,checked my ave there on endomondo ,,ave 8.3!!!!
potsy
Rambler
- Location
- My Armchair
threebikesmcginty
Corn Fed Hick...
- Location
- ...on the slake
Stayed up too late
One too many
Got up too early
Not enough sleep
No mates playing
Cold
Wet
Windy
Hilly
Lovely
Good ent it!!!
One too many
Got up too early
Not enough sleep
No mates playing
Cold
Wet
Windy
Hilly
Lovely
Good ent it!!!
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
I think I can tick a few of them but I was sober as an alcoholic judge walking home at 6:30 and some of my mates were going out at 10am (proved to be too early for me) and for a change it looks nice and bright, dry and not blowing a gale!
fenlandpsychocyclist
Guest
I'm mad. 
Was at westminster last night watching the fireworks, then walked 4 miles to where the car was parked.
I kipped on the back seat of my big old beemer while my friend drove the 110 miles home.
Breakfast, then bed ... haha ... no chance of getting back to sleep.
So ........... bike!!
31.31 miles around some extremely windy fen roads, run out of gearing heading north alongside the river nene, and was
virtually on the granny chainwheel back the other side!!
(The nearest natural "windbreak" being the hills near cambridge 40 miles way. )
Was at westminster last night watching the fireworks, then walked 4 miles to where the car was parked.
I kipped on the back seat of my big old beemer while my friend drove the 110 miles home.
Breakfast, then bed ... haha ... no chance of getting back to sleep.
So ........... bike!!
31.31 miles around some extremely windy fen roads, run out of gearing heading north alongside the river nene, and was
virtually on the granny chainwheel back the other side!!
(The nearest natural "windbreak" being the hills near cambridge 40 miles way.
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