Your ride today.... (part 1)

[HLaB]

My ride last night as posted in the TT section, was the club TT.

Got a seasons PB lastnight (OT 27:27); I was 4secs faster last year on that course without tri bars but it was also without hayfever and a dodgy calf; I should have rested but when the weather is good plus I might not have the time in a few weeks and I can rest then I was comfortably faster for the first 3/4 but never had the legs (particularly the right calf) to push up the hill into a strongwind. My pacing wasn't the best either as I had too much energy at the end.
To put it into perspective however, Steve Lampiere (Pro) was an amazing 20:59. I was his minute man and he caught me at just under 2miles
Still way behind my overall pb (26:06) on a slightly hillier course but with a ski ramp start and a meander back up rather than the steeper direct way you come down. Which ironically was my first 10mile TT on that course, although I had done a 5 mile TT on the same course the week before and knew where the gains and loses were in the first half.

 

[gavgav]

Just back in from a ride to the hospital. I put a new route in my Garmin and after a bit of faffing managed to send it to my gps dodah and I thought that was that. 20 minutes later when I got on my bike, I couldn't find the route anywhere so decided to wing it.
I started off with my usual route to Hethel cyclepath and then headed right to East Carleton and then left towards Norwich, then Kenninghall and instead of going around the bend to the A11/A47 huge roundabout junction (again) and headed off over the bridge / footpath off to the right. I had to get off as the bridge was stepped. I stopped on the top and took a photo of a near deserted A11 and a nice sunset. (Love this world cup malarkey - all the pillocks are tucked up indoors with beer and pizza plus the added bonus of, when they are on the road, you can spot the pillocks with all their flags on the car denoting 'crap driver' status).
Onwards towards Cringleford, missed the turning that I was due to take but carried on regardless and came out on Colney Lane, Eaton. Here I headed up the hill and then went down the cyclepath towards Roundwell Road and towards the hospital. At the penultimate roundabout, I realised that I was a bit early and that looping the carpark and hospital complex is boring boring boring, so headed back to Eaton, down the hill to the lights and then along Bluebell Lane, whipped through the UEA roads and then back to the hospital via the B1108.

16.66 miles in 1:08:22 so quite chuffed. Getting off and walking, in cycling shoes, over that bridge slowed up proceedings a lot. Going up was a bit worrying, coming down the other side was downright precarious especially on the checkerplate metal bits.

It's the first day of a new riding week for me. My goal is 75 miles this week and I've just done 22% of it. Day off tomorrow. Busy work day and I have seen the weather forecast

I'm obviously a pillock then!

Although I didn't have beer or pizza whilst watching the match, and I don't have a silly flag (that snaps off in the wind) on my car........do I still count?

 

[cosmicbike]

Ride day for me, and rather than aim for a distance (20 miles at the moment), I aimed for somewhere. Google maps suggested Hampton Court was a nice target, giving a 23 mile round trip via the Thames Path (NCR4) on the way out and back via Lower Sunbury on road before back through Chertsey. A very pleasant bimble along the quiet towpath saw me at Hampton Court Bridge in the sunshine with all the tourists. I had hoped to hop into Bushy Park, but couldn't find the way in and couldn't be bothered to get gmaps fired up on the phone, so stuck to the A308. Not a nice choice, terrible surface and too any closer than I'd like passes, must be because I was nearer London.....Got off onto Lower Sunbury Road just past Hampton and a great surface with no traffic, excellent. The later parts were being resurfaced and hence closed, but I was nodded through on the bike, the new tarmac puts this onto the list of routes once I'm allowed back on the road bike. At this point I'd already covered 20 miles, and was still by my reckoning at least 6 miles from home, so backed off a bit and took it nice and easy home via the Thames Path, Weybridge and Chertsey.
Reached home after 2.5hrs, and 28 miles. A nice ride for the most part. Roll on Sunday.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Third metric century of the week today. 63.5 miles.

Planned a route last night, loaded it onto the GPS and then promptly ignored it and did another I'll ride whatever route I like. A mile out I released I had left my drinks bottled in the fridge so looped back home and picked them up.

At 30 miles I was bored and was thinking of turning for home, but I knew the grass needed cutting so carried on riding . At 45 miles stopped in Bitteswell and ate my Sainsbury's Mars bar rip off on the village green and carried on. Did a couple of new roads and went up a hill (or it was last January when I first went up it) for the first time in ages and realised that it actually was just a gentle slope. Saw a few bikes out today.

Grass now cut (so I am in our lasses good books) and gave the road bike a long over due clean.


http://www.strava.com/activities/155821066

 

[potsy]

Glorious day today, another short off road ride.

High point of the ride

Tried a few new paths but turned back in case my immaculately clean bike got dirty

Sun was shining, a few people were out enjoying it, not on this stretch though

 

[coffeejo]

After a quick trip to the supermarket to see how it handles with weight in all 4 panniers, I rode home on the new bike this evening. Although a pleasure to ride, it became evident that it's not set up properly so I'll pop back to the LBS tomorrow and can tinker with it next week when I'm in Brittany. (For the record, buying a new bike just before you take it on holiday isn't the best idea.)

Couple of adjustments to the saddle position and it rides like a different bike. Actually, I keep forgetting that it *is* a different bike and unlike the Orbea, has a triple. I keep changing rings at the front at the wrong time - or not changing at all and then wonder why the chain sounds stressed. D'oh. Switching back to the Orbea after this holiday will be just as confusing!

Only thing I'm not sure about is the saddle but I'll stick with it til I make up my mind re: an alternative.

Am now immersed in packing chaos. And only slightly stressed...

 

[gavgav]

Couple of adjustments to the saddle position and it rides like a different bike. Actually, I keep forgetting that it *is* a different bike and unlike the Orbea, has a triple. I keep changing rings at the front at the wrong time - or not changing at all and then wonder why the chain sounds stressed. D'oh. Switching back to the Orbea after this holiday will be just as confusing!

Only thing I'm not sure about is the saddle but I'll stick with it til I make up my mind re: an alternative.

Am now immersed in packing chaos. And only slightly stressed...

Bon voyage

 

[potsy]

I would tweak it myself then ...

You haven't seen Jo's handiwork when tweaking have you?

 

[alans]

Yes.
Tandem.
Stone,Salt,Weston,Great Heywood,Essex Bridge.
Large tea-cakes & coffee.
Essex Bridge,Tixall,Stafford,Hopton,Salt,Stone.

Not many miles but very many smiles.

No stats;who cares in this weather

That is all

 

[Alex H]

today so I set off early before it became

Back route to Saint Junien

Then North to Montrol Senard, which is effectively an open-air museum. Many of the original structures have been kept are available to look round (no charge) There is a cafe, school house, baker with wood fired oven, agricultural forge, clog maker, lavoir, and a typical farm workers cottage. This is the schoolhouse - my neighbour went here in 1957 and his class picture is on the wall in one of the buildings

On to Mortemart, which is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France, although I can't think why, all there is there is this

The route I was taking was avoiding the Monts De Blond, a group of hills in the the middle of the circle I was riding.

It can get quite lonely riding in this area

Road behind

Road in front

Here is the fortified church at Blond

Fortunately it was now downhill to Oradour-sur-Glane, where 3 riders on road bikes caught up with me. As I am riding an English tourer one of the guys asked where I was from and a short conversation ensued. meanwhile one of he mates had gone on ahead and I could not figure out what was going on with back wheel. it had the usual gearing stuff, but the hub was huge. It appeared to have no cables so could not be braking or gearing. then I saw the shiny silver block under his saddle - it was an electric hub

So heading back to Saint Junien on what used to be the main road to Limoges - a bit quiet now

Back along the river to home, at one point actually managing to capture a hawk with my camera

They have such incredible eyesight , they can see a camera IN a bar bag, so you have no chance getting to it before they are gone. the first one even managed to hear my camera's stupid startup jingle (what is that all about?) before making his exit.

By the time I got home it was really hot, at least 30°C in the shade, so Beer time!

81.01km in 3:54:52 20.69kmph average

 

[MikeW-71]

Just commuting today on the CX, but I've been taking the long (15-16 mile) way back home for some "free" training time lately.

Why can't I seem to do an easy ride? Yesterday I did a brisk 16mph average. Today I was going to take it easy, and it felt very relaxed... and averaged 15.7mph

Training for the MTB challenge is going well, just a week to go now. Fingers crossed.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I wanted to ride somewhere new today so headed out to Montgomery and Bishop's Castle.

The start of the trip was on familiar ground out over Lyth Hill and through Exfords Green, Arscott, Lea Cross and down the lanes through Hinton and Asterley where I encountered a very skittish horse - he jumped even when I was stationary. From here I was onto new roads which were quite pleasant to start with, however once onto the B4386 to Worthen I was unimpressed with the standard of driving. Fortunately though the road seemed quieter after Brockton and it was the hills causing issues instead as it was more undulating than I'd anticipated.

By Chirbury I was ready for my lunch, however there wasn't anywhere that seemed appealing to stop so I pressed on to Montgomery where I found a bench surrounded by pretty cottages. Having eaten I pressed on again and climbed into the centre of town and got applauded by a cycle club for having made the hill.


I took a few pictures then headed for Bishop's Castle. I liked this road as it was pretty quiet for a B-road and went through some fabulous scenery. With it being so sunny, this section was accompanied by crackling noises as my tyres burst the little bubbles of tar that were welling up to the road surface.

A rider who'd passed me while I was at Montgomery came past again when I stopped for a photo. I followed at a distance matching his pace fairly easily for a while until he looked back, realised I was there and stood on the pedals to up the pace. I wasn't intending on racing him so let him head off into the distance.

The final approach to Bishop's Castle has a sting in the tail - it had been relatively flat so far on this road but makes up all the height difference in the last mile.

I had a look round and took more photos before heading on. A wrong turn leaving town took me on a pretty route but not the way I wanted but eventually I was on the road to Wentnor. I was flagging a bit around this point so there were a couple of stops for drink and cake which helped before I pressed on up the valley. The Horseshoes at The Bridges was very tempting at this point but I suspected that having a beer wouldn't help matters so I reluctantly pressed on past here without even taking a photo. Eventually I climbed to the top of Cothercott Hill where there were great views and enjoyed the fast descent (over 41mph).

The rest of the trip back made me realise how much I was flagging. I was about 5 mph slower than usual most of the way back from Pulverbatch and I gave up on the idea of putting in an extra loop to make a metric century. Edit: looking at the Met Office site, it appears that the wind had swung round and I was riding into a 13mph headwind all the way back from Bishop's Castle. Could explain why it didn't seem quite as easy as expected.

57 miles at 12.6 mph average which is a bit slower than I'd have hoped for.

I took a wrong turn in the first few miles and slipped through a time-warp It's 1974 in Asterley.......

...... and 1934 in Worthen.

Brockton is pretty.

Montgomery. This is Bunners, a locally famous old-fashioned ironmongers that seems to keep everything!

The town square in Montgomery.

Bishop's Castle. I love all the different coloured buildings.

Bishop's Castle.

Britain's oldest brewery - The Three Tuns. First licenced in 1642 and there is apparently evidence to suggest there may have been a brewery here for about 50 years before that. I resisted temptation and carried on without a pint.

After a wrong turn and a reasonable amount of climbing I made it to the top of Cothercott Hill.

I took a different way back to usual, passing this stern old owl.

 

[vernon]

Five miles pottering around Keith and visiting Scotland's oldest distillery before setting off home on the train.

 

[alans]

On the tandem.
Stone,Salt,Weston,Great Heywood,Essex Bridge.
Large tea-cakes & coffee.
Essex Bridge,Tixall,Stafford,Hopton,Salt,Stone.

Not many miles but very many smiles.

No stats;who cares in this weather

That is all

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

On the tandem.
Stone,Salt,Weston,Great Heywood,Essex Bridge.
Large tea-cakes & coffee.
Essex Bridge,Tixall,Stafford,Hopton,Salt,Stone.

Not many miles but very many smiles.

No stats;who cares in this weather

That is all

Yes.
Tandem.
Stone,Salt,Weston,Great Heywood,Essex Bridge.
Large tea-cakes & coffee.
Essex Bridge,Tixall,Stafford,Hopton,Salt,Stone.

Not many miles but very many smiles.

No stats;who cares in this weather

That is all

I think I'm having deja vu.