Your ride today.... (part 1)

[PeteXXX]

There was a deceptive nip in the air this morning! With the forecast promising +3 to +5 ish, I was surprised to be crunching through puddles, especially as when I finished w*rk at midnight, it was +6 and persisting it down!

Never mind. the sun was shining beautifully, so no time to be sitting indoors. After topping up the bird table with bread and stuff, I set out for a few miles around Pitsford Reservoir. Before the valley was dammed, (No, NOT The Valley of the Damned...),
the road used to dip down and up t'other side.

This is what's left of it. On some maps, it's still a rideable/driveable road . Good luck with that!

Heading around the water, I stopped to poke a banana in my face, then into the café at the southern end for a quick coffee. Surprisingly, it wasn't very busy today. Usually lots of riders and walkers stop there for sustenance.

Loads of boat people flapping around the place today. I think it was a race or summat. One day I'm going to give it try. Maybe when the water isn't crispy though.

I had to head homewards after watching them for a while.
My route took me through Lings Woods, and I saw that the Snowdrops are out. There's a huge patch of them near the old house there.

Is this the 1st pic of Snowdrops posted here this year?

Anyways... 18 miles in decent weather once it warmed up a bit.
Off to w*rk now. Boooo

https://www.strava.com/activities/245283104

 

[BigAl68]

My ride yesterday was great if a bit cold. I left it until 10am to let some of the ice melt and then went on a nice 40 mile trundle out of Bath towards Bristol via the cycle path and then out on the strade bianchi towards Westerleigh. Then up over Chipping Sodbury and to my mums house for a bacon roll. She was out so I used her hose to clean the bike and then headed back to Bath via Pucklechurch and back via the cycle path home.

The bike by the time I got to my mums.

And a few of my trip.

 

[Gravity Aided]

@PeteXXX ,
Sailing is a fine sport,
and a great deal of fun,
but takes away from funds
for N+1!

 

[PeteXXX]

@PeteXXX ,
Sailing is a fine sport,
and a great deal of fun,
but takes away from funds
for N+1!

There must be a way to combine the two..... Hmmmm

 

[mooseracer]

What a beautiful sunny day!

Icy underfoot again when I took the dog for his morning stroll so delayed going out until 11 to give it time to melt (the delay had nothing to do with a few pints being consumed last night, of course)

Then a cracking ride around Malmesbury, Tetbury, Nailsworth and Wotton. Even a headwind going up the category 3 climb out of Nailsworth didn't dampen my spirits.

A lovely few hours on the bike and Mrs Moose is talking of an evening ride later so my total should be up around 80 miles come the end of the day.

https://www.strava.com/activities/245358714

 

[Diggs]

Well, that was lovely, if a bit chilly in places. I'm having a post ride coffee whilst the feeling in my feet comes back.

 

[Goonerobes]

best describes my ride today as I come off on what must have been the only patch off black ice in Hampshire!!

The ride started well enough with clear blue skys & a chilly north-easterly but no sign of frost or ice as I set out on mish-mash of roads I'd done before although not in this particular order. Heading north, up the forest, the roads were still damp from the overnight rain but this was to change as I turned east & into the Test Valley where they got considerably wetter but still no sign of ice or frost!

Passing through Whiteparish I turned left & up towards West Dean, going up was fine despite having a car up my ar$e on this single track road but the downhill is rather steep so I was on the breaks very early as I know the road turns sharply at the bottom & this is where it all went wrong! Suddenly I was off & sliding across the road like I'd been shot, I hadn't even thought of ice given the previous 15 miles had been frost free. The following car kindly stopped to help me up, although they had little choice as I was sprawled across the road in front of them & the torn jacket & tights gave me an idea that this was going to be sore!!

Anyway, after a few minutes I decided to carry on, partly because I didn't fancy going back up the steep hill & partly because it was such a nice day. So West Tytherley, Winterslow & Over Wallop were next before I turned back towards home via Broughton, Mottisfont & Wellow although I must admit it was all done very carefully & every wet looking bend & decent was taken very slowly.

50 painful miles completed & I have a feeling I'm gonna ache tomorrow.
https://www.strava.com/activities/245346576

Some New Forest ponies playing statues in the sun.

Maybe not my best choice of roads today.

The scene of the crime.

& some of the war wounds suitable for family viewing!!

 

[PeteXXX]

Ouch!

 

[cosmicbike]

^^^that @Goonerobes but a like for getting out there and for carrying on

 

[13 rider]

Completed a 47 miles tour around north west leicestershire and got home completely shattered not a good day on the bike . rode from Anstey to mountsorrel to pick up mate number one then on to sileby for mate number two both mates ride roadies and me on my hybrid .set of to Stanford on soar ,normanton on soar ,Sutton bonnington,w leake ,e leake ,wysall ,willoughby on the wolds and back to sileby.we all started cycling at the same time and I could always keep up with the roadies as I was slightly fitter but not today lost there back wheel into a headwind and I became billy out the back and two miles struggling to stay in touch probably used too much energy in stead of just letting them go .Anyway finally caught them on some climbs but after dropping mates off the last 7 miles home was torture as my legs blew up .its the worst I've felt on a bike since I starting riding again .but now back home with cup of tea and cake.
Update just looked at Steve Abraham tracker and he rode part of this route a hour later than us shame to have missed him

 

[MikeW-71]

Off work for a weeks hols! And would you believe it, day 1 is nice and dry. Windy, but dry

Wheeled the Defy out this time and set off for a planned 35 miles including a climb that I haven't been back to for over 2 years! Headed out towards Armathwaite and... joy of joys, they've resurfaced the worst bits of the road no more pothole dodging! Slogged on to the village, it's mostly uphill all the way and there is still some ice on the sheltered parts of the road. Hmm, that could be a problem later, we'll see.

Now for some steeper climbing, up past the pub then a short sharp steep one followed by a bit of a drag, another couple of bumps and then into Ainstable. The last time I had tried the climb out of here, it took me 3 stops, but I'm a hell of a lot fitter now right? Well, I still didn't consider it easy, but up we went non-stop, which was very pleasing, then I came across another sheltered bit of road.



Hmmmm, icy! Stay in the wheeltracks and you'll be fine... Until a milk tanker needs to pass.. And then on a steep descent I spotted a sharp bend was covered in mush and ice . For the first time ever, I walked the road bike downhill around that corner.

From there it was a much flatter run to Castle Carrock and onwards for the longer descent to Brampton where I turned off onto the Longtown road. The wind now made its unwelcome presence felt and I may have pressed on a bit too hard here, as when I got to the climb out of Irthington, I could feel I was starting to tire. That lack of riding over December was coming back to haunt me now.

Still, it was all OK through Warwick Bridge and then I got to my last planned climb, my favourite little 15%er into the heart of Wetheral. LOL, no way, not today, the legs were gone and I grovelled up there somehow. A short ish run home and it was done. Phew!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

best describes my ride today as I come off on what must have been the only patch off black ice in Hampshire!!

The ride started well enough with clear blue skys & a chilly north-easterly but no sign of frost or ice as I set out on mish-mash of roads I'd done before although not in this particular order. Heading north, up the forest, the roads were still damp from the overnight rain but this was to change as I turned east & into the Test Valley where they got considerably wetter but still no sign of ice or frost!

Passing through Whiteparish I turned left & up towards West Dean, going up was fine despite having a car up my ar$e on this single track road but the downhill is rather steep so I was on the breaks very early as I know the road turns sharply at the bottom & this is where it all went wrong! Suddenly I was off & sliding across the road like I'd been shot, I hadn't even thought of ice given the previous 15 miles had been frost free. The following car kindly stopped to help me up, although they had little choice as I was sprawled across the road in front of them & the torn jacket & tights gave me an idea that this was going to be sore!!

Anyway, after a few minutes I decided to carry on, partly because I didn't fancy going back up the steep hill & partly because it was such a nice day. So West Tytherley, Winterslow & Over Wallop were next before I turned back towards home via Broughton, Mottisfont & Wellow although I must admit it was all done very carefully & every wet looking bend & decent was taken very slowly.

50 painful miles completed & I have a feeling I'm gonna ache tomorrow.
https://www.strava.com/activities/245346576

View attachment 77824

Some New Forest ponies playing statues in the sun.

View attachment 77825

Maybe not my best choice of roads today.

View attachment 77826

The scene of the crime.

View attachment 77827 View attachment 77828

& some of the war wounds suitable for family viewing!!

Completed a 47 miles tour around north west leicestershire and got home completely shattered not a good day on the bike . rode from Anstey to mountsorrel to pick up mate number one then on to sileby for mate number two both mates ride roadies and me on my hybrid .set of to Stanford on soar ,normanton on soar ,Sutton bonnington,w leake ,e leake ,wysall ,willoughby on the wolds and back to sileby.we all started cycling at the same time and I could always keep up with the roadies as I was slightly fitter but not today lost there back wheel into a headwind and I became billy out the back and two miles struggling to stay in touch probably used too much energyin stead of just letting them go .Anyway finally caught them on some climbs but after dropping mates off the last 7 miles home was torture as my legs blew up .its the worst I've felt on a bike since I starting riding again .but now back home with cup of tea and cake.
Update just looked at Steve Abraham tracker and he rode part of this route a hour later than us shame to have missed him

Likes for the reports. Not for falling off or blowing up.

 

[Cush]

Off work for a weeks hols! And would you believe it, day 1 is nice and dry. Windy, but dry

Wheeled the Defy out this time and set off for a planned 35 miles including a climb that I haven't been back to for over 2 years! Headed out towards Armathwaite and... joy of joys, they've resurfaced the worst bits of the road no more pothole dodging! Slogged on to the village, it's mostly uphill all the way and there is still some ice on the sheltered parts of the road. Hmm, that could be a problem later, we'll see.

Now for some steeper climbing, up past the pub then a short sharp steep one followed by a bit of a drag, another couple of bumps and then into Ainstable. The last time I had tried the climb out of here, it took me 3 stops, but I'm a hell of a lot fitter now right? Well, I still didn't consider it easy, but up we went non-stop, which was very pleasing, then I came across another sheltered bit of road.



Hmmmm, icy! Stay in the wheeltracks and you'll be fine... Until a milk tanker needs to pass.. And then on a steep descent I spotted a sharp bend was covered in mush and ice . For the first time ever, I walked the road bike downhill around that corner.

From there it was a much flatter run to Castle Carrock and onwards for the longer descent to Brampton where I turned off onto the Longtown road. The wind now made its unwelcome presence felt and I may have pressed on a bit too hard here, as when I got to the climb out of Irthington, I could feel I was starting to tire. That lack of riding over December was coming back to haunt me now.

Still, it was all OK through Warwick Bridge and then I got to my last planned climb, my favourite little 15%er into the heart of Wetheral. LOL, no way, not today, the legs were gone and I grovelled up there somehow. A short ish run home and it was done. Phew!

Nice run but Why did you miss out Hartside

 

[Levo-Lon]

Just a quick hr round Wakerley woods off piste. Thank you Wakerley self harmers mtb club.good work .

 

[MikeW-71]

Nice run but Why did you miss out Hartside

I will try that one of these days!