Windle
Über Member
- Location
- Burnthouses
I think there's one up our way too, as well a Toronto, Quebec, Philadelphia and New York. Oh, and Washington of course.
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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I think there's one up our way too, as well a Toronto, Quebec, Philadelphia and New York. Oh, and Washington of course.
Windle
Über Member
- Location
- Burnthouses
Seeing as it was a cracking sunny day I decided I had to get out for only my fourth ride of the year. Still plenty of crisp snow about as I headed into Cockfield.
It was a fully road ride as gravel is an aquatic sport at the moment. Through Cockfield and up the bank past our closed tip to Evenwood, through there to Evenwood Gate then down the back lane along part of the W2W national cycle network. Here, just before Hilton I encountered a pond with, worryingly, a car turning round at the other end
. I checked the level compared to the grassy edges and reckoned it would be passable by bike. It was, as long as dry feet weren't a requirement. Having to pedal most of the way through my feet were under water for most of it. What a d#ckhead 
.
No, matter, they weren't too cold despite it being barely above zero. Up the climb from Hilton to the junction with the delightfully surfaced A688 at the closed Sun Inn then left along there for a mile before turning right to head up Keverstone bank. Raby Estates have been doing a lot of tree felling in the wood opposite us and have laid a sort of haul road on the old grassy track that heads off from the first bend.
I'd love a ride up through there but theres no public access. Another mile with a few 10% sections (that I haven't ridden for ages) and I was back home for nearly 9 miles with 650 feet of climbing done. This kind of day reignites the enthusiasm for getting out. Roll on spring.
It was a fully road ride as gravel is an aquatic sport at the moment. Through Cockfield and up the bank past our closed tip to Evenwood, through there to Evenwood Gate then down the back lane along part of the W2W national cycle network. Here, just before Hilton I encountered a pond with, worryingly, a car turning round at the other end
. I checked the level compared to the grassy edges and reckoned it would be passable by bike. It was, as long as dry feet weren't a requirement. Having to pedal most of the way through my feet were under water for most of it. What a d#ckhead .No, matter, they weren't too cold despite it being barely above zero. Up the climb from Hilton to the junction with the delightfully surfaced A688 at the closed Sun Inn then left along there for a mile before turning right to head up Keverstone bank. Raby Estates have been doing a lot of tree felling in the wood opposite us and have laid a sort of haul road on the old grassy track that heads off from the first bend.
I'd love a ride up through there but theres no public access. Another mile with a few 10% sections (that I haven't ridden for ages) and I was back home for nearly 9 miles with 650 feet of climbing done. This kind of day reignites the enthusiasm for getting out. Roll on spring.
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Shearwater Missile
Veteran
- Location
- Stowmarket
After that cloudless start to the day by the time I went out for my jaunt it had of course clouded somewhat. Still, it was still brighter than of late and thankful to be out. A usual route and with the exception of one flood, it was pretty much dry roads. The flooded bit is about 3-4 inches deep, so nothing major. It`s when you go through floodwater that covers the bottom of the pedal stroke I don`t like.
The front wheel I trued after the off on Thursday is now super again. Shimano wheels may be a bit heavier than some but they are quite resilient. FLW ! It was the first time in nearly 5000 miles that I had to true it, it was nothing major but enough to annoy me. It`s funny that the new wheels I have bought in the past I have always had to true out of the box. After that they are fine, even after potholing.
So the ride today, 18.7 miles 15.5 mph ave 489ft climbing
The front wheel I trued after the off on Thursday is now super again. Shimano wheels may be a bit heavier than some but they are quite resilient. FLW ! It was the first time in nearly 5000 miles that I had to true it, it was nothing major but enough to annoy me. It`s funny that the new wheels I have bought in the past I have always had to true out of the box. After that they are fine, even after potholing.
So the ride today, 18.7 miles 15.5 mph ave 489ft climbing
Attachments
Wet and windy after yesterday’s frost and sunshine with the only comparison being a ‘feels like’ temperature of -1. Still I was on a mission to get in at least a 50 km ride for the monthly challenge. I had in mind a low level three rivers ride, with the first stop at Crook of Lune. I could see vestiges of snow on the hills so I’d made a good choice of route. The next 20 km were into a cold headwind which then turned to heavy rain as I approached Scorton. I headed into the Priory cafe to warm up. The return took me over the Wyre and Condor before picking up the Lune again. 52 km with 465 m of climbing.
Just the one picture of the Lune before the rain came.
Just the one picture of the Lune before the rain came.
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Elybazza61
Guru
Not really an outside ride day so hopped on the indoor trainer for a short warm up and then an endurance work out;
42.5kms in total.
42.5kms in total.
Despite the grimness outside and feeling knackered after an amount of walking and peopling over the past few days, I didn't want today to descend into one of those where I'd just festered inside all day.
As usual the rain radar data told a far more detailed story of what was going on than the "meh, you might get wet" general forcast and by about 15:00 both the rain and my washing machine had stopped, so out of excuses I smashed some more caffeine and pushed out on what would be the first proper leisure ride of the year, and probably the past nine months.
Out the opposite way to usual and almost straight onto relatively quiet country roads. I'd left in a fleece but soon had to stop to don the waterproof as the irritating drizzle turned into something more serious. Just in time for the sizeable Foxcombe hill. While in the past I used to use said hill to benchmark my (lack of) fitness with full-bore ascents to the top, today the lovely low gearing on the Fuji made a leisurely 5mph climb feel almost effortless.
Once I'd got to the top the rain had stopped and I'd begun boiling in the bag as the sweat and captured rainwater began to get excited, so the coat came off and before I'd had chance to get back on the bike was refitted as the rain begain again in ernest
Stopped for a few crap photos of the Fuji with the view over the valley to the city (not that you'd know it given how tiny it is in the distance) before carrying on around the lanes and finally into town.
Wintery grey skies, sporadic rain and cold hands notwithstanding it was nice to get out in what felt much more like the Fuji's natural environment; just moseying along at a fairly constant speed with the odd nice lazy gear change. Again it wasn't all splendid however as ongoing large scale building work in the area was increasingly obvious; driving home how the green landscape is slowly being consumed by bland-beige debt-boxes
While the rural bit was refreshing as I don't think I really encountered any car w*nkers; the city streets were a different story getting undertaken by two dickheads on illegal ebikes, somewhat close-passed and regretfully ogled by some knobhead taxi driver, and played-chicken-with by some bellend bus driver who seemed to think it was my place to squeeze into the less-than-ideal gap he left on my side of the road as he pulled out around some parked cars.
Stopped for a bit at the covered market for a salted caramel cannoli (which was fantastic, if not something to be made a habit of) then it was home along the tow path - scoring some wet feet from my bow-wave as the water had risen compared to past days.
A mixed bag but nice to get out and another 20 miles under the belt; which was more than I was expecting.
As usual the rain radar data told a far more detailed story of what was going on than the "meh, you might get wet" general forcast and by about 15:00 both the rain and my washing machine had stopped, so out of excuses I smashed some more caffeine and pushed out on what would be the first proper leisure ride of the year, and probably the past nine months.
Out the opposite way to usual and almost straight onto relatively quiet country roads. I'd left in a fleece but soon had to stop to don the waterproof as the irritating drizzle turned into something more serious. Just in time for the sizeable Foxcombe hill. While in the past I used to use said hill to benchmark my (lack of) fitness with full-bore ascents to the top, today the lovely low gearing on the Fuji made a leisurely 5mph climb feel almost effortless.
Once I'd got to the top the rain had stopped and I'd begun boiling in the bag as the sweat and captured rainwater began to get excited, so the coat came off and before I'd had chance to get back on the bike was refitted as the rain begain again in ernest
Stopped for a few crap photos of the Fuji with the view over the valley to the city (not that you'd know it given how tiny it is in the distance) before carrying on around the lanes and finally into town.
Wintery grey skies, sporadic rain and cold hands notwithstanding it was nice to get out in what felt much more like the Fuji's natural environment; just moseying along at a fairly constant speed with the odd nice lazy gear change. Again it wasn't all splendid however as ongoing large scale building work in the area was increasingly obvious; driving home how the green landscape is slowly being consumed by bland-beige debt-boxes
While the rural bit was refreshing as I don't think I really encountered any car w*nkers; the city streets were a different story getting undertaken by two dickheads on illegal ebikes, somewhat close-passed and regretfully ogled by some knobhead taxi driver, and played-chicken-with by some bellend bus driver who seemed to think it was my place to squeeze into the less-than-ideal gap he left on my side of the road as he pulled out around some parked cars.
Stopped for a bit at the covered market for a salted caramel cannoli (which was fantastic, if not something to be made a habit of) then it was home along the tow path - scoring some wet feet from my bow-wave as the water had risen compared to past days.
A mixed bag but nice to get out and another 20 miles under the belt; which was more than I was expecting.
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