Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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- Location
- Egham
Metric century done today. Tougher than I hoped, but nice to go somewhere different, I last rode the route in May with Hounslow & District Wheelers and @Stonechat . Found it hard today, constant battering from the wind and a lumpy ride. I was saved at 40 odd miles by the Mardy Bum I found in my pocket..
62.8 miles with 824m of climbing, and the legs are feeling it. Not helped by the 5 miles this afternoon on the Brompton to go to buy paint testers..
62.8 miles with 824m of climbing, and the legs are feeling it. Not helped by the 5 miles this afternoon on the Brompton to go to buy paint testers..
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
And now for a ride at the opposite end of the scale - all of three and a half miles. 
Stuck the bike in the car and drove to the garage. Dropped off car for repair & MOT before riding home. Then reversed the process this afternoon when the car was ready.
Got rained on this morning and blown across the road this afternoon (when the hedgerows ran out).
I haven't had the time to get out much on the bike of late what with one thing and another, but it was good to get out, even for a short while.
Stuck the bike in the car and drove to the garage. Dropped off car for repair & MOT before riding home. Then reversed the process this afternoon when the car was ready.Got rained on this morning and blown across the road this afternoon (when the hedgerows ran out).
I haven't had the time to get out much on the bike of late what with one thing and another, but it was good to get out, even for a short while.
twentysix by twentyfive
Clinging on tightly
- Location
- Over the Hill
My neighbour called in. His rear wheel needed some sorting. So I sorted it for him. That meant I actually was delayed long enough to miss a sharp shower. Thanks Alex. Underway at last there was another brief and light shower. The strong wind helped me onward through the lanes to Knightwick and on to Martley. I looped by Ockeridge to Wichenford and began the long tough ride back into a very strong wind. My legs were complaining as did my back. I was glad to get home after that one. 43 smiles today
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
This is my patch, so let me have a guess at your starting point.
You used NCN 700 to Sunderland, which is the Walney to Wear route.
You used NCN 7 on the way back, which is the original coast to coast path.
Those two routes don't cross, but to get 64 miles in I'm guessing you started from somewhere such as Hamsterley, or a bit further north into Weardale.
Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
I'm in the process of type-setting a novel for the third time (Amazon have implemented a Print-On-Demand service, but it's currently in the Beta stage and I'm having to jump through some quality-control hoops I wasn't expecting. Oh, if you don't know, type-setting is like squeezing eels into a crate), and after putting another couple of chapters to bed decided on trying to acquire another point in the 50km challenge.
I went out to Felixstowe and turned for home at the golf club. (Interesting literary fact #43. The M R James' ghost story 'Oh, Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad' is based around a golfing'research trip to this establishment.)
A bit windy. but saw a kestrel during its thing as if it were a totally still day.
Oh, I bagged a challenge point.
This over-looking the pier at Felixstowe.
I went out to Felixstowe and turned for home at the golf club. (Interesting literary fact #43. The M R James' ghost story 'Oh, Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad' is based around a golfing'research trip to this establishment.)
A bit windy. but saw a kestrel during its thing as if it were a totally still day.
Oh, I bagged a challenge point.
This over-looking the pier at Felixstowe.
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
With it forecast to be warm (19 degrees) and sunny, if a bit drafty, I though I might squeeze in a cheeky imperial half on a long overdue day off work.
Fancying some new roads, I carefully plotted a route in Garmin Connect only to find it wouldn't save...oh well, I sort of knew where I was heading...
This morning the forecasters were now arguing amongst themselves, but it was dry and, so Mrs ND advised me "quite warm", so it was short sleeved top and bib shorts. On stepping into the garden, I stepped back in the house and added arm and knee warmers
Anyway, the familiar furrow up Coal Road, Skeltons Lane and the descent into Thorner. By this point I'd noted it was indeed a bit breezy but I'd cunningly planned it so I'd have the wind behind(ish) me to start, against me in the middle bit and then sort of behind me again for the last third of the loop.
Thorner leads to Milner Lane, East Rigton and along the ridge before dropping down Jewitt Lane into Collingham, across the A58 and a short sprint along the A659 before turning right for Linton over the bridge and straight on to the fringes of Wetherby where it was a tight left onto the Spofforth road up that hill.
Eventually you drop down the other side towards Stockeld Park, but now I was into the wind for the first time and despite going downhill I could feel the effects. The climb into Spofforth followed, through the village and past the castle heading for Follifoot.
It starts getting a bit lumpier from here on nice country lanes but I was always aware of the wind either in front or across me.
Follifoot is new territory for me on the bike and it seems a nice village, although their "Millennium Garden" seemed to have an awful lot of pampas grass in it. #justsaying
Leaving the village I was approaching a very busy A658 at the dog end of rush hour, so when I saw a sign for NCR67 leading down a very quiet parallel road I took that. I've commented on NCRs before and this one fell into the usual trap - after about half a mile the road ended at the route went onto a track. It looked a decent surface so I decided to stick with it, but as always it deteriorated the further away from the tarmac I got. Not ideal on a road bike with 25mm Gatorskins on.... It was also poorly sign posted, so I missed a turning and ended up on a bridleway. Fortunately it wasn't too muddy and I managed to keep it going until I eventually reached terra firma again, and I did provide a laugh for two ladies on horses who passed going the other way
Anyway a bit of faffing and I was back on route and heading for Pannal into the wind, eventually dropping down to cross the A61 and then down past the station and the climb out of the other side, heading up Spring Lane and Yew Tree Hill heading for Beckwithshaw, where it started raining as I approached the village.
After half a mile or so it was getting heavier so I stopped to put on my waterproof jacket and review the options and take a pic:
I was flagging a bit from cycling into the teeth of the maelstrom, but after a Snickers and a word with myself I decided to carry on.
Straight on and climbing into the wind again, I decided to bin off plans to extend the ride over into the Washburn Valley and stayed on Leathley Road, which had a few more lumps for me to "enjoy" before eventually promising me a long descent down into the Wharfe Valley.
By 'eck it was windy over the top. At times I was climbing in the granny gear, giving it everything I had and listening to the "auto pause" kicking in.
Anyway, what goes up must come down and at last the Wharfe Valley was spread out in front of me, and the idea of a couple of miles not having to do much work was very appealing, so I grabbed a quick pic and got rolling:
Sadly, there was a hidden dip and after about half a mile I was climbing again
but eventually the promised descent did arrive and I let gravity do it's thing as the sun finally put in an appearance, so much so that after a very pleasant wind assisted spin along the valley bottom I stopped just before the bridge into Pool-in-Wharfedale to take my jacket off.
It was much warmer now, but still ridiculously windy. I briefly debated heading back along the other side of the river into Otley to then reverse my route climbing the long drag to the Dynely Arms, but decided to go the other way into Arthington and then tackle Creskeld Lane - a steeper but much shorter option.
In Arthington there was a final photo opportunity before the climb:
Creskeld Lane is well known around these parts and although it's a big hill to climb (for me anyway), it's not as steep as it's neighbour along the valley, Black Hill Road.
Officially it 'averages' 4.8%, but as you can see part of it is almost vertical...
So dropping down the gears and keeping it spinning. I was passed by a few cars, then by a couple of cyclists, then some more cars but after just a couple of days I arrived at the top, popped my lungs back in and took full advantage of the slight downhill through Bramhope to the Kings Road.
Up there, back down past Golden Acre Park, left and up to Five Lane Ends, past the golf course and up the hill to Alwoodley Lane and I was really feeling it now, so you can imagine my joy at reaching the top and fully exploiting the tailwind and general downhill-ness that was before me.
Across the A61, up Wigton Lane, through Slaid Hill and on to Shadwell. From there it was the twists and turns of Gateland Lane, where I met an articulated lorry who was clearly ignoring the "Not Suitable for HGV" signs and onto Whin Moor Lane, onto the A58 where I got a stupidly close pass from a plum in a red A3, then Red Hall Lane, back into the wind on Coal Road and local roads down to home.
40.85 miles (65.74km) in 3h 17m at an average of 12.3mph with 2,993ft climbed. I'll take that given the new route and amount of climbing involved, most of it seemingly into hurricane force winds
The forecasters couldn't agree on how strong the wind was going to be today, with forecasts anywhere between 10 and 25mph. It certainly felt at the top end of that scale out there, despite what Mr Garmin might suggest.
That said, it was a good route and in more amenable weather it would be a good run, with a leg over into the Washburn valley from Beckwithshaw easily pushing it up to an imperial half. A bit more fitness wouldn't go amiss either.
As it goes it's another metric half in the bag for the challenge and I got in a bit of off-roading, so all is good, even if I was on my chinstrap by the end.
And to end, a map
Fancying some new roads, I carefully plotted a route in Garmin Connect only to find it wouldn't save...oh well, I sort of knew where I was heading...
This morning the forecasters were now arguing amongst themselves, but it was dry and, so Mrs ND advised me "quite warm", so it was short sleeved top and bib shorts. On stepping into the garden, I stepped back in the house and added arm and knee warmers
Anyway, the familiar furrow up Coal Road, Skeltons Lane and the descent into Thorner. By this point I'd noted it was indeed a bit breezy but I'd cunningly planned it so I'd have the wind behind(ish) me to start, against me in the middle bit and then sort of behind me again for the last third of the loop.
Thorner leads to Milner Lane, East Rigton and along the ridge before dropping down Jewitt Lane into Collingham, across the A58 and a short sprint along the A659 before turning right for Linton over the bridge and straight on to the fringes of Wetherby where it was a tight left onto the Spofforth road up that hill.
Eventually you drop down the other side towards Stockeld Park, but now I was into the wind for the first time and despite going downhill I could feel the effects. The climb into Spofforth followed, through the village and past the castle heading for Follifoot.
It starts getting a bit lumpier from here on nice country lanes but I was always aware of the wind either in front or across me.
Follifoot is new territory for me on the bike and it seems a nice village, although their "Millennium Garden" seemed to have an awful lot of pampas grass in it. #justsaying
Leaving the village I was approaching a very busy A658 at the dog end of rush hour, so when I saw a sign for NCR67 leading down a very quiet parallel road I took that. I've commented on NCRs before and this one fell into the usual trap - after about half a mile the road ended at the route went onto a track. It looked a decent surface so I decided to stick with it, but as always it deteriorated the further away from the tarmac I got. Not ideal on a road bike with 25mm Gatorskins on.... It was also poorly sign posted, so I missed a turning and ended up on a bridleway. Fortunately it wasn't too muddy and I managed to keep it going until I eventually reached terra firma again, and I did provide a laugh for two ladies on horses who passed going the other way
Anyway a bit of faffing and I was back on route and heading for Pannal into the wind, eventually dropping down to cross the A61 and then down past the station and the climb out of the other side, heading up Spring Lane and Yew Tree Hill heading for Beckwithshaw, where it started raining as I approached the village.
After half a mile or so it was getting heavier so I stopped to put on my waterproof jacket and review the options and take a pic:
I was flagging a bit from cycling into the teeth of the maelstrom, but after a Snickers and a word with myself I decided to carry on.
Straight on and climbing into the wind again, I decided to bin off plans to extend the ride over into the Washburn Valley and stayed on Leathley Road, which had a few more lumps for me to "enjoy" before eventually promising me a long descent down into the Wharfe Valley.
By 'eck it was windy over the top. At times I was climbing in the granny gear, giving it everything I had and listening to the "auto pause" kicking in.
Anyway, what goes up must come down and at last the Wharfe Valley was spread out in front of me, and the idea of a couple of miles not having to do much work was very appealing, so I grabbed a quick pic and got rolling:
Sadly, there was a hidden dip and after about half a mile I was climbing again
but eventually the promised descent did arrive and I let gravity do it's thing as the sun finally put in an appearance, so much so that after a very pleasant wind assisted spin along the valley bottom I stopped just before the bridge into Pool-in-Wharfedale to take my jacket off.It was much warmer now, but still ridiculously windy. I briefly debated heading back along the other side of the river into Otley to then reverse my route climbing the long drag to the Dynely Arms, but decided to go the other way into Arthington and then tackle Creskeld Lane - a steeper but much shorter option.
In Arthington there was a final photo opportunity before the climb:
Creskeld Lane is well known around these parts and although it's a big hill to climb (for me anyway), it's not as steep as it's neighbour along the valley, Black Hill Road.
Officially it 'averages' 4.8%, but as you can see part of it is almost vertical...
So dropping down the gears and keeping it spinning. I was passed by a few cars, then by a couple of cyclists, then some more cars but after just a couple of days I arrived at the top, popped my lungs back in and took full advantage of the slight downhill through Bramhope to the Kings Road.
Up there, back down past Golden Acre Park, left and up to Five Lane Ends, past the golf course and up the hill to Alwoodley Lane and I was really feeling it now, so you can imagine my joy at reaching the top and fully exploiting the tailwind and general downhill-ness that was before me.
Across the A61, up Wigton Lane, through Slaid Hill and on to Shadwell. From there it was the twists and turns of Gateland Lane, where I met an articulated lorry who was clearly ignoring the "Not Suitable for HGV" signs and onto Whin Moor Lane, onto the A58 where I got a stupidly close pass from a plum in a red A3, then Red Hall Lane, back into the wind on Coal Road and local roads down to home.
40.85 miles (65.74km) in 3h 17m at an average of 12.3mph with 2,993ft climbed. I'll take that given the new route and amount of climbing involved, most of it seemingly into hurricane force winds
The forecasters couldn't agree on how strong the wind was going to be today, with forecasts anywhere between 10 and 25mph. It certainly felt at the top end of that scale out there, despite what Mr Garmin might suggest.
That said, it was a good route and in more amenable weather it would be a good run, with a leg over into the Washburn valley from Beckwithshaw easily pushing it up to an imperial half. A bit more fitness wouldn't go amiss either.
As it goes it's another metric half in the bag for the challenge and I got in a bit of off-roading, so all is good, even if I was on my chinstrap by the end.
And to end, a map
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Nightmare that bit of NCN67 - did you get off it before it descended in a very slippy uncycleable manner under the A658. Always avoid it - its safer doing a right turn on the A658.Follifoot is new territory for me on the bike and it seems a nice village, although their "Millennium Garden" seemed to have an awful lot of pampas grass in it. #justsaying
Leaving the village I was approaching a very busy A658 at the dog end of rush hour, so when I saw a sign for NCR67 leading down a very quiet parallel road I took that. I've commented on NCRs before and this one fell into the usual trap - after about half a mile the road ended at the route went onto a track. It looked a decent surface so I decided to stick with it, but as always it deteriorated the further away from the tarmac I got. Not ideal on a road bike with 25mm Gatorskins on.... It was also poorly sign posted, so I missed a turning and ended up on a bridleway. Fortunately it wasn't too muddy and I managed to keep it going until I eventually reached terra firma again, and I did provide a laugh for two ladies on horses who passed going the other way
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
Sadly not - I was concentrating so hard on not falling off on the muddy descent that I missed the turning to the underpass and ended up on the bridleway that eventually climbs up onto Hagg Lane. I think next time I'll risk a few hundred yards on the main road.
iancity
Veteran
- Location
- Ashington, Northumberland
No pics, no stats, just a b**tard headwind! Windsock (great website) shows that 90% of my ride in was into a headwind although I didn't need telling, was really tough this morning, 18 miles at a paltry 11.7mph.
Thought I would fly home, but obviously the God of cycling decreed that thy wind must change direction, 20 miles at 12.7
Bit of a slog then :-)
Thought I would fly home, but obviously the God of cycling decreed that thy wind must change direction, 20 miles at 12.7
Bit of a slog then :-)
damj
Well-Known Member
You're a clever chap. Not far wrong. I haven't actually gone that far east before. Usually stick to Wear and Tees valley's. Got lost a few times on the way there. On the way back I thought I'd get to Stanley then drop down to Lanchester, following the Deerness path. But I started to get a bit panicky, Washington seemed never ending. I spotted a route for Durham and ended up following the A167 on the A690. Pleased I did, virtually all of my route was on designated tarmacked smooth cycle lanes.
Cheers
jayonabike
Powered by caffeine & whisky
- Location
- Hertfordshire
First proper ride on my single speed since I built it up.
Met up with a mate who was on his Langster at 9 for a couple of hours blast. John had plotted the route, fairly flattish with 3 gentle climbs. I think the gearing on my bike is about right at 44-16. Out of the 3 climbs I stayed seated up 2, the climb up to Dunstable downs and Pedley hill to Studham. Ivinghoe Aston was a mix of seated and standing but that is fairly steep in parts. On the flats we were chipping along at 20-22 mph which I'm happy with.
Really enjoyed today, the steel framed bike is a joy to ride, so smooth and quiet.
So a short ride of just 34 miles at 16.7mph average speed
View attachment 378579
Met up with a mate who was on his Langster at 9 for a couple of hours blast. John had plotted the route, fairly flattish with 3 gentle climbs. I think the gearing on my bike is about right at 44-16. Out of the 3 climbs I stayed seated up 2, the climb up to Dunstable downs and Pedley hill to Studham. Ivinghoe Aston was a mix of seated and standing but that is fairly steep in parts. On the flats we were chipping along at 20-22 mph which I'm happy with.
Really enjoyed today, the steel framed bike is a joy to ride, so smooth and quiet.
So a short ride of just 34 miles at 16.7mph average speed
View attachment 378579
Suggest next time take Haggs Lane from just after the bridge on the road out of Spofforth - far straighter than the road to Follifoot and not used by buses (normally). Never quite understood why NCN67 follows the road through Follifoot when Haggs Lane is a safer cycling route.Sadly not - I was concentrating so hard on not falling off on the muddy descent that I missed the turning to the underpass and ended up on the bridleway that eventually climbs up onto Hagg Lane. I think next time I'll risk a few hundred yards on the main road.
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
Even before I woke this morning I knew I had a humdinger of a headache, and I didn't drink any booze last night! Bad news.
My ride started from my work greenhouses. Last year I was lazy and I left all my citrus trees outside at home, I nearly lost my best one. So with trees and my bike in Patrick's van we set off. All sorted.
I left Cambridge heading for Grantchester and Trumpington. The first 5 or so miles were frustrating, stop, start, stop. By the time I'd gone through Shelford I was able to roll without hindrance, although the headwind was trying its best!
Plenty of kestrels and buzzards about today.
The field maple in the hedges are turning a nice colour but this wind ought to abate, otherwise lots of it will be gone.
Across the A10 and into Haslingfield. Up over the hill and down to Barrington. No speed record again due to the wind. Here's the church looking lovely
Through the village and out the other side. On the way to Orwell I saw a sugar beet dinosaur
Through Orwell and the sun vanished
It stayed like that for the rest of the ride. Still warm though.
Up Old Wimpole hill and along the A1198 and a loop around The Gransdens. I'd intended to go further, but my head was thumping.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1229506443
My ride started from my work greenhouses. Last year I was lazy and I left all my citrus trees outside at home, I nearly lost my best one. So with trees and my bike in Patrick's van we set off. All sorted.
I left Cambridge heading for Grantchester and Trumpington. The first 5 or so miles were frustrating, stop, start, stop. By the time I'd gone through Shelford I was able to roll without hindrance, although the headwind was trying its best!
Plenty of kestrels and buzzards about today.
The field maple in the hedges are turning a nice colour but this wind ought to abate, otherwise lots of it will be gone.
Across the A10 and into Haslingfield. Up over the hill and down to Barrington. No speed record again due to the wind. Here's the church looking lovely
Through the village and out the other side. On the way to Orwell I saw a sugar beet dinosaur
Through Orwell and the sun vanished
It stayed like that for the rest of the ride. Still warm though.
Up Old Wimpole hill and along the A1198 and a loop around The Gransdens. I'd intended to go further, but my head was thumping.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1229506443
