Your ride today....

[Reynard]

Another one here who went out on the bike looking like Bibendum; winter gloves, beanie, four layers up top, two below the waist and two lots of thermal socks under a pair of walking shoes. Nothing special, just an 8 mile loop to Littleport and back, but by 'eck, that wind was cold. My face went numb, would you believe, despite the fleecy buff.

Still, felt so good to be out; fabby skies at teatime with the low sun and the brooding clouds, and the odd snow flurry spinning around on the easterly and swans heading towards the washes. Met one cyclist coming the other way - a chap in road worker type high vis on a hybrid. I usually see him out at this time of day, and he always waves to me.

Shame to see the dumped mattress is still there, and someone else has dumped a broken gazebo and a car seat on the opposite side of the road.

The hedges have been trimmed. Good, normally, but they've cut my favourite stand of filberts right back, so I doubt I'll get any nuts off there this year.

Needed several hot to help me thaw out afterwards.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Bike selected; CGR (as I knew there'd be damp/mucky roads, & I might venture onto bridleways)
Weather; overcast. rather cold, mainly dry, west wind on the return
Photographs from today (unless captioned otherwise)

I had intended heading out towards Aberford/Saxton/Sherburn-in-Elmet, but headed south-west instead
Didn't have a lot of time to do so

It was just a case of down to Winterton Hill (halfway along Normanton bypass), heading up the long-drag to the Welbeck roundabouts
A left turn, at the PineApple, onto Crossley Street

Across to Sharlston Church (St Pauls?), then left alongside Spring Green Garden Centre
(at this point, on a clear day, the view extends to the WindFarm above the Calder Valley (between Wainstalls & Oxenhope)

Across the Doncaster Road (A638), by the Cock & Crown
Down to the site of the old Wakefield Police driver training centre & skid-pan (now transferred to Carr Gate, next to jct 41/M1)

Up the climb to Crofton High School, past the (now named) 'Goose & Cowslip', with its Titus Salt links
Round past 'The Slipper' (pub, now flats)
I often wonder why this name, was it a reference to the Pit Baths?, but they may have been communal, rather than individual (as in a 'slipper bath')

Round towards Wintersett village, past the 'Anglers Retreat' pub

A quick nip down to Angers Country Park, & the café there, to see if any of my running club were there (they usually start/finish here on a Sunday)
No-one, but I did have a conversation with a couple, where the lady was riding a Planet-X 'London Road' (to compare it to my CGR)

A retrace of the tyre-tracks, as far as Wintersett, then a right turn onto Back Lane, joining Swine Lane after a couple of miles
Another left headed me over the Wakefield - Doncaster - Kings Cross railway, and past Nostell Brickworks

A right turn onto Doncaster Road, through Wragby, to the roundabout
Left onto Went Lane, back towards Purston Jaglin
Past this memorial
No date recorded


Over the traffic-lighted bridge crossing the Went Beck (1)
Joining the road from High Ackwoth

Into Featherstone, then a right at the crossroads
Up through the town centre, with a bumpy level crossing, that I remember from years ago, being almost constantly closed, due to incessant coal trains merry-go-rounding to the Power Stations

Back through the industrial estate/light units, along Green Lane
Across the roundabout on Commonside Lane, towards Old Snydale

Past the Stables, & Snydale Hall (2)

Past the Cross Keys
Wednesday 12th November 2014


Back down to the Winterton Hill roundabout, & straight across, towards home
With one divert, to see how the renovated (& messed about with - to my eyes) 'Hanson House' was getting on, I've not really looked, at it from the front since it was sold (3)
https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101253748-hanson-house-farm-normanton#.WpRme0x2vIU
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42051362.html

No date recorded



From the Grave Yard, of Normanton Parish Church








(1) This is the creation of the River Went by the confluence of a number of smaller streams
It runs through, & the crossing gives the village its name..... WentBridge

(2) Many years ago, we almost bought the (divided) converted Coach-House, but the list of work required for a mortage was scary
It still had gas-lights, & the piping!!
Round pin sockets

(3) I had a look round it, by 'sweet-talking' the owner, & showing him a HSMO publication that featured it, not long after we moved here
(that was when I took the 'before' pictures)

 

[PeteXXX]

Wrapped up well, and fuelled by porage, I set out for a circuit of the town on my CX once the early morning chill had passed and had warmed up to about 0c.
Using the Washlands path to save riding on tarmac, I was happy to see a few other riders and joggers out to enjoy the sunny morning. As yesterday, I saw a few folks wearing shorts... My knees really, I mean really, wouldn't like that

With Northampton being famous for shoe making, I stopped to put the boot in. These particular boots are on Ambush Street. No idea why though.

On through Kings Heath, I picked up the Brampton Valley Way, Sustrans Route 6, to get to Pitsford Res via Merry Tom Lane.

The puddles were a bit crunchy along there, and around the Res. Still, it is February after all..

Nice out though

Not needing proper sustenance on a shortish ride, I eschewed the wedges, and thought an Ice Cream was in order.
Lemon Crunch, to be exact, with a bonus Flake!
Washed down with a nice black coffee.

Not being sure which road to take home, I decided on half a circuit of the res and then roads, up the hill to Holcot then Sywell and the the old A4500 for the last mile.

A refreshing 25 miles, in zero degrees, with a darned nippy wind dropping the temperature a bit more.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1426871409

 

[Jon George]

View attachment 397574

Ice cream? I like your style!

 

[PeteXXX]

Ice cream? I like your style!

Luckily, it didn't melt!

 

[Reynard]

Luckily, it didn't melt!

Reckon you'd have needed a hammer and chisel to eat that...

 

[PeteXXX]

Reckon you'd have needed a hammer and chisel to eat that...

It's actually better than have it dribble down your sleeve in the summer!

 

[Reynard]

It's actually better than have it dribble down your sleeve in the summer!

Then you ain't eating it fast enough!

 

[13 rider]

Day off work and 20 miles short of the strava monthly distance challenge a ride was called for . Woke to light snow nothing settling waited for a break and went for it . Newtown Linford and on to Polly Botts lane climb which used to be regular climb of mine but hadn't done for a while . Halfway up I remembered why just on to steep bit it starts to snow then came across and icy patch didn't fancy ride over it so a 5 yard walk then have to start on the hill . Round the back of Markfield to Thorton down and up past the reservoir . Ratby ,Groby back to Anstey with a few loops to make the distance . Home with a monthly target 1km above the required amount and with a day to spare, last month I needed the last day . Had about every weather condition you could get from glorious sunshine to full on blizzard all with a bitter wind almost perfect conditions . Glad the miles are in the bank because according to the forecasters snowmegedon is coming

 

[Mrs M]

Feel a wee bit guilty posting this as the weather so bad at home
Took my hired Norco Sasquatch out for it’s first spin this morning
Time flies as they say, away for 2 and a half hours. Paths were too busy so went way off-road and had great fun. Maybe overdid it a bit for the first ride though, feel a little will need a lie down

 

[Jon George]

Same route as yesterday. (Just to say I did it. )
Put the studded tyres on Patsy #3 The Hybrid and rediscovered the joys of independent steering whenever she felt like. Great fun.

This near Levington

 

[Elysian_Roads]

View attachment 397692 View attachment 397691 View attachment 397691 Feel a wee bit guilty posting this as the weather so bad at home
Took my hired Norco Sasquatch out for it’s first spin this morning
Time flies as they say, away for 2 and a half hours. Paths were too busy so went way off-road and had great fun. Maybe overdid it a bit for the first ride though, feel a little will need a lie down

Great view @Mrs M. Where is it?

 

[13 rider]

Great view @Mrs M. Where is it?

I think it's just outside Aberdeen or possible the Canary islands both look the same at this time of year

 

[Mrs M]

Great view @Mrs M. Where is it?

It’s near the lighthouse beside Faro Park in Playa Blanca

 

[Crackle]

In a vague act of complacent incompetence I left my half century challenge ride until this week which turned out to be a bigger act of incompetence than usual when I woke up to a few inches of snow.

My early morning dog walk reconnoitre told me all the minor roads were quite snowy and slippy and the main roads full of slush at the sides which put the road bike out and the Wirral Way was quite deep in a few spots which might have made for tough going on 38mm tyres of the Marin so I decided to do it on my FF29'er, mostly off road and minor roads. As it turned out by the time I set off to go, the sun had come out and changed road and trail conditions but it was too late I was already committed.

So off down the Wirral Way and across Burton Marshes, up to Capenhurst and then back down to re-join the Wirral Way for a 55K total.

The last 10 miles saw snow showers and the temperature drop to -2 with the wind getting up and me getting quite cold despite the cafe stop. So I was quite glad to reach the end.

35 miles is the most I've ever done on the 29er, must get a better saddle if I plan to do that again!