Your ride today....

[mybike]

OH decided that she had to try to catch up with my ride the other day. So we set off in a northerly direction along the canal. In this direction it is quite noticeable how much more bumpy the ride is, plus you are going uphill. As we get further north the bridges change from being fairly modern constructions to the humpback, beloved of the motorist. In the six days since I rode this way there's been a lot of growth and everywhere looks greener. Once again, when the sun was out it made for brilliant reflections.

With lots of white fluffy clouds in abundance - you could make up a song.

The railway passes close by for a lot of the route.

You could almost imagine they were hanging up to dry

One of those low bridges in the distance.

This lonesome goose seemed to think we might have something to eat.

The heron seemed far less friendly, maybe it was because we interrupted its plans.

It stalked off, demonstrating that it really is shallower away from the towpath.

Oh, I forgot. 9.3miles (to take in a visit to Sainsbos) average 5.5mph

 

[BigonaBianchi]

162km & 2283m Climb today in the Kyrenia Mountains Northern Cyprus. Bloody Marvelous!
http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.com/2015/04/between-twin-castles.html

 

[mooseracer]

162km & 2283m Climb today in the Kyrenia Mountains Northern Cyprus. Bloody Marvelous!
http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.com/2015/04/between-twin-castles.html

I rode those mountains last year and found them "challenging". Hoping to get out to Kyrenia again in June if the hip/fitness is good enough to warrant the trip.

 

[surfdude]

my first 20 mile ride since my back went in October . only done 129 miles this year but things feeling good so hoping the miles will increase . only thing i want to know is has gravity increased since i last rode as the hills nearly killed me .

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I rode those mountains last year and found them "challenging". Hoping to get out to Kyrenia again in June if the hip/fitness is good enough to warrant the trip.

They are tough...but worth every second of it! Yesterdays ride is without doubt the best scenic ride I've ever done anywhere. June will be very hot here!!

 

[Elybazza61]

Nice sunny commute in today with a pootle along the riverside cycle path;city section had some added moving chicanes apart from the usual walkers,runners and rowing coaches;

Planet X taking a break in the Cambridge sun;

Finished with a stop for provisions at a posh supermarket;this is Cambridge and standards have to be kept.

https://www.strava.com/activities/293984252

 

[Archeress]

Just a little loop for me today, 11.5 miles. Very windy however so it made it hard going. The horses at my usual stop declined to come and see me, so I ate the apple I had taken for them later on with a view of the old Severn Crossing in the distance. Ride is here: https://www.strava.com/activities/294045169/overview

Hugs
Archeress x

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

OH decided that she had to try to catch up with my ride the other day. So we set off in a northerly direction along the canal. In this direction it is quite noticeable how much more bumpy the ride is, plus you are going uphill. As we get further north the bridges change from being fairly modern constructions to the humpback, beloved of the motorist. In the six days since I rode this way there's been a lot of growth and everywhere looks greener. Once again, when the sun was out it made for brilliant reflections.

View attachment 87094

With lots of white fluffy clouds in abundance - you could make up a song.

View attachment 87095

The railway passes close by for a lot of the route.

View attachment 87096

You could almost imagine they were hanging up to dry

View attachment 87097

One of those low bridges in the distance.

View attachment 87098

This lonesome goose seemed to think we might have something to eat.

View attachment 87099

The heron seemed far less friendly, maybe it was because we interrupted its plans.

View attachment 87100

It stalked off, demonstrating that it really is shallower away from the towpath.

Oh, I forgot. 9.3miles (to take in a visit to Sainsbos) average 5.5mph

I love your photos. Thank you.
The heron especially is excellent.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I love your photos. Thank you.
The heron especially is excellent.

Deserves consideration for the Cycling Photo Challenge.

 

[mooseracer]

They are tough...but worth every second of it! Yesterdays ride is without doubt the best scenic ride I've ever done anywhere. June will be very hot here!!

Yes, it was June last year that I was there - I think the heat was what made the climbs so tough (that and the fact I was on a clunky hired mtb). If I go this year I'll take the road bike with me as out of towns the roads are superb.

Not that you need telling that!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Yes, it was June last year that I was there - I think the heat was what made the climbs so tough (that and the fact I was on a clunky hired mtb). If I go this year I'll take the road bike with me as out of towns the roads are superb.

Not that you need telling that!

I find the climbs (like anyI guess) are much easier when you are familier with them. It's a mind game mostly, the heat isn't going to help, which is why we dont ride in June July august, but if yoy know the climb well you can judge it and pace it better. Riding a new climb in 40c+ could be tough. Yep, the roads all over Northern Cyprus are superb, especially away from Kyrenia/Famagusta towns....the mountain roads are superb as well, even the one lane narrow ones, the entire place was designed for road cyclists withoutt the planners even knowing it lol!

 

[jhawk]

Nice sunny commute in today with a pootle along the riverside cycle path;city section had some added moving chicanes apart from the usual walkers,runners and rowing coaches;

View attachment 87146

View attachment 87149

Those cows are on the moooooooooove!

... I'll get my coat.

 

[mybike]

I love your photos. Thank you.
The heron especially is excellent.

Thank you.

We seem to have a few herons on the canal, sometimes seen perched next to the fake one in a tree that I imagine is designed to dissuade it.

 

[Donger]

My ride a couple of days back: With the help of a bargain hotel deal and cashing in our Tesco Club Card points for a crossing on Eurotunnel, Mrs Donger had arranged a short trip to France for a couple of nights in the Pas de Calais. Better still, she even said "You can take the bike if you like".
Woohoo! Didn't need asking twice. (That girl's a keeper).

As the travel dates got closer, so the weather forecasts got progressively worse. Never mind. I was determined to enjoy it anyway.
Turns out I needn't have worried, as the Met Office had it totally wrong and it was gloriously sunny (though breezy) and mild on Monday.
Got up at stupid o'clock to start my ride from Wimereux before dawn. The whole town was still asleep apart from me.

Set off up the hill and along the coast to Ambleteuse, navigating old school, using my trusty "flatnav" device.

It was a lovely ride through the dunes, with occasional views across to the English coast. The above path apart, Ambleteuse itself had probably some of the worst road surfaces I have come across ... lots of potholes and cobblestones worthy of Paris-Roubaix, but I ventured down to the seafront to take a look at the "Fort des Caps".

Carried on past Audresselles and hung a left for cap Gris-Nez in glorious sunshine, with spectacular views of the White Cliffs of Dover.

Rode down to the sea's edge, before riding back up a nice sweeping hill to the old German bunkers and blockhouses on the clifftop.

Still almost nobody around by the time I reached the carpark, so I was able to cycle out along the footpaths and boardwalks between the bunkers of Hitler's "Atlantic Wall" and take in the views on my own.

If anyone is getting homesick by this point, here's a gratuitous shot of dear old Blighty:

Turned the bike around and headed off back to our hotel in Wimereux, deciding to take the inland route along some little country lanes through the fields. Suddenly discovered quite how strong the North wind was that I had been battling through on the way North, as I shot along the lanes at 25-30mph, overtaking a tractor with ease on my way. Loved it so much, I stopped only once for a photo..... but the views were great all the way.

Wow! What a ride. These are the sort of days that remind me why I do all the repetitive training rides in all weathers. When you get a glorious sunny day and a bit of unridden road ahead of you on your holidays abroad, it is just fantastic to be able to go exploring with confidence, and know that you can get up any hills you come across. This was a glorious ride, and one that I'd recommend to anyone who can get themselves across the Channel for a day trip. I think it is only about 35 miles along the D940 coast road all the way from Calais to Boulogne, so anyone who can do 40 miles in a day could get themselves from the ferry port at Calais to Cap Gris-Nez (or just beyond) and back in a day. Up above Cap Blanc-Nez near Escalles the D940 throws in some lovely S bends and a long sweeping descent (Southwards) or climb (Northwards) to add some further interest without ever getting quite steep enough to deter hill haters. All the villages along the way have snack bars and cafes, and I reckon it would be a wonderful day out on a bike.
Here is a map:

I was planning to do a second ride before breakfast the next morning. Unfortunately, one look out of the window revealed birds flying backwards and a selection of national flags flying so straight they looked like they were made of sheet metal. Must have been a 40-50mph West wind, and it just wasn't safe. A couple of hours later, it had died down quite a bit, but a little group of young kids were playing footy on the beach, and every one of them was still bending it like Beckham with every touch. Never mind. You can't have it all. I was so glad I took the bike anyway, because Monday's ride was among my very best in the last 7 years since I started cycling. Loved it, and recommend it. Go on, give it a go!
Cheers, Donger.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Today was the day I had my first 20 miler planned. It has taken a while coming and to be honest, when I woke to rain on the windows this morning, I was less than impressed, but the weather got steadily better through the morning and by 8:30am was looking decent. A quick venture out to unlock the trike very quickly told me how warm it was not and I very quickly revised my clothing wisely putting on long fingered gloves as it turned out.

It is looking nice behind me!
My initial route was as before, so there were no surprises and I was soon making progress and heading through Delamere Forest, somewhere I haven't been to for quite a while. After Delamere Forest, I turned off up a road I hadn't done before, so the next series of ups and downs came as a bit of a surprise to me and more accurately my legs! I knew this route had more climbing in it, that was the whole idea, but I sat in my bottom gear for rather longer than I was expecting!

Time for a snack I think! And why not do so with a view? Some closeups. I love the light in the next 2 pictures.

A break in the clouds and suddenly the landscape is transformed...

From there it was out for more climbing and yet more climbed and roads I don't know and somehow haven't been on before. I think I might have to do a lot more exploring as part of my getting fit and getting back out doing distances again... I could enjoy it.

A chance glance left on a left hand bend and well I just had to stop. I know its the inside of a bend, but its a quite country lane and I've not had any cars come passed have I?

A slight scrambled onto the grass verge (no more than a couple of feet from my trike) and well, I know the 1st picture is what I saw, but somehow it is the 2nd picture that my mind remembers!

After here, it was onto lanes that were vaguely familiar and then onto lanes that were completely familiar. I had rigged the route so that the first half was challenging and then the 2nd half was something I already knew and knew how much energy was needed for etc. I hadn't counted on the weather mind you. Up until now, I had managed to avoid all the squalls coming through. The last half hour of the ride wasn't so lucky with 2 such squalls getting me and both included hailstones which I wasn't really ready for.

Whilst I was stopped to take this picture (and there would have been more if the camera card hadn't filled up ) 2 cyclists stopped alongside my trike and started to talk with me. I was at this stage doing the drunk can't walk in a straight line act - holding onto a gate for support and working out how to get back to my trike an entire 1.5m away but on grass. Part way through the conversation about trikes and recumbents came the comment "Are you SatNavSaysStraightOn?" . @Tail End Charlie it was nice meeting you and I do hope you didn't get as wet as I did when that next squall came through and that you had a good ride! and apologies for not remembering the name - I am horrendous at them. I really thought I had remembered it right up until I started making the sourdough!

20.5 miles with 955 feet of climbing...7.9mph, I guess not too bad. http://www.strava.com/activities/294733608