Your ride today....

[galaxy]

Once again, time for an instalment of the ICAM challenge yesterday.

It was close to a perfect November day. A little patchy rain early on, but absolutely no frost. A gentle drift from the north-west, strengthening a little in the afternoon, and as that's where the weather was brightening from it was always going to a trip to Herefordshire. I set of before 6:30am, soon escaping the Gloucester roads which were already very busy. I have a number of routes towards Hereford and it's hard to find any stretches which are completely new, but I just managed it.

The broad expanse of the Lugg valley north of Hereford has a number of quietish roads providing a good route to the wilder lands, but the overnight rain and farming activity meant I soon had a filthy bike. After Bush Bank on the Knighton road I picked a little road to Ivington, also extremely muddy, then skirting Leominster I rejoined the Knighton road through Aymestrey and Wigmore. This took me almost to the river Teme, before I turned southwards along a very pretty road through Lingen back to the Lugg near Presteigne. Lingen has a fine motte and bailey which could be worth a closer look. Reaching the river again, a little kink in the Welsh border meant I slipped into Wales for a matter of seconds.

I crossed my outward route at Kingsland, where there's yet another crossing of the Lugg - one of six on the day:

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It's starting to look quite wintry at times. The frequent chack-chack-chack fron the fieldfares certainly reinforces the impression.

After Leominster there's a lengthy stretch of A-road, which is OK. It serves a purpose on a ride like this. I finally left it at the village of Ashperton, where this view to the Malverns appeared:

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From there it's pretty standard stuff through Ledbury and Dymock, the early start meaning there was no issue with light, and the Cotswolds looked quite impressive in the afternoon sun.

A mildly interesting quirk is that Strava's FlyBy showed me to have crossed paths with absolutely nobody - in 119 miles. You'll struggle to find a better day at this time of year.

At Leominster you were 4 miles from my house. If you wevere
This way again doors always open. Kettles always on. Being a fatty there’s always cake too

 

[galaxy]

Only had time for a short ride today. Just as well I think everyone was out to get me today. Riding up through Leysters. Some Pratt over took on a corner almost took me out coming my way on Wrong side of road. Leaving Leysters a Tractor made a very close pass. Almost back home and a Pheasant flew out the hedge and almost took the front wheel out. Just as well it was only 14 miles. Lol

 

[Donger]

Looks like you're at Dean Forest Bikes in the first pic, Donger ?

That's the one. Packed to the rafters in there, it was. The second café stop was Chez Pascal in Ledbury .... much quieter, and by far the best collection of cakes I've ever seen at a café stop.

 

[Donger]

Only had time for a short ride today. Just as well I think everyone was out to get me today. Riding up through Leysters. Some Pratt over took on a corner almost took me out coming my way on Wrong side of road. Leaving Leysters a Tractor made a very close pass. Almost back home and a Pheasant flew out the hedge and almost took the front wheel out. Just as well it was only 14 miles. Lol

We had a bit of a moment yesterday, too. My mate Paul was building up a head of steam downhill just outside Mitcheldean when an idiot in a Landrover pulled out slowly from the left, towing a huge trailer full of straw bales. Impressive skid, that. I really thought Paul was going under that trailer, or head first into a pile of straw .... though I joked afterwards that it would probably have been the most comfortable crash possible.

 

[Old jon]

Not quite so bright this morning. The weather that is, and perhaps me as well. But dry and warm enough to take the fixed out for a ride. The geared bike could have been taken but I had the thought that the only way to become fit enough to ride the fixed is to do just that. So I did.

Starting off with the wander around Holbeck while thinking about which route to take, the direction of Otley seemed good. Office Lock, towpath to Viaduct Road and ooops! Today is the day of the Abbey Dash, a run from central Leeds to Kirkstall Abbey, or maybe the other way around but it involves Kirkstall Road. Which I would have to cross. Forget that, just do not need the hassle. Stay on the towpath. It has a couple of short hills and of course very little traffic. And not a lot to write about either. Travelling east, Kirkstall is after Armley Mills Museum, and if you look right the abbey is just in sight. The top of the tower anyway. Pedal onwards and Bramley Falls lock is reached, its hill is abrupt and steep enough to stand out of the saddle. The next lock is at Newlay and that hill was harder. And that is about it for the 300 feet of climbing for the morning’s sixteen and a quarter miles. I rode on to Rodley and discovered a lack of edibles, I had forgotten my banana! Ah well, turn around and head home. Riding on the road appealed a bit and then did not, so back along the towpath it was. Scenery is different from the other side, usually, and the peace of the canal side works well. And a bit of video had to be taken, with no canal in it . . .

After the end of the video, back past the marina ( that is what they call it ) and Armley Mills and aye, the view in this direction is better. Return to Holbeck and the inevitable squiggle through what was once a mucky hive of industry and up the road to home. A short ride, but enjoyable. Is it compulsory to smile when you see your front door?

No straight lines at all

 

[bruce1530]

An “out and back” up the coast today - from Saltcoats, a flat-ish 20km to Largs, then another 5 along to just before Skelmorlie. Turned there, and back by the same route to give me a 50k. Coffee stop at Largs. Just about all on the A78.

Didn’t look too windy before I left.

Going out, it felt like there was a very gentle breeze at my back.
Coming back, it felt like I was riding into a gale :-)

My return trip took about 20 mins longer than my outward.

 

[cyberknight]

Tough one today
Just started back after a month of no club rides what with MrsCK being ill
Didnt eat properly last night as there was not enough to go around due to a " looks enough there " plan so i had sarnies
cold wet which my hands dont like
Anyway managed 60 miles but pish poor for me as i had to be pulled around for half the ride

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[cyberknight]

 

[NorthernDave]

With stuff to do today I hadn't anticipated getting a ride in, but when an hour or so came up late morning it would have been rude to refuse, wouldn't it?

Out on the Giant again, mainly due to the fact that it was still out from yesterday and was ready to go. Breezy again today, although considerably improved on yesterday but very grey - no sunshine or blue sky peeking through.

With absolutely no plan in mind other than not heading towards Thorner (nothing wrong with Thorner, but I've been there on my last few rides) I headed down to Barwick Road and had a sudden idea to go find out why two old segments on Barrowby Lane have vanished off Garmin.

So, through the streets of Manston and on to Barrowby Lane past the former tank factory. It's been shut for years (thanks Tony Blair) but they've finally got on with demolishing it - more on this soon.
Past the industrial units and on the edge of the countryside lots of cones, temporary fencing and the like along with a brand new road surface. There have been plans for a new link road here for a long time, but it's finally happening and much of the former Barrowby Lane is gone, vanished under earth works and embankments, with what looks like a temporary road curving round the works to access the farm and amateur football ground that lie beyond.
So that will be why the segments have gone - the road no longer exists! They were the first segments I set a time on when I returned to cycling and for a (very) brief period I was the fastest cyclist on earth along there*. Still, nothing lasts forever.

So I retraced my route back along the lane and diversion and stopped at the former tank factory for a couple of pics by the gatehouse before it's all gone. Not quite the usual scenic views, but it makes a change doesn't it?

This was a massive building - reportedly the longest single building in Europe at one time.
To give an idea just how big it was here an aerial pic from Google pre-demolition:

Anyhow, back on the bike and on my way back up to Barwick Road, over Cock Beck and the long straight incline up to Scholes, where someone has painted "Stevo Cheat" on the road surface (Strava Wars?), past the Coronation Tree and then on again towards Barwick.
Unlike yesterday when it felt like hard work I was enjoying things much more today so decided to carry on to Aberford.
On the descent out of Barwick I passed the new Tina's Tea Rooms (which @Old jon mentioned recently), which might warrant a visit soon.
Over Cock Beck again and the climb up Cattle Lane before the ups and downs into Aberford.
Conscious of the time, I turned round here and retraced my outbound route back to Barwick and then Scholes, before dropping down Leeds Road and onto local roads up to home, with just long enough to round the mileage up with a loop around the block.

16.05 miles (25.83km) in 1h 15m at an average of 12.8mph with 885ft climbed.

Happy enough with that for today, and it makes it 3 rides in 3 days - it must be addictive this cycling. Quite happy with the average speed given the amount of pootling about early in the ride too.

And to end, the map:

* - from a very limited number who'd actually ridden down there...

 

[Mike_P]

Where are my cycling glasses-....10 minutes later, where are my... Hopefully I have left them in the office so a rather bulky pair of over sunglasses on top of normal spectacles.

Given its Guy Fawkes Eve the one place to go through was Scotton so it was out and back through their with a loop further on through Arkendale and Staveley and fast back to Ripley on the B6165, somewhat faster than normal with a string of Strava PRs as I targeted a cyclist in front.

Outbound on the B6165

Guy Fawkes on the gable end of the public house named after him

Long straight towards Farnham

Ferrensby

Pub and church in Arkendale

En route to Staveley

25.09 miles 1192ft climbed 15.1mph avg with route that turned out a bit like a cartoon stork

 

[Mr Celine]

Winter seems to have disappeared again, 12C, dry and a light wind from the south, so I took the summer bike out again. A clockwise circuit, stopping first at Hiltonshill Toll where I crossed the roman road, which they no doubt called the A LXVIII. Here's a picture of it looking north with the site of their signal station on Eildon Hill North in the distance.

South west from here before turning north again over the Woll climb. In current state of fitness I was never going to break any records so took my time and stopped to say hello to these ponies. The white one promptly tried to eat my shifter!

Further up the hill I stopped for a photo of these rather striking looking sheep. Or perhaps wearing badger masks left over from halloween.

It must have been raining hard somewhere yesterday as all the rivers were full, including the Ettrick.

The map -

41.6 miles @ 14.4 mph, 2625 feet ascent.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Looks like you're at Dean Forest Bikes in the first pic, Donger ?

Indeed. I think that is one of the controls.

 

[Jon George]

Bagged this month's 50k, today, out to the north of Ipswich. Lovely riding weather, but a bit of a bummer occurred within a few miles from home - for the second time, in a couple of months, I've witnessed a Muntjac being struck by a car. I won't provide the details, but it was quick.

Oh, tried a porridge recipe for breakfast - so good, that I forgot to eat in the first hour and a bit, and subsequently felt a bit of a bonk coming on, and had to slow.

Ignoring the downsides (I was also over-dressed), being out on a bike did me a power of good.
I'd highly recommend it ...

 

[C R]

A damp ride today. The forecast was for some probability of rain in the morning, so I was uhming and ahing last night whether to go out or not. At the end I decided I would check and decide in the morning. When I got up it didn't seem too bad, so decided I would go out. The plan was to go up to Malvern, and get up the Wyche if the legs allowed.

Out at quarter to seven, with some light drizzle, but ready for rain. Started out via the Carrington bridge, past the Powick roundabout, on towards the turn for Bransford. The drizzle was getting heavier at times, but still no proper rain.

Past Bransford daylight was starting to break through, but there was a lot of mist, and the Malverns were completely hidden. At Leigh Sinton took a short break, and then the ascent for Malvern started. It didn't feel as hard as the previous time, though looking at the time taken I was quite a bit slower, which probably explains. Even so, by the time I reached the top at Great Malvern my legs didn't want any more climbing, so turned left to go down the High Street, and on to Barnards Green.

After Barnards Green I headed for Welland, past the Three Counties showground. As I reached Welland the drizzle was finally disappearing, and after turning towards Upton I could see some blue sky far back over the Cotswolds.

Upton came quick, and then it was a fairly uneventful run back through Earls Croome, Kinnersley and Pirton.

30.8 miles, at 13.3 mph. I am getting very consistent at being three to four hundred metres short of the metric half.

 

[Dave 123]

@Mr Celine

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerry_Hill_sheep