Your ride today....

[Rickshaw Phil]

A glorious day to have a birthday, today. Started the day by heading off out on my 29th club ride of the year. Great company (11 of us in all) and glorious sunny, cloudless weather. We did a pretty flat ride in the Berkeley Vale, out via Stonehouse, Eastington, Cambridge, Gossington and Purton before stopping at Berkeley for cakes. Disappointingly, the yurt at Berkeley Castle was closed, and will be until 1 April 2019, so we had to do an about turn and head for the Berkeley Tea Rooms instead. Strangely, the headwind we'd ridden into to get to Berkeley had changed to a headwind all the way home .... and it was a bit of a slog back up the A38 to Frampton. Another great ride out, though. Got to chat to just about everybody at one time or another along the way, and ended up with another 41.3 miles to add to my year's total. When I got home, I tore into my prezzies and have been sat admiring my new Brooks saddle and saddle bag combo. Apparently there is some sort of wizardry required to soften up the leather before I use it for the first time ..... something about olive oil and leather conditioner and heating it up, etc, etc. Takes me back to my days of preparing the perfect battle-ready conker.
Cheers, Donger.

Happy Birthday.

 

[gavgav]

A glorious day to have a birthday, today. Started the day by heading off out on my 29th club ride of the year. Great company (11 of us in all) and glorious sunny, cloudless weather. We did a pretty flat ride in the Berkeley Vale, out via Stonehouse, Eastington, Cambridge, Gossington and Purton before stopping at Berkeley for cakes. Disappointingly, the yurt at Berkeley Castle was closed, and will be until 1 April 2019, so we had to do an about turn and head for the Berkeley Tea Rooms instead. Strangely, the headwind we'd ridden into to get to Berkeley had changed to a headwind all the way home .... and it was a bit of a slog back up the A38 to Frampton. Another great ride out, though. Got to chat to just about everybody at one time or another along the way, and ended up with another 41.3 miles to add to my year's total. When I got home, I tore into my prezzies and have been sat admiring my new Brooks saddle and saddle bag combo. Apparently there is some sort of wizardry required to soften up the leather before I use it for the first time ..... something about olive oil and leather conditioner and heating it up, etc, etc. Takes me back to my days of preparing the perfect battle-ready conker.
Cheers, Donger.

Happy Birthday @Donger

 

[Slow But Determined]

Nice sunny ride out with the better half to Cambridge via Wicken and White fens to Lode and then on through Cambridge for some shopping and refreshments.

A few pics;

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Some Geese in the distance.

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A Highland cow wondering where the hills are.

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New Mill Road mosque under construction in Cambridge

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Shopping stop.

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Ridley X-Trail and Kona Smoke(aka Smokey)

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Coffee and Pastel de nata at Espresso Library

https://www.strava.com/activities/1971594212

Ah!! Pastel de nata, absolutely love them, four for a Euro at our local supermarket in Portugal, just out of interest what do they charge in a UK cafe?

 

[Reynard]

Ah!! Pastel de nata, absolutely love them, four for a Euro at our local supermarket in Portugal, just out of interest what do they charge in a UK cafe?

4 for a euro - lucky you!!!

Dunno about cafes, but they're around 70-something pence each in bakeries, and they're such small wee things.

I tend to indulge when they're on yellow sticker.

 

[Donger]

Happy birthday from me as well @Donger. Important detail - what colour's the Brooks?

Got a blue one, @Aravis. Think it'll look pretty good on this ......

You can't see in this shot, but there is royal blue pinstripe detailing in places on the bike.

 

[Old jon]

Happy Birthday @Donger !!

 

[C R]

Weather was a bit wet and windy last Sunday, and I chickened out of a ride, so was itching for an outing this weekend.

Out at quarter to seven. Still dark, and about 3C, so wearing full autumn gear. There was forecast for fog, but there wasn't much, and there was already a hint of daylight. What was unexpected was the wind, blustery and annoying in places.

Out up Hatfield Bank, through Stonehall Common, down Pirton and up Kinnersley fairly quickly. By this time there wad almost full daylight, which was just as well, as I realised that the rear light was off, as I had forgotten to charge it.

After Kinnersley went through Earls Croome, and then a left for Baughton. I had a bit of headwind here, and it took a bit more pedaling than it should have. In Baughton I took the right towards Strensham, and through the lanes the wind wasn't as annoying.

Past the M5 services, through Upper Strensham, over the M50, and then down towards Twyning, heading in the direction of the A38. A little before I reached the A38 I could see the sun comming out behind of Bredon Hill.

There are some temporary lights on the A38 just as I joined, which happened to be red. I waited, and waited, until a car stopped at the other end and flashed their lights for me to go, it looks like the lights are stuck on red, and the driver was nice enough to let me through.

From here was a quick descent into Twekesbury, and map my ride says that I reached 44mph down the hill. This would be my fastest ever on a bike, but I don't think it is a real reading.

Past the Avon bridge was a left for Bredon, and slower progress as I gained back part of the altitude lost until Tewkesbury. The sun was now properly out, and the views over the river back towards Twyning were beautiful.

So onwards to Bredon, left to Eckington, and then a right by Eckington church for a visit to the Nafford lock. The path to the lock was rather slippery, and I walk the bike all the way after nearly falling twice.

Last time I was here the trees were full of leaf.

Lift the bike over the gate at the other end, and headed to Birlingham, the track is now full of muddy puddles, and takes a bit of care until you reach the tarmac. After Birlingham was a right for Pershore, then Wadborough, Littleworth and down Norton for home.

35.2 miles at 12.8 mph. Good ride, but hard going at times because of the wind.

 

[delb0y]

Happy birthday Donger. I must try and catch up on one of your club rides sometime, on account of I must live within a mile of the starting point!

 

[Donger]

Happy birthday Donger. I must try and catch up on one of your club rides sometime, on account of I must live within a mile of the starting point!

I've been thinking the same thing. Judging by some of the climbs you've been doing lately, I reckon you'd fit right in with our intermediates .... but you'd be most welcome to join or social group any time.

 

[derrick]

Nursing a hangover. four of us set of for a 60 mile ride, But a couple of us had our riding club end of year do last night, so we decided to cut it short, 49 miles in the sun, although it was a bit nippy for the first half of the ride, Nice easy spin through the Essex lanes, Ending up back at our local for a hair of the dog, and a burger and chips, Then home for a shower and a napp. Good weekend for riding and socializing.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1969457017
https://www.strava.com/activities/1971801882

 

[delb0y]

I've been thinking the same thing. Judging by some of the climbs you've been doing lately, I reckon you'd fit right in with our intermediates .... but you'd be most welcome to join or social group any time.

The climbs have been at the expense of distance. Yesterday I was suffering after 30 miles - managed 46 but only because it was that far to get home! And I'm slow... I ride a flat-barred Giant Toughroad these days, and, as the old song went, it's built for comfort not speed.

 

[C R]

Legs heavy from yesterday, so only a leasurely bimble to the doctor's surgery. 7 mile round trip at about 11mph. The wind still a pain, but was a nice lunchtime outing.

 

[Old jon]

Hmmm. Monday. Breezy and not warm. OK, brave it is, lets go for a ride!

It was not really cold of course, maybe I was just feeling lazy. And I knew I had a lunch appointment to keep, you can almost see the excuses stacking up. So the decision was a short ride, around twenty miles or so and that is just about what happened. Gears again today, Boot Hill was on the intended route along with some other stretches of climbing road so fixed may have been a bit hopeful.

The almost inevitable wander around somnolent Holbeck, oops, that sounds as if it was early. But Holbeck was quiet, almost silent until the wings were ridden under on the way to Great Wilson Street and some traffic appeared, seemingly from nowhere. Ah well, maybe I should pay more attention. Crown Point Bridge is useful to cross the river with dry feet, ride along the side of the bus station and turn right to enjoy the tailwind up to the Oakwood Clock. It is still a fair bit of climbing though. And then Boot Hill increased the tiredness factor by a big lump. Once the top is reached pedalling becomes more of a pleasure, turn right onto Red Hall Lane and Skeltons Lane is visible down that very long straight. So ride along that as well. At the end turn left and enjoy the descent of Sandhills, it is almost as much fun as the ascent. Honest!

Turn left at the pub. Mexborough Arms? In all my long life I have only been in once, the place left an indelible blank on my mind. Carr Lane this morning was something to be remembered though, it is steep in this direction. All good things finish though, and so do hills. Around here they are often replaced by other bits of rising landscape, and after crossing the A 58 the next up was Shadwell Main Street. It is variable though, not long enough to be that bad until I turned left onto Gatelands Lane. That bit is a serious slowdown for a few yards, then eases considerably and enjoyably. The road is bendy enough to wish I was travelling faster, and I tried. The A 58 again, and turn right to drop down Boot Hill, a bit faster than last time, turn right to have another look at the clock at Oakwood followed by the roads towards Leeds town centre. Skirt around the edge of that and ride the last couple of miles to home in time for lunch with my sister and brother in law, and our lass too. Grin for a good ride around and unusual punctuality. As if I would have dared to be delayed!

The map. It may just show the some of numerous little becks and streams which have carved their little valleys. And given us hills to climb!

 

[colly]

Mexborough Arms? In all my long life I have only been in once, the place left an indelible blank on my mind.

Same for me. A pub memorable only for it's unmemorableness.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Fairly bright but broken cloud cover. Brisk and chilly north easter blowing but overall not bad for the second half of November. I took the chance of a steady run round to see the White Rabbit. Roadworks are proliferating tho'. The big one at Upton is going to take a while. I think they must be building something of a subterranean bridge to cope with the floods which will surely come. Most folks are fairly patient with the traffic light controlled single carriageway. But the queuing can be quite lengthy for the four wheelers. Us two wheelers just ride to the head of the queue. Anyway - nice to get out today and take in some lovely fresh air and some late autumn sights. 35 smiles