Your ride today....

[delb0y]

Had the dreaded lurgy for three weeks now, and haven't turned a wheel. Lots of folks seemed to have had it and I must say it's the worst cold / cough that I've had in a long time. Reckon as this will have set me back to square one for the year, as it'll be a few weeks before I'm out and about again. Lungs still feel like they used to in the long gone days (touch wood) of bad asthma. Glad everyone else is fit and healthy and riding well!

 

[Shearwater Missile]

With a chance of bordering sounding boring I did the same route as Tuesday only on the carbon bike & guess what ? 3 seconds difference, hows that for consistency ! I will add it was`nt the best of rides as it has been so dull and grey today. I have felt envious of those who have posted some nice pictures or been out in shorts. Very often in East Anglia when there is a high pressure over the country whilst others bask in sunshine we bask in murk, last year was an exception however. I know it works both ways. I thought I`d share my route with you, one stretch of about a mile I do twice as to avoid been frightened to bits by a dog ! 928 ft climbing

 

[colly]

13 of 100

Just a quick nip down to my daughters house to deliver something, followed by a run around the block to check all is ok with the fixed bike. It is.

3.8 miles and 295ft Fixed.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/32693786

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Jules H and me today. We headed off for the Golden Triangle. First we admired the Star of Bethlehem blooms at Bromsberrow. Then our first wild daffs were on show at Bromsberrow Heath. At St Mary's we wandered amongst the daffs before heading for Kempley and a meadow full. Queen's Wood was ablaze as were the woods at Gorsley. Newent arrived and refreshments. Then on we rode for Gwen and Vera's fields which were just getting into gear. Shaw Common and the woods were stunning tho'. The field at Dymock was showing well. The daffs began to thin out as we headed for Redmarley. Back via the usual lanes made a super ride out today. 62 smiles

 

[pjd57]

a pre arranged lunch trip from Glasgow to Lugton in Ayrshire.
Pretty wet and windy morning but we met at the Clyde tunnel as arranged. That was the only dry bit of the outward journey.
Almost didn't get to the destination due to a large water filled pot hole.
No damage but it almost had me and my mate off.

Got a good table beside the coal fire in The Canny Man. A fine establishment on the road between Barrhead and Irvine.
Had to wait a while for our partners who were coming by car and had a satnav but still got a bit lost.

Soup+ sandwich+ Guinness went down well..

Journey home was better.
No rain, and the wind had died down.


Note to myself.
Don't wear bibs and drink beer..

Enjoyed every bit of it.

 

[colly]

14 of 100

My ride today consisted of meeting up with forumers (and others) at Garforth Station for @ColinJ 's Flat Imperial Century Ride.
Some faces I knew and some I didn't and because I pulled off before the cafe stop I really didn't speak to any new faces. Apart from @Afnug who joined us around 6 or 7 miles before I had to break for home.
It was a cold start but sunny and the sun seemed to stay with us, at least until Bramham the second time around.

It was north from Garforth to Barwick in Elmete, on to Aberford and then we shadowed the route of the A1M going north to Bramham where we picked up a cycle path that runs parallel to the motorway. A little stoney in places but mostly a good surface.
At the road to Boston Spa we had to negotiate the roundabouts to pick up the path again and it's a place where you definitely need to keep your wits about you.
Getting small kids on bikes through safely would be a worry. Once on the path proper again its was a swift couple of miles to Wetherby where again crossing the main roads was easy enough but still needed a degree of awareness of which cars were going where. Through the back of Wetherby then and we picked up on another cycle path leading us up to Spofforth. 3.5 miles away from roads and across fields following the route of the old railway. Easily passable but maybe a bit rough of you are on a road bike. I know some were taking it very steady.
At Spofforth it was a right turn on to the road to Cowthorpe and Tockwith where we turned right and south and eventually it brought us into Walton.
Somewhere along there we encountered @Afnug who had ridden up from Pontecarlo to join the ride.
Through Boston Spa and we made for Clifford and then back into Bramham via a stiff little climb that @ColinJ had thrown in just for good measure.
That's where I broke for home having to be back home before 2ish.
I was tempted to stay on until the cafe stop at Cawood but if I had I am pretty sure I wouldn't have got in until maybe 3pm.
So here I am drinking tea posting this while the rest of them are still slugging away.
All in, it was a good ride out.

46.4 miles and 2200ft of up. Fixed. So much for a flat ride then !

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/32714803

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Lots out today. Mrs 26, me, Steve E, Pete M, Jules H, Rob A and John G. We were initially heading for Stanford Bridge but John got cold feet. So the plan was altered to the usual Mayfly run. My saddle broke near Wichenford. No repair is possible so I was left with perching on the rear rivets. Not as comfortable as usual but at least I could continue. The Mayfly was busy but things worked out OK. John headed home up the main road while the rest took the standard short route back. 40 smiles

 

[Spiderweb]

Out on the Tricross at lunchtime, first ride out for almost 3 weeks and feeling really sluggish. 26.8 miles with an average of 14.8 mph.

 

[Dave 123]

Mountain bike for me today.
Down past The church and I stopped at the village sign, I planted these bulbs last autumn

On across the fields, and down past the edge of the wood. The slurry drying up nicely. Then it was up into Kingston. I’d planned a different route, but auto pilot had me on the Wimpole Way, I’d meant to take the Mares Way.....
So I carried on along and got to Wimpole woods before dropping down into the Eversdens, then back up to the ridge on the Mares Way. I got it right eventually.
A stack of 6 buzzards wheeled above me, mewing away.

The young chestnut trees are a budding.

I flew down the dirt track to the farm at Wimpole, 35.1mph, that shook my bingo wings about a bit!

The shire horses were relaxing

Through the estate, all holes filled in, no evidence of Parkrun.

In Arrington the cherry trees were looking beautiful

Then it was a climb up to Hatley St George. I was intending to stop where I normally do for a peanut bar but the farmer was spraying fungicide on the wheat, the drift would have got me...

Behind Hayley Wood and I stopped in the shelter of the wood and ate my snack in the watery sunshine. I carried on and started to see the first bluebells opening at the edge of the wood.

Then I had a little stop for pictures
Violet

Wood anemone

A clump of wood anemone

A bike

At this point a fella rode by on his bike. We said hello.

I caught up with him just by the Red House. We rode the bridleway to Bourn together, chatting.

Good birds today. 2 pairs of kestrel, a pair of goldfinch, a pair of Bullfinch, a flock of greenfinch, loads of skylark and a pair of pheasant that took off from right under my front wheel...... I almost filled my pants!

Home via the fields. Almost 30 miles. My legs were getting weary after last nights circuit training.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2234103476

 

[Reynard]

A bike ride seemed the best way to work out the stiffness from yesterday's logging, so just gone midday saw me bimbling towards Littleport via my usual route of Downham Common, Black Bank and Parson's Lane.

Stopped off at the surgery to drop off mum's prescription slip, then carried on for another loop around Littleport. Had to pause to sort left shoe / pedal as I was finding it hard to unclip. Of course, that had nothing to do with stopping to investigate a pile of some eight bikes that had a "free to a good home" sign on them...

Actually, they were primarily BSO with bright orange drivetrains and seized forks, and one knackered but serviceable (with a bit of fettling) basic hybrid.

So off home the way I came. Saw five cyclists today - two chaps on hybrids, a lady on a very nice roadie, a chap on a tourer and I got overtaken down Black Bank by two friendly chaps on roadies who fairly whizzed past, but still managed to say hello.

Ten miles in the spring sunshine, although the northerly breeze had a bit of a cold bite to it. Loving my bargainous Altura thermal jersey though.

 

[13 rider]

The weather has improved enough to get some miles on the new bike . Having bumped into @Supersuperleeds in the week a rendezvous was arranged at Nice Pie for 1030 . Out the door on the TCR at 0845 for a few early miles . Anstey ,Cropston ,Cossington up Humble lane climb and onto Thrussington turned for Rearsby and across the A607 were the terrain gets a bit more rolling . The first big climb of the day at Ashby Foeville as I hit the bottom a group of twenty riders were half way up so put in a bit of effort and passed half of them by the top the new bike seems to make lighter work of the hills .The big group paused at the top to regroup so I had a few miles back to the A607 being chased by a peleton the breakaway survived they didn't catch me . Asfordby then the next climb of Saxileby hill as I turned into there was 3 riders a few hundred ahead . These proved more difficult to catch but managed 2 out of 3 . I went right at the top they went left so on to Nice Pie rolled in at 1025 to find @Supersuperleeds just ordering food so good timing . We were joined by Mrs @Supersuperleeds who had driven to a nearby garden centre so a nice relaxed cafe stop . Soon back on the bike riding with @Supersuperleeds back to Barrow via the steady descent of Paudy lane Then Sileby and Rothley were we parted company @Supersuperleeds went on the bag a metric ton and the letter Z in the ABC thread .I was a few miles short of 50 miles so went home via Swithland and ended up riding last home for half a mile to get to 50.3 miles. Lovely ride enjoying the new bike feeling doubled the milage on it and looked forward to many more

 

[Donger]

There was quite a large Severn Bore forecast for this morning, and the big ones are quite rare in daylight and good weather on a weekend. So I hopped on No2 bike and scuttled down to Elmore Back to watch it from opposite Minsterworth Church - where a large crowd was gathering.

A shame my pictures came out a bit blurry today, and there were no surfers still riding the wave by the time it arrived at Minsterworth. At least in this picture you can see the height of the wave as it crashed over the opposite bank on its way upstream from left to right:

A few power boats followed it by on its way to Maisemore, where it always stops when it hits the weir.

In the end it was not an exceptional bore, but it is always an occasion, and you never know what you are going to get. Sometimes a perfect wave forms all the way across and loads of surfers manage to stay on it.
I'd had to leave the bike in a field after lifting it over an electrified fence and then having to duck through another one. Thankfully it was still there when I got back from my vantage point about a quarter of a mile along the dyke wall.

On the way back I made it to the farm at Stonebench before the river burst its banks ... but only by a quarter of an hour or so. Everywhere fields were still flooded from the previous night's tide and you can see how muddy the road was. At this point a few years back @Dark46 got a damn good drenching when a bore reared up and sprayed all the onlookers. Like the cyclist in this shot, I like watching the river racing inland here and getting close to bursting its banks. It is such a violent and sudden change of direction that early man must have been at a loss to explain it. You can well understand how, back in Roman times, they attributed the phenomenon to the goddess Sabrina and named the river after her.

Only 8.7 miles today, but I always enjoy nipping out to see a bore. Time for me to wind this up before I become a bore myself.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[NorthernDave]

Forgive me CycleChatters, for it is three weeks since my last ride.

Much like @delb0y up thread, I've been full of the worst cold I've had for years, so bad that I missed out on a sportive I'd entered (and as a Yorkshireman, you can tell I was truly badly to miss out on something I'd already paid for! )

Anyhow, despite still not able to fully shake off the lurgy, I decided I'd go stir crazy if I didn't at least get out and try to get a ride in today.
@ColinJ 's "flat" ride was passing within a few miles of home, but I decided to stick to a local route that would mean I was never more than 5 or so miles from home in case I needed to bail.

So, on the Giant and up Coal Road and on even the slight inclines I could tell I'd been off the bike for a while. Oh well, just keep pedalling!
Skeltons Lane, with the slight breeze behind me and the the long descent into Thorner. It felt a bit cool, and it was at this point I realised I'd forgotten to put my merino base layer on. Still, after the descent comes the lumpy stuff so I soon warmed up again, especially climbing up Milner Lane onto the ridge.
Along between the hedges and round onto Holme Farm Lane, before reaching East Rigton, then round to Rigton Green and back out on Bramham Lane into the deserted countryside. I do like this lane, especially from this direction where after a short rise it's pretty much gently downhill all the way to Jewitt Lane.
Past a dog and walker and a jogger and the short climb up onto Thorner Lane, then back round and onto Jewitt Lane heading in the direction of Collingham.

I passed the same dog walker again, but this time her dog (a friendly little Bichon Frise) came bounding towards me, then wanted to race me, so rang alongside the bike as fast as it's little legs would allow for a hundred yards or so.
Up past the pig farm and the first little bit of the descent into Collingham before peeling off left onto Compton Lane and climbing back onto the ridge heading back towards Rigton Green.
I almost repeated the run along Bramham Lane, but decided against it as I was starting to tire a bit. So, I retraced my outbound route back into Thorner, then out of the village on Carr Lane, which was slow and steady today, eventually reaching the A58 for a run down to Coal Road and the last climb of any note.
Along there, over the roundabout and then it's local roads down to home.

17.12 miles (27.55 km) in 1h 30m at a very steady 11.4 mph with just 807 ft climbed and an average temperature of just 7.3°C

Glad to get out there, but that was all I had in me today - still, it's a cheeky quarter metric century so I'll take that .
Quite a few cyclists out, as well as horse riders today, but generally quiet lanes which suits me fine.
Now to start all over again in getting something approaching fitness back.

And to end, the map:

 

[Mr Celine]

I needed a K for the OCD towns and villages thread so headed east towards Kelso. It was a nice bright day with a gentle westerly breeze and 10C when I set out. I stopped by the remains of Roxburgh Castle, which is the mound on the right.

James II was killed while besieging the castle, held by the English at the time, when one of his own cannons exploded shattering his thigh bone. Looking over over to the left is a fine view of Floors Castle, the home of the Duke of Roxburghe. The e at the end was added to make the name look posher.

It was used as a location for the Christopher Lambert Tarzan film.

On to Kelso for the town sign, of which there are now two on the same road, but this one has the better background.

Kelso Bridge was built by John Rennie in 1803. He used it as a prototype for Waterloo Bridge in London. Plans to widen Kelso Bridge in the 1950s were blocked by the Fine Art Commission because of its architectural significance although they hadn't blocked the demolition of Rennie's Waterloo Bridge. The narrow width of the bridge led to a fire engine falling off it in 1993, killing the driver.

I headed home via Smailholm, where there is a milestone and its replacement milepost beside each other. During the summer they are hidden in the undergrowth.

I was tempted to carry on to Lauder for my next letter, but thought better of it.

One more stop at the Roman memorial.

From where there is a nice view up the Tweed towards Gala.

Today's map -

60.5 km @ 21.7 km/h, 682m up and down. Metric today in support of the people's vote marchers.

 

[Old jon]

At last, a ride. Having wandered off to different foreign parts ( this might be a link https://www.cyclechat.net/posts/5576782/ ) it was good to return to Florianopolis, and a bike. Eighteen miles only today, and just over a thousand feet of climbing said my garthing, only it said it in metres. The legs say enough.

Down the hill, around the bend and along the busy cycle path by Beira Mar. Busy today, the sun was shining after yesterday’s rain so I reckon folk are enjoying the weather. Winter here starts in May or June. Nope, just had to go shopping for lunch and found out it was Florianopolis Day, a holiday. A lot of shops are shut ‘cos they take holidays seriously here.

Anyway, ride along to the bridge and cross to the continent. Then turn left to travel sort of south, with the gentle intention of travelling that bit further than before. Up the hill away from the coast, then stay on that road to see where it took me. Through what has to be called a suburb, of somewhere inconclusive, and along to a junction. I did not have a map with me, unless the phone counts, so I did not know that the road had curved right and I had ridden almost north for a while, tending northwest for the recent bit of road. So the junction I had just reached was a slip road OFF a big dual carriageway to that bridge. All the traffic was heading towards me. I rode on a bit, towards what I am told is Campinas, but after half a mile I still could not find a way to ride any further on the road. So I turned around. Better exploring next time. On the way back, I recognised a road on my right, descending to the beach.

At the bottom I made a left turn that was prohibited, which returned me to the road I had ridden in on. Still looks totally different in this direction and soon enough I reached another stretch of beach with room enough to stop away from traffic to have a munch and a drink. Fairly warm here today, and the view was a lot better than the skew whiff video I took.

Onwards after the rest, a bit more climbing to do. Across the bridge again, still wondering at the number of people around, and back along Beira Mar in the direction of home. At the bottom of apartment hill I noticed that some of the bigger holes in the road had been patched. Someone worked quick this morning, some of those holes were the ones I had to avoid on my way out. A big grin to celebrate the sight of home, and the end of the ride. An interesting one.

The map, finding rides will be fun.