Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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jongooligan
Legendary Member
- Location
- Behind bars
I was born and brought up in a south Yorkshire pit village. You're right, it wasn't pretty but it was clean (despite the pit and the steelworks just over the horizon) and prosperous. Took my Dad back a few years ago. He had to wade through rubbish to get to the back of the house where I was born. He was crying and told me he wished we'd never gone back. I'm not exaggerating. The only other place I've seen so much rubbish in the streets is Kathmandu.
Sorry to have gone so way off topic.
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
'Society, there is no society!'
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
Can I come with you on your next Brixworth ride? I plan to do all the 'great' early English churches in the UK. Have been to Escomb in Co. Durham c. 640AD, St Martins Canterbury is slightly earlier, Brixworth is 675AD, bugger all near where I live in Cheshire.
The_Weekend_Report_Guy
Pablo's Cycling Tours
- Location
- Coín, Málaga
Another personal challenge done for me.
Today was the second challenge I set myself to improve at. Tolox climb, a 7 km one that for whatever reason is not helping me.
How did it go? It went great I improved my best time by 16 seconds. (wanted to do it better) But better is better so I take it.
Here are some pics that the guys took and myself..
At the start of the segment.. 1 km already up more or less..
Pushing a bit
The boys reaching the top:
One familiar view:
The morning crew:
And the STRAVA link to the ride.
To be honest I am so not happy with the result that I might go again this afternoon. LOL
Today was the second challenge I set myself to improve at. Tolox climb, a 7 km one that for whatever reason is not helping me.
How did it go? It went great I improved my best time by 16 seconds. (wanted to do it better) But better is better so I take it.
Here are some pics that the guys took and myself..
At the start of the segment.. 1 km already up more or less..
Pushing a bit
The boys reaching the top:
One familiar view:
The morning crew:
And the STRAVA link to the ride.
To be honest I am so not happy with the result that I might go again this afternoon. LOL
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
From memories living there (I left in 1983) you're right, although our local pit was already closed, so the kindergarten, school, and even the fish shop was gone. The only places open were the pub and the working men's club, whose customers would roll out at about midnight and wander along the road, meeting with uncanny regularity just in front of our house. They were no trouble, except as an obstruction to traffic.
Then the year after we moved the miners voted assuming things couldn't get any worse and it turned out they were wrong.
A lesson for us all...
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Shearwater Missile
Veteran
A dry day ! Sun came out so thought I`d take the Vitus out for a spin. Decided on my Rattlesden, Felsham, Drinkstone route. The roads were lovely and dry which was surprising after the rain last night, well except one stretch, where somebody was irrigating grass seed just put down and of course it was running right across the road. As I reached Bill Wyman`s pad at Gedding Hall the sun shone on it and it looked a real treat. I am sorry that I don`t take photos (well, often). As Andy in Germany said a few days ago, about his average time has dropped since joining CC and taking photos, he is probably right. I must admit I always allow a bit of time say 30-50 secs per ride for slowing down and starting off again from junctions etc. I reckon it takes approx 10secs from stop to get up to average speed. I digress, sorry.
It made a nice change to have the roads virtually to myself and no close passes or silly beggars, perhaps they were all too busy at work. I also missed the school pickup brigade, result ! 24.2 miles at 17.9mph average. 14-15 degrees with 7mph SW wind speed. Happy days.
It made a nice change to have the roads virtually to myself and no close passes or silly beggars, perhaps they were all too busy at work. I also missed the school pickup brigade, result ! 24.2 miles at 17.9mph average. 14-15 degrees with 7mph SW wind speed. Happy days.
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
Just a sunny 10 mile loop on the Spa in the
Sunshine
Sunshine
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gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
School didn't need me today and the weather was good so I decided to go for a ride. The first part I knew well but the second part was new to me, at least on the bike. The ride was only 18 miles but with slopes of 8.8 and 11.2 % which is quite steep for my old legs and I struggled a bit but was glad when I got home. My legs are tired now and I don't intend to ride again until at least next Sunday, weather permitting. Recovery seem to take longer nowadays. 
Mrs M
Guru
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
My sister is in East Kilbride
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
Today was the 'training course' again which means an early morning commute bombing 200m down the Scary Hill Of Doom in the space of about 3k, and then slogging back up again afterwards.
It does have some compensations though, like crossing the largest Roman-era Bridge north of the Alps, although I'll admit that's not the main thing on my mind at about seven thirty in the morning...
Coming back today I decided to go for the long route, along the Neckar valley for the best part of 10k and then turn and follow the Körsch valley and see which hill I'd swear at this time. This means riding two sides of a triangle, but the clever bit is that as I'm climbing gently all the way, I cover at least half of the hill before I have to do any steep bits.
An even more clever bit would have been to remember to check for headwinds before setting off. As I left Esslingen a stiff breeze came barrelling down the river and added the meteorological equivalent of about ten more kilogrammes.
Thankfully, when turning into the Körsch I turned almost 180 degrees, so I had a tailwind after that, which is of course exactly what I'd planned all along. No, really.
There are about ten different points from both valleys where you can climb up, and I've tried most of them several times in the last weeks and am thoroughly fed up with most of them, so this time I followed the valley until I was directly under the village and climbed up the Evil Hill Of Doom, then hooked around the back of the village to approach the apartment from above togive me time to stop wheezing add a bit more interest.
One more training day tomorrow. The rain is coming.
It does have some compensations though, like crossing the largest Roman-era Bridge north of the Alps, although I'll admit that's not the main thing on my mind at about seven thirty in the morning...
Coming back today I decided to go for the long route, along the Neckar valley for the best part of 10k and then turn and follow the Körsch valley and see which hill I'd swear at this time. This means riding two sides of a triangle, but the clever bit is that as I'm climbing gently all the way, I cover at least half of the hill before I have to do any steep bits.
An even more clever bit would have been to remember to check for headwinds before setting off. As I left Esslingen a stiff breeze came barrelling down the river and added the meteorological equivalent of about ten more kilogrammes.
Thankfully, when turning into the Körsch I turned almost 180 degrees, so I had a tailwind after that, which is of course exactly what I'd planned all along. No, really.
There are about ten different points from both valleys where you can climb up, and I've tried most of them several times in the last weeks and am thoroughly fed up with most of them, so this time I followed the valley until I was directly under the village and climbed up the Evil Hill Of Doom, then hooked around the back of the village to approach the apartment from above to
One more training day tomorrow. The rain is coming.
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A pleasant morning. Sunny, dry, no wind, albeit a bit chilly. Perfect day for a trip up the coast.
I’d planned to do a 50k. Heading north from my house, the road gets a bit busy and narrow after about 22k, so rather than a straight “out and back”, I had planned a diversion “sideways” for a couple of km, so that I could do a 50 without going on to the busy bit.
Which is why I found myself at Portencross after 12k. And it was lovely. A tiny bit of warmth in the sun. Quiet roads. Spectacular views over the sea towards Arran.
Almost perfect.
But my bike was making a funny noise. Was it something rubbing, or more of a grinding noise?
This was my first trip out since refitting the mudguards, so I suspected something was rubbing. But it wasn’t that. Some more testing - it’s definitely coming from back wheel. Doesn’t matter whether I’m pedalling or not, so it’s not drive or free hub. Noise is virtually un-noticeable when you just spin the wheel, just hear it when weight on it.
Back wheel off. Spin the axle - feels a bit rough. Almost “notchy”. Wheel bearings.
Limped homewards. Noise was getting worse. Could feel the vibration through the frame.
Dropped wheel off at the LBS. It had got much worse during the trip home. Was hoping it would just be a case of cleaning, replacing ball bearings, and regressing, but could hardly turn the axle with fingers!
Shop says the drive side cone is damaged, and needs replaced. Doesn’t seem to be one of the common ones - so a search for a replacement is about to start.
I’d planned to do a 50k. Heading north from my house, the road gets a bit busy and narrow after about 22k, so rather than a straight “out and back”, I had planned a diversion “sideways” for a couple of km, so that I could do a 50 without going on to the busy bit.
Which is why I found myself at Portencross after 12k. And it was lovely. A tiny bit of warmth in the sun. Quiet roads. Spectacular views over the sea towards Arran.
Almost perfect.
But my bike was making a funny noise. Was it something rubbing, or more of a grinding noise?
This was my first trip out since refitting the mudguards, so I suspected something was rubbing. But it wasn’t that. Some more testing - it’s definitely coming from back wheel. Doesn’t matter whether I’m pedalling or not, so it’s not drive or free hub. Noise is virtually un-noticeable when you just spin the wheel, just hear it when weight on it.
Back wheel off. Spin the axle - feels a bit rough. Almost “notchy”. Wheel bearings.
Limped homewards. Noise was getting worse. Could feel the vibration through the frame.
Dropped wheel off at the LBS. It had got much worse during the trip home. Was hoping it would just be a case of cleaning, replacing ball bearings, and regressing, but could hardly turn the axle with fingers!
Shop says the drive side cone is damaged, and needs replaced. Doesn’t seem to be one of the common ones - so a search for a replacement is about to start.
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
A short one today, just under 11 miles to Horrabridge and back. Right at the start, an idiot objected to my existence on the road.
I'm travelling up the picture along Bannawell Strreet. As you can see, it has cars parked along both sides (there were more than this today) and it is a one way street. there is width for one vehicle, and it better not be too big, so I'm taking the road. About halfway along, maybe 50m below this image, I hear a car. Accelerating. And he kept gunning it until he reached me and braked, about where the arrow is. A few secinds on, we're approaching the junction circled, and he hoots and swerves around me as we reach the extra space. Then proceeds to gun up to the next junction, where, surprise, he has to stop. The bit above the circle is two-way....
A young idiot trying to make his Fiesta seem like a racing car. Kinda spoiled the rest of the ride.
Anyhoo, usual route along NCN 270/27. The amount of water in the ground was amply demonstrated in the Grenofen Tunnel, alomg, cold shower bath. I bet even the bat colony was fed up with it.
I really wasn't feeling it, so turned at the end of The Old Station and made my way back. Needed the ride though, it's been a while.
I'm travelling up the picture along Bannawell Strreet. As you can see, it has cars parked along both sides (there were more than this today) and it is a one way street. there is width for one vehicle, and it better not be too big, so I'm taking the road. About halfway along, maybe 50m below this image, I hear a car. Accelerating. And he kept gunning it until he reached me and braked, about where the arrow is. A few secinds on, we're approaching the junction circled, and he hoots and swerves around me as we reach the extra space. Then proceeds to gun up to the next junction, where, surprise, he has to stop. The bit above the circle is two-way....
A young idiot trying to make his Fiesta seem like a racing car. Kinda spoiled the rest of the ride.
Anyhoo, usual route along NCN 270/27. The amount of water in the ground was amply demonstrated in the Grenofen Tunnel, alomg, cold shower bath. I bet even the bat colony was fed up with it.
I really wasn't feeling it, so turned at the end of The Old Station and made my way back. Needed the ride though, it's been a while.
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
I find waving helps, it calms me down while winding them up far more than anything else I can do...
Aravis
Putrid Donut
- Location
- Gloucester
A prospect of a gap in the wetness sent me out yesterday:
I timed the start carefully so that I'd turn off the A38 just as it was becoming light. Up the long but reasonably steady climb to the Somerset Monument at Hawkesbury Upton, one of the few Cotswold ascents I'm happy to take on these days. I'd planned a picturesque loop through the southern Cotswolds to view some dramatic autumn colours, but it remained extremely gloomy with a spell of heavy drizzle through the Badminton estate. The landscape was totally saturated and several times I had to paddle through flooded sections of road. Mercifully none were completely closed.
I left the hills at the steep descent through Horton, near Chipping Sodbury, and made my way through some lanes I don't visit often to Severn Beach. By this time the weather had changed dramatically:
For anyone passing that way, as on a LEJOG, the small diversion to ride along the sea wall is highly worthwhile. I can't help getting a bit nostalgic. When I lived in north Bristol in the 1980s, I found that many knew of Severn Beach but few appreciated it. At risk of embarrassing myself, I found it a good place for a romantic evening. There were some excellent pubs nearby to move on to after sitting on the rocks watching the sun set over the Welsh hills, the only sound being the gentle lapping by the shoreline. Quite what the young ladies really thought I'll never know. The bridge, completed in 1996, is spectacular but the peace has been lost forever.
I timed the start carefully so that I'd turn off the A38 just as it was becoming light. Up the long but reasonably steady climb to the Somerset Monument at Hawkesbury Upton, one of the few Cotswold ascents I'm happy to take on these days. I'd planned a picturesque loop through the southern Cotswolds to view some dramatic autumn colours, but it remained extremely gloomy with a spell of heavy drizzle through the Badminton estate. The landscape was totally saturated and several times I had to paddle through flooded sections of road. Mercifully none were completely closed.
I left the hills at the steep descent through Horton, near Chipping Sodbury, and made my way through some lanes I don't visit often to Severn Beach. By this time the weather had changed dramatically:
For anyone passing that way, as on a LEJOG, the small diversion to ride along the sea wall is highly worthwhile. I can't help getting a bit nostalgic. When I lived in north Bristol in the 1980s, I found that many knew of Severn Beach but few appreciated it. At risk of embarrassing myself, I found it a good place for a romantic evening. There were some excellent pubs nearby to move on to after sitting on the rocks watching the sun set over the Welsh hills, the only sound being the gentle lapping by the shoreline. Quite what the young ladies really thought I'll never know. The bridge, completed in 1996, is spectacular but the peace has been lost forever.
