Your ride today....

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Not a ride but we can ignore that for now

View: https://youtu.be/heqAhCRln2s

 

[13 rider]

I had arranged a little ride out to Nice Pie cafe for today leaving Quorn at 10.00. Out the door at 08.00 for some early miles . Headed out on my favourite loop out to St Bernards Abbey . In Mountsorrel I had a near thing with a car that decided he didn't won't to give way on an island ,thankfully I saw him coming at speed and was covering my brakes . Driver saw me at the last minute and braked but too close for comfort driver signalled an apology which to be honest I was in no mood to accept . To the meeting point slightly early so an extra loop as @Supersuperleeds caught me up . Back to the meet point and @tallliman rolled up so all present so we were quite surprised as another cyclist rolls up and starts to introduce himself ! He was met with blank faces confusion soon sorted out he arranged to meet some other cyclists at the same place and time as our meeting and they weren't there but we were . Off we go Barrow ,Prestwold ,Wymeswold and into Nice Pie . I nice relaxed stop chatting away catching up as it's been a while since we've rode together . On our way again got to Paudy lane which was closed for resurfacing but we took a chance and got through nice descent down Berrycott lane to Seagrave into Sileby . Were @Supersuperleeds turned for home me and @tallliman rode to Mountsorrel were we parted company . Home via Rothley and Cropston a nice metric century for me 63.4 miles ,half metric century for @tallliman and 75 miles for @Supersuperleeds . Really nice ride catching up and enjoying everyone's company

 

[Donger]

A damp day of low clouds and a flat grey sky, followed eventually by a light drizzle in Gloucestershire today. Our Scottish friends might describe it as "dreich". That, and possibly the fact that we were due to climb Frocester hill today, led to a small turnout for the club ride ..... just two intermediates and two of us on the social ride. After a nice ride around the Severnside villages, Tina and I eventually rode through Frocester village and on up the beast that is Frocester Hill. About a mile of 7-10% gradient, with lovely tight S bends and usually with great views down towards the Severn Vale to the side that makes this my favourite local hill. The start of the hill is a little deceptive, and can catch out any unwary soul who sets off too fast, and I invariably feel the urge to quit or at least put a foot down at the first right hander. We both made it to the top in one this time and, in so doing, "beat" the hill to my way of thinking. Somehow I always do. In the foggy conditions, there were no views to be had today though .... except the sight of one of our intermediates up ahead of us starting off again after taking a crafty rest at the said right hander.

Had a decent café stop at the gliding club, where someone matter-of-factly informed us that he'd nearly hit a cyclist on his way up there, despite him wearing yellow high-viz and told us we were very brave. "You just can't be seen until we're right on top of you" he continued. On that cheery thought, we set off down the fast descent down Selsley Common before hanging a left to descend via Middleyard and Kings Stanley. Neither of us died, which seemed like a bit of a result after that pep talk. Another nice ride. 39.7 more miles towards the year's target.

Cheers, Donger.

 

[Spiderweb]

First ride for 2 weeks, out with friends David and Suzanne for a steady coffee ride to York via Wheldrake & Elvington. About 9 degrees so not too cold but still moist!
42.4 mph with an average of 15 mph, great to be back in the saddle.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

One of those weeks. I REALLY needed to get out despite the weather. 30km into my 200km+ ride I realised I had left my wallet. As I had just descended all the way from the Mendip Hills down onto the Somerset Levels, there was no way in Hades I was going back. So the plan was to ride fasted. An interesting experience. I cannot confirm or deny whether I captured and ate a couple of handbag-dogs in the seafront. I also used my sofa-tank-tourer ‘Lady Eleanor Glanville’. Surprisingly very little difference in overall achievement whatever that may be on an all day ride. I am currently part of a beta group, testing out a marvellous little navigational tool called a Beeline. Watch this space; it’s a clever little thing.

Anyway here are some pics:

The Bishop’s Palace, Wells

Brean Down

The Beeline

The old pier at Weston-Super-Mare

Living the dream under the M5

Le carte

 

[geocycle]

Misty day here as well. No point in going up high as no views to be had, so did a loop around Kirby Lonsdale. Picture shows an interesting gated road north of Farleton Fell. Lots of single track roads and had to clean the bike when I got home. Coffee at Kitridding farm shop which was very pleasant, except the saddle bag came away with twice its weight.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

It may have been dry but the roads were far from it. Sounds pretty general across the country today. Went out to Rattleden and then on to Brettenham. What is it with Sunday mornings now ? It used to be fairly quiet traffic wise but there were plenty of cars flying about but not too bad once out of Stowmarket. On a back road heading towards Brettenham I came across two horses with children on being led by I guess their mothers. One horse actually was a pony with real tot sitting in the saddle being held. I never like getting too close to horses especially when coming from behind. I slowed down and well before I reached them, the pony reared and turned, I immediatly stopped for the pony to settle. It did, but not before the youngster had a jolt and was almost hanging off the horse. At least they were all unharmed and I carried on my way once I`d remounted a safe distance from them.
I carried on to Brettenham and then turned by the church towards Hitcham and then left again back towards Buxhall. On this stretch I saw a cyclist coming towards me walking with the front lifted. I stopped and asked if all was OK. It was a broken spoke and had too much brake rub even after raising the lever on the brake. His wife was on her way to meet him and should`nt be long. The rest of the ride was pretty un-eventful other than one close pass and I did raise my fist. I counted about a dozen cyclists out today and some were totally in black and credit due to the ones with lights on and some kind of colour on too. Another good ride of 23 miles and 17.6 mph average,1030 feet of climbing and just one more thing, bike wash time again. It is never ending !

 

[Heltor Chasca]

View attachment 494071

Misty day here as well. No point in going up high as no views to be had, so did a loop around Kirby Lonsdale. Picture shows an interesting gated road north of Farleton Fell. Lots of single track roads and had to clean the bike when I got home. Coffee at Kitridding farm shop which was very pleasant, except the saddle bag came away with twice its weight.

And what a smashing bike to do it on.

 

[geocycle]

And what a smashing bike to do it on.

Thanks, had it just over a year and after a few tweaks really like it. I was partly inspired by the pics of your elan elsewhere on the forum.

 

[Stonechat]

Club ride and a misty start
Destination was Hare Hatch.
Before we got started, ther was constant stream of groups of people dressed in Santa outfits. Apparently there was Santa fun tun go in on somewhere inStaines.
Went through Windsor Great Park, Winkfiel and Warfield to a White Waltham, then up to Shottesbrooke and Knowl Hill

On arrival at Sheeplands Garden centre something was different and inside we found that Wokingham Cycling club were having a big meet up.As well as a few other groups, must’ve been over 60 bikes. Staff seemedto cope well despite the numbers.

we took slightly more southerlyroute back, through Billingbear and skirting Wokingham

43.5 miles at 14.8 mph with about 1500 feet climbed
On Strava here

 

[Jenkins]

Having had the day indoors yesterday doing domestics & multiple bike maintenance, I needed to get out for a bit this afternoon. As an incentive, I reserved some inner tubes at Halfords and then decided to check the exact location of the Smokehouse in Ipswich (in advance of a gig I've got a ticket for) and pick up some food for work next week.

As a change from the normal road or flat bar bikes,I used my Voodoo 29er for a more relaxed ride, but stuck (mostly) to the normal roads, except for using a shortcut path alongside the river Gipping in Ipswich to avoid a couple of nasty junctions and another off road bit alonside the A14 near home. One advantage of being in no hurry was being able to take a diversion alonside the waterfront in Ipswich to have a lok at the yachts and some of the larger craft moored up...

(https://arkmuseum.eu/)

 

[AndreaJ]

Quiet day planned for today so I had time for a longer ride and it had stopped raining which was a bonus.I started off the usual way into Whixall through Northwood and turned left at the crossroads at Hollinshead over the canal to Fenns Bank and Fenns Wood turning to Blackloe and back over a very steep canal bridge to Alkington. Turned left again before turning to Tilstock where I turn onto the Wem Road for a very short distance before turning back onto the lanes towards Hollinswood and back to the crossroads taking the left turn and retracing my route before turning down Goblins Lane towards Stanley Green and following yesterday’s route as far as Edstaston. For a change I turned left past the bus garage and onto the Wem road again then turned into Creamore, Highfields, Foxholes,where I passed a group of children out on their ponies including a very small girl being held onto an equally small pony, back to Northwood then head towards the Moatshed before turning back home . 25.49 miles @14.8mph, lanes are covered in either mud, leaves, water and hedge cuttings, some in all of it so bit slower than usual . Lots of cyclists and horse riders out this morning.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Just a short ride yesterday to blow away the cobwebs. I had a slow start to the day so didn't get out until after lunch.

I headed over Lyth Hill to start with where the flood at the top is the worst I've seen it so far and I was in danger of dunking another pair of shoes, but just avoided that by a kind of half pedalling. My planned route was to Ryton and Longnor so I went with the intention of taking an alternative if I found it too badly flooded but when getting to the worst bit where @gavgav got soaked last weekend there was a farmer working to try and sort out the drainage so I just had the remaining mud to deal with.

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful and I had a light tailwind to help me home. I risked the main road route back which wasn't too bad this time, then added an extra loop round the village to finish.

18.4 miles at 13.7 mph average on mucky roads in yet more grey and gloomy weather. Nice to be out regardless though.

 

[AndreaJ]

Its raining again and as I was already wet from walking the dogs, not helped by having to fish the puppy out of the canal again! I decided to get changed and go straight out for a ride. I decided on a regular route to Whixall, Fenns Wood over the swing bridge to cross back over the canal and into Alkington, left up to Hollinswood, Lower Houses and turned to Coton Wood hoping the floods have gone. Was disappointed to find it hadn’t but went anyway, ran out of speed 3/4 of the way through and had to pedal so got wet feet☹️Carried on to the Wem road turning right past the Dog and Bull to find roadworks and traffic lights. Let the cars behind me go first and turn back to Coton, Braynes Hall, Abbeygreen, splashing through more water to Waterloo and Edstaston then taking a slight detour through Paddolgreen more water to Foxholes, Highfields, Horton and for a change carried on to the Ellesmere Road hoping the big flood on the corner had gone which it had turned towards Loppington then back to Wolverley and home through more traffic lights which are set up just where the worst parking school run parents like to park😂20.8 miles @ 14.5 mph and the sun is trying to come out now.

 

[jongooligan]

We actually got a glimpse of the sky when we were walking the dog this morning. It was too good an opportunity to miss so as soon as we got home I threw on some cycling kit and took myself off.

Up the old A1 through Birtley is not a pretty start but it got me to a convenient access point for the Bowes railway path. The section of the path through Springwell is the steepest railway I've ever been on. Can only think that when it was operational there was a winding engine at the top of the incline.

Headgear Wheel at Springwell Colliery.

Springwell pit closed in 1932 so this probably isn't from the headgear there. It's more likely to have been brought from another pit as an artefact for the Bowes Colliery Museum which, confusingly, is on the site of Springwell pit.

The path levels out beyond the museum site but by heck it gets rough.

Erosion on the Bowes Railway Path

I did manage to ride all of it but was wishing I'd ridden the cross bike instead of my road bike with 25mm slicks.

The Bowes railway path segues smoothly into the Monkton Cycleway leaving only about a mile of road riding to reach the Tyne Tunnel.

Tyne Tunnel

Looks pretty good now it's finished, doesn't it?

Once on the north bank of the river I took the Hadrian Cycleway to the quayside. Normal weather service had now resumed - it was drizzling merrily from a flat grey sky so no more pics I'm afraid.

Stopped at the Cycle Hub cafe for a bite and bumped into an old pal. He's an ex racer and has done the likes of the Milk Race and the Peace Race so he was a decent rider in his day and still going strong (well, still going anyway) in his mid seventies. We had a bit of a catch up while I waited an age for my dinner which arrived just as he left. A tiny ramekin of nucleated baked beans with two small slices of cold, barely toasted bread served on a cold tin plate was gone in a flash, leaving me still hungry. Honestly don't know why that place is so popular.

Along the quayside now and across the winking eye bridge to get back onto the south bank then a labyrinthine weave through Teams to get into the Team Valley.* Bit of a hairy ride through there but I needed to call in to a spec shop to sort out some new glasses.

Once clear of the valley I took myself out into the lanes to loop around over Waldridge Fell and my usual approach to home.

34 miles with 1,600ft of ascent
*map shows a straight line from crossing the Tyne to the top of Team Valley. No idea what happened there because it's a very twisty route through housing estates and complicated junctions.