Yes, good call that
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Proto
Legendary Member
- Location
- East Devon/West Dorset
As an aside, a tree was down on a back road not far from Yeovil, tree surgeons were they chopping it up. Got nattering to the crew as I tiptoed over the debris.
Young lad looks at this geriatric (I'm 67): "Nice bike. Going far?"
Me: "Just dropped my car off in Yeovil, heading back to Lyme Regis"
A look of pure astonishment comes over his face. "Feck that, it's fecking miles."
Me: "It's not far, only 21 miles and will take me about 90 minutes."
Lad: "No way. I'd have got a lift."
It's as if I was just about to tour the globe. The general public have no idea how easy it is to cover moderate distance on a bike.
Got home and my wife pleasingly says: "You're back early, didn't expect you for ages."
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Cheated today as I had my daughter with me, we got the train to Skipton then rode a scenic but gruelling loop. Grassington, out towards Pateley Bridge, then right to Appletreewick and Burnsall onto a horrible climb towards Embsay via Bardon and a welcome drop back into Skipton.
The best part for me was Grassington, as my daughter was buying an ice cream I was idly looking at the hand written ads in the shop window. Flipppin eck! A hardly used, "as new", Specilaized Sirrus L frame, only the very bike I've spent months looking for online.
The best part for me was Grassington, as my daughter was buying an ice cream I was idly looking at the hand written ads in the shop window. Flipppin eck! A hardly used, "as new", Specilaized Sirrus L frame, only the very bike I've spent months looking for online.
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T.M.H.N.E.T
Rainbows aren't just for world champions
- Location
- Northern Ireland
One that particularly fvcked me right off. Supposed to meet at x place at x time, I arrive at x place just on time and proceed to wait for 30mins before deciding to ride on (the rain was getting closer!)
Turns out, the other people arrived at x place before x time and left without me, fully aware that I was going to be there
Turns out, the other people arrived at x place before x time and left without me, fully aware that I was going to be there
Thanks for your concern (and to everyone else's sympathtic smileys!) - thankfully the eggs were OK as they were in my rucksack on my back I do have a lumpy bruise on my forearm for my trouble thoughWafter, pleased you were OK , but what about the eggs?
Scumbags - I wonder what they're excuse for that will be..? Bet you won't be falling over yourself to ride with them in future!
Three for the price of one today (yesterday) - although probably still pretty poor value as none are very interesting!
Left to travel back to the homestead again late yesterday morning. Followed the usual route out past Woodstock; with "highlights" including a group of idiot boomers on bikes who'd stopped at an ample clearing on the track yet still managed to block the path comprehensively; utterly oblivious to anyone else around them... Plus some idiot jogger whose earphones and lack of observation meant my bell went unheard and it took me shouting when I was nearly on top of her to get her out of the middle of the path
Legs were tired and arse sore, once off the path I decided to forego the more direct but poorly surfaced usual route and instead followed the little dashed red NCN5 route exactly, as displayed on my GPS head unit. What I discovered was a nice stretch of narrow rural backroad leading to some slightly larger ones. Got "lost" a couple of times through not paying attention to the satnav but it wasn't the end of the world. With traffic noticeably worse in most areas these backroads remained beautifully quiet and I saw lots of other very friendly cyclists including a young couple on a tandem
My ride eventually brought me along a few gated bridleways; the first of which I stopped at to get a pic (sorry for the shocking composition - could have done a lot better!):
It was at this point that I discovered a text from an old friend saying she was in the city for a few days and meeting up with another mate that evening - bloody typical; three months with seeing only one mate intentionally, then I miss this opportunity! For the rest of the ride my mind was distracted by wondering how I could work things to see my friends; which sadly detracted from my pleasant surroundings..
A few new, short but formidible (12-15% max) hills conquired on my novel route and I was back at home after around 27 miles and 1000ft at 13.3mph and 120bpm for 1000kcal burned; my progress aided by a pretty significant tailwind.
Once home I had a shower and rushed around to put things in place to get back to the city if possible; getting the bare bones done of what I needed to. Things panned out OK and I managed to postpone some of the work I'd planned, so a little more than 2hrs after I'd arrived I set off again; knowing that my mates wouldn't be around forever..
I took the most direct route to start with - the A-road (and stretch of dual carriageway) I'd otherwise largely avoided until this point. The wind was bloody punishing - being an almost full-value headwind at 12-14mph according to the weather forecast. Progress was slow and unpleasant; my arse really, really sore (causing me to experiement with new and innovative positions on the bike!), legs complaining at the significant output required to maintain a 10-11mph average speed, some fairly long climbs to start with while all the time subjected to close-passes by idiot drivers who evidently preferred to make my life unpleasant than to dare venture across the white centreline onto the deserted opposite side of the road
Once off the main roads the journey became a lot less unpleasant as the wind reduced (slightly different direction and effect of hedges I'd guess) and I carried on through Woodstock, Yarnton, along the tow path to Wolvercote, Wytham and home.. this return journey coming to a bit over 19 miles and 400ft at 13.8mph and 136bpm for 900kcal burned.
A quick shower and a rushed dinner later I was out for my third ride; this time floating into town on the ofo to meet mates in uni parks. We sat for a few hours with some beer and snacks until the parks closed and we got chucked out; at which point a couple of us went on to another mate's house across town to sit in his garden for a bit. The ofo finally brought me home at about 2am; at which point i was pretty cold - thanks to the day's exertions, clear sky and nasty shivery reaction to the beer I yet again shouldn't have drunk. I did feel virtuous for avoiding all the kebab wagons on the way home though; instead making myself a splendid corned beef salad with cheese and pickled onions before bed.. it was great to see people and a really nice way to celebrate the passing solstice too
Today has been designated as a definite duvet day as I feel pretty ruined in so many ways; purely from a riding perspective I think I need a few days off to recover. Not sure why I'm so knackered this week as I've "only" done 130 (recorded) miles although I did do a sizeable walk earlier in the week and have been out on the ofo a bit too, so have been pretty active (while last week was pretty heavy too).
I'm up to 440 miles so far for the month, so with 9 days left I'm hoping I might be able to better last month's 560 miles and possibly push it to 600 this time.. although I'm going to have to be careful not to ruin myself as I need to get back home again next weekend to finish the job I didn't get done this time!
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Would that be the A44? I have a bit of a penchant for finding myself on Oxfordshire's primary routes... my first 40&50 miler was straight up the A44 to Chippy Norton and back. The 50 added 10 miles along Botley and Cowley roads to the mix.I took the most direct route to start with - the A-road (and stretch of dual carriageway) I'd otherwise largely avoided until this point. The wind was bloody punishing - being an almost full-value headwind at 12-14mph according to the weather forecast. Progress was slow and unpleasant; my arse really, really sore (causing me to experiement with new and innovative positions on the bike!), legs complaining at the significant output required to maintain a 10-11mph average speed, some fairly long climbs to start with while all the time subjected to close-passes by idiot drivers who evidently preferred to make my life unpleasant than to dare venture across the white centreline onto the deserted opposite side of the road
roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
Not sure why, but the mood took us to blast it this morning and a very rapid 25 miles en tandem with the fragrant Mrs Tuesday ensued. We became derny for about three different roadies along the way - it's *very* hard to overtake a tandem into a brisk breeze.
Then after a case of mistaken hose identity at the garden centre I was sent out on a mercy mission. Alas and alack, I had to cycle to two places separated by 5 miles of very pleasant pootling back lanes, in lovely but not too hot sunshine to resolve things. Life is tough.
Then after a case of mistaken hose identity at the garden centre I was sent out on a mercy mission. Alas and alack, I had to cycle to two places separated by 5 miles of very pleasant pootling back lanes, in lovely but not too hot sunshine to resolve things. Life is tough.
Close - the A4260; although neither of them are particularly pleasant on a bike IMO; rather you than me
Are those square miles on your map (Veloviewer?) - that's an interesting incentive / bit of functionality for those of us who prefer exploring over Strava's speed-related goals
Oh, I've done the length of the A4260! To be honest, I found the dual carriageway stretch one of the better bits...Close - the A4260; although neither of them are particularly pleasant on a bike IMO; rather you than me
Are those square miles on your map (Veloviewer?) - that's an interesting incentive / bit of functionality for those of us who prefer exploring over Strava's speed-related goals
They're not quite square miles, their size depends on lattitude. They're 79.1 arcseconds (of longitude) wide. A nautical mile is 60 arcseconds at the equator! (2400m tiles). But at our latitude, they're 0.95 miles.
iancity
Veteran
- Location
- Ashington, Northumberland
Yesterdays ride. nice to be out. Daughter just really got into cycling and we are doing loads of little rides together, which is great fun but also means occasionally time for bigger rides goes out the window, and when you do get to do them any cycling fitness you had disappears !
A very slow but very enjoyable 32 miles :-)
A very slow but very enjoyable 32 miles :-)
Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
Wish my nippers would do 32 miles! I really need to get them road bikes
Cheated today as I had my daughter with me, we got the train to Skipton then rode a scenic but gruelling loop. Grassington, out towards Pateley Bridge, then right to Appletreewick and Burnsall onto a horrible climb towards Embsay via Bardon and a welcome drop back into Skipton.
The best part for me was Grassington, as my daughter was buying an ice cream I was idly looking at the hand written ads in the shop window. Flipppin eck! A hardly used, "as new", Specilaized Sirrus L frame, only the very bike I've spent months looking for online.
And the bike was still available, £260 & collecting on Tuesday, it'd be £400-500 on Ebay at the moment. A crazy coincidence.
twentysix by twentyfive
Clinging on tightly
- Location
- Over the Hill
Some of the gang met in Upton for a socially distanced chat. Lovely evening for it and great to see folks after such a long time. 16 smiles
And the bike was still available, £260 & collecting on Tuesday, it'd be £400-500 on Ebay at the moment. A crazy coincidence.
any photos of the said bargain buy?
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Freiburg im Breisgau
I was in Stuttgart this weekend, involving rail and bike journeys. In a moment of overconfidence I decided to finish the return journey with a ride from Offenburg, which it turns out is about 50k (30 miles) north of where I live. I de-trained at about half past five and to my astonishment arrived here at just after eight.
Not I'm pooped.
Want eats...
I took pictures so I'll add a "proper" report later.
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