Your ride today....

[pjd57]

Mrs asked me last night if Killearn was too far for me to go to pick up something she wanted to buy on Marketplace.
Google said 13 miles, so I said I would go this morning and arranged to be there for 11.
Woke up to monsoon type rain but got the old hybrid out anyway , as I needed the pannier for the parcel.

Decided against a couple of the back roads out to Strathblane in case they were flooded .
So going on the A81 added another mile or so.
Normally it's quite a scenic route with views of the Campsie hills but they vanished under very low clouds and mist.

Got to Killearn on time then struggled to read the address as the paper was mush , my glasses steamed up when I put them on and took ages to get my phone to work as rain kept hitting the screen.
But I managed eventually.
Run home was fine even though the roads were covered in surface water.
The climbs around Strathblane seemed much easier just ticking over with the hybrids gears compared to my other bike.

Home soaked but happy

 

[AndreaJ]

The weather forecast was correct for a change and it was definitely raining this morning so after a trip to Shrewsbury, where it wasn’t raining, for pet supplies ( in the car) it was starting to clear when we got home although there was a lot of water on the roads. I waited for a bit for the roads to dry as the sun made an appearance and set off to Northwood. It started raining again but not too heavy so I carried on as there are lots of opportunities to cut it short if the rain got heavier to Hollinswood, Fenns Bank, Alkington, Tilstock with the usual pothole dodging required, turned off at Steel Heath to CotonWood, Coton, Abbeygreen, Waterloo, Edstaston, Ryebank Horton then home. 20.6 miles @15.5mph, another wet, muddy and windy ride and didn’t see anyone else out.

 

[Mike_P]

Monday just before 7pm, the rain had stopped but the wind had not dropped much so for a very brief moment the thought of using the car crossed my mind but soon the ebike was heading to Morrisons. Low battery again so opted to take the shortest sensible route, not the shortest which would involve walking the bike over a footbridge over the railway and also using too much of the busiest part of the A59. The outbound ride was mainly done on minimum or no assistance. It did mean a long doze at set of traffic lights to cross the A59, which as typical had gone red-green-red as I approached. Had a Morrisons Fiver to spend; £4.10 said the checkout
Retraced largely the outbound route with a sight deviation due to a one way street to avoid the outbound TLs but having to encounter a different set which actually went to green as I reached them
On the return the wind was defiantly strong and mid assistance was needed to make any sensible level of forwards motion. This quickly ran the battery down and approaching the final climb for the first time a red warning light appeared on the battery control panel Still had enough juice to cope with maximum assistance on the climb 8.6 miles with 558ft up.

 

[GetFatty]

Posted in completely the wrong thread initially. Went somewhere different to check out possible winter routes ie treated roads. Good ride to Gravesend, some nice hills. Traffic a bit meh on the way back but bearable

 

[Saracenlad]

Just back from our shortest loop ride from home. Exactly 6 miles:- The Gildingwells Loop. The wind was truly horrendous. Against us travelling south from home and against us travelling North on return. Good 30 minute shakedown and we beat the two winds. Yay.

 

[Old jon]

Last Sunday someone had mentioned riding to Knaresborough. What a very good idea! thought some, including me. Lets do that. Herewith the story.

Meet up at the Dexter. Ride away on Wike Ridge Lane, all the way to Wike, turn left to reach the A61 and turn right there. In Harewood, turn left more or less opposite the pub. I did know of the footpath around the grounds (?)/ estate (??), walked it a few times. First time on a bike, down the hill to the good old A659. Go back to the A61 and turn left for Harewood Bridge and the climbing road to the right turn for Kirkby Overblow. And in the village, turn left.

The route then meanders twixt Follifoot and Pannal on the way past Calcutt to find the top of Beryl Burton, the cycleway leads down to the bridge at Knaresborough. We crossed that surprisingly busy bridge and turned right to ride downstream. Oh, it’s the River Nidd by the way. Reach the B6164, turn right and after crossing the river again turn right for a munch stop on the south bank. A very nice spot, the café did us well.

Back to the B road and turn for Wetherby via Little Ribston and North and Kirk Deightons. The Nidd is behind us now, head out of Wetherby to Linton and cross the River Wharfe there. This had been crossed earlier at Harewood Bridge. And the route surprised me, climb Jewitt Lane next. Surprised and almost stopped me, it felt well steep this afternoon. But once at the top there is that gorgeous road with views in all directions. East Rigton next followed by more of the same, along to Milner Lane and take the right turn to Scarcroft.

The road climbs out of Scarcroft, past the golf course, elevation increase all the way back to the Dexter. A short stop there for a chat outside, and then we went our separate ways. For me, mostly down hill, a pleasant end to a very pleasant ride. By the time I reached home I had ridden 52 miles and climbed 2900 feet, one heck of a lot for me. Big grin made bigger when I saw the elevation pic, I was ten metres below sea level for one stretch!

 

[wafter]

Went out pre-breakfast for eggs, ended up doing a big anti-clockwise loop starting at about 11 O'clock on the face. This meant that I was probably lulled into a false sense of security by the not inconsiderable NW-ish wind on the way out and got hammered on the way back (which also included some sustained climbing). On the up-side the grey overhead gradually gave way to some sun as the ride progressed and I missed any rain worth mentioning.

No pics and not a lot to report.. encountered a few other cyclists of the usual variable temperiment, got screwed over while turning right by a van driver coming the other way; who upon seeing my signal just got slower and slower as we both approached the junction; without making it known that he intended me to cross in front of him so I ended up slightly overshooting to allow me to turn in behind him

Also made the mistake of tackling an off-road ascent out by Garsington for the second time; not recognising it's potential hell from the last. Ended up having to get off and push for a bit as the slick rear tyre simply wasn't cutting it on the slippery grass of the steepest 10%+ section.

In numbers I managed 56 miles and 1300ft at 14.2mph and 122bpm for around 2100kcal burned. Not sure exactly why but this ride has absolutely destroyed me, despite being an unremarkable length and exertion level. I'm utterly exhausted for some reason and my quads and knees were ruined on the last bit; to the extent that I really didn't think I had anything left.

My diet's not been good recently so it could be an allergy / inflammation issue (would explain the knees), might be due to having eaten nowt for 12hrs before going out (although I've had no issue with fasted rides before, albeit from a low-carb springboard) or maybe I've picked up a dose of the 'rona

 

[JPBoothy]

After discovering that my metal up & over garage door was starting to get a bit 'wobbly' because the braces on the back had un-bonded themselves from the door itself, I set off to Chester to buy a pop rivet gun to repair it. There were quite a few people around but I managed to avoid most roads and stretch the 10ml round trip out to about 25mls by using bike paths/tracks etc.. I'm still struggling to load photos though so at least I won't bore you with my photos of an empty race course and people rowing on the choppy River Dee. The only negative of my ride 'in addition to the wind' was that I managed to scrape my new bar tape that has only been on for 2 days

 

[Archie_tect]

First ride for nearly 2 weeks due to lots of work which needed to be cleared... good to get out in the strong wind- gusting to 26mph on the way home- so a big grin cycling along as fast as I could in total calm!

Just over 25 miles round the Whalton, Belsay, Stamfordham anti-clockwise circle to get the wind assistance home!

 

[gavgav]

Out after working, on a distinctly autumnal feeling evening, despite it being July, for a ride over to Dad’s.

Back towards the beginning of Lockdown, in April, my Brother, his Girlfriend and I, began a virtual LEJOG, with them using their exercise bike and me out on the roads. It gave us something to focus on and during some very dark days, it certainly kept me going, to the point that I put in some record mileage months, doing lots of rides of around 1 to 1&1/2 hours. I completed the distance this evening, in around 3&1/2 months, less riding recently, than those first couple of months.

It was hard work, mostly into the wind through Meole, Nobold, Hook a Gate and Annscroft, where I eventually had a tailwind as I turned towards Stapleton. Only thing to note was a boy racer pass me, in a bright orange Peugeot 306, with the most ridiculous attempt at a sporty exhaust, which sounds like a dying wasp! As I passed through Exfords Green, he was parked outside a house there, so I had another chuckle to myself.

Also, they’ve surface dressed all the way from Exfords Green to the Chatford turn off, which is really annoying and care needs to be taken where the gravel has pooled in places.

I had a half hour chat to Dad and then set back out, through Gonsal and Condover, where there was a “Road Closed Ahead” sign at the Cross. It was only on the side and so I hoped that it would be past the turn I needed, which was indeed just the case, as I turned down Lyons Lane, with the closure being straight after that turn.

Had the wind behind me again, along Lyons Lane, so I set 3 new PB’s on Strava segments and reeled in a chap who was clearly cycling back from work, in his overalls, with a friendly exchange as I overtook him, with him saying “I though I heard a fast hum coming up from behind”. I rarely get called fast!!

Final section was through Betton Abbots and back into the wind for the final stretch home, having done 14.93 miles at 13.6mph avg

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Quick sunset ride on the old beast, along the coast path, back along the sea front and then finally back in the garden.

 

[Mike_P]

Thought it was going to be another case of ebike v the wind this evening to and from Sainsburys but it turned out to be smidge less strong this evening so not as battery eating today, although crossing the Stray on the return with a crosswind blowing across the open space was verging on having to point the bike away from straight forward to go straight forward. Amazingly got everything I went for but pity the next customer. 9.43 miles 645ft up.

 

[JPBoothy]

Quick sunset ride on the old beast, along the coast path, back along the sea front and then finally back in the garden.

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Nice photographs. Where is it?

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Nice photographs. Where is it?

Thanks. Blue Anchor, West Somerset, nestled between the sea and Exmoor.

 

[Saracenlad]

Quick sunset ride on the old beast, along the coast path, back along the sea front and then finally back in the garden.

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Lovely photo's. Thanks.