Your ride today....

[Old jon]

Sunshine, blue skies, a few clouds and an extra hour in bed. A friend had mentioned an urban ride, seemed like a good idea so off I pedalled to the meeting point, the clock at Oakwood. I then retraced my ride there, with the others.

OK, we did not recross the river. Turned off by the parish church and rode through the centre of Leeds all the way to Wellington Bridge. On bike paths I was totally unaware of. There is more. We crossed the bridge and turned up Armley Road, kept on through Stanningley, passing the soon to be ex Bob Jackson’s. All the way to Thornbury where we turned leftish to go to Tyersal. And then left again to pass Tyersal Gate. All urban and all fun, likely because of the novelty but there’s nowt wrong with that.

Then the surprises. A cracking descent of Ned Lane leads to the ascents. Lumps if you like. Holme Lane to Raikes Lane to New Lane included quite a lot of uphill in shortish sharp stretches. My legs were relieved when we reached the dropping road to the village of Tong, and the cafe stop.

Leaving there I knew there were a couple more ridges to cross, on the way to Armley. Someone knew more than me, and found a way to miss Whingate Junction to take us up via Kirkstall to Beckett Park, across Otley Road and to Moor Allerton. With a couple more climbs as well.

Time for home, me for my becoming-usual trip via that clock. Passing the park gates there was still lots of traffic, which thinned out nicely before I reached the town edge again. Home lit up a grin, it really was a good ride, thirty eight miles and an astonishing 2500 feet of climbing.

Lefts and rights, ups and downs

 

[Dave 123]

A ride to lift the mood. At the moment I seem to be ok for a bit, then all this ongoing divorce rubbish gets me down. It could and should have been sorted many moons ago, but someone (the adulterous wife) is now dragging her heels on purpose.
Anyway, I woke feeling crap this morning. After a dog walk I went out on my mountain bike. I couldn’t resist going round the Warren even though it was windy. The sea was looking a bit lumpy and grey.
The coast path was Surprisingly busy . After a while I was getting fed up with people so at Stoke beach I jumped on to the road.
Down to Membland and up Widey Hill until I took the first turn to th grinding hill.... once I was on the flat I found a sunny, warm gateway.
I leant against it and eventually burst into tears. I had a good old cry for 5 minutes, rode home slowly and washed my bike.

I feel better now. In about 6 weeks it’ll probably happen again Unless she decides to be a decent person and get on with it. I hope she’s reading this....

https://www.strava.com/activities/4242023113

 

[Grant Fondo]

Those racecourse views are familiar: that's part of my regular morning ride when I visit my parents, in fact according to the map you very nearly cycled past my parents house.

I'll second that. Lived down the road from the Knavesmire for many years, around the time the military had boats on it, 2000/2001?

 

[roubaixtuesday]

60 miles on the tandem with the lovely Mrs Tuesday on the Northumberland coast.

Other than shortage of gluten free food for Mrs T, a perfect autumn day à velo, castles and beaches galore.

 

[cyberknight]

more images

 

[cyberknight]

screenshots from mates go pro sorry its a facefluff link

View: https://www.facebook.com/1218461714/videos/pcb.10226791174104950/10226791160624613

 

[Grant Fondo]

60 miles on the tandem with the lovely Mrs Tuesday on the Northumberland coast.

Other than shortage of gluten free food for Mrs T, a perfect autumn day à velo, castles and beaches galore. View attachment 554489

View attachment 554490

View attachment 554491

View attachment 554492

View attachment 554493

Great pics! What a stunning part of the world.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A bit of a slow start this morning and although there was a forecast for it to be dry today there were threatening looking clouds to the south-west. As none of those showers seemed to manage to make it to Shrewsbury I decided to risk it in the afternoon and took the knockabout bike round my Oaks - Pulverbatch - Wilderley - Dudgeley - Hollyhurst - Condover route.

It was quite cool out with the air feeling more like the start of winter than mid-autumn. The wind was quite brisk too so I wasn't quick riding into it as I climbed Lyth Hill. This was a good warm up though and after a miile or so I was fairly comfortable. The rain yesterday was evident in the puddles on the unmade track over the hill then the views from the top looked very moody today.

Dropping down to Exford's Green, on joining the main road I greeted another rider headed the other way there and took the turning for Long Lane. What I thought was a buzzard lazily taking off from a field to my right turned out to be a Red Kite which soared directly overhead before going out of sight behind the high hedge to my left. Absolutely wonderful to see it that close and I wish I could have got to my camera quick enough to capture the moment.

At the junction for the road to Oaks I scooted across ahead of another rider who proceeded to turn in and follow me up the hill. At the top I stopped and we chatted a bit (it turned out to be the same rider I'd greeted at Exford's Green). He was going to head down to Plealey but, after I said where I was headed, changed his mind and headed my way as far as the junction for Habberley, so we got to chat for a little longer before he powered up the climb of Broom Hill much quicker than I could manage.

Through Pulverbatch, Wilderley and Smethcott I had the lanes pretty much to myself (apart from a boy racer who was going a wee bit quick on these narrow roads - I heard him coming and made room) which made for some nice riding. There was a little bit of rain but it never got heavy enough to need the waterproofs and had stopped again by Dudgeley.

After crossing the A49 and turning north again I picked up the tailwind I'd been anticipating and made really good progress through Hollyhurst, Longnor, Ryton and Condover. It was nice to see a few cyclists out and about and I was going quick enough to overtake a few of them. The only thing spoiling it was on the short section of the A49 where a white van came past a little close and was already pulling back in before he'd passed me. It's a Sunday, what's the flipping rush?

That aside, a great ride that made me really glad to have got out.

26.3 miles at 12.6 mph average which I'm quite pleased with for a hilly trip on this bike.

A very moody sky as I take in the views from the top of Lyth Hill.

En route to Smethcott and looking up the slopes towards the Long Mynd.

Dropping down into the Stretton valley.

View to Caer Caradoc from near Dudgeley.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I spotted that it would be possible to meet up with the Kidderminster CTC gang so I volunteered to lead a Worcester and Malvern ride. The forecast let us down as we had some showers. But we also had sunshine too which gave us an occasional rainbow. John W was in for this so we took to Acton Green and Hegdon Hill on the way out. The views from Hegdon Hill were superb with added sky scape including angry and rain laden clouds. We dropped to Saffron Cross where the petrol station had a coffee machine. A mile down the road was Bodenham Church where cheery cyclists from KCTC were already picnic-ing. What a strange church tower! Soon folks were drifting away so John and I headed for Withington and Yarkhill. John headed back from Bosbury while I took on the climb over the Wyche Cutting. Plenty of birdlife around today. Winter Thrushes are in for the season now. Most unexpected birds were Peregrine Falcon and a pair of Curlew. All good. 59 smiles

 

[gavgav]

Headed over to Dad’s, to meet up with him and my Brother, after lunch and decided to risk riding over there, despite some big black clouds about and some showers on the rain radar.

Pretty chilly out and first thing I noticed, when turning South, was the strength of the wind, which was sustained and felt like riding into a wall. With a mostly uphill trend, it was a hard slog through Cantlop, Pitchford, Acton Burnell and Frodesley. Had a moment, on the downhill section after Cantlop, when a squirrel darted out of the undergrowth and just as I was about to hit it, darted back thankfully!!

I was glad to turn out of the wind, at Longnor and then had it behind me to Ryton and Stapleton. Had a good couple of hours at Dad’s and missed a rain shower as well, whilst there.

Set out again and it was noticeably colder, but had a nice wind assisted ride back through Annscroft and Hook-a-Gate, to Meole, where I went through the village and home.

21.69 miles at 12:3mph avg, which I was fairly pleased with, after 10 miles into the wind.

 

[Mburton1993]

To Chew Reservoir and a ridiculous hill. (17 miles)

 

[AndreaJ]

A bit of maintenance was needed before today’s ride, the local farmers have been hedge cutting for the past month and after weeks of riding through the hedge cuttings on most rides my Gatorskin tyres were finally defeated by a big sharp thorn, obligingly the tyre went flat overnight so replaced the tube yesterday ready to go this morning. The sun was shining although it was a bit cool so I set off to Horton, Creamore into Wem, over the level crossing passing the cricket club to Aston, Barkers Green, Tilley, Myddle down the hill into Myddle to find a road closed sign not really wanting to go back up the hill I carried on to find the road was closed but the pavement wasn’t so squeezed through onto Myddlewood, Fennemere, Eyton into Baschuch, Stanwardine, Bagley where the sky started to get a bit dark, Hordley where it started to raining quite heavily, Lee turning to pass Whitemere, up past the nature reserve to Colemere, Newton, Welshampton, Lyneal, Loppington and home. Didn’t appear to have rained at all at home so the weather forecast was technically right but I was wet and muddy and my bike was filthy. 35.75miles, lots of people out today. Only 2 pictures of rainbows and rain clouds as it was too wet to stop for more!

 

[Mike_P]

Sunday and the compass turned east for the Defy with its rider also donning a gilet.
Into Knaresborough there was a long stationary queue of traffic tailing back to High Bridge so an unplanned ride along Waterside and Abbey Road; quieter than normal with a PR gained on “Waterside Sprint”, after the Wahoo ceased its complaining about the change of route. Joined the A59 before turning north with more PRs through Flaxby and Coneythorpe to acquire the planned route at Arkendale; the Wahoo squealed its delight.
Over the A1(M) and briefly on the A168 and a while later the B6265 en route to Great Ouseburn. More PRs came on the approaches to, and muddy roads away from, the rattly Aldwark Bridge but not on the bridge itself due to congestion (three cars). Turned to Tollerton and headed east over the East Coast Mainline, a new higher bridge because of electrification was only a single carriageway width with TLs at either side, and then a crossing of the A19 requiring a right turn on; left turn off. All to reach the xU of Huby, where I decided it was time to pocket the gilet.

On the way out of the village the Wahoo started squealing – what right turn? Turned back to find an unmade lane and decided to brave it. Turned into a nicely surfaced track which did not last becoming a very potholed lane which I navigated without problem until what appeared to a complete carriageway width pothole; all were water filled so impossible to gauge depth. Turned the bike onto the only above water level routing pass it and put my right foot down straight into one the wet potholes.

Shoe and sock pedalling spun dried. Surface thereafter was largely okay and there were plenty of other cyclists braving the lane.
Back on a proper road into Shipton by Beiningborough, nicely timed as set of TTLs were being set up, and then south on the A19 only for the Wahoo to start squealing again as I had missed another right turn. Corrected and onto a lane that forms the route of NCN65, with another climb over the railway immediately adjacent to the Edinburgh 200 miles signs, to reach with a noticeable headwind the xV of Overton.

Thereafter under the railway and turned onto a cycletrack forming NCN65 to the west side of Skelton that included a fair length on a raised embankment unfenced with steepish drops either side, particularly a sharp S curve with a pond at the foot. Returned to the A19 and took the reverse of a route from a month ago including use of the cycletrack alongside the A1237. Varied the route slightly by going via Knapton and due to the wind decided against the planned route along the A658 and Calcutt for another ride, with the gilet back on, along Abbey Road and Waterside at Knaresborough – this time somewhat busier, and the A59 hill and old railway from Starbeck route. 61.88 miles @ 13.2mph avg, 2231ft climbed, and one very mucky looking bike.

 

[Spiderweb]

A day off today so out at lunchtime on my Enik Pordoi winter bike. Haven’t ridden this bike for some time but after half a mile or so I had to stop and raise the saddle, not sure why, it hasn’t slipped down? maybe I’ve had a growth spurt and I’m now taller than 5ft 8😀👍. A nice steady loop out to Cawood and on to Little Fenton, Church Fenton, Ulleskelf and back home. Managed to dodge the showers. 20.5 miles with an average of 15mph.

 

[Gunk]

Very little riding recently, a change of job has meant very long hours, so I haven't ventured out much, so most of my riding has been on the turbo. However, I worked from home today so got out at lunchtime to just run some errands and collect some essentials, only 7 miles in total but enjoyable none the less.