Your ride today....

[C R]

Alarm went off at the usual time, but I wasn't feeling quite up to a ride, so turned a couple of times in bed, and as I was now awake I thought I might as well try for the ride.

Forecast was coolish, misty, but again, like last week, no wind. Full winter garb, as I felt slightly underdressed last week, but ended up being overdressed this week, as it was warmer than the forecast.

Target today was to extend my riding around Evesham a bit. Out just before six thirty, in complete darkness, and with the mist so thick that it was more like drizzle. My feeling at waking up was correct, and my legs weren't really in the mood for turning much, so I just tottered along past Pershore and Cropthorne and on to Evesham. The black of the night was now turning a very dull grey very slowly, without any hint of sunrise colours, just a dull, non descript grey.

Next destination after Evesham was Weston sub Edge, which meant a brief incursion into Gloucestershire. It is a fairly gradual climb from Evesham, but my legs were not really wanting to play, and I was starting to think about turning back. However, my next destination was Honeybourne, now going downhill, and the riding started to get easier.

So now committed to the route, it was quicker to continue than to turn back, so pressed on for Bidford an then Broom, where I turned towards Ragley. Here was the only significant climb of the day, going up to Dunnington, which I just spun up in my lowest gear.

The return leg was a pretty straight run towards Worcester via Flyford and Spetchley. I ended up enjoying the ride, even though my body didn't quite seem to be up to it, and the day wasn't particularly inspiring.

The map

 

[mikeIow]

Open cycle.travel in the browser on your phone, I use Chrome, download the gpx. Open the gpx into wahoo, send to device, job done.

I’ll try that....is yours Android or iPhone (mine is the latter, which I know can give quirks with file management sometimes!)

The free version of Ridewithgps works fine with my wahoo bolt ,just link Ridewithgps in the wahoo app and the route loads direct onto the head unit

Yup, that...but either I found I cannot upload my cycle.travel files, or looked limited on numbers of routes allowed?

 

[geocycle]

@mikelow Mine is an android. As long as you know where the download folder is and you can open or share the gpx in the wahoo app you should be fine. I found that if I want elevation data I need to have the profile showing in cycle.travel before I save and download the route.

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

I’ll try that....is yours Android or iPhone (mine is the latter, which I know can give quirks with file management sometimes!)

@mikelow Mine is an android. As long as you know where the download folder is and you can open or share the gpx in the wahoo app you should be fine. I found that if I want elevation data I need to have the profile showing in cycle.travel before I save and download the route.

On the iPhone, the file should show in the web browser (Safari) window, just us the Open In... button and select the Wahoo Elemnt app. No need to mess about with file management or folders.

 

[mikeIow]

Ahh, excellent, that did work - good job, @LeetleGreyCells - thank you!!

 

[gavgav]

A Monday off work and a fair forecast (other than the wind) so arranged to meet up with @Rickshaw Phil for a longer ride. We met down at the Brooklands and set out for a long slog into the wind, through Hook-a-Gate, Annscroft, Plealey, Pontesbury and Minsterley. Quite a few people out walking on the shared path between those 2 towns, but everyone seemed in a cheery mood, today, which was good.

From Minsterley, we turned onto lanes and then busier “B” roads, to Westbury, but finally had the wind behind us for a while, which was nice. From Westbury we headed to Halfway House, pausing for elevenses near the level crossing.

Crossing the A458 wasn’t too bad, but there was a lot of traffic heading for the Welsh Border......I then took us on some lesser travelled lanes, which I’ve only been on twice before, through Wollaston and Bulthy. It’s a climb up, but then a very fast steep descent into Crew Green, with some great views across to the Welsh mountains.

We had briefly crossed over the Welsh border, but Drakeford wasn’t there with his Bayonet, clearly he was busy telling the Welsh they can’t have a pint from Friday!

We picked up a nice tailwind, from Crew Green, which blew us onto Melverley, Crosslanes, Argoed, Kinnerley and Dovaston, before we crossed the A5, having to wait a while for streams of traffic to pass and paused for lunch. It soon became quite cold, stood eating and so we got going again along lanes to Hopton, where it started to rain as we paused for me to change into full finger gloves. It had gone much chillier and we deliberated as to whether to don the waterproofs, but decided against it. Correct decision, as it didn’t last long.

At Hopton, we turned onto some new territory for me, towards Little Ness. It was quite a muddy lane though and it didn’t help when we had to get off the road, to let the bin lorry through and the only option was a gateway thick with mud. At Little Ness, we turned down to Adcote and then Baschurch.

The rat run down to Yeaton was its usual busy self and we then headed to Grafton and more new territory for me, through Nibbs Heath, where there was a climb that I wasn’t quite expecting. It was muddy along there as well. Next was Montford Bridge and the climb up, then descent down to Bicton. We could see a chap on a bike, in front, on the climb, who we were reeling in and he decided to get off and walk, carrying a skateboard on his back as well.

We turned up Calcot Lane and then through the suburbs of Gains Park, Copthorne, Radbrook and Meole, where we parted ways and had short journeys back to our own houses.

Distance today was 43.08 miles at bang on 11mph. That wind really affected the avg for the first half of the ride.

Those miles also took me past 1800 for the calendar year and broke my previous all time mileage for a calendar year, which stood at 1788. I’m determined to try and get past 2000 now, if the weather will permit!

A much more enjoyable Monday than a normal working one, with the very pleasant company of Phil.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

On the way up the Wyche my rear mech did something terminal. All I could do was freewheel home. So I grabbed the retro tourer, pumped up the tyres, put some pedals on and transferred the necessaries from the wounded bike and headed off on the standard Ashleworth loop. I altered things slightly for a change. I stopped to chat with Mike and Mary J on the way back and then added a small loop too. The retro tourer seemed to run quite nicely so I salvaged the day well. Now to diagnose and heal the wounded bike. 56 smiles

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

As already reported by Gav, A good trip out in mostly dry but windy conditions and it felt colder than the thermometer suggested. I thought I might have overdone the layers at the start but was glad of them later on.

Not much I can add really other except that it was good to see a reasonable number of other cyclists out despite it not being the most enticing weather.

44.2 miles by the time I got back at 11.1 mph average.

Gav on the road to Crew Green.

 

[Mburton1993]

Short but still arduous, was looking for an advent calendar (no luck), are they not selling them this year or have I left it too late?

 

[Old jon]

A cold morning to start December with, but the bird bath was ice free and the sky was blue. So I wheeled out the Spa and pedalled off.


With a route in mind, but little else, out of Leeds via Oakwood and Slaid Hill for the fourth time in succession on this bike. Wike Ridge Lane is the attraction, of course. A great road in this direction, possibly a bit too much upward going the other way, but the views are brilliant. And leaving East Keswick, Whitegate is definitely uphill.


Cross the River Wharfe after leaving Collingham, and ride through Linton, going out of there on Northgate Lane. Turn right at the ‘T’ junction with Sicklinghall Road. This might add a couple of miles onto the ride, and some different landscapes. Ride around Wetherby, around the outside that is, and take the A58 to Collingham. And turn left to climb Jewitt Lane.


The second great road of the morning, Compton Lane / Holme Farm Lane / Milner Lane. And the weather was kind, a little distant mist that hid nothing of the view. Not that I spent much time looking at that. There was a bit too much farm on the road, to see the scenery properly I would have to stop, and it is much too cold for that.


Milner Lane is closed just outside Thorner, so carry on to Scarcroft and ride up by the golf course after crossing the A58. That is Syke Lane, leading to Tarn Lane and back to Slaid Hill. On the way out, I saw that Easterly Road was closed, just by the former Fforde Grene pub. It was a big hole in the road, could not see any way it would be filled today. So rather than whatever diversion had been provided, from Slaid Hill I rode towards Leeds on the Harrogate Road, all the way to Harehills Lane.


Along there to Potternewton Park, turn right down the far side of the park, straight over the crossroads and reach Roundhay Road that way. Which puts me back on my usual route home. And I was glad to see home today. The cold was beginning to be felt after thirty six miles, and all the climbing had been done, 2100 feet of it. Well worth the grin.

Still, a map and some lumps.

 

[Andy in Germany]

On the way to work today the snow was coming down in great lumps that splatted into my glasses so I had to keep stopping and clearing them. Mind you I was better off than one driver stomping about next to his car that was half in a ditch. As this was on a road that is closed to motorised traffic and he had clearly gone off on a corner due to excessive speed in poor weather conditions, I didn't feel any need to be sympathetic.

On the way back the snow had stopped and the hills in the Black Forest were covered in an astonishingly mesmerising mixture of snow and mist, which I completely failed to photograph:

I tried again at my usual photographing stop. Massive fail repeated:

 

[Basil.B]

Been doing short rides of late on my singlespeed.
Nice that the sun made an appearance today, 16 miles this afternoon.

 

[geocycle]

Enjoying some pre work rides again. Got down by the Lune estuary this morning. Very muddy on the trails so bike is filthy again. Beautiful morning with touch of frost. Lots of egrets and curlew.

 

[Archie_tect]

Having to fit rides in round everything else so just the Airport loop again- 12.7mi with a westerly wind against me up the steady gradient home!

Lots of solo riders out today which was good to see.

Hoping to be out on the tandem for a longer ride with Mrs A_T this weekend with a picnic and a flask of coffee!

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

The lockdown rules have changed again. Rule of 6 applies. So it was all 4 of the Wednesday Crew at the meet today. Pete M, Jules H, Margaret PR and me. Off around Pirton for Drakes Broughton then onto roads we hardly ever use through Peopleton. At Crowle we dodged around Foxmere then at Shaftland Cross a right turn took us to Huddington Court. Two preistholes and connections to the gunpowder plot make this a rather historical spot. A change of plan took us to Himbleton for a quick snack stop at the wonderful church. Brain Nav worked out the route back to Kington and more familiar roads by Abberton to Pinvin and the well known run back via Besford and Strensham. Lovely winter outing for sure. 64 smiles.