Your ride today....

[Rickshaw Phil]

A trip out with @gavgav today.

We met up in Meole Brace at about ten and after exchanging pleasantaries took a meandering route round the outskirts of Shrewsbury to Bicton which was only marred by the driver who decided to overtake us through the pinch point at the entry to a mini-island. They got close enough to Gav that he could reach out and knock on the side of the car - which he did.

Thankfully, after that little incident things were a lot less stressful as we headed to Montford Bridge, Great Ness and Wilcot, where we turned right and onto lanes that neither of us have ridden in a while. These took us to Knockin Heath then wider roads took us to Kinnerley where we turned onto a lane that I couldn't recall if I'd ridden before - I'm sure I'd have remembered the nice house that seemed to have one of the old ammunition bunkers as an absolutely enormous garage.

We rejoined roads I do know well at Argoed Farm and headed past Llwyn Y Go to join the Llanymynech road for a short stretch to Maesbrook and turning for the lanes to Melverley. As usual this is nice easy riding and fairly quiet. We paused for our lunch stop by Melverley bridge where, having not seen many cyclists around so far, there suddenly seemed to be loads passing to say hello to.

It wasn't a very long stop but gave time for the legs to stiffen up a bit on the restart which wasn't ideal as we left the flat lands behind. The traffic through Crew Green and Coedwy was alright - what wasn't though was the set of temporary traffic lights that were badly set up so that we waited for ages for a green light but then it changed quickly for the other direction and they started coming when we'd only got halfway. Fortunately it wasn't a single lane just at this point.

The climb from Prince's Oak hasn't got any less steep since we were last here so when an overtaking lorry met another one coming down the hill and we all had to come to a halt I don't think either Gav or I minded the breather.

At Halfway House we saw the first of the weekend traffic. There was a stream headed into Wales and practically nobody headed the other way. More temporary lights approaching Westbury were awkward as not only did they not allow time for a cyclist to get through, the lorry the other end was practically blocking the road so it was tight even on a bike.

On the way to Stoney Stretton a red kite swooped down onto the verge a little way ahead of us and flew away having got hold of its lunch. Headed for Edge we took a quick break in a gateway where Gav realised he hadn't restarted Strava after our stop at Melverley. A flash of colour coming out of a hedge at Shorthill was, I think, a jay which is good as it's been a while since I last saw one of those.

The final stretch took us through Annscroft (temporary lights but no sign of any work) and Hook-a-gate where we found yet another set of lights that annoyingly were on what should have been the fastest bit of this road and were of course against us. Traffic on the A5 was grinding to a halt when we crossed it then it was a nice easy finish through Meole Brace back to where we started.

41.7 miles for me at 11.7 mph average. A nice ride in good company and the sun even came out for the second half of the trip. Enjoyed that.

Very few snapshots taken this time:

At our lunch stop near Melverley.

View from Melverley Bridge.

Looking towards Pontesbury and the Stiperstones from Edge.

The Radleth, Earl's Hill and Pontesford Hill seen from Arscott.

 

[DCBassman]

A short ride today, weather only just right, so far as I was concerned. Still in bib longs!
Took the mixte out today. The thing I like about this bike is that it just works. An extension of the rider. The Trek was a bit like that, too. By comparison, the Scott demands more attention. I'm thinking of selling the frame on...
The last ride to Leg O'Mutton, on the Scott, I went for the ramp to see what I could do. Got much further up before engaging bottom gear than I ever had before on theis bike, and all the way up with just the one stop. Pleased with that. Today, although I had no intention of going any further, I wanted to see how far I could get on the mixte, and I got to almost the same point as where I stopped on the Scott. Encouraging!
Stats:

Plenty of walkers, despite the gloomy weather. Not at all warm!

 

[Landsurfer]

Morning Out .... Northerly wind, and light rain, parked up in Beckingham near Gainsborough, just by Beckingham Level Crossing.
Kicked off about 0800hrs ...

Todays route, headed north, the easterly track through mostly woodland. Sheltered from the light wind.

More “Urban Art “ this time in Gainsborough ... ship anyone ?

Along the river to East Stockwith, stopped at the memorials in the centre of the village before heading east into the woods.

And keeping the military theme going this 80mm howiziter is in a guys garden on the way down the river back to East Stockwith.

Great ride out, just shy of 30 miles, poured with rain all the way down from Susworth to Gainsborough, but the tail wind was great ...
Met a chap walking his dog on the outskirts with a Christmas Island RAF badge on his jacket ... good chat ... sad ... but good.
2 of our Vulcans where quarantined after becoming irradiated after sampling flights ...

Great morning out .....

 

[Cathryn]

For my second successive Friday, I've been out the classroom at 5 and on the bike by 5.30. 16 miles of rolling lanes through Marlborough, crossing the Kennet at Axford and back again. Second ride for a LONG time on the road bike AND I clipped in like a big girl, so I was super chuffed.
Glorious evening - lambs, dandelion fields and actual real life sunshine!

 

[Spiderweb]

Out on the Tricross at 3.30pm with David & Suzanne from our village for a ride to find a few hills. A nice steady ride, 40.1 miles with an average of 14.4 mph.

 

[Mrs M]

For my second successive Friday, I've been out the classroom at 5 and on the bike by 5.30. 16 miles of rolling lanes through Marlborough, crossing the Kennet at Axford and back again. Second ride for a LONG time on the road bike AND I clipped in like a big girl, so I was super chuffed.
Glorious evening - lambs, dandelion fields and actual real life sunshine! View attachment 588699

Very smart looking bike

 

[gavgav]

A day off working and I was lucky that it coincided with the rarity of a dry and calm day, but it was still chilly and I even popped back into the house in order to don an extra layer, before setting off to meet @Rickshaw Phil down at Meole.

We set off through Radbrook, where a stupid woman decided to overtake approaching a mini island, right at the point where there is a concrete reservation. She was so close that I simply slapped the side of the car, to make her aware that she was way too near.

Thankfully most of the traffic was better behaved after that, bar a lorry driver who thought it ok to sit in the middle of a 2 lane road and almost block it as we came through a set of temporary traffic lights, later on the ride at Westbury.

After leaving town, we followed roads to Bicton, Montford Bridge, Great Ness and Wilcot, joining lanes I haven’t ridden for ages, to Knockin Heath. They were thick with mud and water though, which dirtied the bikes up considerably.

The main road to Kinnerley was cleaner, before we turned off to Argoed and then more lanes that I’d hardly ridden before, to Maesbrook, short section on the main road and back onto lanes to Melverley, where we stopped for lunch.

It was then onto the main road through Coedway and a ridiculously badly set up pair of traffic lights, that must have changed twice by the time we got through them. The climb up Pecknall Lane was the usual pull, before we crossed the busy A458 and onto Westbury, and another set of lights that didn’t give enough time for bikes to get through and encountered the pillock lorry driver.

At Westbury we turned onto the main road, before turning onto some new territory for me, to Stoney Stretton, where during a pause I discovered I’d forgotten to set Strava going again, after our lunch stop and missed 9 miles of the ride.

The lanes to Edge followed and then onto Lea Cross, where a kamikaze squirrel ran across the road in front of me, requiring braking to avoid squashing it! Next was the climb up to Arscott, where I’d warmed up enough to dispense with a layer.

At Annscroft we turned back towards Shrewsbury and 2 more sets of traffic lights, the second of which was annoyingly on the fastest downhill section of the road, before Hook a Gate.

We finished by going through Meole Village and then parted ways having thoroughly enjoyed the ride and a chat.

An approximate 41 miles at 11.7mph avg speed.

 

[Mike_P]

Wednesday evening and the ebike seemed to sulk with a quite lethargic climb of the local ebike KOM hill homewards on an Aldi shopping trip even if it did match the fourth fastest.
Things improved this evening with a stack of PRs, although passing along the closed road that isn’t really I was then confused by traffic on the A59 seeming to be running sort of on the wrong side of the road and crossed it at an opportune moment and wheeled the ebike along the pavement. Realised there was a set of TTLs immediately in the opposite direction and the junction I was approaching with Bilton Lane had been abandoned in terms of TLs and any seemingly logic to where traffic was moving. Round the corner and remounted the ebike.
Continued onto the Beryl Burton cycleway largely free of walkers and hence a new PR on the 16.3% max decent .
Over High Bridge and along Waterside which was equally quite with only a single use of the bell needed (=PR) and then up the 15% max Castle Ings Road with ebike KOMs gained on two of three overlapping Strava segments.
Rucksack filled in Lidl then along the High Street and down to High Bridge and up the A59 making use of the existing even steeper initially cycle track that presumably is for the chop as North Yorks Council are going to put new cycle lanes either way on the hill with the road reduced to two lanes and the speed limit reduced.
Along Bilton Hall Drive in a failed attempt to reacquire a lost KOM and back west on Bilton Lane now prepared for the A59 junction.
12.61 miles, 965ft gained, two ebike KOMs and 10 PRs.

 

[Mike_P]

Just as I was about to set off this morning when the local internet only radio (DAB/FM being a fading memory thanks to Bauer Media) commented that showers which had been expected after midday had already been reported. They’ll only be light I thought. In hindsight I should at least have put some mudguards back on the Defy. That probably explains the weather; it was fine whilst the Defy had full mudguards on it.
Through a very busy country park slowly avoiding people, dogs and mud and then the first decent down to the U bend bridge and climb of Cornwall Road this year, with a PR on the upper section.

Through the Pine Woods to find a set of TTLs on the top part of Otley Road which prompted a further PR. Light rain was falling and by Beckwithshaw it had turned heavier; decided not to abandon the intended ride and turned south rather than north on the B6161. The decent down to the bridge over a stream was unpleasant with the rain pummelling my face, that lessened as speed fell on the climb to Briscoerigg; downhill again passing six cyclists heading upwards before turning east towards Almscliffe Crag. The rain now reduced back to very light showers and two more cyclists passed in the opposing direction. Turned south west down a narrow road than got narrower to the fourth character ABC of Stainburn, with a rather non standard nameboard.

The road twisted and turned through the village and predictably around one ninety degree bend an overly bloated four wheel drive came. Onwards to Leathley by which time the rain had stopped; I did the same for a snack. Then east to the A658 which I joined with the intent to turn off at Huby, however heavier rain returned and the intended route was abandoned and I continued on the A658, unusually a bit stop start through the village. Further on the TTLs that had been on the railway bridge at the beginning of April were still there. Briefly on the A61 before the climb through Burn Bridge, the rain eased back to light showers and then stopped. Worked my way back to the TTLs on Otley Road and through the coned off section to easily turn north through the Pine Woods without worrying what the TTLs were indicating.
22.84 miles 1745ft climbed 12.5 mph avg. 12 PRs so the Defy reacquired bragging rights in the bike shed.

 

[Cathryn]

Very smart looking bike

Thank you!

 

[Cathryn]

8 mile round trip into town to get my second vaccination. Incredibly grateful.

 

[ianbarton]

Yesterday there was some funny bright orb in the sky, there were patches of blue which hadn't been visible for about a week and it wasn't raining. I must have woken up in some strange alternative reality. Pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming I got the bike out and set off towards Wem with the idea of exploring a lane I hadn't been on before. I made my way through Prees and Whixall turning off towards Waterloo before dropping down the slope into Wem. I had recorded my trip through Wem from this direction on the GoPro last week. However, it had crashed and the footage was gone. I recorded the same section and when I pulled in at the Coop to make sure the footage was OK. However, the GoPro had decided to corrupt the footage again. There must be a secret MI6 device that doesn't like people making video. Never mind it gave me an excuse to go back along Ellesmere Road and record the video for the third time. I must have fooled the secret MI6 video scrambling bug because it was fine this time. There was a long tailback of cars from the station, so I pulled into the car park and waited for the traffic to clear.

There is a short section of a couple of hundred yards along the A49 at Prees Green before turning off into a minor road. There is a 40mph speed limit. Last time I cycled it a truck was coming towards me and some idiot in a Mercedes estate decided to overtake me at much more than 40mph when I was opposite the truck. If I had stuck my elbow out I would have been knocked flying.

At Prees Lower Heath I decided to turn off along a minor road, which I was convinced would go into Prees. I moved to the map page on the Wahoo Elemnt and as far as the Wahoo was concerned the road didn't exist, although other minor roads nearby were clearly mapped. Luckily the lane ended up joining the NCN route, which definitely goes into Prees.

On the homeward leg, the wind was behind most of the way and there were some big puddles, but no floods.

58K and 474m of climbing.

Wem. I should have stopped at the Pastry Box, but not sure if it's open.

The lane that doesn't exist.

 

[davelincs]

Well I manage to get out before the rain started

 

[Spiderweb]

A quick morning ride before the rain, out to Naburn Marina for coffee with friends Martin & Gaynor.
26.46 miles with an average of 16 mph.

 

[13 rider]

A later start than planned due to a late night due to a certain football result 😁🏆⚽ still smiling and not much has made me smile over the last couple of months . Out the door at 0930 set of on my standard St Bernards loop up Sharply hill down Charley rd and up the climb through Oaks in Charnwood past St Bernards Abbey onto Swanimote rd and I was slowly catching a rider on the up hill bit crested the hill about 20mts behind onto the fast descent he went for it on the downhill so I followed when I got within 10mts the slipstream effect kicked in and my speed picked up topped out at 43mph as we hit the kick up hill I had to overtake him as I was carrying much more speed which surprised him . Slowed over the top for him to catch me and thanked him for the draft and we rode a couple if miles chatting away before I turned to Shepshed and back up Charley Rd . Another fast descent down Beacon hill into Quorn .Onto to Rothley were I had arranged to meet both Sisters for a coffee at the station cafe . As I climbed the hill about 100 it's from the turn saw my sister's car turn in perfect timing . A relaxed lunch stop then home the direct route home with 33 miles in the bag in the dry . Despite riding in some roads that had had a recent soaking so showers successfully dodged