Your ride today....

[Mrs M]

Took a wee early morning ride on the moss today, not sunny but nice and warm with a slight breeze, just fine!
Lovely place for relaxing and de stressing, conservation area and full of wildlife, so lucky to have this right on our doorstep.
Knew Mr M was out walking Oscar so went in a different entrance and ambushed them
Oscar was happy to see me and very excited about his first proper encounter with a bike.
When he’s older and his bones are strong enough would love to take him to some trails on Deeside.
I did a couple of circuits on the dirt path with Oscar chasing me, he loved it and was making the same racket he makes when we arrive at the dog park Will require lots of training and practice to be safe on the trails but his first go went well

 

[Old jon]

The weather is being kind still, and a bike ride seems a good idea. Take Bob Jackson out of the shed, point in the direction of away and start pedalling.

Perhaps by force of habit, after crossing the Aire at Crown Point me and the bike started that long pull up Harrogate Road. OK, Slaid Hill it is and to relieve the tedium, work out where to go after that. Higher up the Wharfe valley than the previous ride then. Alwoodley Gates to Golden Acre Park to Kings Road and Bramhope. And a bit more climbing along Old Lane to cross the A658.

Run out of road names and numbers for a while, so straight on for a bit. A left and right across Otley Old Road is the long and quick descent by the Otley Chevin Forest Park. Which has some trees. Another left and right leads to the Chevin pub, right turn towards Otley and Wharfe Meadows Park for a munch stop. Why north of the river? ‘Cos the next bit is up the hill to Farnley. A couple started the climb a few yards before I started moving, and for a while the gap was constant. Then I slowed and lost sight of them.

Tandems are not a common sight these days, saw one coming down from Farnley as I was reaching the crest. Down the hill, across the Washburn and pedal on to the Harrogate / Bradford road. Turn right to go to Pool, quite a wait here as traffic was dense. (is it OK to say that?) Anyway, back across the river, the Wharfe that is, a bit downstream of where the Washburn joins it. A three river ride today it is. And out of Pool on the road to Arthington.

Under the railway viaduct, turn right onto Creskeld Lane, a couple of hundred yards up that and there is the couple I saw on the hill up to Farnley. They were stopped, I was not going to stop unless . . .

No stop needed, in passing I said they would likely pass me on the way up. Oddly, they did not, but wait until later. Through Bramhope and decide to stay on the A660 for a change, past the western side of Golden Acre Park. All is now easy, cross the Ring Road and on to Headingley and you may guess who caught up with me at the lights on Shaw Lane. I turned right onto North Lane, they went straight on.

Down the hill to Kirkstall and the towpath, along that was quieter than the road and zero traffic lights. From the end of the canal to home is a wiggle through a corner of Hunslet and up the road a bit. Thirty eight miles, two thousand two hundred feet of going up and a big grin! Oh, and the weather was just perfect too.

The illustrated version, but no audio . . .

 

[chriswoody]

I had a day free of family duties and was able to plan for a full day in the saddle. The problem was the weather and for once it wasn't the cold. The last days have seen temperatures hovering around 35°c and whilst today was a little cooler, it wasn't by much. I headed North and towards the shade of the forest, soon I was ticking off all the usual land marks and I went, from the pig farm to the glider school and on into the forest. The forest itself looks deceptively green, however it is perilously dry and the fire risk is currently at its highest level.

Turning this way and that, from overgrown tracks to gravel roads, I make my way ever further North. The tracks are so dry that the soil has turned really fine and like sand, which makes progress hard in the morning sun.

I head pass the lake at Anglebecksteich and climb up onto the Teifantal, the heat has already climbed into the high twenties and I'm grateful for any shade I can find. Passed the Teifental I hit tarmac for a few kilometres and it's a relief for my legs as we make good time. Sections of gravel are interspersed with the gravel road and it all conspires to bring me further North in good time.

I'm soon drawing close to the furthest North I would travel today and the hamlet of Schmarbeck with it's old traditional barns and farmsteads.

After Schmarbeck I ride onto another patch of heathland and it's here that I turn to the East for a few kilometres before I make the turn South again and run towards home. The heathland up here is very open and the heat can really be felt.

Fast gravel roads lead me through the forest and towards the lakes that I'd camped at last year with my son. Today there are a number of people here swimming and partying in the sun. I stop for a while and eat some lunch under the shade of a Silver Birch.

Then it's back out onto the open heathland as I start to head South. It's all looking a bit parched and drab at the moment. In a few months this will be a riot of purple colour as the heather blooms.

After the Heathland and I'm back into the forest for a few kilometres and the shade is most welcome. The first kilometres are really easy on fast gravel fire roads, then a connecting track is rough and hard work, before emerging again onto fast gravel.

The sun is really intense now and the temperature has tipped over 30°c, the forest is not so closely packed here and I am starting to feel the heat. I'm fantasising about cold beer and Ice Cream, but first I need to get home. It's another hour of all kinds of forest tracks before I reach Reberallah and collapse under the welcome shade of the big oak tree.

After twenty minutes I'm feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the last kilometres back home. I hadn't appreciated until today how little shade these forests were providing and I'm hunting for any I can find. Finally the last track is ridden and I'm out onto the roads, ticking off mentally the features I know so well, then we're finally there at my garden gate. In hindsight, today was probably a little over ambitious given the weather, but 89 kilometres covered in total. I'm well and truly beat now and need a lie down with a cold drink!

 

[Ian H]

A short, hard ride today, in an attempt to ensure that next week's 400k isn't too painful. 36k with hills (inc. a 1:5) and a good shower required afterwards.

 

[Mike_P]

Saturday and pre ride fettling of a new chain for the Defy; the previous chain had worn towards 0.75 percent and in the interests of maintaining the rest of mechanism (and saving trying to work out where a stiff link or five where) a new Shimano chain had been fitted just as it started raining on Thursday. Some stiffness was quickly resolved by running it cross chained for a couple of minutes but there was a still an obvious issue of it climbing on top of the chainwheel which turned out to be the supplied quick link marked as a 11 speed but the pins were really tight. Quick link changed and at 1215 north to Ripley; surprisingly not too busy for once. Then north east via Nidd, Scotton and Staveley to fifth letter ABC of Minskip

Paused by the river in Boroughbridge and then avoided Dodge the Potholes by going via Cundall to Thornton Bridge. Resumed a north east orientation through Sessay

and Hutton Sessay where clearly the days oldest road vehicle was passed.

Once across the A19 in a landscape with the Kilburn White Horse dominant

I eventually found Little Thirkleby,

The Komoot sourced route on the Wahoo had taken me to what I thought was the place with an highly overgrown stone structure which I had assumed was the nameboard. Disappointed I had followed the Komoot route into Carlton Husthwaite and using a BT wifi signal had got the downloaded OS map on the phone to load (confused as to why a downloaded map needs an internet connection) and, intending on looking for another 5th letter L, discovered I was too far east. A couple of narrow lanes followed and then south on the A19 to Thormanby.

Another narrow lane, this one with passing places, south east to join the road from Raskelf. Nearing Brafferton I encountered the days only TTLs and then north back to Thornton Bridge.

Direct to Boroughbridge and back to Minskip but then stayed on the A6055 to Ferrensby where I paused by the duck pond. West back via Ripley. 59.42 miles 1988ft climbed Avg 15.8 mph; a bit faster than normal, the new chain must be efficient.

 

[Archie_tect]

Tandem ride out with friends on theirs around Kendal- went up the 25% [inplaces!] Underbarrow Hill and down into Kendal then out to Brigsteer stopping at The Wheatsheaf where we started our plans to do the C2C [again] next Spring but this time on the tandems!

 

[ColinJ]

Did this today, was suppost to be to Liverpool but at 29 miles in I realise I didn't have my phone, so all the way back scanning the floor, no luck, get home with the thin hope it might be on the counter, wasn't, so if any one comes across a little black phone on the A580 do let me know.

Bad luck!

Bit of a long shot, but why not try ringing it? It may be intact and have been picked up by an honest person. Obviously, if it is locked then they won't be able to answer it though!

 

[gavgav]

I got out for my longest ride in a couple of years, today and some new territory explored as well. It was cloudy and cool enough for a light jacket layer, as I set out with the easterly wind behind me to begin with.

I meandered through the Shrewsbury suburbs and out to Montford Bridge, where I turned onto lanes towards Little Ness, but turned off and descended to Grafton. Next was Yeaton, Walford Heath and almost to Old Woods, where I went North again to Myddle.

I joined new territory there, as I branched off and up to the A528, which wasn’t too busy on the fairly short section, before I was back onto lanes again and road surfaces that were better than most main roads, to Noneley. There were plenty of planes coming into and out of the nearby airfield. I was then back onto lanes I knew, for a short while, before more new territory again to Wolverley, Newtown and Waterloo. Nothing particularly picturesque about these sections, unless you like fields, on NCN route 455, not to be confused with 45 that I would join fairly soon, but lovely cycling territory with it being most flat and no cars seen for what must have been 5 miles.

I went up Gilbert’s lane and then around the side of Coton Hall, before a short section on the “B” road and back onto new territory to Prees, crossing the railway line just after a train had passed through the station. It’s quite a climb out of Prees, following route 45, but pleasant lanes to Darliston and Fauls, with some beautiful big houses around this area, but road surfaces that were back to rough and potholed again. I’d warmed up now and stopped to remove the jacket as well.

I then skirted Marchamley Wood and onto Rookery Lane, where I began the proper steep climbing up to Marchamley. Standing on pedals job in places. The descent out of Marchamley was ruined by a road surface that had completely broken up, almost to the point of being unrideable, but took it steady and came out at Kenstone, where I was back onto lanes I’d ridden before.

The descent through Booley is always good fun, passing the West Midlands Shooting Ground, where plenty of shots were being fired. I saw my first car for ages, a Police car, by Hawkstone Park, where a motocross event was taking place and got a nice wave off them for pulling in and letting them avoid a crater in the road.

Next was the climb past Harcourt Hall, pausing to take a snap of the view to the Wrekin, before descending to Stanton upon Hine Heath.

The road out of Stanton, towards Moreton Corbett, is another in a terrible potholed state, so took that steady, then passed the castle, which was busy with visitors, then turned east towards Shawbury. I knew this would be a battle against the wind, as the wind sock from the RAF base was horizontal and it was certainly very gusty, pretty much for the next 10 miles or so!

From Shawbury I joined the lanes to Poynton and Roden, pausing to take a picture of the poppies in a field

From Roden I continued onto Rodington Heath, where it was nice to be able to take the lane to Upton Magna, without the deep flood being there. The road is awful though, from where the water has been sat on it for the winter. Busy with traffic leaving the archery ground as well.

Next was Berwick Wharf and out onto the road to Atcham, where a moron decided to overtake 3 chaps cycling towards me, just as I was alongside them, giving neither me or them enough room. A wedding was taking place at the Mytton and Mermaid, with the guests enjoying photos by the river, which some kids were playing in, along with a dog having a whale of a time.

I then took the road to Cross Houses, where I had to wait an age at the roundabout to get onto the A458, which I was only on for a very short time, still long enough for a ridiculous close pass where I may as well have been sat in their passenger seat.

The lanes to Berrington and Betton Abbots were quieter, thankfully, before I turned towards home, with the legs pretty glad to stop turning the pedals, but enjoyment levels were good.

56.02 miles at 12.8mph avg

 

[ianbarton]

I went up Gilbert’s lane and then around the side of Coton Hall, before a short section on the “B” road and back onto new territory to Prees, crossing the railway line just after a train had passed through the station. It’s quite a climb out of Prees, following route 45, but pleasant lanes to Darliston and Fauls, with some beautiful big houses around this area, but road surfaces that were back to rough and potholed again. I’d warmed up now and stopped to remove the jacket as well.

I then skirted Marchamley Wood and onto Rookery Lane, where I began the proper steep climbing up to Marchamley. Standing on pedals job in places. The descent out of Marchamley was ruined by a road surface that had completely broken up, almost to the point of being unrideable, but took it steady and came out at Kenstone, where I was back onto lanes I’d ridden before.

The descent from Marchamley has been bad for as long as I can remember. I think that the Council has forgotten that it exists.

 

[Donger]

101.9km (63.4 miles) for me today. I tagged a few miles on to the beginning and to the end of our club ride for my entry in the Metric Century-a-Month Challenge for June.

A great club ride, with eight of us heading out to Stroud before the serious climb of the day up Butterrow Hill to Minchinhampton and then looping around through Avening and Chavenage to Nailsworth and back to Quedgeley. Well impressed by the coffee stop at Chavenage (called the Wild Carrot). Decent coffees and cakes, plenty of outdoor seating as well as indoor sheltered areas and loads of bike parking. Justifiably popular among the cycling community.

There were a couple of little bumps and bruises among the peloton today, but fortunately nothing serious. I was not alone in dismounting as we climbed through the dreaded Shortwood area of Nailsworth on the return leg .... in fact 7 of the 8 of us got off and walked. The downhills were even worse, with some steep, very bendy sections where you just dreaded meeting an oncoming car. That's Shortwood for you. Much steeper lanes than in Forest Green on the opposite side of the valley.

Got through it all and threw in an extra 14 miles down to Framilode Church and back at the end to bring up the magic 100km. Another great club ride. Cheers, Donger.

 

[geocycle]

A journey to the end of the world, well Knott End, where the view sometimes makes me feel there is nothing more out there! Was shattered after two days of house clearance so decided on a flat 35 miler to the sw corner of my patch. It was certainly flat, only 182m of climbing and an uncharacteristic 15mph average. Breezy across the reclaimed land of the Fylde drained by the monks of Cockersands abbey. Reached the ferry jetty looking across the Wyre to Fleetwood and enjoyed a great lemon meringue ice cream. Cleared the head.

 

[C R]

Today I was aiming for a 50 miler. I plotted a route out to Broadway that would give just over the target distance, the only uncertainty was what the weather would do. When I got up this morning it was apparent that it had rained quite a bit overnight, but it wasn't raining any more, and the forecast was for drizzle for a bit and then dry.

Out at 6:05, heading through the lanes to Earls Croome, and then left for Eckington via Baughton and Defford. I was making good time, but the drizzle started, and was getting thicker as I went through Bredon and up towards Overbury, where I took the right turn towards the A46 roundabout at Teddington.

Got to Teddington fairly quickly, and then headed for Toddington, with the drizzle still quite thick, and both Bredon hill and the Cotswolds shrouded in mist

By the time I got Toddington the drizzle was thinning, and I was now half way through the ride, turning towards Broadway.

The ride to Broadway was uneventful, turning towards Chidswickham for the last stretch. Things now took a bad turn, though. A car came out from one of the side roads on my left, and I only just managed to swerve around it as the driver finally stopped across the lane once he heard my shouts. I said to the driver to keep their eyes open, and carried on, hoping that was all the excitement for the day.

Unfortunately, it sounds like he didn't like my advice about his driving. A couple of minutes later I heard a car coming up behind, and as it overtook I noticed it was the car that had just nearly hit me, after overtaking he swerved back into the lane, and slammed the brakes. I managed to swerve around, but he opened his door as I was going past and I hit the door with my left side and fell to the floor. Luckily I had scrubbed most of my speed, so I only had some bruises and scrapes, and not much damage to the bike either.

While I was lying on the floor he started shouting at me that it was my fault that he had nearly hit me earlier . I pointed out he was the one joining from the side road, and I had avoided the accident, while now he had actually hurt me. With all the noise the neighbours came out, and asked him to stop shouting at me as I was hurt. He said I was fine and drove off. There was a car behind him who corroborated my story, and even provided his address. All now reported to the police.

I think I might have been OK to ride home, but I wasn't sure about the state of the bike, so called my wife to rescue me. The neighbours that had come out brought me a blanket and a cup of tea, and he even drove to the address the other driver had given and took photos of the car showing the damage to the door. They were really nice, waiting with me until my wife arrived.

Shame, as I was having a great ride, and it would have been a great imperial half, at least, I'm mostly OK and will ride another day, though maybe not this way.

 

[13 rider]

Today I was aiming for a 50 miler. I plotted a route out to Broadway that would give just over the target distance, the only uncertainty was what the weather would do. When I got up this morning it was apparent that it had rained quite a bit overnight, but it wasn't raining any more, and the forecast was for drizzle for a bit and then dry.

Out at 6:05, heading through the lanes to Earls Croome, and then left for Eckington via Baughton and Defford. I was making good time, but the drizzle started, and was getting thicker as I went through Bredon and up towards Overbury, where I took the right turn towards the A46 roundabout at Teddington.

Got to Teddington fairly quickly, and then headed for Toddington, with the drizzle still quite thick, and both Brecon hill and the Cotswolds shrouded in mist
View attachment 594919
View attachment 594920
By the time I got Toddington the drizzle was thinning, and I was now half way through the ride, turning towards Broadway.

The ride to Broadway was uneventful, turning towards Chidswickham for the last stretch. Things now took a bad turn, though. A car came out from one of the side roads on my left, and I only just managed to swerve around it as the driver finally stopped across the lane once he heard my shouts. I said to the driver to keep their eyes open, and carried on, hoping that was all the excitement for the day.

Unfortunately, it sounds like he didn't like my advice about his driving. A couple of minutes later I heard a car coming up behind, and as it overtook I noticed it was the car that had just nearly hit me, after overtaking he swerved back into the lane, and slammed the brakes. I managed to swerve around, but he opened his door as I was going past and I hit the door with my left side and fell to the floor. Luckily I had scrubbed most of my speed, so I only had some bruises and scrapes, and not much damage to the bike either.

While I was lying on the floor he started shouting at me that it was my fault that he had nearly hit me earlier . I pointed out he was the one joining from the side road, and I had avoided the accident, while now he had actually hurt me. With all the noise the neighbours came out, and asked him to stop shouting at me as I was hurt. He said I was fine and drove off. There was a car behind him who corroborated my story, and even provided his address. All now reported to the police.

I think I might have been OK to ride home, but I wasn't sure about the state of the bike, so called my wife to rescue me. The neighbours that had come out brought me a blanket and a cup of tea, and he even drove to the address the other driver had given and took photos of the car showing the damage to the door. They were really nice, waiting with me until my wife arrived.

Shame, as I was having a great ride, and it would have been a great imperial half, at least, I'm mostly OK and will ride another day, though maybe not this way.

Hope you and the bike are ok ,There are some nobbers out there ,If you have witnesses report it

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Today I was aiming for a 50 miler. I plotted a route out to Broadway that would give just over the target distance, the only uncertainty was what the weather would do. When I got up this morning it was apparent that it had rained quite a bit overnight, but it wasn't raining any more, and the forecast was for drizzle for a bit and then dry.

Out at 6:05, heading through the lanes to Earls Croome, and then left for Eckington via Baughton and Defford. I was making good time, but the drizzle started, and was getting thicker as I went through Bredon and up towards Overbury, where I took the right turn towards the A46 roundabout at Teddington.

Got to Teddington fairly quickly, and then headed for Toddington, with the drizzle still quite thick, and both Brecon hill and the Cotswolds shrouded in mist
View attachment 594919
View attachment 594920
By the time I got Toddington the drizzle was thinning, and I was now half way through the ride, turning towards Broadway.

The ride to Broadway was uneventful, turning towards Chidswickham for the last stretch. Things now took a bad turn, though. A car came out from one of the side roads on my left, and I only just managed to swerve around it as the driver finally stopped across the lane once he heard my shouts. I said to the driver to keep their eyes open, and carried on, hoping that was all the excitement for the day.

Unfortunately, it sounds like he didn't like my advice about his driving. A couple of minutes later I heard a car coming up behind, and as it overtook I noticed it was the car that had just nearly hit me, after overtaking he swerved back into the lane, and slammed the brakes. I managed to swerve around, but he opened his door as I was going past and I hit the door with my left side and fell to the floor. Luckily I had scrubbed most of my speed, so I only had some bruises and scrapes, and not much damage to the bike either.

While I was lying on the floor he started shouting at me that it was my fault that he had nearly hit me earlier . I pointed out he was the one joining from the side road, and I had avoided the accident, while now he had actually hurt me. With all the noise the neighbours came out, and asked him to stop shouting at me as I was hurt. He said I was fine and drove off. There was a car behind him who corroborated my story, and even provided his address. All now reported to the police.

I think I might have been OK to ride home, but I wasn't sure about the state of the bike, so called my wife to rescue me. The neighbours that had come out brought me a blanket and a cup of tea, and he even drove to the address the other driver had given and took photos of the car showing the damage to the door. They were really nice, waiting with me until my wife arrived.

Shame, as I was having a great ride, and it would have been a great imperial half, at least, I'm mostly OK and will ride another day, though maybe not this way.

Blimey, that's appalling.

Get a solicitor, get damages included personal injury, insist the rozzers throw the book at him.

Just awful.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

The weather took a turn for the better, so took advantage with 40 miles and 3,500ft of climbing en tandem in the peaks with the lovely Mrs T.