jhawk
Veteran
- Location
- New Brunswick, Canada
Seeing all of these pictures of you lot riding in the UK, I am finding myself wanting to return in a couple of years time. Keep 'em coming folks!
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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DaveReading
Don't suffer fools gladly (must try harder!)
- Location
- Reading, obvs
Nice 40-miler in the Chilterns, including some climbs that are fast becoming favourites.
I felt so good I didn't even get annoyed when a bunch of Evo-kitted triathlete nobbers overtook on the hill down into Marlow (no problem with that), but then decided half a mile later to halt their peleton in the middle of the road and to hell with anyone who was coming up behind them. Idiots.
I felt so good I didn't even get annoyed when a bunch of Evo-kitted triathlete nobbers overtook on the hill down into Marlow (no problem with that), but then decided half a mile later to halt their peleton in the middle of the road and to hell with anyone who was coming up behind them. Idiots.
Mandragora
Senior Member
First ride longer than a few miles since last week's event that I'd been working towards for months (first ever event!) and had thus been covering the same hills/circuits again and again as part of that preparation. It felt like a real treat to just meander slowly at will down all sorts of back lanes that I've never been down before,exploiting the chance to go somewhere different now that I can!
I got ridiculously lost at one point. Having lived here for nearly 30 years, it always amazes me that there's still little back roads and villages that I've never come across before, but that's one of the joys of cycling.
Of course, in my daydreams I caught myself beginning to plan what the Next Challenge will be!!
I got ridiculously lost at one point. Having lived here for nearly 30 years, it always amazes me that there's still little back roads and villages that I've never come across before, but that's one of the joys of cycling.
Of course, in my daydreams I caught myself beginning to plan what the Next Challenge will be!!
Mandragora
Senior Member
.
Southampton's Race For Life.
There were some sights there, I can tell you.
an every one of them an inspiration.
Hill Wimp
Fair weathered,fair minded but easily persuaded.
Only a short 25 miles today on tour ( The Netherlands)between Maassen and Amersfoort. Its too hot for much else.
Used Google maps today with the talkie lady. It was superb and took us along some beautiful bike paths. It even took us past the hotel that BMC were staying in and they were checking out so hung on a bit to see if i could spot Rohan Dennis. I didn't but i was surprised to see how far out of Utrecht they were staying.
Used Google maps today with the talkie lady. It was superb and took us along some beautiful bike paths. It even took us past the hotel that BMC were staying in and they were checking out so hung on a bit to see if i could spot Rohan Dennis. I didn't but i was surprised to see how far out of Utrecht they were staying.
IDMark2
Dodgy Aerial
- Location
- On the Roof
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Medium, "hilly" club run, went up around Alton and passed the main gate for Alton Towers, steady ride as their were a couple of newer riders and its a non drop ride.
https://www.strava.com/activities/339580549
https://www.strava.com/activities/339580549
Attachments
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- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
No, sorry, wasn't me - I did a local loop with @gavgav last saturday.
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
I managed to bully my OH into a ride this morning. There did appear to be a couple of conditions and one of them was that there was a café stop and the other that we were back home by lunchtime. I managed both.
Setting out I was doubting the weather forecast and any ideas that it may get warmer seemed far fetched! It was really clouded over, that dull monotonous cloud that has no break, no change and no well anything really, but the longer of the 2 uphills out of the end of our lane (the only choices) soon warmed me up and before long we were looking at signs for a sportive! Ahhhhh it seemed that my route, planned during the week without any knowledge of this sportive managed to follow the sportive for rather a large portion of my route (about 75%)... Luckily we were in front of the riders on the way out, and looking at them on the way back.
I'm not certain what it was they were doing in Delamere Forest to have the road closed for 4 days, but I can tell you now that there is visibly very little done road maintenance wise. However, don't despair. the very worst section, that one under the railway bridge has been resurfaced, but they finished the repairs way too soon and unfortunately have spray painted that 'grit' on to the road as a repair leaving you needing to be further out into the road than ever, sadly. (Sorry if that makes no sense to those who have never cycled that section, but those who have will know what I mean!)
We arrived at the café without incident (if you exclude my OH scent marking 2 separate trees
) and were able to grab an end table outside which made life easier because still not being able to sit up on a chair I needed to use the trike as a wheelchair at the table. It got some strange looks from people, but then the trike does that and when they spot the crutches as well....
Once back out on the road, we soon found ourselves back on the sportive route and saying hello and morning to rather a lot of oncoming cyclist! We were rather grateful when we finally turned off (only briefly) the sportive route and were back to normal Sunday morning rider levels of cyclists....
Going back through Delamere in the opposite direction (the uphill direction) was rather harder than I had hoped for and I only just made it up one of the inclines... again anyone who has cycled it that way will know which one I am referring to. By now we were cycling against a constant stream of sportive cyclists again and 2 drivers in particular nearly hit a oncoming cyclist trying to overtake me and has for what the Jag was up to, it is anyone's guess but if he could go down as the worst overtake whilst giving me loads of room, he got that badge. He just missed the oncoming cyclist, just.
Somewhat surprisingly, my average speed was 14.7kph after the café stop and just before hitting the Delamere uphill forest section, so I was surprised to see it was still in the 14's after it. I was even more surprised to see that my average speed by the time I got home was 14.4kph. That's 8.95mph
.
https://www.strava.com/activities/339588387
Just the 44.3km today, not extending the distance again. My body has been objecting a tad!
Oh and we got home before the predicted rain arrived and in time for lunch!
Setting out I was doubting the weather forecast and any ideas that it may get warmer seemed far fetched! It was really clouded over, that dull monotonous cloud that has no break, no change and no well anything really, but the longer of the 2 uphills out of the end of our lane (the only choices) soon warmed me up and before long we were looking at signs for a sportive! Ahhhhh it seemed that my route, planned during the week without any knowledge of this sportive managed to follow the sportive for rather a large portion of my route (about 75%)... Luckily we were in front of the riders on the way out, and looking at them on the way back.
I'm not certain what it was they were doing in Delamere Forest to have the road closed for 4 days, but I can tell you now that there is visibly very little done road maintenance wise. However, don't despair. the very worst section, that one under the railway bridge has been resurfaced, but they finished the repairs way too soon and unfortunately have spray painted that 'grit' on to the road as a repair leaving you needing to be further out into the road than ever, sadly. (Sorry if that makes no sense to those who have never cycled that section, but those who have will know what I mean!)
We arrived at the café without incident (if you exclude my OH scent marking 2 separate trees
) and were able to grab an end table outside which made life easier because still not being able to sit up on a chair I needed to use the trike as a wheelchair at the table. It got some strange looks from people, but then the trike does that and when they spot the crutches as well....Once back out on the road, we soon found ourselves back on the sportive route and saying hello and morning to rather a lot of oncoming cyclist! We were rather grateful when we finally turned off (only briefly) the sportive route and were back to normal Sunday morning rider levels of cyclists....
Going back through Delamere in the opposite direction (the uphill direction) was rather harder than I had hoped for and I only just made it up one of the inclines... again anyone who has cycled it that way will know which one I am referring to. By now we were cycling against a constant stream of sportive cyclists again and 2 drivers in particular nearly hit a oncoming cyclist trying to overtake me and has for what the Jag was up to, it is anyone's guess but if he could go down as the worst overtake whilst giving me loads of room, he got that badge. He just missed the oncoming cyclist, just.
Somewhat surprisingly, my average speed was 14.7kph after the café stop and just before hitting the Delamere uphill forest section, so I was surprised to see it was still in the 14's after it. I was even more surprised to see that my average speed by the time I got home was 14.4kph. That's 8.95mph
.https://www.strava.com/activities/339588387
Just the 44.3km today, not extending the distance again. My body has been objecting a tad!
Oh and we got home before the predicted rain arrived and in time for lunch!
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
We are actually getting some nice summery days here this year, but we had awful summers from 2007 to 2011. I used to put weight on in the winter and ride it off in the summer but for 5 consecutive years that just didn't happen, which is how I mutated from the slim 50 year old in my current avatar to the big, bloated person who got ill in 2012. Riding in the UK can be a lot less inspiring when the weather is like that!
On that subject ... I looked at the local forecast for today and saw that it was for a nice warm, sunny morning/early afternoon, with clouds and rain set to blow in at about 4pm. Well, the forecast was right ...
I went out with a pal earlier to do my July half metric century ride and we did the whole loop in lovely conditions. A bit windy once we got to above 250 metres, but we got the forecast blue skies and sunshine. It was 55 hilly kms with about 1,000 metres of climbing (some pretty tough), and I arrived home, had a shower and have just come online to catch up on today's CycleChat and the sunshine has gone, the sky is grey, and it is raining! Still, I'm content - I caught some rays and enjoyed a leisurely 3 hour tour of the local hills. That will do me for today. I'm happy to potter about indoors now.
Elevation profile of today's South Pennine lumpiness ...
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Got out with the club today. Was a ride that visited many parks. We started by cycling through Blaise Castle (a park for non Bristolians), the accross Clifton Downs and then over Clifton Suspension Bridge into Ashton Court. Then we dropped down to the docks and stopped for refreshment at the Buttery which was very busy. Then from there we headed through Eastville Park and then through Stoke Park and a tour of the UWE campus (where I will be starting in Septmember on a 1 year MSc in software engineering). Got home just as the rain started.
Ride is here: https://www.strava.com/activities/339688701/
Hugs
Archeress x
Ride is here: https://www.strava.com/activities/339688701/
Hugs
Archeress x
theloafer
Legendary Member
- Location
- newton aycliffe
great day on the bike 
did the darlo 70 with extra bits 
ride to darlo and back my longest ride of the year 86 miles there,s still life in the old legs ...think I will be ok for my JOGLE on Saturday 
had luch stop in barnard castle ...mmm was yummy
then over the A66 to the lumpy part of the route (good test of the old legs) Brignall-Gayles-Whashton-Gilling west cake stop needed 
no more lumpy bits a nice quick run down to Richmond-then on to Brompton on swale-Scorton and back to darlo then back home to newton aycliffe via cockerton-Walworth gate some how ended in Archer's ice cream shop again yummy cinder toffee this time
this guy though got most of it
really enjoyed the whole day and don't feel as bad as I thought I would 86 miles longest ride this year 
https://www.strava.com/activities/339650695
did the darlo 70 with extra bits ride to darlo and back my longest ride of the year 86 miles there,s still life in the old legs ...think I will be ok for my JOGLE on Saturday had luch stop in barnard castle ...mmm was yummythen over the A66 to the lumpy part of the route
(good test of the old legs) Brignall-Gayles-Whashton-Gilling west cake stop needed no more lumpy bits
a nice quick run down to Richmond-then on to Brompton on swale-Scorton and back to darlo then back home to newton aycliffe via cockerton-Walworth gate some how ended in Archer's ice cream shop again yummy cinder toffee this timethis guy though got most of it
really enjoyed the whole day and don't feel as bad as I thought I would
86 miles longest ride this year https://www.strava.com/activities/339650695
- Location
- Manchester
Lovely, sunny, 30. 3 miles to Haydock, back via Culcheth. Having misjudged the last bit, I've just missed a metric half century.
However I did get a proper QOM, the last one appeared on my phone but never appeared on Dashboard.
I wished I'd set off sooner so that I could have done more miles, as I had to be back to collect daughter and pals from the Colour Run.
However I did get a proper QOM, the last one appeared on my phone but never appeared on Dashboard.
I wished I'd set off sooner so that I could have done more miles, as I had to be back to collect daughter and pals from the Colour Run.
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Yesterday and today's ride was the Dunwich Dynamo, ridden with a mate. First time either of us has done the Dunrun. What a Brilliant ride!
We were dropped at Enfield, for us to ride via Picketts Lock etc. to London Fields for the start.
Arriving just before 20:00, we had something to eat at a cafe then set off about 20:15 with hundreds, maybe thousands of other riders. The initial few miles was crawling through traffic, stop start stop start..
Bit busy!
Eventually, we got some open roads and the trail of riders thinned out a bit, with the faster club riders and individuals cracking on at a fair pace. My mate and I managed quite a good pace (for me!) along the whole route, and managed to stay together once night fell.
It's not a criticism as it's not an organised ride, but at several turns, people were milling around until someone who knew the route turned up. In many ways, that added to the quirkyness of the ride. Sible Hedingham was particularly confusing, with some heading for the food/water stop, and others wanting to crack on! Bikes going in all directions..
In some places, the locals and put signs up to help. It was great to see loads of folk sitting outside their houses cheering and clapping us all, even at stupid o'clock in the morning..
By the time we got to Sudbury, about half way, we saw that the local fire station had coffee and provisions for sale as a donation to the Fire Service. We topped the water bottles up and had coffee, in china mugs no less!!
After 15 to 20 minutes, we set off again. This was our only stop apart from battery changes and a couple of 'calls of nature'.
On 128 miles, 8 hrs 18 mins moving time, at about 04:30, we reached Dunwich Beach where we lazed about for a while congratulating ourselves on a ride well ridden! At this point, we decided life was too short to queue up for a coffee.... Anyway, our support vehicle (mate's Mrs) was leaving her B&B in Woodbridge to meet us.
While we waited for her, I decided to be totally anal and ride an extra 6 miles as my previous longest ride was 131 miles. As I was so close, I just had to beat it!
(Hence the wiggly bit at the end of the ride on Strava)
Obligatory bike hoist...
What's wrong with beer at 05:30 on a Sunday morning? After all, it was still the end of the day before, wasn't it
With the stove and table set up, we tucked into a bloody good fry up
The end of probably one of the best and most enjoyable long rides I've ever done.
134 miles ridden, at an average of 15.2 mph, in great company and friendly folk to chat with on the way. Also wonderful not to be rained on or blown out of the saddle by gusting cross and head winds
EDIT: in one of the towns along the route, the local LBS was open for business! I can't remember where, maybe a regular can name the place? They seemed to be doing a roaring trade!
Edit of the edit...I've been told it was in Sudbury..
https://www.strava.com/activities/339304456
We were dropped at Enfield, for us to ride via Picketts Lock etc. to London Fields for the start.
Arriving just before 20:00, we had something to eat at a cafe then set off about 20:15 with hundreds, maybe thousands of other riders. The initial few miles was crawling through traffic, stop start stop start..
Bit busy!
Eventually, we got some open roads and the trail of riders thinned out a bit, with the faster club riders and individuals cracking on at a fair pace. My mate and I managed quite a good pace (for me!) along the whole route, and managed to stay together once night fell.
It's not a criticism as it's not an organised ride, but at several turns, people were milling around until someone who knew the route turned up. In many ways, that added to the quirkyness of the ride. Sible Hedingham was particularly confusing, with some heading for the food/water stop, and others wanting to crack on! Bikes going in all directions..
In some places, the locals and put signs up to help. It was great to see loads of folk sitting outside their houses cheering and clapping us all, even at stupid o'clock in the morning..
By the time we got to Sudbury, about half way, we saw that the local fire station had coffee and provisions for sale as a donation to the Fire Service. We topped the water bottles up and had coffee, in china mugs no less!!
After 15 to 20 minutes, we set off again. This was our only stop apart from battery changes and a couple of 'calls of nature'.
On 128 miles, 8 hrs 18 mins moving time, at about 04:30, we reached Dunwich Beach where we lazed about for a while congratulating ourselves on a ride well ridden! At this point, we decided life was too short to queue up for a coffee.... Anyway, our support vehicle (mate's Mrs
) was leaving her B&B in Woodbridge to meet us.While we waited for her, I decided to be totally anal and ride an extra 6 miles as my previous longest ride was 131 miles. As I was so close, I just had to beat it!
(Hence the wiggly bit at the end of the ride on Strava)
Obligatory bike hoist...
What's wrong with beer at 05:30 on a Sunday morning? After all, it was still the end of the day before, wasn't it
With the stove and table set up, we tucked into a bloody good fry up
The end of probably one of the best and most enjoyable long rides I've ever done.
134 miles ridden, at an average of 15.2 mph, in great company and friendly folk to chat with on the way. Also wonderful not to be rained on or blown out of the saddle by gusting cross and head winds
EDIT: in one of the towns along the route, the local LBS was open for business! I can't remember where, maybe a regular can name the place? They seemed to be doing a roaring trade!
Edit of the edit...I've been told it was in Sudbury..
https://www.strava.com/activities/339304456
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Cyclist33
Guest
- Location
- Warrington
21 miles with a local bike shop social ride to Tatton Park, followed by a further 43 round Manchester airport and Dunham massey and Tatton Park again, and back home via Antrobus.
64 miles is my longest ride this year (and a metric century!) and with yesterday's 47 miler out up Parbold Hill and ting, I feel happy with the weekend
64 miles is my longest ride this year (and a metric century!) and with yesterday's 47 miler out up Parbold Hill and ting, I feel happy with the weekend
