galaxy
Veteran
- Location
- Middleton On The Hill
I got out this morning, a little fresh and windy but pleasent. Only 15 miles but very enjoyable. Living where i do the lanes are very mucky, bike looked like id done a session off road.
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Sunday saw me complete a 62 a bit mile ride to complete this year's metric century a month challenge which saw me out in the cold for a tad over 4 hours, completed a loop out to Gotham ( still no sign of Batman ,I'm beginning to believe he's not real ). Another ride I was suffering at the end due to lack of energy resulting in a slowish ride .
Today's day off work saw me complete a metric half century to complete that monthly challenge . This involved 2 hours out in the cold the second of which was also in the rain . Left home at 0815 so the traffic was busy so headed out up the Wreake valley for some quieter roads but this route meant climbing in and out of the village of Ragdale . Then had a headwind on the long descent of Paudy lane into Barrow .
So 2 challenges done and dusted just the big imperial ton one left ,something I'm not looking forward too due to my fitness and time outside in the weather .
I'm certainly not enjoying this winters riding so far
Today's day off work saw me complete a metric half century to complete that monthly challenge . This involved 2 hours out in the cold the second of which was also in the rain . Left home at 0815 so the traffic was busy so headed out up the Wreake valley for some quieter roads but this route meant climbing in and out of the village of Ragdale . Then had a headwind on the long descent of Paudy lane into Barrow .
So 2 challenges done and dusted just the big imperial ton one left ,something I'm not looking forward too due to my fitness and time outside in the weather .
I'm certainly not enjoying this winters riding so far
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cwskas
Über Member
- Location
- Central Texas
Forces of nature, well captured. Very nice!
mustang1
Guru
- Location
- London, UK
"That's it" I thought. I will do one of three things after lunch: a bike ride, visit parents, or go shopping. The kids were playing computer games and wife was watching TV. I felt guilty for not visiting parents and shopping was boring so I forced myself to go out on the bike. Only thing was my brain telling me "have you seeeeen the weather? It's much better if you stay indoors". I had to use all my will power not to listen to The Stupid Brain (or atleast the stupid part of it).
I got out on the MTB and rode 30km in the woods. It was great! Even several hours after the ride I was in an elated mood, still thinking of the ride. I had to keep things slow so as to not get muddy but as you know at this time of year in the forest there is still plenty of mud.
The good thing is when I got home, wifey was sleeping so I tiptoed around and cleaned all the mud off the floor before she woke up. Two results in one go!
Bummer, then i had a downer as I had a disagreement with wife the following day so now I need yet another bike ride.
I got out on the MTB and rode 30km in the woods. It was great! Even several hours after the ride I was in an elated mood, still thinking of the ride. I had to keep things slow so as to not get muddy but as you know at this time of year in the forest there is still plenty of mud.
The good thing is when I got home, wifey was sleeping so I tiptoed around and cleaned all the mud off the floor before she woke up. Two results in one go!
Bummer, then i had a downer as I had a disagreement with wife the following day so now I need yet another bike ride.
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
First day with a bit of sun today, so I wrapped up and went for a gentle tootle to the NW of Taunton on the Spa.
Out on very familiar lanes to Bishop's Lydeard, across to the community run cafe at Halse for a cuppa; the visit was slightly marred by one of the volunteers who assumed I would share their sympathy for a senior politician who is in the poo! The atmosphere became a little frosty when I quietly gave my opinion.
On towards Oake and Hillfarance where I enjoyed my banana in peace.
Realised that this ride is just a bit too familiar so I took the first turn off the usual route which led me to the busy A38. That's why I don't take that turn!
Back through a couple of housing estates and home for cocoa at midday.
21 miles and only 1000ft of climbing.I
Out on very familiar lanes to Bishop's Lydeard, across to the community run cafe at Halse for a cuppa; the visit was slightly marred by one of the volunteers who assumed I would share their sympathy for a senior politician who is in the poo! The atmosphere became a little frosty when I quietly gave my opinion.
On towards Oake and Hillfarance where I enjoyed my banana in peace.
Realised that this ride is just a bit too familiar so I took the first turn off the usual route which led me to the busy A38. That's why I don't take that turn!
Back through a couple of housing estates and home for cocoa at midday.
21 miles and only 1000ft of climbing.I
footloose crow
Über Member
- Location
- Cornwall. UK
After two month.....cycling outside again!
My wife says she prefers me in the back bedroom......
She likes to know where I am; which would be lost somewhere in Zwift World as I can never get it straight in my head where I am going. She can put her head around the door and check I am OK. But today I have had 24 hours with no painkillers so the sciatic back which has kept me indoors and cycling gently for two months can get stuffed. I am heading outdoors again.
Click, left foot. Click, right foot. Blimey a bike feels different outdoors. The rain runs down my glasses and the tyres are throwing a rooster tail of puddle, a thin mist of mud and I am having to remember to steer and brake. This feels good. The hills are hard though, thighs complaining particularly the very weak left leg which has done nothing but moan for months. I try standing on the pedals on a short rise but the leg still gives way. Backside on saddle is OK, that works. The legs go round, the bike moves forward, there is air passing and even in the this dull, grey light, this dismal winter morning I can see things not made of pixels. I am not being passed by twenty year old Germans or super fast Italians or rapid moving Danes.
The old A30
Through Indian Queens, a grey straggle of wet houses and small industrial parks, edges blurred in the wet fog that has replaced the rain. I hope my lights are visible to the cars and vans that sidle up behind me and go past in a roar of spray and diesel. Onto Goss Moor and the usually busy cycle/foot trail that was once the mighty A30 itself. The rain closes in again, limiting visibility.
A quick check. Legs not hurting...much. Back not complaining ...seems OK. Breathing alright...a bit fast. Heart rate...faster than it should be. Speed....about 60% of what I would normally manage along this stretch. Deep sigh, a long road ahead to regain fitness then.
Up onto the lanes, dampness soaking through the soft-shell jacket. Turn around here and head back for where I parked the car. No wind today, just a bleak early winter ride in a world made soft focus by damp, light draining away, bedraggled bare trees and beaten down gorse and heather.
It is good to be out, to feel better, to have started the road to recovery. The car waits for me, trees dripping on the roof. The bike will need a clean and I am very wet.
Later today my wife will complain that the car seat was damp when she drove it. She tells me that didn't happen before when I was in the back bedroom. Well it never rains in Zwift does it.
My wife says she prefers me in the back bedroom......
She likes to know where I am; which would be lost somewhere in Zwift World as I can never get it straight in my head where I am going. She can put her head around the door and check I am OK. But today I have had 24 hours with no painkillers so the sciatic back which has kept me indoors and cycling gently for two months can get stuffed. I am heading outdoors again.
Click, left foot. Click, right foot. Blimey a bike feels different outdoors. The rain runs down my glasses and the tyres are throwing a rooster tail of puddle, a thin mist of mud and I am having to remember to steer and brake. This feels good. The hills are hard though, thighs complaining particularly the very weak left leg which has done nothing but moan for months. I try standing on the pedals on a short rise but the leg still gives way. Backside on saddle is OK, that works. The legs go round, the bike moves forward, there is air passing and even in the this dull, grey light, this dismal winter morning I can see things not made of pixels. I am not being passed by twenty year old Germans or super fast Italians or rapid moving Danes.
The old A30
Through Indian Queens, a grey straggle of wet houses and small industrial parks, edges blurred in the wet fog that has replaced the rain. I hope my lights are visible to the cars and vans that sidle up behind me and go past in a roar of spray and diesel. Onto Goss Moor and the usually busy cycle/foot trail that was once the mighty A30 itself. The rain closes in again, limiting visibility.
A quick check. Legs not hurting...much. Back not complaining ...seems OK. Breathing alright...a bit fast. Heart rate...faster than it should be. Speed....about 60% of what I would normally manage along this stretch. Deep sigh, a long road ahead to regain fitness then.
Up onto the lanes, dampness soaking through the soft-shell jacket. Turn around here and head back for where I parked the car. No wind today, just a bleak early winter ride in a world made soft focus by damp, light draining away, bedraggled bare trees and beaten down gorse and heather.
It is good to be out, to feel better, to have started the road to recovery. The car waits for me, trees dripping on the roof. The bike will need a clean and I am very wet.
Later today my wife will complain that the car seat was damp when she drove it. She tells me that didn't happen before when I was in the back bedroom. Well it never rains in Zwift does it.
Great news
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Yesterday: After a week without a ride due to a failure of good weather and free time to coincide with each other, Friday afternoon looked promising. My brother was free too and agreed to come out to have a ride round and be nosy about how high the river had got following storm Barra earlier in the week.
Setting out we headed along the main road to Condover then along Lyons Lane with a bit of a tailwind helping. A couple of riders overtook us but weren't going that much faster so we were following them for a couple of miles or so. We were heading for Atcham and usually I prefer to go via Cross Houses as it's a quicker road - this time though I knew that on top of the possibility that there may be flooding, the road was already closed for repairs to storm damage from a couple of years ago .
We headed round past Chilton Farm and, since there were no signs, aimed to follow the lane straight to Atcham, only to find water across the road and the BMW that had just overtaken us being turned around. After giving the driver directions to get round the flood we followed to the main road ourselves. Taking a closer look at the flood depth when we got to Atcham, we could possibly have waded through without getting wet feet......... maybe.
After getting photos we carried on towards Upton Magna and found that here the wind was in our faces when I'd hoped it would be helping a bit - misjudged that a tad. It was a crosswind along Pelham Road which helped but then we had to turn back into it on the way to Uffington so couldn't make the most of the nice straight descent. We overtook another rider along the way so we weren't that slow really.
The old canal path was quite muddy despite the newish surface and so was the tunnel under Telford Way. Reaching Sydney Avenue the road closure signs were up but the actual flooding was well out of sight round the corner. We then took the long way round to the other end where the high river level was rather more obvious by the weir.
We had a couple of options to continue the ride and Doug chose to try going into town and along Smithfield Road which turned out to be very slow moving and difficult to filter along. It was nice to reach the end and turn off onto Victoria Quay. After a quick check on the boat (all seems secure) and some more snaps we carried on into the park along Victoria Avenue. I knew that we wouldn't be able to ride the full length and sure enough it was blocked under Kingsland Bridge, with tracks that suggested someone had at least tried to ride through.
We headed out of town across Kingsland Bridge round to Belle Vue and Meole Brace, getting a good view of the sunset as we rode towards it.
20.7 miles at 11.1 mph according to my speedometer. Doug's Strava thinks it was somewhat slower but I suspect that it doesn't cope as well with lots of stop-start riding.
The road between Cross Houses and Atcham. Flooded but not too bad this time.
View from the old bridge at Atcham.
The flood plain at Atcham.
At Castlefields the weir is just a ripple in the flow.
Carved into the end of the Welsh Bridge.
View from the Welsh Bridge along Victoria Quay.
The Boathouse public house and Porthill Bridge.
Our way is blocked at Kingsland Bridge.
Shrewsbury School and the school boathouse.
Setting out we headed along the main road to Condover then along Lyons Lane with a bit of a tailwind helping. A couple of riders overtook us but weren't going that much faster so we were following them for a couple of miles or so. We were heading for Atcham and usually I prefer to go via Cross Houses as it's a quicker road - this time though I knew that on top of the possibility that there may be flooding, the road was already closed for repairs to storm damage from a couple of years ago .
We headed round past Chilton Farm and, since there were no signs, aimed to follow the lane straight to Atcham, only to find water across the road and the BMW that had just overtaken us being turned around. After giving the driver directions to get round the flood we followed to the main road ourselves. Taking a closer look at the flood depth when we got to Atcham, we could possibly have waded through without getting wet feet......... maybe.
After getting photos we carried on towards Upton Magna and found that here the wind was in our faces when I'd hoped it would be helping a bit - misjudged that a tad. It was a crosswind along Pelham Road which helped but then we had to turn back into it on the way to Uffington so couldn't make the most of the nice straight descent. We overtook another rider along the way so we weren't that slow really.
The old canal path was quite muddy despite the newish surface and so was the tunnel under Telford Way. Reaching Sydney Avenue the road closure signs were up but the actual flooding was well out of sight round the corner. We then took the long way round to the other end where the high river level was rather more obvious by the weir.
We had a couple of options to continue the ride and Doug chose to try going into town and along Smithfield Road which turned out to be very slow moving and difficult to filter along. It was nice to reach the end and turn off onto Victoria Quay. After a quick check on the boat (all seems secure) and some more snaps we carried on into the park along Victoria Avenue. I knew that we wouldn't be able to ride the full length and sure enough it was blocked under Kingsland Bridge, with tracks that suggested someone had at least tried to ride through.
We headed out of town across Kingsland Bridge round to Belle Vue and Meole Brace, getting a good view of the sunset as we rode towards it.
20.7 miles at 11.1 mph according to my speedometer. Doug's Strava thinks it was somewhat slower but I suspect that it doesn't cope as well with lots of stop-start riding.
The road between Cross Houses and Atcham. Flooded but not too bad this time.
View from the old bridge at Atcham.
The flood plain at Atcham.
At Castlefields the weir is just a ripple in the flow.
Carved into the end of the Welsh Bridge.
View from the Welsh Bridge along Victoria Quay.
The Boathouse public house and Porthill Bridge.
Our way is blocked at Kingsland Bridge.
Shrewsbury School and the school boathouse.
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
First time on the bike for weeks…the dark and cold has made me switch to running which is quicker and more time efficient. The last few weekends have either been busy or stormy! But I got back from parkrun by 11 and we had a window of a few hours of dryness, relative warmth and daylight!
A simple 25 mile round trip to our local cafe for a veggie sausage sarnie and a hot chocolate with my lovely husband - we are child free this weekend! Just lovely to be back on the bike - all endorphiny now on the sofa with the cat! 😆
A simple 25 mile round trip to our local cafe for a veggie sausage sarnie and a hot chocolate with my lovely husband - we are child free this weekend! Just lovely to be back on the bike - all endorphiny now on the sofa with the cat! 😆
mustang1
Guru
- Location
- London, UK
Went out last night. Was going to wear three layers but decided to wear 4 and leave the outer layer unzipped and flopping about just incase I need it.
Within 10 minutes I had the 4th layer fully zipped up and a short while after that I put on my spare 5th layer (which o usually keep in the rucksack).
A short while later, the 2nd beanie and 2nd pair of gloves went on. A couple of hours later I stopped to put on the 2nd pair of socks (I keep those wig me too just in case) BUT I realised I didn't have them.
Anyway, it was a 50k ride, very cold but flippin' marvellous. Once again, I was was very glad I went out as The Stupid Brain was telling me not to be silly by going out at night.
Another wonderful ride!
Within 10 minutes I had the 4th layer fully zipped up and a short while after that I put on my spare 5th layer (which o usually keep in the rucksack).
A short while later, the 2nd beanie and 2nd pair of gloves went on. A couple of hours later I stopped to put on the 2nd pair of socks (I keep those wig me too just in case) BUT I realised I didn't have them.
Anyway, it was a 50k ride, very cold but flippin' marvellous. Once again, I was was very glad I went out as The Stupid Brain was telling me not to be silly by going out at night.
Another wonderful ride!
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
I finally got around to having my mountain bike looked at, so this afternoon I took it for a spin.
Out to Creacombe and then down the bridle way to Luson
Back on the road to the top of Holbeton, then around Bull and Bear and down to the A379.
In through the Flete Estate, a bullfinch flew by.
It was a dirty old day!.
A long climb out of the back of Holbeton and on to Battisborough. No pictures of the sea, I couldn’t see it!
I stopped in Noss Mayo at The Ship to book a table for Lisa’s birthday next Saturday, well…. While I was there
As the tide was low I thought I’d ride across the Voss. It was deeper than it looked!
After 3 foot I stopped, got wet feet and turned around.
Back via the green with its Christmas tree
https://www.strava.com/activities/6370953274
Out to Creacombe and then down the bridle way to Luson
Back on the road to the top of Holbeton, then around Bull and Bear and down to the A379.
In through the Flete Estate, a bullfinch flew by.
It was a dirty old day!.
A long climb out of the back of Holbeton and on to Battisborough. No pictures of the sea, I couldn’t see it!
I stopped in Noss Mayo at The Ship to book a table for Lisa’s birthday next Saturday, well…. While I was there
As the tide was low I thought I’d ride across the Voss. It was deeper than it looked!
After 3 foot I stopped, got wet feet and turned around.
Back via the green with its Christmas tree
https://www.strava.com/activities/6370953274
DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Not mine but my son's (on the LH bike with red wheels), who joined a new chaingang this morning from Newmillerdam near Wakefield. A couple of Movistar riders, another couple from DHB Canyon plus a few other local youngsters and an older rider locally:
Me? I took the sensible option and had a ride round the area plus a nice cafe stop
. I'm beyond blasting it hard in a chaingang 
Me? I took the sensible option and had a ride round the area plus a nice cafe stop
. I'm beyond blasting it hard in a chaingang 
AndreaJ
Veteran
Due to other demands on my time again today was the first time in a week that I have been on my bike so I was planning on going however cold, wet and miserable it was. Predictably it was cold, wet and miserable this morning but found enough enthusiasm to go anyway.
Took the long way to Loppington with another detour to Myddle via Commonwood and Nonely before heading down Lower Road to Merrington and Old Woods. Turned off through Fennemere, Eyton and into Baschurch, Stanwardine and Bagley. Headed back towards Weston Lullingfields and Marton before remembering that the road to Burlton was closed, decided it was unlikely that there would be any roadworks happening on a Saturday and carried on to find the road open for the weekend. Crossed the road at Burlton to head back to Loppington with another detour to Brown Heath, met a couple of vehicles on a lane I rarely see any traffic on which meant that the North Shropshire Hunt were about, spotted them in the field next to the lane, luckily they were heading towards me so I wasn’t caught up with them. They usually have lots of vehicles following them very slowly who then just park up anywhere to watch and I was getting too cold to be waiting for them! Carried on to Wolverley and back home very wet and muddy. The bike was that filthy I had to hose it off( its usually very muddy before I clean it). 33.13 miles which despite the miserable weather and mud was actually an enjoyable ride. No pictures today because it was miserable 🙂
Took the long way to Loppington with another detour to Myddle via Commonwood and Nonely before heading down Lower Road to Merrington and Old Woods. Turned off through Fennemere, Eyton and into Baschurch, Stanwardine and Bagley. Headed back towards Weston Lullingfields and Marton before remembering that the road to Burlton was closed, decided it was unlikely that there would be any roadworks happening on a Saturday and carried on to find the road open for the weekend. Crossed the road at Burlton to head back to Loppington with another detour to Brown Heath, met a couple of vehicles on a lane I rarely see any traffic on which meant that the North Shropshire Hunt were about, spotted them in the field next to the lane, luckily they were heading towards me so I wasn’t caught up with them. They usually have lots of vehicles following them very slowly who then just park up anywhere to watch and I was getting too cold to be waiting for them! Carried on to Wolverley and back home very wet and muddy. The bike was that filthy I had to hose it off( its usually very muddy before I clean it). 33.13 miles which despite the miserable weather and mud was actually an enjoyable ride. No pictures today because it was miserable 🙂
OP
OP
gbb
Legendary Member
- Location
- Peterborough
First ride in maybe 2 months 
Work has been insane and i cannot overdo my joints so its twken a back seat.
Just13 miles, an hour meandering around, really quite mild, just nice to be out there.
First Fieldfares of the season seen.
All good
Work has been insane and i cannot overdo my joints so its twken a back seat.
Just13 miles, an hour meandering around, really quite mild, just nice to be out there.
First Fieldfares of the season seen.
All good
