Your ride today....

[Deleted member 23692]

Lovely sunny day today and I was looking forward to having a good long ride, so why not go a new route?

Headed out through Wreay and cut across the lanes towards Dalston, then headed kinda northwest to get to the coast. It was a bit breezy out there and a lot of the first 30 miles were into the wind. That's fine as it's relatively flat here, but it sure makes some of the inclines a bit of a slog. Anyway, I had a tailwind to look forward to on the way back

I didn't stop to take many photos, as I was late getting out and I thought I might be able to make it back in time to go and run an errand. So I was pressing on a bit.

Finally I arrived at my farthest point, Port Carlisle. It just so happens to be where Hadrians Wall begins (or ends, depending which side you look at it). Right about here in fact:


From there I start the homeward leg. Anywhere close to the coastline is flat and with a tailwind, I could pick up some free speed. Once the coast road ended, I turned inland again to visit the village I used to live in at Thurstonfield, and then up to Great Orton where I had to stop for a photo of their Millennium Beacon. I don't really do selfies (or is that shouldn't?), but here goes:


Then it was back to Dalston, crossing the old bridge, and back across the lanes to Wreay, making the most of descending the hills I climbed on the way out and back home in a very pleasing time! I wasn't in time to go run the errand though... oh well

http://app.strava.com/activities/342373387

Your photo of Port Carlisle is actually Bowness on Solway (near rthe pub ) and where Hadrians's Wall starts or ends. I wasn't far from you, having spent thew whole day stumbling across the marsh near Newton Arlosh. it's been a lovely day out there today

 

[Glow worm]

A lovely sunny day here too for my return ride from north Norfolk.

From Bircham, there's a nice track that goes to Anmer. Haven't been this way for a while and very pleasant it was too.
I have picked a view bits of flint out of my tyres since getting home though.

At this point, if Garmins could speak, mine basically just seemed to say , 'oh FFS' and gave up figuring out where I was and just said 'heading south' in a slightly huffy fashion. It doesn't seem to share my enthusiasm for the quietest possible routes!

The highest point of the ride near West Newton a massive 272 feet above sea level!

Was pleased to see a forward thinking council parks employee had decided on a wildflower strip in the park at North Wootton. Could do with a lot more of this kind of thing.

At Kings Lynn, I caught the train to Ely then meandered along the 15 miles home.

Burwell Lode from the bridge. Back on home turf again.

Was absolutely knackered when I got home. After only 39 miles too. I'm getting old I guess, though I don't half carry a lot of stuff on the bike, so I'll blame that instead.

 

[MikeW-71]

Your photo of Port Carlisle is actually Bowness on Solway (near rthe pub ) and where Hadrians's Wall starts or ends. I wasn't far from you, having spent thew whole day stumbling across the marsh near Newton Arlosh. it's been a lovely day out there today

Oops! You're right, I'll edit that

 

[cosmicbike]

A little ride to Wallingford on the Kingpin of Dawes, to purchase some sundry items which I am sure are of not any interest you you all from the LBS, they have a coffee shop there, so a quick coffee, a cookie and a small purchase and a ride home. I thought I'd take a detour on the way home, and followed a suggested cycle route on Google maps on the phone of I. Mistake, it was a bridleway and not a bike friendly one, especially no good for the Kingpin, anyway I soldiered on without to much agro, it was a good job it was dry out there today. I quite enjoy my Kingpin rides, but @6ft tall I look a bit of a twit on the 20" wheeled bike, but who cares? Not I. 18.56 miles, call it 18.5 for cash.

A couple of photos for your kind attention.

View attachment 95379

In the distance are what's left of the Didcot cooling towers, there were six, but three were demolished last year, the Kingpin is older than those towers.

View attachment 95380

The challenging bridleway

View attachment 95383

Good to see you back, I figured you'd been on tour on the Kingpin

 

[Hill Wimp]

So we left Afferden in Limberg Holland around 10ish letting the last bits of rain finish. We managed to dry out last night thankfully and it was touch and go as to whether we stay put because of the torrential rain. The sun started to shine so it was "sod it" and off we went.

Everyone knows how easy cycling in Holland is and its been a breeze this last week crossing the country and now heading to the Belgian border. Much of the cycle paths along the German border route are
like this .

The route took us alongside the River Maas which become the River Muse in Belgium and then on into France.This is now the route that we will be following until we hit Charleville Mezieries in France late next week. I managed to stand on an ants nest taking this and i can say that not only do they feed the Dutch men Miracle Gro but the ants get it too they were freeking huge.

We then pushed on for lunch via a beautiful piece of tarmac, sad i know but it was so perfect for miles.

We stopped in a very nice little town called Arcen with its own castle

Finally i managed to persuade @hopless500 that i could not stand another larger but that i needed something with taste so we had a lovely 7% beer. There was a 10% one but we still had a few miles to go so i regretfully did not partake.

Anyway onwards to the unremarkable town of Venlo to pop into the tourist info to find a campsite. Managed to book one just south of Venlo so off we set. Now Helga our ever helpful Google map guide up until yesterday has been very good but yesterday afternoon we obviously right royally peed her off because she took us off road through a huge forest. No fairy visits thankfully but today on leaving Venlo she did the same. I kid you not we were walking sideways down some of the woodland paths but she was spot on. However Hops rear rack decided to shear on the bottom fixing on one side at 1k to go. We effected a repair but will need to find a bike shop tomorrow.
Just under 40 miles and now

a nice 9%. My toes are starting to tingle nicely.

Tomorrow a short one to Roermond and the marinas on the Maas for a couple of days.

 

[hopless500]

A lovely sunny day here too for my return ride from north Norfolk.

View attachment 95529

From Bircham, there's a nice track that goes to Anmer. Haven't been this way for a while and very pleasant it was too.
I have picked a view bits of flint out of my tyres since getting home though.

View attachment 95530

At this point, if Garmins could speak, mine basically just seemed to say , 'oh FFS' and gave up figuring out where I was and just said 'heading south' in a slightly huffy fashion. It doesn't seem to share my enthusiasm for the quietest possible routes!

View attachment 95531

The highest point of the ride near West Newton a massive 272 feet above sea level!

View attachment 95532

Was pleased to see a forward thinking council parks employee had decided on a wildflower strip in the park at North Wootton. Could do with a lot more of this kind of thing.

At Kings Lynn, I caught the train to Ely then meandered along the 15 miles home.


View attachment 95533

Burwell Lode from the bridge. Back on home turf again.

Was absolutely knackered when I got home. After only 39 miles too. I'm getting old I guess, though I don't half carry a lot of stuff on the bike, so I'll blame that instead.

Love the wild flowers. Next time you head out that way, come and cadge some cake (we're 15 miles out of Norwich between Dereham and Hingham

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

After a couple of days of windy rides it was forecast to be nice and calm(ish) today so I decided to take the Raleigh on an extended commute via Acton Burnell, Cressage and Wroxeter. I had a nice tail wind for the first section as far as Cressage and with the and really clear conditions it was lovely out. There were a few cyclists out but not many and I passed some really miserable looking "full-team-kit" riders near Cressage . Smile! - you could have been stuck in a car this morning instead.

Work was a mixture. I've had a work-experience lad with me for the last fortnight which has been a bit of an experience for me too We had a really quiet day earlier in the week and I let him have a go on an electric scooter the boss got to try out (with a view to possibly stocking them)....... There is now a 30 foot skid mark across the warehouse floor in the exact same shape as on the "slippery road" warning sign. First thought was he's going to demolish the small-parts bins. Second thought was how on earth will I explain it to his parents. The scooter has been shut away again.

I was late setting off for home due to a last minute rush of orders which strangely made me want to chill out and take a leisurely ride home. I realised I'd be coinciding with the start of rush hour (my hours mean I usually miss this) so I took the more cycle path oriented route home which was nice and relaxed (not many cyclists out despite the nice weather and the ones I saw were just as grumpy-looking as the ones this morning )

29.3 miles for today's round trip and 14.1 mph average despite not rushing on the way home.

Crossing the River Severn at Cressage (looking at the Wrekin).

A wartime relic (taken from the same spot)

Ripening crops and a view of the Stretton Hills on the way to Wroxeter.

The bridleway to Donnington (not the one in Telford)

On the way home, roses at Upton Magna.

 

[hopless500]

After a couple of days of windy rides it was forecast to be nice and calm(ish) today so I decided to take the Raleigh on an extended commute via Acton Burnell, Cressage and Wroxeter. I had a nice tail wind for the first section as far as Cressage and with the and really clear conditions it was lovely out. There were a few cyclists out but not many and I passed some really miserable looking "full-team-kit" riders near Cressage . Smile! - you could have been stuck in a car this morning instead.

Work was a mixture. I've had a work-experience lad with me for the last fortnight which has been a bit of an experience for me too We had a really quiet day earlier in the week and I let him have a go on an electric scooter the boss got to try out (with a view to possibly stocking them)....... There is now a 30 foot skid mark across the warehouse floor in the exact same shape as on the "slippery road" warning sign. First thought was he's going to demolish the small-parts bins. Second thought was how on earth will I explain it to his parents. The scooter has been shut away again.

I was late setting off for home due to a last minute rush of orders which strangely made me want to chill out and take a leisurely ride home. I realised I'd be coinciding with the start of rush hour (my hours mean I usually miss this) so I took the more cycle path oriented route home which was nice and relaxed (not many cyclists out despite the nice weather and the ones I saw were just as grumpy-looking as the ones this morning )

29.3 miles for today's round trip and 14.1 mph average despite not rushing on the way home.

View attachment 95548
Crossing the River Severn at Cressage (looking at the Wrekin).

View attachment 95549
A wartime relic (taken from the same spot)

View attachment 95550
Ripening crops and a view of the Stretton Hills on the way to Wroxeter.

View attachment 95551
The bridleway to Donnington (not the one in Telford)

View attachment 95552
On the way home, roses at Upton Magna.

That looks lovely

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

That looks lovely

It's not bad as commutes go.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Nice little pootle with the good lady on her new bike..
12 miles ..she is getting a bit better with the road bike but wants me to fit some cyclo cross brake levers.
She does struggle with the road bike brakes after mtb disc.

 

[Nomadski]

Two rides to mention, as imgur wasn't playing nice.

The first, last Tuesday, was a hilly route to Leith Hill and Box Hill (minus the usual How Lane) in preparation for RideLondon, taking in a nice coke at The Dukes Inn at Beare Green

Followed by a PB up Leith Hill. It has taken a couple of years to get my cycling buddy there, but he found it (strangely IMO) easier than Box Hill. Guess we all have our own particular strengths with hills!

Not a great view from the summit, as usual, but it was still lovely and sunny.

A swift trek along the A25 through Dorking and it was time for a bite to eat at Rykers before we tried to break the 10 minute barrier for Box Hill together.

And at the top I had rested having hit the hill in 9mins 30 secs, a new PB for me. Woot!

53.3 miles, 3,583ft @14.5mph. Happy enough with that.

https://app.strava.com/activities/338976391

Today we did a short sub 20 mile flat route up and around Wimbledon. Pretty much every ride I have done recently has had quite a few hills, so a break of pace and mileage was very welcome. Went past some event or other taking place...

Up the short hill to Wimbledon village where some flags and storefront dressings were in place....

And back home. A paltry, but fun, 16.5miles on the clock.

Need to remember to do these sort of rides once in a while, to get back home feeling hungry for more riding is quite refreshing.

https://app.strava.com/activities/342464543

 

[biggs682]

just 13 miles so far today , normal early morning loop around the boro nice gentle breeze so a good 15+ mph pace and no cars to get in the way all done before 6.25 am .....wicked

 

[coffeejo]

I was too tired after yesterday's ride to do much more than shower, eat, fuss the dog and then fall asleep whilst watching the TDF highlights on catch-up, and I'm not entirely sure why. It was 59 miles with 3000+ feet of climbing, so not the most taxing ride I've ever done. It was sunny though. And apparently an insect day of mass gatherings. I knew my legs, arms and jersey were coated in the blighters, especially since I'd been good and put on sun cream, but I did wonder why one bloke who cycled past decided to comment. Three hours later, when I got home, I found out why. There was also a load glued to the sun cream on my face...

Last weekend's puncture is still being a PITA. Despite a new tube, the tube went soft again. I cannot find anything wrong with the tyre or the rim so I think I'll take it into my LBS and see if they can lend me some spare eyes to solve the problem. I don't mind punctures with an obvious cause but hate the will-it-won't-it constant checking. Actually, that might explain my fatigue. That and the fact that I only stopped to take photos and pump up the tyre. Naturally, one of the guys from my cycling group drove past just as I stopped. He stopped to see if there was anything terminally wrong but I think I'll be in for a ribbing when I see him again on Saturday. He's that kind of guy. You could tell who had been one of his "victims" a couple of years ago by how loud certain people laughed when he got on his bike and promptly fell off the other side.

Lots of big skies yesterday.

The Vale of Taunton Deane

• coffeejo
• 10 Jul 2015

9 July 2015

Nr Thurloxten on the edge of the Quantock Hills

• coffeejo
• 10 Jul 2015

9 July 2015

Near Staple Fitzpaine

• coffeejo
• 10 Jul 2015

9 July 2015

 

[arranandy]

Dry when I left the house at 6am. Started raining about 20 minutes later, couldn't be bothered stopping to put my rain jacket so engaged rule #5, put the head down and pedalled harder. The result was a PB to work so despite getting drookit I'm chuffed with that

 

[PeteXXX]

Yesterdays ride..
A mate called over at 09:30 ready for a 50 miler across to Daventry to tackle Newnham Hill. Last time he attempted it, the top section, where it kicks up to 25% beat him. On this ride he was determined to do it! (even though he had a cracked rib and hefty bruise on his leg fro a go-carting crash last week.

Our ride over to the area was a mix of cycle paths and roads, crossing the Grand Union Canal several times on a windy route. Once we got to the southwest of the town and past Rothersthorpe, the rolling hills begin. The lanes took us through some beautiful local stone villages like Bugbrooke, Litchborough and Farthingstone.
Once past Farthingstone, we were on 25 miles when we reached Newnham Hill. It's one of the steepest around the area I think, and after several climbs before it, the legs certainly felt the pushing.
Still, my mate managed to do it this time and was chuffed, once he could breathe again! I managed a PB so was quite happy with that!

Once over the hill, we rode through the centre of Daventry, avoiding Leisure Lakes cycles or we'd spend too much time browsing what we couldn't afford...

It was only a few miles to our coffee stop at Whilton Marina.

Today's refreshment was Sticky Toffee pudding and custard, plus a black coffee... Tasty!

We sat and chatted for 15 or 20 mins by the narrowboats but were pestered by hundreds of little black flies so we decided to head for home via Nobottle and Duston then back to cycle paths to get us south of the town and back to my house.
While pedalling along Nobottle Road, we were buzzed by a massive military turboprop aeroplane!! No idea what it was, and sadly I didn't not have time to grab a photo.. Darn thing was only about 100' off the ground!!

A great 50 miles in sunny weather with just a tad of breeze to cool us down.

https://www.strava.com/activities/342315044