EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I usually do this route.
Streatley Hill, Sulham Hill, then Whitchurch Hill, when I go that way, about 40 miles.
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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I usually do this route.
Streatley Hill, Sulham Hill, then Whitchurch Hill, when I go that way, about 40 miles.
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
10 miles in the heat and humidity, a fine day for riding, although the Fuji was acting up, and I think the trekking bars are not remaining on this bicycle for long. . Had some good miles on some rolling hills, while rain and thunderstorms went to my north. In all, a good ride, just too much fettling.
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
It's shut on Sundays and on Wednesday afternoons. Great LBS. It's 9 miles from us but we still go there for bits and bobs as they are just so nice.
Nomadski
I Like Bikes
- Location
- LBS, Usually
20 Image limit, so will post different parts...
Got back yesterday from a 4 day break in south east Italy, and had pre hired a bike out from the local town, and they even plotted a route for my Garmin, roughly 30 miles as requested. With RideLondon looming I didn't want to go a few days without spinning the legs, and the area looked Lincolnshire flat.
But a hot Lincolnshire. Weather reported it as being around 34 degrees, Garmin somehow got an average of 37.5 degrees for the ride...
I am not good in warm weather. I am a guy whose head begins dripping at around 25 degrees.
So just to note, on the way there I did hammer all them blokes doing that ride around France, at least on the Belgian section...
Anyway, we stayed in a very rural area in Apulia, just north of Mesagne in a rather beautiful 17th century converted farm building called Masseria Baroni Nuovi which still produces its own wine and olive oil.
With only 12 rooms, it was peaceful and hot! We stayed in the suite which had a whirlpool...
So the bike arrived and was a Specialized Diverge A1, chosen as I had seen the roads on Streetview, and a pure roadbike would have fallen to bits quite frankly!
First time with disc brakes and 30c tyres. And reflectors. Many, many reflectors.
So away I went...
First stretch was a long straight bit of road I had driven down, with not a lot to talk about other than I was starting to think my face was about to melt already, and the front brake was as effective as shouting at the wheels to stop turning. I relied quite heavily on the rear brake for most of the journey...
Got down to the square in Mesagne with no issues.
On a "busy" stretch of road they had built a cycle lane of a couple of hundred yards, that then stopped abruptly,. Busy is subjective I guess.
For the next 5 miles the road switched from flat with cracks, to off road hole-a-thons via loose gravel pits, the scenery consisted of lots of very nice vineyards and olive plantations. The soundtrack was provided by a thousand Cicadas...
Arrived at the Santa Maria della Neve church in Latiano with one bottle drunk and my headband soaked. One can of coke downed, a new bottle off water ordered and after some pics I was ready to go again.
So Italian.
Passed by an unusually modern looking church with 4 bells at the front called the Santuario Santa Maria Di Cotrino.
Got back yesterday from a 4 day break in south east Italy, and had pre hired a bike out from the local town, and they even plotted a route for my Garmin, roughly 30 miles as requested. With RideLondon looming I didn't want to go a few days without spinning the legs, and the area looked Lincolnshire flat.
But a hot Lincolnshire. Weather reported it as being around 34 degrees, Garmin somehow got an average of 37.5 degrees for the ride...
I am not good in warm weather. I am a guy whose head begins dripping at around 25 degrees.
So just to note, on the way there I did hammer all them blokes doing that ride around France, at least on the Belgian section...
Anyway, we stayed in a very rural area in Apulia, just north of Mesagne in a rather beautiful 17th century converted farm building called Masseria Baroni Nuovi which still produces its own wine and olive oil.
With only 12 rooms, it was peaceful and hot! We stayed in the suite which had a whirlpool...
So the bike arrived and was a Specialized Diverge A1, chosen as I had seen the roads on Streetview, and a pure roadbike would have fallen to bits quite frankly!
First time with disc brakes and 30c tyres. And reflectors. Many, many reflectors.
So away I went...
First stretch was a long straight bit of road I had driven down, with not a lot to talk about other than I was starting to think my face was about to melt already, and the front brake was as effective as shouting at the wheels to stop turning. I relied quite heavily on the rear brake for most of the journey...
Got down to the square in Mesagne with no issues.
On a "busy" stretch of road they had built a cycle lane of a couple of hundred yards, that then stopped abruptly,. Busy is subjective I guess.
For the next 5 miles the road switched from flat with cracks, to off road hole-a-thons via loose gravel pits, the scenery consisted of lots of very nice vineyards and olive plantations. The soundtrack was provided by a thousand Cicadas...
Arrived at the Santa Maria della Neve church in Latiano with one bottle drunk and my headband soaked. One can of coke downed, a new bottle off water ordered and after some pics I was ready to go again.
So Italian.
Passed by an unusually modern looking church with 4 bells at the front called the Santuario Santa Maria Di Cotrino.
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Nomadski
I Like Bikes
- Location
- LBS, Usually
And onwards towards Oria.
Getting myself ready for the hill climbing section of the route, an almighty 110ft, CAT 26, my aim was the castle on the highest point. As I got closer, finding it was a bit tricky with the narrow roads narrowing all the time.
Eventually I got up there via a quite steep and very slippery road, and like most things in this area in mid afternoon, it was shut.
Getting back down the hill was a bigger challenge! The front disc brake still not cooperating, the middle part of the road with large steps in it, and the sides being well polished stone, I made my way down slower than I had gone up.
I had to get to the road below the one I was on. The first road I tried going down I had to come off the bike, and even then my SPD shoes were slipping like heck, so went back to some steps I had spotted earlier.
(The photo does NO justice to how steep this was!)
Coming down the steps was marginally less tricky, but I was glad my belly wasn't bigger than it already is...
Finally got to the border of the old town, and the hill was done! Phew...
Looking back, the castle was way bigger than I had any idea of it being, surrounded by the old town.
Then it was a quick trip back to Mesagne via the vineyards, olive trees, chalkpits and d'Potholios.
A supermarket owner sold me some more water, just as he was about to shut (well it WAS about 2pm...) and I hit the last leg home doing a quick action shot to commemorate actual tarmac in front of me, and of the glorious front reflector reflecting the HECK out of everything it could.
And passing a grand entrance to a property called Castello Acquaro...
Just to get back before some rather nasty winds decided to make an appearance!
One gecko was spotted, many Cicadas were annoying, Italians were all incredibly patient on the roads around me, the front disc brake never came back from the different holiday it was on and one headband and 2 buffs were thoroughly soaked through.
https://www.strava.com/activities/353000357
Getting myself ready for the hill climbing section of the route, an almighty 110ft, CAT 26, my aim was the castle on the highest point. As I got closer, finding it was a bit tricky with the narrow roads narrowing all the time.
Eventually I got up there via a quite steep and very slippery road, and like most things in this area in mid afternoon, it was shut.
Getting back down the hill was a bigger challenge! The front disc brake still not cooperating, the middle part of the road with large steps in it, and the sides being well polished stone, I made my way down slower than I had gone up.
I had to get to the road below the one I was on. The first road I tried going down I had to come off the bike, and even then my SPD shoes were slipping like heck, so went back to some steps I had spotted earlier.
(The photo does NO justice to how steep this was!)
Coming down the steps was marginally less tricky, but I was glad my belly wasn't bigger than it already is...
Finally got to the border of the old town, and the hill was done! Phew...
Looking back, the castle was way bigger than I had any idea of it being, surrounded by the old town.
Then it was a quick trip back to Mesagne via the vineyards, olive trees, chalkpits and d'Potholios.
A supermarket owner sold me some more water, just as he was about to shut (well it WAS about 2pm...) and I hit the last leg home doing a quick action shot to commemorate actual tarmac in front of me, and of the glorious front reflector reflecting the HECK out of everything it could.
And passing a grand entrance to a property called Castello Acquaro...
Just to get back before some rather nasty winds decided to make an appearance!
One gecko was spotted, many Cicadas were annoying, Italians were all incredibly patient on the roads around me, the front disc brake never came back from the different holiday it was on and one headband and 2 buffs were thoroughly soaked through.
https://www.strava.com/activities/353000357
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Nomadski
I Like Bikes
- Location
- LBS, Usually
As a side note, if anyone ever goes to south east Italy, I would thoroughly recommend visiting Ostuni. Its quite a mad place where a large amount of the towns budget is spent on white paint for the old town section (pictured) and they have some wild and rather large markets spread throughout the new town on Saturday mornings.
Its kind of an emulsioned Kings Landing on the outside, and an emulsioned ratmaze on the inside!
There were people there, honest.
So Italian 2
Its kind of an emulsioned Kings Landing on the outside, and an emulsioned ratmaze on the inside!
There were people there, honest.
So Italian 2
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
Saturday's ride was a bit of a disaster to be honest. Hence the rather long time before a write up. My OH was off car hunting and this was to play a part later on in the day. I had sent him off to Bury and beyond to look at vehicles and he was to be out all day. I hadn't really wanted to go out and took ages to bully myself into going out.
I hadn't gone more than 1/2 mile when I came across a bright pink fleece in the middle of the road, so turned around, picked it up and left it on a really visible area where it would not get run over, but could be easily collected. I got one or two stranger than normal looks leaving a fleece at the side of the road, I have to say. Heading off up the normal routes I stopped for a photo or two relating to the current competition. but there is never a cyclist around when you need one!
Heading towards Delamere Forest I began to realise that it was not just my head that wasn't in the game today. My body wasn't either, so after the 30 minute mark had been and gone, I decided to turn around and head home. The road I chose was lined with hedges and they had just been cut. In fact I had to do an emergency stop for a tractor that reversed off the edge of the road and onto the single track road without looking... he was hedge cutting...
Heading home covers a fast downhill and then a really slow uphill before another fast downhill and on the slow up hill I was to come across a young lady who was pushing her hybrid up the hill. Being at almost the same speed as her I checked to see if she was OK (rather than simply just pushing the bike up the steep hill) only to find out that her chain had come off and jammed and she didn't know what to do so was pushing the bike home. I said I would stop at the top (somewhere safer than a country lane with no pavements) and look at it for her but just as I was getting to the top of the hill my trike started to pull left really suddenly and before I knew it, I had a totally flat front left tyre! It was a very sudden deflation and I can only assume I must have found a sharp stone or piece of glass whilst talking to the young lady. She caught me up and I sorted her bike in no time, showing her how to use the rear derailleur to give some slack on the chain to get it onto the outer chain ring and then a touch of brute force to get the chain unjammed from the outer chain ring and a chain guard. All sorted. However, she was somewhat distressed about my situation and the flat tyre. She pushed the trike off the road and onto the now existent pavement for me and after much reassuring that I would be OK finally went on her way.
Now to ring my husband for that inevitable call. I'm only 1/2 mile away from home and the breakdown cover only covers you when you are more than 1 mile away from home as the crow flies...
Amazingly he is less than half an hour away from home! My luck is in. So I settle down in the shade, sitting on a flat tyre waiting for him to arrive.
It should be easy to sort this out and get me home. I'm carrying everything I need to remove the wheel and fix the flat.
He eventually turned up and decided that rather than fix the puncture at the side of the road, he would try to fit the trike in the VW Passat we have which is a saloon. I naturally objected and stated it would be easier to fix the flat, but I was ignored. My wheelchair came out of the boot and I sat and watched the circus for the next hour. He has neither folded my trike before, taken the wheels off it, taken the mudguards off it (still hasn’t), removed the seat before or for that matter done much to it. And I am sitting in my cycling kit, in the sun, in a wheelchair at the side of the road watching the circus getting colder and colder and trying my hardest to chat about the cars he has just seen without getting angry or annoyed that he didn’t just FIX THE BLOODY FLAT rather than working out that the trike will not fit in the saloon vehicle we have without taking rather a lot off it, including the wheel that has the flat tyre…
… eventually after about an hour’s trying he decided to put the trike back together and fix the flat. It wasn’t going to fit in the saloon in either the boot or the back doors (simply would not go through any gap) without taking the rear wheel off or the front mudguards (both of those and it would have fitted)…. So… my circus, sorry rescue party eventually fixed the flat for me and I looked carefully at the inside of the tyre finding nothing that could have produced a hole half that size and he reassembled my trike. I asked him if he had learnt anything, his answer was that he had a better understanding of the requirements for a new car and fitting the trike into it! Not quite the answer I was hoping for, but it will do.
You know that feeling when someone has been driving your car… well it was exactly like that. Nothing is in the right place and I can’t help feeling it is going to take me weeks to get it back to the way it was. I think I will also be needing some tipex to mark spots as to where things should be…
I did eventually get home… the repair holding (I only carry patches because of 2 different tyre sizes and a desire to carry as little as possible which is not great when you need to take crutches with you as a precaution in case you can’t use the trike…)
Sunday was also spent looking for a new (to us) diesel, automatic, estate car. I went with him and this time we were more successful but I have to confess we will be BMW drivers from next weekend onwards all going well…
But don't worry, we have promised to have the indicators removed...
https://www.strava.com/activities/354183106
I hadn't gone more than 1/2 mile when I came across a bright pink fleece in the middle of the road, so turned around, picked it up and left it on a really visible area where it would not get run over, but could be easily collected. I got one or two stranger than normal looks leaving a fleece at the side of the road, I have to say. Heading off up the normal routes I stopped for a photo or two relating to the current competition. but there is never a cyclist around when you need one!
Heading towards Delamere Forest I began to realise that it was not just my head that wasn't in the game today. My body wasn't either, so after the 30 minute mark had been and gone, I decided to turn around and head home. The road I chose was lined with hedges and they had just been cut. In fact I had to do an emergency stop for a tractor that reversed off the edge of the road and onto the single track road without looking... he was hedge cutting...
Heading home covers a fast downhill and then a really slow uphill before another fast downhill and on the slow up hill I was to come across a young lady who was pushing her hybrid up the hill. Being at almost the same speed as her I checked to see if she was OK (rather than simply just pushing the bike up the steep hill) only to find out that her chain had come off and jammed and she didn't know what to do so was pushing the bike home. I said I would stop at the top (somewhere safer than a country lane with no pavements) and look at it for her but just as I was getting to the top of the hill my trike started to pull left really suddenly and before I knew it, I had a totally flat front left tyre! It was a very sudden deflation and I can only assume I must have found a sharp stone or piece of glass whilst talking to the young lady. She caught me up and I sorted her bike in no time, showing her how to use the rear derailleur to give some slack on the chain to get it onto the outer chain ring and then a touch of brute force to get the chain unjammed from the outer chain ring and a chain guard. All sorted. However, she was somewhat distressed about my situation and the flat tyre. She pushed the trike off the road and onto the now existent pavement for me and after much reassuring that I would be OK finally went on her way.
Now to ring my husband for that inevitable call. I'm only 1/2 mile away from home and the breakdown cover only covers you when you are more than 1 mile away from home as the crow flies...
Amazingly he is less than half an hour away from home! My luck is in. So I settle down in the shade, sitting on a flat tyre waiting for him to arrive.
It should be easy to sort this out and get me home. I'm carrying everything I need to remove the wheel and fix the flat.
He eventually turned up and decided that rather than fix the puncture at the side of the road, he would try to fit the trike in the VW Passat we have which is a saloon. I naturally objected and stated it would be easier to fix the flat, but I was ignored. My wheelchair came out of the boot and I sat and watched the circus for the next hour. He has neither folded my trike before, taken the wheels off it, taken the mudguards off it (still hasn’t), removed the seat before or for that matter done much to it. And I am sitting in my cycling kit, in the sun, in a wheelchair at the side of the road watching the circus getting colder and colder and trying my hardest to chat about the cars he has just seen without getting angry or annoyed that he didn’t just FIX THE BLOODY FLAT rather than working out that the trike will not fit in the saloon vehicle we have without taking rather a lot off it, including the wheel that has the flat tyre…
… eventually after about an hour’s trying he decided to put the trike back together and fix the flat. It wasn’t going to fit in the saloon in either the boot or the back doors (simply would not go through any gap) without taking the rear wheel off or the front mudguards (both of those and it would have fitted)…. So… my circus, sorry rescue party eventually fixed the flat for me and I looked carefully at the inside of the tyre finding nothing that could have produced a hole half that size and he reassembled my trike. I asked him if he had learnt anything, his answer was that he had a better understanding of the requirements for a new car and fitting the trike into it! Not quite the answer I was hoping for, but it will do.
You know that feeling when someone has been driving your car… well it was exactly like that. Nothing is in the right place and I can’t help feeling it is going to take me weeks to get it back to the way it was. I think I will also be needing some tipex to mark spots as to where things should be…
I did eventually get home… the repair holding (I only carry patches because of 2 different tyre sizes and a desire to carry as little as possible which is not great when you need to take crutches with you as a precaution in case you can’t use the trike…)
Sunday was also spent looking for a new (to us) diesel, automatic, estate car. I went with him and this time we were more successful but I have to confess we will be BMW drivers from next weekend onwards all going well…
But don't worry, we have promised to have the indicators removed... https://www.strava.com/activities/354183106
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Fubar
Guru
My forum ride yesterday ...
Details of the route are included in that thread so I won't repeat them here.
The ride was based on the forum ride I organised from Settle in 2011, but I made a few changes with help from local rider @Sea of vapours (Mike) who also did the ride. We were joined by @doughnut (Doug), @busdennis (Robert) and my pal Bill. 5 riders was a nice number - enough to make it fell like a group ride, but easy to keep an eye on everyone.
Bill and I were lucky because Robert kindly drove 20 miles out of his way to pick us up from Bramley station, near Leeds. (We bought return tickets but while we were on the train to the pick-up, we worked out that it would be quicker to be dropped off at Keighley on the way back and ride home over the big hill to the Calder Valley. More about that later.)
We got picked up at the station as planned. The bike transport was ideal - Robert was driving his van and had fixed his bike on his turbo trainer in the middle, with cardboard bike boxes lashed to either side of the inside of the van with bungee cords. So Bill's bike was attached to one bike box, and mine to the other.
We got slightly confused by the roads between Bramley and Keighley and ended up doing a detour through Cullingworth and Haworth Brow, but we were not too late getting to Settle, where Mike and Doug were waiting for us.
We finally set off at about 10:25.
The weather was kind to us - Mike said that it has been pretty damp around the Dales for the past couple of weeks but the sun came out for us yesterday. We all felt that it was a lot warmer than the forecast 15-17 degrees.
We set off into limestone country
View attachment 97770
When we did the Settle ride in 2011 we had to do a few hundred metres on the A65. The problem is, that involves a double crossing of a road which has a poor safety record. It is very narrow, twisty, and turny, and often very busy; not ideal for cyclists ... That problem has been fixed! A short strip of the fields at the side of the A65 has been turned into a cycle path and the dry stone wall moved back a couple of metres to the other side of it. No need now to fight the traffic.
We got deeper and deeper into the beautiful Dales countryside. It is fabulous cycling territory on a sunny day. We commented a couple of times though that you would not want to be out there in bad weather!
We winched our way up a big hill to get this view, and wanted to share it with you ...
View down Deepdale to Dentdale
View attachment 97773
There is a scary descent from that point - the photo doesn't quite show how steep the road is. Here's a warning to be taken very seriously - There are gates across that road and it is steep, narrow, with tight bends, sheep wandering about etc. Take it very easy if you ever ride down there.
On the previous Settle ride we climbed up past Dent station and over the 'Coal Road' to Garsdale Head. This time we took an alternative route via Newby Head Moss and the B6255. That involves a steep climb up under the viaduct over which passes the Settle-Carlisle railway. [If you ever get the chance to travel on that line - DO! It is a wonderfully scenic line which cost the lives of scores of men to build and had been threatened by closure in the 1980s until a protest campaign and the support of Michael Portillo persuaded the tory government to save it But be warned ... if you decide to have a weekend break in the charming Dales village of Dent, make sure that you arrange transport from Dent station - it is 7 km from the village and up a very steep hill 200 metres higher up!]
Where was I ...? Oh yes, up on the B6255! If anybody had wanted a shortcut back, they could have turned right and descended to Ribblehead then turned left onto the B6249 for an easy ride back down to Settle, but the Gang of Five were up for the challenges which were to come. We turned left instead ...
We descended for 8 km (with a couple of small uphill blips on the way down) and then left the B6255 for one of my typical quiet road detours, down a little lane to Appersett. There were a few potholes and patches of gravel to catch out the unwary, but we all got down ok. After that, it was a right turn onto the A684 for a quick 2 km blast to our cafe stop at Hawes.
I say 'cafe stop' ... Actually, Hawes was heaving with tourists in the sunshine. We didn't really fancy sitting indoors and queuing to be served, so we found a Spar instead and bought refreshments there which we ate out in the street. (We did actually buy takeout coffees from a cafe in the end though.)
Eventually, it was time to get back on the bikes and head off for the biggest challenge of the day - the tough climb of Fleet Moss, as featured on a recent edition of the Cycle Show on ITV4. You may be able to still catch that on ITVPlayer if you are quick.
Mike went ahead on the steepest part of the climb, followed by Robert and Bill. Doug and I brought up the rear. Bill looked overgeared and I saw him stop at least 3 times ahead of me before setting off again. He still managed to get up the climb without walking, and he got up there quicker than me. I climbed like Chris Froome. No, not at warp speed leaving everybody except Quintana in my wake - I mean that I was staring down at my handlebar stem! Every time I looked up the hill it scared me so I thought it better not to look!
I was just able to get up there sitting down, unlike in 2011, when my grovelling ended before the summit, in a world of pain.
Now then - I have a complaint! How come when one is on a CC forum ride, 4.5 stone overweight, drenched in sweat, and walking up a steep hill with one's bike, there always seem to be 5 or 6 vindictive b*st*rds gathered at the top with cameras poised to document one's suffering, whereas when one has slimmed down and developed a modicum of fitness, the faster riders on the climb shoot on ahead to enjoy the scenery a km down the road rather than taking pictures of one's glorious triumph!
Anyway, Doug and I eventually found the others lurking at the summit beyond the killer part of the climb. I took a picture of them standing with the bikes. You can see Ingleborough, one of Yorkshire's '3 peaks' in the distance. (Apologies for the road apparently growing out of Bill's head - I didn't notice that at the time or I would have moved round a bit to take the picture!)
Lads atop Fleet Moss (L-R Sea of vapours, busdennis, Bill, Doughnut)
View attachment 97772
The next part of the route is absolutely cracking! Initially, there is a steep descent which almost caught me out. I did what several riders did on a recent Tour de France descent - I went into a bend too fast and almost overshot it. That distracted me so I failed to look ahead and see the huge pothole that I was about to hit at 50 kph, and that distracted me from noticing quite how quickly that black car was coming up towards me .. My swerve round the pothole had me unwisely close to the car! Definitely my mistake that time, rather than that of a stupid driver.
The sun was by now hidden behind cloud cover. It's a pity because Langstrothdale Chase is gorgeous on a sunny day. It was still very pretty, just not as vivid as it can be.
We continued to slowly descend as we entered Wharfedale, proceeding through Buckden, Starbotton and Wharfedale before our right turn into Littondale.
And then it started raining! Oh drat ... The forecast had suggested sun all day, but no such luck. Mike reckoned that it would all blow over, and I could see gaps in the clouds roughly where the wind was coming from, so I thought so too. And so it came to pass. A soggy start to Littondale, but by the time we got beyond Arncliffe, it had already stopped, the sun was shining again and the roads were beginning to dry.
We had our first (only) d*ckhead driver of the day as we headed towards Halton Gill at the end of the dale. Evidently we had not thrown ourselves off the road fast enough to suit his highness! So, the usual aggro from him. I pitied him really - it must be awful having one's 4 cm penis crushed by such a massive dangling beer belly!
Mike had told me that the climb up from Halton Gill was much easier than the monster from Arncliffe halfway down the dale. He was right, but it still felt tough at that stage of the ride. I could swear that we actually got a hint of a tailwind up there though, which was nice.
Last photos of the day ...
'Please drive carefull lambs ont road'!
View attachment 97771
Sea of vapours (left) and Doughnut View attachment 97779
That is a wonderfully scenic undulating road, which finishes in a quick descent to Stainforth, just a few kms up the road from Settle. It wasn't long before we were back in the car park and saying our goodbyes.
There were no problems with fitness. It was a tough hilly 116 km (72 mile) loop but we all got round ok. I was probably the slowest rider but at least I did not have to walk up any of the climbs this time!
It was nice meeting and chatting with you, Robert, Mike and Doug. Bill can sometimes get a bit ratty if rides are too slow for him but he declared himself very happy with his day out.
Thanks very much for the lifts Robert, and especially for taking us up the congested climb out of Keighley - that left us with a fun 7 km descent to Hebden Bridge without having to do the hard bit first!
I remembered that I had to go and water plants for a friend who is away, so by the time I got home I had done 131 km (82 miles).
A great day out, only slightly marred by 30 minutes of showers, one plonker in a car, and nagging transmission problems on my bike which I really must sort out.
I will do this ride again next summer, so start your training NOW if you like the look of it but think it looks too hard for you!
Cracking photos and a great write up, looks like it was a great day out! I'll keep my eye out for next year
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
@Nomadski Great photos and write up, thanks.
Cor-blimey-luv-a-duck it’s windy today, windier than Windy Millers winning fart when he went to Trumpton’s la petomanie contest.
I was not planning on a ride today, it’s supposed to be a rest day, but I needed my rear dérailleur sorting out on the road bike. I should be able to do it myself but gears seem to be a bit of a “Dark Art” to me. Any way when I phoned the LBS, Mountain Mania in Didcot they said pop it in, so I did and the sorted it out straight away, free of charge, gratis, for now’t and nuffink, which was jolly decent of them. The gears are FAB now, no more feathering, which was starting to incur my displeasure.
After that a trip to the bank and then to collect my book Fallen Angel which I ordered click and collect from cheapo book shop The Works.
I decided to round my trip up to 10 miles but ended up doing 14 somehow but I wasn't feeling the love, I fecking hate riding in the wind. No photos today, the weather was horrid, dark cloudy and a threat of rain, and I wanted to get home before my bike got wet.
Cor-blimey-luv-a-duck it’s windy today, windier than Windy Millers winning fart when he went to Trumpton’s la petomanie contest.
I was not planning on a ride today, it’s supposed to be a rest day, but I needed my rear dérailleur sorting out on the road bike. I should be able to do it myself but gears seem to be a bit of a “Dark Art” to me. Any way when I phoned the LBS, Mountain Mania in Didcot they said pop it in, so I did and the sorted it out straight away, free of charge, gratis, for now’t and nuffink, which was jolly decent of them. The gears are FAB now, no more feathering, which was starting to incur my displeasure.
After that a trip to the bank and then to collect my book Fallen Angel which I ordered click and collect from cheapo book shop The Works.
I decided to round my trip up to 10 miles but ended up doing 14 somehow but I wasn't feeling the love, I fecking hate riding in the wind. No photos today, the weather was horrid, dark cloudy and a threat of rain, and I wanted to get home before my bike got wet.
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Same here. I only went the short long way home rather one of the longer variations as the wind got windier, the sky got greyer, and judging by the speed that the dog's just rushed in from the garden, I think I made it back just in time.
Fubar
Guru
Not today but Saturday I decided to do a solo loop out to Callander to check out the roads and location for the first night of our upcoming CC Ecosse Tour to Inverness. I've cycled the route in reverse before doing a 100-mile loop over Lochearnhead but as there will be other people following me I wanted to find an alternative to the busy A84.
I took the usual club run route out to Kincardine which, once outside the urban areas is a nice quiet coastal road - except for the one car which pulled along side me just outside Culross with the passenger gesticulating wildly at me... at first I thought I had done something terrible or had some kind of major mechanical but no... she kept pointing to the side of the road... OH! I should be on the cycle path!!
Yes the cycle path that is covered in crud and used by walkers, MTB'ers, dogs etc, all so I didn't hold them up for 7 seconds (longer by the time she had finished) on an empty road. I shrugged, what else could I do?
Through Kincardine there is a couple of back roads that take you out the other end - as I round a corner there is a woman with a dog standing chatting, the dog takes an instant dislike to my presence in his street and lurches towards me barking almost taking the woman off her feet and me almost off my bike "Jesus!" I shout, more in fright than anything else - she did apologise, I think it took her by surprise as much as me!
Otherwise progress to Stirling was fine, though there are a couple of busy roads I'd noted which I will try to avoid using a cycle path alternative on the tour - however on a road bike I wasn't going to risk it. Through Bridge of Allen I suddenly picked up loads of cyclists who were heading the same way as I, however I was soon dropped. Over the busy M9 roundabout (who puts a r'bout in the middle of a motorway?!?) I was heading up and over to Doune - having only ever come down this road I thought it would be harder than it was, I seemed to summit quicker than I expected and had a lovely downhill into Doune.
Through Doune takes you to the A84 with a right turn to Callander, I stopped to read the note on my phone I had put on weeks before "turn left at Doune then right at river". Hmmm, limited detail. I went for it and after about 1/4-mile was rewarded by a river crossing and right turn signed Deanstone, very quickly followed by a sign for Callander - success! This proved to be a great road (if a little rough in places) with small climbs rewarded with nice downhills and cracking views. Browing a small climb I heard voices behind and was quickly passed by 3 guys on bikes - "jump on!", so I did. We had a fine and fast run down into Callander, though it was a little disconcerting being in a group and not knowing the road. They were heading for the Dukes Pass which I've heard of by reputation, not for me today though. They left me just outside Callander and I headed into town, finding the hostel just down from the Main Street:
I thought it looked fine for a nights kip, though as @Scoosh pointed out later mock-tudor in the Central Highlands DOES look a bit out of place!
So I pulled into Callander as my halfway point for a quick pit stop - Callander is a bit of a tourist hot-spot, as it is a Victorian village which seems to sell itself as being in the Highlands of Scotland (to my mind it's on the edge). It also seemed to be full of Glaswegians! They get everywhere.
The rain was starting so I diving into the first cafe I saw, Mhor Bread and grabbed the only table in a dark corner. The Waitress was VERY chatty:
Me: "is it ok to sit here?"
Her: "Yes"
M: "do you have a plain scone?"
H: "Yes"
M: "does it come with jam?"
H: "Yes"
M: "Can I have a latte?"
H: "Yes"
She stood staring at me for what felt like ages...
M: "That's it"
H: Walks off without saying another word.
The scone and latte were actually nice and fairly reasonable, and the sun had come back out so thought I will be on my way back. The guys back in the group had told me about another "back road" from Callander to Doune to avoid using the A84 but all I found was a farm dead-end, so I just got my head down and stayed on the main road - the traffic is fast but no close passes meant I was back in Doune in no time. I climbed out of Doune and decided to stop at the David Stirling memorial for a quick stretch - he is the founder of the SAS. Here is the view back to where I'd come from:
And here is the monument with threatening clouds where I was going:
It looked like I was in for a soaking! The roads were very wet on the descent into Bridge of Allen but I thought I may have missed the worst of it - a Polish registered van didn't make the situation any better by deciding to pass me despite the HGV coming the other way, honking and flashing at him. 5 minutes later he was caught in traffic heading into Bridge of Allen so I sneaked past on his inside - ho hum, what was the point?
I resisted the temptation to stop at Corrieries Cafe in Stirling and kept going, missing whatever those 2 cyclists said to me from the side of the roads - eh, what? 2 minutes later I'm pootling along in my own wee world when this voice on my shoulder shouts "Where's the Peak?" I almost jumped out of my skin!! It was one of the cyclists who had been at the side of the road. "What?!?" "Where's the Peak?" he repeated. "Never heard of it mate!" Says I. "The Peak???" Err, yeah I get that - still never heard of it though! Off he went, thoroughly disgusted at my lack of local knowledge.
5 minutes further down the road the heavens opened - I'm never that lucky! Jacket on, nothing else for it than head down and go for it. No overshoes meant very wet feet. I got through the rather dull parts of Alloa and Clackmannan down to Kincardine (no dogs this time) and the rain stops and the sun comes out, welcome warmth! I had a wee stop in Culross for a gel as my legs are feeling it now, which is enough to get me back to Dunfermline and home.
Stats for the day: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/843950951
A fine and welcome 80-miler, good to get some miles in my legs prior to Tour o the Borders with no cramp!
I took the usual club run route out to Kincardine which, once outside the urban areas is a nice quiet coastal road - except for the one car which pulled along side me just outside Culross with the passenger gesticulating wildly at me... at first I thought I had done something terrible or had some kind of major mechanical but no... she kept pointing to the side of the road... OH! I should be on the cycle path!!
Yes the cycle path that is covered in crud and used by walkers, MTB'ers, dogs etc, all so I didn't hold them up for 7 seconds (longer by the time she had finished) on an empty road. I shrugged, what else could I do?Through Kincardine there is a couple of back roads that take you out the other end - as I round a corner there is a woman with a dog standing chatting, the dog takes an instant dislike to my presence in his street and lurches towards me barking almost taking the woman off her feet and me almost off my bike "Jesus!" I shout, more in fright than anything else - she did apologise, I think it took her by surprise as much as me!
Otherwise progress to Stirling was fine, though there are a couple of busy roads I'd noted which I will try to avoid using a cycle path alternative on the tour - however on a road bike I wasn't going to risk it. Through Bridge of Allen I suddenly picked up loads of cyclists who were heading the same way as I, however I was soon dropped. Over the busy M9 roundabout (who puts a r'bout in the middle of a motorway?!?) I was heading up and over to Doune - having only ever come down this road I thought it would be harder than it was, I seemed to summit quicker than I expected and had a lovely downhill into Doune.
Through Doune takes you to the A84 with a right turn to Callander, I stopped to read the note on my phone I had put on weeks before "turn left at Doune then right at river". Hmmm, limited detail. I went for it and after about 1/4-mile was rewarded by a river crossing and right turn signed Deanstone, very quickly followed by a sign for Callander - success! This proved to be a great road (if a little rough in places) with small climbs rewarded with nice downhills and cracking views. Browing a small climb I heard voices behind and was quickly passed by 3 guys on bikes - "jump on!", so I did. We had a fine and fast run down into Callander, though it was a little disconcerting being in a group and not knowing the road. They were heading for the Dukes Pass which I've heard of by reputation, not for me today though. They left me just outside Callander and I headed into town, finding the hostel just down from the Main Street:
I thought it looked fine for a nights kip, though as @Scoosh pointed out later mock-tudor in the Central Highlands DOES look a bit out of place!
So I pulled into Callander as my halfway point for a quick pit stop - Callander is a bit of a tourist hot-spot, as it is a Victorian village which seems to sell itself as being in the Highlands of Scotland (to my mind it's on the edge). It also seemed to be full of Glaswegians! They get everywhere.
The rain was starting so I diving into the first cafe I saw, Mhor Bread and grabbed the only table in a dark corner. The Waitress was VERY chatty:
Me: "is it ok to sit here?"
Her: "Yes"
M: "do you have a plain scone?"
H: "Yes"
M: "does it come with jam?"
H: "Yes"
M: "Can I have a latte?"
H: "Yes"
She stood staring at me for what felt like ages...
M: "That's it"
H: Walks off without saying another word.
The scone and latte were actually nice and fairly reasonable, and the sun had come back out so thought I will be on my way back. The guys back in the group had told me about another "back road" from Callander to Doune to avoid using the A84 but all I found was a farm dead-end, so I just got my head down and stayed on the main road - the traffic is fast but no close passes meant I was back in Doune in no time. I climbed out of Doune and decided to stop at the David Stirling memorial for a quick stretch - he is the founder of the SAS. Here is the view back to where I'd come from:
And here is the monument with threatening clouds where I was going:
It looked like I was in for a soaking! The roads were very wet on the descent into Bridge of Allen but I thought I may have missed the worst of it - a Polish registered van didn't make the situation any better by deciding to pass me despite the HGV coming the other way, honking and flashing at him. 5 minutes later he was caught in traffic heading into Bridge of Allen so I sneaked past on his inside - ho hum, what was the point?
I resisted the temptation to stop at Corrieries Cafe in Stirling and kept going, missing whatever those 2 cyclists said to me from the side of the roads - eh, what? 2 minutes later I'm pootling along in my own wee world when this voice on my shoulder shouts "Where's the Peak?" I almost jumped out of my skin!! It was one of the cyclists who had been at the side of the road. "What?!?" "Where's the Peak?" he repeated. "Never heard of it mate!" Says I. "The Peak???" Err, yeah I get that - still never heard of it though! Off he went, thoroughly disgusted at my lack of local knowledge.
5 minutes further down the road the heavens opened - I'm never that lucky! Jacket on, nothing else for it than head down and go for it. No overshoes meant very wet feet. I got through the rather dull parts of Alloa and Clackmannan down to Kincardine (no dogs this time) and the rain stops and the sun comes out, welcome warmth! I had a wee stop in Culross for a gel as my legs are feeling it now, which is enough to get me back to Dunfermline and home.
Stats for the day: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/843950951
A fine and welcome 80-miler, good to get some miles in my legs prior to Tour o the Borders with no cramp!
Spike on a bike
Über Member
- Location
- Newbuckenham Norfolk
Wasn't really expecting them to be open but I could go stand outside n dream
Only about six from me so may ride over one afternoon and make sure I leave my cards at home
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
Today was more successful than Saturday's ride but less successful than I had hoped for. I was out with my riding partner, a lady I am 'coaching' to get through a charity ride of 88 miles 2 weeks on Saturday.
She can quite happily now do 45 mile rides which is pretty much all we can get in with her childcare arrangements and work commitments. I think it will be enough if we can do it 2 or 3 times a week, she has the ability, but it is getting her used to cycling faster that is my problem now and the not using the brake downhill So I had planned for today, that she would learn to read a garmin breadcrumb trail and every now and again go off on her own on a small circuit where she could not possibly get lost could she yeh....
She is also really good at scaring the hell out of motorists giving a really good wobble just at a key moment and ensuring we get good wide overtakes - not something usually an issue with a recumbent trike... but with only her 3rd ride on a road bike (ever) and a recumbent trike we got loads of good wide overtakes today with some where we were hoping against all odds and closing our eyes - you know the situation.
Plus I got video'ed by a WVM.... obviously had better things to do that actually concentrate on driving passed me...
Waiting for her to arrive after her 2nd loop off on her own. It was more successful than the first in that I didn't have to go back and find her!
Downhill and brakes... she is getting the hang of them honest! (actually she had just come back from a 3rd loop on her own and had a really good loop and enjoyed it and my road bike has CX brakes...)
We didn't quite manage to do the entire loop, and we didn't quite manage to stay 100% dry, but we did manage to dodge most of the rain and I only lost her the once! Not a bad start for someone who has never used a garmin before.... she may just find Snowdon and not London or Edinburgh yet!
https://www.strava.com/activities/355199858
Not far, and not fast, but better than Saturday and that is all the counts.
She can quite happily now do 45 mile rides which is pretty much all we can get in with her childcare arrangements and work commitments. I think it will be enough if we can do it 2 or 3 times a week, she has the ability, but it is getting her used to cycling faster that is my problem now and the not using the brake downhill
So I had planned for today, that she would learn to read a garmin breadcrumb trail and every now and again go off on her own on a small circuit where she could not possibly get lost could she yeh....She is also really good at scaring the hell out of motorists giving a really good wobble just at a key moment and ensuring we get good wide overtakes - not something usually an issue with a recumbent trike... but with only her 3rd ride on a road bike (ever) and a recumbent trike we got loads of good wide overtakes today with some where we were hoping against all odds and closing our eyes - you know the situation.
Plus I got video'ed by a WVM.... obviously had better things to do that actually concentrate on driving passed me...
Waiting for her to arrive after her 2nd loop off on her own. It was more successful than the first in that I didn't have to go back and find her!
Downhill and brakes... she is getting the hang of them honest! (actually she had just come back from a 3rd loop on her own and had a really good loop and enjoyed it and my road bike has CX brakes...)
We didn't quite manage to do the entire loop, and we didn't quite manage to stay 100% dry, but we did manage to dodge most of the rain and I only lost her the once! Not a bad start for someone who has never used a garmin before.... she may just find Snowdon and not London or Edinburgh yet!
https://www.strava.com/activities/355199858
Not far, and not fast, but better than Saturday and that is all the counts.
Paul139
Veteran
- Location
- At the moment I'm here.
Went over to Pariee for Le Tour and hired out a couple of "Boris bikes" and rode through central Paris. Whooooaa!!!!
https://www.strava.com/activities/353859922
