Your ride today....

[Windle]

After discovering there's a direct train from Manchester Airport, which is close by, to Penrith, today brought a train assisted adventure to the two highest public roads in England.

First, though, a visit to see Long Meg and her daughters.

A call of nature was necessary there, which Meg turned out to be highly displeased by. Her curse hit within a couple of miles as the rear tyre emptied and puncture repair was necessary.

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Then over Hartside, with spectacular views over the Vale of Eden

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and down to Alston, a typically handsome Cumbrian town.

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Now the first big one, but not before a stop at North Pennine cycles in Nenthead to top up the tyre with a track pump - a proper old school LBS. Had a nice chat with owner David and bought a new tube. He tells me C2C riders are very few and far between these days, one of the reasons local businesses are failing.

A sharp climb up, to the first objective - Killhope Cross, 627m...

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...and a lovely descent to St John's Chapel via a stop at the Killhope Wheel for a cereal bar.

What turned out to be the most brutal climb of the day awaited, Harthope Moss AKA Chapel Fell. Really, it's a bugger! Great views over to Teesdale at the top though.


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Lunch from the quite excellent chippy in Middleton, then the lovely road over and very lively descent to Brough.

Thence a mixture of tiny lanes either side of the main road descent to Sedburgh, and managed to get a train two hours earlier than planned from Oxenholme.

The TPE trains are excellent; nominal bike storage for four, but could easily fit in six if staff are amenable, and no silly racks or hooks.

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Meg struck again just a mile from home with a spectacular WHOOOOSH. Too tired to fix it, just walked home. So that's one for tomorrow, and I might sacrifice a goat to appease Meg while I'm at it.

A grand albeit somewhat cool day out; 94 miles and 2700m climbing from Penrith to Oxenholme and another 12 miles to and from the station, so I claim a century. Very rapid by my standards at 14 mph.

A couple of proper climbs there (Kilhope & Chapel Fell). And the two highest mountain passes in England to boot. Both of which I've done many times, albeit not for a while (2009 I think).

 

[HLaB]

The alternative to our 133miler was a shorter ride to Harringworth to avoid the storm. I don't think the rain has been as bad as forecast (I think there's only been one heavy shower) but it would have been a miserable return into the wind. Harringworth saw the wind behind us mostly on the return.

I kept it at a social pace and stayed mostly in the wee ring. The one time I upped the power was up the steep Harringworth but throttling it enough to encourage the folk behind me.

 

[sevenfourate]

Standard weekend 50km ride for moi.

Up the Coast to Caister-on-Sea to capture sunrise at pretty much the half-way point mileage wise. Which was great !

However…….if I’d had been 1/2 an ounce cleverer: I’d have noticed the wind had switched from yesterday. Meaning if I’d have gone in the opposite direction - I could have come home with the wind at my back. Not mostly in my face 🙄 Oh well…. you can’t be handsome and clever 🤣

 

[Cavalol]

What a great day. Out on the 'Whopper' with some 'old school' guys on a mixture of Choppers, BMX bikes, a Shopper, a Trek Cruiser and some others. Only 8.5 miles (I didn't do the whole ride as had to get home) but it was brilliant and with exceptionally good company. Even got a 3rd best on a Strava section.

 

[sevenfourate]

What a great day. Out on the 'Whopper' with some 'old school' guys on a mixture of Choppers, BMX bikes, a Shopper, a Trek Cruiser and some others. Only 8.5 miles (I didn't do the whole ride as had to get home) but it was brilliant and with exceptionally good company. Even got a 3rd best on a Strava section.

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That looks fun !

 

[Pduk]

Found a new route yesterday, starting and finishing at Upton House, Edgehill.

 

[HLaB]

I got away from work in time to catch the earlier train which gets me back just in time for the local chain gang. So that was my ride today. I want to ride tomorrow on my day off so I resisted the urge to sprint at the end. We were 22.6mph for the 36miles chaingang (we probably could have been faster but they're doing gasworks just outside Ramsey and the only way by is circa 80m along a narrow footpath.

 

[HLaB]

Took the day off and joined a couple of mates on a ride to The View at Rutland Nusery. Quite a nice place but the only thing that let's it down is they don't maximise their outdoor space. They've a number of good outdoor seats and tables but bizarrely they don't allow you to take food outside. I think that's because their till is positioned on exit from the cafe and the seats are technically beyond it. There's also a good surfaced flat area the other side of the building which isn't used either 🤔

 

[bluenotebob]

I’m having a break from doing “long” rides for a few days. My road bike and my gravel bike seem to have snaffled most of the kilometres I cycled in June and July so I’m giving my other bikes a chance to get out and get some fresh air.

First ride of the day was at mid-day – on my La Pierre/Urban Shaper – a loop around SBdM, up to Kerminy then a loop around Guilliers before coming home via Raserais and la Grande Touche. 27km.

Second ride of the day was late afternoon, on my MASSI carbon MTB. A shorter local loop with some off-roading. 12km.

Photos below from my first ride:

Sunflowers near la Ville Trémal. Never saw them here until a few years ago when the European supply of sunflower oil dried up because of the trouble in Ukraine. A welcome splash of colour and nice to have a change from the trinity of wheat, maize and colza (rape).

The football ground in Guilliers

Maize alley between Raserais and Ruaudais

The chapelle of St-Nicodème at la Grande Touche

 

[Pduk]

Dropped the van off yesterday evening for a service and mot today, so expanded my mid week after work ride but still looped in my local big ol' puddle...

 

[wafter]

Have dropped the ball on mileage in recent days; with little opportunity today as I did a fairly big walk with a mate over the afternoon.


Buoyed by some cheeky carbs and the potential promise of cheap wares I popped over to Waitrose on the Fuji this evening.

Scored some decent bargains and headed back; the streets mercifully quieter (if not quiet) than on the usual post-work trip.


The most notable incident occurred when attempting to pass a jogger on the tow path; headphones in and apparently oblivious to her surroundings.

She's heading away from me on the left, so I'll pass on the right. As I approach she drifts to the centre of the path and I figure she might turn around so slow down and pull to the left to pass behind her - the bell now moot as I'm crawling and would rather retain control of the brakes.

As I'm about to roll cautiously past she suddenly spins round to her left and lurches straight at me while looking at her phone in one hand; stopping with her other hand resting on my now stationary arm and her face about four inches from mine.. no harm done but she was startled and apologetic to say the least - while all I could manage was a perplexed look of vague disapproval

The rest of the leg home passed with little incident; the not unwelcome drizzle ramping up as the dark descended ominously quickly.

Not a bad 11 mile utility waft; back to the homestead tomorrow so will be the last one for a day or so.

 

[HLaB]

A nice group ride today which I deliberately kept steady so as not to drop anyone. And a quick stop at the Admiral Wells for a quick shandy before the 6miles home.

 

[Mburton1993]

Chester and back:

A nice, quiet, sunny ride.

With a return tailwind. ☺️

 

[Pduk]

Yesterday’s end of week after work ride, great weather and quiet roads

 

[HLaB]

Just 2 of us out on the group ride today which was our fastest for a while. We bumped into two friends at the cafe, sift pedalled for a mile, then got back on it 👍