Your ride today....

[cosmicbike]

Been away for a while. My riding has become rather mundane for the time being, I'm limited to 30 minutes or so a day at the moment on medical advice. I have had a couple of nice rides though, having spent a week in the New Forest. Both family rides starting at Sandy Balls Campsite, Godshill. The first took us across the forest to Fritham where we had a fab pub lunch, 12 miles at 5mph, and the other a 7 mile loop through Abbotswell, similar pace. Loved it.

 

[Goonerobes]

Clear sunny skys here too as I set off towards my favourite location of Wiltshire for the first time in over a month & with a plan to explore a few more new roads.

The journey across the forest to get there was glorious in the sun with just a gentle cooling breeze, however my mood was somewhat saddened when I passed a grazing cow with something stuck in its mouth! Concerned, I turned round to investigate & found it had a plastic fizzy drinks bottle, discarded by some pea-brained halfwit who couldn't be arsed to take it home , wedged between its teeth, so with a coaxing said bottle was released & the cow & I continued on our way.

Heading through Alderholt, Martin & up the Howgare Road climb it was then onto the new roads that I had planned through the pretty villages of Mead End & Bowerchalke & included a half mile 11% climb, just what I needed on a hot day!

Lunch was duly taken at the top whilst admiring the views & watching the farmers busy harvesting before heading back along the country lanes through Fifield Bavant, Broad Chalke, Rockbourne & Fordingbridge for a very pleasant, although somewhat warm 73 mile round trip.

https://www.strava.com/activities/364135086

A glorious New Forest in the sun today...........

& plenty of Wiltshire countryside.

 

[Garry A]

Yesterday's ride was an out and back on the Forth and Clyde canal track. After four hours on the Defy on Thursday I decided to have a little comfort and take the Roam hybrid out and hammer right over the rough surfaces. Went from Falkirk to Kilsyth and back with a short break sitting on a fence eating Kendal mint cake. A nice tailwind on the return meant I got a few Strava PB's. Lots of cyclists out.

https://www.strava.com/activities/363336035
Sorry no photos

Edit. Went for a 5k run later to justify more cake
https://www.strava.com/activities/363557126

 

[NorthernDave]

Up early(ish) and out for a spin on the Boardman Road Comp. I wanted to get 20+ miles in for the first time since my knee problems started, so today was about that rather than out and out speed.

Up Coal Road and out along Skeltons Lane. Treated to a very wide pass from a Harrogate & District bus,although not so enamored with an unnecessarily close pass from a Citroen Berlingo...
Then down onto the drops for the rapid descent into Thorner - what a lumpy, bumpy section of road this is though. Fortunately my fillings survived, so through the village and up the hill towards Bramham Park, where they were busy setting up for the Leeds Festival. A new top speed (35.6mph) set down into the dip at Wothersome, combined with a much slower ascent up the other side - although I did overtake someone!
Then the downhill run into Bramham, where I stopped to refuel and take a pic.

Back across the A1(M) bridge and started heading up towards Boston Spa. I decided to carry the bike up onto the footbridge over the A1(M) for Clifford to get onto NCN R66 as the section between there and Boston Spa is part farm track and I wasn't on the bike for that today.
A suitably speedy return to Bramham down the smoothly tarmac'd cycle route, continuing down into the village and then the climb up Town Hill past the Swan pub. I've always found this climb a challenge but it seemed easier today, so maybe I am doing something right?
Then looped round the top of the village and back onto the road parallel to the meandering NCN R66 and the cruise down to Bramham cross roads (apparently it's an 'interchange' now) and then the largely downhill run into Aberford, where I got a pleasing turn of speed up and overtook someone else (two people in one day? Unheard of! )
The a right after crossing Cock Beck towards Barwick in Elmet. Passed a mixed peleton heading the other way, all very friendly and cheery, then along the undulations of Cattle Lane and the quick descent down to the bridge and the uphill run into Barwick.
Through the village and on to Scholes, where I met that blooming headwind again.It seems that there is a permanent wind against you on this run - one day there will be an easterly making my life a bit easier...
Down Leeds Rd and checking the odometer, i wasn't sure if I was quite going to reach 20 miles, so turned off down Pendas Way and put in an extra loop up Manston Lane and then through Pendas Fields to make sure before heading up to home.

21.99 miles (bike computer says 22.1 miles but Map My Ride has a difference of opinion) in 1hr 29m at an average of 14.7mph, with 811ft climbed on an absolutely glorious sunny summers day. taking it steady seems to have paid off as the knees are OK so far.

Gutted though that MMR hasn't synced properly and although this ride is listed within workouts, it isn't showing on the front page and none of the 'courses' on route have registered so I've no idea if I've improved on any of them.

PS - still not cleaned the hybrid - well, i'm probably going out on it tomorrow, so it will only need doing again...

 

[Dave 123]

@cosmicbike sandy balls? Really?

I fancied a bit of a change this week and I've not seen Mrs Dave much of late as she's been working all over Europe for the past few weeks so she came with me in the car with our bikes to the nicely named village of Little Snoring in Norfolk.
We parked by the beautiful old church and set off for Great Snoring. The roads were filled with pheasant pancakes, some were a bit smelly!
The countryside was really nice, and harvesting was in full swing.
We made our way to the Walsingham villages, every house and cottage a vision of flint and roses.
On through quiet and silky smooth lanes until we reached New Holkham, a quick shimmy through the gates and we were of down his Graces drive

Traffic free loveliness , I had to go some to catch up to her after this pic, and eventually I did

Then we came into the park, people were having a nice time in the sun, biking, dog walking, picnics, it was great.

We stopped at the hall for tea, 17 miles down.
Out and about today we saw 2 marsh harriers 1 kestrel, 1 Sparrowhawk, 12 buzzards and 3 red kites. The kites were just over our heads hanging about with a pair of buzzards, no fighting, no shouting!
We made our way past Wells and onto more deserted silky roads. By now we were on higher ground and could see the ranks of wind turbines miles out at sea.

On we went back to the car. Today wasn't about speed, it was all about being out having a good day with your best mate ever. Once back at the car my Garmin turned to 30 miles exactly!


http://www.strava.com/activities/364165198/segments/8689044920


Mrs Dave, she's really capable at this....

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.strava.com/activities/364386465
Just a short one today, I think the days of the big rides are numbered TBH. I'll still do the odd big one now and again, but we shall see.

 

[Racing roadkill]

for once the BBC weather forecast was spot on.

I suppose even a broken clock is right twice a day.

 

[Spartak]

After a weeks holiday I was keen to get out on the bike today so after lunch I was away 8-)

Great ride in glorious sunshine - headed via Frampton Cotterell & Iron Acton to Yate Rocks where I spotted one of the 'Sodbury Sportif' yellow bikes [ a few are dotted around the area to promote their upcoming Sportif ]

Thru Chipping Sodbury & onto the New Inn at Mays Hill for a lovely pint in their beer garden enjoying the rays 8-)

https://www.strava.com/activities/364257408

 

[Paul139]

It's not if but when

So so true!!

 

[Paul139]

Haven't really been out on a "proper" ride for ages, lost the enthusiasm a bit to be honest.
Anyway I saw on Evans website they had a pair of retro style gloves on sale, so ordered and decided on click and collect which gave me a reason to ride so I could collect them in person. I rode to Chelmsford tried the gloves only to find the largest size wouldn't fit my shovel hands!!
So a 37 mile ride and no gloves,but did have a nice chat with the helpful staff. Not a wasted day. Must get out more.

 

[MikeW-71]

A ride out with CC Ecosse. A last-minute spur-of-the-moment thing, but a ride from Edinburgh, looping round through Peebles and back, 63 miles altogether.

Really strong headwind on the outward leg, which was horrible to climb into, but after stopping for chips in Peebles, we had a big tailwind taking us back up, and we were absolutely flying

Sunny and warm, which makes Scotland even more photogenic than usual.


http://www.strava.com/activities/364388476

And I've got a bit of sunburn, my arms are glowing in the dark

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Well last Saturday I finally achieved an Imperial ton on my trike .....so now I know I can I did another 100 miler today. Today's ride was to Norwich and back. I grew up in Norwich - but cycling there now is much nicer than it was when I was a lad. Not as fast today as last week - but a different group of riders and today we went by minor roads and byways. A lovely lovely day thoroughly enjoyed by all six of us.

 

[DaveReading]

I'm thinking of doing the Henley Hill Hundred (km) next month, so I thought I would recce part of the route today (although I've ridden much if it on my regular Sunday rides). Ended up slightly disappointed with my average speed over 39 miles - just over 12mph - but then it was quite hilly.

A couple of interesting incidents on the hills. I was followed up the hill to Rotten Row by a massive tractor and trailer that took up all of the width of the road, so I thought it would be prudent to pull over (which I try to avoid on hills) and was rewarded with a cheery wave. And my first experience of Britwell Hill was a bit of an eye-opener, I think it's the fact that it's so straight that makes it intimidating. As I was grinding my way up at 3-4mph on my granny ring, a car coming down stopped to let me past. Only problem was that he was still about 300 yards away, and I felt guilty about holding him up for all that time, so I furiously waved him on as I could see a passing place halfway between us. Eventually he took the hint.

My low average speed meant that I had to miss out the Nuffield/Ipsden/Checkendon bit in favour of carrying on through Nettlebed and back to Sonning Common.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Ten miles my ride this day. Quite humid, but not exceptionally warm. I saw a mother duck and three ducklings crossing the intersection near my home, the third time I've seen her do this today, the other two being when I was trading my Austro-Daimler for a very nice Univega Via Carisma.
The Via Carisma has a nice 1990's paint scheme in very good order, metallic red spatter over black.

It is a very nice looking bicycle, and, other than having to redo a few spokes in the back wheel of its regular wheel set(this is a wheel set I already had, which also needed, I found, a new spoke, but on non-drive side) and a little clean up. It also carried me the ten miles in nicely under an hour, and was quite comfortable,although something may have to be done about that saddle.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Hmmm!

A big dollop of grey-ness has alighted on our piece of Cumbria.

Visibility about 300m across the valley and rain lurching from steady drizzle to occasional monsoon like bursts.

Had a nice ride planned and was 'up for it' but have now lost interest.

I am about to immerse myself in beans on toast, a lovely cuppa and a session with my Kindle.

Hope the weather is better wherever you are!