Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
MCCulloch bought the right bridge, he just didn't know what came with it!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_Across_Time
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_Across_Time
The sort of grey misty winter day that always depresses me and so out on the bike to lift my mood and get my February 50km ride in for the Half Century a month challenge.
I decided to put in my 1st proper bit of climbing in 2015 and head for The Wrekin.
It was pretty cold as I set out to Uffington, Upton Magna and then down through Upton Forge and over to Wroxeter. You can normally see The Wrekin come into view here and make you wonder why you are going to climb up it, but it was shrouded in fog today and in fact you would have thought Shropshire was a flat county today, if you weren't a local, as no hills were visible!
I followed the NCN around past Viriconium, passing a chap walking his dog, who gave me a friendly hello (keep this chap in your mind for later on in the ride) and then began the proper climbing up to Longton crossroads, where I paused for chocolate and my 1 photo of the ride. Really not conducive to photos today with that gloom.
You can just about make The Wrekin out.....
I continued and climbed up the long drag called Spout Lane, which takes you up to Little Wenlock. Always find this a real pull, but kept pedalling on and made it to the top feeling pretty good, despite one idiot squeezing past me on a narrow bit when there was a wider section about 20 yards away if they had any patience (clearly they hadn't)
There was more climbing from Little Wenlock up to The Wrekin, but then the nice downhill section which gets into Simon Warren's book of top 100 climbs in the UK. I must do it as a climb soon. They have even resurfaced some of the road and so less potholes under the trees which is good.
From there i branched off along Wrekin Course and then along the very muddy and wet lanes to Charlton Hill, before arriving back at Longton crossroads and heading back in the same direction I had come from.
On the NCN section I came across the same chap and his dog again, that I mentioned earlier. They must have had a decent walk, but as I passed them the chap absolutely jumped out of his skin!! Still gave me a cheery "alright mate" though.
What did annoy me now though was that my knee was starting to hurt again, like it did in December. Not as bad, but enough to make it sore going for the last 8 miles. It's clearly not right and so I think a trip to the docs is going to have to take place
.
I had another annoyance past Upton Forge, which is a single track private road, as a woman in a Black Merc came flying towards me doing what must have been about 50mph. She had no intention of slowing or giving way and so I gave her a mouthful before continuing back to Uffington.
I could see that the route I was planning might not give me my full 50k and so i extended the ride along the old canal path and up to the Sports Village. There was another hairy moment along here, as a runner and his dog were coming towards me on a muddy bit, and the dog headed straight for my front wheel! Cue skid and embarrassed apology from the runner!
At the Sports Village I did a circuit of the car park, to add a bit more mileage and witnessed a dad tearing strips off his teenage daughter for some reason. Don't know what she'd done but he wasn't happy!!
I arrived home having done 32.4 miles and 1490 ft of climbing.
I decided to put in my 1st proper bit of climbing in 2015 and head for The Wrekin.
It was pretty cold as I set out to Uffington, Upton Magna and then down through Upton Forge and over to Wroxeter. You can normally see The Wrekin come into view here and make you wonder why you are going to climb up it, but it was shrouded in fog today and in fact you would have thought Shropshire was a flat county today, if you weren't a local, as no hills were visible!
I followed the NCN around past Viriconium, passing a chap walking his dog, who gave me a friendly hello (keep this chap in your mind for later on in the ride) and then began the proper climbing up to Longton crossroads, where I paused for chocolate and my 1 photo of the ride. Really not conducive to photos today with that gloom.
You can just about make The Wrekin out.....
I continued and climbed up the long drag called Spout Lane, which takes you up to Little Wenlock. Always find this a real pull, but kept pedalling on and made it to the top feeling pretty good, despite one idiot squeezing past me on a narrow bit when there was a wider section about 20 yards away if they had any patience (clearly they hadn't)
There was more climbing from Little Wenlock up to The Wrekin, but then the nice downhill section which gets into Simon Warren's book of top 100 climbs in the UK. I must do it as a climb soon. They have even resurfaced some of the road and so less potholes under the trees which is good.
From there i branched off along Wrekin Course and then along the very muddy and wet lanes to Charlton Hill, before arriving back at Longton crossroads and heading back in the same direction I had come from.
On the NCN section I came across the same chap and his dog again, that I mentioned earlier. They must have had a decent walk, but as I passed them the chap absolutely jumped out of his skin!! Still gave me a cheery "alright mate" though.
What did annoy me now though was that my knee was starting to hurt again, like it did in December. Not as bad, but enough to make it sore going for the last 8 miles. It's clearly not right and so I think a trip to the docs is going to have to take place
.I had another annoyance past Upton Forge, which is a single track private road, as a woman in a Black Merc came flying towards me doing what must have been about 50mph. She had no intention of slowing or giving way and so I gave her a mouthful before continuing back to Uffington.
I could see that the route I was planning might not give me my full 50k and so i extended the ride along the old canal path and up to the Sports Village. There was another hairy moment along here, as a runner and his dog were coming towards me on a muddy bit, and the dog headed straight for my front wheel! Cue skid and embarrassed apology from the runner!
At the Sports Village I did a circuit of the car park, to add a bit more mileage and witnessed a dad tearing strips off his teenage daughter for some reason. Don't know what she'd done but he wasn't happy!!
I arrived home having done 32.4 miles and 1490 ft of climbing.
As the club ride today was a bit much for me, Mr Archeress and I decided to do the Bath Two Tunnels Circuit for the first time. Mr Archeress isn't a strong cyclist so we ported the bikes on the back of a petrol thingmabob and started the ride from the Newbridge Park and Ride Carpark.
Mr A
Me! (note the new pedals fitted)
The weather was a little chilly, but we soon warmed up, and we headed down the riverside path towards the city centre heading for the start of the two tunnels path.
I grabbed a photo before the first (and shorter) of the two tunnels. Unfortunately soon after this photo was taken the bracket holding Mr Archeresses lock broke and dumped his D lock on the path. In the middle of the second tunnel it happened again so unfortunately he had to cycle the remaining distance with his lock on his handlebars.
We left the cycle path and had to do a little road riding on quiet lanes, Mr Archeress does not do hills so struggled a little bit on this section. We dropped down to Brassknocker Basin where we stopped in the cafe for lunch.
Crepe with Tomato, Chorizo and Cheddar for Mr A
Bacon baguette for me.
After lunch we departed the basin and cycled along the canal heading back into Bath, through Bathampton. The path was pretty wet and the bikes ended up quite mucky. Plenty of people living on boats on the canal and we even saw a lifeboat moored on the canal. I wouldn't have wanted to live on the lifeboat as there were no windows.
Leaving the canal we then cycled the urban streets of Bath, coming over Pultney Bridge. Once over the bridge we departed from the official Two Tunnels Circuit and headed for Bath Spa Railway Station where I know of plentiful and relatively secure cycle parking. Once the bikes were safely parked we made our way to the cafe named Cafe au Lait, just over the road from the station.
I had a Rum Hot Chocolate and a forest fruit and yoghurt flapjack and Mr A had a coffe and a Cinnamon and Apple flapjack.
After a brief wander round Bath we headed back to the petrol thingmabob along the riverside path but had to navigate an unsigned diversion for the path closure where several young people have drowned due to poor railings.
Ride is here: https://www.strava.com/activities/255325561
Hugs
Archeress x
Mr A
Me! (note the new pedals fitted)
The weather was a little chilly, but we soon warmed up, and we headed down the riverside path towards the city centre heading for the start of the two tunnels path.
I grabbed a photo before the first (and shorter) of the two tunnels. Unfortunately soon after this photo was taken the bracket holding Mr Archeresses lock broke and dumped his D lock on the path. In the middle of the second tunnel it happened again so unfortunately he had to cycle the remaining distance with his lock on his handlebars.
We left the cycle path and had to do a little road riding on quiet lanes, Mr Archeress does not do hills so struggled a little bit on this section. We dropped down to Brassknocker Basin where we stopped in the cafe for lunch.
Crepe with Tomato, Chorizo and Cheddar for Mr A
Bacon baguette for me.
After lunch we departed the basin and cycled along the canal heading back into Bath, through Bathampton. The path was pretty wet and the bikes ended up quite mucky. Plenty of people living on boats on the canal and we even saw a lifeboat moored on the canal. I wouldn't have wanted to live on the lifeboat as there were no windows.
Leaving the canal we then cycled the urban streets of Bath, coming over Pultney Bridge. Once over the bridge we departed from the official Two Tunnels Circuit and headed for Bath Spa Railway Station where I know of plentiful and relatively secure cycle parking. Once the bikes were safely parked we made our way to the cafe named Cafe au Lait, just over the road from the station.
I had a Rum Hot Chocolate and a forest fruit and yoghurt flapjack and Mr A had a coffe and a Cinnamon and Apple flapjack.
After a brief wander round Bath we headed back to the petrol thingmabob along the riverside path but had to navigate an unsigned diversion for the path closure where several young people have drowned due to poor railings.
Ride is here: https://www.strava.com/activities/255325561
Hugs
Archeress x
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howdenbiker
Senior Member
- Location
- East Yorkshire
Did a 40 mile loop today, started out at 8am in the damp and gloom and it stayed that way until about 15 minutes before the end of the ride. I started from Howden and head on a southerly loop towards Selby via Carlton and pick up sustrans 62 that cuts across the old WW2 Burn airfield. It is possible to do a sprint down the runway (take care as it is used intermittently by a gliding club). Some new trans pennine signs had been put up unfortunately one points the wrong way! (I've dropped them a line).
From the airfield followed the Selby canal and returned home via Riccall, a muddy stretch over Skipwith Common and Brind.
Photos show the runway and perimeter road of Burn airfield.
From the airfield followed the Selby canal and returned home via Riccall, a muddy stretch over Skipwith Common and Brind.
Photos show the runway and perimeter road of Burn airfield.
D
Deleted member 23692
Guest
I took the MTB over to Kielder today for a spin round the pond and despite a misty overcasty (with a hint of warm) start to the day I opted for shorts and wasn't disappointed 
By the ½ way point the sun had come out and it was starting to get quite warm.. and so was I due softness for the track surface calling for a lot more effort than other times I've been. I've done this loop numerous times and today was by far the hardest. So a quick rest was called for....
All in all a super day out, and with only seeing less that 30 other folk round, it felt like I had the place pretty much to myself
By the ½ way point the sun had come out and it was starting to get quite warm.. and so was I due softness for the track surface calling for a lot more effort than other times I've been. I've done this loop numerous times and today was by far the hardest. So a quick rest was called for....
All in all a super day out, and with only seeing less that 30 other folk round, it felt like I had the place pretty much to myself
shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
What a difference a week makes, lovely out there this morning, a twinkle chilly for lightweight gear but nice to feel some warmth in the air.
Several little calibration & post-fettle rides on bikes coming out of the shed and getting ready for spring. No great distance on any of them but nice to put my bum on a different saddle or two again.
Several little calibration & post-fettle rides on bikes coming out of the shed and getting ready for spring. No great distance on any of them but nice to put my bum on a different saddle or two again.
mooseracer
Guru
- Location
- Nr Bristol
howdenbiker
Senior Member
- Location
- East Yorkshire
Different story in East Yorkshire, last week sunshine and wall to wall cyclist, this week grey and damp hardly saw any
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
keep at it! It does get easier eventually... And I know the feeling well! I have only just left the hours per kilometre speed going over to kilometres per hour myself! And not every walk qualifies as that.
My first walk after leaving hospital was 50m. It took me 15 minutes! I'm not managing an entire 1.3km in 40-45 minutes... Progress is slow
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
But progress, nonetheless. Well done SNSSO
mooseracer
Guru
- Location
- Nr Bristol
1.3km is awesome....wonder how long it will take me to get there? I'm going to set a random target of 10 days.
Keep up the good efforts
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
How many cake stops?
I broke my hip in 2012. 2 months later, I got back on the bike (on a turbo trainer) and rode for half a mile.
It took 11 minutes 20 seconds, so that makes you walking faster than me riding
It's not where you start from that matters, it's where you end up.
Just myself and Mr @rb58 for today's run out. A great ride to the centre of the Universe. Other wise known as the BP Garage at Ashford in Kent. I take Ross to all the best places. It was a little cold and misty this morning with the sky blanketed in boring grey cloud. But we did have a few glimpses of blue sky and of that yellow orb.. I've forgotten what it's called. The roads were a mix of wet, mucky and dry. A good thing I put the raceblade on the bike to keep the worst of the muck off.
We saw what looked like a pro-woman's cycling team being paced by a couple of motorbikes. Ross did say we could have had them if they hadn't of turned off...black kit with red pipping, anyone know who they are?
Anyway. 105 miles for the day. Century #5 for the year and # 139 over all.
The outward journey.
The return journey (with the horrid Igtham Mote Hill climb thrown in for good measure)
The bike and the slippers all mucky
The bike and slippers all clean.
We saw what looked like a pro-woman's cycling team being paced by a couple of motorbikes. Ross did say we could have had them if they hadn't of turned off...black kit with red pipping, anyone know who they are?
Anyway. 105 miles for the day. Century #5 for the year and # 139 over all.
The outward journey.
The return journey (with the horrid Igtham Mote Hill climb thrown in for good measure)
The bike and the slippers all mucky
The bike and slippers all clean.
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Woke up this morning not feeling too great - sore throat, blocked nose and sore head. However it was too nice a morning not to go out on the bike. So I just went a low intensity ride into Glasgow city centre then home via the cyclepath which runs alongside the Clyde. It was a lovely almost spring like morning so I took a few photos...
Looking down the Clyde. Yellow crane is at the site of the old Harland and Wolff yard and the new flats on the right are where the big granaries use to be
Looking down the Clyde again with the transport musemn and the clipper Gleelee on the right
The PS Waverley, one of the world's last sea going paddle steamers
Looking up the Clyde towards the squinty bridge and the Finneston crane
The Armadillo, the Finneston crane and the SSE Hydro with my trusty Ribble winter bike in the foreground
Great morning for a bike ride despite feeling a bit under the weather. Loads of folk out on bikes
I've been on PS Waverley. Mrs Pete and I crossed the Thames Estuary from Margate to Southend one year to watch the Airshow from the deck (and from Southend Pier as well)
