Your ride today....

[gavgav]

You don't need to find out who it belongs to; just send your complaint to the TC and he/she will find that out in 5 seconds. Daffodils like that give the rest of us a bad name .

Cheers, e-mail was sent on Sunday, will see if I get a response!

 

[mooseracer]

Day off work so off I went in the sunshine for a ride to Malmesbury. Despite quite a strong wind I was thoroughly enjoying the ride and quiet roads. Heading for home I could see it was "rather dark" and, sure enough, the heavens opened. Nice motivation to get a move on during the last few miles! 42 in the end, hopefully the weather will be a little kinder tomorrow as I fancy doing a longer one.

https://www.strava.com/activities/397735373

 

[Littgull]

I am very familiar with the Emley Moor mast. I have ridden round there several times. I have seen tower #2 in the distance but never gone that close to it, and I didn't know anything about it.
Great report, Colin, you have captured the day and the enjoyment of it perfectly.
I had intended to post yesterday (Monday) as I was up very early on Sunday and not returning home until late due to visiting family. I did a daft and silly thing yesterday, with my glasses off as I had just got out of bed I went downstairs and crouched down to give our beloved dog a bit of affection. Unfortunately, she too was half asleep and stretched her front leg out accidentally catching my left eyeball with her paw. This resulted in mass discomfort to my left eye with it bloodshot and 'weeping' tear water non stop. Hence a visit to the doctor this morning and some cream prescribed. It has now slightly eased but I think it will be a day or two before it feels anything like back to normal.

Anyway, back to Saturday's stunning ride. Great route (thanks Colin), great company and great weather.The perfect combination for an unforgettable day. It was good to see Carrie again (what an intrepid cyclist she is!) and her friend Kevin. Also good to meet and ride with Globalti, and Alex for the first few miles.

Thanks also for Colin's mechanical skills coming to my aid in re-enabling my inner ring (if you'll pardon the expression). Alas, my 'technical' bike competencies are limited to removing and changing wheels/tubes, mending punctures and occasionally cleaning/oiling my bikes. The additional 12 mile loop was the 'icing on the cake'. Three considerable extra climbs to end with in a grand finale. the late afternoon/early evening September sun making the moors and beechwood look even more enchanting and exquisite than normal. We rejoiced in the splendour of it all and felt chuffed at our fitness levels in completing the climbs with relative ease.

I was wondering what the 'mystery' event was that we encountered near the Trough of Bowland. Mystery now resolved. The modesty panel across the group photograph made me laugh out loud.
My Garmin produced the following stats for the full ride (i.e. including the additional 12 mile loop)
- total distance = 63.85 miles
- total ride time = 5 hours 34 mins (covers actual time moving on the bike only)
- average speed (based on above) = 11.4 mph
- Total ascent = 6000ft
- Total descent = 6003ft

A fantastic day ride.
Sunday 4th October is looking good for me so far, Colin. So put me down as a 75% probable (I'll confirm a bit nearer the time.

Thanks again, for all your effort and time in planning and leading yet another of your superb rides.


[The ride report below was delayed because my nephew has moved to the area and I have been helping getting him settled in.]

I had organised another lumpy forum ride, which took place on Saturday in the lovely Forest of Bowland AONB. As has been usual of late, it had been difficult to drum up much interest in the ride. @Littgull was up for it though and kindly offered to give me a lift. It did look for a while that it would just be the 2 of us riding, but then 2 of my non-CycleChat pals (Carrie and Kevin) texted me to say they would be joining us. And then @Globalti said that he would come along with his son @SamR and Alex (another non-CC member) for the first part of the ride. It is good to have a few more riders turn out. If it got to the point that it were only Littgull and me doing these rides then I might as well stop organising them, and just go back to doing private rides with LG, a few other local CycleChatters and my non-CC pals!

The weather forecast looked very promising for Saturday's ride. No rain, not much wind, sunny intervals, and mild conditions up to about 17 degrees. Ideal for cycling.

We all met up at Spring Wood visitor centre on the A671 above Whalley and set off on our way just after 10:00. It was still pretty cool at that time and I had dressed accordingly, but temperatures rose steadily though the day and I am convinced it was more like 20 degrees later on. I had to stop and remove my base layer mid-ride because I was overheating. Still, in mid-September that is a nice problem to have. It certainly beats being battered by hail in June, which has happened to me before now!

We rode along together as far as Beacon Fell, which is where we left Globalti, SamR and Alex (at the visitor centre cafe). It was tempting to stop there ourselves, but it was too early in our ride really. I wanted to make reasonable progress to allow time for a relaxed stop at Country Kitchen cafe in Waddington later on, and still leave time for an optional second loop after that cafe stop.

Here is a picture of some outstanding CycleChat members that I took before we left ...

I have added a 'modesty panel' because of those outstanding CycleChat members ... (To spare blushes, and so as not to frighten those of a nervous disposition! )

We continued with a descent off Beacon Fell into a steep-sided dip at Brockmill, to cross the little river Brock. I remembered being reduced to a grovel climbing back out of that dip when I first rode that way many years ago, so I was pleased to get up the climb without any difficulty this time. In fact, that became a feature of the ride. We tackled some steep climbs and I didn't suffer on any of them. I made an effort to start getting out of the saddle more often and that seemed to spare me the backache that I normally suffer on these hilly rides.

The weather just kept getting better and better, as did the scenery. A lot of my photos didn't really turn out because I was rushing to take them. Here is one taken by a blithering idiot standing in the middle of the road as the peloton bore down on him ...

View attachment 104486

From time to time, I would hear a groan as Littgull failed to engage his inner ring for the steep stuff. He is pretty fit, but he reckons his cassette's biggest sprocket is only a 24 which is a bit of a grind on his middle ring. More on that subject later ...

When we were heading round towards Marshaw, we came to a short, but very steep ramp so I sprinted down the road towards the foot of it to get there in time to get my camera ready before the others got there. Here's a snap of them attacking the climb, with tiny climber Carrie leading the assault ...

View attachment 104487

Go, girl, GO!

I put the camera away and rode up at a more sedate pace, but marvelling at how much easier I was finding the hills than I did when I was fat and unfit. These hard routes were torture for me in the bad old days but now I am fit enough to enjoy them. If I want them to be more challenging, I just speed up. If I want to relish the countryside, I slow down. What I don't have to do is suffer, or walk up the steep stuff!

By the time I got to the top of the climb I was overheating so I took my base layer off and stashed it in my bag before setting off in pursuit of my 3 riding companions.

We continued together and were soon overtaken by a fit-looking older rider. What struck me was that he was wearing cold weather kit. He had a full-length jersey on, full-length tights, and even overshoes. It seemed to be about 20 degrees and there wasn't much wind. How he wasn't cooking wearing that lot, I'll never know ...

LG and I continued as Carrie and Kevin dropped back for a while, presumably to have comfort breaks or take food out of their bags.

And then suddenly, something very strange happened ... LG and I got to the cattlegrid at the summit of the climb leading to the Trough of Bowland! We had been so busy chatting that we didn't even notice the climb! I used to struggle on that ascent but it failed to register on Saturday. (It isn't really steep but it does average 7% for 1 km so it is not normally something you wouldn't notice.) Definitely getting fitter!

After warning the others to be careful on the descent, I set off in the lead. The Trough was looking stunning that day so I felt tempted to stop and take lots of photos but it is a really nice descent down the valley and I wanted to continue and enjoy it.

Something was going on at Sykes down in the valley, where the snack van is normally parked. There was a large crowd, a police presence and I saw photographers and a TV camera crew. We passed through at a respectful, cautious pace and proceeded on our way, but I made a mental note to search for information ... It turned out to be a service to dedicate a memorial stone to aircrew who died in aircraft accidents in WWII in the Trough of Bowland.


More information.

I did stop to take some pictures at the far end of the valley but they didn't really do justice to the splendour before me. I discovered later that I had accidentally knocked the camera's control dial off its 'auto' setting. I have no idea what settings it did use, but they weren't good! Still, I'd like to give you a flavour of what you missed if you were one of those CC members who had secretly toyed with the idea of coming along, but didn't. Here you go - the Trough of Bowland valley in autumn sunshine ...

View attachment 104492

Come and join us next time!

We regrouped and turned left to ride through Dunsop Bridge where we stopped to use the toilets and take pictures of the handiwork of the kids from the local school ...

View attachment 104488

We headed for Newton and looked to our right to see Waddington Fell towering up in the distance. It looked a bit intimidating, given the fact that we would soon be riding up it!

I was quite amused by this exchange ...

Littgull: "It probably is not as far away as it looks."

ColinJ: "How far away does it look to you?"

Littgull: "About 4 miles."

ColinJ: "How far away do you think it actually is?"

Littgull "About 4 miles ..."

[Pause]

Littgull: "Ha ha -it probably IS as far away as it looks!"

Brian, I have news for you - it was NOT as far away as it looked. I just measured it on my OS map and it was about 4 km, or around 2.5 miles!

A right turn at Newton led us to the foot of the last climb before our long-awaited cafe stop. Waddington Fell from that side has a few stiff ramps with slightly easier sections in between. As usual, Carrie was making it look way too easy and shot off ahead setting a pace that none of the rest of us could match. We had a discussion and agreed that since she has a significant age and weight advantage over us, it would only be fair in future to handicap her by lashing a car tyre to the back of her bike with bungee cords. We'd see how she liked climbing then!

Eventually we got over the climb and did a super-fast descent to the cafe where we enjoyed a long stop, sitting at a table outside in the sunshine. No way was that only 17 or 18 degrees!

It is an easy flattish ride back to Whalley from the cafe. Carrie had to get home to free her pooch from captivity and take him for a long walk so LG and I said farewell to her and Kevin in the town/village. They headed off back up the hill to the car park where Kevin had parked his van. Brian and I wanted to make the most of the glorious conditions and tackle the extra loop I had planned to take our distance up to a metric century so we turned left on the Clitheroe old road and then right to climb up over the A59 to Wiswell.

We turned left at Wiswell and headed for the village of Pendleton but were brought to a sh-udder-ing halt by a scene of udder chaos ...

View attachment 104485

We had an amusing chat with the farmer on the quad bike as we meandered along behind the herd. The cows were directing themselves, he was only there to watch out for traffic coming up behind. Nobody was leading the cows. When the road widened and we could finally get by, we could see that the beasts were just ambling along to the milking shed and directed themselves in!

We passed through Pendleton and turned right onto the lower slopes of the climb towards 'the Nick'. More moaning and groaning from Brian behind me, still struggling to engage his little chainring. I explained about endstops and gear cable tension but he told me that he has absolutely no mechanical aptitude whatsoever. I hopped off my bike and tweaked the endstop and got the shift working.

We got up the Nick o' Pendle ok and stopped to take a picture from the top. Here you go ...

View attachment 104489

We zoomed down the hill into Sabden and were about to do the nasty little climb of Black Hill to Padiham Heights when Brian dropped his chain when changing down to the little ring. I had obviously tweaked the endstop a bit too far so I found a position which enabled the shift without the chain loss and we did the climb. Another toughie that used to reduce me to a grovel on the bike or a walk off it, but again I got up ok. It was hard work but not a complete killer.

We did a little loop round the lane through @totallyfixed's home village of Read, and then did a slightly artificial return to Padiham Heights up a lovely lane through the woods, dropped down to Sabden again, and then had an easy run back to the car park. (We could have gone straight back to the car park from Read but would have been slightly short of our metric century.)

A fabulous day out on the bikes in great company. 102 km covered with 2,000 metres of climbing (64 miles, 6,500 ft).

[A bit of a long report, but these reports will help me recall the rides better if I live long enough to be an old codger incapable of doing them any more!]

 

[Mike_P]

Having the first half of the week off work managed a loop down to Wetherby via Sicklinghall and back via Knaresborough this morning. Would have gone out after the rain yesterday for a short quick ride but on opening the shed for the first time since Friday discovered the Hybrid had obviously got into a skulk and arranged its first ever visit from the P fairy. Managed my best PR on a climb that instead of being approached by a 90 degree turn has a 150 degree approach over a single file traffic light controlled bridge, one that I always struggle on as the muscles have hardly warmed up when I get to it...

and just before the summit it turns right meaning the need to climb round the outside of the bend...

thankfully there a place to rest if needed on the bend.
Further on I decided to take a ride through a housing estate instead of following the normally used narrow, and often busy with traffic, lane. A bit of mistake as heading uphill it steepened to 19%.

Managed it although I did turn into a side street 9/10th of the way up for a brief rest

 

[Donger]

Wet, wet, wet. I squished my way through my latest (September) round of the Metric Century a Month Challenge today. 101.4km (63 miles) into Worcestershire and back in the rain. I discovered that, once you start to feel cold rainwater trickling through your underpants, there is very little point in stopping for shelter.

I was running out of time to get this month's 100km qualifying ride in so I headed off for Upton-upon Severn, with half a mind to climb the Malverns and stop off at "The Kettle Sings" panoramic tea rooms for a mug of tea and a cake. By the time I arrived in Upton, there was a dirty black cloud over the Malverns, unloading everything it had. I toyed with the idea of sheltering and taking a break here instead, but didn't want to be responsible for creating puddles on their nice carpet and furniture:

Pushed on towards Pershore instead. Main roads all the way, but nice views and surprisingly little traffic on the roads. Stopped momentarily at the old bridge near Pershore:

Didn't stop in Pershore, as I wanted to push on to the 31.5 mile (half way) mark before taking a break, so I carried on to Cropthorne, about half way between Pershore and Evesham. Nice two course lunch and a beer for £13 in the Bell at Cropthorne. Turned around and headed back home. Still drizzling, but brightening up a bit by now. Took the path alongside the Severn when I got back to Maisemore. Sections of this have a metal mesh surface to protect it from erosion when the river floods. It feels really strange to ride on, and you are best to avoid any sudden moves for fear of slipping:

Back home 5 hours and 54 minutes after I set off. Not too shabby for 63 miles, considering the two course meal and a bit of dilly-dallying.

May all your underwear remain dry. Cheers, Donger

 

[PeteXXX]

As above... wet, dismal & miserable but it's my day off and I'd arranged to meet a mate for a few miles. First plan was 10:00 ish, but after finishing at 01:00, I put the start time back to 11:00.
At our appointed meeting place in Moulton village, I found him huddling in the bus shelter nearby to keep dry! Pah.. lightweight! .. Mind you, if I'd got there first, I'd have done the same.
We weren't intending to be out all day as we had stuff to do this afternoon, but managed a circuit & a half of Pitsford Reservoir that included a nice bucket of coffee.

Serious sized coffee at the cafe there

We carried on round the Res, through the rain and puddles, get to the Holcot Road to aim vaguely homewards.

There's even a chap out in a boat fishing! Who'd be stupid enough to go out in this weather? I ask you

Moi, cleaning the mud off the tyres.

Happily, it stopped precipitating it down for a while until we got near home, then it started again, just as I was rinsing the remaining muck off the bike in the garden.

Finished the day in time to take my Granddaughter swimming after school, on 22 miles. The test for the new mudguards and overshoes, old jacket & bottoms was passed with flying colours. Pleasantly warm & dry on the inside with no 'boil in the bag' dampness.

https://www.strava.com/activities/397729348

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Nothing special.. No big km.. no elevation...

But great company while chasing the sunset with my wife...

Cycling paths FTW..!

And this is why I called the ride chasing the sunset...

23 km.. Who cares...!?

 

[NorthernDave]

Still full of cold, but after a hectic and stressful day at work I needed to get out on the bike so I thought I'd have a local spin while Mrs ND got the tea on (and looked after the dog who is at least temporarily home from the vets...fingers crossed).

Out towards Cross Gates nearly getting taken out by a muppet in a Vauxhall who thought he'd overtake a car slowing to turn left even though I was heading in the opposite direction wearing a flouro yellow and with a 450 lumens light flashing on the handlebars. Never mind eh?
Down Manston Lane and I looked to be on for a good time, so I really started pushing on. This probably wasn't a good idea in retrospect as at the end of the mile I was really on my chinstrap. And when I got home I'd only set a 4th best PB...

Anyhow, back the way I'd come, past a couple of horse riders, one of which had a very skittish steed so I slowed right down and gave her loads of room.
Back onto Pendas Fields and feeling a bit brighter thought I'd attack the longer way through downhill and then back up, then down onto Barwick Road and into a headwind and on to home.

6.23 miles (or 10km if that sounds better) in 24m 6s at an average of 15.6mph. Not bad considering that when I got home I could barely breath for the amount of snot I was producing (where does it all come from..?)

Update on the new mudguards: still rattling annoyingly

Mind you, at least my tea was ready!

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Still full of cold, but after a hectic and stressful day at work I needed to get out on the bike so I thought I'd have a local spin while Mrs ND got the tea on (and looked after the dog who is at least temporarily home from the vets...fingers crossed).

Out towards Cross Gates nearly getting taken out by a muppet in a Vauxhall who thought he'd overtake a car slowing to turn left even though I was heading in the opposite direction wearing a flouro yellow and with a 450 lumens light flashing on the handlebars. Never mind eh?
Down Manston Lane and I looked to be on for a good time, so I really started pushing on. This probably wasn't a good idea in retrospect as at the end of the mile I was really on my chinstrap. And when I got home I'd only set a 4th best PB...

Anyhow, back the way I'd come, past a couple of horse riders, one of which had a very skittish steed so I slowed right down and gave her loads of room.
Back onto Pendas Fields and feeling a bit brighter thought I'd attack the longer way through downhill and then back up, then down onto Barwick Road and into a headwind and on to home.

6.23 miles (or 10km if that sounds better) in 24m 6s at an average of 15.6mph. Not bad considering that when I got home I could barely breath for the amount of snot I was producing (where does it all come from..?)

Update on the new mudguards: still rattling annoyingly

Mind you, at least my tea was ready!

In my book km sounds much faster then miles... and longer..!!

But I climb in feet...

Well done getting out..!

 

[cosmicbike]

My daily rides continue, and the last couple have been done after 12hr shifts and in the dark. Much as I enjoy night riding I'm finding it harder to get motivated after a shift now. Hopefully I'll get the nod for commuting soon...
Still, the miles continue to tick along, and I am still enjoying the riding

 

[i hate hills]

My daily rides continue, and the last couple have been done after 12hr shifts and in the dark. Much as I enjoy night riding I'm finding it harder to get motivated after a shift now. Hopefully I'll get the nod for commuting soon...
Still, the miles continue to tick along, and I am still enjoying the riding

Just started 12 hour shifts and cant be bothered to get out so good on you for making the effort.

 

[Postmanhat]

Did my first imperial century on Sunday in the North Derbyshire Challenge. Started getting worried a week before when I plotted the route on strava - 9,000 feet of climbing! Why wasn't I informed of this earlier?! Luckily, it was a perfect cycling day. No wind, rain or high temperatures. Doubt me and a few others would have finished otherwise. The last, very lumpy 10 miles resembled Napoleon's retreat from Moscow with people grinding to a halt and turning various shades of white.

Highlights
Mist in the Manifold Valley and some of the scenery leading up to Mam Tor - pedal-stoppling beautiful
Passing a Pinarello Dogma on Beeley Moor climb
Lowlights
Being passed by nearly everything else on Beeley Moor
Bonking massively just after the finish line. Actually had loud ringing in my ears, which I thought was only a scare story for novices

Was very pleased with just under 7 hours and 14.2mph average, as must have ridden 30-40 miles solo. Oh, and I'm a 20+ a day smoker with at least a stone of man sag, so if I can do it etc.

 

[Stonechat]

Did my first imperial century on Sunday in the North Derbyshire Challenge. Started getting worried a week before when I plotted the route on strava - 9,000 feet of climbing! Why wasn't I informed of this earlier?! Luckily, it was a perfect cycling day. No wind, rain or high temperatures. Doubt me and a few others would have finished otherwise. The last, very lumpy 10 miles resembled Napoleon's retreat from Moscow with people grinding to a halt and turning various shades of white.

Highlights
Mist in the Manifold Valley and some of the scenery leading up to Mam Tor - pedal-stoppling beautiful
Passing a Pinarello Dogma on Beeley Moor climb
Lowlights
Being passed by nearly everything else on Beeley Moor
Bonking massively just after the finish line. Actually had loud ringing in my ears, which I thought was only a scare story for novices

Was very pleased with just under 7 hours and 14.2mph average, as must have ridden 30-40 miles solo. Oh, and I'm a 20+ a day smoker with at least a stone of man sag, so if I can do it etc.

Well done on Imperial Century.
Especially doing it on a tough course! More climbing than either of the imperial centuries I have done

 

[13 rider]

Did my first imperial century on Sunday in the North Derbyshire Challenge. Started getting worried a week before when I plotted the route on strava - 9,000 feet of climbing! Why wasn't I informed of this earlier?! Luckily, it was a perfect cycling day. No wind, rain or high temperatures. Doubt me and a few others would have finished otherwise. The last, very lumpy 10 miles resembled Napoleon's retreat from Moscow with people grinding to a halt and turning various shades of white.

Highlights
Mist in the Manifold Valley and some of the scenery leading up to Mam Tor - pedal-stoppling beautiful
Passing a Pinarello Dogma on Beeley Moor climb
Lowlights
Being passed by nearly everything else on Beeley Moor
Bonking massively just after the finish line. Actually had loud ringing in my ears, which I thought was only a scare story for novices

Was very pleased with just under 7 hours and 14.2mph average, as must have ridden 30-40 miles solo. Oh, and I'm a 20+ a day smoker with at least a stone of man sag, so if I can do it etc.

Another well done . did my first century a couple of weeks ago good feeling isn't it . was the pinarello stopped

 

[PaulB]

This wasn't today but last Friday. It was my longest ride on a truly marvellous holiday in Cyprus (my wife's from Cypriot stock so we go there a lot).

I've ridden most of this route many times but noticed a new, good quality road in the distance and thought I'd have a go at it even though it wasn't on the map. Surely it would drop me down the other side of the valley, extend my ride and take me back to where I wanted to go. Although it was blisteringly hot, it had dropped below 104* for the first time in days so was cooler than the previous few days. But then a problem occurred. The road just stopped. I don't mean it stopped gradually, it went from good quality, well surfaced tarmac with proper road markings and signs to a dirt track with no warnings! The dirt track was stony with sharp flinty stones and I couldn't have known for how long that continued. It would have been alright for an MTB but I was on a roadie and only had one spare inner! So the squiggly line you can see at the top bit of this ride is me riding down to the dirt track and then having to turn round and ride back up to the main road once again. And it was a big drag back up considering the heat! https://connect.garmin.com/activity/905046386