EltonFrog
Legendary Member
You rode past my front door.
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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You rode past my front door.
U
User19783
Guest
You are very lucky to live around there,
I am just about to retrace my ride from yesterday, to see if my 29er is any quicker than the 650B?,
I shall give you a wave when I past you
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
You are very lucky to live around there,
I am just about to retrace my ride from yesterday, to see if my 29er is any quicker than the 650B?,
I shall give you a wave when I past you
I live in Upton, I might be going out me self in a minute, can't decide whether to go on the road bike on the 29er.
U
User19783
Guest
It will take me a good hour or so to get to Upton,
I will be on this bike
I will be on this bike
galaxy
Veteran
- Location
- Middleton On The Hill
i got in late last night, so did half hour on the home trainer, it was weird, didnt seem to be going anywhere quickly.Apart from the puddle of sweat on the garage floor.
Elybazza61
Guru
An actual ride from today
;
Out for a little roll with the better half up to the Welney wildlife centre and back with Val having her first official cafe stop
.
Bit of a headwind going out but after an espresso and muffin and a good tailwind a much nicer ride back
.
Think she's getting the hang of the bike now and not free-wheeling so much although climbs are still a bit of a struggle.She's now got some bargain unused s/h Giro shoes off the 'bay so I'll order the Look classic pedals this week-end for the next stage;could be fun
.
https://www.strava.com/activities/414045660
Should add considering the destination that we saw a pair of swans flying,two separate marsh harriers,a kestrel and a big flock of Goldfinches.
;Out for a little roll with the better half up to the Welney wildlife centre and back with Val having her first official cafe stop
.Bit of a headwind going out but after an espresso and muffin and a good tailwind a much nicer ride back
.Think she's getting the hang of the bike now and not free-wheeling so much although climbs are still a bit of a struggle.She's now got some bargain unused s/h Giro shoes off the 'bay so I'll order the Look classic pedals this week-end for the next stage;could be fun
.https://www.strava.com/activities/414045660
Should add considering the destination that we saw a pair of swans flying,two separate marsh harriers,a kestrel and a big flock of Goldfinches.
U
User19783
Guest
Today's ride was the same as yesterday,
I wanted to find out if my 29er is quicker than the 650B, and yes it is, yesterday was a no wind day but today it was blowing, but I still managed to get some good results/time.
Yesterday ride Today's ride
Av speed 12.40 . 12.44
Av heart 130. 127
Max heart 162. 156
Sorry @CarlP I went pass Upton at 11:30 guess you where on your way by then. Hope you had a good day.
I wanted to find out if my 29er is quicker than the 650B, and yes it is, yesterday was a no wind day but today it was blowing, but I still managed to get some good results/time.
Yesterday ride Today's ride
Av speed 12.40 . 12.44
Av heart 130. 127
Max heart 162. 156
Sorry @CarlP I went pass Upton at 11:30 guess you where on your way by then. Hope you had a good day.
Last edited by a moderator:
Racing roadkill
Guru
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I left a bit later than I intended but inspired by @User19783 I decide to go and bit of off road cycling today. I explored a few tracks I have not cycled before but not veering too far off my manor, a 17 mile loop on my Trek Superfly. I met a chap at the top of The Ridgeway that was riding a very nice Spesh carbon jobby MTB, he seemed to want to have chat, so we chatted about the routes, the bikes etc., nice man. I was in a bit of discomfort by then because trying to ride up a steep rooty bit I clicked my back again. I hate it when I do that. I had to lay down for ten minutes and do my stretches. Any way I had a nice ride even thought he weather was a bit grey, it was nice to be on the MTB for a change.
This week I have ridden all four of my bikes, not done that in one week before.
Grey Day
I thought another photo of this sign might be useful
Oxfordshire council are improving this track along part of the NC544 from this.
To this, it'll be really good when its done.
There's the really steep rooty bit that did for my back where the leaves are on the ground.
This week I have ridden all four of my bikes, not done that in one week before.
Grey Day
I thought another photo of this sign might be useful
Oxfordshire council are improving this track along part of the NC544 from this.
To this, it'll be really good when its done.
There's the really steep rooty bit that did for my back where the leaves are on the ground.
I'd not been out on my road bike for over two weeks 
Busy busy at work + my son's birthday last weekend meant little opportunity combined with a bl00dy annoying cold and chest meant I was effectively grounded.
Anyway, off work today so I was determined to get out for a relatively short ride even though I still have the tail end of the cold and as I'm sat here typing, I have one of those really annoying tickly coughs but you know what? I still feel better for it.
The weather started off reasonable - a little misty but dry. The law of sod then meant that 5 mins after setting off the mist came down, the rain started and combined with a driving wind, the ride became less pleasant! Regardless, I headed up on the tops and decided that I wouldnt head too far out so headed up past the windmills and then head back on Broadstone Road.
As I rode past the windmills you couldn't even see the tops of them but the blades were spinning at a fair rate. I then approached a couple of cyclists as I turned up the Royd Moor Road short climb ( a cheeky 15-16% climb) had a chat with one of them comparing notes on the weather as the rain then headed off on my return leg.
I got back wet, but feeling better in myself for going out and I picked up a few tips whilst riding today: -
1) Rim brakes are not as effective as discs in the wet weather
2) Cycling in the rain can still be fun/rewarding
3) I need to fit my crud guards for winter!
4) I need to buy some overshoes!
https://www.strava.com/activities/414038455
Busy busy at work + my son's birthday last weekend meant little opportunity combined with a bl00dy annoying cold and chest meant I was effectively grounded.Anyway, off work today so I was determined to get out for a relatively short ride even though I still have the tail end of the cold and as I'm sat here typing, I have one of those really annoying tickly coughs but you know what? I still feel better for it.
The weather started off reasonable - a little misty but dry. The law of sod then meant that 5 mins after setting off the mist came down, the rain started and combined with a driving wind, the ride became less pleasant! Regardless, I headed up on the tops and decided that I wouldnt head too far out so headed up past the windmills and then head back on Broadstone Road.
As I rode past the windmills you couldn't even see the tops of them but the blades were spinning at a fair rate. I then approached a couple of cyclists as I turned up the Royd Moor Road short climb ( a cheeky 15-16% climb) had a chat with one of them comparing notes on the weather as the rain then headed off on my return leg.
I got back wet, but feeling better in myself for going out and I picked up a few tips whilst riding today: -
1) Rim brakes are not as effective as discs in the wet weather
2) Cycling in the rain can still be fun/rewarding
3) I need to fit my crud guards for winter!
4) I need to buy some overshoes!
https://www.strava.com/activities/414038455
U
User19783
Guest
Excellent,
It makes sense to take mtb out, especially when the Ridgeway is dry.
Did you cycle along the A34 to the Harwell turn off?
I don't, there's a farm track just before the roundabout, which takes in the back of the new housing estate.
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
No, I went along the track along side A34.,
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
I need to start off with an apology to @Brandane Sorry. 
I've done my best to restrict myself to 10 photos today... 2 of them were not taken by me (sadly.... this means that I am in them instead!)
It was the last day of our holiday today and we woke to dense fog that was much wetter than of late (OK I know this sounds mad, but everything was soaked and dripping wet in the fog this morning whereas the last few days, well the fog hasn't been as well, just foggy.). It also took much longer than yesterday to burn off, but when it did burn off, unlike yesterday it burnt off completely leaving cloudless blue skies and a completely calm loch. It was going to be a very hard decision between cycling and photography! But my big camera is just on the wrong side of being too heavy for me to lift with my bad back and well it was the last day here and there was something I wanted to do on the much quieter roads up here whilst I had the opportunity.
So setting out was difficult. I just wanted to take pictures instead!
Yep - this is going to be a beautiful day and an excellent ride. Photography or cycling?
A little bit along the road and the fog has burnt off completely but there is clearly a barrier in the air, that is smoke from a log fire and it has formed the most wonderful arc!
One of the reasons for there being fewer photos today is that is me on the bike. Not trike - bike... yep - first time since my back went. Balance hasn't been too much of an issue, mounting the bike is more interesting, I needed help for support. Stopping is fundamentally, err, very interesting and needs planning but on the whole I can manage it by myself, just not everytime! It is things like taking a hand off the handlebars that is more interesting and the least said about my ability to look over or under my shoulder or even turn my head 90 degrees to look around, well the least said about that the better. I am going to need someone with me for quite some time to come!
So back to me taking photos, some more of that light and the trees I rather like...
Yep - enough of that, someone else was carrying my camera. that was the real reason for the lack of photos today on what has to be described as almost perfect cycling weather, scenery and roads. Almost because, well the roads are getting busy and I have had to start to use both hands and then both hands and both feet to count the number of vehicles we meet and today, well I had to borrow some hands and feet as well!
And so I had to watch the amazing light and amazing scenery plus almost mirror perfect images on the scenery rather than photo it until an agreed stopping place and rest point! Some assistance was needed with the stopping at this point because my legs were rather tired and I am also without my crutches, so I was also needing assistance to get to where I wanted to take photos, which wasn't the road and namely uneven ground that I struggled with, but it was worth it, at least for me it was! As you can see the autumn colours are amazing, as was the reflection! I have seen waves 6-8 foot high on this loch, but not today! The only thing causing ripples were the kayaker at the other end of the loch, the white throated dipper we stood and watched at this spot, and the fish who were jumping out of the loch fly catching!
A few more of those autumn colours against the loch as a background.
Schiehallion (yet again, sorry!)
The reflection - almost perfect.
Cycling back to the cottage was getting increasingly hard for me, but the light and the amazing autumn colours more than made up for the difficulty and the pain in my back. It had taken extra morphine, paracetamol, and was going to need more morphine, paracetamol and the heat mat before I was out of pain at the end and there was one final hurdle waiting for me at the end of the ride - the track. I did make it up it!
It took some doing and I came close to falling off the bike twice on the track (mostly for lack of low enough gears) and I needed my OH to catch me at the top because there was no way my leg was going to hold me (he did luckily catch me literally because I didn't make a clean dismount of the bike sadly). But I managed the round of the loch in 2 hours 4 minutes with an average speed of 10.9mph before the bottom of the track. I can't describe the feeling of elation that I have finally managed to ride my bike again. I hadn't dreamed of a full lap of the loch, I don't care that I wasn't trying hard around the loch, I couldn't afford to. I needed to take it easy and I needed to be careful. there were times when the pain was almost too much for me, and there were times when I was thinking this is really easy... I have no idea when I will be able to ride the bike again, and I will need to fit mirrors to it, and I will need someone with me for the time being, but I CAN FINALLY RIDE MY BIKE AGAIN!
https://www.strava.com/activities/414181962 the standard 23 miles for a lap of the loch and one very happy rider!
I've done my best to restrict myself to 10 photos today... 2 of them were not taken by me (sadly....
this means that I am in them instead!)It was the last day of our holiday today and we woke to dense fog that was much wetter than of late (OK I know this sounds mad, but everything was soaked and dripping wet in the fog this morning whereas the last few days, well the fog hasn't been as well, just foggy.). It also took much longer than yesterday to burn off, but when it did burn off, unlike yesterday it burnt off completely leaving cloudless blue skies and a completely calm loch. It was going to be a very hard decision between cycling and photography! But my big camera is just on the wrong side of being too heavy for me to lift with my bad back and well it was the last day here and there was something I wanted to do on the much quieter roads up here whilst I had the opportunity.
So setting out was difficult. I just wanted to take pictures instead!
Yep - this is going to be a beautiful day and an excellent ride. Photography or cycling?
A little bit along the road and the fog has burnt off completely but there is clearly a barrier in the air, that is smoke from a log fire and it has formed the most wonderful arc!
One of the reasons for there being fewer photos today is that is me on the bike. Not trike - bike... yep - first time since my back went. Balance hasn't been too much of an issue, mounting the bike is more interesting, I needed help for support. Stopping is fundamentally, err, very interesting and needs planning but on the whole I can manage it by myself, just not everytime! It is things like taking a hand off the handlebars that is more interesting and the least said about my ability to look over or under my shoulder or even turn my head 90 degrees to look around, well the least said about that the better. I am going to need someone with me for quite some time to come!
So back to me taking photos, some more of that light and the trees I rather like...
Yep - enough of that, someone else was carrying my camera. that was the real reason for the lack of photos today on what has to be described as almost perfect cycling weather, scenery and roads. Almost because, well the roads are getting busy and I have had to start to use both hands and then both hands and both feet to count the number of vehicles we meet and today, well I had to borrow some hands and feet as well!
And so I had to watch the amazing light and amazing scenery plus almost mirror perfect images on the scenery rather than photo it until an agreed stopping place and rest point! Some assistance was needed with the stopping at this point because my legs were rather tired and I am also without my crutches, so I was also needing assistance to get to where I wanted to take photos, which wasn't the road and namely uneven ground that I struggled with, but it was worth it, at least for me it was! As you can see the autumn colours are amazing, as was the reflection! I have seen waves 6-8 foot high on this loch, but not today! The only thing causing ripples were the kayaker at the other end of the loch, the white throated dipper we stood and watched at this spot, and the fish who were jumping out of the loch fly catching!
A few more of those autumn colours against the loch as a background.
Schiehallion (yet again, sorry!)
The reflection - almost perfect.
Cycling back to the cottage was getting increasingly hard for me, but the light and the amazing autumn colours more than made up for the difficulty and the pain in my back. It had taken extra morphine, paracetamol, and was going to need more morphine, paracetamol and the heat mat before I was out of pain at the end and there was one final hurdle waiting for me at the end of the ride - the track. I did make it up it!
It took some doing and I came close to falling off the bike twice on the track (mostly for lack of low enough gears) and I needed my OH to catch me at the top because there was no way my leg was going to hold me (he did luckily catch me literally because I didn't make a clean dismount of the bike sadly). But I managed the round of the loch in 2 hours 4 minutes with an average speed of 10.9mph before the bottom of the track. I can't describe the feeling of elation that I have finally managed to ride my bike again. I hadn't dreamed of a full lap of the loch, I don't care that I wasn't trying hard around the loch, I couldn't afford to. I needed to take it easy and I needed to be careful. there were times when the pain was almost too much for me, and there were times when I was thinking this is really easy... I have no idea when I will be able to ride the bike again, and I will need to fit mirrors to it, and I will need someone with me for the time being, but I CAN FINALLY RIDE MY BIKE AGAIN!https://www.strava.com/activities/414181962 the standard 23 miles for a lap of the loch and one very happy rider!
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
A like just isn't enough for this. Well done!I need to start off with an apology to @Brandane Sorry.
I've done my best to restrict myself to 10 photos today... 2 of them were not taken by me (sadly....
It was the last day of our holiday today and we woke to dense fog that was much wetter than of late (OK I know this sounds mad, but everything was soaked and dripping wet in the fog this morning whereas the last few days, well the fog hasn't been as well, just foggy.). It also took much longer than yesterday to burn off, but when it did burn off, unlike yesterday it burnt off completely leaving cloudless blue skies and a completely calm loch. It was going to be a very hard decision between cycling and photography! But my big camera is just on the wrong side of being too heavy for me to lift with my bad back and well it was the last day here and there was something I wanted to do on the much quieter roads up here whilst I had the opportunity.
View attachment 107090
So setting out was difficult. I just wanted to take pictures instead!
View attachment 107091
Yep - this is going to be a beautiful day and an excellent ride. Photography or cycling?
View attachment 107092
A little bit along the road and the fog has burnt off completely but there is clearly a barrier in the air, that is smoke from a log fire and it has formed the most wonderful arc!
View attachment 107093
One of the reasons for there being fewer photos today is that is me on the bike. Not trike - bike... yep - first time since my back went. Balance hasn't been too much of an issue, mounting the bike is more interesting, I needed help for support. Stopping is fundamentally, err, very interesting and needs planning but on the whole I can manage it by myself, just not everytime! It is things like taking a hand off the handlebars that is more interesting and the least said about my ability to look over or under my shoulder or even turn my head 90 degrees to look around, well the least said about that the better. I am going to need someone with me for quite some time to come!
View attachment 107094
So back to me taking photos, some more of that light and the trees I rather like...
View attachment 107095
Yep - enough of that, someone else was carrying my camera. that was the real reason for the lack of photos today on what has to be described as almost perfect cycling weather, scenery and roads. Almost because, well the roads are getting busy and I have had to start to use both hands and then both hands and both feet to count the number of vehicles we meet and today, well I had to borrow some hands and feet as well!
View attachment 107096
And so I had to watch the amazing light and amazing scenery plus almost mirror perfect images on the scenery rather than photo it until an agreed stopping place and rest point! Some assistance was needed with the stopping at this point because my legs were rather tired and I am also without my crutches, so I was also needing assistance to get to where I wanted to take photos, which wasn't the road and namely uneven ground that I struggled with, but it was worth it, at least for me it was! As you can see the autumn colours are amazing, as was the reflection! I have seen waves 6-8 foot high on this loch, but not today! The only thing causing ripples were the kayaker at the other end of the loch, the white throated dipper we stood and watched at this spot, and the fish who were jumping out of the loch fly catching!
View attachment 107097
A few more of those autumn colours against the loch as a background.
View attachment 107098
Schiehallion (yet again, sorry!)
View attachment 107099
The reflection - almost perfect.
Cycling back to the cottage was getting increasingly hard for me, but the light and the amazing autumn colours more than made up for the difficulty and the pain in my back. It had taken extra morphine, paracetamol, and was going to need more morphine, paracetamol and the heat mat before I was out of pain at the end and there was one final hurdle waiting for me at the end of the ride - the track. I did make it up it!
https://www.strava.com/activities/414181962 the standard 23 miles for a lap of the loch and one very happy rider!
Today's ride, posted today...
After getting rained off yesterday, (indoor chores completed as it piddled down outside) I was able to get out late morning today for a few miles on the CX as the stuff I had to do was completed yesterday. I had no particular direction in mind for my ride, so just did a few lefts and rights at junctions to see where I'd end up.
After some miles on tarmac, I rode across a filed via a bridleway that took me around the back of Easton Maudit and towards some woods where some locals were blasting away with shotguns, so, discretion being the better part of valour, I cut down a farm track and through the farm buildings to get onto some tarmac again and into Easton Maudit village.
There's an enormous and ancient bike stand opposite the church there!
Heading vaguely homewards, I rode up a narrow lane I've noticed before, but never explored, in Mears Ashby, and was happy to find this lovely view on the corner.
By now, I was feeling a bit thirsty. Shame really, as my water bottle was on the garden table about 10 miles away.... <DOH> and I was thinking of stopping for a cuppa on the way back but time was passing too quickly and No.1 daughter and the grandkids were picking me up so we could go swimming for an hour or so before dinner.
Back home, after a surprisingly breezy, but dry, ride on just over 25 miles, in time to go and swim half a mile.
https://www.strava.com/activities/414075593
After getting rained off yesterday, (indoor chores completed as it piddled down outside) I was able to get out late morning today for a few miles on the CX as the stuff I had to do was completed yesterday. I had no particular direction in mind for my ride, so just did a few lefts and rights at junctions to see where I'd end up.
After some miles on tarmac, I rode across a filed via a bridleway that took me around the back of Easton Maudit and towards some woods where some locals were blasting away with shotguns, so, discretion being the better part of valour, I cut down a farm track and through the farm buildings to get onto some tarmac again and into Easton Maudit village.
There's an enormous and ancient bike stand opposite the church there!
Heading vaguely homewards, I rode up a narrow lane I've noticed before, but never explored, in Mears Ashby, and was happy to find this lovely view on the corner.
By now, I was feeling a bit thirsty. Shame really, as my water bottle was on the garden table about 10 miles away.... <DOH> and I was thinking of stopping for a cuppa on the way back but time was passing too quickly and No.1 daughter and the grandkids were picking me up so we could go swimming for an hour or so before dinner.
Back home, after a surprisingly breezy, but dry, ride on just over 25 miles, in time to go and swim half a mile.
https://www.strava.com/activities/414075593
