Your ride today....

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Just Pete and me today. Pete fancied a cafe in Tewkesbury so it seemed like a good idea for me to navigate a different route on the fly. So we headed out on standard lanes for Pendock and Gadfield Elm. The brisk wind was mostly helping. We took to the lanes around Eldersfield. I remembered that there were a couple of dead ends I'd never visited so we went exploring. Nice bit of countryside it turned out to be too and only a pair of horse riders to acknowledge.

Back on plan we headed on still mucky (from the rain) lanes for Haw Bridge and Apperley. We decided the longer lanesy route was better than the ride along the main road into that headwind. No shelter on such a road but hedges work in the lanes. Soon we were sitting in Pete's cafe having a very long chat.

Time to move but our legs had seized. The climb up from The Mythe was challenging. From there we dived back into the lanes for hedgerow help as our direction was directly into the wind. Crossing to Upton a shower was a bit of a nuisance but eased off shortly after. Now it was the standard run back with two pairs of legs requesting an early stop. We ignored those requests to roll home having done a few miles more than we had thought we would. All good tho'.

 

[Elybazza61]

Kudos to all those who got out today,club ride was cancelled today(as was nearby Newmarkets)due to the weather with plenty of black ice about.
Hopefully out tomorrow.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I did 34 miles this afternoon. It was nice and sunny when i set off at 2.15 but half an hour into the ride we had a hail shower. Luckily i remembered my overshoes and lights as it was freezing cold and very poor visibility. I sailed past one pothole that was made up of a sunken manhole cover and broken tarmac, it must've been 9 inch deep!
My legs were ok today after Thursday's 60 miler. The more you do the easier it gets they say.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Kudos to all those who got out today,club ride was cancelled today(as was nearby Newmarkets)due to the weather with plenty of black ice about.
Hopefully out tomorrow.

Black ice is a state of mind.

 

[Simontm]

So went out to do a quick twenty but my seat clamp went as I hit the back end of Kingston. Popped into Recycle after all my meagre efforts failed and he said: "Screw was stuck, I unstuck it!"
Also had a chat about the hairline fracture appearing on the Mavic rim (second wheel for this to happen) so am probably going to get a build after I speak to Specialized and Mavic about this.
Anyway, my dad was coming round so my 20 miler turned into a quick spin up church lane over to Claygate then back home

 

[Old jon]

Daft cold it was this morning. That is, I was too daft to realise how cold it was. I may learn.
Had some half formed idea about going out by King Lane, turn right to Wetherby but by the time I reached Jack Lane I had forgotten that one. On to Marshall Street, Great Wilson Street and Crown Point Road, Regent Street and carried on to the far end of North Street. Up Meanwood Road, the lower bit now provided with a cycle lane, least said I think, Stonegate Road, Street Lane to Harrogate Road and after a few miles turn right onto Forge Lane to Wike. Then the video :--



followed by the slog of East Keswick. At the top of Potts Hill I pulled in to a side road to let a bus past, thinking I would pull back out immediately behind it. Nope, a car and another cyclist were already there. The cyclist was wrapped up like I wish I was, I could only see the eyes. On to Collingham, Wattle Syke and West Woods Road to Bramham and then Thorner, yesterday morning in reverse, and into the wind. The WHEEEEEEE !! of Boot Hill at about gf 6.5 was reward for all the uphill I had not appreciated earlier. A total of 31.5 miles ridden, I have just about thawed out.

 

[Dirk]

Not too bad here in North Devon today. It was about 6°c with around 15 mph Westerlies. Decided to go out on my Ridgeback Voyage touring bike for a gentle trundle. Went up from Braunton to Mullacott Cross, turned right and followed the road through to Blackmoor Gate, then on through Brayford to South Molton hanging a right onto the old road that runs parallel to the Link Road towards Barnstaple. On through Filleigh, Swimbridge and Landkey before picking up the Tarka Trail in Barnstaple and back to Braunton. Quite chilly along the edge of Exmoor through Brayford and a strong headwind for about 18 miles back from South Molton.
Enjoyable ride and it was nice to see quite a number of other riders taking advantage of the weather.
Total miles: 44.2
Total climbing: 3000'
Average speed: 13 mph

 

[Donger]

Another great Sunday club ride. Seven of us today, and a much flatter route than usual. Headed off North of Gloucester past the Ashleworth bird hide and along a lovely quiet lane to Chaceley before turning back away from the Severn for a coffee break at Staunton Garden Centre and back via Highleadon and Highnam. Great company, nice bright (though chilly) weather and lots of great views of the Cotswolds, the Dean Hills and the Malverns today.
Only got the one photo today ... it was meant to be a head-on action shot, but I guess I didn't sprint ahead quite as fast as I thought!

Very little traffic encountered. Even the horrendous roundabout at Over was surprisingly easy to get past. Love it when it goes like that. It was about a 35 mile club ride today, but by the time I had followed @Frazzle back through Quedgeley and then taken the country route home via the Pilot Bridge over the canal and the river bank at Stonebench, I'd done 40.9 really enjoyable miles. Really felt like doing another ride straight away, but a trip to Sainsbury's awaited instead. Loving the early Spring.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[Pikey]

Just a quick 12 mile trike to explore some routes around the new house, then climbed up Bowden Hill, mainly so I could come back down again
Really nice day for a trike, even with a beery head from last night's festivities.

 

[redvision95]

Wasn't feeling too well this morning but did my best to get a ride in anyway.
Just did my quick ten mile route, from Walsall into Brownhills, straight across to Aldridge then back into Walsall. Was flying on the new bike.
Few tweaks to the bike. Cant wait for the nicer weather to come so I can really start getting the miles in.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Im a bit under the weather this week.but a nice little Wakerley ride..and a cafe stop was rather nice..
Hopefully ill feel better for next weeks rides..
Just ordered some new Giro Terraduro mtb shoes from wiggle as they were on offer, that should inspire me .
i sold my AM41 flats and ive got some spd shimano's to sell so ill recoup the 90 quid with a bitof luck.

 

[theloafer]

my first ride since last August just a short quick spin but it did feel good to be out hopefully I have regained my interest
https://www.strava.com/activities/510169169

 

[13 rider]

Wow that seemed hard work today . After a dreadful week at work and a day diying yesterday I normally be chomping a the bit for a ride ,but got up this morning suffering from couldn't be bothered . Forced myself out after dinner but not really feeling it . Anstey ,Cropston ,Swithland and out to Beacon crossroads and out on Charley Rd .After a junction there was a old guy stopped at the side of the road slowed as I past to see if he was OK .He was just having a rest as I approached the M1 bridge it started to snow .Stopped under the bridge and was considering turned back . Was soon joined my the old guy I just pasted so we chatted for a bit while the snow pasted . Off to the next junction I swung left and the old guy carried straight on . So up through Oaks in Charnwood and up to St Bernard's Abbey and on to Belton ,Shepshed and back down Charley Rd back to Beacon crossroads and the nice steady descent pass the golf course managed to keep it at 30 mph for most of it .Swung left at the crossroads back through Swithland ,Rothley ,Cropston and Home . 32.6 miles done at 16 mph with 1720 ft of climbing but just felt hard work and feet were freezing when I got back . for the first time in a long while can't say I really enjoyed it but just stubbornness to a get a metric half century in forced me on and stopped me turning back especially when it snowed

 

[Dave 123]

After another week of lurgy a nice tandem ride was in order. It was deceptively chilly out there and I had a slightly hilly route (for here) planned. Jo has done it on her road bike, but we've not done it on the tandem. It's a loop I ride fairly often.

We went through sleepy old Knapwell, and a lady wished us good morning. Beyond the village it got really busy traffic wise for a minute or two. So much for quiet country lanes.

On to Elsworth, again sleepy. I have to stay awake to thread the tandem between the traffic calming humps and the potholes. And then our first hill of the day. At the bottom a bloke came by us on a Cervelo TT bike, I think the bike was better than him as we almost held him to the top, on the decent we were reeling him in but the T junction saved his bacon!

On through Hilton on a silky smooth bit of road before turning toward Graveley. Here you have to do a right/left with 100yds of the A1198 thrown in. It's straight, and cars can fly down here, but lo and behold we were clear, Cambridge CC had the same stroke of luck coming the other way.

Before our second hill of the day at Graveley we saw a male Stonechat huddled up in the base of a roadside Ash tree, not seen a Stonechat round these parts before. We then pushed a buzzard from tree to tree along the road. On the 4th tree he watched us go by, he must have been tired!

Up the slopey drag into Graveley where we had a rearrangement stop....

She looks more deranged than rearranged....

Out of the village and the view to the west was telling us that the weather forecast wasn't 100% accurate...

We had light, but cold rain all the way to our tea stop. It got so cold that it turned to hail for 10 minutes, all I could hear was "OWW!" Every time her face took a hit. It entertained me.

We had our second miracle of the day around this part of the ride when we needed to left/right across the A428 at Croxton. We had a tandem sized break in the traffic! Nearly as good as a lottery win!

We stopped at Waresley garden centre. Last time we were here was early on a Saturday morning when one man and his dog was around, it was a bit different on a Mother's Day afternoon. Paninis and earl grey all round. My garmin said...

Jo was presented with a free pot of daffs from the garden centre, as were all the ladies. Good job we had a pannier!

Not long after the garden centre we saw a fox legging it into Waresley woods. This is where we were we start to pick up a bit of speed after a series of up & downs, we were flying. Unfortunately the horse that was just the other side of the hedge wasn't aware we were there until we'd bombed past, poor old boy crapped himself and went skedaddling away across the field!

It was all going well through the Gransdens and Bourn and then we had a really close and fast pass from a small white van that maybe gave us 6 inches. Bless his little heart.



From Toft it's a dragger up to Hardwick, "bloody hell, it's too long this bit of road" moaned the stoker. Normally I disagree, but today with a cold headwind she may have had a point....

Our top speed was 33.5mph which I said was ok, and the reply I got was priceless.... "That's because you weren't trying" the cheek of it!

Just about 33 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/510152242

 

[i hate hills]

Black ice is a state of mind.

Or " a bum of pain "