Your ride today....

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.strava.com/activities/520112976

50.5 miles today, as a route reccy for my social ride next week. It just needs a very minor tweek, and then it's a cracker of a route.

Lifelike horse is lifelike.

I've no idea what these are, they are like small noisy turkeys ( possibly Guinea fowl ).

Lovely day though, if a bit cold.


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[Old jon]

Cold indeed today. Yesterday felt a lot warmer, but inevitably I was not out on the bike. The cold and the breeze from an unusual point of the compass helped me to decide on a more or less usual ride, and the breeze made all the morning roads feel different and a gear or two lower.

So, the usual pedal down Dewsbury Road, Jack Lane, Marshall Street and Water Lane, where the wind felt to be in its normal direction, Great Wilson Street all the way along to Thwaite Gate and the climb to John O' Gaunts. At the crest the flags were flying the wrong way ! And so the wind made itself felt. Through Woodlesford and Swillington and I was overtaken by someone whose hair was several shades darker than my own, so I did not much mind, down the hill to the Garforth roundabout and straight on for this not very impressive looking hill, which impressed the strength out of my legs well enough.

And at the top I was passed again by the same lad and two of his mates ! One of those days, it seems.

Anyway, on to Lotherton Hall for a munch and Aberford, Barwick, Scholes and three lanes and Boot Hill to get back home 30.1 miles after starting. A bit of a traffic light chat with a lad on a bike by the Oakwood Clock, who told me they intended to visit Lotherton Hall at the weekend. Then I missed the lights. How embarrassing.

 

[mybike]

It was a miserable day, much like Tuesday. So what better reason for a ride?

And it was much like Tuesday, a fine rain that didn't make you wet but a little colder. So I ventured a bit further along the canal.

Sometimes you see things you haven't seen before, like narrowboats moored with poles instead of ropes, and awning to keep out the weather.

And sometimes what you see causes you to look again, and then look more closely. I originally thought they had merely loaded their car onto the back, unusual to say the least. Most people manage with a bike, or a motorcycle in a few cases.

And I wonder why it has a registration plate on there. It'll keep you warm and dry while steering though.

FWIW, there's a photo of of it three years ago in a less completed state on https://elainemcnulty.wordpress.com/2013/04/10/a-walk-along-by-the-canal/

I hadn't see one of these warning plates for a while, so I thought this one at Cow Roast as worth recording. I just wonder how many drivers heading for the marina actually see it, let alone read it.

I stopped here for a snack and a chatty fisherman told me he'd seen a kingfisher her about half an hour ago. Seeing I'd arrived here and then started exploring about that long ago, it was probably me that scared it off.

As always, the railway isn't far away, so the idyllic countryside scenes are not quite as you'd imagine.

16.7 miles max 17 avg 7.0 mph. Year to date, 72.1 miles, Target 400 miles.

Edited to add map:

 

[Trickedem]

I've been in Luxembourg on business. This afternoon I had a spare hour or so so hired a Veloh. Very similar to the Boris bikes. I went through some nice parks, then did a massive climb back up the centre of town. Beautiful day and a beautiful city

www.strava.com/activities/520108743

 

[Levo-Lon]

Couple of hrs over Wakerley woods..cold day with smizzle but i was very warm on the bike..
very dry after the decent dry spell so i got to ride areas that are often just yuk..

i thought ill pop over the road and see what the off piste at fineshade woods is like as that gets very wet in places..i was correct..lots of mud.
i pressed on and done a funny..in the ×÷=%_%÷ sense..
muddy ditch that i rode into that normally is ok cought me out as the front plugged and i got thrown forward..
recovered a little bit then partially un-clipped ..then slipped and my foot shot off the pedal..
on the way forward i managed to slam then roll my gentleman parts across the top tub..been a while since i whacked them hard..

i felt like Lewis Collins in "who Dares Wins" telling his CO, thanks for a gorgeous kick in the bollox.. your welcome was the reply..it took a good few mins to walk straight..lol

 

[Old jon]

^^ Ouch !!!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

For the first time in ages I've commuted by bike for the full week (weather, post-work appointments and general laziness have spoiled the record so far this year) so here's a run down:

Monday: Took the Raleigh on its first commute of the year. Tweaked the height of the handlebars a touch lower for the trip home which feels better. It might benefit from going lower still but I'll run it like this for a bit to see. I went the short way (along the main road) on the way home - traffic wasn't too bad and I got wafted along at speed by a good tailwind.

Tuesday: Used the Raleigh again and it just seemed to fly along with no effort. I found myself several minutes ahead of schedule so took a longer way so as not to be at work too early. The trip home was taken a little more steadily but still gave me a 14.6mph average for the round trip (first 14+mph commute of the year)

Wednedsay: I took the longer route and used the knockabout bike as there is a rough muddy section in the middle. After the adjustments on the Raleigh this one feels stupidly upright so I did some tweaks to lower the handlebars a bit. Longer route home again which felt nice and easy with the rare tailwind.

Thursday: Knockabout bike and the longer route again. I struggled a bit against the wind - the legs feel rather lethargic and this being my fifth consecutive day of riding when I haven't done that for a while might have something to do with it. I did another small tweak during the day and had another slow ride on the way home even with the wind behind me. Now not sure if it's me or I've made the bike slower?

Today: I got the Raleigh out again and aimed to do the extended version of the commute (17 miles to work) so allowed an extra 20 minutes. Just before I set out a bank of fog rolled in which wasn't part of the plan. I did the planned route anyway and enjoyed the ride but it would have been nicer in better weather. It was unusually quiet at work and with the foggy weather keeping the warehouse feeling I was quite glad to get on the road again this afternoon. I took the Atcham-Condover route but didn't take my usual shortcut just for a change. Despite the legs feeling quite tired it was another 14+mph round trip with relative ease. I am quite liking the Raleigh at the moment.

158 miles done over the last six days and the trip home this afternoon took me past 1000 miles for the year to date.

 

[Dirk]

Only 13.5 miles today into Barnstaple and back..................BUT!...............for the first time ever I managed a ride average speed of 18 mph.

 

[Glow worm]

A ride of two halves here today - heading over to my parent's house in north Norfolk. First - the 15 miles to Ely station along the Lodes Way past Wicken and Barway.

The riverside path approaching Ely. With one seriously heavy bike!

Caught the train to Kings Lynn, then began the 23 mile ride from there towards the Wells area. The headwind was brutal all day. A bitter north-easterly, with thick, freezing drizzle from time to time for good measure. Brrrr.

The route from Lynn: The Woottons, Castle Rising, West Newton, Anmer, Houghton, Syderstone, The Creakes.

The sun made a brief appearance near Anmer.

At Houghton Hall I stopped for a break with these fellows.

Finally the home straight down Bloodgate Hill into South Creake.

38 miles in total. It felt more like 78. Still fun though!

 

[Katherine]

https://www.strava.com/activities/520112976

50.5 miles today, as a route reccy for my social ride next week. It just needs a very minor tweek, and then it's a cracker of a route.

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Lifelike horse is lifelike.

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I've no idea what these are, they are like small noisy turkeys ( possibly Guinea fowl ).

View attachment 122011

Lovely day though, if a bit cold.


.

Yes, Guinea Fowl.

 

[Katherine]

I'm still chasing this climbing challenge, but also had set myself a target of 1000 miles between January 1st and my 40th birthday, and found myself needing to make 23 miles today to hit the target. Sorry no pictures, too cold and despite doing more climbing in a single ride than ever before at 507m, and completing a metric 50, I struggled to get warm. Winter boots and thermal socks couldn't keep my toes warm either.
Not to worry, despite the rubbish weather I've hit my mileage target, and now 75% through the climbing challenge
Gonna eat me a big bit of birthday cake tonight

A very Happy Birthday to you!

 

[cosmicbike]

A very Happy Birthday to you!

Thanks, don't feel a day over 39!

 

[Dave 123]

Today's ride started with a loop around Burrator on Dartmoor. I was out with my sister in laws fella, Alan. He's in the marines, and I was riding MOD property.
After the Burrator loop we headed to Sheepstor, the church steeple was under wraps for repairs.
After a couple of steep hills we were out onto the rough stuff heading toward a disused tin mine.

I've not ridden a MTB in 20 years over rough stuff and this big old 29er was fantastic. I couldn't believe how smooth the loose rocks and boulders were under the big old fat wheels. The gears were more slippery than a slippery thing.

Once we'd reached the tin mine we turned to come back down off the moor.
I was bundling along having a blast until I remembered that I'm off to Mallorca in less than 2 weeks. I didn't want a spill, injuries wouldn't be good.

With that I heard a thud, followed by expletives. I stopped and saw Alan in a heap, his bike facing uphill. A nice pyramidal rock about 12" tall had done for him.
His ribs were in pain and it hurt to laugh, good job he was with me then!
He'll live to see another day.

https://www.strava.com/activities/520252487

Once home I informed Jo of my desperate NEED for a MTB!

That was good fun. A 15 mile smile.

 

[biggs682]

First ride for a while for me this morning, headed out of town up the mad mile then across and past the golf course and on towards Finedon .

Out of Finedon past this converted windmill that I have never noticed before.

Next was Burton Latimer and out past the Weetabix factory and into Isham and a quick blast along the main a509 before turning up towards Orlingbury .

Then decided against going the longer way home and headed back home via Little Harrowden .

Nice gentle paced ride for me and the Wester Ross and its new Continental tyres.

 

[redvision95]

Not been out for a few days.
Just a quick two laps around Hatherton Lake. 1 mile total before I had to stop, Arm hurt too much. Ordered a action cam so I can start recording my rides though Hopefully not long until Im able to start really getting the miles in again