Your ride today....

[Rickshaw Phil]

Well today's ride was a good one as I racked up 5000 miles of cycling since I bought my Boardman.

I cycled to the meeting point to see the long awaited return of @Donger. @Frazzle it seems has left the club for now. Pity but will have to wait and see.

We were heading north towards the Forest of Dean, due to traffic lights it didn't take long before the chilled group was split into 3 groups. Lisa, Dave,@maltloaf. Me and Claire then came @Donger; @Largie003 and @EnPassant on his first KCC ride.

Claire and I went up the A40 towards Ross on Wye and waited on the left for @Donger and crew to turn up which never happened. So Claire and u looked on the club's route planning page and realised we had gone wrong.

So we headed back to the A48 and we helped each other by taking it in turns to take to the front to catch the others .

At aboit 10 miles into the ride I shouted "Oakle Street " at this point Claire in front. We she took me unawares and slowed then either went
to turn right or miss something in the road.? By this time my front wheel was alongside her rear wheel. Well our wheels touched and I was sliding along the gravel.!

I saw Claire go to pick my bike up while I was on my back. Boy this hurt lol
I was glad I had my helmet on as it hit the floor hard and it definitely saved me from something worse. I didn't feel the grazes I had . I heard someone stop and ask if a ambulance was needed, I was still on the floor was I said NO!

I'm not a footballer and wanted to carry on. Claire took a couple of photos for later lol.

It's my ass that still hurts as I write this lol. It's left cheek is bright red (well it was when I got out the shower ) and not a mark on my right one.

After what seemed like a age we remounted and set off. Claire did ask if I wanted to head for home? No way.

But up hill I was struggling as the base of my spine was aching each time I tried to put more power down for a incline.

We decided to take a shortcut for the coffee shop and waited for @Donger and crew to turn up . All the customers in there were giving me sympathy lol.

When the did they wanted to know how we got there before them? I said " obviously Claire and I had improved so much while they were away lol"

Well we then headed for home at a chilled pace. But there was a hill thrown in on the way back I didn't expect but got on with it.
When we got back it was close to 37 miles so I might as well do 40 I thought.

I can't thank Claire enough for looking out for me. Even though she wouldn't rub my feet better the other week lol.

A like for the report. I hope the aches and pains aren't too bad the next few days and that you'll heal cleanly.

 

[EltonFrog]

@Dark46 A like for the ride, not for the hurtyness. GWS.

 

[Gravity Aided]

7.3 miles this day, on the usual route, with the Trek 600. A fine ride in fantastic but steamy weather after this mornings storm. A few other riders, and the corn is about 9 feet tall now.
82F
28C
Winds S 17
Relative humidity 79%, Heat Index 89F
Barometer 30.04

 

[biggs682]

A nice 12 mile pre work amble this morning on latest Ian May that is still doing test miles .

Quite still wind wise so i was able to get on with it quite nicely and not much traffic around either which is always good .

Normal loop out to Beckworths the Mears Ashby ,Earls Barton ,Grt Doddington and home .

 

[Elybazza61]

Two ride report again.

Yesterday was a (nearly)24k pootle with the better half;took the Weigh out for it's first spin with the bigger chainring and lengthened chain and all was good;lovely warm morning although some dark clouds about but no sign of rain.


https://www.strava.com/activities/643557966
Other half was chuffed when we got back as we averaged 22 kmh .

Oh and should have done 4k more as that would have made up 400 for the week,will have to make do with 396.1.

Today was an A10/cycle path Z1 &2 roll in on the XLS;was going to ride the Weigh but had some clothes and provisions so needed the tail pack so thought it would be best on the XLS.


https://www.strava.com/activities/644765770


Just about perfect temp and surprisingly the legs still feel good after riding all last week.

 

[rugby bloke]

Saturday was my final long ride before RideLondon, so it was a matter of putting the final touches together, decided to go on my new favorite wandering around the edge of Northampton route. For my fellow Northampton riders I can report that the left hand turn in Wilby onto the Mears Ashby road is still more marbles than tarmac, don't attempt it at any sort of speed on skinny tyres ! Around the 8 mile mark I was stung by a wasp, that's the second time I've been stung whilst riding and I had forgotten quite how much it hurt. Caught up a big pelaton dropping down towards Sywell village, the road was pretty narrow and twisty so a car was doing the decent thing and holding back and waiting for a suitable gap. Now I was quicker than the pelaton so I couldn't decide the best thing to do - overtake the car and the pelaton or wait for the car the over take then follow ? In the end I decided to wait my turn. Things settled down after all this early excitement, before another first - being shouted at by a driver who must have been in her 80s ! We were coming towards each other along a narrow village road, with parked cars on her side of the road and gap she could have pulled into. She decided to plough on and squeeze past me with inches to spare then shouted at me to get out of the way as we passed.

As the temperature rose I found that my home made flap jack has a design flaw - it loses it's structural integrity when warmth is applied, may need to tweek the recipe. By 50 miles I was left with handfuls of oats. Overall the ride went well, despite a near constant head wind, seemingly regardless of the direction I was riding. That was my excuse for my average speed dropping of over the last 10 miles. Also had my first attack of "Hot Foot", which certainly made me forget my wasp sting. Not just discomfort by a sudden, sharp pain where I had no option but to stop, and take of my shoes for a few minutes before the pain went away. The only thing I did differently was to loosen my shoes as my feet warmed up, bot sure how this could have caused it though.

In the end, 72 miles ridden with just of 2,000 feet of climbing. No big hills in this neck of the woods, but certainly rolling.

https://www.strava.com/activities/642664104

 

[Spud Murphy]

[Admin edit: Part 1 of the thread can be found here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today-part-1.8938]

First 100km ride of the year, but more importantly my first ride since being diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (a type of lung disease)
Lately when out on the bike I was having trouble getting up hills, I've never been the quickest up hills but was noticeably slower and I was having real trouble breathing. I thought I had a chest infection so I went to the docs.
Doc said chest was clear, no infection but as I was having pains best go for an x-ray to rule out the big C. That came back clear so then it was a spirometry test. This came back with this C.O.P.D. Basically the airwaves in my lungs tighten up and I can't exhale a lung full of air, meaning the next breath I take in isn't enough air so I have trouble breathing while pushing myself (i.e cycling up hills)
It's my own fault. I smoked. For 25 years. No one else to blame but myself. Doc said it was a mild form of the disease, it comes in 3 stages mild, medium, severe. Severe being life threatening. She said giving up smoking 4 years ago and starting to cycle was the best thing I could of done. She also said the disease won't go away, it won't get any worse, but won't get better. Treatment is limited, Inhalers is about it. I have 2, a preventative one (steroid) to be taken twice a day and a reliever to use as and when I need it.
I asked the doc about cycling. "Be careful in winter, listen to your body. If you can, cover your face, the cold air won't do you any good" she said
I've been a bit down over the last week, took some time off work to try and get my head around it. I didn't know when I was going to be back in the saddle, if I would at all. Could I cycle 6 miles, let alone 60. Should I stop riding with my mates, I don't want them waiting for me every time they got to the top of a bloody hill.

[Admin edit: Part 1 of the thread can be found here: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-ride-today-part-1.8938]

First 100km ride of the year, but more importantly my first ride since being diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (a type of lung disease)
Lately when out on the bike I was having trouble getting up hills, I've never been the quickest up hills but was noticeably slower and I was having real trouble breathing. I thought I had a chest infection so I went to the docs.
Doc said chest was clear, no infection but as I was having pains best go for an x-ray to rule out the big C. That came back clear so then it was a spirometry test. This came back with this C.O.P.D. Basically the airwaves in my lungs tighten up and I can't exhale a lung full of air, meaning the next breath I take in isn't enough air so I have trouble breathing while pushing myself (i.e cycling up hills)
It's my own fault. I smoked. For 25 years. No one else to blame but myself. Doc said it was a mild form of the disease, it comes in 3 stages mild, medium, severe. Severe being life threatening. She said giving up smoking 4 years ago and starting to cycle was the best thing I could of done. She also said the disease won't go away, it won't get any worse, but won't get better. Treatment is limited, Inhalers is about it. I have 2, a preventative one (steroid) to be taken twice a day and a reliever to use as and when I need it.
I asked the doc about cycling. "Be careful in winter, listen to your body. If you can, cover your face, the cold air won't do you any good" she said
I've been a bit down over the last week, took some time off work to try and get my head around it. I didn't know when I was going to be back in the saddle, if I would at all. Could I cycle 6 miles, let alone 60. Should I stop riding with my mates, I don't want them waiting for me every time they got to the top of a bloody hill.
So last week I didn't go out on the Sunday, and in the week I spoke to my cycling buddies and they said don't be stupid, come out. Your pretty fast on the flats, if you want, go off ahead near a hill and we'll catch you up, no one waits.
Today I woke up and was supposed to be meeting my mates. I didn't want to. It was cold, I hadn't been out for a few weeks. Didn't want to hold my mates up. The wife said go, even if you get two miles up the road and can't carry on you've tried, you won't know until you've tried. She was right, I was putting off what I needed to do. I'm so glad she gave me a kick up the backside (and she threatened a shopping trip if I didn't go!)
I'm glad I did, I had a great ride. It was a couple of degrees above freezing, I was wrapped up, the buff over my face really worked, the air wasn't cold to breathe. The only times I took it off was to go up hill. I was out in front a lot. I really pushed myself to see what I could do. I was surprised at my effort, as were my mates. "I thought you were supposed to be ill" I heard @toptom say behind me! I gained some distance as we approached a hill and they caught me up as we reached the top. No waiting. Don't get me wrong, it was hard but I was enjoying it.
We set out from Hemel towards Chesham and then up to Gt. Missenden. The lanes were icy, the B roads were clear with a few ice patches at the sides of the road. I hit 43 mph down hill so my first over 40 for the year.
We headed toward Chequers, Mr Cameron's country retreat where the roads are littered with "no to HS2" signs. As we cycled past the entrance I gave Dave a two fingered wave at the security cameras much to the amusement of a cyclist going the other way. It was starting to warm up a bit, the red kites were circling overhead looking for sunday breakfast. We were back in the lanes to Stoke Mandeville and then B roads to Tring, it was mostly flat and we kept a good pace
A coffee stop after 30 miles in Tring where we've stopped a thousand times. Hemel cycling club were just leaving and the table by the fire was free. We decided which way to head back, Tom mentioned up the beacon ( i'm sure he wants to see me suffer!) As we approached the beacon he said instead of going up how do you feel about going around it and making the ride a 100km.
I felt good, was pleased with how the ride was going so agreed. I new a hill was about two miles ahead so put my foot down, I looked behind and had made good ground. I span up the hill and heard Tom approaching. We both made it to the top at the same time. Just had to wait for our other mate to catch up.
Back in the lanes towards Redborn. Dave left us as we went around the back of Hemel as he was flagging a bit. We had 20 miles to go and took the fast road from Redborn to St.Albans. I was out in front but about half way asked Tom if he would go out as I was struggling a little as we were into the wind. This worked and we were both up the last hill of the day (cheers for that Tom)
We picked up the lanes back to Hemel and cycled around the back of the industrial estate where I left Tom and had 4 miles to make the 100k. A bit of "round the houses" and I was 20 yards from home when I had a rear puncture! I lent over the bars to the front door and was home.
I needed that today. It sorted my head out. I was a bit emotional as I walked in, and am now as i type this. But I'm back. Cycling. Where I should be. Thanks to Tom and Dave for today, and thanks CC'ers for reading this. I know its gone off a bit from "your ride today" but a week ago I didn't think I'd be riding at all.

View attachment 77922

63 miles at 15.9 mph average. I'm happy with that.

So last week I didn't go out on the Sunday, and in the week I spoke to my cycling buddies and they said don't be stupid, come out. Your pretty fast on the flats, if you want, go off ahead near a hill and we'll catch you up, no one waits.
Today I woke up and was supposed to be meeting my mates. I didn't want to. It was cold, I hadn't been out for a few weeks. Didn't want to hold my mates up. The wife said go, even if you get two miles up the road and can't carry on you've tried, you won't know until you've tried. She was right, I was putting off what I needed to do. I'm so glad she gave me a kick up the backside (and she threatened a shopping trip if I didn't go!)
I'm glad I did, I had a great ride. It was a couple of degrees above freezing, I was wrapped up, the buff over my face really worked, the air wasn't cold to breathe. The only times I took it off was to go up hill. I was out in front a lot. I really pushed myself to see what I could do. I was surprised at my effort, as were my mates. "I thought you were supposed to be ill" I heard @toptom say behind me! I gained some distance as we approached a hill and they caught me up as we reached the top. No waiting. Don't get me wrong, it was hard but I was enjoying it.
We set out from Hemel towards Chesham and then up to Gt. Missenden. The lanes were icy, the B roads were clear with a few ice patches at the sides of the road. I hit 43 mph down hill so my first over 40 for the year.
We headed toward Chequers, Mr Cameron's country retreat where the roads are littered with "no to HS2" signs. As we cycled past the entrance I gave Dave a two fingered wave at the security cameras much to the amusement of a cyclist going the other way. It was starting to warm up a bit, the red kites were circling overhead looking for sunday breakfast. We were back in the lanes to Stoke Mandeville and then B roads to Tring, it was mostly flat and we kept a good pace
A coffee stop after 30 miles in Tring where we've stopped a thousand times. Hemel cycling club were just leaving and the table by the fire was free. We decided which way to head back, Tom mentioned up the beacon ( i'm sure he wants to see me suffer!) As we approached the beacon he said instead of going up how do you feel about going around it and making the ride a 100km.
I felt good, was pleased with how the ride was going so agreed. I new a hill was about two miles ahead so put my foot down, I looked behind and had made good ground. I span up the hill and heard Tom approaching. We both made it to the top at the same time. Just had to wait for our other mate to catch up.
Back in the lanes towards Redborn. Dave left us as we went around the back of Hemel as he was flagging a bit. We had 20 miles to go and took the fast road from Redborn to St.Albans. I was out in front but about half way asked Tom if he would go out as I was struggling a little as we were into the wind. This worked and we were both up the last hill of the day (cheers for that Tom)
We picked up the lanes back to Hemel and cycled around the back of the industrial estate where I left Tom and had 4 miles to make the 100k. A bit of "round the houses" and I was 20 yards from home when I had a rear puncture! I lent over the bars to the front door and was home.
I needed that today. It sorted my head out. I was a bit emotional as I walked in, and am now as i type this. But I'm back. Cycling. Where I should be. Thanks to Tom and Dave for today, and thanks CC'ers for reading this. I know its gone off a bit from "your ride today" but a week ago I didn't think I'd be riding at all.

View attachment 77922

63 miles at 15.9 mph average. I'm happy with that.

Well done.

 

[PeteXXX]

Well today's ride was a good one as I racked up 5000 miles of cycling since I bought my Boardman.

I cycled to the meeting point to see the long awaited return of @Donger. @Frazzle it seems has left the club for now. Pity but will have to wait and see.

We were heading north towards the Forest of Dean, due to traffic lights it didn't take long before the chilled group was split into 3 groups. Lisa, Dave,@maltloaf. Me and Claire then came @Donger; @Largie003 and @EnPassant on his first KCC ride.

Claire and I went up the A40 towards Ross on Wye and waited on the left for @Donger and crew to turn up which never happened. So Claire and u looked on the club's route planning page and realised we had gone wrong.

So we headed back to the A48 and we helped each other by taking it in turns to take to the front to catch the others .

At aboit 10 miles into the ride I shouted "Oakle Street " at this point Claire in front. We she took me unawares and slowed then either went
to turn right or miss something in the road.? By this time my front wheel was alongside her rear wheel. Well our wheels touched and I was sliding along the gravel.!

I saw Claire go to pick my bike up while I was on my back. Boy this hurt lol
I was glad I had my helmet on as it hit the floor hard and it definitely saved me from something worse. I didn't feel the grazes I had . I heard someone stop and ask if a ambulance was needed, I was still on the floor was I said NO!

I'm not a footballer and wanted to carry on. Claire took a couple of photos for later lol.

It's my ass that still hurts as I write this lol. It's left cheek is bright red (well it was when I got out the shower ) and not a mark on my right one.

After what seemed like a age we remounted and set off. Claire did ask if I wanted to head for home? No way.

But up hill I was struggling as the base of my spine was aching each time I tried to put more power down for a incline.

We decided to take a shortcut for the coffee shop and waited for @Donger and crew to turn up . All the customers in there were giving me sympathy lol.

When the did they wanted to know how we got there before them? I said " obviously Claire and I had improved so much while they were away lol"

Well we then headed for home at a chilled pace. But there was a hill thrown in on the way back I didn't expect but got on with it.
When we got back it was close to 37 miles so I might as well do 40 I thought.

I can't thank Claire enough for looking out for me. Even though she wouldn't rub my feet better the other week lol.

A 'like' for the ride, not the gravel rash!! Ouch..

 

[PeteXXX]

Two days of the same ride(s).
As I was riding solo for the Dunwich Dynamo this time, I started out at about 15:45 to ride the 7 miles to Northampton station to catch the train to Euston.. Once there, I had a 4 and a bit mile ride to London Fields for the start.

Just time for an ice cream before setting off. The place was heaving! Not just with cyclists, but also families out BBQ's for some unaccustomed weekend sunshine. The smells of the food, and wafts of wacky-baccy was making me feel hungry, but as I'd had a bit to eat, and can't ride on a full stomach, I just inhaled the 'atmosphere' as I passed...

After sitting on a rock for a while, and sorting my backpack out as I had a lumpy bit sticking in my ribs,, I set off with many others. This year, maybe because I started a bit earlier, we got past Hackney Empire before it all snarled up. Last year it was totally jammed up.

I don't think I'd want to do 115 miles on this one

Riding along with several others, it was quite sociable, and we made good time out of London and were soon in Green Belt countryside with pretty villages to admire all the way.

I'm not sure which village it was, but at about 45/50 miles, there was a broken bottle smashed on the road, but I managed to see it and heard the warning shouts in time, but then heard a clicking noise from the front tyre. On stopping to check, I had picked up a drawing pin that had worked it's way through my Gatorskin. It seems like there were idiots out and about in the wee small hours
Still, look on the bright side. I knew exactly where the hole was . With a new tube fitted, I was on my way in about 15 minutes or so.

This year, as last, I stopped at the fire station in Sudbury for a quick coffee and a chat with the people there. It is now the Halfway stop as Sible Heddingham wasn't doing any refreshments this time.

On 90 miles ish, I had a breather on a bench and chatted to a couple of riders with the same idea. This was one of the turnings that lots of folk went sailing past and had to 'U' turn to get back on route. With the end nearing, I wanted to crack on.

I reached the beach at 04:00, just in time to see the first glow on the horizon.

My back light attracted some interest, with a some asking where I got them, and a couple of ladies asking if they could give them a sqeeze! I had to say no, though, as that would switch them off

I only stayed in Dunwich for 20 or 30 minutes as I then had to continue for the next 18 miles through Dunwich Forest and up the A12 past the Latitude Festival gates, to Lowestoft where my lift home awaited me. (I'd had a chat with the boss to OK it for me to get a lift home in one of our trucks.) I got there at 06:00, just in time to leave. I was hoping to use the rest room there to freshen up a bit, but had to make do with a rub down the baby wipes I'd packed, plus a quick change of shoes, T shirt and shorts before departing.

I travelled in slightly more style in the cab though.. The cardboard was packing to avoid scuffs and scrapes as I was chauffeured the 3 hours back to Kettering. Once back at the depot, I only had the final 12 mile ride home to do.

Back home after a DunRun of 137 miles, but with the beginning and end bits, I was a smidge under 156 miles.
Quite happy with that for the weekend.

https://www.strava.com/activities/643412527

 

[raleighnut]

Nice little potter over to Enderby on the trike yesterday for a couple of beers with an old friend.

 

[Stonechat]

111 of your lonesome but enjoyable imperial miles for the day.
Century # 20 for the year, #186 over all.
And... a new Eddington Number to boot...(it now starts to get much harder)

Well done on the Eddington,
I am on 52 - these figures are not including my historic cycling, but just since I started riding again 3-4 years ago
I have a smilar rain numbers of rides needed to increase my number

Still not bad for 64 year old

 

[Old jon]

Thirty one and a half miles today, quite warm and a bit of breeze. It seems sensible to avoid newly gravelled stretches of road, more thought needed for route planning. So, out to Thorner along the route I used last Saturday, and out of Thorner by Church Hill, keep along that road to Bramham. Cross the A1(M) by the flyover and turn right, no need to go through the village.

Keep on travelling south, across the A 64 roundabout taking the exit for Aberford. And the newly gravelled stretch starts right there. Being fair, the roadside drifts were not that much of a problem and it’s a quiet enough and wide enough road to make it easy to avoid the drifts. A bit of a change for me, straight through Aberford, past the old alms houses and turn right for Garforth on the B 1217. Over the top of the M 1 and take the A 642 to ride around the north side of the town and carry on towards Swillington.



At the far side of Swillington cross both canal and river, ride under the railway bridge and turn right up the hill past Woodlesford station. It is more fun going down that hill. After a bit more sweat and pedalling the A 639 is reached, turn right on that, negotiate a couple of nasty looking but quite benign roundabouts ( lanes clearly marked and quiet at one o’ clock ) a trundle through Hunslet, turn left up Leathley Road and I am almost home. Great stuff.

I almost forgot the map

 

[Fnaar]

Turns out I prefer to unclip with my left foot first, don't know if that's a usual thing.

I'm a 'right foot out first' type of chap. Left foot in first when setting off. I'm (mostly) left-handed. These things are important.

 

[BSRU]

A very hot 111km with 1,100 metres of going up today.
Started off overcast but forecast was for bright and very hot sunshine, and they were right.
Did a loop via Lacock and Sherston, not too hilly so for a laugh took a little detour at the start to Hackpen Hill to add to my metres going up.
It did mean the last "climb" of the ride, Paven Hill, was now going to be after 100km instead of the normal 92km but it's not too steep or long, just harder after a long ride before.
Actually go caught by a better rider going up Paven Hill, not much I could do about it as I went up in the quickest time I have ever done. He was a club rider, I think Swindon Road Club, looked like he was not on a long ride, no water bottles, definitely needed today. At least he didn't go past me although we did go our separate ways about 600m after the climb had finished and he certainly had to work very hard to catch up.

A the top of Hackpen Hill, the clouds started to disappear.

Kudos to this rider for going up Hackpen on a day like today.

Heard this coming before I saw it.

Much kudos for catching me on Paven Hill not much I could have done about it, except maybe some mechanical doping

Started recovery by slumming it with Cadburys chocolate mini rolls, wouldn't normally but needed to fill my large cake deficit.

 

[BSRU]

For fun a ride up then down Hackpen Hill.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffCciiLXbIc&feature=youtu.be