Your ride today....

[BigonaBianchi]

Back on Cyprus after a week or so 'abroad'


Just a short ride around the the 'block' today .


Cooler than usual with a few grey clouds but still wonderful!



It seems to be harvest time here already!



This is possibly the flatest route on the Island! I got flagged down by a Police Officer with a radar gun...he thought it was funny as I was doing about 23mph and he wanted to show me!

Hmm....must have been a dull day in traffic cop land ...but then there are almost no cars here.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I decided to go out for a ride to ride through the solar eclipse... Last time it happened we lived in the south of England and took the day off work. This time I didn't need to and my OH couldn't, so it was just any ordinary ride really, only the light was really nice today so there are a few photos.... So for those of you who don't know the Whitegate Way off by heart yet.... And I did go a touch further than I have done, so there are one or two new trees to look at. Actually I went as far as I can on the trike without my husband coming with me to check if I can get through a barrier at the bottom of a steep incline. I want to have someone around just in case it turned out I can't get through it and need help getting back up the slope so this might be the end of the line for me in distance on the Whitegate Way, but it does mean I meet some of my favourite trees again - some wonderfully gnarley old silver birch trees.

Playing around with the reflection in the water and the wonderful stone work of the A556 (Manchester - Chester) road bridge.

There was something in the light today that made even the muddy section look good!

Sometimes, just sometimes people add that little something to the picture.

The light was definitely nice today, but also hazy. The Eclipse was not far away at this point.

New territory and its been a long time since I last saw this section.

It's the trees on the right along this section that I love. They are twisted and gnarley old silver birch - just beautiful.

The eclipse has started now, and the sunlight has taken on an evening quality to it.

The eclipse has started now, and the sunlight has taken on an evening quality to it.

OK - So I did take a photo of the eclipse and here it is.

So the furthest I can go on the Whitegate way appears to be 14.4km (8.95 miles) and I managed my best average yet 10.5kph.
https://www.strava.com/activities/271114333
Strava says

 

[Racing roadkill]

I decided to go out for a ride to ride through the solar eclipse... Last time it happened we lived in the south of England and took the day off work. This time I didn't need to and my OH couldn't, so it was just any ordinary ride really, only the light was really nice today so there are a few photos.... So for those of you who don't know the Whitegate Way off by heart yet.... And I did go a touch further than I have done, so there are one or two new trees to look at. Actually I went as far as I can on the trike without my husband coming with me to check if I can get through a barrier at the bottom of a steep incline. I want to have someone around just in case it turned out I can't get through it and need help getting back up the slope so this might be the end of the line for me in distance on the Whitegate Way, but it does mean I meet some of my favourite trees again - some wonderfully gnarley old silver birch trees.

View attachment 83101
Playing around with the reflection in the water and the wonderful stone work of the A556 (Manchester - Chester) road bridge.

View attachment 83102
There was something in the light today that made even the muddy section look good!

View attachment 83103
Sometimes, just sometimes people add that little something to the picture.

View attachment 83104
The light was definitely nice today, but also hazy. The Eclipse was not far away at this point.

View attachment 83105
New territory and its been a long time since I last saw this section.

View attachment 83106
It's the trees on the right along this section that I love. They are twisted and gnarley old silver birch - just beautiful.


View attachment 83107
The eclipse has started now, and the sunlight has taken on an evening quality to it.

View attachment 83108
The eclipse has started now, and the sunlight has taken on an evening quality to it.

View attachment 83109
OK - So I did take a photo of the eclipse and here it is.

So the furthest I can go on the Whitegate way appears to be 14.4km (8.95 miles) and I managed my best average yet 10.5kph.
https://www.strava.com/activities/271114333
Strava says

That's a cracking ride.

 

[theloafer]

@SatNavSaysStraightOn ..... once again your photos are stunning looks a grand ride

 

[BSRU]

Went out for a longish ride to celebrate my first day of unemployment for 25 years.
Glad I wore a windproof baselayer as it was freezing for most of the ride, overcast with a light breeze until the last 10km when the sun came out, too overcast to see the eclipse.

Managed 91km with 925m of going up, should have been 100km but I screwed up following my planned route.
Ended up just winging it, which was nice but it did end up going up some unexpected hills, one surprise was 1.6km long with an average gradient of 6.3%.
Also my "on the hoof" route took me up a local cat 3 climb, 5km with an average of 3%, which is fine apart from the short 14% bit in the middle.

Completed the ride with a couple of almond slices, home made cookies and a mug of tea.

.

 

[theloafer]

I also tried my second ride of the year not used to been outdoors I was a bit over dressed you might say ..it was warmer than I thought ,so ended up loosing a layer or two once again I had to change from my planned route and decided just to amble about ...which the old legs were happy with came across a young couple cycling on the route I was taking back ....the dad had young child in a seat and was unsure which way to go ... on part of a local walking/cycling route around the town http://www.great-aycliffe.gov.uk/environment-green-spaces/great-aycliffe-way.html .. so been a good cyclist I offered to show them (great reason to ride slow) and it extended there ride by 3 miles ... even got to take some photos
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/724392100

 

[Bazzer]

Off playing with lumps and bumps again. Thankfully earlier in the week I removed the lumps of cheese masquerading as brake blocks and replaced them with something more robust. Not perfect, so Koolstops next, but at least the dreadful fade previously experienced has gone.
Warrington to Billinge then across to the steep side of Crank Hill. Almost had a clipless moment as the climb began, as for some unknown reason the chain locked on changing down. Almost taken up the rear by a red Polo. Puzzling as the chain and sprockets were cleaned and lubed last night and the gears hadn't played up elsewhere on the ride. Problem sorted by reversing the chainring.
The lay by at the top of the hill was full of cars, presumably planet watchers. Though quite why they felt the need to drive to the top of a hill to see something which was above the horizon baffled me. Still, I suppose some of them thought why was that nutter and the person before him cycling up this hill? Each to their own.



Then across to Up Holland and the drop down to Roby Mill, (that hill is bumpilly scary, more so when I realised on the climb up the other side that I had hit 39mph), before climbing up through Wrightington and the long descent to Eccleston. A cheeseburger at the cafe at the dive centre was tempting, but the promise of onboard snacks later in ride took precedence. (A banana. I must be nuts!)
Then the long slope up from Eccleston through Heskin to the edge of Wrightington. The eclipse happened whilst in Heskin, so banana time and cue gratuitous shot of bike in eclipse.



The drop from Standish to Wigan was most welcome, although every modest rise in the road between Wigan and Atherton and then to Culcheth, caused the six emergency stash jelly babies in my saddle bag, to begin siren calls to my legs. I think even the chocolate on the break glass in case of real emergency Snickers bar, was forming into a grin, as I twice led traffic through road works. Made it home though, without touching the sugars.

Best single ride and best weekly mileage of the year so far at 53 and 167 respectively. Chuffed.
Next target the metric century.

 

[Dirk]

Glorious weather here in North Devon today.
Just had a quick 13 mile return trip, along the Tarka Trail, into Barnstaple for 'Fish Friday' at Wetherspoons and a visit to Specsavers. Eyes all OK for another year.

 

[mybike]

Dragged OH out for a ride. I'd realised front wheel was loose in the morning so had tightened nuts & played with brakes as well. It didn't take long before I realised I had to do something!! Brakes adjusted & we had our leisurely ride, south along the canal, having never been that far south before it was quite fresh, then back uphill. I think we're both getting better, but at 70 it isn't easy.

 

[mooseracer]

First proper ride for me in over a month due to the joys of 'Episode 5'. I'm still not happy with some of the pains I'm getting so getting a blood test next week to make sure all is well before I go all out into my physio plan. Today was about movement, and starting to get those legs bending nicely. I never realised how much warmth you generate when pushing on a bit on a bike, and I really missed it today, feeling cold the entire ride despite multiple layer, hat, gloves and buff. On the plus side I did manage to get to my target of 10 miles, not without having to give myself a bit of a talking too though. Grand total of 11 miles in just over an hour, it's a start and whilst I'm rather tired the pain never got to the point of being a real concern. Roll on Sunday for my next one...

Great you're able to get out again, hope the recovery continues

 

[Glow worm]

It's been gloomy as hell here for what seemed like forever until this afternoon when at last the sun appeared.

It's been a bad week for me cycling wise, with an unusually high number of encounters with willfully dangerous, bone headed motons. If I didn't love cycling so much I'd jack it in to be honest. It's no wonder so few of us in this wretched country take up cycling with so many a holes on the roads.

Anyway, rant over, I went for a POETS day ride in the sun along my usual thankfully car free routes.

Monks Lode, Wicken. I heard the first singing chiffchaffs of the year a little further along. A nice early sign of Spring.
I'm fairly certain I spotted two sand martins as well, but they were too distant to confirm. They're usually our earliest swallow like returnees.

Home just before dusk. Nice to have got a sunny ride in with another cold gloomy weekend forecast.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

The usual commuting miles again today but it coincided with the eclipse which added a bit of interest for me. Unlike the past two mornings there was no fog and it was quite pleasant setting out in the sunshine. I found myself scooting along a bit quicker than I've been used to lately so I had nearly 10 minutes in hand by the time I got to Atcham which meant it would have been rude not to make a detour through Attingham Park.

The peak of the eclipse wasn't that far away at this point so I enjoyed what felt like an evening light but with the sun quite high in the sky. While riding through the park I noticed how weird my shadow looked - there were little crescents on every prominent point of the shadow which made it look like I was some kind of furry beastie.

Pressing on, the actual peak passed after I'd ridden through Upton Forge and the light seemed to brighten much quicker than it had dimmed.

Riding onto the estate I found many of the staff out trying to view the spectacle and using practically every method suggested in the media.

I found the warehouse door open when I arrived at my work so was able to ride through to where I park my bike at the back. A minor thing, but I've wanted an excuse to ride through the warehouse for a while.

The wind had picked up by the time I headed for home so I decided to use my longer route which was against the wind for the first four miles but it was then helping me after that. No records set but it was a reasonably quick and enjoyable trip back.

21.9 miles for the round trip at 13.6 average.

Attingham Hall in the faux evening light.

Around the peak of the eclipse and there are crescents in all the shadows under the trees.

 

[howdenbiker]

Got out early this morning, only about 21 miles but managed over 16mph ave. A lovely bright morning and from Howden went to Wressle, Bubwith, Spaldington and back. Used my new Merida carbon with my Brooks saddle on it, an odd combination but I'm hoping to use them for a 100 miler next week.

 

[PeteXXX]

Not at all! We enjoy the laid-back type of ride that forum rides present, it makes a very welcome change from training with the little exocet.

Well, in that case...

 

[Racing roadkill]

I must be frigging mental.

Moose hunting in Romsey.

What do you notice about this picture that I didn't?

Beautiful.

https://www.strava.com/activities/271320690