Your ride today....

[Shut Up Legs]

A double ascent of Mt Dandenong for me, as part of my ongoing preparation for a June cycling tour in Italy and France. It was a good solid workout, with 81km and about 1450m climbing, with some of the climbing up moderately steep grades.
If you don't know where that is, it's not surprising: it's east of Melbourne, Australia, and about 15km south east of where I live.

 

[galaxy]

Woke up to a cool 3° this morning so got out for another cycle. I really need to do more than the 300 miles I done last year and start doing some more midweek cycles. Today I took a cycle down the path to Castle Semple in Lochwinnoch for a steady 20 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/839143585

View attachment 334265 View attachment 334266 [
Excellent scenery, and a good choice of bike too

 

[tallliman]

Well done @Smithbat, you'll be knocking out long rides in no time (and finding small loops to top up the miles to a target!)

 

[mybike]

Apparently some "F" list "celebrity" is having a party over in the US and so it was a must to get out on the bike after work and avoid the TV coverage!!

Freezing cold out, but very calm and good view of the stars in the sky. Did my usual loop round town in a clockwise direction, out through the estate to avoid yet more roadworks that have sprung up nearby, then down to Meole Brace and the climb to Nobold.

Out through Radbrook and Copthorne, before dropping down into the Quarry and along the towpath. I was on the narrowest section, which is also unlit and saw a jogger approaching, with a head torch on, but just as I get to him I just about saw two eyes from his unlit dog that was off the lead and who veered straight into my path. I skidded and just about missed it, but god knows how. There was an apology, but that wouldn't have washed much if the dog or me had ended up in the river. If you cannot keep your dog under control then don't let it off the lead .

I pressed on through Castlefields and then along the cycle paths to Abbey Foregate, through Reabrook and along the old railway bed path and home.

13.2 miles

In my experience, dogs on leads have the ability to turn 90deg into your path, blocking the tow path completely.

 

[biggs682]

In my experience, dogs on leads have the ability to turn 90deg into your path, blocking the tow path completely.

dont even get me started

 

[colly]

Early out at around 6.30. Today felt different to yesterday. Much damper and felt colder. I went east towards the flat lands out Selby way. Seeing as there was no traffic I stuck with the A63 until just before Selby where the road was closed off at a railway crossing. So I took the bypass for a few hundred yards and then nipped off right and made my way homewards on a tiny back road. It felt really cold and there was a slight headwind on the return.
I slogged back at my own pace but it felt dull and uninteresting and I was pleased to get back home.

I cooked a full English for me and Mrs Colly and that cheered me up no end.

34 rather dreary miles in all.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/12672191

 

[Stonechat]

dont even get me started

As one who lives on the tow path. I have to accept there are different users with different needs and problems. I am also a dog owner. Unless very early in summer, you have to watch out for hazards can be very busy

 

[Donger]

Club ride time again. Decided to opt for the short ride today, though, as it's a bit icy out there, and this is traditionally "Black Sunday" for me. In eight years I've only crashed twice ... both times on ice, and both times on this very weekend (the week before my first audax of the year). I was taking it carefully.

Eight of us headed out in a loop via Stroud, taking in the back of Horsepools Hill from Pitchcombe to Edge. The route got shortened a bit from the planned 26 miles to a tad over 20 (22.5 for me) due to ice. There were frozen puddles at the side of the road in various places, and the occasional patch of mushy ice on the roads in shady, darker corners that the sun rarely reaches, so we cut out the lanes around Standish and Frocester and stayed as much as possible on the main roads. We did an impromptu extra little climb through Paganhill before our cafe stop, which kept us all warm. Another good ride in great company, and I stayed vertical and got through it unscathed this year.

Started the year full of determination, but seem to be experiencing Donger's Law of Diminishing Returns at the moment. (First ride 65 miles, second one 45 miles, third one 42 miles and this one 22.5 miles). The 100km Windrush Winter Warm-up audax might come as a bit of a shock next week.

Safe riding, everyone. Cheers, Donger.

 

[Jon George]

Following a suggestion from @Jon George I took a back lane around Rushmere that I'd never used before (Lamberts Lane) - it turned out to end in a really good bridleway of over a mile in length that came out at the top of Tuddenham Hill and was rather interesting given the soft conditions and the 28mm slick Gatorskins at 90psi on the bike!

Wasn't expecting you'd continue on and follow the bridleway, but chapeau, nevertheless - particularly on those tyres!

 

[Jon George]

One of the best rides I've had in ages. I nearly took Patsy #2 The CX out, but, given the apparent conditions, went out on Patsy #£ The Hybrid with ice tyres. Interestingly, the lanes I was expecting to be bad were dry (iced-up puddles on the margins, though) and the busier roads wet. Still, I ambled around on a 13 miler, stopping as often as I wished to take a few photos and just relax on any opportune village green benches. Bliss.

This near Foxhall.

This half a mile further on.

And this near the old airdrome at Martlesham. (Currently reading my late father-in-law's wartime teenage diaries - before he joined the RAF - and enjoying his near weekly visits out to Martlesham to see what new aircraft were about.)

 

[Dave 123]

By heck, it were parky! The good news was that Mrs Dave is sufficiently virus free to join me, so the tandem came out for the first time in over a month!
At first my Garmin was saying 9°.... yeah right! After a few minutes it was saying -2°, that's more like it. I dressed for the whole ride, not just the first 10 minutes. Over all I got it right, but it was chilly Willy to start.
We were overtaken by a lad and a girl on road bikes, 5 minutes later they overtook us again! Not sure where they went!

Coming înto Bourn I kept the speed down for the turn toward Caxton, but it was fine. Along through to Great Gransden then along side Waresley woods. Hawk eye said 'muntjac to the right!', it turned out to be two foxes! One shot off, the other kind of lingered...

He's just to the left of the tree trunk, honestly!

I was fortunate that we'd slowed for the fox, as at the bottom of the hill it was sheet ice., only for 10' or so, but I was very careful.

Into the garden centre, Icycle club were in there, Cambridge CC came in as we left.

On the way home we saw fieldfare, long tailed tit, goldfinch and buzzard.
In all, a great, cold ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/840438200

 

[bruce1530]

Had planned to do a couple of brisk hours along the coast yesterday - no hills!

Cold, cold morning - very heavy frost. But wrapped up well, got the bike out and got ready to set off.

Realised that my winter gloves had been out in the garage, and were wet inside. No problem - I’ll use these other ones......

Got to the end of the road and was about to turn left when one off the local clubs went past at a reasonable pace. Thought to myself “I’ll see how long I can keep up with them for”. They had conveniently stopped at the traffic lights just ahead...

A mile later, was feeling decidedly uncomfortable. Roads felt quite greasy and slippery, and my confidence still isn’t too great after falling at the end of the year. Relaxed a bit, and watched as the club peleton sped into the distance.

At this point, I realised that my fingers were freezing. Painfully sore. The gloves I had picked up were anything but windproof. Two hours of this would be unbearable. So looped round and headed home. Disappointing ride - just 7km.

 

[Rustybucket]

https://www.strava.com/activities/8...-4EEA-B87B-4A7ADCD9AF78?hl=en-GB&v=1485093604

It was very cold! Lots of ice and I didn't fall off so happy

 

[Mrs M]

Mmm, wash the windows and tidy the garden or go for a wee toddle?
Off we went
First bike ride this year on the Pashley my knees been a bit sore lately so just planned a short, local run to see how we got on.
Not a bad day, wrapped up a bit with warmest gloves, although by the end of the ride could hardly feel my toes!
Lots of folks out today, mostly walkers and dog walkers, a few cyclists. Along a very quiet road, met a guy on a MTB with 3 kids all on bikes, had to dodge them as they were all over the place, "You've got your hands full there"
A few horses back in the fields, all rugged up usual wee pal didn't come over to say hello as she was flat out snoozing.
Very enjoyable hour and a half and knee held up ok.
Only took one pic at Downies, looking south along the coast.
Happy cycling, over and out.

 

[i hate hills]

Three rides in the same week , in January, never been heard of for me before. This morning did the golf course route and back into town from Cookston farm. Toes really really cold so treated myself to a hot choc at one of the Newsagents and stood and had a crack with him till my feeling came back to my toes. Made myself a promise to try to do two things this calender year . 1 . Give this cycling thing a real go and try to get some weight off and feel better about myself . 2 . Greet everyone with a hello or good morning . This i tried today and everyone apart from one grump gave me a hello back. I had in the past kept my head down and focused on the road ahead but stuff that be happy , nice and kind and good things will happen. I found myself on a shared cycle / ped track and when faced with a couple of peds coming towards me i stopped and got off my bike and let them passed. This resulted in the biggest good morning of the day. I hope this sunshine and lollypop outlook i have lasts all year, and NO you cant borrow a fiver. Ride happy , ride safe folks. Mike.