Your ride today....

[cosmicbike]

Spent a couple of house working on the van this morning, waiting for it to warm up and for me to get motivated. Set off in a bit of nice sunshine, still quite breezy though. Really not feeling it today, and the first 10 miles were tough going until the legs warmed up. Wanted an easy low concentration ride, so went up to Windsor Great Park and just did a few laps. A good few cyclists out today, largely friendly. The regular recumbent trike rider was there too, really must have a go on one of them. Found my legs after an hour or so, and ended up with 32 miles on the clock. Walked dogs, then a 4 mile utility pedal on the Brompton, so got my miles in today.

 

[Elybazza61]

Thanks Am trying to build up sensibly to doing metric half centuries. That's my goal for the summer.

BTW, can I pick your brain? What's the safest / best way to cycle to Mepal? I don't much fancy crossing the 142 if I can help it...

If you carry on through Coveney and go up Short causeway, through Wardy Hill you can go up along Witcham Bridge Drove,Gravel Drove and Hive Road.Then turn right on to Mepal Road to Mepal.

There is also a route by turning off Short Causeway to Witcham,you can then go up out of Witcham and turn left to Mepal.

 

[iandg]

Working Sunday so today's my day off. Headed south out of Stornoway into a gentle breeze heading towards Tarbert and then turned left into South Lochs destination Ravenspoint for refreshments at the shop.Arrived at 11.10, but the sign stating 11.00 opening must have been 'Lewis' time and no sign of life. Retraced to Leurbost then left and a crosswind from Achmore to Callanish. The views over the snow covered Harris hills dissapeared as the clouds rolled in and it started to drizzle as I reached Callanish. Soup and a coffee at the visitor's centre and then back to Stornoway along the single track Pentland Road and another nagging crosswind and rain getting heavier. First 100km for a long time and my longest ride since Sept 2015. Build up for the Dirty User9609 going well

View: https://www.strava.com/activities/877917035/embed/91a26722a742a3313d044660ac3fb1e03b85cba3

Harris hills from South Lochs Road

Callanish visitor centre tea room

Genesis at the Stones

Pentland Road (keep to the road, don't stray to the moor)

https://www.relive.cc/view/877917035

 

[Aravis]

My opportunity this week for a day ride was today. A solid weather forecast meant I could plan accordingly, and ended up with this (anticlockwise):

Remarkably for a ride deep into border country, the highest point was only just over 100 metres, but there were few level stretches, and now that I look at the profile, most of the trends were upwards. So it was probably a harder ride than it had seemed on paper. It was the longest of the year so far at 117 miles.

Apart from a lot of tree debris swept to the side of the road, there were few signs of yesterday's storm. It really was a gorgeous start, with the sky an almost unbroken deep blue:

Still very cold though. I'm hoping to have my knees free next time.

This is looking towards Weobley church and village, cloud starting to bubble up:

An unsuccessful attempt to photograph Drumlins near Bredwardine, south of the river Wye. They are more impressive further up towards Hay, and they are very strange to cycle through, as there is no logic to the landscape whatsover. The impressive clouds help to redeem the picture:

The B4352 running along the south of the river at this point is a fine alternative to the much better known Golden Valley road. Not that the Golden Valley is something you'd ever want to avoid.

Much later now, on the final climb towards Aston Crews, looking back towards the Black Mountains. No mistaking the approach of stormier weather once again:

And finally, the happy sight of Gloucester at the end of a long ride - in full daylight!

The unbroken ridge beyond is the Cotswold escarpment, full of killer climbs much beloved by Audax organisers, but not by me so much. Not for today.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Having had to abandon my plans to ride yesterday due to our friend storm Doris I awoke this morning to a bright breezy sunny day, a good day for cycling. Unfortunately today was planned to be a chores and shopping day, but having done the market shop then dropped my Good Lady off at the hairdressers I had a spare afternoon, but had to be back to pick up my Good Lady from her mates at teatime so I couldn't be to late back. Then I thought Hoar Park, a straight ride there and back would add up to around twenty miles and I'd be back in plenty of time to head out and pick her up. So I got my bike stuff on, grabbed my fixed and headed out the door. My route took me out through Keresley then left onto Breach Oak Lane then on through Astley and Ansley then left and up the hill and onto Hoar park, a quick coffee then I retraced my wheel tracks back and through Keresley then a little longer route back into Coventry to give me 20 miles for the afternoon arriving back with plenty of time to get changed grab the car keys and get back out again.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/13101732

 

[Reynard]

If you carry on through Coveney and go up Short causeway, through Wardy Hill you can go up along Witcham Bridge Drove,Gravel Drove and Hive Road.Then turn right on to Mepal Road to Mepal.

There is also a route by turning off Short Causeway to Witcham,you can then go up out of Witcham and turn left to Mepal.

Thanks for that Had been thinking about it for this weekend, but I have to clear up the mess left behind by Doris.

 

[Jenkins]

After spending most of the day indoors cleaning & lubing bikes while waiting for deliveries, I didn't get out until late afternoon and that was only for a shopping trip as I needed a couple of things from the nearest Aldi. This would normally be a round trip of about 18 miles, but by the time I'd taken the 'scenic' route, I arrived at Aldi having done 25 miles! Plenty of evidence of yesterday's high winds with branches down all over the place.

Currently enjoying a bottle of the premium vintage cider which is one of the things I was after.

https://www.strava.com/activities/878194609

 

[gaz71]

Ive just got back from a 10 mile ride around Hampton and Bushy park.It was cold,windy and miserable but it took me over 100 miles for the week so im feeling quite pleased with myself.Still on target for 3500 miles for the year but theres a long way to go yet.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

An easy saunter along the cycle path to the shops. This will count as my daughter's weekly ride. We always get something inappropriate to carry home and today it was a box of lemons. I'm not sure why. I am sure about the two bottles of McEwan's Champion that made good use of the bottle cages on my old bike.

We came back via the canal towpath but I think the unswept from recent hedge cutting cycle path was responsible for my rapidly softening rear tyre half a mile from home! To be fair those tyres have done many, many thousands of miles and there can't be a lot of rubber left.

Hayley can help me repair it later and take some pictures to add to her D of E folder.

 

[Biff600]

Nipped out to see a mate this morning on the single speed. Using the local cycle ways, I moved over to slowly pass an old woman and her 3 dogs, and one of the damn things ran alongside and bit me leg !!

4 miles of glorious backwind, followed by 4 miles of horrendous headwind on the return.

I'm off to watch the mighty POSH thrash Rochdale (hopefully) in a while, so I'll have a easy trip to the footy ground and a struggle on the way home.

 

[Maverick Goose]

...but I'm glad I made the effort. Just a quickie via Sawrey ferry, the Windermere lakeside path, High Wray, Colthouse and Near Sawrey. If it keeps raining like this I'm going to be growing webbed feet (hmm some waterproof overshoes night be in order)-sometimes the roads looked more like rivers! Hopefully better weather for tomorrow's ride!

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

6 of us in the Green with Pete M out of place in Upton. Steve E was quite late but we waited patiently and he rolled up with apologies and tales of a broken valve. We were briefly 7 at Upton but Richard B wasn't feeling it so headed home. The wind was quite strong so that hadn't been helping.

We took to the standard Castlemorton lanes for Berrow but not before Mrs 26 had made a navigational error. Just as well I waited for her. Jose MLB came back to see where we were. Steve E took the opportunity for a trip behind the bushes. Sara P was champing at the bit as usual wanting to get on with it. At Clencher's Mill I lead the way through the ford while Mrs 26 and Steve opted for the slippy footbridge. Then it was a bit of a blast downhill into Ledbury.

Mrs Muffin's did us proud before we ventured out for the return. Mrs 26 had done well riding in the strong head wind so opted for a return by train. Steve took the shorter route up the Wyche while I invented a route to take Pete back to Upton. Sara and Jose came too but Sara peeled off on Castlemorton common while we three survivors took the Drugger's End link back for Welland Stone and Tunnel Hill. Pete dropped down to Upton for the car while Jose and I took to the standard Brotheridge Green run back. We met Richard K who was returning from a ride to the Cotswolds. Jose was keen to make best use of the tail wind now so the pace went up while I clung to his wheel. 25 mph appeared on my computer but he would still open a gap. He would let me get back on before winding up the pace again. (I'm giving him 40 years probably - no fool like an old fool.) Good for fun sure but it was nice to ease off over the last mile. 46 windy smiles

 

[Mrs M]

A quick nip down to the bank and back. Because it was a nice dry bright sunny day and the paths were dry today I took the Kingpin, the more I ride this bike the more I enjoy it for short trips, no need for special clothes, shoes or helmet, its a daft machine but its perfect for a ride down to shops. No one takes any notice of it, and you get a wide berth from vehicles for some reason...maybe 'cos I'm fat. Just the 6 miles.

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The Cockpit.
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Up Against The Wall. TRB reference.
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I parked to a modern Eslwick shopper bike, Elswick used to make a rather nice 20 inch wheel bike back in the day.

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That platform on the left used to be where the railway signal box was down this Sustrans track.

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The Ridgeway in the distance.

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It was nice out, chilly but nice in the sunshine, I saw my first daffodils of the year today too, spring is on the way.

I love the Kingpin

 

[Racing roadkill]

I went for a very windy ride down to Lepe beach today.

Beaulieu

Lemon drizzle cake at Lepe.

Blimey, that's windy.

Nutter.

https://www.relive.cc/view/879248920

Nice ride all things considered.

 

[Old jon]

What cam did you use for this? I`ve got a Gamin VIRB Elite and it gives the same creaking noise. I think its the road noise through the bars.

Its a Hero 4. Has to be either road noise or one of my shoes creaking, the sole pieces are held on with Allen screws which sometimes loosen off, and creak. Given that the noise changed when the road surface changed in the video, blame the tarmac. On the other bike one of the cable outers can cause the same noise.