Your ride today....

[twentysix by twentyfive]

What a lovely sunny morning. I planned to ride out and meet up with the CTC Tuesday group out Hanbury way for lunch. It's a bit of a ride out there so I set off with plenty of time to spare. The usual route out over the Severn at Upton was followed by the Croome route over to Drakes Broughton. I hadn't been this way in this direction for a while so it felt like a nice change. Similarly out over the old airfield felt fresh. At Bishampton I opted for the run up to Flyford Flavell where I spotted a new cafe. That'll make a nice run out sometime soonish. As I headed up the Grafton Flyford lane the CTC group appeared coming the other way! Nice coincidence so I turned around to join them. I was lead around by Inkberrow and Bradley Green and along the wonderfully named "Flying Horse Lane". The farm cafe is a fairly newish one and serves the anglers who frequent the nearby lakes. Doorstep sandwiches seem to be their forte.

It was good to catch up with some of the CTCers before we took to the run to Hanbury where I parted company with them. John W. had gone off earlier and I rode up to him for the ride to Crowle. I turned away there while he headed onwards for Worcester. My route took in White Ladies Aston and across the busy main road for Besford and then another main road crossing for Strensham. I stopped briefly on the ramp up to Strensham to smile at a gaggle(?) of new born lambs. They were curious too! From there is was the standard route back across the bridge for home.

It had been my longest ride of 2017 so far (71 smiles). The run out had been lovely whilst the run back was hindered by a chill south westerly. Not a strong drift but enough to be noticeable. The blue skies had also been hidden by some high cloud. All good tho' - lovely day for sure.

 

[postman]

x84 Leeds to Otley bus.Who mentioned a bicycle.Great to see our cafe owner had two lattes and a Banoffee slice of cake.

 

[Gravity Aided]

The weather was great today, so I took full advantage, fitted the GoPro, set it for a 1 second timelapse and headed out.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrU_kKVb8Rc&feature=youtu.be


For one point, what is the tune ?

For another point, who is it by ?

And for a final point, from which film does the line "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" come from ?

Wizard of Oz, MGM, 1939, as delivered by Frank Morgan.

 

[Jon George]

For one point, what is the tune ?

For another point, who is it by ?

And for a final point, from which film does the line "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" come from ?

Love the vid!

My guess at player - Dudley Moore - had scorn poured upon it from my wife. (She should know - she's the one with the Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music in piano teaching.)

The film? Wizard of Oz.

 

[colly]

Ooops, it is not. For a few months last year it was decorated with one, LHS ascending just below the crest. It just seemed a good name. Were you riding?

No I was working, off to Bardsey to collect some work.

 

[Reynard]

Still feeling rather ghastly after a sinusitis flare-up, but I thought that some sunshine and fresh air would be better for me than sitting indoors and being miserable. As there was barely a breath of wind I could go any which way I chose.

In the end I decided to cycle along Black Bank towards Littleport and from thence along the A10 to Sandhill. It's a steady constant climb all the way up to the top of the hill, over the railway and then over the River Ouse before swinging down onto New River Bank, past the boat moorings and the local angling club pegs and heading towards Queen Adelaide.

There were road closed signs up due to resurfacing work being carried out, but I decided to chance it given I could probably mince past on the verge if need be. In the end I needn't have worried as while there were indeed roadworks, they were totally deserted; the road was dirty but passable, and I had it to myself. I haven't been this way in a very long time - on a bike or otherwise - so it was a totally new experience. Was nice to see lots of daffs growing in the verge and on the river levees (the road is well below the level of the river) and blackthorn bushes are in full bloom.

What wasn't so nice were a couple of really steep little climbs (they make Fore Hill in Ely look flat) where the road crosses over the river in a couple of places along Branch Bank and Padnal Bank. But since they were between me and my way home there was nothing doing but to ride up them. The second of the climbs takes you right into Queen Adelaide.

A right turn at the top takes you onto the Ely Road. It's across two lots of railway lines - I had to stop at the second one (the fifth level crossing of the ride) to let a train heading towards Ely station go past, and from thence straight over the roundabout and onto Kings Avenue, which goes all the way through High Barns. At the top of Kings Avenue its a left turn and a short stretch along the Lynn Road before dropping down onto Cam Drive. and the ride past Stour Green.

It was commuter-o-clock when I hit Ely, which was a bit of a mistake as the traffic was horrendous - and not helped by two sets of roadworks. Had a close pass in the roadworks on Cam Drive which led to a real wobble moment. Could have been worse than just a wobble on loose gravel, I suppose. At least once I crossed over the A10, the last three miles are the same as my regular commute from Ely station - up the B1411 to Orwell Pit Farm, then dropping down into Little Downham, along California and the Common before making the final railway crossing of the ride and fizzing home.

Was a very enjoyable and sometimes challenging ride which worked out at around the 18 mile mark. And I felt all the better for it.

 

[Stonechat]

A short ride yesterday in Hailsham Sussex, home of Enigma Bikes
Yes I had a test run and n+1 is now ordered!
Enigma Excel with Mavic Ksyrium Exalith wheels
Woohoo!

 

[Dave 123]

[QUOTE 4711062, member: 9609"]I got the chance of a lift back from Belford so had a lovely run over to the coast through the northern cheviots in wonderful spring type weather
View attachment 341186

View attachment 341187

View attachment 341188 [/QUOTE]


Can I award a triple 'like' for those pictures?

 

[Biff600]

Love the vid!

My guess at player - Dudley Moore - had scorn poured upon it from my wife. (She should know - she's the one with the Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music in piano teaching.)

The film? Wizard of Oz.

The tune was Linus and Lucy by Wynton Marsalis from the Joe Cool's Blues album

The film quote was indeed from Wizard of Oz, but you were pipped at the post by Gravity Aided

 

[cosmicbike]

A short ride yesterday in Hailsham Sussex, home of Enigma Bikes
Yes I had a test run and n+1 is now ordered!
Enigma Excel with Mavic Ksyrium Exalith wheels
Woohoo!

Ooh, very nice. At least now it will be easy to identify you as you zip past me in Windsor Great Park

 

[iandg]

A short off-road ride before work - took me past my first 1,000km for 2017

Windy and cold - then the rain came down for the last 3-4 km and I got soaked


View: https://www.strava.com/activities/891887948/embed/c22d4763f5bc089a5a26a9f2512d042a5c9f569c

 

[Old jon]

Another bright morning, and a massive eight degrees out there. I am easily persuaded, sandwiches, drink and bike and off I go. It took longer than the writing, of course, but it was done. Gears today, and the chance to freewheel down a hill. North and west provide that so, having hurtled round Holbeck ( as if ) I took the towpath from Office Lock to Viaduct Road. It is usually entertaining riding along there. Loose dogs, a couple of swans and people of all shapes and sizes, some of the last can be quite extreme . . .

Cardigan Road is still a slog, as is the rest of the way to cross the Ring Road at Lawnswood and carry straight on to Bramhope. Creskeld Lane was the descent I had thought of, so turn right and pedal on. Annoying, I forgot to turn on the camera but it was not the quickest ever fly down there. Horsefeathers. All over the road and just enough to be cautious around the twiddly bits. Hate that word with a passion, what is good about cautious? Did anyone ever win a medal for cautious? Oh shut up jon. Turn left at the bottom to head towards Pool, through the village and take the left for Otley.

There was a lot of standing water around. Both sides of the road and it reminded me of the same along the road to Bramhope. Must have rained a lot. There was quite a breeze blowing along here that I had not noticed earlier on and it needed a lower gear than usual, not saying a word about the extra effort though. A couple of left turns in Otley had the bike pointing up the Leeds Road. A long hill up to almost the Dyneley Arms there are some cracking views along there, usually seen through pouring sweat if I am trying hard enough. Today I admired the views. Gears on bikes, wonderful idea. Through Bramhope, no silly ideas about geometrical anomalies around King Lane, straight along the A 660 to Headingley, turn right for Kirkstall and a reverse of the morning’s towpath trundle with a devious bit to reach Leathley Road and on to home. A less than massive 29.3 miles, fine weather and really a load of fun.

Fun for me, a map for you.

 

[Donger]

My 13th and shortest ride of the year so far, at 20.3 miles, but just enough to keep my average above 40 miles. Got my car through its MOT and took a trip to the shops, then had just enough time to amble down to Frampton on Severn and back before sunset. A beautiful evening. Much less wind today .... the Severn was glassy calm and serene looking (if rather full). Plenty of pheasants around down the lanes, but thankfully none of the suicidal variety this time.
How about those brilliant pictures from @User9609? He just keeps 'em coming.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[Jon George]

Oh shut up jon.

I didn't say anything!

(Seriously, I love your condescending attitude to caution. What is that quote? Ah, 'I can resist everything, but temptation' - and riding down steep hills is surely a temptation to anyone who adores being on two wheels.)

 

[Mike_P]

Day off work, weather fine and ... lost credit card. Of course no sooner than I had phoned and cancelled that I spotted it hiding behind my driving licence photo card
Anyway decided to take a to Wetherby, not that the first canine I encountered seemed at first likely to let me pass easily

Unwisely decided to use NCN67 along the old railway from Spofforth to Wetherby - was full of puddles, muddy and a task for Saturday will be clean the bike before doing anything else. Even with mudguards on I was getting splattered around the ankles and lower leg (and had 3/4 length bib knickers on rather than full length tights).

Headed back from Wetherby via the remains of old A1 still with now mysterious markings on it and then cut across to Little Ribston from where I somehow knocked 4 minutes off my time to Knaresborough.
The lack of foliage meant even the Go Pro on the handlebar managed to pick up glimpses of the River Nidd away from the tourist area around the viaduct.