Your ride today....

[Biff600]

Another cracking day, did not want to miss out on this one.

I fitted the GoPro to the rear of the bike facing aft on a 1 second timelapse and off I went.

I had a 15mph headwind on the way out, but took full advantage of the tremendous back wind for the return leg.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqw_RLioI_4

 

[EltonFrog]

Another cracking day, did not want to miss out on this one.

I fitted the GoPro to the rear of the bike facing aft on a 1 second timelapse and off I went.

I had a 15mph headwind on the way out, but took full advantage of the tremendous back wind for the return leg.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqw_RLioI_4

Mmmmm jazz, niiiice.

I did another thigh busting two miles to the cafe and back today. (I did do a four mile run earlier this morning as well).

 

[Jon George]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqw_RLioI_4

I don't think I'll be able to listen to Dave Burbeck's 'Blue Ronda A La Turk' in the same light ever again.

 

[Jon George]

I rode further than I intended after I cut short a longer, planned ride - if that kind of makes sense. A few minutes out from home and I had a quick chat with another cyclist who was returning from a forty-odd mile ride and he bemoaned the strength of the headwind coming back from Felixstowe. I decided to head into it and enjoy the tailwind on the return - except the headwind slowed me to 8mph in some places.
So, I gave up on attempting another 50km and meandered home, taking pictures around the north of Ipswich. (And yet, still manged 22 miles.) Oh, and I have done nothing to alter these pics - the sky was an amazing blue, today.

This is one of the gatehouses to Shrubland Hall at Barham.

This of the view at Hemingstone Church.

And this of the churchyard.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

What a lovely day for a bike ride! My usual Thursday ride out to Hatton for a coffee and a gossip with friends. I did the route I was doing last year but in reverse, so on the way out I used last years route home to get to the cafe and to get home I used last years route out.In places it was hard work into the breeze, but at other times I was spinning the fixed up riding easy and a few times I was in danger of spinning out, thats encouraging as when I was first back on the bike after being in hospital I was struggling to spin up above 18mph. I finished up covering 53 miles at an average of 13mph, an improvement as when I was first back on the bike I was working hard just to average 12mph. So its been a good day and I've enjoyed cycling in the sunshine, gossiping in the cafe and I'll have some more days like this if I can.

 

[gbb]

Not much mileage for me lately but such a nice day so home, chuck some gear on for a quick hour, brilliant.
Aye aye as I approached Yaxley, I was passed by what looked like an early Lotus Esprit. I cycled past as it sat in traffic...ooer, its a Delorean .

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.relive.cc/view/893611961

35 odd miles into the countryside on the solid tyred bike tonight.

Blue sky, sunshine, and warm.

The fields are starting to look green again.

Alresford

The solid tyres working fantastically well.

Easton ( near Winchester ).

35 odd miles done. Nice evening for it.

The daffodils were out tonight.

 

[EltonFrog]

[QUOTE 4714851, member: 21629"]Took a chance for another ride as weather was lovely. Garmin data said it was +16'C today. And yes, it was sunny.

So left Ashford (Kent) with an intention to visit 3 castles (Sissinghurst, Bodiam, Scotney). Nope, I need to get fit first ... and longer days. Sissinghurst will be enough for today.

Less than 2 miles and I realised I'm boiling in my tights and long sleeve jersey. Woohoo, time for "let's think it's summer" clothes - short sleeve jersey and shorts. Blimey, I missed that feeling - easy to move, sun kisses arms and legs.

I was wandering and zigzaging on traffic free roads feeling happy like never before. Too much daydreaming and I missed a turn in Pluckley. Few extra miles via Egerton and a bonus - downhill. I love downhills.
Leaving Smarden on the left side and houses and fields on both sides...
View attachment 341610

... finally I reached Sissinghurst. Had a lunch here:
View attachment 341607

And a chat with a lady selling tickets. I've asked her to take a picture of me as a proof that I really wore summer kit:
View attachment 341608

A bit of Sissinghurst Castle:
View attachment 341609


Decided to catch a train home at Headcorn station. My lovely idiot Garmin decided that I haven't done enough miles today and headed me south to Benenden (didn't reach it), than via East End, Biddenden to Headcorn. Nice loop instead of going straight up north via Frittenden.
Cycling somewhere near East End I heard a loud noise - a tractor was behind me. As a good cyclist I decided to stop on the side of the road and give a way for it. Next time before doing this I will make sure there's no hidden ditch near. One leg clipped in, another one goes on the ground ... and the ground dissapears. Ditch. Luckily it was a narrow one. With bushes on the other side and they helped to keep me in vertical position. With my bike being in horizontal one. Still funny to remember.
Cycling on busy A274 wasn't very exciting but I finally reached Headcorn alive (only one idiot driver overtook me to close...school bus driver).

50 km done.[/QUOTE]

Nice photos.

 

[booze and cake]

You've got to love it when your day off happens to be the nicest day of the week. Short sleeves and sunglasses were donned and I cycled for 45 miles around the sunny metropolis loving every leisurely paced mile. In typical British fashion everyone's clothes fell off today, and much flesh was exposed to the sun for the first time this year.

I managed to bag a few trees for my tree hunt, they too were seemingly loving the sunshine, spring is here! Some Hawthorn flowering in Myatts Fields

Then onto Dulwich park to papp their Turkey Oak which is a Great Tree of London. I've visited in the summer when its fully clothed but not seen it naked before, still impressive in the buff.

The wintery looking pines were loving the sunshine too, this is also in Dulwich Park.

I then walked around the garden of the Dulwich Picture Gallery which has a few good trees in its grounds. A deciduous Fir, a Dawn Redwood.

Some type of Magnolia dwarfing an undressed old Black Mulberry.

Staring towards the sun up the trunk of a Giant Sequoia

A Monkey Puzzle between Brixton and Herne Hill

And finally the yellow retina burn of an Acacia Mimosa.

I think today was a signal to all trees round here that summer is coming. I hope to record as many of them bursting into life as possible over the next month or two. Cherry blossom season soon, which should hopefully distract the public from the dazzle of my soon to be unleashed very white knobbly knees.

 

[EltonFrog]

You've got to love it when your day off happens to be the nicest day of the week. Short sleeves and sunglasses were donned and I cycled for 45 miles around the sunny metropolis loving every leisurely paced mile. In typical British fashion everyone's clothes fell off today, and much flesh was exposed to the sun for the first time this year.

I managed to bag a few trees for my tree hunt, they too were seemingly loving the sunshine, spring is here! Some Hawthorn flowering in Myatts Fields
View attachment 341624
Then onto Dulwich park to papp their Turkey Oak which is a Great Tree of London. I've visited in the summer when its fully clothed but not seen it naked before, still impressive in the buff.
View attachment 341625
The wintery looking pines were loving the sunshine too, this is also in Dulwich Park.
View attachment 341626
I then walked around the garden of the Dulwich Picture Gallery which has a few good trees in its grounds. A deciduous Fir, a Dawn Redwood.
View attachment 341627
Some type of Magnolia dwarfing an undressed old Black Mulberry.
View attachment 341628
Staring towards the sun up the trunk of a Giant Sequoia
View attachment 341629
A Monkey Puzzle between Brixton and Herne Hill
View attachment 341630
And finally the yellow retina burn of an Acacia Mimosa.
View attachment 341631
I think today was a signal to all trees round here that summer is coming. I hope to record as many of them bursting into life as possible over the next month or two. Cherry blossom season soon, which should hopefully distract the public from the dazzle of my soon to be unleashed very white knobbly knees.

FAB write up and pics.

 

[LincsBlue]

Nice ride around Rutland Water today although I didn't do as far as I wanted as I missed the turn off to take in the peninsula. Good fun with some nice down hills to bomb down ignoring the 'cyclists dismount' signs :-D. Well worth the short journey although I'd not bother going at the weekend as I expect it gets quite busy.

 

[cosmicbike]

All commuting for me today, though a late start gave the opportunity to extend the ride in to 14 miles. A few adjustments yesterday to the Selle SMP position and it's much better, so will get a few months trial.
2 nobbers today, one who felt the need to lean on the horn constantly as I took primary along the high street, it's not wide enough to pass safely with oncoming traffic. Funnily enough he ended up stuck at the same set of red lights as me, so I had a discussion with him, silly little man. Then 100 yards from home, muppet cabbie rolling along whilst tapping phone attached to windscreen AND iPad on lap, so he got a good shouting at.
22 miles today.

 

[gavgav]

Spent all day at work, wishing I was out on my bike in the sunshine, so next best thing was to head out for a ride after work instead.

There was a lovely sunset over towards Wales, as I set off through the estate and out onto the horrid short section on the A458. There was what seems a usual Thursday knobber encounter along there, when a chap came up the A5 slip road, to the right, looked me in the eye, waited until I reached the junction and pulled out (not in front of me) but alongside me on the wrong side of the road into the path of an oncoming car. Some people just do not have a brain cell .

Thankfully the rest of the ride was much better, through Betton Abbots and down to Atcham, then through Attingham Park estate grounds, Upton Magna, Uffington, along the old canal path (very muddy and full of puddles) and along the cycle paths to Sutton and home.

15.7 miles

 

[Glow worm]

Had today off and luckily it was a beauty. Sunny and warm all day. My Garmin registered 62 degrees f at one point.
Headed off to Kingfisher Bridge nature reserve near Ely. It's privately owned but you can wander around. Was hoping to see the first sand martins of the year but none back quite yet.

View from the 'hill'. Ely cathedral on the horizon. There's a couple of benches up there and it's a pleasant spot for a break.

Wicken Fen. Blimey I do carry a lot of stuff with me! Still, speed has never been my thing so it's no bother.

Another favourite spot for a break. This is Burwell Fen.

Reach Lode from the bridge

A typical fen road. The flatlands aren't for everyone but I like it. The headwinds can be quite brutal though.
20 miles in total (followed by a 13 mile round trip to the pub tonight) means I'm finally getting some decent miles in this year.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

June P and Ralph R rolled up to the meet at Newland. The forecast was superb and apart from a slightly stronger wind than advertised proved to be just as sunny and warm as promised. Is Spring finally here? Our route was a standard one to Acton Green. We took a different from normal descent to Bishops Frome. Then it was a bit of a effort to make progress into that wind on the ramps to Panks Bridge. Ralph was struggling and wanted to give up. June and I gave him all the support we could so he relented and came with us. That wasn't easy as we were now on the tough climb up to the summit of Hegdon Hill. It was worth it tho' as the clear air provided us stunning views over almost 360 degrees. 100s of square miles encompassing the Welsh Marches, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire lay at our feet. We spent quite a time identifying distant landmarks. Eventually we dropped away to loop around to England's Gate and the cafe at the Golf Course.

An 88 year old and a 93 year old showed up and played a short round of golf whilst we refreshed ourselves. The 93 year old was golfing royalty as the founder of the golf club. Great stuff for these gents to be so active at their ages. With much effort we levered ourselves back out and onto the bikes. Our first leg southwards again suffered from that dratted wind. Again Ralph was struggling. Once we turned eastward things got easier for us all although Ralph was finding the slight ups to be a problem. Our pace was quite slow as we rode by Yarkhill and onto Bosbury. At Colwall June and I carried on over the climb of the Wyche with Ralph's blessing. Not too far for him to get home and I think he wanted to reduce the slight pressure everyone feels when struggling at the back. Not that we had been applying any pressure, just gently rolling to keep him happy.

It was truly the best day of 2017 so far. Despite Ralph's unaccountable weakness today we all had a super day out and those views will be in my mind's eye for a very long time. 58 smiles today.