Your ride today....

[Stonechat]

Just the usual 14 mile Downham - Way Head - Coveney - Ely - Downham loop for me today. Was really windy and spitting with rain for much of the day, so after a lot of procrastinating, I finally decided on a ride at half past five in the afternoon.

Once I was out of the door and on the bike I felt a lot better about the whole thing. This was in spite of riding all the way to Ely in a mix mix of head and cross winds that made me need the granny gears on the flat, and in spite of the heavens finally decided to open while climbing the hill into Coveney... The last three miles home were ridden with a pretty hefty tailwind however, which meant I fizzed along at a right old rate of knots. That really did put a smile on my face.

Points of note on my ride. The muck heap near Red Caps Drove has, thanks to the warmer weather, gotten really rank. I had one close pass from a numpty in a big Audi estate. Came across two jaywalking pheasants - must be the season for those LOL, and saw some really pretty blue flowers in the verge near Isle Vets. No idea what they were, sadly I'm not really clued up on those things...

Periwinkles are in flowe now

 

[PeteXXX]

Two rides yesterday, one by day, one by night.

In the morning, I had to pop into town to collect my new prescription sunglasses, then drop a book back to a friend near Mereway. A nice 18 mile circuit on my old British Eagle Touristique..

Great Billing church wall.
Nice to give the Eagle an airing!
https://www.strava.com/activities/919203924

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At 20:30, five of us met up on the dam wall at Pitsford Reservoir for a night time pedal around the res a couple of times.
I'd planned a surprise BBQ half way round as there are picnic benches and metal stands there. I'd pre-cooked the food so it just needed warming up. I arrived a bit early, and set the instant BBQ going so it would be ready to use once we'd ridden round the other side of the res.

Being a bit pervy, we stopped to watch some frogs bonking...

Me, trying to flip a burger with a penknife

FOOD!!

Time to clear the rubbish away and carry on the ride
With the barrier to the car park locked, we were wondering who owned the car headlights coming our way. It turned out to be the park ranger investigating the lights and smoke. He was fine with us enjoying ourselves and, after a few minutes chat, he drove off again.
The local Tredz do a Wednesday night ride, and they were riding the opposite way round to us, and we passed each other a few time before they headed onto wherever they were going, and we rode back to the dam wall where we had a chat for a while before splitting up and riding off in different directions.

Great fun, with enough lumens to see the trails through the woods easily.

20 miles, pitch dark and windy, but warm enough to wear shorts..

https://www.strava.com/activities/919988589

 

[Reynard]

Periwinkles are in flower now

Yes, I think that's what they were, having googled them. Thank you

 

[Reynard]

@PeteXXX - the BBQ and ride was a really neat thing to do, looked like fun

Love the Landy. And as for the bonking frogs...

 

[PeteXXX]

@PeteXXX - the BBQ and ride was a really neat thing to do, looked like fun

Love the Landy. And as for the bonking frogs...

Yep, the BBQ was a laugh! Hard to restart riding with a belly full of burger and sausages though!!
The Landy belongs to a friend of mine, he's had it for years and has restored it nicely. It's called 'Clarence'.
Well, wouldn't you stop to watch? These weren't the only ones either. They were at it everywhere..

 

[Salty seadog]

Well today's 38 miles took me past last years recorded total of 824 measly miles. Probably a bit over 900 with all the little pops into town and back from the station if I've done a linear route. On 843 miles so far this year with probably another 20-30 or so unrecorded in the vein as described above.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

A change of plan was called due to a band of rain passing through. Rich B got the message but Pete M didn't. It was only a half hour postponement but Pete, quite understandably, had given up on us. I met him heading off on his own. With explanations accepted we waited for Rich who rolled up on time as per the new plan.

Today's route was a fairly standard one looping around the north of the Hills. Pete's tyre went down so we took a break whilst he sorted it. The cause wasn't identified which is usually a bad thing. This time is was a bad thing as the tyre was again flat after a couple of miles. Now we took a great deal of care checking things out. Pete had used his spare tube to my first spare was deployed along with a couple of pieces of cut tyre to prevent holes in the outer casing becoming possible problems. These fixes worked. Always carry some cut off tyre is my advice. Some folks call them "Tyre Boots" I think but there is no need to buy such things.

The crocus at Coddington were finished to be replaced by daffodils and wood anemones. Soon we were crossing the Munsley lump with the previous head wind being replaced by a side wind. Trumpet arrived and the weather was pleasant enough for us to choose a table in the newly arrived sun and fresh air. The chat was most interesting and wide ranging and it took a fair amount of effort to climb back in the saddle.

The run along the flanks of the Marcles was dogged by that head wind and a dreadfully rough surface. Nevertheless these lanes are so much more pleasant than the wider and busier main roads. At Much Marcle Rich wanted to check out a World War 1 relic rescued from the Cathedral at Ypres. Whilst there we admired the old effigy tombs there dating from the mid 1300's. On over to Brooms Green we admired the wild daffodils and wood anemones whilst appreciating the wind assistance at last. The Nodding Star of Bethlehem were a picture (must remember my camera) at Bromsberrow where Pete headed off homeward after further roadside chat. Rich and I took to the standard run back through the Castlemorton lanes. With a cheery wave we parted on the Guarlford road.

Despite the early rain (which we managed to avoid) the day just got better as we went along Sunshine and warmth felt good even with the brisk south westerly. All good though with some lovely company. 51 smiles today.

 

[cosmicbike]

A rather warm commute home this morning saw me hit the target for this month, 527.6 miles done so keeping up with the 17 miles per day. Lovely day today, and the ride in tonight was the first outing in shorts and sleeves. Not sure what was going on with the traffic but it was defo faster on the bike tonight, lots of stationary metal boxes

 

[derrick]

First evening ride of the year, only a short one, stopped fora beer at the Duke of York, sitting in the sun in the beer garden, lovely then a nice pootle home.
https://www.strava.com/activities/921092675

 

[Donger]

@Donger

Is there a decent cafe in Stonehouse ?
Did a ride through there the other day but didn't see an appealing one !

No experience of any cafes in Stonehouse I'm afraid. Depends whether you are looking for a meal or just a cake and a coffee. If you are stopping for lunch, I can recommend La Piccola Italia, which opens every lunchtime and does decent, inexpensive pasta and pizzas. It is halfway down the high street. I might be dreaming it, but I have sort of half registered the existence of a small cafe a couple of doors down from there. Wouldn't know what it is called or whether it is any good. For cafe stops in our area we tend to call in at either the Stables Cafe on the canal side at Saul Marina or the Upper Lock cafe on the canal side in the middle of Stroud. Both do good coffee and cakes.

 

[galaxy]

I squeezed in a Rather tired 15 miles when i woke, last night shift tonight.

 

[Old jon]

The sun was warm. OK that was after starting, but I was surprised at how warm it was. On the open bits, the breeze and the sun were fighting a long draw, such a good bit of weather, it’s a pity I did not plan more of a ride. Better luck next time. I wheeled the Ellis Briggs out of the door, and pedalled off to Holbeck and the Leeds and Liverpool canal towpath. At this time, just after ten, the towpath is barely used. I once tried to count the number of traffic lights this shortcut avoids, after removing my socks I still ran out of digits to count on. So, lots. That’s the nudity for today, folks!

After leaving the towpath at Viaduct Road, the uphill begins and does not stop until well after crossing the Ring Road at Lawnswood. Keep on, the A 660 goes on for quite a distance, though today I turned right at the Dyneley Arms hoping for a whizz down Pool Bank. Sadly a slowcoach in a black VW decided 25 mph was quick enough . . . Straight through the village and across the Wharfe, take the next left and ride to Leathley Bridge, ride across the Washburn on that. And UP the hill to Farnley. Which was quite a slog today even with all those gears. I blame the engine. Anyway, there is a rest to be had, the drop into Otley always brings an attack of the grins.

Last climb of the morning, the A 660 again, out of Otley and towards Leeds. All the way to Headingley, a diversion for Kirkstall and back on the towpath, under the railway station, through one corner of Hunslet and pedal up to home. A pedantic 31 miles and 17.8 yards happily travelled this morning.

A pedantic map

 

[Stonechat]

SHortest of rides today (after Gym and Wattbike this morning)
Collect Felt from the repairers, it had new rear mech and bottom bracket.
It is now relegated unfortunately to spare.

On the way back bumped into a club mate Tony, and had a chat for a few minutes

4.5 miles at 16.5 mph
https://www.strava.com/activities/922101709

 

[cosmicbike]

SHortest of rides today (after Gym and Wattbike this morning)
Collect Felt from the repairers, it had new rear mech and bottom bracket.
It is now relegated unfortunately to spare.

On the way back bumped into a club mate Tony, and had a chat for a few minutes

4.5 miles at 16.5 mph
https://www.strava.com/activities/922101709

When does the Ti arrive?

 

[Mrs M]

@PeteXXX - the BBQ and ride was a really neat thing to do, looked like fun

Love the Landy. And as for the bonking frogs...

Ditto