Your ride today....

[Slick]

Not today but yesterday. I haven't cycled all week as I had to drive to Birmingham on Sunday night and back up Wednesday night. Gaffer gave everyone a flier on Friday, so I called my brother and arranged a meet up with the bikes. He's a very different animal to me on the bike, everything is a challenge to him and every ride must count. I always enjoy going out with him as I know that I need to be at 100% to keep up with him even although he's on a mountain bike and I'm on a road bike. The usual patern, especially on the climbs is every now and again he will put the hammer down and leave me gasping but not for long as he will always turn round and come back for me especially on a hill as he loves nothing more than doing it again. Our route took us along a very flat Loch Lomond as I just wanted to get a 50 miler under my belt. This wasn't enough of a challenge for my brother as he constantly slipped into a strong rithym and put the hammer down. He got quite a shock as every time he did, I was able to hang on to his wheel and we were flying on numerous stages. I should mention the marvellous owner of the cafe at the halfway point at Tarbet, who despite closing early as they were closing the road due to filming something or other, offered to make us something to take away, which was a life saver. The return journey followed the same pattern, we would ease off for a time then go again and I was really chuffed to be able to stay on him until the final 5 miles when I went to stand on the pedals for a very small climb and immediately had to sit back down as I realised there was very little left in the tank. Final disappointment of the day came when I realised I was 4 miles short of my 50. Oh well, best not get too caught up with numbers when the effort was just as enjoyable.

 

[Aravis]

I'd been a bit groggy this week (aches, sore throat) and I planned an unambitous recovery day for today, prepared to give up if it didn't feel right. As an early litmus test I went for the A435 climb out of Cheltenham (the Cirencester road) which is quite sharp but not too long. At the top I felt fine, and very pleased with my decision to head out.

The reward at that point is 12 miles of very gentle downhill to Cirencester, very pretty at any time of the year and quiet too. Then to Lechlade, taking a diversion away from the main road where it was convenient. Heading onwards to Faringdon and Wantage was less pleasant - pretty enough but busy - and I was glad to leave that route before Wantage, taking the much quieter road along the Berkshire Downs and underneath the Uffington White Horse. Then back through Shrivenham and Highworth, crossing the river Thames at Hannington Bridge, a few miles upstream from Lechlade:

A few rides ago I strapped on a pair of shoes "just in case". Once they're in position you forget they're there, and now I'm reluctant not to take them.

Onwards along the flattest of roads (and with a following wind) through the Cotswold Water Park before rising steadily to cross the Cotswold ridge again above Stroud. Just before reaching the top, which isn't too high at that point, I stopped for my final refreshment stop:

There was a hare in the field - somewhere.

After this, the plunge down into Stroud's Golden Valley, and an uneventful final few miles to home. At the end I felt I could have gone on for a long time, on a day when I set out with no expectations whatsoever. Funny how it goes sometimes.

Here is the final route and profile - 116.85 miles. It looks much hillier than it really was:

I'd struggle to imagine a pleasanter day to cycle - a light, predicable wind, mostly dry with occasional sun, never cold but absolutely no danger of dehydration or overheating. A joy to be out there. Summer will be good too, but for me anyway, spring and autumn are the best.

 

[Edwardoka]

Apologies for rambling and for lack of pictures...

Today I attempted to put a qualifying ride in for the Imperial Century a Month challenge - it's so very unlike me to leave it to the last moment! (no it isn't (shut up, you))

Started off with the weather being a bit blustery and it rained on and off for the first few miles.

Got through Glasgow city centre despite the very heavy traffic (apparently there was a Celtic-Rangers game on) and into Bishopbriggs, where I spotted a group of lady cyclists on the Forth-Clyde canal towpath from the road and wondered if @Pat "5mph" was amongst them, thinking it particularly likely as they were faffing about outside a shop!

Went over the Crow Road (No. 161 if you follow Simon Warren's excellent list of British climbs) that Pat has kindly illustrated, finding it to be a much gentler climb than I remember, although it doesn't look it from below. I really surprised myself by putting in a PB which only goes to highlight how unfit I must have been the last time I went up there!

Climb duly completed and the rain started again just in time for the descent into the beautiful Carron Valley, which acted like a wind tunnel - giving me a headwind the entire length of the valley. Halfway along this my IT band suddenly decided that it had had enough and, duly chastened by my now-throbbing knee, I gingerly rode the last few miles into Stirling where I elected to scratch the ride at mile 41.

I've had IT band problems in the past so know better than to try to ride through it, and barring a miraculous overnight cure I'm out of the challenge as well...

 

[Slick]

Apologies for rambling and for lack of pictures...

Today I attempted to put a qualifying ride in for the Imperial Century a Month challenge - it's so very unlike me to leave it to the last moment! (no it isn't (shut up, you))

Started off with the weather being a bit blustery and it rained on and off for the first few miles.

Got through Glasgow city centre despite the very heavy traffic (apparently there was a Celtic-Rangers game on) and into Bishopbriggs, where I spotted a group of lady cyclists on the Forth-Clyde canal towpath from the road and wondered if @Pat "5mph" was amongst them, thinking it particularly likely as they were faffing about outside a shop!

Went over the Crow Road (No. 161 if you follow Simon Warren's excellent list of British climbs) that Pat has kindly illustrated, finding it to be a much gentler climb than I remember, although it doesn't look it from below. I really surprised myself by putting in a PB which only goes to highlight how unfit I must have been the last time I went up there!

Climb duly completed and the rain started again just in time for the descent into the beautiful Carron Valley, which acted like a wind tunnel - giving me a headwind the entire length of the valley. Halfway along this my IT band suddenly decided that it had had enough and, duly chastened by my now-throbbing knee, I gingerly rode the last few miles into Stirling where I elected to scratch the ride at mile 41.

I've had IT band problems in the past so know better than to try to ride through it, and barring a miraculous overnight cure I'm out of the challenge as well...

I might have to give that one a try one day.

 

[Gravity Aided]

There's always the half-century challenge, although weather has thrown me out of another month of that. My own illness and Mrs. GAs problems continue, but I'm still going to try and make up 3 rides for January, March, and April. January and March were just unrideable, and April has had too much stuff going on.

 

[Gareth C]

A fun day out watching the Tour of Yorkshire...

https://www.relive.cc/view/963270980

OK, I've had chance to "cook" the videos from the GoPro and get some pictures sorted...

A day riding around spectating!

The ride in was beautiful.

Lizzie Deignan on her way to the win.

Various race clips.

https://www.relive.cc/view/963270980

A great day out.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Up to Tadcaster, for the Tour de Yorkshire
This comment, shared by Adrian (one of runners in same Club) to my FaceBook page, cheered me up!

Tootled to Tad on the R3 to watch the TDY set off then struggled to hang on to Thackeray's back wheel for most of the way back

Also bumped into a very good (age-group) Triathlete, that Adrian & I both know, from running
I sometimes ride with him as well, he definitely takes some keeping up with, even on his winter bikes
He's just got a new tri-bike, & was out on it
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/triathlon/speedmax/speedmax-cf-slx-9-0-sl.html
He just rode away from us, on the return journey, I started to catch him on the incline (where the road into Stutton turns right), but he was gone, on the flat towards Towton & I wasn't chasing him

 

[Dave 123]

A quick blast in to town on my MTB this morning to collect the car. As well as our shandy on the tandem ride I had a couple of beers and Jo had a few gins in town last night!

Off down across the fields with a stern head wind and in to a semi slumbering Cambridge. That's about it really!

https://www.strava.com/activities/963906980

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Houghton Mill used to be a youth hostel.Must have been back in the fifties. Very basic hoste

I would have stayed in it in the 70's

 

[nickyboy]

A ride called "The Bleep of Death"

Garmins have a function that you can enable so that when you are moving imperceptibly slowly it assumes you've stopped (such as wheeling the bike around) so doesn't record the ride at that point

But there are one or two hills around here that are so steep that I go so slowly the Garmin assumes I've actually stopped and "bleeps" at me to tell me I've stopped....when I haven't. Today was one of those days.

Nice flattish ride out to south of Macclesfield, then a really hilly ride back to Glossop through the Macclesfield Forest. Tough climb up Meg Lane which is thankfully only about 800m long. Great view at the top looking across to Manchester and Cheshire

Charity Lane (what a misnomer that is) was next. It's OK apart from a 300m section that was 20-25%. That was my bleep of death moment

Up and Down all the way back to Glossop and I was pretty tired for the last few miles. All in all, 52 miles and 5,000ft of climbing

 

[redvision95]

(yesterday's ride, not riding today)
Took the Raleigh out for its first "real ride" since I did all the work to it. A leisurely 12-mile loop on the canal towpaths with a few stops. The picture was taken on the last stretch back into Walsall. Not huge mileage but I'm slowly upping the distances as I get fitter

 

[13 rider]

Needed 30 miles today to keep the record of 100 miles a week every week this year so another 50km ride . Out the door at 10.00 Anstey ,Cropston ,Rothley ,Cossington and up the Wreake valley into a pretty strong head wind. Ratcliffe on the Wreake ,Thrussington ,Hoby then turned to Ragdale set a pr on strava on the climb out towards the health spa . Then back to Barrow down Paudy lane which normal suffers from head wind but today it was a slight crosswind so full gas for 12 mins rewarded with loads of PRS .Onto Mountsorrel ,Rothley ,Swithland ,Cropston and Anstey 32.1 miles in the bag capping a massive April for me 862 miles ,9 50 km rides ,2 50m rides 1 metric century and 2 Imperial tons

 

[cosmicbike]

A conscious decision not to go on the HDW club ride today as I'm off hiking for the next 3 days so needed a rest day. Which went well until I discovered my kids had a need for 'finger fidgets', so a slow amble into Egham with my lad to lighten the wallet. 3.6 miles
Off to Exmoor in the campervan tomorrow, with a tea stop at Stonehenge (tea, cakes and the all important gramophone are packed), and a visit to the Bakelite museum is planned too.

 

[Stonechat]

On the subject of the HDW ride, off I went today

We were off to Hare Hatch so through the Great Park, through Winkfield and Warfield and Twyford to the garden centre
A good outward run (with the wind)

Headwind was most of the way back though
We went through White Waltham, Drift Road and the Park again (the deer park this time)
Some of the road - Drift Road was very windy, and although you could try to shelter behind the others inveitably small separations at roundabouts etc, give the hard job of catching up into head wind.

44.32 miles @ 15.9 mph - so a very good average speed
1434 feet climbed to though not very hilly, more than I expected
https://www.strava.com/activities/964320924

LOts of PRs on the outward half and none on the return!

 

[Crackle]

A ride called "The Bleep of Death"

Garmins have a function that you can enable so that when you are moving imperceptibly slowly it assumes you've stopped (such as wheeling the bike around) so doesn't record the ride at that point

But there are one or two hills around here that are so steep that I go so slowly the Garmin assumes I've actually stopped and "bleeps" at me to tell me I've stopped....when I haven't. Today was one of those days.

Nice flattish ride out to south of Macclesfield, then a really hilly ride back to Glossop through the Macclesfield Forest. Tough climb up Meg Lane which is thankfully only about 800m long. Great view at the top looking across to Manchester and Cheshire

View attachment 350050


Charity Lane (what a misnomer that is) was next. It's OK apart from a 300m section that was 20-25%. That was my bleep of death moment

Up and Down all the way back to Glossop and I was pretty tired for the last few miles. All in all, 52 miles and 5,000ft of climbing

Buy yourself a speed sensor to avoid 'the bleep of death'. it's common on the mtn bike for me. I manage to find the breath to yell at it that I haven't farking stopped than you very much!