Your ride today....

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cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
Well that wasn't fun. Last nights commute in to work was hard going, the wind was horrible and seemed to be willing me to go home, but on the plus side it wasn't raining.
Unlike tis morning at 7 o'clock when it was time to ride home:rain::rain::rain:It was raining really quite a lot, are largely of the horizontal type:sad: That was a tough 8 miles home this morning. I took the slightly shorter route, but fighting 45mph winds after a 12hr night shift I don't think it mattered whether I was doing 5 miles or 50 miles. Soaked through on the bottom half after a mile, on the plus side the top stayed bone dry, still loving the Endura FS260 waterproof. I don't mind getting wet, but it got to the point where being blown around was dangerous, so tonight I've used common sense and bought the van. Took just as long to get to work, oh how I hate sitting in traffic:angry:
 

mybike

Grumblin at Garmin on the Granny Gear
Being somewhat behind target I was desperate to do some cycling. So I went out yesterday afternoon despite the moist atmosphere. Today's, of course was simply wet! By the time I'd actually set off it was raining and the first canal bridge I came to was useful as a shelter while I put a jacket on. I commented to a passing cyclist that I'd timed it badly, he smugly commented that he would soon be home!

I hadn't travelled far when I came across this chap, he attracted a number of people who stood nearby hoping for some action. He was still there on my return.

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Somewhat later there was this other fisherman.

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I was riding a bit faster along the towpath, partly because there were few people around and partly to keep warm. It was not a nice day, and I'd also pumped my tyres up harder than is comfortable on the towpath.

I rode a bit slower when I rode along Pix Farm Lane for as I came around the corner I could see the sign warning of resurfacing. I certainly didn't make top speed on that segment. (video to follow)



My best time along here is 2:37, the best time is 1:49.8, I did it yesterday in 4:26.8.

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10.4 miles max 17 avg 7.2 mph. Year to date, 164.7 miles, Target 500 miles
 
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Donger

Convoi Exceptionnel
Location
Quedgeley, Glos.
Missed Sunday's club ride due to a sudden eldercare crisis with Mrs Donger's uncle in Nottingham, and we've been either up and down the motorway or else stuck near the phone ever since, cringeing whenever it rings. A bit of a blast from the past for me. Was going stir crazy after 6 days without a ride, so after we'd received some more encouraging news, I was pleased to get the green light.

Just the usual flat 20 mile return trip to Frampton on Severn and back, but the weather was far from the usual today. Was soaked through twice on this ride (heavy rain and hail), but completely dried out again twice in the combination of sunshine and wind in between the showers. Horrendous headwind on the way out .... went hell for leather along the village green in Frampton, but only recorded a speed of 8.6mph!! :eek: The return trip was a breeze. Literally. Barely had to put in any effort to hit 16mph and could have gone much faster if I'd wanted to.

Today just went to prove that the weather really doesn't matter. It is possible to love every minute of a ride even when it's blowing a gale and tipping buckets. It's just nice to be able to get out there at all, and you have to count your blessings if you can get out. Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to turn out for an audax on Saturday. I've talked a few friends into signing up for their first one, and it might be considered bad form not to turn up myself!
 

Dave 123

Legendary Member
So after a wet, hurricane day In Utrecht and more rain and wind forecast Thursday & Friday I've decided to cut my losses rather than stay in hotels.

It's been a funny week. My original plan was to cycle home from Plymouth, but with Mrs Dave's sleepless night on Thursday and a wedding on Friday she didn't fancy the drive home. Added to this was a time limit, the boy wonder had to be in work by 5 pm Saturday, so it was easier for me to drive back.

Instead of doing a ride from home I chose Holland. If I'd have stayed in the Uk I'd have had a rough day too on Tuesday. Trust me to take off the dodgy week in June (and there's one most years!)

So today's ride was a bloody saga I can tell you. I found the central station in Utrecht easily, but buying a ticket proved to be fun. I had to talk to a woman through an intercom on 4 different occasions. The machine didn't like my card. Eventually a passer by told me to go upstairs and speak to a human (I love Dutch people, they're great!) So I had to carry my bike up 2 flights of steps as my pannier wouldn't let the rear wheel in the groove.

I took the train to Schiedam central, changing at Rotterdam central, more stairs!
The station bloke told me I needed platform 8. I found it. There was a train on platform 9 just behind me for a good 5 minutes. As it pulled away I noticed it said Schiedam central! I only had to wait a few minutes!

Once on the train I watched the wet world go by, trees bent double. The train stopped, no announcement. A whistle blew...... oh sh1t! This was my stop!!!
I just escaped. What a dickhead!

It was piddling down outside, so I got kitted up. I eventually found a Hoek sign and set off into a bloody hurricane. There were tree branches everywhere, drips on me nose that I was afraid to wipe off as I didn't want to let go of the bars!

Then the signs dried up. I'll admit to getting a bit sweary. I also knew it was dead funny. Round and round in circles I went. A lovely lady helped me, and then another, and another. All 3 were lovely but one was hot! Her attractiveness sent away my woes for a while!

I entered Maasluis.
A windmill
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The red bike route sign sent me into a school car park. I went round the front, flayed by the wind. A staff member was out the front trying to light a fag. He laughed, I pulled comedy pain faces!
More confusion followed. An old fella redirected me. At a junction another lack of signs. A couple of builders came to my aid. With all the red signs was a tiny GREEN sign..... oh yes, change the colour now why don't you!

This fun ride was about to take a turn for the slightly more interesting.. a Dutch mountain. Hoek van Holland- 10K! This was 10k up the Neiuwwater, a dead straight open channel of water with a 30mph headwind!
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Off in the distance are a couple of tower blocks, about 3k further on is where I joined the party. There were some nice wildflowers-vipers bugloss, poppy, bladder campion and Rosa rugosa growing prostrate, no bloody wonder!

The Stenna boat came into view, I got a spurt of energy. Up a rise on the dyke, on the down bit I went backwards as a gust took me. There were several places along this 10k that I nearly came off!

The lovely girl at the kiosk changed my booking for €2.40.

I would have got the train to Hoek, but as the song goes, this train don't stop here anymore
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My next task is to find a place to camp In Harwich, I think there is a pub 4 miles from the terminal.

I may ride home tomorrow, but I might ride to Ipswich and take a train, I'll see how the wind blows.

And so to sum up. Mistakes-a paper map would have been good, but I didn't know I was coming until Saturday evening!

Phones- Mrs Dave says I have a knack of f*cking up technology. I have a European data pass but it wouldn't work. I will go and roast EE.

Did I enjoy it? Of course I did!

Am I now going to the pub with Mrs Dave, Patrick & Christine on Friday night?

Yes, I am.

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Simontm

Veteran
Stole a few more hours this morning with a meandering 44 miles to Windsor and back, mostly in headwind. For some reason I ended up on the A30 to Staines but most of that was coned off so had a lane to myself (they had just set them out so no works going on).

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The two maps are because for some reason my phone lost all signal so had to restart it and strava.
Despite the wind kept up a good average even with the bike sometimes blowing out from under me! Bike's still impressing me but there was a sound on each full revolution that was bugging me- turned out to be the plastic tag I didn't realise was still on the disc rotor.
Up to Windsor for a coke and flapjack stop...

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... then back down through Runnymede where an impatient Chrysler almost spoiled my day.
Back through to Walton via thameside then Hurst Park road and a group of forlorn kids looking through the school fence at their ball. To much cheers , I stopped and returned the ball. 'If one kid in the future can look kindly at the large Lycra-clad cyclists in the future,' I thought, 'Then that truncated segment would be worth it!';)
Job done I rode off into the sunset...

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...well nearly into the back of a BMW that broke suddenly later on. My hydraulics are good, didn't expect an endo!
:laugh::laugh::laugh::becool:
 
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twentysix by twentyfive

Clinging on tightly
Location
Over the Hill
6 of us met in Upton. Pete M, Sara P, Margaret PR, Rich B, Jules H and lil ole me. Ralph R turned up for a brief chat before heading off with a "jobs to be done" excuse. The wind was strong and some concern was expressed about the route. Reassured we headed off as per plan down the Hams and over the Severn at Haw Bridge. We took the usual round by Deerhurst to cross the A38 and head over the open ground to Gotherington. At Gretton Sara headed home whilst we took a few yards to check out the Steam Railway station at Greet. Further on we paused at the bridge where the steam train was expected. Sure enough it chuffed through smoothly. Now it was just a small hill to the cafe above Hailes Abbey.

Our return would involve some headwind we thought. Fortunately the westerly had swung to a south westerly so, with a bit of a modification we were able to take shelter from the hedges. It was the usual run by Stanway and on to Wormington where brain nav selected the Aston Somerville run for a change and more hedges. Things went well over the open ground from Hinton Cross. Around the northern flanks of Bredon Hill lead us to battle that wind by Great Comberton. Now we were on a standard run so we knew the next headwind section would be up to Strensham. All good tho' as Rich was riding well today so we only needed to knock a rev off occasionally. Back in Upton we headed our separate ways with me taking my standard run back. Lovely outing and we did manage to neutralise the worst of that wind. 73 smiles today.
 

PeteXXX

Cake or ice cream? The choice is endless ...
Location
Hamtun
A busy weekend but managed to get for a couple of nice rides:
On Saturday I set out heading East then went for a wander North and West and even managed to find a decent place for coffee and cake in Moulton. 37 Miles.

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On Sunday it was distinctly breezy so I thought I would head West into the wind and hopefully get the benefit of the wind through the lumpy middle section. According to my bike computer I had ridden 60 miles,which was the plan but Strava pegged me back to 57 - an alternative fact if ever I heard one ! Just about managed to dodge the rain, after watching it coming in from the west all morning.
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Good to get some proper miles under the wheels, feeling slightly more prepares for the Rutland sportive next week.
You were that close to mine that you could have popped in for a cuppa!! :okay:
 

PeteXXX

Cake or ice cream? The choice is endless ...
Location
Hamtun
Todays ride, posted, rarely, today!
After an 01:45 finish at w*rk and bed at 02:45, this morning, the alarm clock was set for the stupid time of 07:15 :cry:

Still, the plan was already in place. Call into a mates house at about 08:45, then onto meet up with another friend at 09:15 to push into a headwind that varied between 20 mph and 35 mph all the way to Daventry to watch the amazing ladies set off on the Women's Tour.
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Firstly though, we wandered through the Team area. This is the Canyon disc brake setup atop the team car.

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A bell sounded when there were 4 minutes to the off, then at 2 minutes, a respectful minutes silence was held in memory of the recent attacks.
Once helmets were donned, they set off on a circuit of the town before the start at Long Buckby.

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As the ladies left for their 100 miles (without a cake stop!!), we had other plans....

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Off to the Whilton Marina cafe for syrup sponge and custard washed down with a cuppa :laugh:



And a video of the start..

Fully sustained, we headed back to Northampton. Happily, we had a tailwind most of the way back, with time to call into the historical Gt. Brington church for a looksee before going our separate ways home.

Home on 40 miles, happy with a great day out.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1025115519

:smile:

Apparently, according to a lass I know who txt me earlier, I'm on the telly by the start line :becool:
 

jayonabike

Powered by caffeine & whisky
Location
Hertfordshire
100k solo non stop ride

I've been off work this week and was hoping to get a few rides in but the weather has been awful. Today's forecast wasn't as bad (18mph winds and a small chance of rain) so I decided to go out but with no planned route or distance. After 30 minutes or so I felt good and decided to head to Thame and loop back, a ride of 60 miles or so. As I went through Gt.Missenden the road I needed was closed for resurfacing.
Bugger.
I thought I'd just ride and see where I ended up. Wendover was up next then over to the lanes and villages south of Leighton Buzzard. By this time it was pi$$ing down so I started heading home. Not far from home I had 53 miles on the Garmin, the rain had stopped so I added a few more miles to give me the 100k
Hard work in the wind but thoroughly enjoyed it.

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cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
After a missed commute last night as I ran Cubs so bit short on time, I was back on the bike tonight. Much more pleasant now the wind has dropped a little, a little rain at 3 miles turned into a lot of rain at 5 miles so a pause to don wet weather jacket before extending the commute an extra couple of miles.
Hoping to get a bit of time off soon, itching to get the ICE Trice out again.
 
Ride from Wednesday as we were coming home yesterday

It was rather a sad visit to Devonn as the main pupose of our stay was to see Mrs S's brother who is very ill and who ended our stay in hospital
We also met up with family who were visiting which took much of the time.

With poor weather, I only managed 3 rides

Went on a loop to Slapton Ley alongside the lake and up the very steep hill. inland and back again.
27.59 miles with 2635 feet of climbing
11.9 mph average

Was managing the steep climb out of Slapton Village until rear wheel hit some dirt and spun out to one side. No chance of getting started again.
However though all rides were short with lots of clmbing did reasonably well.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1024987402

The 3 rides totalled only 68 miles with 7582 feet of climbing
 
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rugby bloke

Veteran
Location
Northamptonshire
Finally going stir crazy after 3 days off the bike because of the weather. The wind had at least dropped to a sensible speed and the rain did not look very close. In the end it was still pretty windy and there were some hairy moments being blown sideways riding down the Bedford Road whilst mixing it with the commuter traffic. Funnily enough I did not see another cyclist out ! 26 wobbly miles, it killed the time nicely until it was time to watch Paula.
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I had to replace a snapped spoke in the rear wheel so that meant off with the cassette and out with the spoke key. I got it straight and back together. It is always with a little trepidation that I get on a bike who's wheel I have repaired but, detecting no calamity in the first few hundred metres, I pressed on.

I must have pushed slightly harder tonight as I beat my best time with an average 16.7mph

Will try to get out again at the weekend.
In the past I have replace spokes no problem and retrued as necessar.
As I have better wheels now with flat spokes, have not yet had to do it

Short sharp showers have deterred me from riding today
 
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