Your ride today....

[Rickshaw Phil]

Just a quick blast before lunch for me today. I used the Dawes and did a familiar loop round the edge of Shrewsbury then out to Montford Bridge, Great Ness, Pentre, Melverley then back through Halfway House, Westbury, Nox, Lea Cross, Exfords Green and over Lyth Hill.

I was against the wind from Great Ness to Melverley but still managed to press on at a good pace and enjoyed the lanes. Had something shouted at me from a passing car for the first time in ages but didn't hear what it was (probably just as well).

After Melverley the wind was at my back and the pace got better (apart from the climb by Prince's Oak). Thought I was going to be collected by a BMW whose driver looked but didn't see me and started to pull out at Westbury.

From Westbury to Nox the road is straight, slightly downhill for a good two or three miles and the wind was directly behind me. I spent most of this section at between 20 and 27 mph and thoroughly enjoyed.

It wasn't so quick after that but still pretty good for me. I had to contend with a bit of traffic on the climb over Lyth Hill as the queues are still on the main road and people are using the lane to rat-run.

33.5 miles at 15.7 mph average. Liked that.

No photos as I was too busy

 

[cosmicbike]

Quick pootle out this evening. Through Bushy Park, up to Stanwell and Stanwell Moor where I saw a path to take...if I was on a MTB so turned around and went back on the road to Wraysbury, Staines then up through Egham, Thorpe, Chertsey and Weybridge where on the dual carriage way from St George's College an HGV decided to overtake me by not using the other lane, cue heart in mouth and much swearing. Anyway, Walton, Hampton Court, home.
35miles, 2:04
View attachment 362050

The path you refer to, rather jokingly a shared cyclepath, used to be my daily commute. Hard going it was, so I now use the new one through Stanwell Village down to the A30 at Ashford Hospital. The bumpy one is due for renewal, in Summer/Autumn 2018....

 

[swansonj]

The Irish Aviation Authority Radar Station on Mount Gabriel, Mizen peninsular, County Cork, on four successive days this week:

If we were here for a second week, I might even have got a photo with a blue sky!

Altitude 1300 feet (and we've been staying at a cottage at sea level so I get to do the whole lot), the last 900 on the dedicated radar-station-only road, so delighfully free of traffic. As pleasant a reason as any for nipping out in an evening when the rest of the family are putting four more pieces (if they're lucky) into the fiendishly difficult jigsaw puzzle we've brought with us...

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I thought I'd try some hilly lanes I haven't ridden for a while. Let's see if they are still hilly or has weathering made them easier? So off over the Alfrick Pound climb lead me to turn earlier than usual and take the tiny lane upwards through beautiful woodland. The tarmac was silky smooth unlike the many previous times when it was very rough and potholed. Over the top I encountered 5 horse riders. All good as we sorted ourselves out. The lane drops out below Crews Hill (another climb I haven't done for a while). Not today tho' as I pointed at the double climb of Suckley Knowle and Linley Green before dropping to the main Bromyard road. I turned very soon for Whitbourne and the steep drop to the bridge over the ford for a very steep climb out of that small valley. The climb eases but continues for some time bringing me out at Clifton-on-Teme (should be -well-above-Teme!). A rider passed me here but took to the main road while I dropped into another valley for a steep climb out. I dropped steeply again past the Stoke Bliss turn and took a little run along the main Tenbury road before climbing again on the lane for Hampton Charles. This one begins steeply and eases slightly but just keeps on giving. My legs began to complain. For a change at Hampton Charles I took the very little used lane for Grendon Green. Then after Bredenbury I turned for Crowels Ash and Munderfield Stocks. Now I had a lovely descent into the Frome valley but that meant climbing back out to Acton Green and my legs were saying all the wrong things. Now it was just the Alfrick Pound climb to do again before running homeward. I'd got held up at the level crossing as I was heading out earlier, now I was held up again. Should I take up train spotting? That was a pleasant revisit to some of the lesser used lanes today. I can report that no weathering of note has reduced the climbing required but I'm happy with that. Lovely lanes with little traffic. Wonderful. 56 smiles and 4060 feet climbed so not officially hilly (need 100 feet/mile I'm told).

 

[Simontm]

Just a quick one today; Chessington, Epsom and up to the Downs where I singularly failed to get a decent picture...

That thur Lundun...
No, it is really...
Anyway, under the race course, down and up Langley Vale and down to Ashtead.
Over Leatherhead, Fetcham, Bookham, Effingham, Downside, Cobham and Oxshott.
Scared a van driver on the bomb down from Esher in the Portsmouth road - I don't think he realised a bike can do 30mph, over the Scillies and home.
29miles, 1:55

 

[mybike]

So, having only had a short ride this week I decided to try and get a ride in today. Trouble is, I was feeling a bit rough after driving home from my mothers and the weather looked as if it might rain.

Well, it didn't rain, in fact there was sunshine at the very end.

A lot of people seem to be working on their boats at the moment.

But then... It was the annual school fun run. So I waited and waited and waited a little bit more until they were out of sight. Then I rode on slowly.

And I caught them up again. In case you're wondering, no they weren't running very fast, if at all.

So I cycled on slowly until I came to the Butty Lyra. For those who don't know (and haven't followed the short cut) a butty boat is an unpowered narrow boat that is usually towed by a powered boat. There was an interesting display on the butty boat so it gave me something to do while I waited for the towpath to clear.

At last I was on my way, but I screeched to a halt to take this photo. I've seen a similar boat before but the car body was black. So maybe they've repainted it?

OK, so you know how when you've got past an obstacle you suddenly find they've turned round and are coming your way? Yes, I'd suddenly met the front of the Fun Run, who were running! Some seemed to have the idea of running along a shared path, others found it difficult to comprehend a bike coming toward them on a narrow path, and there were those who were so busy chatting they weren't looking.

Eventually I got passed them and reached Berkhamsted, where I purchased a sandwich at Waitrose.

My turnround point was a spot I've used before. It's fairly quiet and sheltered and has a seat.

There was even some blue sky - it must be summer

This coot (?) shared a bit of my sandwich, hastening off to feed some chicks. It's the size of their feet that amaze me.

15.4 miles max 20.6 avg 7.7 mph. Year to date, 225.9 miles, Target 500 miles

 

[cosmicbike]

Back to the enthralling commute today. Quick on the way in meant only one thing, a headwind home

 

[NorthernDave]

Just back from a few days in Northumberland and managed to get in a ride each day.

Here's the first one from Tuesdays ride, and special thanks must go to @User9609 who very kindly put together an excellent circular route for me to follow.

However, you know what they say about best laid plans, don't you..?

So, Tuesday dawned, wet, grey and 'orrible. Unlike the forecast which had predicted showers first thing, then drying / brightening during the morning with sunny intervals from there on in.
By half nine, I'd been hanging about looking out of the window for too long and decided that it had started to brighten up and I'd set off. Travelling light I'd not got a great deal of kit with me so was a bit limited in layering options, but put on what I had and set off into the grey.
There was a threat of rain in the air, which occasionally materialised, but I made good time out of Beadnell, through Swinhoe and out to Chathill, where I was just in time for the level crossing barriers to close as the first proper shower of the day arrived.
Fortunately as the barriers lifted, so did the rain and I carried on through the village and after a fairly short run, took a left up the hill at Preston, past the tower and down the other side, before gently climbing up towards the A1.
This is where @User9609 's local knowledge came in as rather than a dicey sprint along the A1, I was directed onto a side road and then an access road that took me on a rough but tarmac road through some woods and to an underpass under the Great North Road, climbing up the other side into North Charlton, where the real climbing began as the route twisted up into the hills.

Unfortunately, the weather decided that I was clearly having too much fun at this point and started to close in again.
This is wild countryside up here (and this coming from a Yorkshireman) with scarcely a soul to be seen and as I passed through the windfarm it started to rain again and the wind got up (probably why all those turbines are sited here...) I really wasn't wearing the right kit for the ride and as I spotted Hangwell Law a mile or so off in the distance, with the road climbing beyond it and vanishing into the rain / low cloud I decided that it really might be a bit foolish to push on only being clad in light summer kit, and a showerproof jacket that was fighting a losing battle when I'd no idea what laid ahead.
Despite constant climbing for the last few miles I was also starting to feel cold and with Garmin showing the temperature dropping into single figures, I took the sensible option and turned back.
After about a mile or so, I'd at least descended down out of the rain, so paused for a minute to message Mrs ND that I was OK and on my way back and take a couple of photos:

As I was getting back on the bike a van approached and stopped, the driver asking if I was OK - which was decent of him. I assured him that I was and I was heading back down off the hills and he wished me well and went on his way.
The descent was fun, although I didn't go mad due to the wet / damp road surfaces but did enough to keep the legs moving and produce a bit of heat. Needless to say, the descent was much faster than the climb had been!
Back through Chathill. then Swinhoe and the scenic way into Beadnell, before stopping on Harbour Road for a pic of the bike on front of the sea wall as the day finally started to brighten up:

A quick circuit round just to bump the mileage up a bit and back into the holiday apartment for a hot shower and some food.

19.03 miles (30.6km) in 1h 35m at an average of just 12.0mph with 918ft climbed

So, not the day in the saddle that I'd got planned, but I enjoyed what I managed, weather aside and want to thank @User9609 for going to the trouble to put a great route together that I'll definitely attempt again next time I'm up there.

Funnily enough, I didn't see any other cyclists at all apart from a couple on tourers in Beadnell as I set off - clearly other folk have more sense! And for what it's worth, the distant hills stayed shrouded in mist and murk until about 3pm that afternoon, although it did eventually brighten up at the coast.

And now, the map:

 

[Stonechat]

Away over the weekend ( for a funeral on Monday), so made the most of today's ride.

After a quick diversion to Shepperton, over Chertsey Bridge and up the Thorpe bypass to the outskirts of Egham, then out and over Chobham Common and on towards Windlesham, a quick diversion to see if the bridge had reopened (no), Then on to Lightwater and turned back through Chobham and a nice quiet way back to Chertsey via Philpotts Lane, and out via Addlestone and home.

Kept the speed high and made it pacy.

36.1 miles @ 17.4 mph
787 feet climbed so not hilly but definitely not flat.
Good workout

https://www.strava.com/activities/1082781521

 

[Racing roadkill]

I got this months imperial century banker ride in today.

I rode up to Look mum no Hands, on Old street.

A nice American lady took a picture of me and my bike outside Buck House.

London Skyline from Victoria Embankment.

I made it.

Beer, the best burger I've ever eaten (LMNH burger) massive burger, egg, Avocado, onions, a brioche bun, and fries, for about 8 quid, absolutely lovely too. Plus a beer, and the TdF on a massive screen. Happy days.

A Pilsner Urquell, in Parsons Green.

Then I headed back. I got as far as Woking, then the Garmin started being a total c03k, so I stopped everything, chucked the bike on the train, and headed for home. It gave up the ghost at 125 odd miles, so that was good enough. I've got another 100 miler tomorrow, so so didn't have time to do the last 50 miles today, to make the full 170 mile trip today.

125 miles ridden, a fantastic route into London via some of the Surrey Hills, I'll have to have a close look at the route home to see if there's anything in it, that made the Garmin drop a b0ll0ck.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1083231224/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1500052983

 

[TeeShot]

Did one of my favourite rides yesterday. Met a friend in Poynton late morning and set off towards the Brickworks. Bit breezy at the top as usual so didn't hang around and descended into Kettleshulme. Windgather lived up to its name but great views and only one car in 20 minutes Down into the Goyt valley and then my favourite climb up to the Cat and Fiddle pub. Coffee and cake in the Peak view cafe and then back through Bollington to our starting place.

No Cateye or GPS so the only stat is our combined age, 140yrs.

A couple of dodgy snaps that don't come close to sharing the glorious Peak District views

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

View attachment 362199

You can breath out now

 

[Racing roadkill]

[QUOTE 4880435, member: 9609"]you certainly look like a proper cyclist with a tiny body mounted on over developed legs - must give wonderful power to weight ratio, my guess is you would be difficult to keep up with on a big hill.[/QUOTE]
About 5.5 W / Kg apparently. I like Hills, especially Continental hills that go on forever.

 

[Racing roadkill]

You can breath out now

My abdominal muscles started going into spasm, I couldn't bloody breathe in or out, I thought I was going to pass out

 

[Simontm]

I got this months imperial century banker ride in today.



[

https://www.strava.com/activities/1083231224/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1500052983

Apart from the fact you went down the Hampton Court Way...aaannd I was probably up on the Downs by then, coulda made you a coffee!