Berk on a Bike
Veteran
- Location
- Yorkshire
Squeezed for time today so 37.5 miles this morning including 1,681ft of altitudiness. Er... that's it.
*bows*
*bows*
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Racing roadkill
Guru
They do that
After yesterday's 15 and a bit mile ride into a horrible wind, I set out again today hoping for a more enjoyable ride out.
The wind was negligible today and my aim was to complete part of the Wakefield Hospice Dark Peaks 'Hard' charity route (http://www.wakefieldhospice.org/Events/The-Wakefield-Hospice-Sportive-The-Dark-Peak) as a tester to see if I feel I can do the whole route at the end of September.
The route starts in Wakefield and virtually passes my house so, I started from home and cycled up the hill and completed part of the return leg and then part of the outward leg, completing just under 26 miles. (Unfortunately I paused the Strava app on my iPhone when I stopped to check my route and forgot to restart it hence it missing out part of my ride - ah well lesson learned!)
https://www.strava.com/activities/381020422
I now need to do the Holme Moss part next!
The wind was negligible today and my aim was to complete part of the Wakefield Hospice Dark Peaks 'Hard' charity route (http://www.wakefieldhospice.org/Events/The-Wakefield-Hospice-Sportive-The-Dark-Peak) as a tester to see if I feel I can do the whole route at the end of September.
The route starts in Wakefield and virtually passes my house so, I started from home and cycled up the hill and completed part of the return leg and then part of the outward leg, completing just under 26 miles. (Unfortunately I paused the Strava app on my iPhone when I stopped to check my route and forgot to restart it hence it missing out part of my ride - ah well lesson learned!)
https://www.strava.com/activities/381020422
I now need to do the Holme Moss part next!
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
5 miles my ride today. As soon as I got on the trail, I saw a man walking a bike. He had a flat, and we got his tire and tube off only to find a pinch flat right at the valve. I still tried to patch it, but another fellow had a tube, so we went with his solution, as mine(the patch) was destined not to work. Another fellow stopped by, and had a CO2 inflator, as the other fellow had a pump that was not working, and I was on my Raleigh, with regulation frame pump (for Schrader). But, betwixt the three of us, we were able to get him up and running, instead of walking 7 miles to his home, it does take a village at times.
85 F
28C
Winds N6
61% relative humidity
30.04 barometer
a few clouds.
85 F
28C
Winds N6
61% relative humidity
30.04 barometer
a few clouds.
biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
Well 13 miles and I think I need some new water proof trousers
Freds Dad
Veteran
- Location
- Gawsworth.
I did my first ride for 4 weeks yesterday. I've had a trapped nerve in my leg which was causing pain when walking. After much physio, acupuncture and drugs I decided to take a chance on going out for a ride with my lad.
A leisurely 17 miles later with a stop at Jodrell Bank cafe my leg feels fine this morning so I may be back on track to do 1500 miles this year.
A leisurely 17 miles later with a stop at Jodrell Bank cafe my leg feels fine this morning so I may be back on track to do 1500 miles this year.
ScotiaLass
Guru
- Location
- Middle Earth
I decided last night that it was looking good in the morning for a ride, and so I planned to go just after breakfast.
It was a nice morning, so once the lad was on the bus to school, I took off with the intention of just doing a short 15 mile loop on the MTB.
I headed off via Helix Park and up the towpath to the Falkirk Wheel, where I had a quick break.
It was there that I decided it was too nice to stop. So I headed back to the Helix and picked up the NCR 76.
30 miles later I got home
It was great - I just wish I had been on the hybrid and not the MTB, but still, it was a good workout!
The wind has picked up now and the sky has clouded over, as predicted. I think I timed it just right!
I even stopped to take some pics!
I don't mind this type of hold-up!
At the Wheel and a quick break...
Lock 15 and heading back to Helix Park
A Kelpie!
Crossing the River Carron to pick up the NCR 76
Nice view on a nice day!
The Clackmannan Bridge...my turn off point (going under it instead of over!)
And my turn around point, the Kincardine Bridge
Almost home and my horse friends were waiting for their Polo mints!
It was a nice morning, so once the lad was on the bus to school, I took off with the intention of just doing a short 15 mile loop on the MTB.
I headed off via Helix Park and up the towpath to the Falkirk Wheel, where I had a quick break.
It was there that I decided it was too nice to stop. So I headed back to the Helix and picked up the NCR 76.
30 miles later I got home
It was great - I just wish I had been on the hybrid and not the MTB, but still, it was a good workout!
The wind has picked up now and the sky has clouded over, as predicted. I think I timed it just right!
I even stopped to take some pics!
I don't mind this type of hold-up!
At the Wheel and a quick break...
Lock 15 and heading back to Helix Park
A Kelpie!
Crossing the River Carron to pick up the NCR 76
Nice view on a nice day!
The Clackmannan Bridge...my turn off point (going under it instead of over!)
And my turn around point, the Kincardine Bridge
Almost home and my horse friends were waiting for their Polo mints!
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Fubar
Legendary Member
Not today but yesterday, I had decided to do a bit of a prep ride for an upcoming 200k Audax which would scout out the start and end of the ride, missing out the very hilly middle bit. I know all the towns well but had never cycled through them, or tried to navigate using laminated cards.
It was a dry day and I left bang on 10am - progress was good as I followed my usual commuting route into Edinburgh. You can see North Berwick Law (hill) from quite a distance and that was to be my halfway marker. Where normally I would take the cycle paths I just stayed on the roads, which was a nice change, and going alone Ferry Road I nodded to a fellow roadie in an Edinburgh Bike Co-op top, heading out for his morning spin.
Portobello HIgh Street was easily navigated then Mussleburgh, where I had a bit of sparring with a MTB'er whom I was faster on the flat but was determined to get past me at every lights - hmmm, I pulled over to consult my sheets and let him have his moment. I couldn't see the audax registration hall but reckoned I was pretty close, and being on the right road this would be the Audax "start line". I head out from Mussleburgh and through Prestonpans and Cockenzie, passing the hulking remains of the Cockenzie Power Station - East Lothian's skeleton in it's industrial closet.
The road out to North Berwick from here is almost pancake flat, and I quickly caught the MTB'er again who was no match for my flat out speed - "Eat my Shorts, Dirt Muncher!" (I didn't say that, just thought it...
) Edinburgh Bike Co-op man joined me for a wee bit and when I told him my route he just nodded and said "good loop". He was on an out-and-back ride and didn't hang around too long.
I was making great progress at this point, through Aberlady and Gullane and reckoned I must have a bit of a tailwind as I was averaging almost 28kph - my thinking was "make hay..." etc while the going was good. To my surprise I reached North Berwick after 2 and a half hours, North Berwick Law looming in my view.
I stopped for coffee and cake at Steampunk Co, which I'd heard really good things about - it is really a bit of a hipster place, but it was a welcome stop on an increasingly hot day. Fortuitously it was also on the next part of my route, up Law Road and heading for Haddington.
It was here that the hills started and I started paying for my earlier nosebleeds - cramp has been an issue for me all year on longer rides and I could feel my legs stiffening - I decided to slow the pace and just grind out the climbs. I made it down into and through Haddington and, reading the instructions I fixated on Gifford as being the next stop, though looking back the card actually states:
44.1 TL (appears SO) on bend SP Gifford
44.5 SO Thro Tfl over bridge
44.7 TR B6368 SP Humbie/ Saltoun
(Note the short distance gaps between instructions, that I chose to totally ignore)
After a few miles I finally figured out I might be on the wrong route, though I was 4 miles from Gifford so I decided to keep going - thankfully in Gifford there was a very welcome sign pointing back to Tranent and eventually Edinburgh. This was a long drag but it hooked up with the road I would eventually (and hopefully) be taking to lead me back to the finish on the 200. It seemed to take an age to reach Tranent but after that I knew there was a long downhill crossing the A1 back into Mussleburgh.
In Mussleburgh I passed an ice cream shop with a big queue which gave me an idea - I wasn't going to queue in lycra but there was a garage that would sell ice lollies - 10 minutes later I was scoffing a Feast and a Wispa, washed down with a bottle of Diet Coke. I probably looked a sight sitting on a kerb in a garage swigging from a bottle.
Back into Edinburgh and back on my commuting route - Easy Street! Well, not quite. I had been cycling into a headwind for quite a bit and my speed was falling off the cliff, but there was no choice other than to keep plodding on. I stopped outside Dalmeny as I was feeling a bit ill (heat+feast+wispa+coke=
) and for some reason the Garmin kept going, so I stopped it, rested for 5 minutes and gave myself a stern talking to.
Onwards to the Forth Road Bridge and I'm looking at my Garmin - "why hasn't the distance moved?" "why isn't the clock moving?" "why... Oh balls!" I'd forgotten to restart it.
I probably only lost around 5k, no biggie but it shows I was tired.
The last 10k is all uphill but knowing I would soon be home I made it without stopping. Lying on the kitchen floor Mrs Fu asked "why do you do this to yourself?" - I'm not sure I can answer that!
What did I learn? Over a 200k I need to learn it's not a club run, I have to pace myself and not get involved in playing catch-up with other riders. I need to get my eating and drinking right and not wait, then stuff my face when I eventually grind to a halt. I need to have the route on my Garmin (and perhaps a map as well) and learn to follow directions. Oh and I need to have an answer to that question smarter than "I Dunno!"
(sorry for the rambling without photos, they won't upload for some reason) Ride Stats: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/882713232
It was a dry day and I left bang on 10am - progress was good as I followed my usual commuting route into Edinburgh. You can see North Berwick Law (hill) from quite a distance and that was to be my halfway marker. Where normally I would take the cycle paths I just stayed on the roads, which was a nice change, and going alone Ferry Road I nodded to a fellow roadie in an Edinburgh Bike Co-op top, heading out for his morning spin.
Portobello HIgh Street was easily navigated then Mussleburgh, where I had a bit of sparring with a MTB'er whom I was faster on the flat but was determined to get past me at every lights - hmmm, I pulled over to consult my sheets and let him have his moment. I couldn't see the audax registration hall but reckoned I was pretty close, and being on the right road this would be the Audax "start line". I head out from Mussleburgh and through Prestonpans and Cockenzie, passing the hulking remains of the Cockenzie Power Station - East Lothian's skeleton in it's industrial closet.
The road out to North Berwick from here is almost pancake flat, and I quickly caught the MTB'er again who was no match for my flat out speed - "Eat my Shorts, Dirt Muncher!" (I didn't say that, just thought it...
) Edinburgh Bike Co-op man joined me for a wee bit and when I told him my route he just nodded and said "good loop". He was on an out-and-back ride and didn't hang around too long. I was making great progress at this point, through Aberlady and Gullane and reckoned I must have a bit of a tailwind as I was averaging almost 28kph - my thinking was "make hay..." etc while the going was good. To my surprise I reached North Berwick after 2 and a half hours, North Berwick Law looming in my view.
I stopped for coffee and cake at Steampunk Co, which I'd heard really good things about - it is really a bit of a hipster place, but it was a welcome stop on an increasingly hot day. Fortuitously it was also on the next part of my route, up Law Road and heading for Haddington.
It was here that the hills started and I started paying for my earlier nosebleeds - cramp has been an issue for me all year on longer rides and I could feel my legs stiffening - I decided to slow the pace and just grind out the climbs. I made it down into and through Haddington and, reading the instructions I fixated on Gifford as being the next stop, though looking back the card actually states:
44.1 TL (appears SO) on bend SP Gifford
44.5 SO Thro Tfl over bridge
44.7 TR B6368 SP Humbie/ Saltoun
(Note the short distance gaps between instructions, that I chose to totally ignore)
After a few miles I finally figured out I might be on the wrong route, though I was 4 miles from Gifford so I decided to keep going - thankfully in Gifford there was a very welcome sign pointing back to Tranent and eventually Edinburgh. This was a long drag but it hooked up with the road I would eventually (and hopefully) be taking to lead me back to the finish on the 200. It seemed to take an age to reach Tranent but after that I knew there was a long downhill crossing the A1 back into Mussleburgh.
In Mussleburgh I passed an ice cream shop with a big queue which gave me an idea - I wasn't going to queue in lycra but there was a garage that would sell ice lollies - 10 minutes later I was scoffing a Feast and a Wispa, washed down with a bottle of Diet Coke. I probably looked a sight sitting on a kerb in a garage swigging from a bottle.
Back into Edinburgh and back on my commuting route - Easy Street! Well, not quite. I had been cycling into a headwind for quite a bit and my speed was falling off the cliff, but there was no choice other than to keep plodding on. I stopped outside Dalmeny as I was feeling a bit ill (heat+feast+wispa+coke=
) and for some reason the Garmin kept going, so I stopped it, rested for 5 minutes and gave myself a stern talking to.Onwards to the Forth Road Bridge and I'm looking at my Garmin - "why hasn't the distance moved?" "why isn't the clock moving?" "why... Oh balls!" I'd forgotten to restart it.
I probably only lost around 5k, no biggie but it shows I was tired.The last 10k is all uphill but knowing I would soon be home I made it without stopping. Lying on the kitchen floor Mrs Fu asked "why do you do this to yourself?" - I'm not sure I can answer that!
What did I learn? Over a 200k I need to learn it's not a club run, I have to pace myself and not get involved in playing catch-up with other riders. I need to get my eating and drinking right and not wait, then stuff my face when I eventually grind to a halt. I need to have the route on my Garmin (and perhaps a map as well) and learn to follow directions. Oh and I need to have an answer to that question smarter than "I Dunno!"
(sorry for the rambling without photos, they won't upload for some reason) Ride Stats: https://connect.garmin.com/activity/882713232
mrandmrspoves
Middle aged bald git.
- Location
- Narfuk
Here's a nice picture from our coffee stop on our Saturday ride from Mildenhall Cycle Rally to Bury St. Edmunds.
The picture is unspoiled by people getting in the way of the lovely bents!
The picture is unspoiled by people getting in the way of the lovely bents!
- Location
- Manchester
Love the kelpie pictureI decided last night that it was looking good in the morning for a ride, and so I planned to go just after breakfast.
It was a nice morning, so once the lad was on the bus to school, I took off with the intention of just doing a short 15 mile loop on the MTB.
I headed off via Helix Park and up the towpath to the Falkirk Wheel, where I had a quick break.
It was there that I decided it was too nice to stop. So I headed back to the Helix and picked up the NCR 67.
30 miles later I got home
It was great - I just wish I had been on the hybrid and not the MTB, but still, it was a good workout!
The wind has picked up now and the sky has clouded over, as predicted. I think I timed it just right!
I even stopped to take some pics!
View attachment 102202
I don't mind this type of hold-up!
View attachment 102203
At the Wheel and a quick break...
View attachment 102204
Lock 15 and heading back to Helix Park
View attachment 102205
A Kelpie!
View attachment 102206
Crossing the River Carron to pick up the NCR 76
View attachment 102207
Nice view on a nice day!
View attachment 102208
The Clackmannan Bridge...my turn off point (going under it instead of over!)
View attachment 102209
And my turn around point, the Kincardine Bridge
View attachment 102210
My horse friends were waiting for their Polo mints!
- Location
- Manchester
A rainy ride but it was soft, sweet smelling, summer rain, so I didn't mind. I went out to see if I could remember the way I'd been with a group to get to the Warburton Bridge and a different way back through Glazebrook. I did. I found a spot by a canal to eat my sandwiches but I had to retreat under a bridge when it started to rain again.
So a lovely bank holiday Monday 
in Leicaster sat at home watching dross on the TV so 1300 rain about stops so out with the bike . Took the 13 hybrid I have been neglecting it recently but with mudguards much better suited for bank holiday weather . So set of in damp conditions up through Newtown Linford right into Groby , Ratby ,Kirby Muxloe then back to Ratby were it started to rain .Took the cycle route from Ratby to Glenfield the best tarmac for miles around the council really went to town resurfacing it .Glenfield to Groby and Home to Anstey 11.6 miles at 12mph arrived home wet through but happy 
I strangely enjoy riding in the rain if its not cold except for rain on the glasses which is a pain. Took the milage for August up to 390 miles my biggest month yet well above my 200 a month target .
in Leicaster sat at home watching dross on the TV so 1300 rain about stops so out with the bike . Took the 13 hybrid I have been neglecting it recently but with mudguards much better suited for bank holiday weather . So set of in damp conditions up through Newtown Linford right into Groby , Ratby ,Kirby Muxloe then back to Ratby were it started to rain .Took the cycle route from Ratby to Glenfield the best tarmac for miles around the council really went to town resurfacing it .Glenfield to Groby and Home to Anstey 11.6 miles at 12mph arrived home wet through but happy I strangely enjoy riding in the rain if its not cold except for rain on the glasses which is a pain. Took the milage for August up to 390 miles my biggest month yet well above my 200 a month target .
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Sat around this morning waiting for the rain to clear, then decided to do a route heading straight back out into it 
Never did get worse than a constant drizzle, the carbon didn't melt, and I had an enjoyable ride around the mostly quiet roads of South Gloucestershire to Wotton, Sharpness and Thornbury. No hills of any great significance, and with mostly favourable winds I made the metric century in 3.36, which I think is a new PB.
Never did get worse than a constant drizzle, the carbon didn't melt, and I had an enjoyable ride around the mostly quiet roads of South Gloucestershire to Wotton, Sharpness and Thornbury. No hills of any great significance, and with mostly favourable winds I made the metric century in 3.36, which I think is a new PB.
- Location
- Manchester
I had to post this ^ as I was interrupted!
So, I did 29 miles but somehow it felt longer. After 3 long rides with groups recently, I really noticed the difference between riding in a group and on my own. It's so much easier to keep going and to go faster when you're with other people.
The bridge over The Bridgewater Canal in Lymm, I retreated under to finish my sandwiches, when it started raining hard.
I saw this foal feeding when I was passing their field on the East Lancs cycle path near Boothstown.
Diggs
Veteran
- Location
- Billericay, Essex
I think we can safely say that it was pretty wet from the moment I left the house this morning but I was quite enjoying it, the roads were clear, I had the winter bike with guards on and there were a few other cyclists out.
I must admit though with all the surface water , even with my overshoes on my feet were getting very wet, gloves soaked and heavy, I finally decided to peel off from the loop I planned and take a shortcut home. That said, I still managed 26 miles .
I must admit though with all the surface water , even with my overshoes on my feet were getting very wet, gloves soaked and heavy, I finally decided to peel off from the loop I planned and take a shortcut home. That said, I still managed 26 miles .
