Your ride today....

[Glow worm]

Just a quick 12 miler out on the fen here today after work (I may have snook off a bit early)

Reach Lode from the bridge.

Stopped for a brew from the flask at Burwell Fen watching the over- wintering short eared owls, and put my feet up for a bit.

A cracking sunset here in the flatlands today. With the temp close to freezing I headed home. Didn't see a soul for miles. It's good to know there are still some fairly large areas of quiet if you know where to find them,

 

[Elybazza61]

One of my favourite birds, don't seeround here though

See them quite a lot around here;major surprise about yesterdays was how close it was to the housing estate,never seen one that close to the city before.

No Barn Owls today just an easy spin in from Waterbeach;

https://www.strava.com/activities/501770192

 

[User19783]

Had my first geared bike ride Of the year,
I've been waiting a long time to get out on the Genesis bike as I as brought a new
www.billambergstudio.com saddle,
And the verdict is, bloody brilliant,really comfortable, I love Brooks saddle, but now , I've been converted.
So the ride was out and back, Abingdon Wantage Upton Streatly Wantage Abingdon.
The photos are :
Streatly hill approach
Aldworth the Bell inn
Aldworth water well.
I have no idea how miles or how long i was out for, but a great ride.

 

[redvision95]

Test rode a friends bike with the view to purchasing it.
26 miles of rocks, mud, canal towpath, trees hitting me in the face and sliding off.
Lots of fun

 

[Old jon]

I must be wearing some grooves in the tarmac, the way I keep repeating rides. Out in the bright sun yet again, south and east of Leeds so around Holbeck, through Hunslet to Stourton and under the railway bridge. Up past the Arla depot where it looked like a wagon driver had overfilled the diesel tank. I have not so fond memories of how slippery that stuff is . . . John O' Gaunts, Woodlesford, Swillington and Garforth. Just for a change :--



which adds about four miles to the round trip. Another change, I called in the café at Lotherton Hall and dawdled over coffee and munch. Blissfully warm !!

Leaving Lotherton, autopilot kicked in so the trio of villages ( Aberford, Barwick, Scholes ) followed by the three lanes ( Thorner, Skeltons, Red Hall ) and a grin factor 6.0 whizzz of Boot Hill.

FYI
To measure grin factor for any event, estimate the length of top teeth visible below top lip.

 

[Spartak]

Attempted to meet friends this morning who where passing thru Pucklechurch but alas I missed them ! Due to an icy stretch which had to be walked at the top of Coxgrove Hill.
With this in mind I decided to stay on minor roads rather than country lanes.

So I headed out thru Chipping Sodbury, Wickwar & Kingswood before climbing up to Wotton under Edge for a cappuccino & flapjack in Parsons Bakery.

Stopped on leaving Wotton to take picture of view

Headed back via Charfied & Rangeworthy which is part of a local TT course ( will have to give it a go when the Evening 10's start ).

A thoroughly enjoyable couple of hours riding just over 50 kms.

 

[Goonerobes]

After an almost spring like morning, it turned cold by the time I got out as the sun went in & the chilly north-westerly breeze had a distinct bite to it as I made my way up through Furzley & Hampworth to Redlynch on the northern tip of the New Forest.

Now warmed up, I decided to explore a new road on the way back which I thought may be either a dead end or dirt track but turned out to be a rather pleasant country lane along side farmed fields leading me back to Nomansland. From there it was back through Bramshaw to Furzley & home for a 30 mile round trip.

https://www.strava.com/activities/501994567

This sight made me smile as when I got chatting to the home owner he said he fed forest ponies at the same time every day & now his own horses had cottoned on to this & also wait by the gate for a feed!

When I see little fellas like this I'm so glad I know longer eat them as I don't think I could stop & look them in the eye if I did.

I had no choice but to stop when faced with this slow moving peloton coming towards me today.

 

[Jon George]

A near 40 mile spin out to the north-west of Ipswich in the sun.

Out near Great Finborough (where the late, great John Peel used to live.)

A new route from Needham to Claydon I'd never used before.

Strangely enough, I couldn't see this in the view-finder as it approached Wattisham airfield - its cloaking device?

 

[gavgav]

Have spent the week in the office gazing out of the window at the stunning sunshine, wishing I was out there on the bike, so did the next best thing and got a short ride in this evening, in perfect calm weather. I've forgotten how good it is to ride with no wind, being as we've had 2 years of near constant strong stuff!

Headed up Lyth Hill to Exfords Green and nipped up to Stapleton Common and round to dads for 15 minutes. Unfortunately had some bad news whilst there, which put a bit of a dampener on the rest of the trip. Dad has done freelance work for a local builder, ever since I can remember and he even grew up virtually next door to the chap when he was little. Met him quite a few times and he was always a lovely bloke and has been good to dad since mum passed away. However he was found dead on Tuesday at the age of 57, having never been ill in his life . Live your life while you can people.

Returned through Condover to Betton and home.

16.1 miles

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Have spent the week in the office gazing out of the window at the stunning sunshine, wishing I was out there on the bike, so did the next best thing and got a short ride in this evening, in perfect calm weather. I've forgotten how good it is to ride with no wind, being as we've had 2 years of near constant strong stuff!

Headed up Lyth Hill to Exfords Green and nipped up to Stapleton Common and round to dads for 15 minutes. Unfortunately had some bad news whilst there, which put a bit of a dampener on the rest of the trip. Dad has done freelance work for a local builder, ever since I can remember and he even grew up virtually next door to the chap when he was little. Met him quite a few times and he was always a lovely bloke and has been good to dad since mum passed away. However he was found dead on Tuesday at the age of 57, having never been ill in his life . Live your life while you can people.

Returned through Condover to Betton and home.

16.1 miles

A like for the ride but for the news.

 

[Stonechat]

Couldn't decide what to do for a ride so settled on some familiar roads, and about 30 miles

Headed over Staines Bridge and round Egham the 'back way' to go up Prune Hill.
Crossed through the Great Park through the deer park, and picked up Drift Road, part of a well known local TT course.

Managed part of this - 5 miles in 14 mins 58 seconds, but did not keep up that speed
Did the 9 miles loop in 31:13, just outside my best time, the segment is here
Drift Road loop

Came back down the switchcback of a road alongside the great park and Looped through Virginia Water on the way back

Did overall 31.6 miles @17 mph, and 1184 feet climbed

Quite pleased with that average speed as I was not at 100% full throttle
Strava analysis shows 6% zone 1, 46% zone 2, 34% zone 3, 13% zone 4 and 1% zone 5.

Managed a good couple of shorter rides this week as needed to do a bit less that last week's 160+ miles
Will be usual club ride on Sunday.

Today's ride
https://www.strava.com/activities/502633852/

 

[Archeress]

To stay in the half century a month challenge I needed to get out on the bike. I plotted a route out to Berkley and back. Was cold, damn cold, so didn't hang around to take any photos (sorry). Had a great time on the descent from Leyhill to the motorway, 37mph top speed and a kindly HGV driver respectfully kept the road clear behind me, staying a good 40m back. Gave him a great big wave as he went northbound on the M5.

Stopped for some nice tea and toast in the Berkley Tea Rooms and then another stop at Old Down for coffee and cake. I knew there was a 2 mile long climb up to Old Down and had stupidly set the Garmin to display my location on the gradient profile. The gradient profile up to old down looked like an exponential curve that you might have drawn in mathemtaics classes, going almost vertical at the top, big mistake! After leaving Old Down I had to loose all that altitude before climbing back out from Lower Almondsbury. 32.5 miles at an average 13.1mph

Strava is here: https://www.strava.com/activities/502696087

Hugs
Archeress x

 

[Old jon]

Off the leash again. The morning was a bit dull, no problem, less chance of an ice aided landing on tarmac. I had a more careful look at the map and managed to find a bit of a variation on one of my usual routes. So, the normal Holbeck hopscotch, ( see below ) followed by Great Wilson Street, Crown Point Road, Roseville Road and Roundhay Road. First change, turn left at the Oakwood Clock, up Prince's Avenue ( ? ) to Street Lane, turn right and cross the Ring Road and up the road to Slaid Hill. It looks an easy climb, I reckon more practice might make it that way . . .

Along Wike ridge to Wike and turn left on Forge Lane, which leads on to the A 61 Leeds Harrogate road, and at the entrance to Harewood House turn right for the Collingham road. By the time I got there it was well chilly, so left along to Wattle Syke where I turned right, up to the roundabout and right along West Woods Way to Bramham, right turn for Thorner :--



and a grin factor 8 rattle along the three lanes and down Boot Hill. Returned to my front door having covered 30.8 miles and in need of a shower.

** I read, years ago, that Keith Waterhouse and Peter O' Toole were both raised in this area, I think close to Parkside. Anyway, Peter O' Toole christened the form of cricket ( Where the batsman's legs were the wicket ) played by schoolboys, Hunsbeck cricket. HUNSlet and holBECK.

 

[Alex H]

A quick trip this afternoon, now the rain has stopped and it's . To St Cyr via Le Petit Vedeix, where this cross stands at the roadside.

Clearly it had been there a long time, as it's well worn, but I didn't quite see why it's classified as an Historical Monument.

Until I noticed this;

Not very clear, but that looks like 1659 to me.

25km in just over an hour (using a bike indoors over the winter does work then - even though it's only a short time each day )

 

[mybike]

We've had a few dry days so I thought I'd venture out along the canal.

The daffs are growing on the manicured lawns outside the apartments - but don't moor your boat here.

I usually come back by those houses, it makes a nice change to ride on tarmac road after the rough and muddy towpath.

The long view, it doesn't last for long. On the left is the railway, barely visible among the trees which they were cutting, up ahead is the railway bridge over the canal.

The back of the Watermill hotel. I've ridden over this bridge for a year and only noticed it today. Since the river Bulbourne runs parallel to the canal, and sometimes in it, there is always an excess of water spilling out of the canal. And especially now.

What looks like the remains of old cress beds that were a thriving business hereabouts. The earlier photo with the railway on the left was probably once cress beds too.

The towpath wasn't as dry as I hoped.

As you near Berhamsted the towpath becomes more civilised and has flowers planted along it.

Well this boat certainly wasn't here when I came out earlier. Fortunately there wasn't much traffic on the canal but who would you tell?

11.3 miles max 18 avg 6.3 mph. Year to date, 42.9 miles