Your ride today....

[Glow worm]

A nice 11 miler here this afternoon out in the flatlands hereabouts. Just past Reach village a barn owl flew right past me. I stoppped as he approached and passed by within just a few feet giving me the beady eye!

Further out on the fen the mist descended pretty rapidly making for a nice atmospheric feel to things. Despite the gloom I managed to spot some of the over-wintering (Scandinavian) short eared owls, so the final owl spotting score for the day finished at:

Barn owls 1 - Short eared owls 3. So a decent result for the away team.

The mist descending on the fen.

No fog on top of the bridge - plenty below. I love winter on days like today. A bit of snow in the next few weeks and I'll be happy.

 

[Dave 123]

Less than 10 miles for me today for a few reasons, lack of time and lack of health. I must have gozzed out my own weight in snot rockets!

I saw a lot of chaffinches , a kestrel and some fieldfares. It was all misty and mellow, but at one point I was casting a shadow from the watery sun.

For Christmas I'd like to feel well.

Maybe I should ask Father Christmas. I'm very close to him. I might post a picture later....

https://www.strava.com/activities/805337640

 

[Dark46]

Hatton Locks the destination 32 miles the journey. A short but significant ride this morning, straight to the cafe, my first ride since my heart attack at the beginning of November. My pace has vanished in the month I've been off the bike, I've now got a top speed of 16-17mph and an average between 12 and 12.5mph. I was a bit nervous to start with but soon settled down and started to enjoy my ride. Its been a a dark dreary day and the lanes are covered in crap, it rained whilst we were in the cafe, but it was great to be out and about on the bike again.

Take it steady. Good that your back on the bike.

 

[Elybazza61]

Cracking solo ride today after the mist had dispersed a bit, good pace and no nut cases driving about.

Headed out towards Haddenham and then Earith then up to Somersham and a loop out near Pidley before back to Earith and down to Willingham.

From there it was along the busway and then off at Westwick through to Cottenham and then the 20p to Wilburton.

Took a little diversion at Grunty Fen to pick up the A10 back to Ely for a brisk 70kms and then a warm down poodle around the city.

New oversocks/Belgian booties courtesy of This Is Cambridge;

Some shiny thing in the sky at Grunty Fen;

And still cleanish at the end;

https://www.strava.com/activities/805437324

And the tiny warm down;

https://www.strava.com/activities/805437298


11,868kms now,getting close to that 12,000.

 

[13 rider]

Lacking enthusiasm this morning this years targets all met so suffering from apathy . Decided to do a hill I not done before . So set off Anstey ,Cropston ,Rothley ,Quorn and into Loughborough and onto the climb of Forest rd / Nanpantan rd about 4 miles of mainly uphill with steady drags and steeper bits thrown in couple of dips for a quick rest . Up the first bit easily but hit the traffic lights on red at the priory crossroads so lost my momentum just as the steeper bit starts . So grind my way up that section to the crossroads for Shepshed quick dip and then climbing again made that bit and another dip then the last 2 kicks before Copt Oak and I was huffing and puffing now but made it up now I know why I not done it before . Swung right at the lights and headed for St Bernards Abbey so more climbing . On to the climb to the Abbey then a nice quick descent into Shepshed . Round the back of Shepshed and past a bunch of Syston Syclers some festivally dressed . Round out to Belton and back towards the Abbey so now the climb of Swanimote rd steady grind up to the Abbey then I another quick descent through Oaks in Charnwood passing another group of Syston Syclers climbing up the hill heading for St Joseph's cafe . Back along Charley Rd to Beacon crossroads passing another small club group . Loads of riders out today saw three other big groups nice fast descent pass the golf course and then then Warren hill before Newtown Linford and home . 35.3 miles in the bag with 2085 feet of climbing average was 16.3 mph well happy with that with all the climbing . Got home and for the first time this year I had properly cold toes something I normally don't suffer with but it didn't seem that cold today​

 

[Donger]

All of my targets for 2016 already met, too. (First 100 miler, 12x metric centuries, 3,000 miles and 3 Alps), so I'm also on the wind down. There was the matter of one final club ride of the year though (my 30th this year), so I had an early start instead of lying in this fine Sunday morning.

Eight of us did a thirty-odd mile loop out to Stroud and back via Nailsworth and Frampton, with a coffee stop at Saul Marina. Weather was fine but chilly, and with fog all the way from Forest Green to Frocester, but it really was quite invigorating today.

Two big hills today. First Horsepools Hill on the Gloucester to Stroud road at Edge, and then Spring Hill up through Nailsworth to the Forest Green Rovers ground and onwards up to Nympsfield. The descent down Frocester Hill is usually one of my favourites, but it was a bit greasy today, and there were no views of the Severn to be had in the fog. Still nice not to have to pedal for a couple of miles though. Christmas coming soon, and I'll be on painting and decorating detail for the next few days. If that was to be my final ride of the year, then it was a good one to go out with. 32.7 miles for me.

Happy Christmas everyone. And enjoy your cycling in the New Year.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Part 3 today ( what part 3? that wasn't in the bloody script). Anyway, 35 odd miles down to the Forest and back with 3 other intrepid riders.

https://www.strava.com/activities/805446656/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-GB&v=1482068929

I stopped in to the Southampton Brewdog, and sampled a new brew called 'Self assembly pope' it's lovely, and a ( relatively ) puny 7.5% ABV.

It's coconut-y, but works. I had to make amends, and also sampled their latest 9% ABV. double IPA. Again, it's lovely, but evil.

A nice ( if not foggy ) ride.

 

[Dave 123]

He's here!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

36 miles the journey, Ullesthorpe the destination. my second ride and my first Sunday ride since the ride to the Charlecote Garden Store at the beginning of November. A direct route to the garden centre, out of Coventry through Wood End to Shilton and on through Withybrook to Monks Kirby and on through Claybrooke pava and onto Palmer's Garden Centre Ullesthorpe. I spent far to long in the cafe, a couple of friends of mine rolled in just after me and the Coventry Road club rolled in just after them, it would have been rude not to stop for a gossip. On the way back I turned right out of the Garden Centre then right again to go down Mere Lane onto the A5 then right on the roundabout towards Pailton and followed the road through to Stretton Under Fosse then right and left the other side of the village to take the lane towards Coombe Abbey then left and right onto the main road then past Coombe Abbey and into Coventry, took a right at the traffic lights onto Clifford Bridge Road then left into Belgrave Road and right onto Hipswell Highway across the Ansty Road onto Sewall Highway and across Coventry home. A brighter colder day than Thursday but some of the smaller lanes were still a bit mucky.

 

[dim]

set off early this morning (still misty), and cycled from Cambridge to a village called Thundrige, then came back on a different route/loop (97km on quiet roads with 750 meters of climbing and so far, this is my favourite route)

I struggled today ... I've cycled this route twice before, but today I just felt knackered. I stopped halfway for some water and a pee, and ate a bounty bar and was already feeling knackered .... I felt even worse knowing that I still had 50km of hills

I also hurt my groin halfway (was standing and pedalling up a steep hill and felt a sharp pain in my left leg groin .... so I sat and pedalled up the remaining steep hills. I'm not sure what that was about, but I feel fine now
https://www.strava.com/activities/805473067

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Just a quick run around Bronte Country to spin the legs before the Christmas couch takes me prisoner

The last time I went through Queensbury, we had a reasonable mist at home, & all the way along the M62, to 'Chain Bar'
Up the M606, & past Richard Dunn, it was maybe 200yards visibility at the most

This are from a previous trip up to Haworth (for a 'Woodentops' race)
For others, the Sub-Aqua Club is on top of a hill, in a village called Mountain............



By the time, I'd driven through Wibsey, & was passing the Highgate Fisheries, & Old Dophin, the mist was lifting
By Queenbury Crossroads, & the right turn towards Mountain & Denholme, we'd broken through, & had to use sun-visors, & squint, it was that bright!!
(I took daughter, & friend, to Haworth)


I did tell her how the 'Flappits' was assumed to have got its name (pic from a previous journey)

I had wanted to drive that way again, today, but couldn't get the day of work, or a shift-swap, for http://www.woodentops.org.uk/index.php?topic=stoop&subtopic=home

 

[Biff600]

Not a quick one today, as usual it was more to clear my hangover than to set any records

https://www.strava.com/activities/805333369

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I had a beer or two last night so had something of a lazy getup. However the weather was too good to miss out on so I decided to get out for a Long Mynd ride after lunch.

This has long been one of my favourite places to ride locally but I've neglected it this year having only done the one trip back in March. Since I was a little late getting out and it goes dark so early at this time of year I went the short way - Condover, Ryton, Longnor, Leebotwood and climbing up via Woolstaston and HIgh Park.

Nothing to report on the way to Leebotwood but once on the road to Woolstaston I became aware of a vehicle behind me. Looking back it was a large motor-caravan but was coming up the road very slowly like they weren't sure where they were going. After a while they did come past (fortunately not on the narrow bit) then pulled in just ahead before moving on again. I'm pretty sure they must have been lost but I didn't encounter them again so I hope they found where they were aiming for. It's rather a large vehicle for these lanes and wouldn't have been easy if they'd met any kind of other vehicle.

Being out of practice on this hill I was pleased to find it wasn't too bad and I was able to plod up without needing my lowest gear. I'd like to say I rode the whole thing without stops but at one point I was distracted looking at the view and steered into the bank at the side of the road.

At the top of the climb it was quite a bit colder (I'd climbed over 1000 feet in about 3 miles) so an extra fleece was needed before carrying on across the plateau to the summit. On the way I came up behind a lady walking, dinged my bell and she didn't look round but took her rucksack off and started ferreting around in it. Getting closer I said "Could I come past please" and got the response "Oh, it was you. I thought it was my mobile".

The views from the summit were great as always. I stopped for a short while to take it in and get a photo or two then moved onwards down to the road and doubled back towards Boiling Well and The Burway.

Going downhill I wasn't generating the warmth I had been on the way up so needed a change to full finger gloves by the bottom of The Burway. I extended the ride, coming home via Acton Burnell, and had a quicker trip than on the way out thanks to a bit of a tailwind. The sun was setting behind me and gave a fabulous display which my phone camera has as usual completely failed to do justice to.

32.5 miles at 12.2 mph average which is actually really good for the knockabout bike on this hilly route.

The view from the top of the High Park climb.

Crossing Wild Moor on the way to the summit.

Up by the Toposcope and the Trig Point

Heading back down towards Church Stretton now.

A shot of the sunset but the real colour was much more of a vivid orange than the camera captured.

 

[Arjimlad]

My son and I joined in the organised ride along the new link road around the south of Bristol today..Great fun.

 

[hondated]

A brief utility ride to the high street to get Xmas pressies for SWMBO. Not sure why I bothered, spent an hour walking around, found nothing, came home and ordered it all online in 5 minutes...

Oh dear oh dear I have still got to do that ! Surely a repaired water leak and kitchen ceiling is a good enough present. Isnt it !