Your ride today....

[Gravity Aided]

Very windy this weekend, but 7.1 miles this day as I tested out my new 700x25 tires on the Trek 600, the color bands match the bicycle, something I could not have done had I tried to do so. Hot, so only one other rider, and windy as well, as it was for the metric century which passed near my house yesterday, while I was at work.
86F
Winds S23 G32
Relative humidity 48%
Barometer 29.99 1016.2mb
Longer rides, maybe soon. I see the surgeon about my legs later this week.

 

[cosmicbike]

Back on the commute again tonight. Still windy. My amusement for the evening was whilst waiting at the red lights (I know, some of us cyclists do this apparently) at the Crooked Billet, a particularly creaky and squeaky BSO went past on the pavement. It had 'Stealth' on the toptube....

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

We all met up at the Ludlow HQ. John B and his brother David would do their own thing. Mrs 26 would ride to the first control with Andy G, Margaret PR and me. The weather wasn't drastic. Just very windy. We had a bit of a shower in the early afternoon but that blew over fairly quickly. Our route is always a new one on this challenge so we took a very new route to Leintwardine for the run up the Redlake River valley to take our first noticeable climb out of the valley up and over into the next valley at Clun. First control reached safely so some small amount of refreshments were taken.

Mrs 26 headed back by a different route while we three headed into the Kerry Hills to top out at Two Crosses on the ridgeway. Boy was it blowing up there. Very strong wind. We had the joy of a long descent before the twisty lane to the Churchstoke control and lunch.

Setting out again we looped away from the main road to take to the Onny valley before looping uphill and around by Hopesay and onto control 3 at Aston on Clun. Now we only had one final climb over Shelderton Rock before a fast descent to Onibury where our second Red Kite was spotted. Only a fast run over the Race Course and Golf Course remained before we returned to HQ and our awaiting medals. Another Highland Challenge in the bag! 66 smiles

 

[Stonechat]

Club ride today

Destination was Sonning Common
Regular leader handed over leading for some of the ride to someone else.
Unfortunately, speed went up when ever he was at the front, by 2/3 of the ride I was off the back, not the only one.
Spent too much energy trying to keep up, Could only manage a slower pace

Route out was Through Runnymede, Windsor, White Waltham and Twyford
Route back was through Henley, White Waltham again, Drift Road and Windsor Gt Park.

Though I need a little more fitness, this was too hard on a blustery day where riders get seperated, which hapens with traffice,it was heads down mentality not looking at the riders at the back who are battling to catch up. Regular leader was OK when he took a turn
https://www.strava.com/activities/1031440582

 

[cosmicbike]

Club ride today

Destination was Sonning Common
Regular leader handed over leading for some of the ride to someone else.
Unfortunately, speed went up when ever he was at the front, by 2/3 of the ride I was off the back, not the only one.
Spent too much energy trying to keep up, Could only manage a slower pace

Route out was Through Runnymede, Windsor, White Waltham and Twyford
Route back was through Henley, White Waltham again, Drift Road and Windsor Gt Park.

Though I need a little more fitness, this was too hard on a blustery day where riders get seperated, which hapens with traffice,it was heads down mentality not looking at the riders at the back who are battling to catch up. Regular leader was OK when he took a turn
https://www.strava.com/activities/1031440582

Couldn't make it yet again, but have shamelessly copied the route for later this week, hopefully it's a nice one...

 

[Shut Up Legs]

This morning, a repeat of Saturday's Mt Dandenong ride (which I posted in this thread a few pages back), same distance and climbing, and my legs feel better than ever. But are they Mortirolo ready? I don't know: that climb scares the cr#p out of me, to be honest. I'll just have to do it and hope it doesn't leave me too knackered for the climb that follows it on that day: ascending to Passo di Gavia from the south.

 

[rugby bloke]

Yesterday was the Rutland Border Epique, so it was an early start to head over to the border into Leicestershire, arriving at the splendid Cafe Ventoux just before 8 am. After registering I wandered into the cafe / boutique but I restricted myself to a coffee and after a bit of mild bike fettling was on the road around 8.45. I took the first few miles easy, aware of the challenges ahead. The ride takes you through some lovely countryside, quite roads of pretty good quality (they must have a different budget to Northants CC !), quick descents, sharp climbs but not much wind ... it seemed. I think we were either protected by high hedges or had the benefit of a tale wind.
The first feed station was reached after 30 miles in the village of Owston. As usual with this event there was plenty of food and drink to be had, plus the unexpected company of lads from various rugby clubs. Suitably refreshed it was time to tackle the middle third. This is the easiest part of the route, flat roads swinging north of Oakham and East towards Stamford, The legs felt good and by my standards, rapid progress was being made. The only challenge came after Stamford, swinging west into the headwind, with a couple of big climbs quickly drained the legs and I was happy to reach the second feed station at South Luffingham after 55 miles. Plenty more food was taken on board and notes swopped with other riders I was shadowing.
19 miles to go, easy, anyone can cycle 19 miles ... that was the theory. In practice, the series of climbs and the 20 mph headwind was brutal and I was soon just counting down, mile by mile. Breaking point very nearly came after 70 miles. We had passed Eyebrook Reservoir and had to conquer Harborough Hill. A mile of climbing - I was reduced to 4 mph but pride and bloody mindedness meant I would not get of the bike !
After that it was relatively easy ... and soon we were back in the Tugby village and enjoying a free beer and bbq back at Cafe Ventoux. Chatting with other riders the opinion was the same - great ride, hard final 20.
Would I do it again, of course, I'll just have to arrange a still day !.
I rode the 75 miler, some cycling gods took on the 111 long course, I stand in awe of them.

5 hours 37 minutes moving time, an mighty average of 13.3 mph. But in my defense there was a tad under 5,000 ft of climbing - which is a mountain stage by East Midlands standards.

 

[mjr]

There I was nearly at my destination, next thing I know I'm 50k away in a different city entirely!

Now I've farked up in the Netherlands many times but I think the worst error yet added 4 miles. 50km? How many signs must you have passed pointing to Dordrecht, let alone other places near it? That's truly epic.

Mistakes-a paper map would have been good, but I didn't know I was coming until Saturday evening!

Simply noting down the junction numbers from opencyclemap or similar whenever you found wifi would have helped, although you might have ended up backtracking or switching to destination signs if things went wrong. And VVVs (TICs) seemed to sell the paper maps if you wanted them.

View attachment 356602 Some where're in Yorkshire I just kept turning right till I arrived back at the Caravan

Congratulations on your self-restraint not writing "RONNIE" in the obvious gap!

 

[Dave 123]

Now I've farked up in the Netherlands many times but I think the worst error yet added 4 miles. 50km? How many signs must you have passed pointing to Dordrecht, let alone other places near it? That's truly epic.


Simply noting down the junction numbers from opencyclemap or similar whenever you found wifi would have helped, although you might have ended up backtracking or switching to destination signs if things went wrong. And VVVs (TICs) seemed to sell the paper maps if you wanted them.


Congratulations on your self-restraint not writing "RONNIE" in the obvious gap!

I'd asked a local for Dordrecht. He replied 'Utrecht', but I didn't hear him right, having thought he'd said Dordrecht. Within a couple of minutes I knew what had happened, and I was quite willing to roll with it. We were going to Utrecht. I had no set plan anyhow. It was the best bit of my trip.

 

[mjr]

I'd asked a local for Dordrecht. He replied 'Utrecht', but I didn't hear him right, having thought he'd said Dordrecht. Within a couple of minutes I knew what had happened, and I was quite willing to roll with it. We were going to Utrecht. I had no set plan anyhow. It was the best bit of my trip.

Ah right. It read a bit like you had no chance to correct it! I rode Utrecht-Dordrecht last year and it was a fun ride: coffee by some sort of gatehouse, saw a recumbent speed trial, had lunch by a ski slope, a line of windmills near Grote Ammers, ice cream in Schoonhoven... maybe not in that order.

 

[galaxy]

I was Gardening yesterday Morning when s happy bunch of Luctonians came cycling down the lane, enjoying them selves far too much.
I managed to squeeze a little 9.2 miles in in the afternoon.

 

[Dave 123]

Ah right. It read a bit like you had no chance to correct it! I rode Utrecht-Dordrecht last year and it was a fun ride: coffee by some sort of gatehouse, saw a recumbent speed trial, had lunch by a ski slope, a line of windmills near Grote Ammers, ice cream in Schoonhoven... maybe not in that order.

As I was coming to the end of our ride together I considered telling Jasper what had happened, but I left him without telling him the truth!
If I ever see him again though...

 

[Reynard]

Just a quick 4 mile fizz to the post office for me this morning.

Cycling was lovely where it was sheltered, but away from the hedges and out in the fen, the wind was... not very conducive to going very far very fast. I got blown across the road a couple of times as well, though thank goodness there wasn't much in the way of traffic.

Got overtaken and wished a good morning by a couple of cheery chappies in full kit on their roadies. Muggins was wearing jeans and a lycra top - hybrid gear for a utility ride.

Was good to get out for a spin. The forecast is for the wind to start dropping overnight, so looking forward to a longer ride tomorrow.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Just commuting miles but using the Galaxy today to try out my new B17N saddle. I hereby apologise to everyone I've silently cursed when reading claims that their new Brooks was comfy straight out of the box. After long break-in periods for my previous three leather saddles I didn't think it was really possible, but this one has proved me wrong.

I had a reasonably strong tailwind on the way in and set a good average speed of 16.1mph which was very nice. It was still about the same strength and direction on the way home but didn't hinder too badly so the average was still 15.4 by the time I got home.

22.6 miles for the day. No photos this time.

 

[gavgav]

A short ride after work, with the wind blowing like a ruddy hoolie from the West yet again. I've had my new bike for 2 months now and have still to enjoy a ride with a calm wind!

Headed up the cycle paths to Heathgates and then along Whitchurch Road, through Sundorne and down the Pimley Bridleway to Uffington. Out onto the road and enjoyed the wind behind me to Upton Magna, before climbing up East Haughmond hill, overtaking 2 cyclists in the process (doesn't happen very often for me ).

Enjoyed a wind assisted descent back round to Upton Magna, before I turned into it to Berwick Wharf and it was like someone had tied a trailer of bricks on the back end of the bike.

Crossed Atcham bridge and then up Chilton lane, to Betton, before a final battle into the headwind home.

18.7 miles at 13.4mph avg speed.