Your ride today....

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Margaret PR and Jules H on this one. We took the standard route to Strensham and Eckington in the mist. Combertons took us to Cropthorne and Fladbury where the mist finally vanished. Nice cafe but expensive. Return by Throckmorton and Wadborough in glorious sunshine. Keith W rode up to us on Kinnersley bank so a chat ensued. Usual run back with my energy levels dropping. 53 smiles

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Yesterday was my first ride out of the year, dusted off the e-bike and did the 25 mile round trip to the football. Boy, am I out of condition! Struggled a bit on the return trip and was really sore this morning so I thought I'd better start doing some regular runs. Headed out this afternoon to do a wee 10 mile country loop and 4 miles in, the puncture fairy visited. No bother, swapped out the tube (checking the inside of the tyre quickly), wheel back on, inflated with CO2 and immediately - pssssssssssss. Bugger. No more spare tubes but I did have scabs so wheel off, tyre completely off to check for nails/thorns etc (nothing) then I realised my problem - I only had 2 CO2 cylinders with me and I'd just used 1. I needed to find the puncture in the tube so I gave it a quick squirt then examined it minutely but couldn't see anything. I put everything back on and, in a futile gesture, used the last of the CO2 to reinflate the tyre. Immediately I got psssssssss. No more CO2, no pump, so it was the long walk of shame for me. I did hope that a passing cyclist might stop and let me use their pump but none of the six who passed me did. Oh well.

Now back home and I'll be looking up dome Marathon Pluses and digging out my pump again. CO2 can stay in the cupboard from now on.

 

[welsh dragon]

Yesterday was my first ride out of the year, dusted off the e-bike and did the 25 mile round trip to the football. Boy, am I out of condition! Struggled a bit on the return trip and was really sore this morning so I thought I'd better start doing some regular runs. Headed out this afternoon to do a wee 10 mile country loop and 4 miles in, the puncture fairy visited. No bother, swapped out the tube (checking the inside of the tyre quickly), wheel back on, inflated with CO2 and immediately - pssssssssssss. Bugger. No more spare tubes but I did have scabs so wheel off, tyre completely off to check for nails/thorns etc (nothing) then I realised my problem - I only had 2 CO2 cylinders with me and I'd just used 1. I needed to find the puncture in the tube so I gave it a quick squirt then examined it minutely but couldn't see anything. I put everything back on and, in a futile gesture, used the last of the CO2 to reinflate the tyre. Immediately I got psssssssss. No more CO2, no pump, so it was the long walk of shame for me. I did hope that a passing cyclist might stop and let me use their pump but none of the six who passed me did. Oh well.

Now back home and I'll be looking up dome Marathon Pluses and digging out my pump again. CO2 can stay in the cupboard from now on.

I love the CO2 cannisters. Never leave home without them

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Having been off the bike due to illness for much of the last 4 months and using Zwift to build up a level of fitness, the main bit that's lacking in my recovery was getting distance in on the road. A train ride to Manchester last week, the southerly wind and the forecast sun for yesterday said that a ride north to Alfreton would be a new and interesting route.

I plotted a route heading north along my (not recently used but flat) commuting route and then skirting the edge of Nottingham to give me two annoying Veloviewer squares. After a brief sojurn riding along the A52 where I was happy to be passed by another rider, I headed north west grabbing some more squares along the way. A nice climb to Cossall alongside a disused canal was followed by a steepish descent into Ilkeston itself near the new station. It was the sort of descent that would be quick if you knew the roads. The first unplanned detour took place on the climb toward Heanor where the presence of much CCTV meant I didn't fancy descending down a private road/footpath combination. This cost me 3 squares but gained me a different one.

A few miles north, I headed north from Aldercar along a road which had looked ok on Googlemaps but after 20mins of half riding/half walking, I gave up and headed back the way I'd come. The road had just deteriorated too much with deep, waterfilled ruts and potholes everywhere. I just didn't want to break anything or continue too much further. Skirted round the edge of Ripley edging north and had a nice long stop at Butterly station whilst I awaited a steam train! 42 miles completed, I was feeling the effects of the short and sharp hills round this way.

Despite Alfreton being only 3-4 miles away, I needed another 8 miles for the target of 50. The diversions had meant that I'd done more miles to the stop than I'd expected but the route was 11 miles long. Quickly planned a detour that meant I could finish smack on 50 and got to Alfreton station in good time for the train very exhausted. Looking back, the last 30miles had 2,200 ft of climbing in so it wasn't surprising that I was tired! Good training and a good day out!

You must be close to being ready for a ton to Lincoln

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Strange weather this morning woke to fog .Waited till 1000 lights still required as I rolled out the the door GPS said 5 degrees regretting the choice of fingerless mittens it happy with leg warmer choice .50 minutes the sun breaks throw as I get to John o Gaunt my J for the ABC thread quick photo then up Burrough hill and onto to Kirby Bellers for K properly warming up now . GPS now showing 14 degrees up Saxileby hill through Grimston where I stopped on a bench to remove my leg warmers properly warm now .On to Willoughby on the Wolds and the fog returns GPS back to 7 degrees warmer up so leg warmers stayed in my pocket into Loughborough to get L the road I approached on had now sign so through the town to get the sign as I leave . Finally the fog clears again back up to 14 degrees back to Anstey where I turn away from home up to Markfield for M then home via Newtown Linford for N. Home with a nice metric century 62.5 miles in the bag 5 letters for the ABC thread . Despite the fog it was a ride in great conditions for Feburary

Was brilliant sunshine and blue skies at ours this morning, by the time we got to Upperton Road it was thick fog, back home brilliant sunshine and blue skies. The difference in the weather just a mile or so apart (as the crow flies) was staggering

 

[NorthernDave]

Was brilliant sunshine and blue skies at ours this morning, by the time we got to Upperton Road it was thick fog, back home brilliant sunshine and blue skies. The difference in the weather just a mile or so apart (as the crow flies) was staggering

Walking the dog this morning - our street had blue sky and glorious sunshine, two streets away where the field is, thick fog!

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

I love the CO2 cannisters. Never leave home without them

Aye, but I'll be taking a pump with me from now on - maybe in addition to CO2

 

[cyberknight]

Strange weather this morning woke to fog .Waited till 1000 lights still required as I rolled out the the door GPS said 5 degrees regretting the choice of fingerless mittens it happy with leg warmer choice .50 minutes the sun breaks throw as I get to John o Gaunt my J for the ABC thread quick photo then up Burrough hill and onto to Kirby Bellers for K properly warming up now . GPS now showing 14 degrees up Saxileby hill through Grimston where I stopped on a bench to remove my leg warmers properly warm now .On to Willoughby on the Wolds and the fog returns GPS back to 7 degrees warmer up so leg warmers stayed in my pocket into Loughborough to get L the road I approached on had now sign so through the town to get the sign as I leave . Finally the fog clears again back up to 14 degrees back to Anstey where I turn away from home up to Markfield for M then home via Newtown Linford for N. Home with a nice metric century 62.5 miles in the bag 5 letters for the ABC thread . Despite the fog it was a ride in great conditions for Feburary

Was brilliant sunshine and blue skies at ours this morning, by the time we got to Upperton Road it was thick fog, back home brilliant sunshine and blue skies. The difference in the weather just a mile or so apart (as the crow flies) was staggering

garmin registered 1.2 c at 8.30 and maxxed out about 8 c at 1 pm , dense fog for 90 % of the ride and i had to dry my gloves out in the toilets at the canalside cafe in greater haywood

 

[tallliman]

You must be close to being ready for a ton to Lincoln

100km next weekend if the weather holds! Need to get commuting miles in too!

 

[Grant Fondo]

Another 20 mile bimble as I work on early season fitness. I loved the weather this morning - the fog is superb for photography. I saw a beautiful buzzard in a mist shrouded tree, I saw a majestic horse silhouetted against the river mist, I saw a horse and rider, in full dressage gear, with an imperial-looking dog sat looking up at them, as the fog lapped around their feet, there was a vintage tractor looking ghostly in a field of white. Just wished I'd taken my camera!

I did have my mobile phone on me, but when I tried to use it, all I could see was my own refection on the screen. I had no idea what I was taken photos of with the phone. But I did get the one below of the canal mist.

I know my mileage is not great compared to many, but these 20 / 30 milers feel like they've been doing me plenty of good. Won't be long before I'm back where I was last summer. I hope.

View attachment 454387

Lovely photo!

 

[theloafer]

think I might have killed Karon ...lol she is now soaking in a hot bath and says she aches everywhere needed to get her mileage up so planed a route just a bit longer than yesterdays but forgot to check the lumpy bits .... made it back home just , she was on her last bar on her battery weather was good but with a chilly wind when out of the sun ...we took a scenic route over to Hamsterly Forrest
they do nice coffee... was surprized when we arrived it was chocker ...never seen that many people there in the summer never mind in late feb
then I decided rather return home the usual way we would call in at Barnard Castle for the next coffee+snacks ..then the home leg on quite lanes .. round trip of 50 miles ..Karon did well .. https://www.strava.com/activities/2172756742

 

[Littgull]

Another fantastic ride in superb warm and sunny weather. My route was Littleborough - Slaithwaite (Slawit to the natives ) - Meltham - Holmfirth - Elland - Sowerby Bridge - Hebden Bridge - Littleborough. Total 53 miles, the first 29 miles comprised 3400 ft of climbing! But it was pretty flat after that.
Some pics taken on my route.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

The thing I like about this thread is seeing the huge variety of bikes used every day - not all carbon speed machines.

 

[EltonFrog]

The thing I like about this thread is seeing the huge variety of bikes used every day - not all carbon speed machines.

It’s the best thread on the whole of cyclechat.

 

[ColinJ]

View attachment 454452

Is that the tunnel under the M62 at Scammonden?