Your ride today....

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Donger

Convoi Exceptionnel
Location
Quedgeley, Glos.
I was the only one daft enough to turn up for the club ride today. Took a bit of will power to get out at 08:45 in that downpour, but I needed to test out my recently adjusted saddle and, prior to an audax in Wales next week, my wet weather kit. Stuck mostly to the route of the club ride, but avoided the lowlands by the river near Ashleworth. Rode out to Redmarley d'Abitot via Hartpury and Staunton and back via Staunton, Highleadon and Rudford. Thankfully it stopped raining after about half an hour, though I did get a massive soaking from an idiot driver who set off a bow wave that a cruise liner would have been proud of.
A tad under 35 miles for me today .... most of them enjoyable.
Cheers, Donger.
 
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The_Weekend_Report_Guy

Pablo's Cycling Tours
Location
Coín, Málaga
Let's get this going

I am making this as I go with it.

Last 3 days we had a group of Dutchies here, 2 couples and it was nice to see couples cycling together. One of the ladies wasn’t all that strong so she was on a E-MTB, perfect solution to those who don’t want to leave the wife behind if you ask me. So after that little introduction lets see what we did.

MTBiking with the Dutchies – Day 1
Keep in mind that they are not advance cyclists or anything like that so the rides are not WoW or epic.. Just people doing something that they like and enjoy.

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MTBiking with the Dutchies – Day 2
This day the ladies decided to go shopping instead of cycling so the boys wanted to do some real climbing!

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MTBiking with the Dutchies – Day 3 – Thanks for trusting us!
Everyone came out to play today!! We had a lot of fun as well..!! Look!

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Best pic from the week!!

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And they went home today. Great 3 days for them and this is the second time they come, we must be doing something right because they want to come next year again.
 
After being nearly blown off the bike on Friday due to strong gusts I thought today might be a better ride, I was right. Still a bit breezy but no gusts. I managed to find a dry window of weather this morning although the roads were pretty wet and filthy from yesterdays rain. I just did a usual trip to Cotton and back which I knew would get me back before lunch as we had arranged to go out with family. It was quite a warm ride at 16 degrees and perhaps I had too much on as I ended up sweating buckets. I had my leggings on, a base layer and short sleeve over the top. Sweat was dripping from my head. Still, it was an enjoyable ride except for the wasp that landed on my arm and decided to sting me. This is the second time this year, a few months back it was on my neck, double sting. Is it just me or do others get stung as well ? I saw flocks of goldfinches, one green woodpecker and a kestrel (possibly two but may have been the same one !). All in all a good ride. 21.6 miles at 17.6mph average. Boy, am I glad of those mudguards !
 

13 rider

Guru
Location
leicester
After last month's big weekend to watch the world championships I have had a dip in my mojo still out riding but not done any long rides both century's challenges to be completed . Today's forecast was wet . Woke this morning to rain as expected checked the weather app and better after dinner so ideas of a long ride was canned . Finally out the door at 12.45 when it stopped raining. Did a standard 50 km loop out to Wymeswold . Just as I got to my village sign a strange squidgy feel from the rear wheel yes a puncture !!! . Miles in the bag 30.6 miles !. As thread monitor for the 50km challenge I simply couldn't leave it there I have admonished people for bailing further away from target than that . So puncture easily located a small bit of flint sticking out the tyre ,new tube fitted and rode home . 32.4 miles in the bag , didn't get rained on but certainly needed the overshoes due to wet roads and lots of mini rivers crossing the road and a flood in Wymeswold
 

The_Weekend_Report_Guy

Pablo's Cycling Tours
Location
Coín, Málaga
Remember what I was training for?

Come on!! you remember me doing all the training to improve my time up a local climb called El Repetidor de Mijas, well today was the day and the result was:

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I did it!! Was a pain and I think I was tired and can be improved a bit more.. While doing this I reach a FTP of 361W that will be my new number to work around with, previous training was done with a 314W FTP, you can always pass your best numbers in this climb.
Weather conditions while climbing were near perfect! I could have done better without the slight head wind in some sections but it was great and felt good, tired but good.

Some images from today?

At the start..!

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At the top! It was a cloud sitting there!

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On my way down..

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My face after knowing I bested my previous time!!! Happy man!

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I also made a little video that I posted in Instagram Click here if you want to see it

All that hard work paid off.. 1:03 min faster then the previous time!!

2 more climbs to try to beat during the week..!
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
Nice ride with the girls, we avoided the rain thanks to my Met Office app watching skills :becool:
I did set out for the meeting point across town at 9, we did a circular route incorporating the infamous Kelvingrove park (many free wandering dogs there!), some of the Forth and Clyde canal, return via Scotstoun and the Clyde.
On getting back to town, I noticed that I had only 22 miles on the clock, so I rode out to Clarkson with one of the girls, she lives there.
That gave me another 10 miles by the time I got home via Hampden Park, the football stadium.
As forecast, it started to rain heavily after 3pm, by then I was long home, carrot cake in the oven ^_^
Some pictures of the day:
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PatrickPending

Legendary Member
Location
Leicester
My ride yesterday -
120Km - Blaby - Willoughby Waterlys - Ashby Parva - Gilmorton - Walcote -South Kilworth - Stanford - Cold Ashby - Naseby - - - Sibertoft - Marston Trussel - East Farndon -Lubenham - Gumley - Laughton - Gumley - Laughton (again) -Mowsley - Saddington - Fleckney - Arnesby - Peatling Magna - Bruntingthorpe - Upper Bruntingthorpe - Walton - Kimcote - Gilmorton - Kimcote (again) - Peatling Parva - Ashby Magna - Countesthorpe

Quite nice, was originally going to go down to Brixworth but bike was making strange noises when going up steep hills so opted for a flatter route. Garmin 800 kept showing some sort of diagnostic screen too which was annoying - in spite of resetting it many a time (turn on off, power up with buttons pressed, power up with finger top left corner) - it was useless so kept to routes I knew. Of course it behaved itself after I reset it when I got home but not sure it can be trusted now. Also I'll save the bike inspection for later - I don't usually ride the Ti bike over winter so its time to put it to bed for winter. Still enjoyable if rather exhausting ride. Must remember to take something to eat next time I do rides this long.....I was starving when I got back...
 

Rickshaw Phil

Overconfidentii Vulgaris
Moderator
Time for the October challenge ride and with a promising day forecast I got out early yesterday to rack up another century. I used the Raleigh and went for an easier route after suffering on the hills last month.

I had my first pre-dawn start of the season so lights were obviously wanted and headed south to start with for Condover, Cantlop, Acton Burnell, Folly Bank and Cardington. This early on a Saturday was nice and quiet on the roads and the ride went well. A light headwind was no bother and it was good to get the big climb of the day (Folly Bank) out of the way early on while I was still fresh.

After Cardington I swung round to the north and would have the wind behind me for roughly the next 40 miles. A second-breakfast stop was taken in a gateway between Harley and Cressage where I also saw the first group of cyclists I'd encounter today. Restarting, I took a rather meandering route heading through Harnage Grange, Cressage, Eyton-on-Severn, Wroxeter, Upton Forge and Upton Magna. A text from home warned about the possibilty of flooding later in the ride so adding little bits of distance here and there seemed prudent - going out of my way to The Lees, after Withington being an example.

Heading through Rodington Heath, Roden and Shawbury was some of the best riding of the day, being pretty flat and having a nice tailwind. I found myself cruising at an easy 16 mph for most of this bit. I stopped for elevenses at Moreton Corbet then headed over Palms Hill to Wem - not one of my favourite sections of road usually but the drivers behaved fairly well (the car stuffed into a hedge on one of the corners may have reminded them to take it steady) and the three worst bits of the road have been repaired since I was last here.

I didn't stop in Wem but carried on though town and onto some quieter roads through Lowe, Poolhead, Northwood, Bettisfield and Breaden Heath to make a change from my usual route through Welshampton. It also avoids the muddy section by The Stocks but you pay for it with a steep descent into a little valley and the resulting climb out the other side.

I decided not to stop in Ellesmere but headed for Gobowen using the national cycle route. Having had a really easy ride so far, this is where things started to go a bit awry when a shower rolled in at Crickett. Finding shelter under some trees, it seemed like a good time to have my lunch and fortunately the rain didn't last too long. I'd expected to find mud on this section of the ride and there was plenty as anticipated but it didn't prepare me for what I found after Hindford where at least a mile of the lane was two to three inches deep in sloppy slurry which was being deposited by a convoy of tractors shuttling between fields. I was most thankful for my mudguards but even those didn't keep all of it off.

Gobowen was next up. I passed another rider headed the other way whose jaw dropped when he saw the state of my bike - hope he wasn't headed the way I'd just come as his pristine bike didn't have 'guards on.:whistle: Leaving town I had a moment when turning off towards Tre-wern - I shoulder-checked to be sure I'd got a gap, stuck my arm out clearly and the **** in a white BMW overtook anyway.:angry:

I'd calmed by the time I got into Oswestry but fate wasn't letting me get away that easy. Heading out of town on Salop Road a driver coming the other way flashed a car waiting to join from a side road on my right and they just pulled out into my path :eek: resulting in my rather lairy skid due to the wet road and just missing bouncing off their nearside wing. There must have been something in the water today as only a mile further on I found the police dealing with the aftermath of a car-on-car crash which looked like similar circumstances. I'll gloss over the driver who started an overtake only to swing right just as they got alongside. :rolleyes:

Around Woolston the rain started again. I found a bit of shelter but the next shower was following close behind, and the next after that. Each time it stopped before I had time to put on waterproofs. I went to Maesbrook but already had a fair idea what I'd find there - the road was flooded and impassable (at least for those who don't want to spend the next 20 miles with their feet sloshing). I headed for Knockin and the rain started again but since I was already wet I ignored it this time. At Knockin though it got heavier so I found shelter under a tree and had a break. When the rain didn't look like stopping I grudgingly put the waterproofs on..... at which point the rain did stop.:crazy: I decided to keep the clobber on but started to overheat in the sunshine so had to stop yet again.

By the time I got to Pentre the mileage I had left to go was looking really marginal. At Shelton I thought I had just enough in hand to get the hundred miles but wasn't absolutely sure so took a left towards Porthill and headed through the Quarry which was quite busy with people out enjoying the weather (it apparently hadn't rained here).

I finished with 102.42 miles at 13.4 mph moving average. I had more stops than usual even by my standards so the total time was just under 10 hours. Just glad to be home safely after this one.

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Starting off before it gets light.

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Looking autumnal at Cardington.

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The view to the hills from near Eyton on Severn

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At Shawbury.

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Moreton Corbet Castle.

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Easy riding between Wem and Northwood.

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Less easy riding on horrible mud-covered lanes at Hindford. (This wasn't the worst bit)

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Time to change the route at Maesbrook. From the flow that I could see the water was still rising at this point.

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At Knockin.

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Rural traffic hold up at Edgerley.
 
On Saturday (late as usual, but there we go) I had a chance for a ride and for once didn't spend nearly as long planning the ride as actually riding. Instead I set off west, a direction I generally avoid on account of it having hills and a number of towns.

I don't like towns, which is probably why I found nothing worth photographing for most of the first hour, although I did make an exception when I got to the tram route currently being built. Here's "My bike in front of a half finished tram line":

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Urban scenery followed through several suburbs of Stuttgart. This was because I was making a loop around a valley in an attempt to avoid climbing. I managed to stay on a fairly level route and and was feeling pretty smug, then promptly got stuck in a second valley with an even steeper climb out. Then, finally, forest.

Pause for generic "bike in German woodland" picture:

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A few kilometres along the trail I found this interesting feature:

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"Boundary of the training area of the US Forces. Entry at own risk"

Hmm...

The sign underneath says "No unauthorised entry". On the other hand, the map showed the cycleway going this way, and if the US military really wanted to stop people getting in, they could have had a fence across the cycleway. It was pretty obviously a well used path, so I carried on.

One of the things prohibited on the sign was taking pictures so I can't show you the wide gravel road and the signs warning of mines, or indeed the high fences with signs like "Grenade training area" on them.

On the other hand, I didn't get shot, blown up or suffer any of the other misfortunes the sign warned of.

After passing the military base itself, and then an rifle range, I came to this sign:

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You may have the most powerful military in the world, but don't you even think of mucking up our forest with your nasty big tanks, or we'll... we'll send you a sharply worded letter. In German.

After another discouraging sign (this time for the IBM Germany HQ) which tried to persuade us that there was no way to the cycleway that was clearly visible a few hundred metres away, I followed the railway line toward Dettenhausen, on the basis railway lines mean less hills.

How wrong I was. After taking a very wrong turning in Weil im Schonau I ended up at the bottom of a rather steep hill with no obvious way forward. A certain amount of swearing later I arrived back in the village and stopped; to take a picture. Not because I needed to wheeze a bit before getting on the bike again: not at all.

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After a whole half a kilometre on a nasty bit of road I found there was a perfectly good cycleway perfectly good route along side. I know I'm spoiled, but what's the point of having a segregated cycleway (even a share use one that tractors can use) if you don't tell people it is there? Honestly.

Still, I made it to Dettenhausen:

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Apparently Dettenhausen is where they got all the stone for Köln cathedral, although it seems the excitement has worn off considerably since then. This is one of the places in Germany where the railway is owned by the local towns, and since I last came they've been busy electrifying it, and even making some parts double track. Photos will turn up in the 'rail enthusiasts' thread in due course.

I knew there was a valley between Dettenhausen and the Aichtal (Aich valley), which was the easiest way back to our village. It turns out it was all like this:

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Ten kilometres of gentle descent and nice scenery. They even had a natural spring halfway down to fill water bottles.

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Another Generic "Bike in forest" picture. I'm convinced my average speed has halved since I joined CC and started taking pictures to post on here...

Then there was another climb, some rolling hills and villages, a short delay dithering about the route, and then I decided that as I was riding the tourer I could go along the valley to the edge of our village.

It also meant I could finally get a photo of this sculpture, made by an acquaintance called "Swimming against the flow". (The Sculpture, not the Acquaintance. She's called Birgit and you can see what she makes here).

Usually I rode past this on early mornings and the sun was directly behind it (and I was generally late and in a tearing hurry...) :

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And finally the last bit up the Körsch valley, thankfully this is classed as an "agricultural road" otherwise it would be a rat run for drivers trying to avoid the towns on the way to Stuttgart.

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After this comes the Evil Hill Of Doom to our village. There are never any photos of that because on the descent I'm holding onto the brakes with white knuckles, and on the ascent I'm too busy making sure I have enough oxygen...
 
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jongooligan

Legendary Member
Location
Behind bars
Went south east today. Don't often go that way and today I remembered why. In sharp contrast to @Andy in Germany's ride my route took me through a grim succession of unremittingly squalid, Thatchered, ex mining towns. Nothing worth photographing unless you like arty shots of boarded up pubs, whole rows of shuttered shops or burst nappies thrown in the gutter. xx(

Even on the Haswell/Hart railway path there were signs of decay. I was twice accosted by drunks before ten o'clock in the morning!

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4.5 inch naval gun at Hartlepool headland. This one is from a shore battery.

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4.5 inch naval gun at the RN museum in Hartlepool. This one would have been mounted on a destroyer.

My mood wasn't improved by having to divert for two closed railway crossings - the workies wouldn't even let me walk through. :sad:

On a more positive note, there are lots of disused railway lines and bridleways around this area and I'm hoping to pick up an off road bike on Friday so may well revisit but avoid the towns.

Almost forgot to mention that the A19 crossing at Elwick has been closed. :angry: Wasn't much fun running across what is essentially a motorway whilst wheeling a bike. :eek:

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60 never to be repeated miles.
 
Went south east today. Don't often go that way and today I remembered why. In sharp contrast to @Andy in Germany's ride my route took me through a grim succession of unremittingly squalid, Thatchered, ex mining towns. Nothing worth photographing unless you like arty shots of boarded up pubs, whole rows of shuttered shops or burst nappies thrown in the gutter. xx(

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Ironically @jongooligan you probably cycled past my old house: I lived on Wingate high street as a child.

Now you know why I moved so far away...
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Went south east today. Don't often go that way and today I remembered why. In sharp contrast to @Andy in Germany's ride my route took me through a grim succession of unremittingly squalid, Thatchered, ex mining towns. Nothing worth photographing unless you like arty shots of boarded up pubs, whole rows of shuttered shops or burst nappies thrown in the gutter. xx(

Even on the Haswell/Hart railway path there were signs of decay. I was twice accosted by drunks before ten o'clock in the morning!

View attachment 489079
4.5 inch naval gun at Hartlepool headland. This one is from a shore battery.

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4.5 inch naval gun at the RN museum in Hartlepool. This one would have been mounted on a destroyer.

My mood wasn't improved by having to divert for two closed railway crossings - the workies wouldn't even let me walk through. :sad:

On a more positive note, there are lots of disused railway lines and bridleways around this area and I'm hoping to pick up an off road bike on Friday so may well revisit but avoid the towns.

Almost forgot to mention that the A19 crossing at Elwick has been closed. :angry: Wasn't much fun running across what is essentially a motorway whilst wheeling a bike. :eek:

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60 never to be repeated miles.

You might know better than me, but I doubt the pit villages were anything like picturesque before Scargill staked the mining industry on a battle he could never win.

The Cotswolds it is not.
 
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