Your ride today....

[EltonFrog]

My goodness it’s windy today. Out early today on the MTB for a change up the Lynchway across the road from me along the fire tracks where the land owner has installed two gates to stop vehicles then along past the recycling centre and up the single track hill to The Ridgeway. This ancient byway is usually packed with hikers, cyclists, runners , dog walkers but today for the three miles I was on it I saw four people at least twenty feet away.

At Skuthhamer Knob I turned right towards East Hendred down a long hill, the headwind was so strong I had to pedal, just as well really, I usually cane it down there probably best to take it easy. Just before the village I headed right again along the bridle way back towards Harwell Campus then along the Icknield Way to home, over the A 34 which was deserted.
Social interaction score 0
Miles 11.05

 

[Mike_P]

[QUOTE="Donger, post: 5930686]
Stay safe everyone, and take a look at this:

https://road.cc/content/news/daily-...sfXtq3qBdOErkaj1RGjndG2RWZLKscma3NEn0QE2iHXf0

Cheers, Donger.
[/QUOTE]
Indeed, instead of seeking a PR see how many WRs you can clock up, worse records

 

[13 rider]

After queueing to get in a supermarket this morning at 0800 who would have thought that it's time for a ride . Like @Donger I am continuing to ride but am reducing my mileage so an hourish it is .Out the door into the wind . Newtown Linford is the gateway to Bradgate park a local deer park and beauty spot which is normally busy on a weekend and last weekend was packed . This week it's a ghost town very very eerie even a police car parked up to dissuade people even more . I lived here all my life and have never seen it this quiet . Into the quiet lanes and the winds are right for an effort up Polly Botts lane . Full gas saw me having to have a rest at the top managed a Strava pr 2 seconds over 4 minutes so sub 4 mins is now a target . Nice tailwind section around the back of Thornton to Markfield . Back to Newtown just as eerie . Home 13.95 miles @16.3 mph with 1065ft of upness
Stay safe everyone

 

[Gunk]

Rode into town with Mrs Gunk. her first time on the refurbished Raleigh Cameo and she’s really pleased with it.

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

After queueing to get in a supermarket this morning at 0800 who would have thought that it's time for a ride . Like @Donger I am continuing to ride but am reducing my mileage so an hourish it is .Out the door into the wind . Newtown Linford is the gateway to Bradgate park a local deer park and beauty spot which is normally busy on a weekend and last weekend was packed . This week it's a ghost town very very eerie even a police car parked up to dissuade people even more . I lived here all my life and have never seen it this quiet . Into the quiet lanes and the winds are right for an effort up Polly Botts lane . Full gas saw me having to have a rest at the top managed a Strava pr 2 seconds over 4 minutes so sub 4 mins is now a target . Nice tailwind section around the back of Thornton to Markfield . Back to Newtown just as eerie . Home 13.95 miles @16.3 mph with 1065ft of upness
Stay safe everyone

Have the deer come down off the hills? I thought they may have as it's cold today and there's no one about. Bradgate Park has always been a favourite since I was a kid.

 

[13 rider]

Have the deer come down off the hills? I thought they may have as it's cold today and there's no one about. Bradgate Park has always been a favourite since I was a kid.

Can't confirm it as I didn't enter but normally at quiet times the deer frequent the area normally full of people . In the summer I have the pleasure of cycling through the Park at 0630 going to work and have to dodge the deer on the road

 

[pawl]

After queueing to get in a supermarket this morning at 0800 who would have thought that it's time for a ride . Like @Donger I am continuing to ride but am reducing my mileage so an hourish it is .Out the door into the wind . Newtown Linford is the gateway to Bradgate park a local deer park and beauty spot which is normally busy on a weekend and last weekend was packed . This week it's a ghost town very very eerie even a police car parked up to dissuade people even more . I lived here all my life and have never seen it this quiet . Into the quiet lanes and the winds are right for an effort up Polly Botts lane . Full gas saw me having to have a rest at the top managed a Strava pr 2 seconds over 4 minutes so sub 4 mins is now a target . Nice tailwind section around the back of Thornton to Markfield . Back to Newtown just as eerie . Home 13.95 miles @16.3 mph with 1065ft of upness
Stay safe everyone

Just out of interest is Bradgate Park still open.

 

[13 rider]

Just out of interest is Bradgate Park still open.

All the car parks are closed but I believe the park is open as it has public foothpaths and bridleways running through it which are still open but they are certainly not encouraging any visitors

 

[geocycle]

A pleasant 20 mile loop today. Out at 7 ish, back home by 9:00. Normally id be putting in some long rides up the Dales but decided to stay local and reduce the time out. Still managed 550 m of climbing which gave me the exercise I much needed. I’ve stopped using the bike paths as it is hard to maintain social distancin. Fortunately the roads round her are deserted Other than farm vehicles. A few solo cyclists all riding sensibly I’m glad to say.

 

[pawl]

All the car parks are closed but I believe the park is open as it has public foothpaths and bridleways running through it which are still open but they are certainly not encouraging any visitors

Thanks for that. A friend had passed Thornton Reservoir a few days ago.Not sure if it is official closed There are gates at the two entry points but like Bradgate there is access via a public footpath.

 

[13 rider]

Thanks for that. A friend had passed Thornton Reservoir a few days ago.Not sure if it is official closed There are gates at the two entry points but like Bradgate there is access via a public footpath.

Past Thornton Res as well today think I saw a dog walker on the side of the reservoir

 

[Racing roadkill]

I went for another Broccoli finding mission.

I found some

I also found something to wash it down with, in a cupboard, at home

 

[wafter]

Yesterday I got out for a third consecutive day of riding (on top of two days of walking) and experienced a rare moment of peace heading out of the city on the quiet roads; wind at my back, sun in my face and warm fuzzy ambient in my ears for a few miles of ethereal tranquility.

This inevitably didn't last; degrading as my loop through the surrounding villages brought me back round against the wind; making the return journey less pleasant but not utterly horrible. Did a better job of avoiding the "exercise hotspots" (tow paths etc) today and generally felt a lot better about the contageon risk; my only real concerns coming from being in close proximity to other cyclists while one of us was overtaking the other.

I also think I saw the largest number of individual / paired rural cyclists I have on any ride, so I'm glad to see that people are making the most of the situation. Ultimately another gentle, generally very pleasant ride in HR zones 2-3 for 32 miles at a shade under 15mph.


Unfortunately today was a different story; went out for a pootle on the freshly-resurrected town bike but straight from the off wasn't feeling it thanks to tired legs, crappy breathing and the cold, merciless wind (which is so much worse when you're sat bolt upright). Had a brief waft around town (which as Gunk has already alluded to was pretty desolate) but was glad to get back home after probably all of about 4-5 miles..

Think I'll give tomorrow a rest as the weather's not meant to be great and doubtless I could do with some time to recover. Hopefully conditions will have improved all around by Monday and once again allow me to spend some time in my little utopian bubble

 

[ianbarton]

My 48km loop in reverse. Sunny with no wind. I normally go the other way round because the pull up the hill at Wirswall is more gradual. Crossing the canal at Wrenbury, there were lots of moored boats, but no people around. The road up to Wirswall says it is closed. Some badgers have undermined the road, but there is a metal plate over the undermined section and it's perfectly passable.

Just before I started up the hill another rider pulled up behind me. I fully expected him to steam passed me. There is a short steep section of about 8% at the bottom of the hill and then it eases back to around 5%. Just before the top, there is a section of 12% and then it gradually eases off. At the top I looked behind me and the other rider was about 100 yards behind! As a 65 year old grumpy old git I felt very self satisfied The summit of the hill is where the telecoms mast is just about visible in the centre of photo number 2.

There was a glorious sunset as I cycled the last couple of miles to home.

 

[gavgav]

Whilst we’re still allowed to ride further than a short radius from our houses (it won’t last much longer) I got out for a ride this morning, on a windy, cool and cloudy day.

The wind was nicely behind me through Betton Abbots and then I decided to take a road I hadn’t used for ages, to Condover, through Boreton. I’d just turned onto that road and passed a junction, when i realised I should have taken it! Quick u-turn and then along the correct lane, bypassing the Ford, via the bridge, as there was still too much water in it, to ride through.

Continued on to Condover and Dorrington, crossed the very quiet A49 and began the climbing up through Netley and Wilderley, where I turned into the wind, to Pulverbatch. It was very strong and gusty, making it hard work through Longden Common, Longden, Annscroft and Hook-a-Gate. The normally busy road was very quiet, which hopefully means people are now taking this virus seriously.

Back to Meole Brace, where it was eerily quiet, on what is normally a busy Saturday shopping time and home having done 21.16 miles at 11.3mph avg.