Your ride today....

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Finally got myself together to sort out the pictures of Sundays ride.

For once I managed an early start:

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Freiburg was nearly empty. This is partly because most of Germany shuts down on a Sunday. Main road into the city towards the Minster:

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After some photos in the centre. I like trams, which is why I'm making you look at tram pictures.

Also because the driver posed the tram and waited for me to get the shot.

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Mandatory pic before going through the Martinstor.

After a short detour to visit the ecological neighbourhood of Vauban, I followed the road out and twenty minutes later I was here:

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Twenty minutes isn't very far at my speeds, especially uphill. Freiburg centre just visible in a gap in the hills.

After rolling down the other side, I followed a valley into the Black Forest to the village of Münstertal, and back via Staufen...

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...which has a castle, and a very attractive old town which I will revisit when there's less tourists.

The locals in Staufen have a great deal of aesthetic taste and great discernment. I base this on the fact one gentleman admired my bike and asked a number of in depth questions about its design.

Then suddenly, I was out in the plains:

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Blue hills in the far distance are France. Also in the far distance was the extinct volcano called the Kaiserstuhl. This was rather worrying because I was planning to ride around that.

But after slogging along for another hour or so, I managed to reach Breisach, on the bottom corner of the hills, then followed the Rhine north...


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Incidentally am I the only person unnerved by the height of that levee?

Finally, the last turning point of Sasbach, which is rapidly becoming one of my favourite villages ever:

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I will return to this with my camera and more energy. At this point I was exhausted and still had a fair bit to go, which is why the photos stop here: I could barely hold the bike up by the time I got back.

Still, finally managed a second metric century for this year, I'm not going to get the 13 for the Lunarcy challenge, but hey, it's a step...
 

twentysix by twentyfive

Clinging on tightly
Location
Over the Hill
the traffic lights for the Mythe bridge,
Those are set to prioritise traffic coming off the A38. Sometimes the delay between the rider going thro' green towards the A38 and the far end going green isn't long enough and motorised folks attempt to drive onto the bridge before it's been cleared by the rider. Why the highways folks didn't make proper cycle lanes either side when the bridge was made single lane defeats my simple brain (I remember it being two way). Those are footpaths so you could walk but why should we cyclists? I assume the single lane was implemented as the bridge has a weight bearing issue.
 

C R

Guru
Location
Worcester
Those are set to prioritise traffic coming off the A38. Sometimes the delay between the rider going thro' green towards the A38 and the far end going green isn't long enough and motorised folks attempt to drive onto the bridge before it's been cleared by the rider. Why the highways folks didn't make proper cycle lanes either side when the bridge was made single lane defeats my simple brain (I remember it being two way). Those are footpaths so you could walk but why should we cyclists? I assume the single lane was implemented as the bridge has a weight bearing issue.
I've only ever been over the bridge going towards the A38, and I always stop for a rest there so I walk rather than ride over it, but I've noted the light timing issue a couple of times in there. I've never seen it this busy though, I wonder if the accident that closed the M5 that morning might have had anything to do with it, but it would have been a strange route to take.
 
Long one today, for me, that is.
Liddaton to Okehampton Station, with the second half of Monday's loop to try and get it 30 miles - unsuccessfully!
A long grind through Coryton and beyond, then a sharp descent to, naturally, Lowertown. Then 2.5 miles of nearly continuous climb up to Lydford Forest, then undulate into Lydford. Left at the War memorial and along to NCN27 Granite Way.
Very quiet, and an uneventful ride until I bumped onto Meldon Viaduct. It was one of those "that didn't seem quite right" moments, and soon after crossing, I realised I was losing rear pressure. Walked on 50yards and sat in the sun with my back to Meldon Substation No 1.
Got everything off and found a small hole right on the centre-line. It didn't seem to match up with anything, and nothing whatever inside the tyre.
However, this was new...
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New tube fitted and off I went. Began to get busy at this point, and all the way back was much busier with runners, wakers of dogs, and cyclists, mostly of the E variety. Having done the easy back and forth of the Granite Way, I now had the odd climb bracketed by crazy long downhill stretches at 30mph! The 10mph average was good considering there's a 300m walking bit unless you're on bigger tyres and more spokes than I...
The stats:
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Interesting that L2B isn't a great deal more elevation gain than this, and is generally flatter, bar the Beacon, of course.
 

bluenotebob

Veteran
Location
France
Another qualifying ride in this year’s Lunacy Challenge for me yesterday.

A dry, warm day with a blustery N wind. I headed against the wind up through Gaël, Loscouët-sur-Meu and Plumaugat – and up to Broons. Until yesterday, Broons was the furthest north that I’d ever ridden starting from home .. so it was a chance to push on a bit further. I’d wanted to get to Sévignac and then try and find a route southwards and home – but Sévignac was further than I’d thought across hilly terrain so I cut my losses near Rouillac and picked up a road heading S towards Eréac. Back on familiar ground again, I cycled on towards St Launeuc, and then home via Trémorel, Illifaut and Brignac.

92km in just under 5 hours.

Gaël nestling in the trees above the lake

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I crossed Brittany’s V6 Voie Verte yesterday – this Green Way currently runs 147km from west to east, but there are plans to extend it. I didn’t ride it yesterday but I’ve posted the photo in case there are any gravel bike enthusiasts who are interested in a post-Covid cycling project in France.

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The view from Broons towards Rouillac

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wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
Down to six eggs so it was that time again.. Woke at about 7 but it took me hours of mincing in bed on the internet feeling sorry for myself before I finally hauled myself into life. Was tempted to take the Boardman on the standard route in an effort to gather some more road v. gravel data, but wasn't feeling too hot and had apparently shaken yesterday's headache so didn't want to tempt fate.. so out came the Genesis again.

Decided not to do the whole usual loop, but felt like doing more than there and back once I'd arrived at the egg hut and claimed my bounty, so headed out towards Abingdon then instead of on to Culham back towards town through Radley / on NCN5. I was quick on the way out, my suspicions confirmed on the way back that this was partially due to the NE breeze.

The cycle and tow paths were mercifully quiet and after a while I felt quite energetic; probably due to those four cheese scones I scored last night for 35p :whistle: In defiance of the wind I hunkered down gripping the knobbly bits of the hoods and forearms rested on the tops of the bars; a position I once found quite intimidating but have now grown to quite like when I don't need the security of having the brakes close at hand. I put in a good effort on the way back to the city but scored no PRs as it was all into the wind.

I did manage a PR over Magdalen bridge in an angry traffic and Megadeth-fuelled thrash, which after picking my way through dense traffic on St. Clements continued up Headington Hill, although I only managed a third due to the lack of runup and headwind; despite holding 93% of max HR seemingly forever (although having checked it was only about 50 seconds :laugh:).

Saw the usual range of cyclists; ranging from happy and engaging to the usual arrogant / ignorant lycra-clad robots :rolleyes: One couple that sticks in my mind was a seemingly enthusiastic and appropriately dressed woman leading a less-enthusiastic-looking or appropriately-dressed bloke; which makes a change!

My belliegerence at nearly being hit by an angry man-child in a BMW on Frideswide square (who signalled left but went straight on somewhat aggressively; directly towards me) rewarded me with an fairly spectacular display of aggression on his part, which was quite amusing really as he was clearly very angry but evidently couldn't figure out how to vent it other than by swerving all over the road to block my passage past (I'm the slower vehicle and was in no hurry, so that didn't work as I just hung back) before finally accelerating hard down the Botley Rd and probably touching 50-60mph in the process. Idiot.

All in all a little under 29 miles and 500ft at 15.1mph and 137bpm for 1250kcal burned. I've just had some of the remaining eggs for brunch and think I'll have a crack at truing the wheel on the Raleigh before heading into town for a long overdue haircut. Exciting times indeed ^_^
 

Aravis

Putrid Donut
Location
Gloucester
Yesterday there was one of those rare planetary line-ups: a forecast wind from the north-east and the availability of a lift back to Gloucester from Somerset. I've been slowly recovering from shingles and hadn't ridden for a month, in fact I've hardly done anything at all lately. However, the usual monthly targets were looming and provided I could keep pedalling long enough I would be able to meet them all in one go.

Morrisons at Bridgwater was a good rendezvous point with my wife who was returning from Cornwall. That gave ample opportunity to introduce meanders to get the distance up to 200km without totally committing myself to such a distance. Mid-morning there was the delightful sea wall at Severn Beach, not as quiet as it once was due to the motorway bridge built in the 1990s. With all my wanderings the Avonmouth Bridge came very near to half distance; by this time I knew there'd be no good distant views on a day of high temperatures.

The B-road through the Gordano valley was much busier and more unpleasant than I remember it of old, but after Clevedon I was back into quiet roads in the backwater through Kingston Seymour:

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Using a bit of the Strawberry Line, I headed for Banwell for some steep slopes over the Mendips which it's impossible to avoid completely. Back onto level roads I headed out to Burnham-on-Sea. The promised tailwind was little in evidence and by far the strongest winds of the day were the onshore breezes at Burnham.

I headed back to Highbridge on a nice off-road track along the estuary. From the this point I could have headed straight to Bridgwater, but having come that far I was always going to do the full distance. But I was getting extremely tired and even on completely flat roads I'd slowed to a crawl. Garmin Connect nowadays uses colour coding for speed on it's map of your route, and it tells the story:

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Happily I spotted a convenient tap at a campsite and filled my bottles, making sure the lady watching be could see me dutifully sanitizing my hands. Here's where I made my last feeding stop:

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That was a painful experience, but it feels good to have done it and I'm recovering well. This morning I've been watching yesterday's stage, not previously knowing the result. It's sobering to realise how much faster they were riding at the finish than I was yesterday on flat roads with the wind behind me.
 

Old jon

Guru
Location
Leeds
The weather is doing well again and it is time to take the Spa out. Not an early start, before the school run though, or so I thought. Should be used to being wrong by now. Go ride.

The usual wander around downstream Holbeck, then cross the Aire on Crown Point Bridge. Pedal up to the clock at Oakwood, and up that hill on the A58. When Red Hall Lane is reached, turn right. My usual way to Thorner, and I decided not to ride along Milner Lane this time just for a change. So up Church Hill for the direct way to Bramham, flyover to cross the A1M and turn right. At the south end of the village turn left.

This passes Bramham Lodge, which seems to be at least three dwellings now, and the road meanders along towards Toulston. Turn right just before there, there does not seem to be a signpost. When you arrive at the next crossroads, with another bit of A659, there is a sign pointing towards Stutton. Which is where I was heading.



Ride through the very tidy village to the A162, a road that is on the busy side. Turn south (right) to Towton. The next place on is going to be Saxton, there is a choice of three right hand turns to take. The one after leaving Towton was chosen, cannot remember the last time I used this one. Through the village and leave by Coldhill Lane, which rises a bit then drops to a T junction. Turn right, Lotherton Hall is on the horizon.

Go straight past the gates of that establishment, heading for Garforth. It is not the direction I usually ride this road, a change is good. Pedal to Swillington, a much nicer place when it is ridden through downhill. Then Woodlesford, cross the river and the canal and turn right for that bit of the Trans Pennine Trail that I ride all the way to the Armouries, AKA Taty Dock. Little distance to home from there, thirty nine miles and 1800 feet since I last saw it. Big smile, it really was an enjoyable ride.

New track colours on the map, to show how slow I go . . .

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But according to Garthing, most of that was underwater,

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colly

Re member eR
Location
Leeds
I've not been on here for a while. Still been on the bike of course.
At the beginning of August I had my bike stolen, which for all sorts of reasons was a shame.:sad: However within a week I had bought a bike off another member (@The Rover) :
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and this past six weeks it's had a fair bit of use. I won't post all the rides but I have to say it fits like a glove and is a great ride.
I was out yesterday and went east to Selby, coming back into Leeds via Cawood and Sherburn-in-Elmete.
It was windy on the way out, and windy on the way back. Nevertheless I made exceptional time (for me that is) All the more suprising because it felt comfortable all the way round.
No long description because it was a dull day and not much going on at all. Even so I enjoyed it. (which is the point after all)

47 miles and 1500ft

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/56209756
 
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Mike_P

Guru
Location
Harrogate
Transpired Sundays torture of the Ebike taking it up Briggate Knaresborough was an ebike KOM, had to set up a Strava segment for it as the existing go all the way along the flat to the A59 junction and I had turned off earlier.
Ebike got its revenge last evening on the return leg of another, less steep hill, trip to Lidl (bananas needed and 75p voucher to spend on their new mobile app which translated into a free can of tuna).
Decided to use the old railway line from Starbeck completely forgetting the lack of lights on it and the tree covered cutting was very dark such that the Ebikes front light proved not to be bright enough. I assume the jogger who passed me saw me as I certainly did not see him until he passed by.
Slowly forward knowing somewhere ahead was an anti motorcycle barrier to align up with.
Safely through that and with surroundings opening up it was safe to pick up speed.
Obviously needs another front light for such circumstances.
 
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Colin Grigson

Bass guitarist - Bad News
Location
Slovakia
60km this morning and the weather was gorgeous, lots of cyclists out which was nice to see. Average speed 19.27 mph this morning so getting closer and closer to my target of 20 mph ... I doubt if I’ll have better conditions this year so maybe that barrier will have to wait for next year - I’m very pleased with my progress in 3 months so I‘m not in any way dis-heartened .... if anything I’m extra determined to train hard indoors over winter so I have the best chance in early 2021 :becool:
 
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