Your ride today....

[Donger]

Back to my normal stamping ground today. I set out early to get another 50km ride in before a delivery was due, so I was up and out by 8am. I stopped off a few times for photos in places that I don't usually get to see lit up by strong morning sunshine. First up, the road from Elmore to Longney:

Next shot, the church at Fretherne:

Then a view of Newnham on Severn from Arlingham:

... and finally a shot of Splatt Bridge being opened (for a rowing coxed four and a narrowboat to pass along the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal). This is one of the few manually operated swing bridges that are left around here. I have been toying with the idea of volunteering with the Canals & Rivers Trust as a part time bridge keeper. From where I live, I could cycle along to any one of 6 or 7 local bridges, and the manually operated ones would provide a bit of exercise too. Worth an enquiry to find out what is involved and how much of my time it might take up:

Today's wildlife included a couple of nice big hares and a small bunny with a death wish. A lovely ride, completed before the real heat of the day. 32.9 miles ridden.

 

[All uphill]

Yesterday's ride.

My aim was to get a photo for the ABC of the Saints.

The forecast was for hot weather so I got out early and caught the 0819 to Nailsea with my bike.

Nailsea was its usual nothingness and I was soon in Tickenham and enjoying the lovely gardens around the church while I put on loads of sunscreen.

Back through Nailsea (no improvement) heading South towards Yatton and the lovely station cafe. As I rolled up I heard my name being shouted and there was a cycling friend. Really nice to have a chat over tea and flapjack.

The shady parts of the Strawberry line passed too quickly

and I headed out towards Webbington on a newly discovered route. (Thanks cycle.travel)

Two ice creams in the Frankie Howerd Community Centre in Loxton and I was ready for the Levels in baking sunshine.

Mark church is a fine building but had no mains water that I could find. Onwards and onwards, low on water and energy, but eventually Cossington church provided cool water and a cool interior. I thankfully put my loose change in their collection box. Then I read this in the porch and liked them even more.

The temperature was up to around 30 degrees and I thought of cutting my ride short by heading to Bridgwater station, but an iced coffee in an air-conditioned Costa sorted me out, and I made it home on two wheels.

55 flattish miles.

Glad to have done it!

 

[Spiderweb]

A beautiful late afternoon so an extended ride after work. One of my regular routes with a quick stop on the Sustrans bridge over the River Ouse at Naburn. Spotted several Kingfishers, they are so luminous!
28.2 miles with an average of 14mph.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

Nothing too exciting but done 26 miles Hull to Hornsea down the railway track last 2 nights after work. Not riding much at the moment due to a new job and other commitments but good to be getting back out.

 

[Spiderweb]

Another extended ride home on the Tricross. Really lovely ride but still feeling sluggish.
30.8 miles with an average of 14.1 mph.

 

[Spiderweb]

The usual extended ride home from work which could only be described as a gentle pootle, that’s all I had in my legs.
Beautiful evening, far too hot for a backpack, a cold beer was very welcome when I got in.
30.9 miles with an average of 13.7 mph.

 

[geocycle]

Sticky, the weather, the road surfaces and by the end, me! Had a whim to head to Clitheroe, so out on the back roads toward the Trough of Bowland. Had the full Springwatch experience with oyster catchers, lapwing, wagtails, meadow pipits and a field full of curlews. The highlight though was a stoat family who were learning how to cross a road. After the Trough I went to Newton and the big climb over Waddington Fell. Have to say it’s not my favourite as the road is quite busy and the views don’t offer as much compensation as some parts of Bowland. The descent into Clitheroe was exhilarating despite the traffic. Found an ok cafe for a cuppa then headed homeward via Longridge fell stopping for lunch in Scorton. 106 km with 1483 m of climbing.

pictures of the back road to the Trough, the Trough itself, bike by some industrial archaeology, the stoat and Pendle hill.

 

[lazybloke]

I did exactly the same ride as my last one, so i wont describe it again.
Although was 2mph faster, which got me a bit overheated.
I'd remembered my credit card this time, so made a stop on at the top of the North Downs for an ice cream at this van:

Damn!!!

 

[Ian H]

Heat & humidity forced us to stop not only at the cider barn which was our destination, but also at two further pubs on the return journey. A fairly gentle, if hilly, 109k over the Blackdowns.

A modest memorial to 27 people killed when a Wellington bomber failed to make it home to the nearby airfield.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9283845650

 

[Mburton1993]

Chester, and finally clouds!

Slight change to avoid Great Budworth, nice village, crap roads.

Oxford Pannier's doing alright.

Forgot to change the return route so ended up back through Budworth anyway.

I still find the name of this business odd.

Also think these gloves are on the way out.

 

[Mike_P]

Cooler weather today beckoned the Defy out of the bike shed; the ebike in the meanwhile has clocked up a further 82 miles with 5717ft of elevational gain. 4 way lights at the A59/B6161 junction to avoid and a westerly loop adopted to join the B road. After looping pass Brearton at the junction with the B6165 the chain jumped off the small chainring. Um… refitted and it did it again. Um… x2. Do I go home or carry on – decided on the latter and no sooner than I had set off than it started raining, it almost as if the Defy had been trying to tell me.
Down through Scotton and eventually decided the rain had won by truncating the ride and turning towards Knaresborough at Farnham, albeit it was now in spells of light rain or none at all. Knaresborough was dry if very slow moving traffic through the Bond End Junctions but the rain returned with vengeance thereafter so a pretty soggy arrival back home.
20.1miles 1079ft climbed 13.8mph

 

[ianrauk]

I did June's qualifying ride for the monthly Imperial Century a Month Challenge yesterday.
A nice ride through the Kent lanes to Ashford and back.
The weather made for perfect cycling conditions, a little bit of covering cloud blocking the intense sun. I had a lovely tailwind for the return half of the ride pushing me home which was bliss. 10 minutes from home and the heavens opened up and dowsed me with a bit of refreshing rain.

The actual distance was a tad over 103 miles but I forgot to press record on the Garmin after a quick stop for a cuppa. Doh.

Imperial century month #151 in a row.
Century #328 over

Ashford

Shadows

Smarden

Wood plantation

 

[sevenfourate]

Lowestoft: being the U.K’s most Easterly Town see’s the Sun up first. So has a ‘First Light’ festival every year. 20’000 visitors yesterday I heard. Not today thankfully. Overnight there was music, Bands, Displays, food-a-plenty, activities etc on the Beach. Took a trip down with the wife on our bikes today….

 

[Dave 123]

A cloudy moorland ride for me today. Ditsworthy Warren, Drizzlecombe, a new way to Nuns Cross, then down the widow maker, Burrator, Sheepstor and bat to the van at Gutter Tor.

Just over 10 lumpy miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/9288574744

 

[Elybazza61]

Yesterday was a mostly off road commute in via Wicken Fen;nice temp until last bit in Cambridge when it started to warm up a bit.
Got hissed at by a Swan (same family group in the same place as last weeks ride out that way) plus saw two Hares,deer and one of the Highland cattle they have on the reserve up close by a fence.

Also in Cambridge stopped off at the Mosque to check out how the garden is looking;

https://www.strava.com/activities/9280203731