Your ride today....

[sevenfourate]

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Wow ! Kudos 🙏 Bet that was a serious amount of calories used……

 

[Mburton1993]

Bit of an all day headwind ball ache today.

Camping in Bangor for the night.

Atleast this gear cable made it to camp before it snapped.

I think I'll pick 3rd gear for tomorrow.
Atleast until Llandudno Halfords.

 

[wafter]

A loosely-planned, nebulous waft round the notswolds with a mate on his new ebike yesterday.

10 miles to the meet via the park then on to 35 subsequent poorly-planned miles mostly on the b-roads of west Oxfordshire; occasionally enduring / diverting to avoid fast, traffic laden A-roads, encountering some fantastic (if short) gravel bridleways and frequently getting lost because we were too busy chatting b*llocks...

It was great to see mate (who’s really positive about his new bike) although as I’ve found in the past riding in traffic with someone else was pretty stressful – the logistics of road positioning and my sometimes reactionary response to dickheads freshly questionable in the context of someone else’s presence.

To further blight the ride I lost one of my long-serving water bottles (I hope left at a cafe stop but I won’t know until I ring them later) and after a summer of sojourns sans-sunburn I've still managed to cook my face and arms to some degree..

Despite mate’s assisted ride the pace was pretty sedate and after about 45 miles covered by the time we parted I still apparently had plenty of energy left along with the unusual desire to squander it. I smashed it back into the city, hit the pull-up machine in the park (currently can’t get enough of this) and bothered the shops for some dinner before heading home.

In the end a shade over 62 miles and by far my longest ride for a couple of years.. and while it makes sense to combine a shared interest with a mate I'm still struggling to enjoy non-solo ride and felt utterly emotionally drained when I got back.

It's extremely demoralising and frustrating that seemingly every time I try to share something I love with friends it turns out this way; I'm hoping that we might fare better if we can find some routes completely off the road to avoid the persistent need to accommodate other road users..

 

[sevenfourate]

A loosely-planned, nebulous waft round the notswolds with a mate on his new ebike yesterday.

10 miles to the meet via the park then on to 35 subsequent poorly-planned miles mostly on the b-roads of west Oxfordshire; occasionally enduring / diverting to avoid fast, traffic laden A-roads, encountering some fantastic (if short) gravel bridleways and frequently getting lost because we were too busy chatting b*llocks...

It was great to see mate (who’s really positive about his new bike) although as I’ve found in the past riding in traffic with someone else was pretty stressful – the logistics of road positioning and my sometimes reactionary response to dickheads freshly questionable in the context of someone else’s presence.

To further blight the ride I lost one of my long-serving water bottles (I hope left at a cafe stop but I won’t know until I ring them later) and after a summer of sojourns sans-sunburn I've still managed to cook my face and arms to some degree..

Despite mate’s assisted ride the pace was pretty sedate and after about 45 miles covered by the time we parted I still apparently had plenty of energy left along with the unusual desire to squander it. I smashed it back into the city, hit the pull-up machine in the park (currently can’t get enough of this) and bothered the shops for some dinner before heading home.

In the end a shade over 62 miles and by far my longest ride for a couple of years.. and while it makes sense to combine a shared interest with a mate I'm still struggling to enjoy non-solo ride and felt utterly emotionally drained when I got back.

It's extremely demoralising and frustrating that seemingly every time I try to share something I love with friends it turns out this way; I'm hoping that we might fare better if we can find some routes completely off the road to avoid the persistent need to accommodate other road users..

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Good work. In more ways than one 👌

I’m the most content Solo person ever - in everything I do. Have been since being an only child (Living in the sticks a bit).

BUT: This Summer I’ve gone from being absolutely a single cyclist; to actually actively forming a Sunday Social Group. Full circle achieved for me. Ask my Wife. That’s quite an achievement 🤣

*Each of the other participants has their traits that narks this old goat - at times. [And I’d be quite frankly shocked if my loud, boisterous and bullish antics didn’t bug those around me at times too] - but deep down we all remain friends for a reason. And getting together for a couple of hours here and there - and a few minutes of that irritating you - doesn’t have to determine your week 😁

 

[wafter]

Good work. In more ways than one 👌

I’m the most content Solo person ever - in everything I do. Have been since being an only child (Living in the sticks a bit).

BUT: This Summer I’ve gone from being absolutely a single cyclist; to actually actively forming a Sunday Social Group. Full circle achieved for me. Ask my Wife. That’s quite an achievement 🤣

*Each of the other participants has their traits that narks this old goat - at times. [And I’d be quite frankly shocked if my loud, boisterous and bullish antics didn’t bug those around me at times too] - but deep down we all remain friends for a reason. And getting together for a couple of hours here and there - and a few minutes of that irritating you - doesn’t have to determine your week 😁

Thanks - and great work yourself!

Don't get me wrong I love cycling / being on my own; but it would be nice to be able to enjoy it with others too so it's always jarring when I try and it has the opposite effect to the intended enjoyment.

Anyway, thanks for your reassurance - not sure why specifically (possibly reasons given up-thread plus exhaustion, sunstroke allergens, whatever...) but my mental health was absolutely in the bin after yesterday's ride, while usually getting out on the bike has completely the opposite effect.

Maybe I need a solo recovery ride to recuperate from yesterday's non-solo effort

 

[geocycle]

It promised to be a perfect cycling day with low winds and temperatures in the high teens. I decided to have a longish ride through the Western Dales. I managed to get out quite early and was pleased of an extra layer when I set off, although that was soon shed on the first major climb. The route began in Lonsdale going through Kirkby of that name and then up to Sedbergh where I picked up the road along Garsdale. The road closed signs had me panicked but also pleased in equal measure, partly because I was concerned there would be a major bridge down or similar but also because I have the dale to myself. Fortunately, the closures were only half the width of the road and it was perfectly possible to pedal through uninterrupted, especially with no work going today. From Garsdale I embarked on the first major climb of the day up past Garsdale station onto the Coal Road which crosses the moors toward Dent. This initial climb is about 3 km with two quite steep pitches in the high teens of degrees. After traversing the moor I had the white knuckle descent into Dentdale and onwards to Dent itself for an early lunch. My usual bacon sandwich followed by fruitcake and cheese was duly provided and was needed to fortify me up the most difficult climb of the day through Deep Dale and up to the col leading to Kingsdale. This was quite tricky not helped by the gates across the road which meant momentum was lost on some quite steep pitches and I also struggled to keep the front wheel engaged with the tarmac in a number of places. Passing the col I then descended quickly down into Kingsdale which was its usual empty self and took another café stop at Ingleton. After an uneventful home run, I’d managed to clock up 119 km with 1661 m of climbing.

Pictures are of the foot of Dentdale, views from the Coal Road and the descent through Kingsdale.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Funny how sometimes you can feel like you've ridden quite a flat elevation gain ride compared to normal, but with only one "proper" hill in it of ~300 feet instead of a few, only to get home and find the average climb per mile is still really close to normal (in my case ~60 feet per mile average in the western South Downs).

 

[VinSumRox]

Great weather today, 20C and low winds, 105km ride ( 908m) over Megget and back by Tweedsmuir and Peebles, met a big group of bikers out on a social ride and a few cycle tourists.

 

[ianrauk]

This weekend's cycling shenanigans. There seems to be some sort of theme going on. In June I visited all the Woolpack Pubs in Kent, last month, along with great chums Ross and Tim we visited the Red Lions. Today it was the turn of the White Horses. There's 11 in Kent, so was out of the door at silly o'clock this morning to tick them off.
So where are they?
1. Rainham
2. Sittingbourne
3. Boughton Under Blean
4. Chillum
5. Dover
6. Hawkinge
7. Bilsington (where a refreshing pint of fruit cider was had)
8. Headcorn
9. Bearsted
10. Maidstone
And
11. Borstal
It was a tough old ride, very rolling especially heading into and out of Dover. Also not helped by the high temperatures, topping out at 32° Sensibly I wacked on the factor 50 before I left home.
So, scores on the doors.
122 miles for the day with a thigh sapping 7100ft of climbing.
August's Imperial century Ride done, month # 189 in a row.
Imperial century # 370.
One more 120+ miler needed
to get that Eddington number.
What named pubs next?

 

[Milzy]

I saw a weasel and the furr was like a deep crimson red. Stunning creature.

 

[Mburton1993]

Skipped the Great Orme on the way back, going the wrong way round stuck in 3rd might've been tricky.

Got a new cable!

But then broke it by hastily installing it like an impatient tit.

That got stuck for while but got it out, bought another, and then went home.

Slowly

117 miles

 

[mickle]

I rode three miles today to Cycle Heaven and back along the river path. It's the furthest ive ridden in months, so quite a big deal. Bloody loved it.

 

[sevenfourate]

Thanks - and great work yourself!

Don't get me wrong I love cycling / being on my own; but it would be nice to be able to enjoy it with others too so it's always jarring when I try and it has the opposite effect to the intended enjoyment.

Anyway, thanks for your reassurance - not sure why specifically (possibly reasons given up-thread plus exhaustion, sunstroke allergens, whatever...) but my mental health was absolutely in the bin after yesterday's ride, while usually getting out on the bike has completely the opposite effect.

Maybe I need a solo recovery ride to recuperate from yesterday's non-solo effort

I rode three miles today to Cycle Heaven and back along the river path. It's the furthest ive ridden in months, so quite a big deal. Bloody loved it.

Great to hear ! You been ill, injured or….? Hope you’re on the return now either way - and fab you enjoyed your outing 😁

 

[mickle]

Great to hear ! You been ill, injured or….? Hope you’re on the return now either way - and fab you enjoyed your outing 😁

Im recovering from being treated for leukaemia.

 

[HLaB]

My Sunday ride went south to a tiny village of Dillington in Cambridgeshire today. The wind yesterday would have been ideal but it had completely shifted 180degs today so it could have been a slog on the way back but most of us worked hard and it was fun. Our route originally had us stopping at the newly built Sawtry services but we rerouted to the relatively new pub/restaurant/cafe in the relatively newly built Alconbury Weald. There definitely better at the pub side and its packed on a Friday evening but not so good on the cafe side one overpriced cake. The wee girl serving was originally going to take one persons order and then go round to the awkwardly placed cake get a single slice and come back for the next order. Until we explained to her the efficiency of getting several slices at once 🤦‍♂️ Its a nice venue though!

The green was a wee bit parched though!