Your ride today....

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wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
Frankly, it’s nearly everyone. Idiot pedestrians wafting about like dandelion fluff; drivers of anything boasting four wheels or more, all apparently convinced they’re auditioning for Mad Max: Oxfordshire Drift; other cyclists, whose sole mission seems to be demonstrating how not to ride a bicycle; and, of course, the pièce de résistance, a pair of twunts on illegal battery‑powered motorcycles, masked up like discount ninjas.

It is interesting you mention the Ridgeway. I’m less than 100 feet from a BOAT that leads straight onto it, practically a VIP entrance. I really should dust off the old Trek MTB and give it an airing. With any luck, the twunts will be terrorising someone else’s tranquillity for a change.

Yeah, I can appreciate all that; no doubt thrown into sharp focus by your recent excursions to far more cycle-friendly climbs..

Sounds like you've got a golden opportunity on your doorstep though - best get out amongst it while the weather still makes it easy ;)
 

EltonFrog

Legendary Member
Today I had a dentist appointment. Yesterday I resolved to cycle the just‑over‑ten miles to the practice — not because I had any burning desire to cycle, but because I really didn’t want to drive there.

I nearly gave in and got in the car, but IMTFU prevailed, so I got the road bike ready and went. Instead of taking the mostly traffic‑free route, I stuck to the roads, and on the whole it was fine. The only incident was a white‑van man flinging his door open without looking; fortunately I was paying attention.

I arrived a little early, so I carried on for another ten minutes. By chance I came across a sign for the Aston Martin museum — something I had no idea existed. I went to investigate. It was closed, but I’ve made a note to visit another time.

Once my appointment was over, I realised I wasn’t hating being out, so I took a different way home via Dorchester‑on‑Thames and a café with alpacas, where I stopped for a sausage sandwich and coffee. Then on through Shillingford, Wallingford (with a pause at the castle grounds), Brightwell‑cum‑Sotwell, the Moretons, Aston Tirrold, Blewbury, and finally home.

30.45 miles. And no one pissed me off. That’s a win.

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Two rides for me today,

Out with some mates to Seaton in Rutland, looping back to Gretton for Lydia's Cafe and of course coming back by our favourite pub in Fotheringhay for a couple of pints (Ghost Ship for me). Before cycling the 12miles home. 64miles in total for me. I was a bit dubious about going out west to comeback into a ESE wind but with it being mostly down hill back from Rutland, us looping by Oundle to get that Southerly element back to Fotheringhay and me going hard after the pub to sweat the beer out, we got away with it. Rutland is more fun anyway.

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In the evening I joined a local paceline, we had to tweak the route a bit to avoid the smoke from the fire at Holme Fen 😢 But apart from that sad event, the ride was ace.

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sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
First ride (Commute of the week). And trying out a complete new quality headset; and riding with dramatically lower tyre pressures (Much more like suggested by Silca for my weight etc) and as a first attempt at reducing some ongoing right hand numbness.

But - let’s not dwell on some of the Challenges. Let’s focus on the fact the temp was perfect, the roads were dry, traffic was light, and I felt great. What a Morning to be on 2 wheels ❤️

Sunrise in Suffolkshire: (Hmmmm: Corn on the Cob anyone)…..

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2500 miles YTD. Quite something for a previous non-cyclist, who’s extremely busy elsewhere and lacks time. I’ve maxxed my Cycling year so far with other commitments. And loved every single minute of it…….


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