Your ride today.... (part 1)

[ScotiaLass]

I decided to go out this morning as it was forecast to be wet and windy later, and for most of next week

It felt colder than it's been recently, so on went the thermal base layer, a cycle shirt over the top, longs, and my buff thrown on for good measure.
I did the usual 15 mile loop with two issues today.

1. The gears!! It only dropped into first once. As I was about to cycle up an incline I dropped down only to find it wouldn't go in, but just sat there, rattling about! I uttered some expletives I can tell you and ended up walking part way up the hill.
So I tried again (several times) during the ride, on the flat, but it just wouldn't drop in. The rest of the gears are smooth as silk but I am getting really annoyed with this - maybe it's something I'm doing? Maybe it's my weight (because on the stand, changing them works great!) as I am not the lightest person! (but within the limit for the bike)

2. I got hubby to bolt my new seat on the other week and I have ridden it since. I was having a bad day, between my dyspraxia and FM, my fine motor control was like trying to swim in treacle! Anyway, didn't think anything of that, but half way through the ride today something didn't feel right.
I got an ache in my hip which was strange. I dismounted and walked through the Falkirk tunnel and at the other end, I put my hand on the seat.
It moved considerably under my hand!
Out came the multi-tool and I tightened it up.
Apparently hubby had only hand tightened it! If you want a job doing right and all that....

Anyway, it was a nice ride and I gave the bike a good clean when I got home. Just got to lube the chain now.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

For those that followed my tour you will know that my OH and I cycled the Trans Pennine Trail following it faithfully (much to our errr... what's the word when you do something really stupid on laden off-road touring bikes with camping kit...)... anyhow for those who paid any attention (and I'm not saying you should have done) we started the TPT in Runcorn going to Southport, then picked it up again at Hornsea and followed it to Stockton Heath.... so there was this little bit between Stockton Heath and Runcorn that we had not done and we both felt we needed to do it. The plan had been that we would do it the first Saturday we were home, but I was ill... then we were dog sitting for 2 weekends plus a family member was in hospital, so having see said family member at home yesterday, despite the fact we are dog sitting again today, we decided to get on and get it done...

It was a chilly start - as many of you have probably noticed and I had to concede defeat for the first time since March (?) and wear something underneath my long sleeved jersey... The route we had decided on was to bomb up the A49 back to where we left the TPT and pick it up from there, so given we were on the mountain bikes (needed to check that the new chain would work with the old cassette ) it was probably the slowest we have done the A49! Mud tyres and tarmac and I don't mix well when my asthma is playing up in the cold... but on the bright side of things it does make drivers give you so much more room when they realise you are trying to retrieve an inhaler from your rear pocket, take the lid off without dropping it, and then taking the inhaler (if I stop cycling (or any activity for that matter) when I am wheezy I will have an asthma attack - ease up, rather than stop, and take my inhalers and I can prevent an asthma attack - don't ask, but apparently it is quite common...)...

At Morrison's my OH needed the bathroom - 45 mins and he needed to stop, still I suppose that is further than normal!

Soon afterwards and we left the extent of my OH lunchtime walks from work (he works in Stockton Heath) and were onto totally new paths for both of us and following the TPT signs again. By now it was warming up and so was I... time to take off the sleeves to my long sleeved top - I was getting way too warm...

We were expecting 'industrial wasteland' for this section (to quote my OH), instead we were both pleasantly surprised by what we found... instead of wasteland or industrial estates, we had a (disused canal - St Helen's Canal) and then a nature reserve and it was all quite pleasant - though a definite no talking zone - too many insects and splutterings coming from my OH!... A short diversion, soon had us back in Runcorn and before long a familiar sight!.... the Runcorn bridge...

It's a touch of an anti-climax really having the final photo at the Runcorn Bridge but that is the way it was to be sadly...

From here we headed back over the Bridge.... cycling it - OK I know it says cyclists dismount, but there were no pedestrians around and the bridge is straight, you can see it is clear. This didn't stop the police car from pulling up in the chevronned area just after seeing us... we didn't stop.... it moved on and pulled up the other side of the junction where it reckoned we were going to end up (at the end of the cycle lane) but our planned route was to drop onto the Bridgewater Canal... we just did so a touch earlier than planned . I think my OH knew I was going to argue the "so where are the cyclists can remount signs" argument and though it would be better if we disappeared...

The Bridgewater canal is great, good smooth surface - it just seems to lack things like cafes and marinas with cafes open on a Sunday, so we carried on hoping we would find somewhere suitable for lunch... Sadly this didn't happen.... I'm also not sure where the Bridgewater Canal stops and the Trent & Mersey canal starts, but sadly that really good surface does not continue onto the T&M canal and we were back onto the 'yes it is a bridleway, but do you really want to cycle it?' approach that the T&M canal has... baling at the first opportunity dropped is onto the NCR 5 and after some field work which is much easier than the T&M canal we were onto the River Weaver and nearly home. By now my energy levels were LOW.... very low to be accurate - we had done more than 3 hours cycling without a stop and I was nearly 90 mins late with getting lunch, so the last few miles home were painfully slow due to my steroid dependency and missing food (due to Addison's disease)...

Anyhow - the Trans Pennine Trail is now complete and somehow I feel like I have nothing to do.... I shall have to find another project...

A slow 55.7km on mountain bikes... http://www.strava.com/activities/203564223

PS - forgot to say we went passed a steam traction event at the River Weaver bridge this morning, would have photo'ed it but all you would have see is smoke... and we saw a whole load of cormorants on the St Helen's Canal and were lucky enough to see a Kingfisher on the Bridgewater Canal

 

[Deleted member 1258]

53 miles the journey, Middleton Hall the destination, I was watching the F1 race this morning so I was late out and just did a short ride, lovely bright fresh Autumnal morning, the green in the hedgerows now displaying patches of brown and dead leaves starting to lay in the road, an ideal morning for cycling, fresh enough at first to have me reaching for my gloves, but warming up nicely as the morning progressed, climbing out of Barston I came across an old cycling mate, out on the tandem with his Mrs riding Stoker, so paused for a gossip before continuing on my way, this was my first visit to Middleton Hall since the Cafe changed hands and was refurbished, the old Cafe was starting to look a bit tired, they've made a nice job of it and done so without hoisting the prices thorough the roof, there was an event going on outside the hall today, lots of lovely old cars parked up around the place, by the time I left for home the wind had started to get a bit strong making for a hard slow ride home, a lovely morning out on the bike, seen lots of riders out making the most of the good weather.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

With the weather looking iffy for this week and possibly longer it seemed like a good idea to get my metric century in for October. The forecast reckoned on light southerly winds strengthening through the day so Ludlow looked like a good destination as I'd have the wind helping me home later on.

I went for zip off trousers again but this was a bit optimistic today as it was quite cold (only 6c wen I set out at twenty past nine) and within half a mile I was putting an extra layer on which stayed on until Ludlow.

I headed out over Lyth Hill at the start, overtaking a couple of guys on mountain bikes on the climb, then headed for Condover then through Pitchford and Acton Burnell getting overtaken myself by a group on racing bikes (and cycle tops advertising the Shrewsbury Triathlon, so I suppose they are likely to be a bit quicker than me )

I was quickly finding that one days rest after six consecutive days riding isn't enough to recover - I wasn't quick and I could blame it on riding against the wind but really I don't think it was that bad, except round the Leebotwod area where it gets funelled between the hills. I was slow on the climbs too - having to use 1 gear lower than I usually would to keep moving at a comfortable pace.

I had a cake stop at the top of the Folly Bank climb then continued through Cardington and Wall. I startled a horse near Harton then a few hundred yards further on was greeted enthusiastically by a group of foxhounds (the owner was apologetic, but really didn't need to be).

Next I had the climb over Wenlock Edge, again in a gear lower than I'd usually use. Something nice was that the road has been properly resurfaced from the summit down into Westhope.

Seifton Batch was as pretty as ever, then I was onto the flatter ground on the run towards Ludlow. This time I decided to head through Bromfield, so crossed the golf course and race course, both of which cross the road, so you have to keep an eye out for who is teeing off. (No, seriously, the fairways are across the road )

I toyed with the idea of having my lunch by the Ludlow Food Centre but decided to head into town and have it there instead. This was in the main square which was busy with visitors. I chatted with a motorbiker for a bit before pressing on

While sat in the shelter of the town it was quite warm. I'd shed the layer that I put on at the start and seriously considered converting the trousers to shorts, but once out of town was very glad I hadn't as it was still pretty cold in the wind.

I was heading home on roads I've never travelled before - through Lower Hayton, Great Sutton to Peaton. This is nice country for riding and I'll come back to expolore it a bit more I think. I'd chosen to cross Wenlock Edge at Beambridge on the way back but from my reading of the map hadn't realised there are two steepish climbs on this road not just the one. It was a nice bit of road but I was very slow on the climbs and had to drop way down in a low gear to get over them. The average speed was looking a bit feeble at this stage too, and falling.

I was very thankful to reach the top and enjoy the descent into Rushbury and reach Wall again. At this point I could have headed home the way I'd come but I couldn't face the climb back up to Cardington then Folly Bank, so I went along the main road to Longville (annoying close pass on a clear road on the way ) and headed for the road to Kenley. This bit of road is nice - the trend is downhill for a good three miles and I had the wind behind me so I was cruising quite nicely (I saw 27 mph come up). Kenley to Acton Burnell is a bit more undulating but I didn't do too badly, then there was the section through Pitchford which is also nice and fast in this direction.

Finally, I had the wind assisting through Condover and up the A49 (had the best overtake in ages here from... shock, horror.... a boy racer in a Vauxhall Corsa.) which mean I felt good enough to do an extra bit of a loop round the village at the end.

Quite a few other cyclists out today, which was nice, and more of them than usual rigged for touring.

64.55 miles this time and the fast sections towards the end helped bring the average speed back up to just over 13 mph which I'm content with. I've got a top speed recorded at 31.6 - not quite sure where I did that.

Looking at The Lawley and Caer Caradoc from Lyth Hill - in another 12 miles I'll be climbing over the ridge between those two hills.

Later on - Wenlock Edge looms. Not high but all the roads over it are quite steep.

The road through the golf course, with a few players practising their swings.

Stood on the road but in the middle of the horse racing track.

A nice scene of the mill at Bromfield. Under restoration currently.

Entering Ludlow via Dinham Bridge

Lunch stop outside Ludlow Castle.

Onto roads that are completely new to me and passng villages and farms that look like they've hardly changed in decades.

Hmmm, which way now? The sign has seen better days - think we go left here?

Rushbury School. This means the worst of the climbing is out of the way for today.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

<snip>
View attachment 58243
Later on - Wenlock Edge looms. Not high but all the roads over it are quite steep.

that road looks awfully familiar - is there a youth hostel at the top on the left?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

that road looks awfully familiar - is there a youth hostel at the top on the left?

There isn't, but Wilderhope Manor is (or was) a hostel and is about 5 miles further along the ridge on the same side.

 

[Mike_P]

38 miles this afternoon hoping that the gloss white paint I had used this morning would be touch dry when I got back, it wasn't. My new cycle computer informs me that I had a top speed of 28.4mph and an average of 12.9mph, presumably it includes the time when stationary. 1570 calories and 171.9g of fat burnt so the biccy tin is going to get demolished tonight!

Scenic highlight of the afternoon was the Kilburn white horse shining in the suns rays across the vale of York, unfortunately my phones camera was not up to it but here the shot anyway.

Yesterdays heavy rain never really materialised, just drizzle largely with the consequential promise of winds dropping after the rain never also materialising. For wind farm fans heres Knabbs Ridge head on and also from yesterday a more sunny shot of Nidderdale than the one I posted last week.

 

[Elybazza61]

Quick blast this afternoon as the weather was good and shall we say "went for it",almost the perfect weather for it so good to make the most of it;will probably feel it in the morning though;

http://www.strava.com/activities/203608025

 

[thetribe]

First ride in quite a while, only one proper ride since July (and first visit here in a while as I was getting jealous of all the fun you were having ), twisted my back and the physio wouldn't let me ride, he told me at this weeks session that I was allowed to go out this weekend but only at 25% of my usual, mileage and speed, so I went out and tried to be good. A short and slow ride today of 6.5 miles at 11mph. Thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait till tomorrow to go back out again

Was it really October?

http://www.strava.com/activities/203638645 for those interested in this stuff.

 

[nickyboy]

Today's is titled "Will I ever learn not to eat so much on a ride?"

The forecast for next week is rubbish so a really nice, sunny, crisp Sunday morning is too much to resist. Another longish one; Glossop - New Mills - Chapel en le Frith - Buxton - Macclesfield - Pott Shrigley - Poynton - Marple - Glossop. 57 miles, 5,300ft of climbing

Chilly at 9am. Longs, baselayer. 4 categorised climbs in the first hour and a half got the blood pumping. Plan was to leave Buxton on the A537 (Cat and Fiddle) then head off onto the A53. But I got my wires crossed. I blame my earworm. You don't get to choose your earworm, you just have it and can't get rid of it no matter what. I'd been watching "80s Top of the Pops".....thanks a bunch, "I think we're alone now" by Tiffany made me go up the A54 to Leek. I'd gone about 8 miles before I shook Tiffany out of my head and realised what a twonk I'd been. Luckily there was a road connecting A54 to A53 via Flash. Flash is famous as the highest village in UK.

It was in Flash that I came across a big group of Chorlton Velo guys. Whizzed down to the A53 junction where they stopped to regroup. I headed on with a stiff climb to follow shortly. Half way up I heard them coming. I was a rabbit for the Chorlton greyhounds. One by one they went past me up the hill. All these skinny guys spinning past me, not a thing I could do about it.

Made it to Macclesfield. It was largely closed so I went to Wetherspoons. Now I learned a lesson last week in Hebden Bridge where I had a real Fat Boy breakfast and suffered for it later. So I ordered a sensible cheese & ham toastie and coffee. But then I saw the carrot cake...so I ordered that too. Then I found the toastie came with chips. And I ate the lot.

Rolled it home, slowly digesting. Got an new earworm. I was pleased to see the back of Tiffany. At least I was until I realised who had replaced her:

Not gonna watch 80s TotP again....

 

[Dark46]

Not much more I can add to the ride from today from Dongers description . But we actually had 3 new people turn out, 1 went in the fast and no stop group this morning. All I can really add the climb was sodding horrible and will not be repeated this year. At times I was catching him but mud on the road and on an incline is the worst thing, as trying to climb the rear wheel would slip and you would get nowhere fast. But coming down the other side was great apart from the chain coming off at 43.7 mph, so it destroyed my sector time and top speed lock out! Hmm

 

[totallyfixed]

Monsal Head Hill Climb today in the Peak District, a 160 mile round trip in the car for a 2 min climb, bonkers or what?
Huge crowds as usual, more reminiscent of a mountain top finish in the Tour de France.
Two views of the Monsal valley

Looking towards the finish of the climb from the top road where we were warming up

dr_pink on the first part of her warm up

and in the actual race with just over 100m to go, 18% at this point.

Three weeks to the National Hill Climb, next Sunday Mow Cop.

 

[ColinJ]

Monsal Head Hill Climb today in the Peak District, a 160 mile round trip in the car for a 2 min climb, bonkers or what?
Huge crowds as usual, more reminiscent of a mountain top finish in the Tour de France.
Two views of the Monsal valley

Looking towards the finish of the climb from the top road where we were warming up

dr_pink on the first part of her warm up

and in the actual race with just over 100m to go, 18% at this point.

Three weeks to the National Hill Climb, next Sunday Mow Cop.

Blimey - that year went quickly!

Good luck to dr_p at Mow Cop and the Nationals.

Oh, while I'm at it ... I was out today doing the mega-hilly 'Season of Mists' audax from Hebden Bridge to the Forest of Bowland and back. For well-known reasons, I did not ride it in 2012/2013. In 2011, I was so slow that I missed the 12 kph cut-off and therefore the refreshments at the end! I was 2 hours quicker today and felt good apart from backache on the last few climbs, which is a recurring problem.

The weather was great, apart from the usual chilly start to the event. (The weather for SoM seems to be lovely or awful - I have experienced both several times. We got lucky today.)

 

[Gravity Aided]

15 miles today, my usual route. I rode part of it yesterday on the Trek 800, and today I rode a longer stretch on the Fuji Touring , a little farther and a little faster than the Trek, with its 2.5" tires and heavy frame, care to go. A little warmer here but just a little. Did some saddle adjustments as I went, and enjoyed the ride even more after that.

 

[DCLane]

This morning I rode the Wakefield Bikeathon with Tim, my 10 year-old: http://www.strava.com/activities/203502421

It's a lovely route and very well signposted / marshalled. Having 3 feed stations in 26 miles is a bit though.