Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Jon George]

Just remembered I did actually go out on a bike, today! (I had to do a shift for my part-time job and I'm dammed if I'm ever going to pay the hospital parking fees, whatever the weather.)
So, 1.5 miles off my towards my target for the year, then.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

New Years Eve ride

Starting off at 9.30am and heading the couple of miles to the foot of Blackstone Edge, the temperature was hovering around the 3 degrees mark, so the grind up to the top did at least get the legs warmed up.
View Of Littleborough from the top of Blackstone Edge

Over the top and onto the Tour De France course Over the border into Yorkshire and down into Ripponden , to the foot of the next beasty of a hill "Ripponden Bank", this is where we watched the TDF on stage 2 earlier this year, but they went up at least five times the speed i went up it.
Photo taken outside the Fleece Inn and in set a copy of one taken roughly the same place but with a few more spectators

At the top of Ripponden Bank , it was a fork off and down into what looks more like Pixie Hollow as you descend into the trees, only to find a recycling plant at the bottom (Very clever those Pixies)
Up through the lanes and out on to the road from Outlane over to Newhey, and what a long drag that is with a 20+mph wind in your face, half way along and over to the right is the widest single span concrete bride in Europe (or it was) according to Fred Dibnah who took his steam roller over on one of his many documentaries.

The Bridge also passes over the M62 at the highest point on the countries motorway network, so this is altitude cycling at its best.
Stopping off at a local beauty spot for the another picture there was no ice cream van just several dog walkers and me

Then off the along the last part of the wind swept moors, i swear blind i heard some woman calling for Heathcliff drifting on the wind , but these were Saddleworth moors, more associated with the notorious Myra Hindley and Ian Brady and not Bronty country.
30 Miles of nice views but horrendous winds

And a few pics taken along the way

 

[vernon]

0.17 miles around the roundabout outside my house. My first ride of 2015.

 

[Saluki]

Today I went:


I had a quick tootle around the estate for a change and then out to Bluebell and actually rode down the road rather than the cyclepath. It was quiet and I just couldn't face the surface of the cyclepath. I'm sure it loosens fillings. I turned right and rode through Eaton/Cringleford to the A11 (then I used the cyclepath as I'm not suicidal) and crossed at the junction.

From there I followed more cycle path, under the A47 and then off to Hethersett via the Norwich Road, again on the cycle path. The headwind was a bit interesting. I was working hard to maintain 9mph and fighting the urge to turn around and go home. Also, I'd forgotten breakfast, which wasn't helping much. Once at Hethersett I turned right and right again and followed the road, past the schools and Tesco to the Melton Road. Another right turn and I was heading home. Interestingly, still into the wind. It must be Scottish wind out there today. You know, the wind that comes at you from every conceivable angle.

The spin down the road after the right hander at the war memorial was great. The uphill out of Little Melton to the B1108 not so great but I got up, with minimal swearing and turned right at the top, over the double roundabouts and headed down the hill to Colney and the hospital. Pedalling hard to maintain 23mph downhill into more wind, was a bit of a pain. I was hoping for a faster Max speed than 24.6mph over the ride but it was not to be.

I got half way over the lights at the right turn to the hospital, which is an interesting turning as people will jump a red from the other side if it's only a bike turning, when I saw an ambulance bluing it's way towards the hospital. I stopped and let him over the lights and the turning as I didn't want to be in his way. Naturally then nobody would let me finish the turn as people followed the ambo through. He was on an emergency, I can't see what everyone elses reason for RLJing was.

I eventually made it up the last hill to the hospital where I was very relieved to see Hubster waiting for me. I was a good 10 minutes late in today, due to my slowness in the wind. 11.61 miles in 57 minutes so averaged 12.2mph according to Garmin.

651 calories burned so extra porridge for me . Interestingly the scales said that I have put on 10lbs in 8 days. I think that my scales might be on the blink. I log my food - all of it - and there is no way that I have overeaten by 35,000 calories in the last 8 days. I'm not convinced that I have 35,000 calories in the house at any one time. Maybe I should have put my scales back 10lbs for Xmas. Like you do the clocks an hour in Autumn. Better get those lbs shifted at any rate. I wonder if my jeans still fit

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

30 miles into West Lothian this morning, not too bad to begin with, albeit struggling at times with the headwind. But then it went as black as night and starting sleeting, really foul last 10 miles even with a tailwind. Stopped just as I got home, typical.

 

[dan_bo]

Steady 50 out to JJs diner with Longers only to find it shut.

Blahdy windy!

 

[Jon George]

Went West of Ipswich today for what turned out to be a 25 mile amble (just under two hours). This is an area I seldom head for as, unless I do a massive detour over the North of the town, it necessitates a dice-and-weave through the town at the beginning and end of the ride. Still, I remembered it is rather scenic out that way, I'd never been to Whatfield, that was the direction the wind was coming from, and I wanted a tailwind for the return.
Unfortunately, I forgot that 'scenic' often involves roiling countryside.
Fantastic day out, though.

The River Gipping at Bramford. I caught a stickleback here, fifty years ago.

The hamlet of Flowton.

Just before Elmsett. (Moments before, a 4x4 didn't slow down as it mounted the grass beside the field of the narrow lane we were on and hurtled past me. I saw the rummy bits of his eyes.)

And I didn't really feel much of a tailwind on the way back.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Just had my first outing for 2015.
took the commencal 120fs out on the skinny wheels for a 15mile slow speed 15mph ish, high cadence ride 90rpm ish rate.
for them that know the area, Werrington to Marholm ,Castor,Alwalton,ferry meadows and back home via a few off road bits.
windy on castor hill but a lovely refreshing cobweb clearing ride...Ferry Meadows was heaving with walkers so skirted round that..suposed to be out tomorrow but it looks like being a stinker..

 

[LarryDuff]

18 miles in nice winter sunshine. The wind was quite tricky and there was a stretch where I was struggling to do 13mph on the flat into the breeze. It was great to get out though.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

33 windy miles, a Monastry and a new K9 friend
http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.com/2015/01/stbarnabos-monastry-loop.html?spref=fb

 

[Levo-Lon]

33 windy miles, a Monastry and a new K9 friend
http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.com/2015/01/stbarnabos-monastry-loop.html?spref=fb

how cool is that..bit jelouse if im honest..

 

[Dave 123]

An eight mile maiden voyage with my lad on his new Trek Madone 2.3. This was fantastic for so many reasons, but the high point was that he was wearing my bib longs..... We'll have him in full Lycra before 2016!

 

[Levo-Lon]

An eight mile maiden voyage with my lad on his new Trek Madone 2.3. This was fantastic for so many reasons, but the high point was that he was wearing my bib longs..... We'll have him in full Lycra before 2016!

wait till he does Ramsey Heights!!! Make a man of him will that lol

 

[Dave 123]

33 windy miles, a Monastry and a new K9 friend
http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.com/2015/01/stbarnabos-monastry-loop.html?spref=fb

So how cold are you calling "cold"?

 

[ColinJ]

New Years Eve ride
View attachment 75835
Starting off at 9.30am and heading the couple of miles to the foot of Blackstone Edge, the temperature was hovering around the 3 degrees mark, so the grind up to the top did at least get the legs warmed up.
View Of Littleborough from the top of Blackstone Edge
View attachment 75828
View attachment 75834



Over the top and onto the Tour De France course Over the border into Yorkshire and down into Ripponden , to the foot of the next beasty of a hill "Ripponden Bank", this is where we watched the TDF on stage 2 earlier this year, but they went up at least five times the speed i went up it.
Photo taken outside the Fleece Inn and in set a copy of one taken roughly the same place but with a few more spectators
View attachment 75830
At the top of Ripponden Bank , it was a fork off and down into what looks more like Pixie Hollow as you descend into the trees, only to find a recycling plant at the bottom (Very clever those Pixies)
Up through the lanes and out on to the road from Outlane over to Newhey, and what a long drag that is with a 20+mph wind in your face, half way along and over to the right is the widest single span concrete bride in Europe (or it was) according to Fred Dibnah who took his steam roller over on one of his many documentaries.
View attachment 75831
The Bridge also passes over the M62 at the highest point on the countries motorway network, so this is altitude cycling at its best.
Stopping off at a local beauty spot for the another picture there was no ice cream van just several dog walkers and me
View attachment 75833
View attachment 75832

Then off the along the last part of the wind swept moors, i swear blind i heard some woman calling for Heathcliff drifting on the wind , but these were Saddleworth moors, more associated with the notorious Myra Hindley and Ian Brady and not Bronty country.
30 Miles of nice views but horrendous winds

And a few pics taken along the way
View attachment 75836
View attachment 75837

Good effort. I think I will wait until conditions warm up though before tackling a ride like that ...

Steady 50 out to JJs diner with Longers only to find it shut.

Blahdy windy!

It seems like ages since I last saw Longers ... See if you can drag him out on a forum ride later in the year!