Show us your.......newbie progress!

[Stonechat]

Weighed myself this morning and found that I was exactly the same weight as last week, despite having a calorie surplus for all 7 days!

Went out on the bike, back to the hill that nearly got me yesterday , to see if I couldn't get up it a little faster. I did, but it was an effort.

15.5 miles in total (11.8mph average), lots of uphill/downhill/bend action (particularly around Matching Tye). It's very warm out there and I ended up drinking all of my water.

I stopped at the bench-by-the-pond in Matching Green (a favourite stop going by the amount of cyclists I see sat there most days), had a drink and a nibble... and left my helmet there. I didn't realise until I'd gone about a mile and a half that I wasn't wearing it, went back... but it was gone! Oh well, back down the shop tomorrow

Saw two pheasants (or grouse, I can never tell) and then a third running down the middle of the road away from me

You won't have grouse in your location @Cadire
Pheasants have a long tail, or could be partridges

 

[Stonechat]

All set to get ready for bed, then an early rise to head off to Wales to register for Velothon Wales. Sunday should be an interesting day...closed roads, 85 miles, perhaps a few irate NIMBYs throwing tacks / eggs / coloured paint, The Tumble, Caerphilly Mountain, and the wondrous Welsh weather system.

Nighty night

Good luck. Hopefully doing a long run myself to warm up for century in two weeks

 

[Cadire]

You won't have grouse in your location @Cadire
Pheasants have a long tail, or could be partridges

Oh no, a third option!

The first two i saw were a pair, a very colourful male, mostly white with a little blob of red around his beak area,and a drab little brown thing that I'm assuming was the female.

The third one looked like a 'normal' pheasant (brownish with a colourful tail and green bit on neck) and was running along the road!

EDIT: Just looked at some pictures and the white one was apparently a 'white-eared' pheasant.

I need to buy an RSPB bird identifier book now

 

[Stonechat]

Oh no, a third option!

The first two i saw were a pair, a very colourful male, mostly white with a little blob of red around his beak area,and a drab little brown thing that I'm assuming was the female.

The third one looked like a 'normal' pheasant (brownish with a colourful tail and green bit on neck) and was running along the road!

EDIT: Just looked at some pictures and the white one was apparently a 'white-eared' pheasant.

I need to buy an RSPB bird identifier book now

White-eared pheasant is a bird of Chinese mountains and similar in that area ( I have seen them)
More likely to be albino pheasant

 

[SpokeyDokey]

28.78 miles @ 14.57 mph av' with 1923' ascent.

No bunnies at all.

Very humid day - came back a bit soggy.

Have a fun cycling weekend everyone.

 

[nobbyp]

No miles

No bunnies

Just rain

Meh!!!

 

[Mo1959]

Rain here this morning, but I am going to be a dedicated non-fair weather cyclist and go out at least for a bit. It's been a big week mileage wise for me so as well to complete it with another ride.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Rain here this morning, but I am going to be a dedicated non-fair weather cyclist and go out at least for a bit. It's been a big week mileage wise for me so as well to complete it with another ride.

Good luck with your ride today.

The weather forecasters got it totally wrong this weekend.

Yesterday was supposed to rain on & off all day. It threatened but didn't.

Today was supposed to be dry & ok and like you I got up to rain. Still a bit on & off but looks like it will dry out.

Got up at 6.30 planning to do 35-40 at 8.00 but didn't fancy the wetness!

Trying to keep my motivation to get out intact.

 

[Mo1959]

Good luck with your ride today.

The weather forecasters got it totally wrong this weekend.

Yesterday was supposed to rain on & off all day. It threatened but didn't.

Today was supposed to be dry & ok and like you I got up to rain. Still a bit on & off but looks like it will dry out.

Got up at 6.30 planning to do 35-40 at 8.00 but didn't fancy the wetness!

Trying to keep my motivation to get out intact.

I braved it, and got soaked and chilly hands and feet. Took the hybrid and tootled round a 48 mile route. This is been a high mileage week for me......biggest since July 2013 and also a fair bit of climbing. I am happy my endurance has returned but not so happy the back is still playing up which I suspect is the reason I can't seem to get much power/speed back into the legs.

 

[the_craig]

So I've done my longest run today of a little over 29 miles.

Got up nice and early and I was out the door for about 7:30. Headed out to Bathgate to climb Cairnpapple Hill after @MrGrumpy mentioned it on the Hills, hills, hills thread. Now Ive been up and down it in the car numerous times and know that it's steep but on a bike, it is a sheer cliff. I basically had my head down and kept turning the pedals and it was tough going. I was burst. After that, I went into get me home mode as the wind picked up and it was raining. And the tin lid on it was the wee cafe I planned to stop at wasn't open!

Sounds pretty miserable but it was fantastic. I love cycling!

https://www.strava.com/activities/325016980

 

[SpokeyDokey]

So I've done my longest run today of a little over 29 miles.

Got up nice and early and I was out the door for about 7:30. Headed out to Bathgate to climb Cairnpapple Hill after @MrGrumpy mentioned it on the Hills, hills, hills thread. Now Ive been up and down it in the car numerous times and know that it's steep but on a bike, it is a sheer cliff. I basically had my head down and kept turning the pedals and it was tough going. I was burst. After that, I went into get me home mode as the wind picked up and it was raining. And the tin lid on it was the wee cafe I planned to stop at wasn't open!

Sounds pretty miserable but it was fantastic. I love cycling!

https://www.strava.com/activities/325016980

Good effort!

 

[the_craig]

Good effort!

Cheers dude.

It was an experience to say the least and I may have to reward myself with a beer or two later. Last day of holidays and that.

Oh, and I've ridden 130.5km and climbed 1,200m this week.

Progress right enough.

 

[Stonechat]

Went out, not sure I was going to did not sleep well, and there was a faint drizzle- very very little, on and off

More or less a new direction, towards Oxted. and two really tough hills, Chalkpit Lane, and White Lane. The ride the was very good country,.

Managed to blow the first, and longer, but not pacing correctly, had to stop for breath. White lane very steep, but not so long. Managed it OK.

Return route was tending to be a bit more suburban. However kept plodding back with increasingly weary legs.

Somewhere to the South of Croydon, Garmin lost signal, so I took a wrong turn. Added about 7 miles to route!

All in all 78.10 miles @ 14.9 mph, and as hilly route, climbed 4098 feet

https://www.strava.com/activities/325309934

 

[Cadire]

I can only look on in awe at some of the mileages being achieved by other members!

15.4 miles today, slightly drizzly at the end, just beat a shower of rain to home.

I managed to up my average speed to 12mph, which is a record (it was 8mph when I started just over 3 weeks ago).

EDIT: Not much wildlife about, but did see this shy creature hiding in the hedge...

 

[MrGrumpy]

Well my first century ride done today not too bad to be honest! Missed the jump into the faster group but 17.5mph avg ain't bad.
https://www.strava.com/activities/325555121