Tales from today's commute....

[HLaB]

coming home it was chucking it down for the 1st couple of miles so i was in full waterproofs , of course it stopped so i had to strip down as i was too hot .

Unlucky. When I got of the train in Arlesey it was grey all the way cycling to St'Evanage but stayed dry until I was sat my desk and stopped not long before I headed home. Being half term they were enjoyable commutes. I kinda wished I'd went further now though, especially at night when I had strong wind behind me.

 

[fossyant]

Missed the worse of any rain last two days, although fully waterproofed up this morning, it stopped raining and didn't really start again, so took it steady.

 

[united4ever]

Roe green loop closed from Walkden to Monton tonight due to police Corden. Quick Google and seems it's connected to the murder of Stewart Everett (body parts found in different parts of Salford☹️).

@skudupnorth wonder how long it will be closed for

 

[biking_fox]

Very nice half term riding. A little drizzle early in the week, and a headwind today, but the sunshine and really empty roads makes it all so much fun.

 

[fossyant]

Very nice half term riding. A little drizzle early in the week, and a headwind today, but the sunshine and really empty roads makes it all so much fun.

I hadn't really noticed the roads (half term) - my route is mainly off road, although coming home I use the A6 from the Floop to Stockport rather than back through Reddish Vale, as the scallies are out of bed by 5:30pm. Never an issue first thing.

Scabs on my right arm are clearing up from last week, but I still have a nasty looking bruise on my bicep. I've checked the hill where I crashed over the last two days and there doesn't appear to be anything that caused it - potentially could have been diesel or a mud build up, but it's rained a lot over the week.

 

[Mazz]

Came across a blind lass with her guide dog, seen them regularly on my route.
The dog had just crapped on the pavement and she was bagging it up. There was 4 pieces of crap so I said 'morning, you ok cleaning that mess or do you need a hand?'. She was a pleasant lass and chuckled saying i'm fine, done it plenty times before.👍

 

[Maylian]

Legs were feeling a bit weary, so took yesterday off to rest them and still felt a bit stiff this morning.

Ended up loving my ride in this morning! As expected, not many cars, cyclists or pedestrians on the roads & shared use paths. Lovely and sunny, no gnats flying into my face, managed to avoid the largest piles of horse crap on the bridleways and the ride felt pretty quick and dare I say "easy". Given only doing 1-2 rides a week for the last 4-6 weeks, I've definitely felt my fitness levels improving this week.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

Absolutely cracking faux commute yesterday in the Sunshine. The blue sky days have been quite rare so far this year. And to get one on a Sunday morning* when the world is still waking up is very pleasant indeed.

This morning was also fairly pleasant, even if it was trying to rain and I looked like I was crying the whole time because of the hayfever. I was thinking the chillblains would be back at school but maybe they've got a couple of professional development days. Did see some School activity though so maybe it is just some schools. Definitely not as busy as a regular Monday morning.

Did sadly witness a near collision between two drivers. I was cycling along a residential street approaching an off-side (left) side road, about to turn left into it. There was a T-junction another 100 meters away. Parked cars on the road on the near side (right). I'm passed by a Mercedes-Benz driver, and then very swiftly behind them by the driver of a blue VW Golf which was on an N plate... not many of those left surely. It was a wide enough pass from the Golf driver - perhaps too wide, given that they had to swerve sharply to the left to avoid colliding with an oncoming vehicle which was thankfully slowing down anyway due to the parked vehicles. I felt the Mercedes driver shouldn't have really overtake me at that point, as we were all on approach to two junctions. The Golf driver shouldn't have either as the road ahead wasn't clear. And exacerbating things, the Golf driver accelerated far too quickly so that they were carried far too much speed at the point they swerved to avoid the oncoming traffic. I'd say at that point, the Golf was at the limits of it's adhesion to the road.

Reflecting on that, I could possibly have made it all less likly by riding in primary position - but the road would have still been just wide enough for drivers to pass anyway even if they infringe on the space they should allow when overtaking slightly. So using primary position at the point is probably not going to achieve that much when it comes to less responsible drivers.

Sadly I didn't remember the full registration number of the offender. One of those moments when it's a shame I don't have an action camera.

*The faux commute happens every day I'm not going for a big ride, except when it's absolutely bucketing it down.

 

[wafter]

Contrary to yesterday's trip to the shops, the journey in was mercifully devoid of dickheads and sprinkled with many welcome examples of courtesy, consideration and respect

That aside the ride was pretty uneventful; passed a bloke pushing a newish looking Brompton with a rear flat.. offered my sympathy but didn't stay to help as it would have made me late and there were things to do.

Got to work on time, minced for a bit then headed straight out again on the bike to deliver some stuff to a local client, with a slighty cheeky detour to the post office on the way back.

Work passed in a haze of diminishing caffeine.. mood and energy saved at the end of the day by a £1.07 chicken and bacon wrap from the co-op's reductions cabinet.

Took the long way home again, stopped and chatted to a randomly-encountered mate for a bit. Moseyed around the city and some rural bits on its outskirts, eventually finding myself at the monkey bars out the back of the posh bit of town. Did a full tour of punishing hoop action, before pushing back to the car.

Despite being knackered it felt great to get some upper-body stuff in, which added to the general pleasure of wafting around the city on a nice night with some decent tunes. Peak endorphines were hit on St. Clements, the lights changing to green at the same time as the whistle just before the fat piano drop in Urban Hype's rave classic A Ticket to Trumpton.. I think I hit about 24mph on the flat before I was spent.


All in all about 30 largely pleasant miles (so around double a usual day) plus some upper-body work and I still feel great for it

 

[fossyant]

Nothing to report, rather pleasant ride in, no rain ! Slight headwind but the new cassette, chain and chainring were lovely and smooth.

 

[straas]

First commute in for a long time yesterday;

Used my new steel Ribble endurance, my front mudguard install has created quite the toe overlap which was very noticeable when navigating barriers at low speed! This was further hampered by having my pannier on the left side when I was used to the right, nearly ripped it off at one point!
The 105 hydraulic discs inspire a lot of confidence, so much nicer than rim brakes when loaded up.

Despite my terrible fitness at the moment it's nice to see the legs still have speed in them, had a couple of mini races on the way in. Going to try and get into the office more often so I can get my fitness up with the commute.

 

[HLaB]

Nothing much happened on this morning's commute, except I tried a very slight variation of route to avoid s bumpy path. I think I'll have to take the bumpy path in future avoiding it saw me held up in traffic wanting to turn right into NCN lane, the bumpy path spits me out at the head of the queue.

During the PM commute I had one of those annoying individuals follow me and every time I stopped at a giveway or a traffic light they'd dash through ahead, only for me to overtake them again a minute later. Eventually I got to a section of road with a distance between junctions and I never saw them again.

 

[wafter]

All in all a pretty bloody good week for commuting; emerging into the year's first "good" weather off the back of a winter's toil.

As the conditions have improved I've made an effort to push the rides out a bit on the way home. Monday's escapades are already recorded to much critical acclaim; Tuesday was just the basic 8ish miles both way; the return being a bit later thanks to the usual pub visit.

Today has been very much a mixed bag; the route in sans-sausages due to being late, having an inexplicibly dodgy stomach and generally feeling like a b*stard for hitting a pigeon on the car

The ride back ticked many more positive boxes... heading out through Kennington to extend the usual route, then wiggling around a bit to Botley for a piece of sublime fish from Harrison's - which was consumed sat outside the business school on frideswide square.

All along I'd become fixated by the masses of communally-locked bikes at the station and in various areas of the city in the hope that I might spot my mate's nicked vintage Raleigh.. but sadly no joy was had

For dessert it was on to the monkey bars by the canal for some hoop action, before a well-deserved pint. I was going to try the new (?) outdoor place by the boatyard on Port Meadow, however as I approached the sky became ever-more cloudy and I increasingly cold, so I defaulted to the usual Vicky in Jericho. The former definitely looks worth a visit / some support though!

Having slouched in the Victoria's leather wingbacks for a while I made my way back; smashing along the tow path made all the more pleasurable by a fantastic soundtrack (courtesy largely of a raft of Hyboid remixes).

A greater number of generally very pleasant miles this week than usual; on top of Sunday's 25 mile shopping trip bringing me to about 95 miles in four days - which is significant for me.

Feels good to be thrashing my shite old body.

A few pics from the week:

Monday's budget toff-cross in the meadows out the back of uni parks:

Today's dinner; not only was the fish sublime but the staff were sound too. Without solicitation I was brought the card machine and subsequent noms outside the shop so I didn't have to drag the folded bike in... which was very much appreciated

Tbh short of living in the city this is as good as it gets... and I'm eternally grateful to the Brompton for the access it's afforded me

 

[skudupnorth]

Roe green loop closed from Walkden to Monton tonight due to police Corden. Quick Google and seems it's connected to the murder of Stewart Everett (body parts found in different parts of Salford☹️).

@skudupnorth wonder how long it will be closed for

I’ve not been down that way for a while, we are still diverting for the road bridge works on the Tyldesley loop line section

 

[fossyant]

Weather has been a bit mixed this week, but fell lucky this morning - woke to hear heavy rain. By the time I'd gone down stairs and looked out, it was wet, but no clouds over to my 'destination' - it's visible from my home (we can see Manchester's 'sky scrapers'. Roads and path's were fairly dry by the time I'd left the local nature reserve.

Treated myself to a 'free' breakfast pastry. We have an app at work that you can get 'rewards' for exercising - so I link my strava to it and get about 300 points a day for the commute. A pastry is 1000 points. I've still got 8,000 points to use by end July, but it's recently earned me a nice golf brolly (essential for moving about campus in Manchester) and a nice 'travel mug'.