EltonFrog
Legendary Member
My old major that, spent 30 years of my life in those towns. Coming back soon I'm going to be performing at the Magna Carta day in Egham.
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
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My old major that, spent 30 years of my life in those towns. Coming back soon I'm going to be performing at the Magna Carta day in Egham.
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
My name is Dave, a 44 yo well respected professional, but also a 100% schoolboy Nobber. And here is why-
I got up this morning at 6.20, a brew and a flapjack, I was ready. A quick prod of the back tyre showed I needed a bit of air. The track pump did it's job but the valve started to leak. I think it must have been bent.... By itself!
So..... Off with the back wheel and new tube in. There was plenty of quiet expletives..
So, off I toddle. It's a bit chilly and I think about going back for something a little thicker, but decide to MTFU. My legs are a bit stiff from yesterday's ride and the Wednesday night metcon session that battered me, but it will ease. Now the plan was to do about 40 miles again, but 4 miles in I hit a snag.
After yesterday's ride the garmin had 14% battery, so I charged it. This was the point to think about other electrical bits and bobs associated with the bike ( you know what's about to happen now. Told you I was a Nobber!)
Well, there doesn't seem to be much going on with the rear mech when I poke levers.... I just took off the rear wheel, would that have done it? I doubt it. Then it dawns on me. So I'm on Bourn, I can retrace my route or loop the ride for 11 miles. To retrace I have to turn and go back up the hill, the way I'm going I have momentum. I forgot to say that at this point I'm pushing the big boy gears!!! So I struggle on through treacle until I reach Toft- Take One For the Team. There is a draggy slope up through the village. I struggled past an old lady, shopping trolley, powder blue sensible coat. She looked into my eyes and I knew that she knew.... My thighs were burning and lungs were screaming as an over weight waddling woman blew fag smoke in my general direction.
The road back to Hardwick is a long 1.5 mile slope, today it had a head wind. I was bracing myself for the worst when I had an idea.... Which worked! There was just enough power to change to the small chain ring. If it wasn't for that I may have had to do a Lycra clad walk of shame! I can remember charging the battery, but I'm not sure if it was this side of Christmas or not.....!
It's a good job that it happened this week as next Saturday I'm riding from Oxford to Cambridge with my two elder brothers. I would never have lived it down.
So there you have it, I'm Dave, I'm a Nobber!
I got up this morning at 6.20, a brew and a flapjack, I was ready. A quick prod of the back tyre showed I needed a bit of air. The track pump did it's job but the valve started to leak. I think it must have been bent.... By itself!
So..... Off with the back wheel and new tube in. There was plenty of quiet expletives..
So, off I toddle. It's a bit chilly and I think about going back for something a little thicker, but decide to MTFU. My legs are a bit stiff from yesterday's ride and the Wednesday night metcon session that battered me, but it will ease. Now the plan was to do about 40 miles again, but 4 miles in I hit a snag.
After yesterday's ride the garmin had 14% battery, so I charged it. This was the point to think about other electrical bits and bobs associated with the bike ( you know what's about to happen now. Told you I was a Nobber!)
Well, there doesn't seem to be much going on with the rear mech when I poke levers.... I just took off the rear wheel, would that have done it? I doubt it. Then it dawns on me. So I'm on Bourn, I can retrace my route or loop the ride for 11 miles. To retrace I have to turn and go back up the hill, the way I'm going I have momentum. I forgot to say that at this point I'm pushing the big boy gears!!! So I struggle on through treacle until I reach Toft- Take One For the Team. There is a draggy slope up through the village. I struggled past an old lady, shopping trolley, powder blue sensible coat. She looked into my eyes and I knew that she knew.... My thighs were burning and lungs were screaming as an over weight waddling woman blew fag smoke in my general direction.
The road back to Hardwick is a long 1.5 mile slope, today it had a head wind. I was bracing myself for the worst when I had an idea.... Which worked! There was just enough power to change to the small chain ring. If it wasn't for that I may have had to do a Lycra clad walk of shame! I can remember charging the battery, but I'm not sure if it was this side of Christmas or not.....!
It's a good job that it happened this week as next Saturday I'm riding from Oxford to Cambridge with my two elder brothers. I would never have lived it down.
So there you have it, I'm Dave, I'm a Nobber!
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
I understood the bit about the flapjack but can anyone offer a translation for the rest?
I understood the bit about the flapjack but can anyone offer a translation for the rest?
Think he's talking about Di2 or a leccy assist bike.
400bhp
Guru
Thanks man, we gave her the bike yesterday morning. Bought second hand from a guy off here about a montg ago and I have spent that time cleaning it up so it looked as new as I could get it.
the reach is a bit long for her and she was complaining of pins and needles near the end. But still..13 miles..seems normal for us here but I would wager more than half of the adult population would struggle with the concept if riding 13 miles. How long before she is faster than papa...
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
D
Deleted member 23692
Guest
Took a drive over to Kielder yesterday for a trip round the reservoir, but as it was such a wonderful day I added a detour up (and down) the Osprey blue MTB trial.
Photo from the top of the trail
..and one from the lakeside
All in all it was thoroughly enjoyable and my Garmin tells my it was 32 miles with around 3200 ft of ascent.
Photo from the top of the trail
..and one from the lakeside
All in all it was thoroughly enjoyable and my Garmin tells my it was 32 miles with around 3200 ft of ascent.
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Maverick Goose
A jumped up pantry boy, who never knew his place
- Location
- A champagne supernova in the sky
Fantastic Good Friday sunny evening ride .....lanes very quiet-they must have all been in the pub because the West Bay was heaving when I went there for a quick bit of malt based health drink [Colmers is on tap atm-nice new hoppy one from Palmers]. Churs and Hoppy Easter!
Having not been out much this week as work has been pretty busy, I forced myself to cock a leg over the saddle and get a 20 miler in search of my mojo before yet another shift today!
I rode through Overstone and Sywell and watched an old bi-plane coming in to land. I'm sure I nearly overtook it at one point! Blimey, they fly slowly!
Anyway, I was starting to enjoy the ride once the lead had disappeared from my legs, and I could push a bit harder.
The view down Hardwater Road, over the Nene is lovely with the yellow of the rape seed crop in full bloom. As often, the photo doesn't do the view justice.
At the bottom of the hill, I came across a chap pushing his bike so I stopped and asked if he was OK. The p*ncture Fairy had struck. His pump was pretty useless so we tried using mine but we could hear the air bleeding out again. I didn't have any patches with me and only had one spare tube. Sods Law would have come in to play if I'd have given him my spare, and I'd have ended up walking!
Luckily he only had to walk to Wollaston, about 2 or 3 miles so I bid him farewell and carried on to Grendon.
It's a pretty old village, even when on its side
(I thought this problem was sorted? Oh well..)
Back home via Grendon Hill and Cogenhoe Hill where I was happy to get a PB on all three bits.
My mojo has returned now, and I hope to get out tomorrow before the rain. That is, if I finish work before stupid o'clock
20 miles on the bike now off to work for 2 or 300 in the truck.
http://www.strava.com/activities/131775391
I rode through Overstone and Sywell and watched an old bi-plane coming in to land. I'm sure I nearly overtook it at one point! Blimey, they fly slowly!
Anyway, I was starting to enjoy the ride once the lead had disappeared from my legs, and I could push a bit harder.
The view down Hardwater Road, over the Nene is lovely with the yellow of the rape seed crop in full bloom. As often, the photo doesn't do the view justice.
At the bottom of the hill, I came across a chap pushing his bike so I stopped and asked if he was OK. The p*ncture Fairy had struck. His pump was pretty useless so we tried using mine but we could hear the air bleeding out again. I didn't have any patches with me and only had one spare tube. Sods Law would have come in to play if I'd have given him my spare, and I'd have ended up walking!
Luckily he only had to walk to Wollaston, about 2 or 3 miles so I bid him farewell and carried on to Grendon.
It's a pretty old village, even when on its side
(I thought this problem was sorted? Oh well..)Back home via Grendon Hill and Cogenhoe Hill where I was happy to get a PB on all three bits.
My mojo has returned now, and I hope to get out tomorrow before the rain. That is, if I finish work before stupid o'clock
20 miles on the bike now off to work for 2 or 300 in the truck.
http://www.strava.com/activities/131775391
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
But did you rotate the picture before posting it?It's a pretty old village, even when on its side
(You can't expect the forum software to guess that you would like a picture rotating.)The problem before was that pictures still came out that way even though they had been rotated before posting them.
(If you did rotate it before posting, then yes - the problem is still present!)
Brightski
Chronos Racing Team
- Location
- Cambridgeshire
Nice work, me and Mrs B went to "sunny" Hunny on Thursday... It was freezing!!
Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
I got overtaken by one of those leccy assisted bikes. Little old lady on bike, basket on the front of bike, Yorkie Terrier in the basket and she swooped past me while I faffed with my gears having got them hopelessly wrong on a hill that I had forgotten was there.
Leccy assisted bikes are just cheating, wearing lycra and leccy bike is just naughty
gavgav
Legendary Member
After increasing my mileage on flattish routes recently, I decided to go for a long and hilly route today, including some new cycling territory.
There was a keen and cold easterly breeze as I set out and headed down regular roads to Atcham, Condover, Ryton and Longnor, with nothing much to report other than a BMW 4x4 giving me a close pass in Longnor village, doing what must have been about 50mph in a 30 limit
.
I then turned towards Cardington and began the category 4 climb (Strava) up towards Enchmarsh with the Easterly wind directly in my face as well
Caer Caradoc as I begin to climb
Getting higher up now
I had only been up this climb once before with @Rickshaw Phil and it was as hard as I remember it! I was chuffed to get up in mid range though and arrived at the Enchmarsh crossroads for a bit of lunch.
I had some friendly exchanges with a few walkers that were about and also had a visit from a couple of locals who had escaped.............
I set off in the direction of Cardington and the lovely downhill bit into the village, passing one of my favourite pubs in Shropshire (The Royal Oak) but I resisted a as it doesn't seem the same going there without company and because I had climbed to 965 ft now, it was 
and I had to stop to put my 4TH layer on!! This is supposed to be April, but it felt like December to me today!!
I then took the 1st left turn after the village, onto new territory and began the climb up towards Chatwall. It was then a right turn and more climbing, in the direction of Ruckley.
I know it's cold today, but surely not!!
After all the climbing I had done, I thought there must be some downhill soon and sure enough there was a fantastic descent, with gradient arrow, where I reached 30mph dead on, into what has to be the most spectacular valley I have seen in Shropshire
. It reminded me of some of the Lake District scenery that I am familiar with, and with this already being my favourite part of the county, I definitely want to live down there...........when I win the lottery maybe!!
In the valley looking towards The Wrekin in the far distance Looking towards the Welsh Mountains
There was a bit more climbing into Ruckley, including one very steep bit which needed bottom gear and then a nice descent into Acton Burnell, and onto Pitchford, Cantlop, Atcham and home, with the wind against me now, and with another close pass from a BMW (surprise surprise) on the rat run to Uffington.
I think this has to be my most enjoyable solo ride ever, not quite up to those with @Rickshaw Phil and Doug, as I always prefer company, but still great fun and Strava confirms this to be the biggest amount of climbing I have ever done on a ride in shropshire
36.02 miles
11.4 mph avg
1693 ft of climbing
There was a keen and cold easterly breeze as I set out and headed down regular roads to Atcham, Condover, Ryton and Longnor, with nothing much to report other than a BMW 4x4 giving me a close pass in Longnor village, doing what must have been about 50mph in a 30 limit
.I then turned towards Cardington and began the category 4 climb (Strava) up towards Enchmarsh with the Easterly wind directly in my face as well
Caer Caradoc as I begin to climb
Getting higher up now
I had only been up this climb once before with @Rickshaw Phil and it was as hard as I remember it! I was chuffed to get up in mid range though and arrived at the Enchmarsh crossroads for a bit of lunch.
I had some friendly exchanges with a few walkers that were about and also had a visit from a couple of locals who had escaped.............
I set off in the direction of Cardington and the lovely downhill bit into the village, passing one of my favourite pubs in Shropshire (The Royal Oak) but I resisted a
as it doesn't seem the same going there without company and because I had climbed to 965 ft now, it was and I had to stop to put my 4TH layer on!! This is supposed to be April, but it felt like December to me today!! I then took the 1st left turn after the village, onto new territory and began the climb up towards Chatwall. It was then a right turn and more climbing, in the direction of Ruckley.
I know it's cold today, but surely not!!
After all the climbing I had done, I thought there must be some downhill soon and sure enough there was a fantastic descent, with gradient arrow, where I reached 30mph dead on, into what has to be the most spectacular valley I have seen in Shropshire
. It reminded me of some of the Lake District scenery that I am familiar with, and with this already being my favourite part of the county, I definitely want to live down there...........when I win the lottery maybe!!In the valley looking towards The Wrekin in the far distance Looking towards the Welsh Mountains
There was a bit more climbing into Ruckley, including one very steep bit which needed bottom gear and then a nice descent into Acton Burnell, and onto Pitchford, Cantlop, Atcham and home, with the wind against me now, and with another close pass from a BMW (surprise surprise) on the rat run to Uffington.
I think this has to be my most enjoyable solo ride ever, not quite up to those with @Rickshaw Phil and Doug, as I always prefer company, but still great fun and Strava confirms this to be the biggest amount of climbing I have ever done on a ride in shropshire
36.02 miles
11.4 mph avg
1693 ft of climbing
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Plan was Easingwold and Benningborough Hall.Clothing all laid out last night ,supplies in fridge.Awoke at 06-00 sunshine,went back to sleep awoke at 08-00 oh where is the sun.Breakfast then a shower.Weather not improved,so cancels that idea.Change of plan out with mountain bike 34 miles along the Leeds and Liverpool canal.Not as good,it was a bit chilly also,but the sun did come out,i timed it 13-00 to 13-10.But at least i got out.
400bhp
Guru
Not long back from a 66 mile killer around Rivington & Belmont. I think I must have had a tail wind for about 4 miles. Headwinds and crosswinds made that a hell of a hard ride.
I was going to come all the way down the A6 into West Manchester but I'd had enough of the crosswind after several miles so took an alternative route through Leigh.
I normally go out early doors on saturday but left at 11 ish today as it was cold first thing. Is the driving on saturday afternoons always so poor? I felt the need to shout at half a dozen bits of poor driving.
I was going to come all the way down the A6 into West Manchester but I'd had enough of the crosswind after several miles so took an alternative route through Leigh.
I normally go out early doors on saturday but left at 11 ish today as it was cold first thing. Is the driving on saturday afternoons always so poor? I felt the need to shout at half a dozen bits of poor driving.
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