Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Deleted member 1258]

Ealswood the destination, 61 miles the journey, the original destination was the Waseley Hills but I looked at the cold grey morning and the wind blowing the trees around and changed my mind, when I got to the cafe it was apparent most of the club lads had done the same, the place was crammed. On the way out after crossing the Henley In Arden road at Norton Lindsey I stopped to put some air in my tires and was passed by the clubs intermediate ride, everybody asked if I was alright, I then had great fun chasing them across Langley bank eventually catching them as they turned for Shelfield, unfortunately I had taken too much out of the legs in the chase and when we turned onto the lumpy lane for Wowensmere I got dropped, I could see them a few yards in front of me but couldn't catch them and lost contact around Ullenhall and rode into the cafe a few minutes after they did. The ride home wasn't as much fun, a slog into the wind the first shower arrived as I crossed the Stratford Rd and turned into Wharf Lane and the rest of the ride was done in intermittent showers. Not a bad morning out, better weather would have been nice, but most of it was enjoyable.

 

[HLaB]

Over dressed a wee bit, expecting heavy rain showers but it was mostly
I met some mate cycled to the cafe with them, we then headed to watch a Pro Race in Oakham, where I briefly met @totallyfixed , looking Totally Fixed af his operation I then headed down to Oundle with some folks

http://www.strava.com/activities/134726816

 

[smokeysmoo]

A 30 odd mile Urban pootle around the delight that is Manchester and it's surrounding areas, ride date HERE.

 

[EltonFrog]

Procrastinated a lot this morning, forecast said heavy rain, but it was more like sunny showers. We were watching people going past the house on the track who were taking part in the Purley Ride, so we eventually M’dTFU got the gear on and bike out and rode along the canal to Reading for a little light shopping and some lunch. The canal was quiet today probably because it was wet and muddy, but we had a nice ride out and got soaked on the way back. Nearly bought some stuff in Evans of Reading, but they were so inept at serving I left the stuff on the counter and walked away without it.

And I still have a cold.

 

[Saluki]

Just a short ride today. The little 5.11 loop around the block in about 25 mins or so. Didn't take a watch, bike computer or anything.
It was a real effort to get out of the door today, both of us are tired and very down. We managed to get out and it was a nice ride. We both feel better after the ride than we did before. We managed to refrain from whistling Cliff Richard tunes too.

 

[Simmer]

managed my first 50 miler today with @Sinkrate rate for company.. great ride but wow my legs ache now, that headwind was hard work ! the cake however was very nice indeed

Andy diddnt have cake... he was most uncouth and went for a sausage bap thing. The following couple of hours proved scientifically that cake > sausage

http://www.strava.com/activities/134837298

 

[Jefferson Meriwether]

I went for a blast along the Kennet and Avon canal on my fat bike last Friday. I must admit that as I traveled up to Reading by train the somewhat unpleasant looking showers almost put me off but I decided to battle on and see how far I got.

I was pretty soaked before I'd even left Reading and was reasonably mucky within about 10 miles but I cheerfully carried on, occasionally stopping to chat to people as they admired my huge bike tyres.

In the 18 months since I'd last tackled the K&A I'd forgotten just how grueling and demanding the 20/25 mile section of towpath into Devizes is. Last Friday's ride did a very good job of reminding me just how much of a slog it is. I almost baled at Devizes like I did last time but when I got there I got my 2nd wind so to say and decided to carry on. I'd soon bimbled past Bradford and onto Avoncliff. If it wasn't for the fact I was pretty much plastered in muck from head to foot I would have stopped at the Cross Guns for an early tea. Instead I spent a few minutes admiring the view from the aqueduct before plodding on.

I eventually made it all the way to Bath with a smidgen over 76 miles showing on my Garmin; cold, wet, filthy & very happy indeed. I was definitely completely bonkers doing the K&A in one day but was glad I did; I'm not doing it in one day again though. I had a Burger King tea before catching the train home. The 6 mile cycle ride from the station to my house felt torturous indeed; suffice to say I was glad to get home.

The day was nicely rounded off with a lovely hot shower and a couple of bottles of Hobgoblin.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

68 miles in Northern Cyprus today included some triathlon by mistake and mermiads
http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[craigwend]

43 miles via this http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/New-...ear-run-Hull/story-21004995-detail/story.html generally well planned, nice little bridge where the road gets 'too narrow', & going on todays cycle traffic, very well used, only one ridiculous 'tron-esque' corner though they missed a 'trick' as you can't / it's difficult to cross the main road to get to the cycle lane from the northern end

Anyway after a fitness improving Jan & Feb & then setback March's 'virus' - knocked me a little; so instead of climbing the major hill on the route (trundelgate) I went the reverse route & clocked 43mph (must adjust / get new brake pads) down it; good to do a different route, see a deer getting a startled by dog walkers, bounding round the local common , before finding an, 'escape' , spotting 'solar panel field' and generally jolly ride, good stuff this cycling when you get time to get out & ride...

 

[Bobby Mhor]

45 miles done the previous two days..
but today I'd family business to attend to just before noon...
It was back home, a quick caffeine infusion, gear on....
then off.
A quick first mile with a sharp shock hill before on to 75 for a mile then off heading slowly upwards towards the B788 where I decided Lochwinnoch via Gateside Rd....met a Deutschland registered car who liked sitting in the middle of the single track road, oh well
.

Personally its their teachers fault....

Back on to the Lochwinnoch road and the carruthmuir climb was soon upon me, down the gears but conquered it again.
More ups then more downs to the village itself.

A daunder down the main street then it was time to head back home via the Castle Semple Park and then on to an awfy busy cycle track.

Hello sailor

I turned west at Linwood and just over an hour later, I could see the kettle being put on..
A smidgen under 32 miles and over 100 for the week and a new PB monthly total
I'm beginning to enjoy this cycling lark

 

[Dave 123]

So on Saturday my long term plans came to fruition Oxford to Cambridge. The weather looked awful on the forecast on Friday but I had a sneaky feeling things would come good. I was riding with my two brothers, they are very close in age, but 13-14 years my senior. They've never been close, so it was like having Froome and Wiggo come to stay.

So here we are in Oxford ready to roll (I'm the short arse at the end). I have only been to Oxford once so it was a job to navigate out of an unfamiliar city. We were heading for Elsfield and the only way we could work out was by going down a big ugly dual carriageway race track.... Head down and hammer it!
We turned off the slip road a few minutes later and we'd landed in an episode of the Archers!
We were on lovely quiet roads passing beautiful cottages and wonderful views, blossom on the trees, cowslips in the verges. The villages rolled on by until we reached Winslow, where every other building seemed to be a tea shop, but Keith wanted to push on until Swanbourne as there was a tea shop on the route card. I pointed out that this was an old route card.... Sure enough, the tea shop in Swanbourne had closed down, luckily I had jelly babies, so they were handed round.
We rolled on to the Three Locks pub at Great Brickhill where we had sandwiches and chips. 50 miles down.
So with cold legs, full bellies and rain jackets on we hauled ourselves up the hill at Brickhill. At the top the rain jackets came off, we were warm again and the shower dissipating. Onward to Woburn.
The woodland around Woburn were thick with bluebells, the scent wafting over us. We spun on past the deer in the park

Not long after we crossed the A1 and I was back on my local loops roads.
Pete wS starting to flag... "How far to Cambridge Dave?".... "About 9 miles". I was told several times afterwards that it was 14 miles- I was nearly right!
We passed a sign Hardwick 1.5 miles " why the bloody hell are we going to Cambridge? You live just up the road!" I explained that there was more resonance in "Oxford-Cambridge" rather than "Oxford-my house in some village"
We rolled onto Kings Parade, past my work and stopped for a picture outside Great St Mary's church

Then it was the 6.5 miles home, up Madingley Hill.
102 miles with an average of 15.5MPH, but I was good for a lot more.
My first 100+ ride! I'm planning the next one!

 

[NealM]

Managed to do 75 miles yesterday . . The first 30 miles were into the wind which I think was blowing at about 14 - 16 mph !!.. After a stop for something to eat and a drink (at approx. the 40 mile mark), it took a couple of miles to get the legs going again; but once they were warmed up all was good . . Although the last 15 miles or so were painful for the rear !! (Any tips for relieving the sore rear ???? I've already tried 3 different saddles without any success, and I'm cycling at least 3 times a week averaging about 80 - 90 miles per week ?? )

After I got back it occurred to me that 75 miles qualifies me for the "metric century" club. . . . . . So I was quite pleased about that . .

Route here

Strange thing is that I use a Mio 505HC and it is linked to my Strava account.. When I finished this ride the Mio cyclo computer stated that I had done over 3,000 ft of climbs, but once I'd uploaded the route (which automatically created the Strava entry as well), I note that Strava only shows 1,942 ft of climb ? ?

Does anyone know what might have caused this error ? ?

 

[totallyfixed]

As @HLaB has already said we crossed paths briefly in Oakham just after the International Cicle Classic race had started, we watch it every year and knew what the riders faced, one of the many off road sections, makes the Paris-Roubaix seem smooth and for good measure we chuck in a few hills for which there is a KOM.

Oakham on Sundays is a picturesque, sleepy little market town. Not today. There were riders from as far away as New Zealand, Japan [he looked to be in shock bless him after 1 hour of the race] and even a team from Paraguay. A couple of pics of our "quiet" main street

The GB squad

Then it was off up to Cold Overton to watch the first KOM [on fixed of course], dr_pink is standing on the left casting a critical eye on climbing technique

We spent the next couple of hours in the hamlet of Owston chatting to @Poacher and his wife, meeting up with many old friends and acquaintances and watching the race come through on 6 occasions. At some point I was chatting to Hugh Porter [as you do], actually I usually say hello every year, and I told him about Rutland being the only county without a McDonalds, only to hear him repeat it over the microphone a bit later and then again at the finish ceremony, so if they show that clip on TV I'm claiming the credit.
After Owston it was a dash to Melton Mowbray to watch the finish, quite surreal cycling the last couple of miles with so much cycle related traffic on the road.
dr_pink showing that Ford's are slow

The finish in Melton, the winner coming over the line

Being interviewed

Then it was the back to normality and the peaceful ride home

Incredibly we did not get wet, but 10 mins after getting home the heavens opened.
Thank you cycling gods.

 

[swee'pea99]

Re-did the 60 miler that totally stuffed me on Monday. It didn't today, which I was really pleased about.

 

[Dave 123]

As @HLaB has already said we crossed paths briefly in Oakham just after the International Cicle Classic race had started, we watch it every year and knew what the riders faced, one of the many off road sections, makes the Paris-Roubaix seem smooth and for good measure we chuck in a few hills for which there is a KOM.

Oakham on Sundays is a picturesque, sleepy little market town. Not today. There were riders from as far away as New Zealand, Japan [he looked to be in shock bless him after 1 hour of the race] and even a team from Paraguay. A couple of pics of our "quiet" main street

The GB squad

Then it was off up to Cold Overton to watch the first KOM [on fixed of course], dr_pink is standing on the left casting a critical eye on climbing technique

We spent the next couple of hours in the hamlet of Owston chatting to @Poacher and his wife, meeting up with many old friends and acquaintances and watching the race come through on 6 occasions. At some point I was chatting to Hugh Porter [as you do], actually I usually say hello every year, and I told him about Rutland being the only county without a McDonalds, only to hear him repeat it over the microphone a bit later and then again at the finish ceremony, so if they show that clip on TV I'm claiming the credit.
After Owston it was a dash to Melton Mowbray to watch the finish, quite surreal cycling the last couple of miles with so much cycle related traffic on the road.
dr_pink showing that Ford's are slow

The finish in Melton, the winner coming over the line

Being interviewed

Then it was the back to normality and the peaceful ride home

Incredibly we did not get wet, but 10 mins after getting home the heavens opened.
Thank you cycling gods.

That picture of the winner coming over the line clearly illustrates that the winner is carrying panniers on their left side. Big respect!