Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Dark46]

Just got back from ride. I brought that can home as had to do delivery on the way. So put bike in the back, and went out after getting changed.
Longest ride to date at 37m20 and covered 7.6 miles. Had a bandana over mouth so didn't swallow any flies along canal.
Grand total on nine now 50.1 miles , getting there slowly but surely. Feeling better all the time!

 

[HLaB]

Got the day off and rode out with some mates to see the Women's Tour of Britain start in Oundle.
Big difference in the sponsorship as you have probably seen from my photos, for instance, the GB women's team have lots of different bikes, rather than one dedicated sponsor.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/494964547


The rest of the photos are here, there from my ancient camera phone so nt the best.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Back on the usual ride today - over to my parents' home. My smartphone crashed yet again on me this morning (well at 23:59 last night) so no alarm clock and I was running late from the start - not a great way to start the day... but the weather made up for it. Bright and sunny with a few clouds around initially clouding over towards the end, but that wind was interesting to say the least. I don't know which direction it was actually coming from but it was a headwind and sidewind all the time (in both directions) and never once a tailwind!

Stopped along one of the lanes to take a piccie mostly because my rides recently haven't had any, but the light was also really nice and I didn't think I would get any other photos today.

Nice light and empty roads and a friendly sign post that tells me I only have 3 miles left to go. I do like that signpost!

At my parents' home it was back on the gardening scene and normally I wouldn't mention it, but today I ended up with some photos as a result of it. The first I nearly stepped on - it was in one of my parents' raised borders, one I have suggested had more grass in it than the lawn. Going by its parent which was lurking nearby it is a Dunnock chick. It late found a better, more hidden location under a huge Rosemary bush in the garden. I fear it will not last long though because of the local cat population

A Dunnock chick which has somehow left the nest.

And then I came across this - also in the same section of raised border. It will take a little more identification, but has been safely rehomed in a part of the garden that will remain undisturbed until it emerges. It was surprisingly large (4-5cm) and quite heavy. I have a book on caterpillar identification which includes some chrysalises, so will try that but otherwise I suspect it will remain unidentified.

Finally just to prove that it is possible to put a square peg in a round hole, my mother gave me a bottle of olive oil to take home (on top of my full pannier) and well it was the only place left to put it. It stayed firm the entire journey, but did obtain me some really odd looks when people spotted it!

Square peg, round hole - works surprisingly well!

http://www.strava.com/activities/138542494

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Mucked that last posting right and proper. Meant to say I love that area, great roads and lovely choices. Before long I will have to take the bike up past Spadeadam to Chirnsidelodge but it will probably mean a there and back trip on a road bike

I keep looking at something similar on my MTB - Gilsland - Spadeadam - then out towards Churnsike lodge - duck through the forest roads from Gringarry Hill to bring me out near White Preston - down the UCR to Bewcastle - past Askerton to the B6318 and follow that back to Gilsland.

That works out at about 28 miles and only around 1800ft acsent

 

[Lavender Rose]

Very pleased with myself. Had a few breaks as it was quite hot. Pleased I could finally take my new bike out, very pleased it has two bottle holders! Getting closer to my 50 mile target.

This is one photo of my travels , amazing views - definitely my most scenic ride yet!

 

[ColinJ]

Very pleased with myself. Had a few breaks as it was quite hot. Pleased I could finally take my new bike out, very pleased it has two bottle holders! Getting closer to my 50 mile target.

This is one photo of my travels , amazing views - definitely my most scenic ride yet!

Ouch - you laid your bike down on its gears! (Probably ok on grass, but better to get into the habit of laying it on its LHS just in case ...)

 

[Lavender Rose]

Ok ok...I'll remember!

 

[Old Plodder]

[QUOTE 3068855, member: 9609"]Not my ride of the day but my brother is on yet another massive tour across europe, and he annoyingly keeps me informed with maps and pictures of his progress. I think this one is Porto to Munich (who cares) anyway I quite liked these two shots and thought I would share them on here.
[/QUOTE]
But where are the cafes...

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

There was a break in the weather around lunch time today so I took a risk and headed out on the bike (just me as Doug was otherwise engaged).

Looking at the rainfall radar before setting out it looked like I'd have about 2 hours to play with, so the plan was to do my route though The Quarry and out to Upton Magna before heading back via Atcham and Condover.

It was quite pleasant out initially, with the earlier rain making everywhere smell nice . There were a few people walking through The Quarry enjoying the break in the weather but when I got onto the path out of town I had it practically to myself.

On the way to Upton Magna it turned out that I'd misjudged the weather (as I seem to have a habit of doing) and the rain started - just a bit of drizzle at first but it turned into a downpour which soaked me before I could put on my waterproof . The rain also lubricated my shoes and pedals quite nicely which made it difficult to press on as I simply couldn't put pressure onto the pedals without my feet slipping all over the place. The boots I used through the winter didn't do this.

Near Condover the rain came on again and the wind picked up and shifted round to the south west, meaning it was against me for the last section rather than helping as it should have been.

As soon as I got back soaked through, the rain cleared and the came out. Typical isn't it?

19.4 miles at 12.4 mph average - would have been a bit quicker if not for the slippy pedals. Time to get some of the same ones I have on the Raleigh I think.

It's the regatta this weekend and preparations are under way at the Pengwern Boat Club

Victoria Avenue - I love how lush and green everywhere is at this time of year.

The Mytton & Mermaid at Atcham

A bit of fishing going on at Atcham.

 

[Saluki]

After checking the BBC Weather website for my area, and seeing it said that the rain would stop by 9, I ventured out to meet Hubster from dialysis. I left the flat at about 8.45 ish and it had stopped raining for about 300 yards there was no rain and then it tipped it down for then next 3 miles or so. As I only had 8 miles to go, I thought that I would press on and trust the BBC info and wait for the rain to go. It did, somewhere around Hethersett. As I was a bit early to meet Himself I headed off through Eaton and up the rather lumpy, bumpy cyclepath that will rattle your fillings out if you don't grit your teeth while travelling over the first half of it. Then I cut along University Drive, past the UEA and then down on to the Watton Road for a bit and then turned left into the hospital.
My timing is improving as I arrived at the layby we meet at just as Hubster pulled in.
50 mins & 32 seconds for 10.9 miles. Averaging 12.9mph through the wet so I was quite happy with that.

 

[john59]

Since I’m on holiday and the rain has stopped, finally. I decided to take a ride up to Mickle Trafford and back. A 75 km round route on quiet roads and cycle paths, the only downside being the blustery winds from the west.

http://www.strava.com/activities/139154922

Cycle route:

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/route/chester-railway-path

http://www.chestercyclecity.org/wp-content/themes/CycleChester/files/Millennium Cycle Route Map.pdf

http://www.chestercyclecity.org/wp-...r/files/NCN 5 Chester to Connahs Quay Map.pdf

Cycling from Mickle Trafford towards Chester.

John

 

[laurence]

oh the wind and... the wind really. i gave up in richmond park, it was just ridiculously gusty. managed to do 27 and a bit miles in 2 hours and i feel ok. slowly getting more power back and also some confidence. i do need lower gearing though... and a new saddle. ouchies.

 

[thetribe]

Day off work today and I'd promised myself a ride, sadly it was windy and raining so I debated it before eventually deciding what the hell... Pleased I went out as the further I rode the better it got, with regards to drying out and the sun shining, sadly not the wind dying down. I'd decided just to do my 20mile loop but as the weather got better I detoured and managed to boost that to 31. Because of the wind I didn't stop many times for photo ops but managed to get this one along the coast (looking from Cambois towards Newbiggin for any that know the area)

 

[Paul139]

Well as it rained yesterday and was forecast to start at around midday today I thought I would go out on my trusty Raleigh Airlite100 rather than get my best bike crudded up again. So set off at 10 planning to ride for a couple of hours. About 1 mile into the ride I was nearly side swiped off as a BMW overtook then immediately turned left into a side road of only to park. She knew she had been a stupid b#%#h as she sheepishly looked back at me. Continuing on battling against the wind,oh the wind,God it was strong and the Airlite is heavier than I remembered. A little later on down a dead straight country lane where you could see miles ahead another idiot decides that he would like to donate some of the lacquer from his car to me by overtaking me so close I may as well as been in the car with him...d#%k! So I plough on and with about three miles to go a very talented van driver decides to overtake me on a blind bend and cut back in so close that I raise a hand to salute his undoubted driving skills he decides to brake and slow down. Right my friend if you want to have a chat about your driving skills lets do it. So as I get closer he drives off, coward! Now normally on a ride you normally encounter one idiot but today they were throwing themselves at me. The only difference today to how I normally ride? I was wearing a high vis waterproof jacket just incase it rained so it goes to show being visible doesn't help make you safer, well not me anyway.
All in all 26 miles covered in 1hr 50m. Slower than normal but a good workout against the wind and I took a few piccies on the way.
Sorry to rant on.
https://www.strava.com/activities/139150097



Love being out on the bike. #stravaproveit #essex #strava by paul139, on Flickr




Now that's a sky.#essex #stravaproveit by paul139, on Flickr



Bit breezy, all the blossom is blowing off the trees. #essex #stravaproveit by paul139, on Flickr

 

[4F]

Ride out with @Jon George to watch the women's tour

And then a play on the bikes from the Ipswich transport museum (posed by @Jon George )