Your ride today.... (part 1)

[EltonFrog]

What a lovely day! It was warm and sunny with just a hint of wind.

Reading @PeteXXX 's post the other day about his trip to Leisure Lakes Bikes in Daventry, I thought I would mosey on up there and have a butchers. Checking google it looked like it was about 23 mile from where I am today, and based on the recommendation of @SatNavSaysStraightOn I got the NavFree software to plan a cycle route for me on the phone of i.

Trouble was I had to memorise most of the route cos I don't have a holder for my portable smart phone. I was riding the hybrid today and I got set up with water and banana to take with me and off I went.

After about 13 miles I got about 5 miles the other side of Brackley and I came to junction, and had to check which route to take. I misread the instruction and went the wrong way, it took a while but the NavFree software finally worked out a route, I didn't make things easy for myself by having to keeping getting the phone out of my pocket and putting it away again, but the software works very well and it got me back on route, which was eventually cycle route 50.

Who knew Northamptonshire was so pretty? I rode through some stunning villages and along mainly very quiet county roads through farm land that was brilliant, really really lovely, and I saw loads of cyclists out today.

It was mainly flat, but after about 25 miles I was getting tired and hungry, ( I hadn't eaten enough) and I should've been there by now, then I saw a sign "Daventry 3.5 miles" hurrah! After another mile, in Newnham another R50 sign "Daventry 5 miles" WTF? I got the phone out to check...battery flat! ( my fault forgot to charge it). I carried on for another mile up a very long feckingbestid hill, with a great bit downhill for a reward, and finally into Daventry and to Leisure Lakes.

What great shop, huge with loads of stock, a cafe, parking inside for your bike. The sort of place I would open if I won the lottery. ( which of course I wouldn't 'cos with twenty million quid in the bank I could probably find something better to do). I had a coffee, crisps and cake, a mooch about, the nice girl in the café charged my phone of i.

I bought a Topeak Ride Case, which bolts to the stem, installed at the shop and with the phone charged, and route entered I set off home, an easier ride with a slight tail wind. I've had a lovely afternoon out with 58:08 miles under the belt.

Ps, I saw a lady riding her bike with a puncture, I offered to fix it, but she politely declined, saying help was on the way.

EDIT: my longest ride of the year thus far.

 

[ColinJ]

You won't need to worry about hills going from Nottingham to Coventry. I presume you will becoming close if not through Leicester? Shame I am at work I would have volunteered to keep you company for a bit of the way.

Yes, it will be a much easier ride tomorrow. Some company would have been nice, but no Leicester for me - I do my best to avoid riding on busy roads in built-up areas so I am going to use the paths along the Beeston canal and river Trent to 'escape' to southwest of Nottingham, then lots of lanes down past Coalville and Market Bosworth, and through Corley to Coventry.

 

[Maverick Goose]

Quite a bit....but I do have Deacon Blue, Del Amitri, Texas and other Scottish artists, on my list.
Snow Patrol are a Scottish/Irish mix, formed at Dundee Uni in 1994

No Simple Minds SL? Something like 'New Gold Dream' has definite potential IMO..

 

[Hacienda71]

Called in at the local TT on the commute home. Ended up with number 60 almost the lantern rouge. A big turnout so had to wait around for an hour so rolled home dropped my bottle off and grabbed a banana, then went back. Only my second TT of the year and it didn't feel a floaty day so wasn't expecting anything great but managed to post a long 24 which I was pleased with riding a road bike with normal kit on. Met The Grimpeur off CC when I called into HQ afterwards had a chat and found out Jo Rowsell had also ridden. Rolled home down the A34 Alderley bypass. I do like the summer months and the chance to race on your commute on a sunny evening.

 

[nickyboy]

Called in at the local TT on the commute home. Ended up with number 60 almost the lantern rouge. A big turnout so had to wait around for an hour so rolled home dropped my bottle off and grabbed a banana, then went back. Only my second TT of the year and it didn't feel a floaty day so wasn't expecting anything great but managed to post a long 24 which I was pleased with riding a road bike with normal kit on. Met The Grimpeur off CC when I called into HQ afterwards had a chat and found out Jo Rowsell had also ridden. Rolled home down the A34 Alderley bypass. I do like the summer months and the chance to race on your commute on a sunny evening.

Long 24....flippin' heck you're right. I'd never be able to catch you to throw rocks at you when you cycle on my roads in the Peak District. Well done.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Yes, it will be a much easier ride tomorrow. Some company would have been nice, but no Leicester for me - I do my best to avoid riding on busy roads in built-up areas so I am going to use the paths along the Beeston canal and river Trent to 'escape' to southwest of Nottingham, then lots of lanes down past Coalville and Market Bosworth, and through Corley to Coventry.

Enjoy, the cycling around Market Bosworth is fantastic

 

[PeteXXX]

@CarlP Of all the hills around Dav, you found Newnham Hill on your first trip there.. Congratulations!
It's a b*gger, isn't it!!

And yes, there are some lovely roads to ride around here.

 

[EltonFrog]

@CarlP Of all the hills around Dav, you found Newnham Hill on your first trip there.. Congratulations!
It's a b*gger, isn't it!!

And yes, there are some lovely roads to ride around here.

Aye, I was suprised how nice it was, but that hill, feck me that's a bugger when you're tired! Were you out and about round there yesterday?

 

[PeteXXX]

Yesterdays ride, as I didn't have time to post it once I'd taken Granddaughter to Rainbows then dropped her back off at No1 daughters house.

I'd planned to meet a friend at Salcey for coffee and cake at about 3pm ish so reckoned I could get a decent ride in first. 8 miles in, the p*ncture fairy visited and I had trouble getting the tyre of the rim to put a new tube in. (Note to self: buy a couple of decent tyre levers & throw the useless ones I have in the bin!) One chap on an MTB asked if I was OK or needed any help, but I was just blowing the tyre up at the time. Nice to have the offer though.

After that delay I rode under the bridge into the back of Furnace Lane and then towards Finedon and Rushden where I had to use a bit of the main A6. It's a horrible busy road, but it was only for about half a mile or so.
The next part was past Chelveston, on the original A45, not downgraded to a 'B' road since the A14 was built several years ago. The took me to Kimbolton

where I popped into the bit marked 'private'. It's a lovely building/school and all very posh. One chap wandered over and I though I was going to get detention or 100 lines "I must not ride my bike in the posh school grounds" or summat, but he was OK with me being there and we had a chat about what a beautiful place it was.
From there, and after a banana stop, I needed to sort a route out over to Salcey with about 35 miles to time it right for 3 ish.
I used a B road towards Bedford and then some lovely little lanes over to Thurleigh, Milton Ernest, Carlton and Turvey.

This is on the Carlton road. Different, eh!?

The next roads were the reverse route of the Quattro Sportive from a few weeks back, so the downs became ups, and the ups became downs. Nice quiet roads though

In Newton Blossomville, I spotted this bit of history again. I had seen it before, but stopped for a looksee this time. It's built on top of the wall surrounding a big old house.

I bet the invading hoards would have been quaking in their boots!

I added my armour to help the cause.. Just in case of invasion! Can't be to careful, you know!

Anyway, onwards and upwards towards coffee and cake, I rode past some lovely fields full of waving green stuff as a change to all the yellow stuff. Just about on time, a text arrived that my friend was about 30 minutes from Salcey, which was pretty well spot on timing by both of us.

They do a crackin' bit of Coffee Cake there
We stayed there for quite a while and organised transport for a few upcoming rides we've planned (Norwich 100 and L2B) then rode together for 5 or 6 miles till we split up and aimed for home.

Smashing ride, 77 miles in quite good weather for a change, including several hours of that strange yellow shiny thing in the sky

http://www.strava.com/activities/141040811

 

[PeteXXX]

Aye, I was suprised how nice it was, but that hill, feck me that's a bugger when you're tired! Were you out and about round there yesterday?

That hill is hard at any time
I've just posted yesterdays ride... I was mainly on the other side of town and to the south.

 

[john59]

I snatched a ride between work, 29 km!
http://www.strava.com/activities/141368210/segments/3216291880

John

 

[EltonFrog]

I've been fettling me Kingpin! Oooh matron,

Just 1.5 mile test ride today.

 

[Cyclist33]

Pic of my Defy at the end of Southport Pier yesterday

 

[Dark46]

Set a PB for home commute . Got to try to get it under 33:00 first . Had my first off ! Slowing down for road coming up and touched the front brake(on gravel ) front just folded . Wish I had helmet cam lol might looked good! Just got back on then set a PB on next sector lol

 

[F70100]

In pictures:

A grand day out