Your ride today.... (part 1)

[welsh dragon]

its bloomin hot today. I decided to go for a bimble along the local lanes. I started my ride at the small vilage of Cemaes. From there I rode over the bridge over the river Dovey and turned right onto a very narrow lane.

i've never been this way before so had no idea what kind of scenery i was going to come across. Obviously another very busy lane.

a few miles up this road, i saw a farmer and heard a flock of sheep in the distance. I assumed the farmer was bringing the sheep off the fields for shearing. At this point, not wanting to get caught in the middle of the flock, I turned around and went back the way I came.

I got kinda lost, when I took a wrong turning and ended up on a footpath that I didnt know existed. But i realised that i was back beside the river dovey and it wasnt long before i was back on track.
I have no Idea how far i went today, but it was a most enjoyable bimble along lanes i had never ventured down before.

 

[derrick]

We went to our local park where they have a roller skating ring, it's like a small velodrome banking on the corners and nice and smooth, a couple of the girls wanted to try riding fixie before we go to the proper velodrome on Friday evening, we ended up doing 20 miles and they both got on really well, we will do another session Wednesday evening so they will be well prepared for Friday.
http://www.strava.com/activities/157282429

 

[MikeW-71]

Just a very short leg stretch tonight to test the adjustments I made to the position on the Revolt (yep, saddle was rather too low) ahead of my MTB epic ride on Friday.

We will be riding all 7 of the 7Stanes in one day for charity, our local Childrens Hospice, so if anyone fancies lobbing them a few quid, there's a link in my signature

I reckon it'll be 7-8 hours worth of off-road riding, but training has gone well and we are optimistic of completing it with a reasonable amount of pain and suffering.

 

[Garry A]

Was just going to have a spin around the local park today but ended up going on my new favourite route to Culross, once you get going you're going I suppose. Seeing a few faces more than once on this route, wonder if any are on here? @ScotiaLass you should give the route a go you'll love it

 

[ScotiaLass]

Was just going to have a spin around the local park today but ended up going on my new favourite route to Culross, once you get going you you're going I suppose. Seeing a few faces more than once on this route, wonder if any are on here? @ScotiaLass you should give the route a go you'll love it

Sounds good....being a woman and all, I would get lost, as my navigation skills are non existent!
If you are doing it sometime and fancy some company however.....

 

[Gareth C]

Opposite Ends of the Country...

My planned Three Peaks Classic Sportive on Sunday 15 June was scuppered when I was enrolled on a management course starting the same day… in Dorking. Making the best of a bad job, I took the opportunity to join my ex-colleagues at Slough in a London-to-Brighton ride.

London-to-Brighton
We drove around to Walton-on-Thames to meet up. After the first major climb up to Newlands Corner we stopped for bacon sandwiches at the café before pushing on. We had support from Debbie at work, bringing along snacks and water for our rest stop in Horsham. Our final climb was up Devil’s Dyke, which really “strung out the peloton.”



We then had a rapid descent into Brighton for beers and medals. After a couple of hours on the beach, time to get the train back to Walton to recover the cars.





Horley
One of the advantages of being “down south” is the opportunity to catch up with friends we don’t see too often, so I call into see Robbie, help his kids with the maths homework (until we reach the level where I can’t help anymore), and then head out for a short ride before a pub lunch.



Leith Hill
The course I’m booked on is right next to the start of Leith Hill. Before we get too much into the high-pressure environment of late nights working, I make a 5:30am trip out to climb Leith Hill. Beautiful roads, and deserted at this time of the morning. I feel very virtuous, but don’t make it out for the rest of the week.



Virgin Money Cyclone
Back at the right side of the country, time for the Cyclone, a 100km ride around Northumberland. We had Graham and Sarah as the fast team, Neal and Claire as the medium team, and Russell and I as the back-markers, as we’d agreed to ride with Catherine who was doing the short route on a mountain bike. This meant taking the opportunity of a café stop in Ponteland before the routes split. Out on the route was fun, and we caught Neal at the feedstop before Forestburn Gate.



We nearly catch Claire at Cambo, but agree to meet at Stamfordham. We do catch Graham and Sarah before Colwell, as Graham’s rear mech has detached and he’s in the process of converting to single speed. After ascertaining that we can’t help (other than providing my quick links), we agree to wait in Stamfordham.



Once we’re all regrouped and fed, it’s a quick ride back to the start, and a job well-done.





As we’d been chasing people all day, the ride was quicker than my usual, and my legs felt it that evening.

Curlew Cup & Beaumont Trophy
To give my legs a chance for a “recovery ride”, I decided to park up at Corbridge, and ride up to watch the racing. Starting gently, I reach Stamfordham in time to see the finish of the Women’s Race.



I then retire to the pub for a quick lunch, only to be surprised listening to the award ceremony that Olly from The Cycle Hub is presenting the prize to Katie Archibald. On his way back to the Saddle Skedaddle van, Olly and Abby recognize my bike and head over for a chat (we both have disc CX bikes…). The next ride they’re arranging (following on from L’Enfer du Nord (Est) and Giro di Castel Nuovo) is a Vuelta-themed ride the first weekend in September. Unfortunately I’ll be on my LEJOG, so won’t be able to punish myself on this.

Next on the agenda is a ride around to The Ryals, with beautiful views over Northumberland.



Once the race arrives, there’s a breakaway, with a big gap. Kristian House is in the lead group, and goes on to claim the win.





After a great afternoon out, time for a ride back to Corbridge, initially in the middle of a fast-moving group of cyclists who’ve been watching the race, then on my own, remembering this was supposed to be a recovery ride.

 

[albion]

Sunday, reasonably early I set off with a block of ice in my pannier on through Newcastle, Stannington way, then the Stobswoods to Warksworth.

Arriving at Belford, the 'historic coach town' I sat on the well placed welcome bench at the top of the hill for lunch. That 'ginger ale on the rocks' was suitably refreshing, plus my sarnies tasted cool fresh in the heat of the day. An hour or so later I arrived early for the causeway crossing, rested a while, slowly realising those cars waiting were all adhering strictly to tide times. With no wind the Holy Island causeway crossing was very safe well before time.

At 2.15 dead on safe crossing time I set on back, surprisingly passing along the causeway 2 Warksworth 'very pensioner' couples I had passed miles back. They had made both fair pace and distance.
Heading back home it was not that long before I was bonked. I'm not sure what it was. Maybe it is deceptively harder than my Whitby ride last Sunday, or maybe that very very gentle headwind home took its toll. I'm sure will have learnt something by next year and I'm well glad 'I did it'. It was 'somewhere new' .

A 148 mile ride to Holy Island/Lindisfarne Castle and back.

 

[EltonFrog]

The enemy got me out of bed at bonkers daft o-clock today and said lets got for a ride, it's only 30 miles. I'm not a morning person me, I prefer to get up slowly and go out mid morningish. Any way out we go up Whitchurch feckin sodding hill again after only two miles, down to Goring, along to Wallingford.

Just past Wallingford very near where The Ridgeway crosses the road we see tow cyclists ahead with a trailer attacked to be of the bikes, when catch up we notice they have two West Highlane terrors in the trailer, plus on the bikes loads of gear. "Touring ?" says I, "yes " says them, It turns out they are riding from Stoke to Spain on two Surley Truckers and a two dog on trailer! Fecking fantastic! Check em out herehttp://charlenestubbs79.wix.com/pedallingpoochals and on the Book of Face "Pedalling Poochals". What an exciting trip that's going to be, nice young couple they were too, I was a bit jealous of their trip to be honest.

We left them too it and we went on out way along some country lanes through Ipsden, Nettlebed, down a fantastic long hill to Henley on Thames, Stoke Row, Goring Heath and back to Pangbourne. 30 miles she said! 30 miles my ass! 46 miles before 10.30 am! That's the most miles I've ridden without a stop for coffee and cake, we hardly stopped at all except for junctions and a quick check of the map.

It was a great ride though and it was fantastic meeting that touring couple and their dogs.

Pink Poppies?

Progress with Pangbourne toll bridge

 

[Deleted member 23692]

View attachment 48529
Pink Poppies?

Pharmaceutical opium

 

[postman]

It's a funny old game,is this cycling.On saturday i rode out with a group from a local Church.i felt great i had a wonderful day.Today normal routine a good sleep,ready oats and honey,toast ,water,
one coffee.Early away and on to Burnsall only seven miles from the ride on Saturday.
I stayed on the ilkley bypass,flat and fast,also great motorists giving plenty of room.Clothes bibshorts and jersey no extras.First thing i noticed was the wind,riding into it.Well i arrived at Bolton Abbey in great time,but i was a little cold.I then passed saturday's destination,now only seven miles to go,a bit more undulations than normal.My legs were now aching,i felt i could not go on,so i turned back,a few hundred yards back i turned round again i was going to Burnsall.Then i saw the dark clouds,that made my mind up.At Bolton Abbey it started,by Ilkley i was wet,by Otley i was soaked and cold,no extra clothing to put on.Into a cafe,All day breakfast and latte was the order of the day.More than an hour and a half later ,i was refreshed and warmer,i flew home no leg ache,this cycling is a mystery.
Next time clothing in saddlebag.

 

[EltonFrog]

Pharmaceutical opium

Seriously? I never knew!

 

[Stonechat]

A ride of 2 halves for me today. My target, as always derived from my Strava data, was 21 and a bit miles. Why? Because it would take me to 1021 miles (plus a little bit), which means more than last year. Having reached the 1000 mile marker with the family yesterday, I figured I'd beat the school run today, early start and lap the WGP Lake whilst it was cool and quiet. My legs had other ideas, complaining after only a couple of miles, so as always with history being what it is I turned for home. Keeping the legs spinning helped though, and I passed my front door after 3 miles in a much better place, so continued on. Headed to Dad's to get a cuppa, and that was the first 7 miles. Wanting to stay on the flat, but not repeat normal routes, I headed along the Thames path towards Runnymede Pleasure Grounds, passing a couple of MTB'ers going the other way. Once I'd passed the boatyard I was stuck. I didn't want to retrace my steps, nor continue on to Windsor, which only left 1 option. Priest Hill. Now for those who live in hilly places this is no more than a bump, but I am properly rubbish at hills, and locally this is the longest (A whopping 1 mile or so at 6%). Last time up this I nearly needed a Priest at the top, must have looked awful as a roadie stopped to make sure I was OK! So off I went, and stopped only once to look at the view, so I was pleased with that in my current state. Rather than use the roads to get home I hopped into WGP and did a run along the polo fields then back home via Lyne. Total for me today, 22 miles, making it 1022 miles for the year so far
Day off tomorrow, so hoping it's on Wednesday.

Edit, Almost forgot. I got a 9th overall on a Strava segmentLooking it up I found only 9 people had ever completed it, so I was slowest Ho hum

Remember when I did a loop and found I was 2nd
You guessed it 2nd of 2

 

[stephec]

Sounds good....being a woman and all, I would get lost, as my navigation skills are non existent!
If you are doing it sometime and fancy some company however.....

I did make a similar observation on another thread but was chastised by can you guess?

Never again.

 

[welsh dragon]

I did make a similar observation on another thread but was chastised by can you guess?

Never again.

Your the one who said you should keep quiet. I just agreed with you.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Seriously? I never knew!

There's loads being grown these days but it's understandably kept on the quiet. Here's some gen... DAILY MAiL ARTICLE WARNING