coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Plenty of those around here and very well used too.
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
- Status
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Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
First one I have seen. A cracking idea too.
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Don't think it would work as well in the glass booths!
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Just over 29 miles with our lass this morning on our usual pootle through the parks, then did a just over 20 mile round trip to Sainsbury's for a few bits to give me my second 500 mile week in the last three weeks.
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
Good to meet @gordyfinbar, @Dark46 and the other lads Pete, Ian and James today. My first club ride out with the Kingsway CC. Nice 40 miler with good company, no significant hills and a well-chosen cake stop by the canal at Slimbridge. 42.8 miles in all for me, taking me up near 200 for the month. There is some talk of doing a Severn Bridge ride soon, so I'm up for that one. Impressed with @Dark46's sprint finish today, after his longest ever ride.
Gordon (@gordyfinbar), by the way, is the one lying in the ditch with his feet in the air and flicking Vs at our paparazzo, (@dark 46) in the first photo of @Dark46's post above, having done a slo-mo sideways flip off the road at the sight of an on-coming truck.
Gordon is our leader, and we respect him. p.s. something tells me he is better than that. 
. We had been discussing clipless v strapped pedals earlier, and he hadn't been able to pursuade me against my straps!
Spartak
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- Location
- Bristolian
Club ride this morning, met at Chipping Sodbury Clock Tower, 2 rides had been planned a hilly one to Bisley or a flat ride to the Cotswold Water Park. 8 riders choose the hilly ride, whilst I was one of the dozen taking the flat route.
Out via Old Sodbury, Badminton, Luckington & Sherston. Due to time restraints I had to peel off at Malmesbury, although I did stop at The Summer Cafe for a coffee & cake. Back via the quiet lanes of Foxley, Alderton & Acton Turville.
Great conditions again ............. 70kms in total
http://www.strava.com/activities/171547352
Out via Old Sodbury, Badminton, Luckington & Sherston. Due to time restraints I had to peel off at Malmesbury, although I did stop at The Summer Cafe for a coffee & cake. Back via the quiet lanes of Foxley, Alderton & Acton Turville.
Great conditions again ............. 70kms in total
http://www.strava.com/activities/171547352
Total and utter disaster of a day. Just heading through the centre of Bath when two tourists did the look one way but not the other before stepping off the curb into my path. Somehow managed to miss them by inches but broke the front off my right cleet. Popped to LBS to buy cleats and fitted new one only to jump on the bike, miss the clip in completely with the new cleat and fall smashing my left knee into the road. Now sat with frozen peas on knee thinking will I get out today? Possibly not but then again it's too nice not to.
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Spartak
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- Location
- Bristolian
Gareth C
Veteran
- Location
- North Pennines.
An expedition to the North of England…
Not too many photos this time, but given two years of me working in Slough and harping on about how fantastic the North Pennines were, Brian had dragged himself northwards for the weekend, and we planned to take in some of the Tour de France route.
Parking up in Reeth, we were straight onto the Côte de Grinton Moor for a brutal no-warm-up climb onto the moors. A quick descent to Castle Bolton, and through Wenleydale to Hawes, via Askrigg. Plenty of Tour de France bunting and yellow bicycles still out. A coffee stop in Hawes, where Coke and Cake are the order of the day, knowing what is to come. Then we’re off heading up the Côte de Buttertubs. No sportives running this weekend, but plenty of riders out to test themselves on the slopes. We take it easy (or at least as easy as you can), and before long are on the easier higher slopes with the end in sight. A short spin down from the top brings us to the Buttertubs, and we stop to take a look.
Brian at the top of Buttertubs
We then have an appointment with gravity to get down into Swaledale, and trying to keep up with Brian, I get my best time on this section.
At this point we have a choice, right and a short ride along Swaledale back to the car, or left up to Keld and onwards to Tan Hill, then back via Arkengarthdale. Brian decides the latter, and we set off. I haven’t ridden this section before, so the numerous steep climbs are soul-destroying and energy-sapping. Eventually, however, the chimneys of the Tan Hill Inn come into view over the horizon, and before you know it we’re sat outside in the heat, pint of Black Sheep Shandy in hand!
Outside the pub we meet another couple of cyclists – Graeme and John. We have a good old chat, and they’re heading down Arkengarthdale before splitting from our route to go up The Stang. We have a nice fast bunch ride down the valley together before parting our ways. From there, not long ‘til we’re back in Reeth, calling in to see Rich at Swaledale Outdoors for a natter, and then on to the Dales Bike Centre for refreshments.
Before Brian headed back south, on Sunday we went for a flat ride around Staindrop. Complaints were made when the hills arrived, and ultimately we did over 300m of climbing. I did point out that this is what counts as a flat ride in these parts…
A great weekend, and legs feeling well worked out. A few days off now, as we head up to Glasgow for a few days at the Commonwealth Games.
Not too many photos this time, but given two years of me working in Slough and harping on about how fantastic the North Pennines were, Brian had dragged himself northwards for the weekend, and we planned to take in some of the Tour de France route.
Parking up in Reeth, we were straight onto the Côte de Grinton Moor for a brutal no-warm-up climb onto the moors. A quick descent to Castle Bolton, and through Wenleydale to Hawes, via Askrigg. Plenty of Tour de France bunting and yellow bicycles still out. A coffee stop in Hawes, where Coke and Cake are the order of the day, knowing what is to come. Then we’re off heading up the Côte de Buttertubs. No sportives running this weekend, but plenty of riders out to test themselves on the slopes. We take it easy (or at least as easy as you can), and before long are on the easier higher slopes with the end in sight. A short spin down from the top brings us to the Buttertubs, and we stop to take a look.
Brian at the top of Buttertubs
We then have an appointment with gravity to get down into Swaledale, and trying to keep up with Brian, I get my best time on this section.
At this point we have a choice, right and a short ride along Swaledale back to the car, or left up to Keld and onwards to Tan Hill, then back via Arkengarthdale. Brian decides the latter, and we set off. I haven’t ridden this section before, so the numerous steep climbs are soul-destroying and energy-sapping. Eventually, however, the chimneys of the Tan Hill Inn come into view over the horizon, and before you know it we’re sat outside in the heat, pint of Black Sheep Shandy in hand!
Outside the pub we meet another couple of cyclists – Graeme and John. We have a good old chat, and they’re heading down Arkengarthdale before splitting from our route to go up The Stang. We have a nice fast bunch ride down the valley together before parting our ways. From there, not long ‘til we’re back in Reeth, calling in to see Rich at Swaledale Outdoors for a natter, and then on to the Dales Bike Centre for refreshments.
Before Brian headed back south, on Sunday we went for a flat ride around Staindrop. Complaints were made when the hills arrived, and ultimately we did over 300m of climbing. I did point out that this is what counts as a flat ride in these parts…
A great weekend, and legs feeling well worked out. A few days off now, as we head up to Glasgow for a few days at the Commonwealth Games.
Bl##dy touristsHope your knee is okay soon ???
Just been for a little 20km out towards Bristol and now having a pint on the way back. I heard cider was good for bruises
Spartak
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- Location
- Bristolian
Glow worm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Near Newmarket
Another circuit of the flatlands hereabouts this afternoon. Similar route to yesterday's but with a few extra miles to take in the village of Upware and Wicken Fen tea shop for a brew. Around 20 miles in total.
No grass snakes today, but I noticed the swallows are beginning to gather on telegraph wires, possibly thinking of heading off soon..
The final swallow I saw hereabouts last year was on October 6th so hopefully they won't all be off quite yet.
This is Burwell Lode from Upware Sluice..
And then on to Wicken Fen.
I really ought to explore a bit further afield more often, but the combination of off road routes and tracks is just too tempting. It really is a lovely area to be on a bike.
No grass snakes today, but I noticed the swallows are beginning to gather on telegraph wires, possibly thinking of heading off soon..
The final swallow I saw hereabouts last year was on October 6th so hopefully they won't all be off quite yet.
This is Burwell Lode from Upware Sluice..
And then on to Wicken Fen.
I really ought to explore a bit further afield more often, but the combination of off road routes and tracks is just too tempting. It really is a lovely area to be on a bike.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
My sister fancied a trip out today (only her third ride of the year) so we headed out on a short trip into Shrewsbury and along the riverside. While setting up she asked if there should be a crack in the chainring. I started to explain about the shaped teeth and hooks stamped into the chainrings to aid shifting....... then saw the chainring she was talking about.
Fortunately it didn't look in imminent danger of failure so we carried on with the ride as we weren't planning to press on at all.
We took a roundabout route down to the weir then followed the riverside path along to the far end of The Quarry before retracing our steps and leaving town over Greyfriars Bridge.
There were a couple of stops en-route to fine-tune the shifting as I'd recently tweaked it and also the saddle (my old Charge Spoon) which Jen seems to be getting on with pretty well.
10.3 miles at quite a leisurely pace in very pleasant weather, followed by replacement of the chainset & bottom bracket.
Fortunately it didn't look in imminent danger of failure so we carried on with the ride as we weren't planning to press on at all.We took a roundabout route down to the weir then followed the riverside path along to the far end of The Quarry before retracing our steps and leaving town over Greyfriars Bridge.
There were a couple of stops en-route to fine-tune the shifting as I'd recently tweaked it and also the saddle (my old Charge Spoon) which Jen seems to be getting on with pretty well.
10.3 miles at quite a leisurely pace in very pleasant weather, followed by replacement of the chainset & bottom bracket.
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