Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Diggs]

My ride today was my first cycle in Richmond Park with team Matrix Vulpine

That's me, the slightly out of place middle aged bloke top left.
Lovely cakes post ride too!

 

[Turdus philomelos]

Today was a great day.

• Over 10 miles of glorious cycling along East Lothian's closed costal road thanks to Edinburgh's Half Marathon.
• Helped out a triathlete with my trusty multi tool in Gullane.
• Cycled past a bride just as she mounted a massive horse, with great style and grace, in front of her guests, wedding dress gracefully draped over the back of the horse. I'm going to be in a lot of wedding snap shots and videos!

 

[PeteXXX]

I finished work by midnight last night so was up reasonably early this morning ready for a bit of exercise after not much of a chance of any during the week
Today was a fairly leisurely day on the bike though (but busy with other stuff like making a ginger cake with lemon icing for the team tomorrow. Starting off a gallon of plum wine in a demijohn. Cooking a roast dinner etc. ) as I needed to get my backpack over to a mates house as he's transporting it to the Gorilla ride in Oundle tomorrow morning.
For a change, I used my old British Eagle Touristique.

I don't use it quite so much now as it's getting on a bit (quite like myself! ) so it was nice to blow the cobwebs off it!

He's a Landy fan. Not sure which is the oldest here..

It's pretty well original. All I've changed are the tyres, cables, brake blocks, bar tape and saddle (I still have the original, but it's not very nice to sit on though)

Only 8 miles or so across town to his place, so with a small diversion on the way back, I was on 18½ miles by the time I got home.

http://www.strava.com/activities/190602894

 

[ScotiaLass]

That would fit way better on my CX than the monstrosity I got from Halfords.....

*googles.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/deuter/city-bar-bag-ec032279

 

[TheDoctor]

A somewhat-delayed 20 miles for me, with a bacon stop part way round. And I need to fettle the fixed for a ride next week. A fixed in the Fens should be fine, surely?

 

[ScotiaLass]

A cracking ride for me this morning. I was on my own so stopped for lots of pics
I was ploughing up the hill out of the village and could hear a car behind me. The road has width reducing bollards, so I knew I was holding him back...but he waited patiently and gave me loads of room as he passed. Thanks Mr traffic cop

First stop, Helix Park for a quick pic

Then another quick stop at the Kelpies for a photo and over Lock 1, heading along the towpath for the Falkirk Wheel.

Taken on the move! Meep meep Mr Swan!!

Lock 15, looking towards Lock 16

Lock 15, looking back towards Lock 14

Good Morning swans, cygnets and ducks!

Quick break at the Wheel, then onwards....

to the top!

Heading home...

I got off the towpath at the Falkirk Tunnel as I hate it at the best of times, but won't walk through it alone.
It gave me a good excuse to go via the woods for a little downhill play

I was feeling quite wiped out by this point but luckily at the end of the park/woods, is a business park. This is where hubby works and he was on day shift today
I stopped in and he got me a Honey Breakfast bar out of one of the machines and refilled my water bottle

Onwards, and back to the cycle path for the last leg home.
Stupid Priscilla still won't play ball with the bottom gears so I had to get up the hills in silly gear.
Made it home. 18 glorious miles.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Nice and gentle 29 miles with our lass this morning. Stacks of cyclists out and about in Leicester, very sunny but a bit cooler than recent weeks.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

55 miles the journey, Desford the destination, a short ride, short when compared to last week, over to Tropical Birdland at Desford out of Coventry though Wood End, I embarrassed Myself at The Henley Rd Deedmore Rd junction , I had my first clipless moment, on through Shilton Withybrook and Monks Kirby, beautiful bright breezy but chilly morning that warmed up nicely as the day progressed, the breeze was fun on the way out as I flew before it but not as much fun slogging into it on the way back, got into Birdland just before it got busy, it was the site of one of the controls on an Audax and got somewhat busy by the time I left. Back through Kirby Mallory, Sutton Cheney and Shenton, then followed a regular route up Purley Chase, through Ansley and into Coventry.

http://www.tropicalbirdland.com/

 

[guitarpete247]

I went to try and up my distance. I hoped to, both up my Ritmo and better some segments of Strava. Got back after pushing it for 24 miles. Got phone out of of jersey pocket to find it had paused at 12 seconds.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

With the forecast looking good for this morning I decided to make a rare venture north of Carlisle. As I set off there wasn't a cloud in sight, and despite there being a distinct autumnal nip in the air things were looking good . That soon changed as I got stuck at every single damn traffic light whilst trying to get across, and escape, the city.

Once through Houghton, the slowly warming cloudless skies were quickly replaced by thick damp mist. Nevertheless I pressed on climbing northwards in the general direction of Catlowdy (where the mist finally burnt off), before heading back down towards Longtown.

Gretna next, which meant going along the worst 4 miles of tarnac I've experienced in a long time - whilst the surface looks lovely and smooth it's rough as a badger's arse and vibrated the bike that much it was difficult for me to get over 12mph. Once at Gretna, and with numb hands, I headed back towards Carlisle, stopping at Rockcliffe or a quick stop in the sunshine. Then back on the bike to pick up the ring road down to Cummersdale, where I wanted to turn right and do a bit more, but my legs told me I'd best turn left and go home, and finish last night's pizza off.

48 miles / 1600ft @ 16.5mph

Oh, and even though the map look like I cycled the wrong way down the M6... I didn't (honest)

 

[Toeclip]

Out again for another short ride this time with the Gateway CC family/newbies/ladies ride, 7 of started but two left after awhile but then 3 more joined us on route. Coffee was enjoyed at Damyns Hall Airfield plus there was also a classic car and vintage event going on there so we stayed a bit longer. Afterwards I left the group and headed for home so just 26 miles for me today. It was good to see 4 new riders out with the group today, 3 of them being lady's too.

 

[gavgav]

Day 2 of my holidays began with a trip up to see a friend on the cycling part of the Lakeland Triathlon. It consists of a swim across Ullswater, 38 mile bike ride to include Dunmail Rise and The Struggle, followed by a 9 mile run up Helvellyn!! (Utterly nuts)!

It was then back for lunch and onto our bikes in glorious warm sunshine. We set out from Elterwater and straight up a 350ft climb to Red Bank, which was bloomin hard on cold legs!! There is then a steep descent into Grasmere and we were aiming to head up towards Easedale Tarn. We took a wrong left turn towards Allan Bank but soon corrected ourselves and wound our way up to where the Bridleway starts. It was far too rocky for our bikes and so we doubled back towards Grasmere and were treated to a fly past by the only 2 remaining Lancaster Bombers in the world!!!! Simply brilliant to see.

Grasmere was very busy as usual and there were a number of the sort of pedestrians who are oblivious to bikes and cars about, stepping into the road without looking!

We crossed the busy A591 and passed Dove Cottage before a stop to look at the map. We had 2 choices here, ending up back at the main road and mixing it with the traffic or trying the "Old Coffin Road" to Rydal. @Rickshaw Phil did a recky up the steep bank to see what the bridleway was like, and he sent a message to say it looked fine, with compacted gravel.......

As Doug and I wound our way up the steep climb we met Phil who had been speaking to a couple of walkers and they'd mentioned it was rocky in places.....

Phil does have previous form with these sorts of paths....(Coniston to Tarn Hows) and sure enough it was a pretty poor path that meant a lot of walking and bike carrying!!! There were some amazing views over Rydal Water though

We finally left the path and crossed over to the back end of Ambleside and Clappersgate where we joined the road to Skelwith Fold and came across a car blocking the way. The reason being that a buzzard was sat on the wall, completely unfazed by those around. An amazing sight

It eventually flew away into the woods and we climbed over to Skelwith Bridge and took the off road path back to Elterwater, which thankfully has been resurfaced since i paddled in the mud in March!

15.7 miles
A slow 8.4 avg mph due to all the walking and climbing!
1625 ft of climbing
Billions of fun

 

[davdandy]

I rode the hardest ride of my life.

Doing my `Three peaks challenge`.That is Parbold hill,Ashurst beacon (both sides) then Sheephouse lane in Rivington.Littered with cat three`s and four`s it was tough,oh boy was it tough but over the moon i did it.

62 miles but that wasnt the aim,nor was the average.I wanted to tame those hills and i came out on top.Just.

http://app.strava.com/activities/191188609

 

[G3CWI]

Lovely ride through the Peak District. The best bit was it's the first ride that I haven't fallen off due to a clipless moment. I must be getting better!

I did have one problem though. I could not clip in on a steep uphill section and stopped. I could not think what to do apart from turn round, clip in, freewheel to the bottom and try again. More work needed.

65km 2,800ft ascent.

 

[Brandane]

Pedal for Scotland, a 50 mile charity ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh with over 8000 riders. Perfect weather for it today, even a favourable breeze! Strava here.