Your ride today.... (part 1)

[coffeejo]

What a difference 24 hours makes. Yesterday morning it was shorts and my thinnest jacket. This morning it was all about layers and two pairs of socks and that moment of terror when you inhale too much cold air and your lungs freeze in every sense of the word.

Was too hot cycling home.

If I thought yesterday morning was cold, that was nothing compared to yesterday evening, which was in itself child's play compared to later that night. There was frost on my saddle when I unlocked my bike to go home at 9pm!

It really made me think about people who sleep on the streets today and those who have suffered in the past, especially in concentration camps and gulag camps, as no matter what pain I felt (and there was a lot), I was going home to a hot shower, a warm bed and hot chocolate. I remember watching an interview on "Band of Brothers" with one of the men from the 101st who survived Bastogne and he said that now, whenever he's cold, he remembers that winter in the forest and is just grateful he's not there.

 

[Stu Smith]

Cold short one today. Loving my cycling.

https://www.strava.com/activities/223012329

 

[Jon George]

Out for a slighter longer ride, today – I want to break 5000 miles, this year – and I spotted this spectacular fungi out at Great Bealings.

And further along, heading towards Debach, a view of Autumn near the old airfield.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Just got back from 12 miles and a dam good soaking. Rode into.shoreham for coffee and cake with a friend who is flying to.Mexico tomorrow.
On the way back I was tailgated by a walkers crisp van, hooted continuously at, then punish passed with a flurry of hand gestures. Caught up with him about three miles later, passed him, and waved a cheery hello each time he couldn't get round.
Small fat red faced loser with cowardice tendancies.
Freezing cold rain on the coastal road, not what a bianchi was built for.
Nevertheless it was a ride I guess .

 

[potsy]

Little 20 miler, chilly but with hardly any wind and a bit of blue sky.
Only marred by a driver going through Knutsford, was staying behind her in primary as it was a one way street and she was doing no more than 5 mph, suddenly she must have realised she'd missed her turn and came to a stop and started reversing back without even a glance at what was behind
Luckily a shout and a bit of fast manoeuvring from me meant there was no collision, was bloomin' close though.

Good to be out on the nice bike, must admit I do like the extra comfort from the 28c tyres.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I haven't mentioned my last few commuting trips as they were getting a bit samey, but thought today's is worth a mention:

It was a tad chilly this morning (everywhere white over with frost) but I thought I'd layer up and go for it anyway, using the Condover - Atcham route as I knew it was unlikely the cycle paths would be gritted on the longer way. Nice at the start but I ran into fog at the edge of the village so stopped to put all my lights on. The next issue was losing feeling in my fingers so another stop was called for at Condover where I put on my fingerless gloves under the full finger ones.

Continuing, a stop was needed before Atcham to deal with fogged up glasses and they needed regular wiping thereafter. I knew it was properly cold when I noticed at one of the stops that frost was forming on the front of my panniers.

I couldn't believe the number of people driving round with no lights on in the thick fog and my colleagues couldn't believe I'd cycled in these conditions.

For the trip back the weather had changed from fog to rain. I took the longer route home due to it being a little flatter. Little to report on the return trip apart from almost having a head on crash with a ninja cyclist. I'd just joined the Telford Way cycle path and with the glare of headlights from oncoming cars didn't make out the feeble light on a BMX until I was very close - I went left to avoid him and nearly clobbered his mate who had no lights. A swerve and emergency stop and we just missed each other.

Another 22 miles added to the tally at a slower than usual 12.1mph for the round trip. Today takes me over 4000 miles for the year to date which is further than I've ever done in a year (and quite a bit further than I've driven this year).

(Apologies for the very short version that appeared initially - I knocked the mouse and the message posted way before I was ready)

 

[Jon George]

Today takes me over 4000 miles for the year to date which is further than I've ever done in a year

 

[djb1971]

Just back from a couple of sunny but freezing cold days in the welsh mountains.

 

[cosmicbike]

I haven't mentioned my last few commuting trips as they were getting a bit samey, but thought today's is worth a mention:

It was a tad chilly this morning (everywhere white over with frost) but I thought I'd layer up and go for it anyway, using the Condover - Atcham route as I knew it was unlikely the cycle paths would be gritted on the longer way. Nice at the start but I ran into fog at the edge of the village so stopped to put all my lights on. The next issue was losing feeling in my fingers so another stop was called for at Condover where I put on my fingerless gloves under the full finger ones.

Continuing, a stop was needed before Atcham to deal with fogged up glasses and they needed regular wiping thereafter.
I couldn't believe the number of people driving round with no lights on in the thick fog. My colleagues couldn't believe I'd cycled in those conditions.

For the trip back the weather had changed from fog to rain. I took the longer route home due to it being a little flatter. Little to report on the return trip apart from almost having a head on crash with a ninja cyclist. I'd just joined the Telford Way cycle path and with the glare of headlights from oncoming cars didn't make out the feeble light on a BMX until I was very close - I went left to avoid him and nearly clobbered his mate who had no lights. A swerve and emergency stop and we just missed each other.

Another 22 miles added to the tally at a slower than usual 12.1mph for the round trip. Today takes me over 4000 miles for the year to date which is further than I've ever done in a year (and quite a bit further than I've driven this year).

(Apologies for the very short version that appeared initially - I knocked the mouse and the message posted way before I was ready)

Well done for the miles, that's more than I've driven this year too.

 

[PeteXXX]

Yesterday I actually got the chance to get out for a shortish ride. First time in over a week due to life getting in the way of a decent pedal!

I wanted to check something out at Pitsford Cycles, one of my LBS's so took a slightly longer route to get there as, once the ice had gone from the grass, it warmed up to about +3

After looking at what I needed to look at in the shop, I popped into the Willow Café.

The young lass serving thought I was mad to have a strawberry shortcake ice cream and said she'd not sold any for a fortnight!
Pah.. lightweights....

I rode around the res, only about 9 miles, as I had time before w*rk in the afternoon.

The overflow on the dam wall, as and when the res fills up.
I headed home via Pitsford village and towards Moulton, then down towards the ford.

An old archway/folly called 'The Spectacles', on the Broughton Estate on the hill up from the ford on Spectacle Lane.

Anyway, I had to get back home for a wipe down (me and the bike) before lunch and w*rk. Booo.

20 miles in reasonably nice weather once the wheels were turning.

http://www.strava.com/activities/223021995

 

[djb1971]

A quick film of my sunny trip out. It's my first ever use of a gopro, be gentle!


View: http://youtu.be/VAK5kduRI8o

 

[cosmicbike]

Today was one of my not so regular attendances on a 'West Thames Wheelers 2' group ride. The weather looked iffy, but a confirmation email from ride leader (that'll be my Dad) at 8 o'clock confirmed we were on for a pedal. Call at 9 from Dad, all others have made their excuses, so it ended up as just the 2 of us. Not to worry, it was great to spend some time ambling about with my Dad. We started at the bottom of Egham Hill, and I suggested we go exploring to find the back way into the Royal Holloway University. Turns out to be steeper than going up Egham Hill, but nice to find a route. Very busy today, and stopping to speak to one of the 'Student Ambassadors' it turns out that today is an open day for those who have been awarded a space to study, presumably next year. Had a bit of a look around, managed one photo of the courtyard

After this a lap of WGP, then home via a sort of Staines loop.
21 miles in the mist with great company, thanks Dad

 

[Stonechat]

Today was one of my not so regular attendances on a 'West Thames Wheelers 2' group ride. The weather looked iffy, but a confirmation email from ride leader (that'll be my Dad) at 8 o'clock confirmed we were on for a pedal. Call at 9 from Dad, all others have made their excuses, so it ended up as just the 2 of us. Not to worry, it was great to spend some time ambling about with my Dad. We started at the bottom of Egham Hill, and I suggested we go exploring to find the back way into the Royal Holloway University. Turns out to be steeper than going up Egham Hill, but nice to find a route. Very busy today, and stopping to speak to one of the 'Student Ambassadors' it turns out that today is an open day for those who have been awarded a space to study, presumably next year. Had a bit of a look around, managed one photo of the courtyard
View attachment 62635
After this a lap of WGP, then home via a sort of Staines loop.
21 miles in the mist with great company, thanks Dad

The backk way up the hill that comes alongside Holloway is Prune Hill
Yes it is a bit steeper
Tite Hill is the other steep one.

 

[cosmicbike]

The backk way up the hill that comes alongside Holloway is Prune Hill
Yes it is a bit steeper
Tite Hill is the other steep one.

Been down Prune Hill which is ok, not sure about going up as it's a bit narrow so will really hold the traffic up! Tite Hill is quite fun either way, friend of mine came off going down it some 25 years ago at speed, hospital visit for him with sunglass lenses stuck in his forehead...

 

[robjh]

Out for a slighter longer ride, today – I want to break 5000 miles, this year – and I spotted this spectacular fungi out at Great Bealings.
View attachment 62545

Has resident fungus-expert @theclaud seen this? I know some of the bracket fungi are edible - you might have dinner there for the whole family!