Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Spartak]

Can't get out !
Knee still agony

 

[chewa]

No chance today - blowing a hooly!

 

[ColinJ]

No chance - gym bike, here I come!

I'm looking ahead to see when I can ride my last 84 MCL miles of the year before Christmas and it certainly is not going to be over the next couple of days! Friday and Saturday are looking more promising though so maybe about 60 miles over those two days, and then one more ride before Christmas would do it.

 

[mooseracer]

16 grey and gloomy miles at lunchtime - the wind is certainly picking up

 

[gordyfinbar]

'Tis the run-in to Christmas, and people have been out a-partying. This probably accounts for why none of the original handful of Kingsway CC riders (and very few of the new ones) made it out in the drizzle at 9am this morning. Apparently 3 of them did the Severn Bridge loop yesterday, so they are excused, but @Dark46 just failed to drag his sorry ass out of bed in time this morning, along with one or two other no-shows. No matter., it was still a cracking ride in good company.

The intrepid trio of Ant, Dave and I all headed off down the road at 09:10 this morning, just as the drizzle was stopping, and were soon joined by Kevin, who was a little late, but had correctly guessed which road we were taking. The four of us headed off for a big loop up onto and along the Cotswold escarpment via Stroud, and the lovely Slad Valley. Once the climbing was over and we were almost at Birdlip, we turned sharp left and headed across Cranham Woods and Buckholt Woods. The road followed the escarpment back in the opposite direction for a few miles through gorgeous woodland and along lovely smooth, undulating and winding tarmac with great views down into the Severn Vale. I hit 36.5 mph at one point, and was left with an indelible grin for the rest of the ride. We rejoined the main A road near Prinknash Abbey, all agreeing that, whatever way you struggle your way up these hills, it is most definitely worth every bit of effort, just for the amazing glide through Buckholt Woods.

It was also nice to add another 2 or 3 miles of downhill on the main road back to Brockworth, but it was near here that I started to put the kybosh on my fellow cyclists. A few minutes after admiring Dave's yellow tyres , the puncture fairy struck his rear wheel, requiring a stop for a change of tube. Not long after we got going again, and picked our way around the Gloucester suburbs back towards Kingsway, I commented that we had been lucky to escape the rain today .... cue another onset of drizzle almost immediately. I thought it best to try not to speak again until we got home. 37.8 enjoyable miles today, in mostly fine weather. Totally mud-splattered, though.

Cheers, Donger.

Good ride mate , I love Buckholt road . Couldn't make it Sunday due to bubble football commitments(don't ask) . Chepstow loop was great we did an extra 20 miles out to Wotten , up past the golf course and down through Horsley , Nailsworth and Stroud . 83 miles all in . Date for your diary 23rd dec for Christmas drinks and awards in the barn owl . Hope to see you Sunday . Gordon

 

[Colin_P]

It was only a 1/2 mile but I picked my 12 year old son up from a friends.

He sat on the back, on the rack.

It was dark, it was raining and neither of us had a helmet on.

And it was great fun.

Am I bad?

 

[Gravity Aided]

No chance - gym bike, here I come!

I'm looking ahead to see when I can ride my last 84 MCL miles of the year before Christmas and it certainly is not going to be over the next couple of days! Friday and Saturday are looking more promising though so maybe about 60 miles over those two days, and then one more ride before Christmas would do it.

Clearing a bit over here, should work its way to you by next week. Nothing stellar, but I may have solidly good riding weather by the weekend, wending its way to you by the following week. Or not.

 

[Saluki]

Just back from a swift 6.3 miles from here to the hospital. I was going to go my normal 5 mile route but there was a huge queue for the lights so I headed off down the Newmarket Road towards the city, along the cycle path and crossed the road at the pedestrian crossing and rode back the way that I had come on the cyclepath on the other side of the road. Then down into Eaton, through the lights (no queue from this direction) and up the hill to the slip road of the A11. A quick dogleg of left then right along Cantley Lane and then up the cyclepath by the vets and I was at the A11 pedestrian crossing (really, it's a Toucan crossing over the duel carriageway) and then to the hospital along Roundhouse Road/Way or whatever it's called and down Colney Lane.
I waited at the layby for a whole minute before Hubster arrived out of dialysis.

I did mean to go a lot further today but I woke at 5am with a migraine, which went, then came back, went again and then came back. I wasn't really a human being until about 10.45am. Having ridden and kept down a bowl of porridge, I am feeling a lot better. The sun is still shining so I'm off up the Lizard (the Wymondham one, not the Cornwall one) with the dogs.

6.3 miles in 34 minutes so an 11mph average. Pitiful really but the cyclepaths really slow me down. It's the crossings. I could go on the road but I don't really fancy riding along Bluebell with it's learner drivers every 30 seconds or so. I don't really fancy being overtaken by the lorries on such a narrow road either. It's a proper 2 lane road but it's busy.

 

[Spartak]

Can't get out !
Knee still agony

Feeling much better today !

Pleasant afternoon ride along the Dramway track to Warmley for a coffee in the Waiting Room Cafe.
Back via Mangotsfield & Pomphrey Hill.

 

[Glow worm]

With the rest of the week off, a rare chance to ride the 70 or so miles to my parent's house near Wells in NW Norfolk. It turned out to be a great day for a ride, in lovely sunshine and a rare tailwind, pretty much all the way.

Things started off badly though after just 3 miles in Burwell when a MGIF twunt in a van slammed his anchors on immediately after passing me. With my bike weighing around 90lbs, stopping in time proved interesting. He had the anticipation skills of a blind lobster and received a very colourful selection of choice words!

Luckily, I made it out of Cambs with their erratic drivers unscathed, and enjoying a strong tailwind, the next time I stopped 22 miles later, I'd just crossed the border into Norfolk.

Before that, a series of Fenland roads. This one near Prickwillow. Fairly quiet today..

Relieved to be back in dear old Norfolk again- the river Ouse looked great in the sunshine...

Left the Fens near Downham Market up into the 'hills'. I stopped near West Acre for a breather. Nearly 300' up here. That's Alpine for a flatlander like me and I remembered I have a small chainring which rarely gets used!

On up through Great Massingham and Rudham, lots of lanes like this..

Near Syderstone, a wind farm has appeared since I last rode along here..

Made it to my destination by 3 pm- 70 miles in 5.5 hours. Fairly quick for me, especially with a fully laden bike. The bike and I have now had a thorough, much needed wash!

 

[PeteXXX]

With the rest of my usual cohorts unavailable for a rideout with pathetic excuses like 'Christmas shopping' 'chopping wood for the log-burner', 'busy today, golf tomorrow' and other such pathetic excuses, I set of for a solo ride across the fields to Salcey Forest.
After a struggle into the headwind along the Washlands, I was on parts of Cycle Route 6 that goes from roads to mud and back again.

Well, it should have continued for a bit here but must have turned of the original planned route.. Cutbacks I suppose.
However, I got back on to the present route towards Quinton.
The easy road to Salcey is a 'B' road that can be a bit busy and fast, so I turned left onto a bridleway I know tat drops into the southwest side of the forest.

It's not particularly well signposted
but I knew which way to head as I originally plotted the bridleways on my OS maps

However, the bridleways are frequently easier for horses than for bikes!

If I were an Egyptian I'd have been making house-bricks about now... I was really in need of a pointy stick to un-clag the wheels. It became totally unrideable. Still, I suppose that's what 'Off Road' can be all about

Eventually, after a 5 mile circuit of the forest, I got to Salcey Café and treated myself to a tasty bit of Coffee Cake, complete with a coffee bean on the top
I had a chat with a chap out for a road ride there. He'd ridden over from Bedford and thought that having had a headwind to here, he'd be getting a tailwind home... I do love an optimist!

All in all, a cracking ride out on a sunny day. If it hadn't have been for Force 8 winds and slightly chilly weather it could have ben Summer

Back home after 30 miles in time to pick my Granddaughter up from school, feed her, and take her to Rainbows

http://www.strava.com/activities/228077046

 

[Dave 123]

A rare Thursday and Friday off!
After doing a few jobs etc (playing guitar, drinking tea...) I rolled out at 11am into bright sunshine and a stiff wind.
The sun was low and blinding again as I made my way toward Knapwell then onto Boxworth. I crawled up the hill in the wind. I turned toward Hilton with the wind on my back, a beautiful smooth road, but I knew all was about to change... A left turn toward the A1198. You can see the traffic along the main road, but it seemed I'd never reach it today. Eventually I did, and did a quick dogleg and made my way to Graveley. I tucked myself up as small as I could, but I got a battering. Just before the hill I looked at my speed.... 10mph! I was trying my socks off too!
The ride down to Croxton and beyond was easier as it wasn't a full on head wind.
I was going to go to Waresley but I'd have been riding into low sun. As its one of those rural roads that people drive at 80mph I decided to to through the Gransdens, which then meant having a tail wind for most of my 15 miles home!

32 miles at a surprising 14.5 average.
I hope there's less wind tomorrow....

 

[cosmicbike]

I struggled today I don't mind cold, or even rain (well, a bit of rain..), but I don't like 'blowing a gale'. Not fussed about the headwind, it's the gusts that I hate, so I spent half an hour this morning talking myself into riding today, though of course it's a physio day so I either ride outdoors or on the trainer (and I hate the trainer..). Once out it all felt like hard work, so I planned a 20 mile route through Virginia Water, round WGP and home. The hills felt tough today, and I was glad to get home again. I think this may well go down as my least enjoyable ride of 2014
Took a pic though.

Perhaps they're putting together a nice lido for summer?

Here's hoping for better motivation on Sunday.

 

[Dave 123]

You were out there though @cosmicbike , that's what counts.
I had a few " where's my front wheel gone?" Moments today!

 

[Glow worm]

Am in north Norfolk for a few days, and today's ride was an 18 miler to include Wells to do some shopping there.

Rode through the grounds of Holkham Hall to get there. Luckily the main gates were locked which means no cars!!! Slipping in through the side gate - pretty much had the place to myself...

This is the main drag to the hall from the south. I often land an F16 fighter jet on here on the Google Earth flight simulator . It's quite tricky.

Further along the hall itself was looking lovely in the sunshine...

I love this route to Wells. There are miles of car free tracks like this..

You just have to be careful over the cattle grids!

With panniers full of provisions, I headed back a different way through Holkham and stopped at Burnham Overy Staithe.

I always feel chuffed that I can still reach the coast from landlocked Newmarket under my own steam. Ain't cycling great! This is Burnham Overy..

When I got back to my parents place nearby, thousands of pink footed geese were passing overhead, honking away loudly as they went by. Managed to photo some of them..

More mud to wash off the bike when I got back - I sometimes wish I wasn't quite so fussy about having a spotless bike!