Your ride today.... (part 1)

[cosmicbike]

This mornings bread run was cancelled due to a visit from the P fairy, so I had to go into town by car, not very good at all. Made up for with a nice 25 mile loop taking in the joys of Chertsey, Lyne, Ascot and WGP. Weather turned out nice but seemed to have a decent headwind most of the way round.
New steed now has a Charge Spoon fitted, so hopefully will get a short maiden ride tomorrow

 

[Dirk]

Bike Shed 'Santa Spin' from the Square in Barnstaple to a pub stop in Instow and return. Did 27 miles in total including return ride to the starting point.

 

[Spartak]

Just a local ride this evening to meet mate for Christmas drink & meal !

http://www.strava.com/activities/231205088

Tasted better than it looked

Nice 10km circular ride - bit nippy though !!!

 

[Gravity Aided]

My usual 7.1 mile circuit, 0 C but little wind here, quite agreeable, but I didn't want to go farther, as Mrs. GA is away and I would need someone to pick me up in case of a catastrophic breakdown. No records today, but I just got over the gastro bug so I'm still a bit diluted from full strength. I may swap out the Trek 800 to the Specialized Hard Rock, and see if times improve.

 

[chewa]

A bout 15 miles on road on the mtb with Sandra. Home to St Victor de Reno, then back along the voie verte, part of the Pars - Mont St Michel route, to the bakers for bread.
About 5 c here but no wind and only cars we saw were hunters in their orange tabards,
The peace of rural France such a contrast to the UK just before Christmas!

 

[Maverick Goose]

Nice peaceful sunny afternoon ride for me round Bridport and Burton Bradstock way yesterday-everyone was obviously busy Christmas shopping!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

50 ish miles today in Green Northern Cyprus
http://cyprusonabianchi.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-long-way-to-getcikale.html

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Willoughby the destination, 52 miles the journey, and without doubt the worst ride of the year. The original destination was the Horse Sanctuary at Oxhill, but by the time I got the other side of Baginton it was obvious that Oxhill was a bit ambitious, the tummy bug I had been suffering with had robbed me of most of my power and pace, and the weather wasn't helping either, there was a stiff cold breeze blowing, the sort that blows through you rather than round you. Instead I turned a bit further down and headed through Wappenbury, Ethorpe, crossed the Fosse Way and went through Marton, Birdinbury and Hill and across Grandborough Fields to Willoughby and the Transport Cafe for a coffee and something to eat. Decided to take a slightly wider loop back home, across Grandborough fields to Broadwell and on through Long Itchington to Hunningham Hill and across the Fosse Way before carrying onto Bubenhall where I turned to ride through Ryton and Wolston to ride into Coventry passed the Speedway. The ride across Coventry was more like a commute than the end of a Sunday ride, plenty of Xmas shoppers and a lot of filtering, when I got closer to home I found myself filtering passed car loads of rugby fans . The Wasps are playing their first match at the Ricoh Arena this afternoon and it was a bit busy around the stadium, I thought I might be early enough to miss it but the build up had already started.

 

[robjh]

Willoughby the destination, 52 miles the journey, and without doubt the worst ride of the year. The original destination was the Horse Sanctuary at Oxhill, but by the time I got the other side of Baginton it was obvious that Oxhill was a bit ambitious, the tummy bug I had been suffering with had robbed me of most of my power and pace, and the weather wasn't helping either, there was a stiff cold breeze blowing, the sort that blows through you rather than round you. Instead I turned a bit further down and headed through Wappenbury, Ethorpe, crossed the Fosse Way and went through Marton, Birdinbury and Hill and across Grandborough Fields to Willoughby and the Transport Cafe for a coffee and something to eat. Decided to take a slightly wider loop back home, across Grandborough fields to Broadwell and on through Long Itchington to Hunningham Hill and across the Fosse Way before carrying onto Bubenhall where I turned to ride through Ryton and Wolston to ride into Coventry passed the Speedway. The ride across Coventry was more like a commute than the end of a Sunday ride, plenty of Xmas shoppers and a lot of filtering, when I got closer to home I found myself filtering passed car loads of rugby fans . The Wasps are playing their first match at the Ricoh Arena this afternoon and it was a bit busy around the stadium, I thought I might be early enough to miss it but the build up had already started.

Parts of that sound so much like my recent commuting routes, from Stockton (near Southam) into Cov. Some lovely routes round there.

Over in South Cambs it's mild but windy, and we've just done the shortest Sunday club ride of the year, but it was a very sociable ride with everyone in a good mood and it was just nice to be out, as it (almost) always is.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Parts of that sound so much like my recent commuting routes, from Stockton (near Southam) into Cov. Some lovely routes round there.

Over in South Cambs it's mild but windy, and we've just done the shortest Sunday club ride of the year, but it was a very sociable ride with everyone in a good mood and it was just nice to be out, as it (almost) always is.

Coventry's well blessed with lovely cycling lanes, not just to the south but all round, the problems always been the getting into and out of Coventry avoiding the major routes, I'm fortunate in that I've been cycling for a long time and know most of the quiet routes.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Willoughby the destination, 52 miles the journey, and without doubt the worst ride of the year. The original destination was the Horse Sanctuary at Oxhill, but by the time I got the other side of Baginton it was obvious that Oxhill was a bit ambitious, the tummy bug I had been suffering with had robbed me of most of my power and pace, and the weather wasn't helping either, there was a stiff cold breeze blowing, the sort that blows through you rather than round you. Instead I turned a bit further down and headed through Wappenbury, Ethorpe, crossed the Fosse Way and went through Marton, Birdinbury and Hill and across Grandborough Fields to Willoughby and the Transport Cafe for a coffee and something to eat. Decided to take a slightly wider loop back home, across Grandborough fields to Broadwell and on through Long Itchington to Hunningham Hill and across the Fosse Way before carrying onto Bubenhall where I turned to ride through Ryton and Wolston to ride into Coventry passed the Speedway. The ride across Coventry was more like a commute than the end of a Sunday ride, plenty of Xmas shoppers and a lot of filtering, when I got closer to home I found myself filtering passed car loads of rugby fans . The Wasps are playing their first match at the Ricoh Arena this afternoon and it was a bit busy around the stadium, I thought I might be early enough to miss it but the build up had already started.

At least you got out. Deserves a like for the report.

 

[arranandy]

20 miles on the cross bike round the trails of Strathclyde Park and Chaterault. Very wet and muddy. Both myself and the bike filthy when I got home. Still it was nice to get out as the weather is rubbish up here today.
Finish work on Tuesday until the 5th January so I'm hoping to get a few rides in

 

[Donger]

In the 6 years I have been cycling, there have been a fair number of tough days. 100km+ Audaxes, big mountains climbed, floods, ice and blustery winds ...etc. But in all that time I don't think I've ever felt quite so nackered as I did when I dragged my sorry backside home today after a 44 miler. It was a Kingsway CC ride, and although there were only 8 of us, the peloton was loaded with some of our strongest (and quickest) riders, and there was a stiff wind blowing today. As usual, I was both the oldest and by far the heaviest in the group.

We headed off out through Stonehouse to Cam and onwards via North Nibley to Wotton under Edge. Up and down, up and down, over and over again ....and this was just us heading out to where the big hills started..

After Wotton under Edge, we turned back Northwards and up a huge hill with a "10%" sign that went on forever. I gritted my teeth and kept counting to 100 until it was over. Everyone waited for me at the crest, and we carried on over the top towards Horsley and Nailsworth. At last some respite. With a strong following wind we kept up an effortless 20-25mph for a few miles until we came down into Nailsworth. After a bit of unpleasant bumpy A road into Stroud, then came the killer blow. One last, mean, vicious, sonofabitch hill up from Cainscross through Randwick and up to the back of Haresfield Beacon from the South. The stretch between Randwick Church and the pub about 4-500 yards further up was excruciating at the end of a wind-affected and hilly ride, and so steep that I kept pulling wheelies. At one point I was convinced that every turn of the pedals was going to be the last I would be capable of. Somehow I kept going, at times grinding my way up in ugly fashion as slow as 2.5 mph. They were waiting for me at the top ... a sorry sight... Last place by a distance, but not broken.

Then followed a scary descent down Horsepools Hill with the remnants of my brakepads squealing all the way but not actually slowing me down in the wet . Flopped onto the bed as soon as I got home, then made a long, hot bath last until the water started to turn cold. Nearly recovered now, but Jeez that was tough! @maltloaf 's Garmin said we'd done 2,871 feet of climbing. I can believe it. Just one more of my standard 20 milers needed to hit my 2,400 mile target now, which has blown away my previous PB by nearly 700 miles. Couldn't have done it without the Kingsway CC constantly pushing me to new limits.

Happy Christmas everybody, and an active cycling New Year. Cheers, Donger.

 

[gavgav]

My final ride of 2014.

I began by adjusting the saddle, due to experiencing knee problems on my previous 2 rides. @Rickshaw Phil had given me some pointers in the pub last night and sure enough I had the saddle set far more forward than it should have been. Pushed it back a good inch or so and it seemed much better as I headed off on virtually the same route I did last weekend.

There was a brutal Westerly wind and it was straight into it as I crawled along the cycle paths, passing a smash at Heathgates, where a chap had stuffed his Range Rover up the back end of a Fiesta.

I called in to see this week's progress on my new house and it's come on really well, with roof done, windows and door in place and scaffolding down!

I then climbed Lyth Hill and through the water hazards, dropping down to have dinner with Dad.

I then headed for Longnor, Acton Burnell and past Concord College. It's a bit bigger than my house!

I put a bit of deviation in from last week's ride, by turning down through Acton Piggott and then braved the Ford, which was fairly deep, but passable on the bike....just! and up onto Cound Moor.

I then dropped down to Cressage and the bloody pain in my knee started again. It seems to be happening at about 20 miles into rides and is very painful once it starts.

I didn't enjoy the remainder of the ride through Wroxeter, Upton Forge, Upton Magna and Uffington. Knee was hurting and the wind had strengthened even further, so much so that at times I was doing 4mph on the flat, into it!

Going to have to shorten my rides for a while and give the knee a proper rest I think.

35.9 miles at 11.0 mph avg
1155 ft of climbing
Total mileage for 2014 of 1789 miles.

 

[coffeejo]

My final ride of 2014.

I began by adjusting the saddle, due to experiencing knee problems on my previous 2 rides. @Rickshaw Phil had given me some pointers in the pub last night and sure enough I had the saddle set far more forward than it should have been. Pushed it back a good inch or so and it seemed much better as I headed off on virtually the same route I did last weekend.

There was a brutal Westerly wind and it was straight into it as I crawled along the cycle paths, passing a smash at Heathgates, where a chap had stuffed his Range Rover up the back end of a Fiesta.

I called in to see this week's progress on my new house and it's come on really well, with roof done, windows and door in place and scaffolding down!

View attachment 74859

View attachment 74860

I then climbed Lyth Hill and through the water hazards, dropping down to have dinner with Dad.

I then headed for Longnor, Acton Burnell and past Concord College. It's a bit bigger than my house!

View attachment 74861

I put a bit of deviation in from last week's ride, by turning down through Acton Piggott and then braved the Ford, which was fairly deep, but passable on the bike....just! and up onto Cound Moor.

I then dropped down to Cressage and the bloody pain in my knee started again. It seems to be happening at about 20 miles into rides and is very painful once it starts.

I didn't enjoy the remainder of the ride through Wroxeter, Upton Forge, Upton Magna and Uffington. Knee was hurting and the wind had strengthened even further, so much so that at times I was doing 4mph on the flat, into it!

Going to have to shorten my rides for a while and give the knee a proper rest I think.

35.9 miles at 11.0 mph avg
1155 ft of climbing
Total mileage for 2014 of 1789 miles.

Hope your knee sorts itself out soon.