Jon George
Mamil and couldn't care less
- Location
- Suffolk an' Good
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
- Status
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Your habit of spelling this four-letter word this way consistently makes me laugh.
Well it is a family forum after all....
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
A folly built in the grounds of Allerton Hall. Visible from A168 between Wetherby and Boroughbridge
Boroughbridge road sign on display with local artifacts from Boroughbridge in an open fronted building that was the butter market at Boroughbridge
Twenty-eight and a half miles from Wetherby to my favourite butcher in Boroughbridge accompanied by red kites flying overhead for some of the way. The re-introduction of red kites in west and North Yorkshire has been a runaway success and they are a common sight now having bred and spread further afield from their re-introduction sites. The return leg was along some minor roads through Whixley, Catton and Hunsingore. Only one pie was harmed on the ride and it's bangers and mash for tomorrow's evening meal.
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D
Deleted member 23692
Guest
Out again today on the new Hybrid.
This time skirting the city centre to head out through Burgh by Sands (pronounced Brugh by Sands) and onto Boustead Hill where I took a wee break to gaze out across the salt march to Scotland on the other side of the Solway.
A super day with clear blue skies, but a biting head wind made slow going along the marsh road
Then I headed back inland for the long slog over to Wiggonby, passing a hound trailing event on the way.. Once there, I started to head back home, with the wind finally behind me. On the way back I passed close to the site where they buried all the animals slaughtered during foot and mouth back in 2001. It's now a well devleoped nature reserve and disabled cycling centre... with the obligatory Cumbrian windmills on site
After there, it's a gentle slight downhill run back to town where i retraced part of my outward route home.
28 chilly miles on very wet roads
This time skirting the city centre to head out through Burgh by Sands (pronounced Brugh by Sands) and onto Boustead Hill where I took a wee break to gaze out across the salt march to Scotland on the other side of the Solway.
A super day with clear blue skies, but a biting head wind made slow going along the marsh road
Then I headed back inland for the long slog over to Wiggonby, passing a hound trailing event on the way.. Once there, I started to head back home, with the wind finally behind me. On the way back I passed close to the site where they buried all the animals slaughtered during foot and mouth back in 2001. It's now a well devleoped nature reserve and disabled cycling centre... with the obligatory Cumbrian windmills on site
After there, it's a gentle slight downhill run back to town where i retraced part of my outward route home.
28 chilly miles on very wet roads
mooseracer
Guru
- Location
- Nr Bristol
2nd ride of the day - an evening 14 miler with Mrs Moose...looking forward to a home cooked Thai curry shortly 
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
You'll make an ironman triathlete yet, Rocky.
howdenbiker
Senior Member
- Location
- East Yorkshire
Just on red kites, I see them quite often over central Leeds, a great site.
To my ride, did 56 miles, from Howden, across to Riccall then followed the cycle path into the centre of York, got a bit lost but eventually got out to Elvington, and down along the Derwent to Howden.
Great blue skies but a bit nippy later in the afternoon.
To my ride, did 56 miles, from Howden, across to Riccall then followed the cycle path into the centre of York, got a bit lost but eventually got out to Elvington, and down along the Derwent to Howden.
Great blue skies but a bit nippy later in the afternoon.
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
Well, that's my first audax of the year out of the way now, and a ride I can post on the Century a Month Challenge thread for January. It was the 105km Jack and Grace Cotton Memorial Audax from Aztec West at Almondsbury. Basically a 65 mile Bristol-Gloucester-Bristol ride that came right through my home patch and along many of the roads regularly used by the Kingsway CC on our Sunday rides. It was a chilly, frosty morning, and it didn't bode well when I had to scrape ice off the car.
Gromit was at the registration area at Aztec West.
Got under way at 09:00, sensing this might be a bit tricky, but not knowing the half of it.
The event was organised by Audax Club Bristol, but you couldn't help thinking that Robin Cousins may have had something to do with planning the route. Everyone had to get off and walk at one time or another because of the ice. Personally, I reckon I must have walked a good 3km over black ice in various places between Thornbury and Berkeley -often with 4x4s or horse transporters rushing past just inches away and making absolutely no allowance for the conditions. Still carrying the bruises from last week's crash, I was particulalrly aware of the dangers and kept warning others whenever I spotted black ice. Further North, we also had to pass the exact two spots where I last crashed on ice - one just last week and the other exactly one year ago, and progress was slow for much of the first leg, even when on the bike.
I checked in to the control at Epney with only about 25 of the 250 riders still behind me, so I decided to skip the refreshments and make the most of my local knowledge and get a move on without the need for my routesheet. This instantly left another 20 to 30 riders behind me at the pub, so I felt I had a chance of not being last, despite my "Fat Lad at the Back" shirt. Made it to the cafe at Tortworth in decent shape, despite a couple of cruel little hills just before the penultimate control. I like this shot, because the guy behind me is showing what it is really all about .... CAKE! .... lots of cake, to be consumed as fast as possible.
Taking a sneaky look at the controllers' list of riders, I was encouraged to see that there were at least 37 of the riders still behind me as I set off again. It's not a race, but you really don't want to be last.
Suffered quite a bit over the last 10.5 miles. I think it might have been the cold, and my tights might not have been thick enough to protect against it for so long. I've never been one to cramp up, but I had minor cramps at one time or another in both calves, my right thigh and my left hamstring. Added to that, my front wheel started to make a worrying clicking and creaking noise that I just couldn't trace, I'll have to fettle that tomorrow after I've given the bike a good clean. My best guess is a slightly loose spoke. Was really glad when it all ended - at the Swan Inn, Almondsbury, and I got my brevet card stamped up.
Got to go through it all over again on the 1st Feb on the Windrush Winter Warm-up audax. I'm praying it isn't icy next week. This felt like an ordeal today. A bit like the annual wildebeest migration ... you know bad things are going to happen on the way, but somehow most of the herd always gets through. I'm certainly relieved to have got through this one unscathed .... I'm still black and blue from my last ride. Even the end was horrible, as I had to ride back to Aztec West in heavy, fast moving traffic past a couple of huge roundabouts and under the M5 at J16 to get back to my car. Not for the faint-hearted. A 65.6 mile audax in 6 hours 25 mins today. Would have been well under 6 hours without the ice. 66.6 miles in all.
Take care on the ice, everyone. Cheers, Donger.
Got under way at 09:00, sensing this might be a bit tricky, but not knowing the half of it.
The event was organised by Audax Club Bristol, but you couldn't help thinking that Robin Cousins may have had something to do with planning the route. Everyone had to get off and walk at one time or another because of the ice. Personally, I reckon I must have walked a good 3km over black ice in various places between Thornbury and Berkeley -often with 4x4s or horse transporters rushing past just inches away and making absolutely no allowance for the conditions. Still carrying the bruises from last week's crash, I was particulalrly aware of the dangers and kept warning others whenever I spotted black ice. Further North, we also had to pass the exact two spots where I last crashed on ice - one just last week and the other exactly one year ago, and progress was slow for much of the first leg, even when on the bike.
I checked in to the control at Epney with only about 25 of the 250 riders still behind me, so I decided to skip the refreshments and make the most of my local knowledge and get a move on without the need for my routesheet. This instantly left another 20 to 30 riders behind me at the pub, so I felt I had a chance of not being last, despite my "Fat Lad at the Back" shirt. Made it to the cafe at Tortworth in decent shape, despite a couple of cruel little hills just before the penultimate control. I like this shot, because the guy behind me is showing what it is really all about .... CAKE! .... lots of cake, to be consumed as fast as possible.
Taking a sneaky look at the controllers' list of riders, I was encouraged to see that there were at least 37 of the riders still behind me as I set off again. It's not a race, but you really don't want to be last.
Suffered quite a bit over the last 10.5 miles. I think it might have been the cold, and my tights might not have been thick enough to protect against it for so long. I've never been one to cramp up, but I had minor cramps at one time or another in both calves, my right thigh and my left hamstring. Added to that, my front wheel started to make a worrying clicking and creaking noise that I just couldn't trace, I'll have to fettle that tomorrow after I've given the bike a good clean. My best guess is a slightly loose spoke. Was really glad when it all ended - at the Swan Inn, Almondsbury, and I got my brevet card stamped up.
Got to go through it all over again on the 1st Feb on the Windrush Winter Warm-up audax. I'm praying it isn't icy next week. This felt like an ordeal today. A bit like the annual wildebeest migration ... you know bad things are going to happen on the way, but somehow most of the herd always gets through. I'm certainly relieved to have got through this one unscathed .... I'm still black and blue from my last ride. Even the end was horrible, as I had to ride back to Aztec West in heavy, fast moving traffic past a couple of huge roundabouts and under the M5 at J16 to get back to my car. Not for the faint-hearted. A 65.6 mile audax in 6 hours 25 mins today. Would have been well under 6 hours without the ice. 66.6 miles in all.
Take care on the ice, everyone. Cheers, Donger.
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- Location
- Egham
Well done
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
7 miles today in near 0C temps but good weather despite the wind. Snow still in roadside ditches but not much everywhere else. Trying to get away with a few rides ere winter clamps down again. Tomorrow not looking good as Parish Annual Meeting will be a main event of the day, but Wednesday may see more riding. Trek 800 holding up well to winters challenge.
Think you hit the nail on the head with "it felt like an ordeal".
I wax worried I was the only one that felt like that today!
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I wanted to get a 100 km ride in today, my first ride in the 'Metric Century a Month Challenge, 2015'. I have signed up for the challenge to try and stop me slipping back into my couch potato ways.
I had only done 2 rides since mid-December so it really was time to get stuck in again.
The forecast for today was pretty favourable so I planned an early start for my ride, but when I looked out of the window at 09:00, it was very gloomy and was raining heavily. I postponed my departure until just after 11:30, when the forecast sunny intervals finally started. The air was cool rather than cold, but there was a blustery wind blowing which gave quite a windchill on the descents.
My route was from Hebden Bridge to the summit of Waddington Fell and back, a total distance of just short of 101 km. The roads were clear of ice, but I did not fancy risking the Padiham Greenway after nearly crashing on patches of ice on an ungritted layby at the top of Rossendale Rd on the fringes of Burnley. I thought my back tyre might be going soft, so I had pulled over to check it. (It wasn't - I think the road surface was a bit broken up and causing extra shocks to the bike.). So Hebden Bridge, A646 through Todmorden, Walk Mill, Burnley, and Rose Grove to Padiham. Old road through Read, Old Roman Road towards Spring Wood, Whalley, Mitton, Bashall Town, Waddington, Waddington Fell.
Although flattish by my route standards (apart from the Fell itself), you can see from this nice symmetrical profile that there was still a fair degree of lumpiness. I was slightly concerned that I would conk out halfway, but I actually felt better as the ride progressed, which I was pleased about.
I got overtaken by some horribly fit younger riders on the climb up the Fell. I expect to be slower than most people, but do you really have to climb at more than twice my speed, eh, lads?
So, here's a picture taken at the summit. It was a bit nippy up there and I was keen to avoid having to ride too many miles in the dark, so I didn't hang about. No visit to Country Kitchen cafe either. I can't be bothered with cafe stops when I am by myself.
After a rapid wind-chilled descent back off the Fell down to the village, I spotted a bunch of the local women having a natter. I'm not sure about the day-glo makeup, girls!
I got back about 17:00 so I'd done about 20 minutes in the dark, but at least I had working lights this time.
I feel ok this evening, so I must have managed to hang on to some of last year's cycling fitness despite a month pretty much off the bike.
I had only done 2 rides since mid-December so it really was time to get stuck in again.
The forecast for today was pretty favourable so I planned an early start for my ride, but when I looked out of the window at 09:00, it was very gloomy and was raining heavily. I postponed my departure until just after 11:30, when the forecast sunny intervals finally started. The air was cool rather than cold, but there was a blustery wind blowing which gave quite a windchill on the descents.
My route was from Hebden Bridge to the summit of Waddington Fell and back, a total distance of just short of 101 km. The roads were clear of ice, but I did not fancy risking the Padiham Greenway after nearly crashing on patches of ice on an ungritted layby at the top of Rossendale Rd on the fringes of Burnley. I thought my back tyre might be going soft, so I had pulled over to check it. (It wasn't - I think the road surface was a bit broken up and causing extra shocks to the bike.). So Hebden Bridge, A646 through Todmorden, Walk Mill, Burnley, and Rose Grove to Padiham. Old road through Read, Old Roman Road towards Spring Wood, Whalley, Mitton, Bashall Town, Waddington, Waddington Fell.
Although flattish by my route standards (apart from the Fell itself), you can see from this nice symmetrical profile that there was still a fair degree of lumpiness. I was slightly concerned that I would conk out halfway, but I actually felt better as the ride progressed, which I was pleased about.
I got overtaken by some horribly fit younger riders on the climb up the Fell. I expect to be slower than most people, but do you really have to climb at more than twice my speed, eh, lads?
So, here's a picture taken at the summit. It was a bit nippy up there and I was keen to avoid having to ride too many miles in the dark, so I didn't hang about. No visit to Country Kitchen cafe either. I can't be bothered with cafe stops when I am by myself.
After a rapid wind-chilled descent back off the Fell down to the village, I spotted a bunch of the local women having a natter. I'm not sure about the day-glo makeup, girls!
I got back about 17:00 so I'd done about 20 minutes in the dark, but at least I had working lights this time.
I feel ok this evening, so I must have managed to hang on to some of last year's cycling fitness despite a month pretty much off the bike.
ScotiaLass
Guru
- Location
- Middle Earth
I got a text message this morning from one of my Belles ladies (an old school friend of my eldest daughter), saying she was going down to Helix Park. It was a reminder for me, as I had said I'd go, but with everything going on right now (sorting daddys funeral) I forgot.
So, I said I'd meet her there.
I headed off on the bike, which was filthy from my ride in the woods the other day, and got there in about 18 mins. It used to take me 35mins when I first started! Anyway,we met up and had a nice ride around and along the River Carron and round some local woods.
Then back and home for me, up the hills!
I did a nice 14 miles and really enjoyed it.
I gave the bike a good clean on my return and she's sitting in the hall, awaiting a good lubing.
So, I said I'd meet her there.
I headed off on the bike, which was filthy from my ride in the woods the other day, and got there in about 18 mins. It used to take me 35mins when I first started! Anyway,we met up and had a nice ride around and along the River Carron and round some local woods.
Then back and home for me, up the hills!
I did a nice 14 miles and really enjoyed it.
I gave the bike a good clean on my return and she's sitting in the hall, awaiting a good lubing.
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Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
I managed 21 miles on a bit of a tour through Clitheroe and surrounding villages. I thought about tackling Pendle Hill but made my excuses and decided to leave it till when the snow has gone.
- Status
