Your ride today.... (part 1)

[threebikesmcginty]

A gentle 30 odd mile ride - lovely weather, enjoyed every minute of it - even found my 'clipless moment' amusing, probably as there was no-one around to laugh at me but myself! Also a bit of fun as I overtook two young lycra clad roadie racers on their shiney new bikes, me on the old cycle with my best Lidl gear on!!

 

[longers]

Last night I set off to Poynton near Stockport to ride the Plains 300k audax.

I got to the car park and there were about 30 other keen souls, I didn't know anyone but had had email contact with a rider from another forum about riding it on fixed as it was a flattish route.

11 o'clock came and we all set off on a clear, cool and mostly still evening. Quiet lanes a plenty with us forming a large and well lit swooping group at around 20 miles an hour.

This pace was kept up on the whole and within an hour or two 4 of us had come together and seemed to break away a bit from the others, there were riders in front of us though.

A creature was spotted on one of the lanes so I sped up to shine a light and kept pace with a badger for a couple of hundred metres before it had the sense to do one into the hedgerow.

It's a bit of a blur for the rest of the ride, a garage was raided as the first control at about quarter to two and we were soon away to head for near Shrewsbury, Dinkys Dina was the next control, a wee butty shack in the middle of nowhere it seems. Excellent bacon butties and sustenance were taken on board. The sun started coming up as we approached half way at Newtown in Wales. As we were 10k away the first rider passed us on his way home.

McDonalds provided coffee, receipts and crap food for those who wanted it. We left just after 6 and just kept plugging away in the foursome. Dinkys Dina was a welcome break as a control again, very friendly people and good scran.

At some point after this one of the lads had a sudden deflation and we found his tyre was shot and was de-laminating so a boot was fitted and we slowed the pace.

Not much else happened of interest for a few miles other than we found his rear tyre was doing the same, 4 dipsticks came up with the bright idea of cable tying round the tyre to hold it together before the engineer spotted that it might be difficult to brake like this.

More cake and goodness at another control where two spare tyres were cadged from those who'd managed to catch us.

It was lovely and sunny and still hardly a breath of wind so clothes were being shed at every control.

The Co-Op in Poynton provided yet more food at the finish and we said goodbye to our little group, 4 of us for three hundred and nine k and we never bothered to find out each others names even though the chat was plentiful.

I got home slowly, bathed and am now eating even more food.

I think I would do it again, thanks for listening

 

[fossyant]

300k wow.....on fixed...you are as nuts as Noodley...

 

[bonj2]

I did the brian robinson challenge today
it was awesome
did it in 5 hours 25 - which got me a silver award! yay
first outing of my new carbon summer bike, it embarassed itself by throwing the chain onto the BB shell on the VERY FIRST straight, when there was loads of others passing, but it redeemed itself by behaving absolutely flawlessly from then on and being great handling, pretty good comfort and well fast!
home moss was about the second climb - i didn't know we were on it till the 'holme moss summit' sign at the top - damn windy on the way back down though - (i didn't envy the few fellas who had deep dish wheels!), although all the other descents weren't quite so windy. some of the descents were insane
nice flapjacks on the way round as well although i thought they were a bit tight charging for the bacon sarnies and tea at the end! it's often free on audaxes and they're only 4 quid, that was 20!

one fella broke a chain! didn't stop though 'cos there wasn't much i could have done - didn't have any powerlinks. must get some... i broke a chain on yesterdays mtb ride in the peaks setting off on that short sharp incline in the middle of the langsett descent - got my mate's chain measuring stick out when we got home and both sides fit in! (which means I really need to change the chain now)
must carry powerlinks...

anybody else do it?

 

[bonj2]

you did that audax on your fixed longers?respect! what inchage?

 

[longers]

A nice and twiddly sixty five, just about perfect I reckon for that route, averaged just over fifteen miles an hour which is about 2mph quicker than I planned on.

The other fixed bloke was on seventy four. He's a lot tougher than me

 

[Auntie Helen]

Auntie Helen cycles to the Sea!

So... today's ride. I'm trying really hard to keep up the miles to maintain my position on Cyclogs; it can be hard at times but with beautiful days like we've had this week it was an appealing prospect!

Plan in Auntie Helen's household was to go for a quick afternoon sail. The boat is moored 15 miles from home so I sent hubby off in the car to get everything ready and I set off on my bike.

I followed the NCN51 from the Colchester area towards Walton-on-the-Naze. This is a very good section of NCN route and there are few cars, smooth roads and it's a reasonably direct route.

I was cycling across the Tendring Plain which is a plateau about 45 metres above sea level. And Walton is by the sea so I obviously have to descend off the plain onto a bit of rolling countryside. The views today were lovely:

I was cycling East into an east wind, though, so wasn't going very fast. However I felt like I was making reasonable progress through Tending Heath, Stone Street, Beaumont-cum-Moze, Kirby-le-Soken and finally Walton-on-the-Naze. The final mile is down Coles Lane, the route to the marina. Spot all the masts in the distance:

When I arrived at the marina I found the car and put my bike in it (safer than locking it up outside somewhere).

I then walked to the pontoon still in my cleats (there are some crocs on board). I was a bit worried I might have a clipless moment on the pontoon metalwork!

Arrived at the boat (the Cat in the previous pic) and gave myself a post-cycling treat...

Thing is, we were both so tired and the wind and tide were a bit awkward, so we decided not to sail after all, just hung out on the boat and had a snooze.

So after a couple of hours I did all the above in reverse (including assembling the trike from the car) but the ride home was much more whizzy with the tailwind. I added an extra 8 miles on the journey home to bring my total for today to above fifty. A lovely afternoon in the sunshine.

 

[gbb]

47 miles at 16mph average..i dont know where my pace (such as it is ) is coming from. The furthest i've ridden in some considerable time.

Fabulous weather, about 17 degrees, a little breezy, but kept a good pace on the drops.

Hardly a car to be seen for 35 miles of it...with the exception of about 8 circa 1910 cars tootling around the countrysideand a 60s Jag in phenomenal condition, coupled with a handfull of 60s Triumph convertibles etc. Must be some meet somewhere.

We dont have the scenery here some of you guys and girls have, but heres a nice sight as i passed some woodland...Bluebells...

Anyone passing would have wondered why i was doing dissapearing into the woods, on foot, in the middle of knowhere

A nice finale was spying a threesome of roadies ahead at about 43 miles. Hammer down, catch up, then passed each one in turn. I could see by the shadows that each one slipped into my wheel for a slipstream....then fell back . Very satisfying. Childish, but satisfying

 

[gbb]

Last night I set off to Poynton near Stockport to ride the Plains 300k audax.

I got to the car park and there were about 30 other keen souls, I didn't know anyone but had had email contact with a rider from another forum about riding it on fixed as it was a flattish route.

11 o'clock came and we all set off on a clear, cool and mostly still evening. Quiet lanes a plenty with us forming a large and well lit swooping group at around 20 miles an hour.

This pace was kept up on the whole and within an hour or two 4 of us had come together and seemed to break away a bit from the others, there were riders in front of us though.

A creature was spotted on one of the lanes so I sped up to shine a light and kept pace with a badger for a couple of hundred metres before it had the sense to do one into the hedgerow.

It's a bit of a blur for the rest of the ride, a garage was raided as the first control at about quarter to two and we were soon away to head for near Shrewsbury, Dinkys Dina was the next control, a wee butty shack in the middle of nowhere it seems. Excellent bacon butties and sustenance were taken on board. The sun started coming up as we approached half way at Newtown in Wales. As we were 10k away the first rider passed us on his way home.

McDonalds provided coffee, receipts and crap food for those who wanted it. We left just after 6 and just kept plugging away in the foursome. Dinkys Dina was a welcome break as a control again, very friendly people and good scran.

At some point after this one of the lads had a sudden deflation and we found his tyre was shot and was de-laminating so a boot was fitted and we slowed the pace.

Not much else happened of interest for a few miles other than we found his rear tyre was doing the same, 4 dipsticks came up with the bright idea of cable tying round the tyre to hold it together before the engineer spotted that it might be difficult to brake like this.

More cake and goodness at another control where two spare tyres were cadged from those who'd managed to catch us.

It was lovely and sunny and still hardly a breath of wind so clothes were being shed at every control.

The Co-Op in Poynton provided yet more food at the finish and we said goodbye to our little group, 4 of us for three hundred and nine k and we never bothered to find out each others names even though the chat was plentiful.

I got home slowly, bathed and am now eating even more food.

I think I would do it again, thanks for listening

Ahhh, engineers ( i are one)..always see the slightly obvious things that others dont

 

[PaulB]

Longers; respect is due to you.

 

[a_n_t]

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http:...trail/kml/episode.kml?episodePkValues=8087549


that one. 94 miles and over 7000ft of climbing, who needs sportives! join the wheelers!!

 

[HLaB]

As folk are talking about the Crow Road I thought I'd do a Round the Forth that included it and the Tak Ma Doon Road. I actually found the Crow Road not too bad and despite the strong head wind done it in the large chain ring (50T). Only when I got to the top and went to change up for the descent and couldn't did I notice, doh. The descent from the Crow Road despite the head wind was great.
I was quite lucky with the weather; heavy showers were forecast but I only got caught on the edge of one and not for long. Plenty of the areas I went through were completely drenched but I must of just missed the rain. I'll probably get soaked tomorrow now.

 

[marinyork]

101 miles of stupidly flat, mostly East Yorkshire countryside .

 

[HelenD123]

106 miles - my first century!

 

[goodspeed]

Longers, Dude! we are not worthy. Rrrrespect!!!!