Your ride today.... (part 1)

[gbb]

38 miles...heavy heavy miles .

Hard day at work yesterday and felt so so cream crackered last night i thought i was catching something. That said, day off today so off for a steady one. Immediately got a bit wet and dodged (and caught) some showers all morning. Half way round, i thought, its boring at this time of the year...i hadn't seen much wildlife...that soon changed !!!!
Buzzard...not so remarkable, but i've only just noticed them coming in round here.
Another Buzzard, very very dark, almost black up by Alconbury.
Possibly a Hobby sitting in a tree as i rode past. You see them at Rutland Water, hovering on a hilltop catching insects. Thats the only other time i've ever knowingly seen one.
Then coming toward Holme, a freeking great raptor, at first i thought it was a Red Kite sitting in a field about 20 yards away. Screeched to a stop, whipped the camera out, but he was off. But iv'e seen loads of Red KIte...this seemed different. Aha....there's a colony of Marsh harrier at Eldernell, only about 5 or 10 miles away as the crow flies.....so very likely a Marsh Harrier.
When you consider, rare as the Red Kite was, there are only about 2000 breeding pairs in the UK...there's only maybe 700 breeding pairs of marsh harrier.

One dead fox, must have been a healthy one up until he got hit...beautiful ginger coat on him.
One dead deer.

A steady but heavy 38 miles, only maybe 10 miles with a tailwind. Damp and a bit chilly on my neck, time for the buff soon. 14.5 mph average, quite pleased with that considering i just meandered around the countryside.

 

[Steve H]

Itching for more...

I managed to schedule my diary so that I could work from home today. Wanted to get a couple of hours in before I knuckled down to work so set off nice and early at 6.30am. First 45 mins was great, but then it started to chuck it down and the traffic got very heavy which just made it a bit horrible. Therefore cut the ride short and came home for a warm shower. Now feeling itchy to ride again as I didn't get as much done as I wanted.

 

[gbb]

Oh Jesus, chillblains already

Just normal commuting today, maybe 15 miles worth. This morning was slightly frosty but i went like the wind....just effortless. Normal rush hour ride back home which i always enjoy....but i'm sat here now and my toes are burning. Two pairs of socks as well today...its the same every winter, and this ones hardly begun.
Going to try some home remedies in a minute...cut an onion and rub the juice into my toes

 

[gbb]

Not a normal ride, but 15 miles across town to PC world...better than taking the car eh.
Really quite brisk northerly wind, 8 degrees and sunny. Mostly cycle paths through town so nothing bad to report.
Hopefully get out this afternoon for a more satisfying one....

 

[avsd]

Nice 40 miles around the Mountains of Mourne. This was where I grew up as a child. Cold crisp sunny day with very little traffic. Lots of other cyclists out enjoying the day. Stuck to the coast roads so climbing was only 363m but average speed was a pleasing 16.9mph which is good for me. Noticing the benefits of regular commuting on the bike . Details of the route are available at:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/54151190?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4cc43573827b332a,0

 

[craigwend]

Just over an hour after lunch today.

Started off bright sunshine if a tad cold, then a bit of drizzle, then a bit of rain, then a lot of very cold sharp rain & strong winds, now it's bule skies and sunny again.

Oh well the new overshoes & jacket performed.

 

[gbb]

Sunday, part 2....
19 miles with a nice crosswind....which meant a nice steady pace in both directions, even protected either way by banking alongside the river Nene. Several miles along the Dog in a Doublet road, which'd normally be suicidal (long straight cross country road, not very wide, runs alongside the river, no barriers and cars frequently hammer down there...a scary road), but its closed so free of traffic. Brilliant

 

[gbb]

Circa 13 miles to get a haircut this morning, with the wife alongside on her new (old) Raleigh racer....a few stops on the way to adjust saddle heights etc. Nine morning out, through country parks etc.
Bugger, ladies 'racers' are hard to get hold of. Drove out to Northampton to look at one yesterday...only to find his description of a hybrid was a roadbike. Ah well, i should have asked more questions. So a drive out to the wildest fen countryside near Wisbeach to pick up a Raliegh Prelude on a BIN off ebay. Ever tried driving along fen roads in the dark, trying to find the right Drove...they're all Droves !!! and then trying to find a dark farmhouse in the dark, no street lights of course. Turned out a well kept bike despite its relative age....nothing special in our terms but solid and goes well. She's very happy with it. Now i suppose i'll see ladies racers for sale all over the place.

Nice to have a steady ride somewhere different, just didnt fancy a long hard ride...gets a bit boring sometimes.

 

[guitarpete247]

Just 12 miles this morning. This might be the only dry day this week and as I didn't get phone call for work (I'm a supply teacher and Leicestershire has just started back) thought I'd make the best of it.
Set off and gor round corner and realised I'd not got my tool kit with me. If I'd gone without it I'm sure I'd get a p*nct*re so turned round and went back for it. As I now had spare tube, tyre levers and slime skabs I didn't have any probs.
Nice fresh day with clean air (except the odd farm smell on the way). Crisp and great ride.

 

[Klaus]

About five miles around Uxbridge - in my lunch hour. Buses were a pain today, too close !!!
From Oxford Road to town centre and then through residential streets and down Uxbridge Hill.
Excellent. Feel good after 15 miles on Sunday.

 

[rodgy-dodge]

Is it So Unlady Like to shout F*N* W*NK*RS whilst out on your own.
Nearly got knocked off by stupid White Transit Van Driver, whom obviously thought I was twiggy and didn't need much room, over took me on a climb where central bollards forced him to do a dolly skilbeck on me!
I get quite nervous when going on my own and this happened at the begining of the ride, made me feel so angry.
I was also let down by my friend who txt me last minute to say she couldn't make it, I was all ready to go, so did!
After said incident with white van man! I began to relax and enjoy the beautiful morning sunshine, until I hit the head on wind! It suddenly became very gusty and felt like I had my brakes jammed on. after 7 miles I felt knackered convinced myself I wasn't quite over the given 'man flu' so turned to come home. 14.98 miles I feel exhausted.

(NB: Dolly Skilbeck is our term for when some one cuts in front with very little room between the two travelling vehicles)

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Two and a half hours of hills (up) and only a proper soaking to show for it!!

Fun though

 

[ventoux50]

F O G G Y

 

[jayonabike]

30 miles after work saturday morning. I left home at 6.30 a.m and cycled in the dark to Dunstable Downs where i had a coffee and watched the day break. Then up to Ashridge, down to Berkhamsted then back to Hemel Hempstead, through Apsley dodging cars,1 last hill then home.

 

[gbb]

Quick 21 mile loop, Peterborough, Whittlesey, over to the east of the city via Dog in a Doublet then home. Mix of quiet roads and cyclepaths, nothing to report other than its not raining here, quite mild (got too warm) and just a bit breezy.
Thats it really....