Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Glow worm]

A 20 odd mile amble across the Fen, starting with a break at Lode to listen to the nightingale that has set up territory there singing. I then had an unplanned trip to the LBS at Horningsea,as a fork on my pannier rack snapped (after 6 years and 12,000 miles) so I bought a replacement. Not having much luck at the moment as my kickstand snapped yesterday as well. The man in front of me in the LBS was just buying a gorgeous £1400 road bike so I stifled my jealousy and then headed up to the Lodes Way on my knackered old hybrid. I stopped at Reach Lode Bridge to admire the new 'Portrait Bench' that's just been installed. Very nice it is too. The official launch is tomorrow and there's to be a picnic apparently. Here's a pic....

On the left is a fen skater, in the middle, a Fenland eel catcher and on the right, a Victorian naturalist. Behind, the Reach Lode Bridge. A bit of a grey old day here on the flatlands today.

A quick snack on Burwell Fen watching a short eared owl hunt just yards away. I then doubled back towards Reach where a little owl popped up and peered at me from low on a willow by Headlake Drove. There's often little owls there (at the crossroads) and I wondered what this one made of the cricket commentary I was listening to. Then, my birding highlight of the year so far- an osprey flew over. My fist UK osprey, no doubt passing through on his way to Scotland or perhaps Norway. He had no satellite tracker on him that I could see, so probably not one of Roy Dennis's birds. He slowed to peer down at the small pond on Tubney Fen but was being mobbed by crows so I guess thought better of it and headed off again north. I then headed back home through Swaffham Prior to spend an afternoon swearing at my bike and my woeful incompetance at fitting the new rack and at fixing the various things that are currently wrong with it.

 

[derrick]

30 miles with the other half and a freind, nice lesurely ride, ended up at the local bike shop for a bit of advice, enjoyable day.

 

[potsy]

A leisurely 33 miles to one of my favourite coffee stops (Curry Mallet Stores) with the ladies. Looks like a friend and I are going to sign up to become Breeze "Champions". Meep!

Are you classing yourself as a 'lady'

 

[HLaB]

With the left crank falling off the BSO folder I went for a walk to see about getting a viking, the shop owner was very un-knowledgeable, he was a bit perturbed but polite when I said I wanted to order a 56cm and not the 59cm they had in stock. I'll hopefully pick the viking up on Thursday but I was itching for a ride in the meantime, so I popped back to the b&b got the folder out and cycled down to another lbs to borrow a socket wrench. After getting it sorted out I decided to head to Maldon and was delighted to find some half decent hills on route. What was cool, after cycling up this steepish hill, I stopped at the police station as they had a map outside when a copper came up to me, was that you cycling up the hill, I'm well impressed, you were fairly motoring up there. TBH though due to needing to be at a very high cadence, I probably looked faster than I was.

When I got back, I watched the end of the giro, rehydrated and then went out on another ride of circa 17.8miles, I say circa because the gps batteries died; I think this is what I done very slowly.

 

[totallyfixed]

I have this sense that Potsy is trying very hard to get the ladies on here a teeny bit riled, hmmm or maybe he is a masochist

. Back on topic, no ride today, all about getting bike and wheels fettled for the big race tomorrow.

 

[Hebe]

Two laps of my local 5 mile circuit through the lanes and a farm. I love that I can ride on a Saturday afternoon and see more chickens than cars. If the weather isn't too bad next week I should clear 100 miles for May, which will be my best ever :beginner:

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I was up early this morning and decided to head out and ride the Long Mynd. I like to try and ride over it at least once a month but haven't been since the end of March.

As I had read that the Wild Edric sportive was taking place I thought it would be nice to see the riders coming past as well.

I headed out via Condover, Little Ryton, Longnor and Leebotwood (passing a few of the direction signs for the riders) before heading up High Park and straight into thick fog!

I didn't actually know which route the sportive riders would be taking so in the absence of any signs at High Park I headed to Boiling Well, where there were no signs either.

Realising that I could easily completely miss every one I decided to just do my own ride and headed up to Pole Bank before going to the gliding club. The fog had cleared over this side of the hill and going to look into the valley I could just make out a steady stream of riders heading for Wentnor. Guessing that they would heading for High Park I changed my mind and headed back that way hoping that they wouldn't all have gone through before I got there.

Back at High Park (in the fog again) the riders had started coming through. I headed down towards Ratlinghope passing the steady flow coming up the hill, who were all very friendly and seemed to be enjoying it despite the climb.

After Ratlinghope my route then took me via Cothercott Hill, Wilderley, Dorrington (passing some of the Wild Edric riders again) and Condover before heading home.

Just over 40 miles at an average 11.4mph. Maximum height 1693 feet ASL. It won't break any records but given all the hills involved I'm happy.

 

[theloafer]

great club run today darlo-stokesley was still on the side for the middle of may got back to darlo and the came out i got 79 miles in http://connect.garmin.com/activity/180131233

 

[cyberknight]

62.35 miles club run up around cannock chase then came back via alweras and timed it just right to see the fly past of the vulcan bomber,chinnok and a westland lynx.

 

[tug benson]

Had a few beers last night so wasn`t sure about going another cycle today, ended up taking my bullmastiffs over to a park in falkirk, on the drive home i saw a lot of people on bikes, the weather is lovely so i thought screw it, i`ll go a wee ride, ended up doing 35 miles , left alloa, went through clackmannan, then over the clackmannanshire bridge, through fallin, then into stirling city centre, then out by causewayhead then back to alloa, first time i`ve went a cycle 2 days in a row....i don`t know if the stella from last night powered me on but that 35 mile was rather easy...think my next big ride am going to go right round the forth

 

[PatrickPending]

72km round south leicestershire - first non-commuting ride in ages - lovely. Bit chilly for May though........

 

[Paulus]

A leisurely 30 miles around the Hertfordshire lanes, out to Hertford and back via Bayford, Newgate Street, Northaw, Potters Bar. It is my first ride for 4 weeks as work and the weather has got in the way.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

3 hour ride first thing this morning, woolly hat weather again although I did included enough hills to keep warm.

 

[vernon]

109km Audax from the Humber Bridge into the Wolds and back. No hill beat me!

 

[coffeejo]

A fast and furious ride from Watchet to West Bay for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. My computer died en route, which is extremely annoying as up til then it was my fastest ride over that distance (69 miles, worked out the old fashioned way). Lots and lots of fun, though I kept getting caught up in the heat of the moment and chasing after the roadies ... and then having to wait for my lot.