Your ride today.... (part 1)

[totallyfixed]

What an idiot! Unbelievable, words fail me, numpty doesn't come close, what possessed me to go out on the fixed today? Cabin fever, only explanation I can come up with. Even a delivery guy who was walking parcels [ever seen a walking parcel?] down our road, remarked as I went by "good luck mate" as I passed him looking like an epileptic spider on ice, you could see he was refraining from making that twirly symbol with his finger next to his head. Once we lost sight of each other [he kept looking back incredulously] I got off and walked. This was the challenge

This was the best it got

and there was a lot of this

5 miles into the ride I knew I was pushing my luck and sure enough it changed when a car overtook me but didn't go wide enough and his nearside tyres hit the line of slush which then hit me. I stopped and a Tesco delivery driver who was following behind pulled up alongside, wound his window down and said he reckoned that was done on purpose, I'll give him credit though, it can't be easy talking with a straight face to someone who resembles a dirty giant slush puppy.
My bike just after the slush encounter

I turned for home, cold and wet. The only bonus was that I stayed upright, 10 miles only, could be the shortest flatish ride I have ever done. I'll try again tomorrow .

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I got out for one of my regular runs to Acton Burnell. As it's been milder today the roads are quite clear locally, even the ones that haven't been gritted, but there is still plenty of snow on the rest of the countryside to make it look pretty.

Having been dry all day and with nothing expected in the forecast I wrapped up warm but didn't bother with waterproofs. Which of course meant that it started snowing as soon as I'd got a couple of miles from home and didn't stop until I was nearly back.

The ride was pretty uneventful apart from a couple of things: A coach driver gave me the left-right-left thankyou on his indicators when I moved over to allow him room to pass and a bit of a moment when I hit a patch of slush at about 15 mph.

The countryside looks great in the snow.

Pitchford Hall

Looking towards the Lawley and Caer Caradoc. I haven't been able to get a good photo of either since the snow arrived as it's been so misty.

 

[Brandane]

Finally got out to play in the snow today! Not much of it around here, we have been missed out by the snow people, but I went in search of it and from Largs climbed up the Brisbane Glen road to Loch Thom. This had a good covering of snow, and being a single track road the centre of the road was mostly fresh snow which was very easy to cycle on with the new Schwalbe winter tyres. The only bits which were a problem was where the snow had been rutted by vehicle traffic, but there hadn't been much of that. The only "traffic" I met on the 6 mile stretch of single track were 2 hikers, and a quad bike. From Loch Thom I cut down to Inverkip, had lunch at Wemyss Bay, and then returned to Largs via the "red road" past Knock Castle. 26.3 miles, average speed: slow!

Only managed to get one photo before the camera batteries called it a day, and of course I had no spares with me. Tried the CatEye batteries but they didn't have enough juice to power the camera. This was taken near the top of the Brisbane Glen:

 

[Brandane]

Deja vu! Did a re-run of yesterdays route today, but this time took the camera with fresh batteries installed..... I think I am going to use this circuit as some kind of regular training ride as it involves some good climbs and descents, with some pretty spectacular scenery when the weather is kind. It starts with a 6 mile climb out of Largs on the Brisbane Glen Road, then a long descent from Loch Thom into Inverkip. From there it heads south back to Largs. There is only one short stretch through Wemyss Bay which involves use of the main road. The rest of it is minor roads and paths, which suits me better. Today I was again on the MTB with winter tyres, and the 22.6 miles took me 1hr 57 mins. It will be interesting to see if that time drops once the weather improves and I can use the Tricross or Secteur on the same route.

Someone had been over the single track part of the route in the last 24 hours with a plough/gritter and spoiled my fun!....

A wintry Brisbane Glen....

I like these winter tyres; haven't managed to fall off yet with them fitted......

An ABC of Clyde islands. Winter sunset over Arran as seen from Routenburn, to the north of Largs. Great Cumbrae is in the foreground, with the south end of Bute visible in the centre and right of the pic between Cumbrae and Arran....

 

[numbnuts]

I did 5.25 miles to sainsburys and back, well it's a ride

 

[coffeejo]

19 miles in the snow. Roads deserted.

Bit of a moment when my loop round the back of town didn't go to plan as I forgot the cycle paths wouldn't have been gritted . Had to stick to the main road coming back into town, which meant I got a bit lost.

 

[compo]

I dusted off my old MTB (Giant) and went exploring around Harlow's extensive network of cycle tracks. I covered 12 miles and hardly touched any roads. I was a bit nervous of the snow and ice initially because as you get older you don't bounce when you hit the deck like youngsters. Once I had gone a mile or so and convinced myself I wasn't going to fall off every 50 yards I relaxed a bit and just enjoyed the challenge. I only had one slightly scary moment when hard lump of ice under some slush deflected my front wheel and had me heading for a ditch but I recovered and soon got back into control. I enjoyed the ride. I usually only use the MTB to tow a trailer when I go fishing but I think perhaps a bit of off road could be fun once the snow and ice have gone.

 

[skudupnorth]

I did 5.25 miles to sainsburys and back, well it's a ride

It's more than i've done this year.......hangs head in shame

 

[potsy]

It's more than i've done this year.......hangs head in shame

Slacker

 

[skudupnorth]

Slacker

I don't care,apparently i will have some people "pushing" me to the cake this year

 

[coffeejo]

Did someone mention cake?

 

[skudupnorth]

Shhhhhhh or Lisa might hear there is cake around !

 

[totallyfixed]

It's more than i've done this year.......hangs head in shame

Another one who needs to book a ride in these parts, oldfatfool and Kiwi_Sal come down regularly .

 

[skudupnorth]

Another one who needs to book a ride in these parts, oldfatfool and Kiwi_Sal come down regularly .

Very,very true ! A bit of fixie friendly riding to get me back in the groove again

 

[totallyfixed]

Very,very true ! A bit of fixie friendly riding to get me back in the groove again

All of Rutland is fixed friendly [cough] depending on what gear you ride.