Your ride today.... (part 1)

[coffeejo]

Ok, whoever it is putting the bad weather voodoo on me, you can stop now. You win. I'm sorry I was so smug yesterday about being out in the sun while you were dealing with snow and wrestling with your thermals. Won't happen again. Lesson learned.

Went out this morning. No rain forecast. I guess technically it didn't rain, per say, but half an hour of hail counts as precipitation in my book.

However, heavy rain was due this afternoon so I duly donned my waterproofs (and my still-soggy gloves) before heading into town. I did indeed get drenched. But from the inside out. Apart from my gloves. They dried nicely in the sun.

*sigh*

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

We got up to a frost and a light coating of snow with more snowy storms in the air. We knew we had a choice today. It was either 25miles of tailwind first & fight the headwind on the way home... or do the sensible option and fight the headwind first... we chose the latter option and it made us pay from the word go.

So heading out in below freezing condition, not wrapped up and cursing the only sport I know of where I spend the first 20 mins freezing my ass of for enjoying said sport, it did not take long for my OH to make the usual call. He needed to scent mark another tree... we had not even gone 5km and had to stop! Tomorrow morning he will not be allowed anywhere near the number of cups of coffee he plied me with this morning. Lunch happened much earlier in the ride than originally planned, but we could have set out way too late in the day to be considering a 85km ride with 1188m of climbing (old school - 53m & 3898 feet) on mountain bikes with full nobbly tyres on (my cracked rib is still too sore to handle the road bikes). Then it was off down the south side of Loch Tummel on the quiet road, however it seems that the headwind had other ideas and having to cycle hard downhill to even hold 10mph on a 10-15% descent is not considered fair play in our book.

A chance glimpse right as we cycled across a bridge had us stopped for a while to view a waterfall.

From there it was a case of hard work for a short period. We knew we had a couple of +20% climbs and a 25% descent before dropping down into Pitlochry, cutting through the forestry commission park at Loch Drunmore shortened the ride a touch (and saved us needing the A9 or cycling through Pitlochry itself).

Snacks and the last of the coffee was at the half way mark. Going home with a tailwind should be easier shouldn't it?

Well, it was easier but we had some interesting climbs ahead, got gritted and finally made it 'home' about 60 seconds before a total white out happened. Visibility dropped to less than a few meters as we walked through the door. Timing was probably spot on. Now we have snow and will see what happens for tomorrows ride - we have some mad ideas about putting the Schwalbe Marathon Winters back on the bikes and cycling to Loch Rannoch Station....

http://app.strava.com/activities/45065598

 

[outlash]

I am incredibly envious SNSSO, that is my favorite part of the world . The station house at Rannoch Moor was for sale a couple of years ago, for not a huge amount either and both me and my wife did consider moving... Bit bleak in the winter though!


Tony.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I am incredibly envious SNSSO, that is my favorite part of the world . The station house at Rannoch Moor was for sale a couple of years ago, for not a huge amount either and both me and my wife did consider moving... Bit bleak in the winter though!

Tony.

We have friends here who run a farm with some holiday homes attached along the shore of Loch Rannoch and due to a combination of factors (us having come here for years and years and them not actually charging a lot compared to the rest of the self catering world) it is actually only marginally more expensive to rent one of their 'sleeps 5' holiday cottages with a full kitchen than it is to camp at the Red Squirrels campsite in Glencoe for 2 weeks (£9.50 per adult per night = £266 for 2 weeks). So much as I love camping (my OH won't wild camp for 2 weeks - he likes hot water), I see little point from a marital point of view ( ) when we have only paid £300 for the 2 weeks out of season and given the place is bigger than our actual home (and has a better kitchen!) it really is a holiday.

It is also one of my favourite places as well and having had a childhood 'playground' just south of Rannoch Moor as a kid, the 'bleakness' is what appeals to me! So please be prepared to put up with 2 weeks of 'my ride today' from the Loch Rannoch area! (Hoping to get up to the railway station today along with another circuit of the loch.... it snowed overnight and looks very inviting...)

 

[EltonFrog]

My first ride today after falling off a ladder, 10.75 miles down to the shops on the road bike, got a puncture just before I got home, thanks for that puncture demon.

 

[Peteaud]

First time out for a while today as i have been unwell.

Quick 14 mile ride in sunshine around Ilminster and got back just before the rain started.

 

[coffeejo]

Ok, whoever it is putting the bad weather voodoo on me, you can stop now. You win. I'm sorry I was so smug yesterday about being out in the sun while you were dealing with snow and wrestling with your thermals. Won't happen again. Lesson learned.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, whoever you are. Cycled into town this afternoon - dry. Came out of my appointment and went the long way round to the supermarket - dry. Did my shopping - rain. Cycled home - dry. Put shopping away - rain.
And on another note, you know that feeling when you come out of the shop, start filling up your panniers and have to repack it all, deliberately squashing several items, so it will all fit?

 

[matthat]

Well chuffed!! 56.3 miles today on new bike!! Only had 30 ish in mind but felt good and my mate was up for it so we stretched a bit further!!
Suitably shattered now!! Just hope i can walk in the morning for work!!
<iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='http://app.strava.com/activities/45176111/embed/182d71ff24c6fb795c00e55643cf0afe4da22669'></iframe>

 

[matthat]

Well chuffed!! 56.3 miles today on new bike!! Only had 30 ish in mind but felt good and my mate was up for it so we stretched a bit further!!
Suitably shattered now!! Just hope i can walk in the morning for work!!
<iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='http://app.strava.com/activities/45176111/embed/182d71ff24c6fb795c00e55643cf0afe4da22669'></iframe>

Trying to add link off Strava! Thought i was doing as it says but not working??

 

[compo]

I have reached that time of life where I sometimes find myself contemplating just what is to come when I shuffle off this mortal coil. Cryogenics has always sounded interesting but after this morning's ride I have put that out of my mind. By heck it was cold and I was chilled to the bone even though well wrapped up. So having decided I don't like the cold, cryogenics has gone and cremation must be the order of the day.

I saw my first real Ninja cyclist this morning. All in black from head to toe, and as he approached I thought he had a full face helmet on, but it was a black balaclava, topped by sunglasses and a black helmet. As for my ride, a satisfying hilly (for Essex/Herts) 42 miles with only one stop for a few minutes to call home. I am still amazed the difference that losing some weight has made to my cycling.

 

[matthat]

http://app.strava.com/activities/45176111
Try again!!

 

[outlash]

It is also one of my favourite places as well and having had a childhood 'playground' just south of Rannoch Moor as a kid, the 'bleakness' is what appeals to me! So please be prepared to put up with 2 weeks of 'my ride today' from the Loch Rannoch area! (Hoping to get up to the railway station today along with another circuit of the loch.... it snowed overnight and looks very inviting...)

Lucky you, I've only ever been up on holiday although it's been many, many times . I certainly don't have a problem with your highland reports! Have you ridden around ardnamurchan at all?


Tony.

 

[G3CWI]

Sunny here so did a quick blast around one of my training routes. Just 20km but a nice loop. Got a new PB notwithstanding a nasty headwind on the return leg and having to wait briefly while a farmer sorted his cows out. Average speed was quite disappointing at 15.3mph, I had hoped for more. I guess that even on a circular route, wind and ascent (700ft in this case) will slow the overall times down (experts comment please)? Perhaps things will improve in the summer.

 

[Venod]

Same ride today as post #9377 but nearly 10 minutes slower due to brisk South Easterly, I was struggling into the wind when I came up behind 2 horse riders, one horse didn't take kindly to my approach & got a bit upset, its rider muttered something about "bloody cyclists" when I said there's no need to be like that she muttered "stupid horse" to appease me, now I like horses even in my burgers and there has been times when I've had the bonk that I think I could have eaten an whole one, but aren't their riders dickheads.

 

[coffeejo]

Same ride today as post #9377 but nearly 10 minutes slower due to brisk South Easterly, I was struggling into the wind when I came up behind 2 horse riders, one horse didn't take kindly to my approach & got a bit upset, its rider muttered something about "bloody cyclists" when I said there's no need to be like that she muttered "stupid horse" to appease me, now I like horses even in my burgers and there has been times when I've had the bonk that I think I could have eaten an whole one, but aren't their riders dickheads.

Bit like saying cyclists are x, y or z.

Whenever I meet a horse and rider, I slow down and ask if I'm ok to ride past. 99% of the time it's fine to do, and I take it easy and keep talking so the horse knows it's a human not a threat.