Your ride today.... (part 1)

[coffeejo]

First evening pub ride of the year with my cycling group and a spectacular sunset as a backdrop. And I stumbled on a sweet deal in the pub - I need to save some cash so have decided to forego the grub in the pub and eat at home instead, which meant that the others kept offering me their chips. Don't know if this will continue through the year so I made the most of it.

 

[matthat]

Did a steady urban 18 miles today! Off to a friends house who lives just off the TPT in Liverpool. Stopped for a brew and a fettle on his carrera that had just had a new BB put in. Then he then needed to do a maiden voyage to check all is well so off through the houses down to the Pier Head and then along past the Albert Dock towards the Otterspool Prom which i reckon is one of my favorite stretches of local rides if not any ride. I'll try and add a strava route!!
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[Saluki]

It was a tad windy here today and for once, I can't blame the dog.
Having had a bloody awful afternoon, hanging around the hospital for an appointment that didn't materialise, I decided to take it out on the bike. I took my Specialized Hardrock and rode down to the village, nipped past the church and onto the big wide path that serves a multitude of purposes. I have seen bikes, dog walkers, joggers and horses using it so I guessed that it was OK to cycle down.
I got off at the edge of the golf course, where the path crosses it and pushed my bike for 200 yards or so until I was back on the non-golf course path and followed it a bit further. I then took the right hand track, to see where it went and after 1/2 mile or so I got off and walked again as I appeared to be crossing someone's side garden even though it was a marked trail. I thought that it would be a bit rude to cycle over it. A chap in the garden thanked me for walking and not churning up his land,which was nice. Through the big gate (not over the style with the overhanging holly bush, ta very much) and found myself at the bottom of a hill which went up in both directions, and I decided to go left, away from home. I was still a bit miffed so wanted to keep going.

That bloomin' hill caught me out. I had to use the old "oh what a lovely view, I'll stand and look at it" ruse while I got my breath back. It never used to be that steep, I've cycled up it loads of times on both my Giant and the Spesh, someone has pumped it up, I am sure of it. Going up and into the wind probably didn't help my unfitness either. Once up the hill, that never seemed to end, I carried on, hooked a right at Marlingford road and went past the new homes being built that I hope to be able to bid on in a few weeks (local homes for local people) and found myself on the back road to home. Feeling a bit tired by now I decided to head up the hill to home.

It was only 6.35 miles and took me 45 minutes, which is shocking. I now have a nice cuppa and am about to light the fire as the dogs are starting to whinge.

 

[Old Plodder]

decided to try some speed work , as I want to try time trialling in the future. Spent a lot of time down on the drops over the last couple of days this has led me to dropping my bars back down to the position they were in when I got the bike out of my Dads loft. It turns out I ain't as fast as I used to be (go figure) by a long chalk and the recovery takes longer too. So if you see an old git going fast in slow motion round Fairburn Ings that's me. I have mapped out a ten mile there and back run with a roundabout as the turn around point. Today my legs felt like lead when I tried it so took the afternoon away from the bike and had a twenty mile pootle back from Harewood as my beloved was horseying there again, feel much better at 15 rather than trying to better 20mph. Still distance work tomorrow and another speed day Thursday.

Not sure of your age, but if you are over 40, take a look here :-
http://www.vtta.org.uk/information/standardstables.php

 

[Old Plodder]

Accompanied a 73 yr old chap on a ride today. It was pretty slow at times with that wind preventing any sort of pace. I was a wind break for my oldie but even so we were down below 10 mph sometimes. Much better on the way back with wind assistance. We clocked 67 miles. Not bad for an old fogey and plenty for me too

See, you can't go writing us old fogies off.......

 

[coffeejo]

See, you can't go writing us old fogies off.......

One of the guys in my cycling group said he overtook two young guys, one of whom was struggling while the other wasn't being particularly supportive or constructive. As he passed, the latter said "see, even the old duffers are faster than you!"

After that, he didn't feel like he could slow down at all, so beasted it up the next hill before finding a quiet road to turn off onto and collapse.

 

[Billy Adam]

https://www.strava.com/activities/47237460. Had to work really hard for that one. Headwind and snow all the way on the first half of the ride.

 

[thegravestoneman]

Not sure of your age, but if you are over 40, take a look here :-
http://www.vtta.org.uk/information/standardstables.php

cheers! all but 48, the table made me feel a bit better but I still have a little way to go.

 

[compo]

Yet another 21 miles battling against a very strong headwind. Freewheeling down a fairly steep hill with the wind coming straight up holding me down to 4.5mph! Anyway the 21 miles outward was tough going but just for once when I turned to do the 21 miles home the wind was behind me all the way. Having done several 40's without problems (apart from the wind) I am going to work out a route for Sunday for a 50 miler.

 

[numbnuts]

A six miles

 

[potsy]

25 miles today in relative even broke out my summer shoes and gilet for the first time in ages.
Did a warm up lap to fettle a few things before my favourite Tatton loop.

Quiet Tatton

If you squint you can see the deer

Some interest in me until they worked out I wasn't there to feed them

 

[Glow worm]

Another ride through the flat country here today. Just a 20 miler, out across the fen past Upware, to a place called Kingfisher Bridge Nature Reserve which was a 300 acre potato field until 1995. The biting wind made for very hard work and I noticed I was rarely doing more than about 8mph! I sheltered in the bird hide there, which is on a big mound, so you get a decent view of the surrounding land. I only took one pic (below) as my phone ran out of battery- oh well, at least it meant a nice uninterrupted ride after that (not that I ever answer the bloody thing anyway).

In the middle of the pic in the distance is Ely Cathedral. Not many birds about, apart from a marsh harrier. I had hoped to see the first sand martins of the year as they nest at the reserve, but none have made it back yet that I could see. I reckon with the wind changing to more of a southerly next week, they'll appear then, along with a swallow or two.

Then I headed for home via some nice bridleways and tracks which have dried out nicely, then through Wicken Fen again where I met another Lodes Way irregular also out for a ride. We sat and watched lots of waders from a bench overlooking the wetland. Frozen by now, I then cruised home with a favourable wind for once, along my usual route along the Lodes Way.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I rode the Bianchi through the kitchen to the hallway after fitting bar end lights....don't ask...it's a side effect of this chest infection/fever

 

[Venod]

Heres my ride today, through the wood were the uncovered that ancient chariot & driver,a lot of old railway tracks, some public footpaths (ahem) a RSPB reserve, the first ride this year when I thought spring is coming, a herd of 7 deer in a field near Garforth, a good ride.

http://www.bikemap.net/route/2043237#lat=53.765933473181&lng=-1.32917&zoom=12&maptype=ts_terrain

 

[G3CWI]

Got a bit carried away and an hours' ride turned into a longer affair. Highlights were:

• managing to sprint up Beeston Brow without exploding;
• doing the Brickworks climb without even getting close to using the granny gears;
• finally managing the Lamaload climb (albeit on the second attempt due to a c**p motorist who nearly knocked me off the first time);
• overtaking a roadie on the Cat and Fiddle climb
• a very fast descent to the Bottom of the Oven
• a "well hard" return leg via Macc Forest.

Windy but significantly warmer.
Seven uphill chevrons in all. 27 miles, over 3,500ft ascent.