Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
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thegravestoneman
three wheels on my wagon
- Location
- Castleford, Yorkshire
With the 'Sara' all greased and with new headset (Tange Levin looks the same as the 25 year old one but much has changed and is now about quarter of an inch shorter) got out for a quick(ish) 30 today went out round Newmiller Dam and Ackworth where there are a few nice little 'ups and downs' saw a few other road bikes out and about and all riders were sociable. Wind although not fierce seemed to be head on all the way round and I started to get a pain in my left wrist which was new, I will keep an eye on that. I hope this bl**dy chest infection goes soon, two weeks or so and it is still making my riding (and my sleeves) a bit messy and a bit hard going. Started on the hayfever tablets and they seem to make my vchest a bit tight too. Still the Sara went well and I don't think I will have to re-adjust anything. It does deserve a danged good clean though as the greasy finger prints on top of the crud are making it look a bit sad.
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
another "over to my mothers for lunch" ride today.
Started off really well with a coffee in bed - one advantage of my OH being home at the moment
. Went donwhill when I had to yell at a driver to get his attention as he was reversing out of his drive from the otherside of the road, he stopped for all the cars and then when it was 'clear' decided to try hitting me! (that's what it felt like!) I knew yelling would work because his car window was down and it got the builders' attention as well just in case. Seems flashing front & rear lights and my hi-viz jacket were just not enough! Improved no end when a lorry over took me and decided that he would rather hit the oncoming car than me 
(car came at speed...) car promptly stopped! New wheels seem to want to run away from me at the moment and I had to hold the bike back going down virtually all the hills I encountered, but the headwind held my overall times down (I may as well do something with these twice weekly 41 mile round trips to my mothers!). Birds, bees, rabbits and various other wild life was out in large numbers today. only got hit by the one bumblebee today unlike last week! Mum is OK, happier after I had spent some of her money (
) sorting out credit on her 3G card for her iPad and purchasing her a new computer - next hurdle is dealing with the old PC! (think MS Office 200 and the days when an 80Gb hard drive was considered to be massive!) but I can leave that until next week because it is unlikely to arrive before then. Touch of gardening done before she headed off back to the hospital (her OH is finally showing signs of improving so fingers crossed) and then my journey home was pretty much uneventful (thankfully!). Back there on Friday. think the bike may well know its own way between the two houses before long!
http://app.strava.com/activities/50096200
http://app.strava.com/activities/50096196
Started off really well with a coffee in bed - one advantage of my OH being home at the moment
. Went donwhill when I had to yell at a driver to get his attention as he was reversing out of his drive from the otherside of the road, he stopped for all the cars and then when it was 'clear' decided to try hitting me! (that's what it felt like!) I knew yelling would work because his car window was down and it got the builders' attention as well just in case. Seems flashing front & rear lights and my hi-viz jacket were just not enough! Improved no end when a lorry over took me and decided that he would rather hit the oncoming car than me (car came at speed...) car promptly stopped! New wheels seem to want to run away from me at the moment and I had to hold the bike back going down virtually all the hills I encountered, but the headwind held my overall times down (I may as well do something with these twice weekly 41 mile round trips to my mothers!). Birds, bees, rabbits and various other wild life was out in large numbers today. only got hit by the one bumblebee today unlike last week! Mum is OK, happier after I had spent some of her money ( ) sorting out credit on her 3G card for her iPad and purchasing her a new computer - next hurdle is dealing with the old PC! (think MS Office 200 and the days when an 80Gb hard drive was considered to be massive!) but I can leave that until next week because it is unlikely to arrive before then. Touch of gardening done before she headed off back to the hospital (her OH is finally showing signs of improving so fingers crossed) and then my journey home was pretty much uneventful (thankfully!). Back there on Friday. think the bike may well know its own way between the two houses before long!http://app.strava.com/activities/50096200
http://app.strava.com/activities/50096196
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
1st day on the bike in 2 weeks, i am officially fat and unfit with man flu !
- Location
- Glasgow
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I've already mentioned it in my 'GWS' thread so I wasn't going to mention it here too, but heck ... it's been a long time coming and it meant a lot to me so here it is again:
On Saturday, after an 8.5 month lay off due to illness, I finally got back on my bike! I rode 7 laps of a little 1.25 km circuit I've devised in Hebden Bridge. It's about the only flat riding in the town that doesn't involve busy roads and it has one tiny little climb which gives my knackered legs a quick shock and then immediate recovery.
I took to it straight away. I enjoyed the feeling of riding again and wanted to do more, but I could feel the lack of fitness very quickly so I decided to be sensible and stop after my 7 laps. So - 8.8 km, 5.5 miles. Not a long ride, but it was a significant one for me.
I was surprised by how good I felt the next day. I thought my legs would be stiff, but they felt okay so I'll do more next time. I'll see how it goes, but maybe I will do 13 laps, just over 10 miles? After doing that a few times, I'll ride to Todmorden and back which would be the same distance but with a few small drags to get over both ways.
I called in at a friend's house to have a celebratory photo taken. I think you can see that I look pleased!
On Saturday, after an 8.5 month lay off due to illness, I finally got back on my bike! I rode 7 laps of a little 1.25 km circuit I've devised in Hebden Bridge. It's about the only flat riding in the town that doesn't involve busy roads and it has one tiny little climb which gives my knackered legs a quick shock and then immediate recovery.
I took to it straight away. I enjoyed the feeling of riding again and wanted to do more, but I could feel the lack of fitness very quickly so I decided to be sensible and stop after my 7 laps. So - 8.8 km, 5.5 miles. Not a long ride, but it was a significant one for me.
I was surprised by how good I felt the next day. I thought my legs would be stiff, but they felt okay so I'll do more next time. I'll see how it goes, but maybe I will do 13 laps, just over 10 miles? After doing that a few times, I'll ride to Todmorden and back which would be the same distance but with a few small drags to get over both ways.
I called in at a friend's house to have a celebratory photo taken. I think you can see that I look pleased!
Yesterday I posted in the tales from today's commute by mistake 
so here is Yesterdays ride followed by today's.
I wanted to give the new bike a good test ride today so selected a route with a bit of climbing, the wind was fairly strong & coming from the South West so headed in that direction, the descents helped the brakes bed in nicely and the climbs tested me, I am running a cyclo cross chain set 46/36 with a 12-30 10 speed cassette, I got up all the climbs OK but kept thinking I could use a lower gear, I think is is because I have been using a mountain bike throughout the winter and there was always another if needed, I will just have to get used to it & dig in on the long climbs. Had a nice coffee and a piece of caramel short cake at Cannon Hall Cafe, the woman serving was saying they have had 26 weeks of bad weather, said she new this because of the staffing levels required for the 26 weeks, she was hoping for an upturn in business.
45mile 1935ft of climbing
http://www.bikemap.net/route/207394...g=-1.4693173362732&zoom=11&maptype=ts_terrainI
After the wind & hills of yesterday, I wanted something a bit easier today, the weather forecast said a westerly & the sun was out, so I took the bike on the 9: 20 am train to from Pontefract to Steeton, changing in Leeds, I have three minutes to get from platform 17 to Platform 4B to get on the Skipton train, with a bit of running I just made it, sometimes I miss the connection but there is one every 30 min & this gives you time to grab a coffee.
From Steeton you can get onto the canal at Sisden, but the towpath is a bit rough & muddy for the first mile if you do this, I find it better to turn right when just entering Silsden & follow the road to a dead end at a farm there is access to the towpath here & it is the start of a good surface, its not a good surface all the way it varies, and there are sections I wouldn't fancy riding on the road bike.
The last time I rode this route there were several sections closed for maintenance but it was all open to day & progress was good with a nice tailwind.
You have to come away from the canal at Leeds Basin & through the back of the ASDA office block by the river past the Adelphi ( a fine Leeds pub that was allegedly The Kaiser Chiefs local ) & past the Royal Armories, after this you join the Aire & Calder Canal until merges with the River Aire near St Aidens ( Now a nature reserve but was an opencast mine until the river broke its banks & flooded it.)
Sometimes I follow the river through Fairburn Ings RSPB site and to Ferrybridge but that entails cycling back west uphill for about a mile,and I didn't fancy that in today's wind so I left the canal at Castleford and went home via Fryston Woods, a good 3 hour ride.
http://www.bikemap.net/route/207667...g=-1.6014205078125&zoom=11&maptype=ts_terrain
so here is Yesterdays ride followed by today's.I wanted to give the new bike a good test ride today so selected a route with a bit of climbing, the wind was fairly strong & coming from the South West so headed in that direction, the descents helped the brakes bed in nicely and the climbs tested me, I am running a cyclo cross chain set 46/36 with a 12-30 10 speed cassette, I got up all the climbs OK but kept thinking I could use a lower gear, I think is is because I have been using a mountain bike throughout the winter and there was always another if needed, I will just have to get used to it & dig in on the long climbs. Had a nice coffee and a piece of caramel short cake at Cannon Hall Cafe, the woman serving was saying they have had 26 weeks of bad weather, said she new this because of the staffing levels required for the 26 weeks, she was hoping for an upturn in business.
45mile 1935ft of climbing
http://www.bikemap.net/route/207394...g=-1.4693173362732&zoom=11&maptype=ts_terrainI
After the wind & hills of yesterday, I wanted something a bit easier today, the weather forecast said a westerly & the sun was out, so I took the bike on the 9: 20 am train to from Pontefract to Steeton, changing in Leeds, I have three minutes to get from platform 17 to Platform 4B to get on the Skipton train, with a bit of running I just made it, sometimes I miss the connection but there is one every 30 min & this gives you time to grab a coffee.
From Steeton you can get onto the canal at Sisden, but the towpath is a bit rough & muddy for the first mile if you do this, I find it better to turn right when just entering Silsden & follow the road to a dead end at a farm there is access to the towpath here & it is the start of a good surface, its not a good surface all the way it varies, and there are sections I wouldn't fancy riding on the road bike.
The last time I rode this route there were several sections closed for maintenance but it was all open to day & progress was good with a nice tailwind.
You have to come away from the canal at Leeds Basin & through the back of the ASDA office block by the river past the Adelphi ( a fine Leeds pub that was allegedly The Kaiser Chiefs local ) & past the Royal Armories, after this you join the Aire & Calder Canal until merges with the River Aire near St Aidens ( Now a nature reserve but was an opencast mine until the river broke its banks & flooded it.)
Sometimes I follow the river through Fairburn Ings RSPB site and to Ferrybridge but that entails cycling back west uphill for about a mile,and I didn't fancy that in today's wind so I left the canal at Castleford and went home via Fryston Woods, a good 3 hour ride.
http://www.bikemap.net/route/207667...g=-1.6014205078125&zoom=11&maptype=ts_terrain
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
I went for a quick spin after work. Which ended up being just over 42 miles up into the peaks to the top of Long Hill near Buxton. I was chuffed to log my fastest time up the climb in the monthly challenge I compete in. Can't say I am the greatest of climbers, but Long Hill suits my lanky, spinny style of climbing.
The sun was setting over the Cheshire Plain it wasn't cold and there were loads of other cyclists about. I have never worked out why but people cycling up in the hills seem to be more friendly than those down on the lowlands. They always seem to wave and say hello.
All in all a good ride.
The sun was setting over the Cheshire Plain it wasn't cold and there were loads of other cyclists about. I have never worked out why but people cycling up in the hills seem to be more friendly than those down on the lowlands. They always seem to wave and say hello.
All in all a good ride.
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
Took my OH out for a ride last night, just to get him out on his bike. the trade off was that it would not leave me enough time to cycle to pilates (so I had to drive there 
), but it was nice to have someone to ride with.
Just a quick spin (11 miles) down the Whitegate Way and back. Slightly overdid the out run (under 24 mins) and had to ease off on the way back (30 mins) but it was great to have someone to ride with (he's actually been home for some of this week). Was plenty warm enough out, and loads of other cyclists around as well. virutally all of of whom did say hello, though it may have had more to do with a certain migration of a zip on my short sleeved top which my OH knew about and neglected to mention
), but it was nice to have someone to ride with.Just a quick spin (11 miles) down the Whitegate Way and back. Slightly overdid the out run (under 24 mins) and had to ease off on the way back (30 mins) but it was great to have someone to ride with (he's actually been home for some of this week). Was plenty warm enough out, and loads of other cyclists around as well. virutally all of of whom did say hello, though it may have had more to do with a certain migration of a zip on my short sleeved top which my OH knew about and neglected to mention
Was plenty warm enough out, and loads of other cyclists around as well. virutally all of of whom did say hello, though it may have had more to do with a certain migration of a zip on my short sleeved top which my OH knew about and neglected to mention
It doesn't count without a photograph to just remind us geriatric perverts.
Had a lovely ride this morning. Travelled up to the start of the Flitch Way via the lanes from Harlow then rode the Flitch Way (a disused railtrack) through to Great Dunmow. In the dry it is a nice ride for a hybrid, but a mountain bike course after a day's rain. Fortunately today was dry. From Dunmow I just meandered north for 6 miles to make up the miles then turned for home straight down the B184 to Leaden Roding, and then via Fyfield and Moreton back to Harlow shanty town. Lovely warm morning and I only wore a single top and shorts, and shoes of course! Total mileage today 50.5 miles.
Part of the Flitch Way:
Part of the Flitch Way:
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
I'll let you discuss it with either my OH (who failed to tell me) or all of the motorists who seem rather content to sit behind me since I went over to my 3/4 length shorts and who I have to look at to get them to overtake me now! Still they give me a wide berth, so at least I can't complain about them cutting me up!It doesn't count without a photograph to just remind us geriatric perverts.
Anyone else noticed a change in motorists recently?
The Brewer
Shed Dweller
- Location
- Wrexham
40 miles and only one pub stop in three hours so really pleased about that, my best run out of the year and met a nice old gent in the Harp pub on the Wirral
Weathermans said its going to turn cool again for the weekend.....was nice to be in short sleeves today
Weathermans said its going to turn cool again for the weekend.....was nice to be in short sleeves today
skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
Well i had to ride to Styal to pick my ride back to a section on the TPT near Altrincham to help the Bollin Valley Rangers patch up the car park near Atlantic street.Total of 52 miles on the loaded MTB in the sodding wind again ! Here's the piccy's and i hope the local are happy with our work
Oooooo Arhhhhh !
And last but not least my favorit Longhorn Bull back at base waiting for his fuss !
Oooooo Arhhhhh !
And last but not least my favorit Longhorn Bull back at base waiting for his fuss !
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