Your ride today.... (part 1)

[vernon]

Unfortunately Vernon my wife has a brother who was born with no arms due to Thalidomide - so excuses won't wash and she knows that I can manage the shed roof almost single handed. Last year I fitted and wired a new electric shower unit virtually single handed.

Develop a bad attitude with aerobic exercise as the prescribed cure.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

Develop a bad attitude with aerobic exercise as the prescribed cure.

Bad attitudes will not be tolerated in the Poves household......and to be honest my wife works her socks off and tolerates my frequent (until recently) cycling absences - so I think I should sort the roof, prepare lunch and ........then go for a quick spin! (Just means forfeiting a lie in)

 

[EltonFrog]

51.02 miles consisting of a 4.5 mile ride at 7 am from W57 street to downtown Manhattan, cycling along Broadway with no traffic to the start of the New York five Boro's Bike Tour, visiting Manhattan, Central Park, The Bronks, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. The whole event was a 40 mile bike ride, was extremely well organised, police on every junction, marshals on every junction, water, food, music, and loads of WCs along the route. 32000 cyclist of every, race colour and creed, young kids, old folk, families. Every conceivable type of bike, from the oldest POS to the latest bling bling machine.

We rode along places you see in the movies, into areas where tourist would never see, across the famous bridges, and along the Express way, the equivalent of riding along a closed M25 for about five miles. There was a great carnival atmosphere about it. Gospel choirs singing in the Bronx, steel bands dotted along the way, MCs doing there thang, Drum Corps and Cheerleaders, families picnicking in the sidewalk cheering everyone on. It was just FAB.

In the grand scheme of bike ride this wasn't ever going to be the most taxing or exhausting but it was one of the most fun bike rides I have ever done, and I was delighted to have been a part of it. For some it was big deal doing a ride like this, some folk had to walk up the slopes approaching the bridges, some folk just caned it and three cyclists had a crash right by me, they got up and went on their way. Unfortunatly we heard when we got back that someone had a heart attack and had died near the Queensborough bridge, which is sad. The finish was on Staten Island, and there was huge carnival type event there, then we went on to the free Ferry back to Battery Park in Manhattan, finished off with another 6.5 mile bike ride along the greenway along side the Hudson river back to our hotel. It was a great event, brilliantly run, and I loved every minute of it.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/308304905#.UYa-Swzk4ck.

 

[Graham1426]

Wow sounds an awesome day cycling around NY, would loved to have taken part

 

[thegravestoneman]

been a bit of a bikey day today, after a poor start. I thought I might go out with the local club and see what they are like but had to pick the car up first after leaving it in Garforth last night after a few bevvies (was supposed be designated driver but a chilli eating contest put paid to that) . Just as I was about to set off Vinnie decided he wanted walkies so I took him out (Vin comes first). After the 7 mile ride I got the car and returned home to see the club leaving while I was still driving Oh well!! so had a McDonalds brekkie and set off to Harrogate (probably) I have noticed that it quite a lot of ladies lycra is see through and this was again proved today but didn't stop to double check (for too long) went down Harewood hill and decided on the Kirkby Overblow road and through to Wetherby then to Taddy to avoid repeating the way there MISTAKE! as my wayward sense of direction got me on to the York road and a few more miles than I intended. after 67 miles (my first metric ton this time round) later and I was home just in time to take Vinnie out on the butchers bike with my beloved who is doing well with her start to cycling so a 13 mile old rail track ride. My beloved had her first fall on a rough bit of track and now feels like a slightly bruised real cyclist. On getting home I realised I was 13 miles off 100 miles in a day so no choice but out again and notch up my first 100 miles in a day too. got some nice tanned arms in the process and two nice tan circles on the back of my hands from my string back track mitts so I am now feeling like a real cyclist too pass the immac and I will shave my legs tomorrow too, I am in too deep to turn back now.

cheers Gaz

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I did a whole 5.5 miles today with 2 decent hills and I am knackered. Just started about a week ago after a 6 month lay-off and have a really dodgy left knee. Hopefully in a weeks time or so I will be cycling to work again. really do not want to let my fitness slide this much again.

 

[EltonFrog]

Wow sounds an awesome day cycling around NY, would loved to have taken part

It was awesome, do it next year.

 

[coffeejo]

Evening rides seem to be my thing at the moment - really must get out on at least one of my regular routes at another time of day to see what the views are like with the light and shadows going in a different direction!

I went up into the Blackdowns late yesterday afternoon for a 30 mile loop, heading out through Taunton Vale to West Buckland, then up Angersleigh Hill, across the ridge and down Staple Hill. Only just made it back before the light vanished as I spent too long stopping to take photos.

Met some udderly (sorry!) happy cows, basking in the evening sunshine. One was particularly curious about this lycra-clad cyclist brandishing a camera:

She didn't know what to make of That Saddle:

The church in Staple Fitzpaine:

Something on or around Angersleigh Hill keeps sending my bike computer a bit bonkers. I checked my mileage when I was up on the Blackdowns and saw that my maximum speed was 46mph. Not bad, considering it had mostly just been uphill at that point in the ride!

A few minutes later, I saw I was doing 39mph - shame about the hairpin corner just ahead. Silly place to put one.

 

[Mo1959]

Evening rides seem to be my thing at the moment - really must get out on at least one of my regular routes at another time of day to see what the views are like with the light and shadows going in a different direction!

View attachment 22860

I went up into the Blackdowns late yesterday afternoon for a 30 mile loop, heading out through Taunton Vale to West Buckland, then up Angersleigh Hill, across the ridge and down Staple Hill. Only just made it back before the light vanished as I spent too long stopping to take photos.

View attachment 22861

Met some udderly (sorry!) happy cows, basking in the evening sunshine. One was particularly curious about this lycra-clad cyclist brandishing a camera:
View attachment 22863

She didn't know what to make of That Saddle:
View attachment 22862

The church in Staple Fitzpaine:
View attachment 22864

Something on or around Angersleigh Hill keeps sending my bike computer a bit bonkers. I checked my mileage when I was up on the Blackdowns and saw that my maximum speed was 46mph. Not bad, considering it had mostly just been uphill at that point in the ride!
View attachment 22865

A few minutes later, I saw I was doing 39mph - shame about the hairpin corner just ahead. Silly place to put one.

Lovely photos. Really must start doing some more relaxing, gentle rides myself and carrying a camera.

How do you find the Fizik Vesta saddle? I've been struggling for ages looking for the holy grail of a really comfy saddle. I think I need one wide enough at the back for my seat bones but then tapering quickly as I seem to get rubbed further forward at the crease where the top of the leg joins the groin area if that makes sense.

 

[coffeejo]

Lovely photos. Really must start doing some more relaxing, gentle rides myself and carrying a camera.

How do you find the Fizik Vesta saddle? I've been struggling for ages looking for the holy grail of a really comfy saddle. I think I need one wide enough at the back for my seat bones but then tapering quickly as I seem to get rubbed further forward at the crease where the top of the leg joins the groin area if that makes sense.

Thanks. It's a rare ride indeed where I don't have my camera.

The saddle is Very Comfy Indeed. It doesn't have a cut out, which I now think was pinching me on my other saddle (Selle Italia). The Fizik is surprisingly hard, which came as a shock to the system, but now that I've done 3 rides with it, about 100 miles in total, I'm used to it. No rubbing or other problems - in fact, no chamois cream was required.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Evening rides seem to be my thing at the moment - really must get out on at least one of my regular routes at another time of day to see what the views are like with the light and shadows going in a different direction!

View attachment 22860

I went up into the Blackdowns late yesterday afternoon for a 30 mile loop, heading out through Taunton Vale to West Buckland, then up Angersleigh Hill, across the ridge and down Staple Hill. Only just made it back before the light vanished as I spent too long stopping to take photos.

View attachment 22861

Met some udderly (sorry!) happy cows, basking in the evening sunshine. One was particularly curious about this lycra-clad cyclist brandishing a camera:
View attachment 22863

She didn't know what to make of That Saddle:
View attachment 22862

The church in Staple Fitzpaine:
View attachment 22864

Something on or around Angersleigh Hill keeps sending my bike computer a bit bonkers. I checked my mileage when I was up on the Blackdowns and saw that my maximum speed was 46mph. Not bad, considering it had mostly just been uphill at that point in the ride!
View attachment 22865

A few minutes later, I saw I was doing 39mph - shame about the hairpin corner just ahead. Silly place to put one.

I like the photo's, especially the one of the church.

 

[coffeejo]

I like the photo's, especially the one of the church.

Thanks. The church is a beautiful building in an equally beautiful village nestled on a hillside, but the sun was behind it so none of the other photos of it came out very well.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Thanks. The church is a beautiful building in an equally beautiful village nestled on a hillside, but the sun was behind it so none of the other photos of it came out very well.

Having the sun behind the subject makes it a challenge, I got a good one of the church at Chesterton a few years ago.

 

[coffeejo]

The vivid colours of the flora were washed out and lost all their energy, which is what made the scene so striking at that particular moment. I do take a lot of photos against the sun, as I find it can transform the ordinary into something much more special, but when nature's already given you something beautiful to admire, I figure it's best to go with what you've got.

 

[nickyboy]

46 miles for me over The Cat and Fiddle to Buxton and back via Dove Holes Chapel and Whaley. I had set myself a target of going under 30 minutes for the seven mile climb from the town centre. which I did with 5 seconds to spare. which was a minute and 5 improvement on my previous best time. Also put me in the top 100 riders out of over 1100 on Strava on the official 6.5 mile hill climb. Pleased with that, and all in all not a bad ride. Bit of a cross wind at times going up The Cat and a nasty headwind for the last 6 or 7 miles home but good weather, lots of cyclists out most of whom waved or said high even the mtbers, definintely more comradary in the hills.
Got home and swmbo suggested a bike ride with the kids which was nice Pleased with my 6 year old daughter who managed 6.6 miles around Manchester airport and Styal.

Worryingly fast considering the informal Mottram-Sheffield-Mottram ride is coming up.