Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Rob3rt]

Aye, starts at Jodrell Bank,on Bomish Lane, joins the the A535, up to Chelford island, along Chelford Road to Seven Sisters Lane, along Seven Sisters to join the A50 to Tremlow, Tremlow spits you back out on the A535 and you repeat the above with the finish mid-way along the A50 between Seven Sisters and Tremlow on the second lap. Not a fast course that is for sure!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

After my brush with death the other day at the hands of a muppet lorry driver in Shoreham I was on high alert out there today. I got about two miles before the first near miss, a dozy woman in a car pulled right out in front of me from a side turn, I saw her 'not look' and swerved just in time. Thankfully the driver behind me had seen her as well and pulled back from his overtake.

Then 500 yds down the road the next ...a large lorry, too dam close, to dam fast and a finger out of his cab window...what is wrong with these morons???

Anyway...that was that...enough ...the roads here are full of murderous idiots with no respect for anything. So I went to the beach and watched the clouds.



PEACE we will all get there eventually!!!!!

 

[Rob3rt]

Good pic ^^

 

[Hacienda71]

18 miles of mountain biking for me today.

Not my normal thing I know, but I had to take my nine year old son and some friends to a party at Delamere Forest. Having recently aquired a Stumpjumper from a friend, it seemed logical to take the bike and give it some punishment. So dropped the kids off at the party venue where they would be mini Ray Mears and headed out along one of the fire roads. It was at this point I realised the map I had printed of the night before was on the sofa at home, but hey it's not like you could get lost in Delamere it isn't that big................right?

Found the big lake in the middle that reminds me of a Vietnam war film with all the stumps and routes sticking out. Blasted a few bits of single track and along some fire roads. Pleasantly suprised how all the dog owners kept their dogs under control as you whizzed past. Then I saw a sign for the MTB skills area. I followed some switch backs and jumps up to the top of hill where there was a start area. I have done of the Welsh trails so thought yeah everyone says Delamere is easy lets have it. Well the first two thirds seemed simple enough but the end proved a little more complicated. the triple jump at the end had filled in all three areas with thick mud and water. It was at this point that my front wheel decided to plug completely in the last rut of the jumps and I had an over the handlebars muddy puddle interaction. Looking around to make sure no one had seen me I got back on the bike, wringed out my gloves and gillet and cycled to the next skill area. I probably should have read the sign with three yellow circles on it like I did at the start of the next section. The salient details can be summarised as follows:
This is for expert riders only.
It is strongly recommended you wear full body armour.
Do not ride beyond your abilities.
In my defence I did have a helmet and a pair of road mitts on
Here is the same sign but for the intermediate section.

A bit more blasting albeit slightly squelchy was had and I realised it was time to get back to the main centre. Well the map I didn't have would have proved useful as my normal visits to Delamere end up eating in the cafe before cycling my road bike back to Wilmslow. I had ten minutes and was now totally lost. I was fairly sure I was on the right side of the main road. Twenty minutes later two roadside maps inspected and four strangers approached for directions I made it back. My son seemed to have enjoyed making shelters and learning how to light fires, so all was good.
Whilst not being physically demanding like the mountain trails in Wales there are some elements that need a bit of technique and skill. Something I need to work on.

 

[Puddles]

The usual 1.8 miler for us, testing Big Bertha after she had all her bits adjusted, it was after all the rain, nice and sunny and rather warm, Mr P & User76 even swam in the sea .

Big Bertha shrugs off cobbles and chews up hills and looks gorgeous doing it too.

We caught lots of crabs and 4 tiddly fish in our crabbing net, this is the first crab and fish

I think she enjoyed today in the sunshine!

 

[compo]

I had a good ride today. I took the bus to town to get a new chain for my Trek.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A ride out with Doug and @gavgav today. Gav wanted to do his first 40 miler and Doug was persuaded to join us, so I planned a variation of my Melverley route (as neither of them have ridden those roads before). Thankfully the weather today was nothing like the forecast was threatening only 2 days ago, so we avoided getting very wet (well, until 300 yards from home when it poured down).

After finding a BMW parked on the (segregated) cycleway at Shelton and having a dumb close pass just a couple of miles further on at Bicton I started to get a bit worried that I'd brought Doug and Gav out on a day when the morons were out in force and that it might put them off this route. Once past Montford Bridge though, we were on to quieter roads and we could all relax and enjoy the trip.

The headwind between Great Ness to Melverley wasn't as bad as expected but prevented us from making the most of this really flat section. It did however turn into a great tailwind between Westbury and Nox where some fast cruising was enjoyed by all, especially Doug who seemed to be going faster the further we went.

I had a slight mishap at Nox. During a stop to take off a few layers I managed to get a bramble wrapped round my ankle. Good job I carry a small bottle of TCP with me.

Towards the end of the ride it appeared that I'd miscalculated a little bit and Gav wasn't quite going to get his 40 miles, so an extra section into the centre of Shrewsbury and through the Quarry was added on. There was a wedding party having their photos taken in The Dingle, which was nice. I reckon we passed at least 3 groups heading off to weddings during this trip. Congrats and good luck to all of them.

My total for the trip was 40.1 miles at 11.1mph. (Doug's shows 11.3mph, due to him racing ahead towards the end of the ride.)

Looking towards the Breiddens from our lunch stop near Prince's Oak.

Doug and Gav at Westbury

In the Quarry, Shrewsbury. The Dingle is hidden behind the hedge and is a very popular for wedding photos.

Down at the weir now where we parted from Gav.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

After my brush with death the other day at the hands of a muppet lorry driver in Shoreham I was on high alert out there today. I got about two miles before the first near miss, a dozy woman in a car pulled right out in front of me from a side turn, I saw her 'not look' and swerved just in time. Thankfully the driver behind me had seen her as well and pulled back from his overtake.

Then 500 yds down the road the next ...a large lorry, too dam close, to dam fast and a finger out of his cab window...what is wrong with these morons???

Anyway...that was that...enough ...the roads here are full of murderous idiots with no respect for anything. So I went to the beach and watched the clouds.



PEACE we will all get there eventually!!!!!

A like for the pic , not the murderous idiots. Likewise for @Rob3rt a like for a good description - shame about the poor riding you encountered.

 

[gavgav]

My longest ever bike ride today .

I headed out from home in Shrewsbury and within 1/2 a mile I had passed a 7 ft black bear, with red horns, advertising 20% off from somewhere on the local industrial estate . After that bizarre view I continued on down to Meole Brace, passing an elderly lady on a bike along the cycle path, who swerved out of my path with a look of horror and a loud "I'm so sorry!". There really was no need, as I was only pootling along at about 10 mph! Arriving in Meole Brace I met up with @Rickshaw Phil and his brother outside the Brooklands Pub. A quick chat and we continued up to Shelton, passing another scared lady on a bike, who swerved into my path this time!!. We then headed out on the B4380 Holyhead Road towards Bicton and I was promptly almost squashed into the kerb by a Prat (that's not the polite version I used when chatting to Phil about it!) as he passed me completely on my side of the road and actually swerved towards me as a bus came the other way. This is a wide 2 lane highway, by the way, and so there was NO need for it. He then passed Phil with the same ridiculous closeness and I shouted and waved at him to GET OVER, and I think he must have seen as he gave Doug about a foot extra room.........IDIOT!!

Anyway, we continued into Montford Bridge and thankfully turned off onto quieter lanes towards Great Ness. We then turned left and headed over the A5 and down to Pentre, where we resisted hanging around for the Royal Hill Pub to open and 12. We then headed down through the River Severn flood plain towards Melverley and Crew Green, heading into Wales for the 1st time on my bike. We turned right onto the very busy and not very pleasant B4393 through Coedway and turned right, just before the Alberbury Estate, up Pecknall Lane and found a lovely spot to have some lunch, with a view of the Breidden Hills.

It was getting a bit cold now and starting to rain and so extra layers were put on and we pressed on through a strong headwind to Halfway House and straight over the A458 onto the B4387 and into Westbury. We then had the excellent couple of miles along the Roman Road from Westbury to Nox, which is very straight an mostly flat/downhill and so a lovely average cruising speed of 20 mph was possible along here . We turned right at Nox, back onto Lanes and the was starting to come out again, so we pulled in to remove the extra layer. @Rickshaw Phil was attacked by the local plant life as we were stopped and drew blood on his leg from the briars!! Phil never travels anywhere on his bike now without a bottle of TCP, since his nasty fall in Bridgnorth a few years ago, and so he patched himself up (as per below picture!)

We continued on to Lea Cross and then across the A488 at Shorthill, passing the highly recommended Anjani Indian Restaurant and Arscott Golf Club, down to Annscroft and then down to Hook-a-Gate. Doug had now found his second wind and was leaving me and @Rickshaw Phil behind!! We passed Meole Brace School, back to the cycle path that we used early in the ride and because I had a mileage target in my mind for today, we decided to deviate a bit to ensure I made the target and so headed through Porthill, down Copthorne Road, through Frankwell and over the Welsh Bridge. We dismounted to observe the rules of the road (no right turn onto Victoria Quay) and waited at the pedestrian crossing for what must have been at least 5 minutes!! Eventually it gave us a go and we proceeded down into the Quarry Park and along the towpath down to the weir. @Rickshaw Phil and Doug headed back to their house at this stage and so I continued along Sydney Avenue and Castlefields. I was still going to just miss my mileage target if I took the normal route home and so I continued along the gravel path and up past the Sports Village and through Sundorne to ensure I had done my first ever 40 Mile Ride .

Stats - 41.58 miles, avg speed 11.4 mph, legs now aching!

 

[potsy]

18 miles of mountain biking for me today.

Not my normal thing I know, but I had to take my ten year old son and some friends to a party at Delamere Forest. Having recently aquired a Stumpjumper from a friend, it seemed logical to take the bike and give it some punishment. So dropped the kids off at the party venue where they would be mini Ray Mears and headed out along one of the fire roads. It was at this point I realised the map I had printed of the night before was on the sofa at home, but hey it's not like you could get lost in Delamere it isn't that big................right?
View attachment 28916

Found the big lake in the middle that reminds me of a Vietnam war film with all the stumps and routes sticking out. Blasted a few bits of single track and along some fire roads. Pleasantly suprised how all the dog owners kept their dogs under control as you whizzed past. Then I saw a sign for the MTB skills area. I followed some switch backs and jumps up to the top of hill where there was a start area. I have done of the Welsh trails so thought yeah everyone says Delamere is easy lets have it. Well the first two thirds seemed simple enough but the end proved a little more complicated. the triple jump at the end had filled in all three areas with thick mud and water. It was at this point that my front wheel decided to plug completely in the last rut of the jumps and I had an over the handlebars muddy puddle interaction. Looking around to make sure no one had seen me I got back on the bike, ringed out my gloves and gillet and cycled to the next skill area. I probably should have read the sign with three yellow circles on it like I did at the start of the next section. The salient details can be summarised as follows:
This is for expert riders only.
It is strongly recommended you wear full body armour.
Do not ride beyond your abilities.
In my defence I did have a helmet and a pair of road mitts on
Here is the same sign but for the intermediate section.
View attachment 28917

A bit more blasting albeit slightly squelchy was had and I realised it was time to get back to the main centre. Well the map I didn't have would have proved useful as my normal visits to Delamere end up eating in the cafe before cycling my road bike back to Wilmslow. I had ten minutes and was now totally lost. I was fairly sure I was on the right side of the main road. Twenty minutes later two roadside maps inspected and four strangers approached for directions I made it back. My son seemed to have enjoyed making shelters and learning how to light fires, so all was good.
Whilst not being physically demanding like the mountain trails in Wales there are some elements that need a bit of technique and skill. Something I need to work on.

Where's the pic of you covered in sh**e?

 

[Hacienda71]

Where's the pic of you covered in sh**e?

I am trying to preserve what is left of my clean cut roadie image.

 

[400bhp]

18 miles of mountain biking for me today.

the MTB skills area......................
....................... I had an over the handlebars muddy puddle interaction.

 

[potsy]

I just hope @I like Skol doesn't see this thread

 

[ianrauk]

Twas the Friday Night Ride to the Coast...and the ride back home.
What a glorious ride it was too. Almost perfect cycling weather and some lovely cycling roads with an even lovlier tailwind to boot. The morning ride home however was a bit harder. Riding solo and battling a bleedin' headwind a lot of the way.

187 miles for the night/day .. Century 98 total and century 22 for the year to date.
I am a little tired after 13 hours of riding

 

[compo]

Twas the Friday Night Ride to the Coast...and the ride back home.
What a glorious ride it was too. Almost perfect cycling weather and some lovely cycling roads with an even lovlier tailwind to boot. The morning ride home however was a bit harder. Riding solo and battling a bleedin' headwind a lot of the way.

187 miles for the night/day .. Century 98 total and century 22 for the year to date.
I am a little tired after 13 hours of riding

Respect!