Your ride today.... (part 1)

[hopless500]

All those hills are making me feel faint

 

[London Female]

I decided to try and make the most of the sudden improvement in the weather so I did a 19-miler on Saturday (1,500 ft climbing), an 18 miler on Sunday (1,500 ft) and a 20-miler today with about 1,750 ft of climbing.

Today's ride started off as a repeat of Saturday's ride but I changed my mind halfway round and did an interesting variation instead. I rode Hebden Bridge to Mytholmroyd on the Calder Valley Cycleway, then did the long climb up through Cragg Vale to Blackstone Edge (which will feature on stage 2 of next year's Tour de France). Next, a left turn at the reservoir, and a rapid descent towards Ripponden on the A58, turning off to the left on Blue Ball Lane (a.k.a. the Old Roman Road) halfway down.

I normally follow a route which involves taking lots of left turns but decided to go via Mill Bank today. There is a steep-sided valley to cross to get to the village and I normally avoid it, but it made a nice change today. So I descended the very steep Foxen Lane (which prompted me to call out "Oh, for Fox(en Lane)'s sake" when I first encountered it in the opposite direction! ) ...

View looking down Foxen Lane to the valley:

View attachment 29851

Looking back up:

View attachment 29852

It's a rapid descent to the valley bottom, then the road curves round to the right and ramps back up through the village of Mill Bank. I made the mistake of stopping halfway up that climb to take a picture to illustrate the steepness of the road. as usual, the photo does not do it justice:

View attachment 29853

I couldn't get going again straight up the hill, so I attempted to come out from the driveway on the left just ahead. I was in a tiny gear and stomped rather too hard on the pedals which made the front of the bike kick up like a bucking bronco, almost throwing me off!

I somehow wrestled the bike back down onto the road and continued up the hill to the top. From there, I turned back up to the left and ride past Mill Bank school. (This is a lovely route but I suggest that you avoid the village school runs if you give it a go - it is a narrow road and I bet it is chaotic at those times?)

[I tell you what - I am having some problems with the post editor, but the automatic draft saving is great! My browser just seized up after I typed in that little lot, and when I restarted it, the draft was waiting for me - yay!]

I climbed up to the church at Cottonstones, took a right, then turned immediate left up Kennel Lane. This is a lovely singletrack road, but avoid at all costs in the winter - it won't get gritted, will not get the sun and it is steep!

This lane eventually rejoins my normal route which descends through Hubberton Green and Boulderclough.

Obligatory animals in field shot:

View attachment 29854

Now the usual rapid descent to Scout Road. This is closed because of an asbestos scare, but it is still passable by bike if you clamber over the concrete blocks in the road, remembering not to breathe in the asbestos, naturally!

That comes out back in Mytholmroyd where I retraced my wheeltracks.

Today's route profile:

View attachment 29855

Today's heart, lungs and leg report:

Doing better than of late! I am getting quicker up the Cragg Vale climb, without having to try too hard. I have gone from 1 hour when I first started riding again post-illness, to 50 minutes, to 40 minutes on Saturday, to 37 minutes today. Still a long way off my target time of 20 minutes, and even my previous best of 23.5 minutes, but in the light of my recent health history, I am not complaining!

Just looking at those hills made me feel dizzy.

 

[London Female]

All those hills are making me feel faint [/quote

I just post the same thing

 

[ColinJ]

All those hills are making me feel faint

You want to try riding up them!

 

[Tyke]

Today's heart, lungs and leg report:

Doing better than of late! I am getting quicker up the Cragg Vale climb, without having to try too hard. I have gone from 1 hour when I first started riding again post-illness, to 50 minutes, to 40 minutes on Saturday, to 37 minutes today. Still a long way off my target time of 20 minutes, and even my previous best of 23.5 minutes, but in the light of my recent health history, I am not complaining!

For a man that keeps telling us he is ill your doing great, I`m not sure what your goal is but stick at it and remember some of the good advise you have given many times on this site to help and encourage many of us and use it to keep yourself motivated. I am the same age as you and would have been happy to be able to do what your doing 20 years ago.

Well done Colin I hope the rest of your recovery progresses well Good Luck

 

[BigonaBianchi]

You want to try riding up them!

erm...nope.. i dont

 

[hopless500]

You want to try riding up them!

Y'know what?? I don't think I do

 

[HLaB]

Didn't expect much performance-wise but it was remarkably still in the flat Fens and we worked well together managed a good pace. Could have done with charging my lights though, it was darker than I thought and my main light started to fail luckily I had a back up

 

[GmanUK65]

What phone do you have? If its touch screen, it you tap the screen on the subject of the image it will some out better

Ive got a Galaxy s3. Trouble is is that when I took a photo on Monday I could not see much of what I was taking because the sun was reflecting off the screen. It looked ok when I got home but did not show much except for a farm field. I tried to take a photo of The Cheviot in the distance. I need to find out how to use zoom.

 

[hopless500]

Ive got a Galaxy s3. Trouble is is that when I took a photo on Monday I could not see much of what I was taking because the sun was reflecting off the screen. It looked ok when I got home but did not show much except for a farm field. I tried to take a photo of The Cheviot in the distance. I need to find out how to use zoom.

The S3 takes amazing pictures. I've put my old camera out to grass because the phone is way better. Zoom is easy. Pinch fingers in middle of screen and then drag them apart to zoom in. Drag them together to zoom out. Double tap to get back to starting point

 

[matthat]

Going to type this the other way round! My proposed ride today is off to two mills (eureka bike cafe) I'm meeting my workmate at 10.30 in woolton then we shall ride towards runcorn over the bridge and out via frodsham and helsby towards deeside then cut round to two mills! Pit stop for lunch then either head down the spine of the wirrall towards Birkenhead and get train through the drainpipe (mersey tunnel) and then head out of town home! proposed mileage 40-50 miles straight there and back 60-70 miles with a scenic de tour. No strava or pics today as i smashed phone last week so i'm back to basics with an old loaned nokia!

 

[Linford]

My super backroad shortcut/long way around the horrible highway full of bargey drivers had only three vehicles on it as I rode it this morning, and the other two were also cycling

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Going to type this the other way round! My proposed ride today is off to two mills (eureka bike cafe) I'm meeting my workmate at 10.30 in woolton then we shall ride towards runcorn over the bridge and out via frodsham and helsby towards deeside then cut round to two mills! Pit stop for lunch then either head down the spine of the wirrall towards Birkenhead and get train through the drainpipe (mersey tunnel) and then head out of town home! proposed mileage 40-50 miles straight there and back 60-70 miles with a scenic de tour. No strava or pics today as i smashed phone last week so i'm back to basics with an old loaned nokia!

Have fun.

 

[toeknee]

Nice one ! Enjoy your .

 

[postman]

35 today, miles not age.Bit cloudy,but now i am home sun is trying to break through.Got that satisfied feeling.From a nice little ride.