Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Christopher]

Did a loop north of Preston on the fixed. Lots of Sunday traffic, bit scary, long grindy climb to the Grizedale Reservoirs, then back south via Oakenclough and maze of lanes north of Beacon Fell. Stopped at the Horns Inn to taste the beer they have started brewing there - it tasted unlike other beers around here. Not sure what to make of it. I also had a pint of Lytham Blonde (another local brew) which was excellent, nice to get away from Thwaites beer - good but a bit sweet.
Finished in the dark on deserted roads as the sensible peeps had gone home...

 

[Doyleyburger]

Had planned to do a 57 mile route I planned yesterday with the option to round up to 60 homeward bound.
Yeah, things never work out when you have a wife who has other plans in mind !
Ended up being dragged xmas shopping till 2pm so didn't get out till after then. Ended up doing a 22 mile route with plenty of challenging hills. Not too bad considering it gets dark very quickly now days.....plus I over indulged in some festive beverages and grub whilst I had the family here for a weekend stay. If it's dry enough next Monday I shall do my planned route !

 

[Basil.B]

First time back on my bike in 6 months, due to eye surgery.
Only did a couple of miles, and then I got a blasted p******e!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I had a trip out to Melverley this morning, which is a route I haven't ridden for a while. I started off by heading into town, then out to Montford Bridge, Great Ness, Pentre, Melverley, Halfway House, Westbury, Nox and back via Shorthill and Exfords Green.

I was taking no chances so lights were on for all of the main road sections, which did seem to help - just the one close pass on the way round and even that wasn't too bad.

Round here you get used to black and yellow helicopters doing low flying as all military pilots are now trained at Shawbury and frequently fly to the army training area at Nesscliffe. Today though the helicopter buzzing round Nesscliffe was the police one (also black and yellow) and had landed in the carpark at the training camp by the time I got there. I contemplated getting a photo - then contemplated what the serious men with guns might think and changed my mind.

The ride was enjoyable on the flat bits through to Melverley and having crossed the Welsh border I discovered that the road through Crew Green has been resurfaced.It's fast and smooth and no more need to dodge potholes.

Approaching Halfway House I spooked a horse coming the other way and got a glare off the rider. Some of them really don't like orange hi-viz.

After a fast run from Westbury to Nox (I do like that stretch) the only other incident was being held up by a flock of sheep being driven between fields near Exfords Green.

33.5 miles at 13 mph average today. A pleasant ride.

Bronze arches across the road on the way to Great Ness.

Near Nesscliffe and looking towards the Breiddens

The bridge over the Severn at Melverley. It also happens to be the Welsh Border.

Just a few miles to home now - skirting round the foot of Lyth Hill.

 

[ianrauk]

HI all. This thread is very popular so thought I should let you know that the thread for 2014's Imperial Century A Month Challenge is HERE (Locked until Jan 1st).
So if any one feels up for the challenge, the Imperial Century A Month Challenge Chat thread is HERE

So c'mon peeps. Let's see some of you good people signed up for the challenge to earn yourself a nice goldie looking star

 

[colly]

First time back on my bike in 6 months, due to eye surgery.
Only did a couple of miles, and then I got a blasted p******e!

Always next time.

 

[Rob3rt]

Club Wattbike session last night:

8 mins progressive warm-up
8 mins @ 110% FTP
4 mins rest
6 mins @ 110% FTP
3 mins rest
4 mins @ 110% FTP
2 mins rest
2 mins @ 110% FTP
90 secs rest
2 mins @ 110% FTP
2 mins rest
40 secs as hard as possible/20 secs rest x 4
2 mins rest
20 secs as hard as possible/10 secs rest x 8
8 mins cool-down

Felt sick as a dog

 

[totallyfixed]

Club Wattbike session last night:

8 mins progressive warm-up
8 mins @ 110% FTP
4 mins rest
6 mins @ 110% FTP
3 mins rest
4 mins @ 110% FTP
2 mins rest
2 mins @ 110% FTP
90 secs rest
2 mins @ 110% FTP
2 mins rest
40 secs as hard as possible/20 secs rest x 4
2 mins rest
20 secs as hard as possible/10 secs rest x 8
8 mins cool-down

Felt sick as a dog

F******* hell Rob, have you looked at a calender lately? It's the beginning of Dec not Feb. [or are you doing a New Years 10 ]

 

[HLaB]

Thought I was going to have a solo last night (my local cycling faceboke page was quiet) but I was delighted to be joined at the meeting point by another for a really enjoyable ride. Didn't effectively get a chance to try out my new cateye volt 300 as his cree effectively drowned it. I did though go for a few high intensity hill sprints and got to see (no pun intended) how well the light performed and I was impressed. Good straight light, with good distance visibility from a light self contained light (similar to the Leyzene Macro Drive, USB rechargeable but with a cartridge battery). Might go out for a low intensity ride tonight to try the light out fully.

 

[potsy]

F******* hell Rob, have you looked at a calender lately? It's the beginning of Dec not Feb. [or are you doing a New Years 10 ]

He doesn't even mention the cake stop, I don't believe he even has a bike

 

[Rob3rt]

F******* hell Rob, have you looked at a calender lately? It's the beginning of Dec not Feb. [or are you doing a New Years 10 ]

@totallyfixed Once a week blow out, has to be done else I am climbing the walls.

Coincidently though, I am riding a 10 this Sunday.

 

[fossyant]

I'd be climbing walls on a watt bike. Can't get my head round turbos etc. My mind goes numb ! Getting old you see.

 

[totallyfixed]

He doesn't even mention the cake stop, I don't believe he even has a bike

You went and did it just as coffee jo predicted. I'm not brave enough to tell dr_pink.

@totallyfixed Once a week blow out, has to be done else I am climbing the walls.

Coincidently though, I am riding a 10 this Sunday.

Thought so, I am doubting the coincidence bit though.

 

[Rob3rt]

You went and did it just as coffee jo predicted. I'm not brave enough to tell dr_pink.

Thought so, I am doubting the coincidence bit though.

It is purely coincidence, not really bothered about the 10, it is a Xmas jolly event round one of the slowest of the slow Cheshire courses, J4/20 (was won with a 23 last year) with pub lunch afterwards Haven't been on my TT bike for months either, so that could be interesting.

I just can't go without one hard training session a week, I will be doing it all through winter. No point in letting yourself go all the way backwards right 1 hard interval session per week, no real structure and it varies week to week depending on the coaches idea, only constant is that it will be very hard. Then 1 core training session (trying to avoid the back ache I was getting after the steep HC's). Rest is all steady riding.

 

[robjh]

Great ride last night, 20 miles in the dark along my old some-time commute route from Coventry to the edges of Leicester, along good B-roads that long ago formed part of the A46. But what has happened to driving standards around Leicester?? Two years ago it seemed like a fairly normal place with only the usual quota of dangerous incompetents driving metal boxes but last night I met 2 of them in 5 minutes in Narborough. The second was the worst case I have met in many years, a young woman approaching a roundabout from the opposite direction as I was turning right, who at first slowed down at the give-way line, then gaped at me open-mouthed as she speeded up again and drove straight at me, forcing me to veer out of her path and miss my exit. What on earth was going through her mind?