Your ride today.... (part 1)

[HLaB]

I met some mates pre ride in a local cafe, we were enjoying the chat so much we missed the club ride So we ended up going for an enjoyable wee bash on our own. I carried on for a wee explore on my own; the blue skies quickly changed to I've heard reports from other local rider saying how bad the rain was but I never really noticed I was too busy battling the wind. The efforts out southbound were rewarded with an enjoyable wee ring cruise to town.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/416008223

 

[ianrauk]

85 miles in the chuffing rain and wind.
Only myself and a.n. other. Did a Surrey Hills Hilly Loop. Box Hill (3 times, Box Hill is nowhere as near as tough as it's reputation), Coldharbour Lane, Leith Hill* & White Down Lane* (*both of these are far harder then Box Hill). Throw in a good few other hills, swirly blustery winds and rain all day and it made it a fair old slog. Praise be it wasn't cold, or perhaps it was and all the climbing kept our core temperatures up.

Despite the really crappy weather - it was great to be out on the bike and to get some miles in on some great country hills and lanes.

 

[PeteXXX]

85 miles in the chuffing rain and wind.
Only myself and a.n. other. Did a Surrey Hills Hilly Loop. Box Hill (3 times, Box Hill is nowhere as near as tough as it's reputation), Coldharbour Lane, Leith Hill* & White Down Lane* (*both of these are far harder then Box Hill). Throw in a good few other hills, swirly blustery winds and rain all day and it made it a fair old slog. Praise be it wasn't cold, or perhaps it was and all the climbing kept our core temperatures up.

Despite the really crappy weather - it was great to be out on the bike and to get some miles in on some great country hills and lanes.

Box Hill isn't too bad, is it. It has the reputation of being hard though.
Leith Hill, however... that one knocked the stuffing out of me! !!

 

[ianrauk]

Box Hill isn't too bad, is it. It has the reputation of being hard though.
Leith Hill, however... that one knocked the stuffing out of me! !!

Indeed, Box Hill's reputation is certainly not deserved.
White Down Lane however

 

[PeteXXX]

Today was my Christmas Card delivery circuit. My five regular riding mates live on all four corners of the town, plus one is in the centre, so I was on 25 miles by the time I got finished..

Obviously, the first chap lives near the top of a hill.
All was easy from then until the morning sun turned into drizzle, more wind and then heavy rain..
The route to my last delivery was through Bradlaugh Fields.

It's a fairly steep climb across soggy grass. On a good day, the view across the town is quite nice. Today was not one of those days!

Anyway, cards were delivered, a few glasses were raised. Happy days..

 

[cosmicbike]

Managed a couple of rides today. This morning just 5.7 miles, but it was at least dry and warm, and just caught a couple of footy matches. This afternoon was similarly dry, much warmer though and hit 6 miles, though considerably more challenging having to deal with the attempted raising of the dead. Thankfully I was saved by Nicholas Cage and some young upstart so was able to continue. So all in all a good day.

Did I mention I was still only allowed on the turbo trainer........

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Today was back over to my mum & step father's to take them to my brother's birthday meal at the gastro-pub he works at (don't ask). My youngest brother has just turned 25 and to meet the latest in a series of girlfriends this year. My original plan had been to cycle to the pub for the meal, but that was vetoed by my mother on 2 grounds - 1: I was expected to shower before going to the meal! and 2: she wanted to drink, so I was driving their vehicle - my step-father can't currently drive due to his hip problems that have him wheelchair bound.

The journey out was notable for the horrendous headwind that made my usual 1hr 40 mins into a second or two under 2hrs! Oh and my OH came out half way with me before enjoying a tailwind and a country lane that was closed to vehicles all the way home - the single track bridge has been closed to traffic which is great because the rat run is now rather quiet! (He could not stay having to drive down to Plymouth later in the morning). Also it was notable for the really miserable cyclists on the road today - I only managed to get a hello/wave/smile out of 3 from all of the ones I/met this morning (+30). I don't know why, they were not the ones cycling into that headwind, I was. Boy were you a miserable crowd on the roads today - I got more hellos/thank yous from car drivers!

Later on in the ride, there was a really surreal moment where one of my roads runs alongside a canal. There is no footpath/pavement between me and the towpath, just a thin grass strip and there is a section where the canal is at the same height as the road. The canal can only be 2m away at best when all of a sudden I become aware that I am being undertaken by a swan flying alongside me at my head height - boy are they huge when they are flying that closely! It stayed alongside me for 30 seconds or more before undertaking me and landing some 50m ahead of me in calmer water. Slightly further on and 3 swans were having that much of a fight in the canal that I actually got wet cycling passed them on the road! From there is was quiet and at one point the sun actually made an appearance - this seems to have coincided with my taking of a photo for @Rickshaw Phil who IIRC also has a 'fingerpost' signpost on one of his routes...

Then the return journey - not as much fun & in the dark, but amazingly it didn't really rain on me. There was some light drizzle, but that fizzled out very quickly and I had patchy skies with the moon out occasionally. It tried raining on me, but it was a half hearted attempt that lasted less than a minutes or two and went away when I swore at it. The only really notable 'event' was me hitting a pothole badly early one (I yelled at myself at that point to pull myself together and start paying attention; I had been day dreaming (in the dark)) and some 4 miles down the road reaching for my water bottle to find an empty space . Now there is no way I can cycle +20 miles without water: I'm a severe asthmatic and a dry mouth & throat does not aid breathing at all and I was travelling 'light' - 1 pannier and 1 water bottle only... I rang my mum to check I had not left it on the bin where I had propped my bike against but no, it was not there. There was only 1 thing for it: turn around cycle back up that hill and start to look for the water bottle. So if anyone passed this strange cyclist with 3 front lights, (I had pulled the spare that was almost flat from this morning's run out, and was hand holding it) deliberately shining the 3rd light at the otherside of the road at 75-90 degrees to what was expected, specifically the grass verge - yep... it was me. Thankfully I found the water bottle 10m from where I 'expected' it, only it had rolled completely across the country lane and was resting against the grass verge on what was now my side of the road! So much for needing the extra light to find it...
So my usual 1 hr 30 mins home, turned into a 2 hours and a few mins home instead and I have an exceptionally dirty bike in the kitchen - good thing the floor is vinyl and I have a couple of days to get the kitchen clean before my OH gets home! On the bright side of things, that torrential rain and high winds that I was expecting to have to cycle home in didn't happen, so I am a happy, if rather tired, bunny.

out - http://www.strava.com/activities/100368916
home - http://www.strava.com/activities/100368914

 

[totallyfixed]

A bit late [which will probably be my epitaph], but yesterday was our weekend ride as the outlaws took us out for a meal at Burleigh House today.
We have a weather station thingymybob that was purchased from Aldi quite a few years ago, don't know what we would do without it. However, living in a very sheltered spot you can't really tell what the wind is doing so we look online, and as most of you already know, it is mostly an outrageous lie. Whatever the wind is forecast to be, add your age and divide by 2. With that in mind I took the decision to head for Fineshades near Kings Cliffe for our cafe stop [HLaB will know this as our patches overlap]. Basically we did a big clockwise loop which should read tail wind, side wind, head wind, tail wind.
Many of you set store by your average speed, distance, cadence etc [on the subject of cadence, 233 rpm is going some HLaB, I can't do that on fixed], on the whole, we do not, I clock the distance when we get back, but mainly the time we are out for is the main factor. Average speed is a bit of a nonsense on fixed around these parts, on the ride yesterday I think we were going pretty well until I had to climb Collyweston hill into a direct head wind on a 75" gear managing around the 7 mph mark, dr_pink waited for me at the top. Of course I could easily beat her, but being the gentleman I am.................
Just to show some flexibility to our mtb colleagues, we went off road for a couple of miles, Fineshade woods-

The roads were exceedingly quiet, even for Rutland, I think everyone was shopping, passed by maybe a dozen or so cars in 53 miles and no numpty's.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I was woken this morning by the sound of my neighbour scraping ice off her car. It was still dark, but the skies were clear - it meant only one thing: this morning's bike ride was going to be cold... Looking outside at the 'front' in the sheltered courtyard, even my landlady's cars had ice on them... not a good sign. Decision made, I would break out the skull cap and winter gloves for the first time this year - leg warmers came out on Sunday.

Sure enough, they were all needed for the first 45 mins until I got too hot - cue to loose the skull cap.
I'm not sure what was happening with the roads today, but they were really busy. Queue where there are never normally queues and decisions to be made (like avoid local town centre if queue is this far out) mean that my route out to my mum & step-father's was more of a curious affair than normal. I didn't mind too much - I hate traffic queues, so with mixed apprehension cycled up the right hand side of a queue of cars (not something I normally like doing) to get to the right turn somewhat sooner (safer than the left because people were too far over to the curb...). Then onto the local cycle lanes, and over the River Weaver. I should really have stopped and photo'ed the river - it was totally calm with water vapour rising off it (can't really use the word steam when it is below freezing out)., the reflections were perfect and the sun was backlighting the water vapour, but I needed to be on the otherside of the dual carriageway and there is no crossing it between junctions. Close to Middlewich and I found stationary traffic again in a place never before seen, so cue another re-route which brought me out on a road I would not normally cycle in the rush hour (+200 collisions in 3 years according to the road signs). But it too was slow, only marginally faster than my cycling speed... the cause was a +1 on those stats but how is exactly anyone's guess because only 1 vehicle was involved but there is now a considerable amount of a farmers fence missing (straight section of road with that extra grippy tarmac...) The vehicle had clearly flipped a couple of times, but I guess if you are going to crash then doing on the road that the A&E is on is probably your best option....
From there it was single track back lanes, car drivers saying thank you for pulling over, the milk collection lorry driver being very grateful that I stopped to let him passed (single track and he has come from behind me, it really was the only option with no passing place anywhere near by). Then the wonderful signpost that tells me I only have 3 miles (of 21-25 miles) left to go and a really enjoyable, if slightly colder morning ride to my parent's.

Home was in the dark and uneventful other than a gritter nearly gritting me. Luckily on the country lane he realised at the last minute I was a cyclist and turned the gritting off as I went alongside him. I think me covering my eyes with my hand may have been the clue!

Out http://www.strava.com/activities/100677261 (35km)
Home http://www.strava.com/activities/100677264 (33.3km)

Repeat tomorrow because my step father is not looking very well, not feeling very well and my mother has to go out, and no-one wants to leave him alone at the moment. Oh and I got let loose with his drill to drill 6 holes in the outside of his house, unsupervised! (that's a sure sign he really is not well...) Somehow the lack of supervision made the task much easier! Fitting a hand rail (to support full body weight) to the step by the front door so he can transfer from one wheelchair to another.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Did no-one else go out for a ride today? I hope someone else did because I can't be the only insane non-commuter on CC please... (OK, I know the rides to my parent's are more like a commute at the moment but we are hopeful by Easter next year they should have become more of a leisure activity again, and you're all a much nicer bunch than the commuters crowd who all seem to think you have to have a paid job in order to commute...)

Well I set out in bright sunshine and blue skies.... and not a touch of wind...(I kid not!) right up until the mid-point of my ride at which point life got a touch windy and unfortunately as is always the case with the ride to my parent's it has this habit of being a nasty headwind on the most exposed parts... I know at one point I could only hold 13kph on a straight, almost flat road (slight rise going by the locks & canal). I won't convert that to mph: it is simply too embarrassing ... I was glad to get off onto the tiny back lanes I cycle because of the appalling number of close passes I had this morning and also because the hedgerows offer some respite from the headwind... I met the milk tanker coming towards me today so it was much easier to get passed him without needing to stop - useful because I was in my granny gear, uphill into a nasty headwind and the last thing on my mind was the desire to stop (actually my thighs will tell you another story if I let them tell the truth! ).

I am now fit enough to manage this ride without the need to stop, usually but today was another matter entirely. It is the 3rd day out of 4 that I have done this 'ride/commute' and I was exhausted by the headwind, so stopped to take a photo of a signpost that I am always very grateful to see. Today I was more than grateful to see it. there is nothing significant about the signpost other than it tells me the worst of the 'climb' is over and I only have 3 miles left to cycle

Coming home again was great fun... that wind was still there only it was a tailwind (for 3/4's of the journey at least). I waited until it was totally dark - gets around the issues of idiots drivers not having their lights on and I know I am much more visible at night and then I set off. Stopping was probably the hardest part - nothing to do with my brake blocks, more to do with that rather stiff tailwind assist I had. I know at one point a driver was clearly confused as to what was going on, I was nearly flying along some back lanes with a 30mph limit and they simply could not get passed me and yet I was not prepared to let the bike run downhill simply because of the gusty nature of the wind. Life was dry and mild until I reached Northwich and by the time I had to head back into the headwind the weather had clearly decided I had had enough fun for today and turned the wash cycle on (aka torrential rain swept in by high winds gusting all over the place!). Inside 5 mins I had that water running down your face into your eyes, just open your mouth to get a drink look and by the time I met my own lane there was no way I could cycle my own lane - this is not on. The rain was simply too heavy for me to spot the unlit lane despite my off-road front light! Between the mud, rivers of water, nasty speed bumps and me not being able to keep my eyes open due to torrential rain, I only had one option left - get off and walk!

Going out was 33.35km and took me 1 hr 59 mins... coming home was 33.33km and only took me 1 hr 31 mins despite having to walk the last 1km!

Somehow on the way out I managed to 'claim' a strava QOM - not sure how though because I thought it started one junction further on and was too knackered to even attempt to try for it today!

Out - http://www.strava.com/activities/100823713
Home - http://www.strava.com/activities/100823717 (2nd fastest run home from parent's! very much wind assisted)

 

[HLaB]

on the subject of cadence, 233 rpm is going some HLaB, I can't do that on fixed],

Lol as youve probably suspected I guess that a mis reading, probably when I've been hovering at a junction :-) The max on that rid looking at the graph was 108rpm and thats more realistic. Even on the best day I dont think Ive been above 170rpm on the turbo (135rpm on the fix ). Its just a nice to know post ride nothing to get hung up about on the ride; its the same for the other stats garmin collects.

 

[cyberknight]

Normal commute, the return trip was all the way home in the head wind which meant i wa sin the small ring most of the way home.
Its pretty unnerving being on an unlit country lane where you can see the leaves being blown down the road towards you along with the rain , not to mention the gusts of wind from gates that tried to blow you into the road.
The best image of my ride today would be like Tommy Voeckler last year at the TDF when hes sprinting flat out at about 7 mph to win that stage (?)

 

[totallyfixed]

Lol as youve probably suspected I guess that a mis reading, probably when I've been hovering at a junction :-) The max on that rid looking at the graph was 108rpm and thats more realistic. Even on the best day I dont think Ive been above 170rpm on the turbo (135rpm on the fix ). Its just a nice to know post ride nothing to get hung up about on the ride; its the same for the other stats garmin collects.

How accurate is the altitude? I have an altimeter and barometer on my watch that seems to be remarkably accurate because I can compare it to known points on a map, however when I compared it to a friends Garmin at the end of a ride there was several hundred meters difference!

 

[colly]

How accurate is the altitude? I have an altimeter and barometer on my watch that seems to be remarkably accurate because I can compare it to known points on a map, however when I compared it to a friends Garmin at the end of a ride there was several hundred meters difference!

I have a feeling all the figures from Garmin like devices are kind of 'round about'. I upload my stuff onto RWGPS and onto Strava and although they are similar they don't coincide ever.
Maybe it's just that the different sites use different methods to interpret the data.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Lol as youve probably suspected I guess that a mis reading, probably when I've been hovering at a junction :-) The max on that rid looking at the graph was 108rpm and thats more realistic. Even on the best day I dont think Ive been above 170rpm on the turbo (135rpm on the fix ). Its just a nice to know post ride nothing to get hung up about on the ride; its the same for the other stats garmin collects.

My best cadence on the fixed recently has been in the 150-160 range, I had a chance recently to find out what I could do but bailed out of it, I'd not long left the cafe and hadn't had a chance to get warmed up, I didn't want to risk an injury.

http://goo.gl/maps/KQAd6