Your ride today.... (part 1)

[Rickshaw Phil]

At least you have a footbridge to walk the bike over. The stepping stones in my example are a bit dodgy if you have Look cleats on your shoes!

Hmmm, I can imagine.

 

[gavgav]

This one has cobbles too and there was a hole where some have been swept away. My sister fell in the brook because of it last time I took her out that way.

Don't know whether it's been fixed (probably not) which is another reason for not risking it.

Poor Jen. She'll never live that down !!

 

[skudupnorth]

Every Wednesday we have a community nite ride here where I live... we alternate between several routes, each about 30-35km only. this is to cater for every type of bike & level of rider. 2 checkpoints & a sweeper provides a certain feeling of security for newbies, all in an effort to create awareness & generate interest towards cycling.

View attachment 34579
This was last nite's crowd.

I like that idea ! Looks fun

 

[skudupnorth]

Yesterday I tested the ice levels on my way to Styal for some volunteering with the National Trust.......Bike OK but I now have more battle scars ! I could not even stand up on the damn stuff to collect bike and belongings 44 miles done there and back so not a bad day.

 

[coffeejo]

Not checked the Garmin yet but I think I did about 15 or so miles yesterday, though what it won't have recorded is how varied the ride was. Had to work hard to get into town and the LBS - for the last couple of days I've been thinking I might overindulged on the chocolate front as it's all been a bit of an effort. Then I discovered that my front brakes were rubbing.

With that sorted I did what I needed to in town and then got absolutely soaked cycling to a friend's. And I mean drenched. I dried off nicely with the help of lots of tea, mince pies and the open fire, which meant that the ride home was consequently a bit of a shock to the system as it was much, much later than I'd intended and really quite chilly. Luckily it was one of those wonderful winter nights where I was so busy enjoying the clear night sky (not to mention the resistance-free front wheel) that I barely noticed cold. Well, not until I took my gloves off to lock the bike up.

 

[Justiffa]

I like that idea ! Looks fun

Yup it sure is…. also provides the opportunity to meet up with old friends, make new ones & catch up with the latest cycling gossip lol. and to generate greater interest & excitement, once a month we'd have a small lucky draw of about 5-10 prezzies in the form of gift vouchers, discount cards, gloves, water bottles, blinkers, etc sponsored by local bike shops

 

[PeteXXX]

Up at a leisurely 08:30 this morning, having finished work at 01:00, and the weather was too nice to waste.
I set out on the Hardtail to do a few miles across the local bridleways before another yet 12 hour shift at 14:30 this afternoon

Still, nearly finished for Christmas..
I rode round the back of Billing Aquadrome to the Washlands.

And through Little Houghton. This road used to be the A428 to Bedford!!

Luckily the village is by-passed now. I ended up near a filed road to Cogenhoe (pronounced cook-no) by the locals) and saw the sign for a local archery club I hope to join now my shifts have settled down a bit.

Back across the rivers via an old packhorse bridge and up the hill to home

Bearing in mind this is miles from anywhere I suppose someone needed somewhere to rest so they brought their sofa with them and kindly left it for others to enjoy......

Anyway. 14.5 miles done, puddles jumped and time for a shower and work..


http://www.strava.com/activities/101058601

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Off work this morning so I got the fixed out for a little 45 miler stopping at Middleton hall for a coffee and a beans on toast, got there and I had to wait for them to open. cold bright morning with only a hint of a breeze, by the time I was on the way back I had a strong head wind, the roads were mostly OK though our road was covered in frost when I set out, Washbrook lane was slippery, someone had put a Mitsubishi pickup truck in the Hedge on its side half way up that lane, the Police were sorting it out when I came past, Harvest Hill and Kimwalsey Lanes were covered in crap with the odd frozen puddle to catch you out, but all the frost had cleared by the time I was riding back and the roads were only damp and mucky. Another enjoyable winter fixed ride and now I've got chores to do.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I was up with my OH this morning, him to drive to work, me to cycle over to my parents' home for the 4th time in 6 days. I knew I was tired and I knew life was very icy. It had clearly taken everyone by surprise this morning. There was ice everywhere and it was a gingerly does it around almost every bend & junction I came across. Even main/major roads had ice on them. But it was also a really nice ride it - if at times a touch worrying because of the low sun being reflected off a wet/icy road and at times I knew I probably was not visible and could only hope. Anyhow, I made it with no incidents for myself but a white van driver, who very kindly and considerately went completely over to the over side of the road (and I mean all wheel the other side of the white line), well he scared the living daylights out of himself when he suddenly realised that he was about to pass the house he was meant to be turning right into and tried using his brakes... he probably would have stood much more change of actually stopping sooner if he had not used his brakes - all 4 wheels locked up and the vehicle carried on going - luckily he was well in front of me at this point... Other than that and one or two really seriously icy patches on the back lanes (oh and a group of idiots who think using water to de-ice their car with is a good move on a down hill gradient, where it runs across the entire road leaving thick rivers of ice on national cycle route/lane) it was an uneventful journey out to my parents.

Somehow Bostock Green actually looks quite nice in this photo!

Errands/chores done, and trees climbed, and time to set off home in the dark. I'm back there tomorrow (with the car, I have ours and their Christmas food chopping to get done) so I left my panniers behind and travelled light. Getting home was more interesting though, not because of the ice, but because the fully charged exposure joystick for the return journey was not fully charged. In fact just after leaving my parents' home it informed me it was at 25% capacity - that is roughly 30-45 mins charge! Unfortunately I knew that the one I cycled in with this morning was also at 25%... so the journey home on mostly unlit country lanes became something of a balancing act periodically stopping to see which of the 2 lights was brightest. In Northwich, the first on them failed on me, switching to 5% emergency mode where it changes from a see with light to a be seen with light.... time to change over. The 2nd one perished 2 miles from home, just when I need it the most! From there it was a slow and careful approach home with me not really being able to see the road... Thankfully my timing was such that whilst the wind picked up on the final stretch, the rain literally started as I walked up to the front door, so I opened the door and walked in carrying my bike. One look at the weather outside and me & the bike being dry soon explained the situation and my bike is tucked up inside for another night. I can't be doing with fighting in the dark & torrential rain to lock it to my OH's bike, cover them both up and then come in wet...

277.6km (173 miles) in the last 6 days and I am slightly ... I got the car tomorrow and strangely feel like I am both letting the side down and rather happy about it!

Out http://www.strava.com/activities/101102532
Home http://www.strava.com/activities/101102535

 

[Spartak]

Short ride this morning to the Brittiania Cafe on Gloucester Road, Filton.

It was my first visit to this iconic cafe in Bristol.
When I enquired if they served cappucino the reply came 'no, but I can do you a frothy coffee'
A great fry-up & a bargain at £5-50 inc coffee !!!

http://www.strava.com/activities/101180531

 

[potsy]

Today's ride went to @SatNavSaysStraightOn country and a trip to Delamere Forest cafe, not been there before and very much enjoyed the route.
Some very quiet peaceful if muddy lanes, which means the summer bike might be a little on the dirty side now though, 56+ miles with Mr and Mrs @400bhp

Waiting for route leader -

Quiet roads -

Choice of cake at the cafe -

Instead I went for the bacon butty and coffee combination as I'm on a strict diet

Dirty bikes -

 

[coffeejo]

I was going to lead a ride for my cycle group over the hills to wivesliscombe for the Farmers Market but after the wind and rain these last few days, thought it would be better to implement Plan B instead and go to Wellington for their Market since it's much closer and although the roads were likely to be bad, we knew that the Wivey ones would be much worse. Think it was a good call - we went through several stretches of flood water and there seemed to be more mud than tarmac on most of the lanes. Dithered initially about taking the road bike but was actually relieved to be on the hybrid with its chunky tyres. Highlight of the ride? Managing to fit in two coffee stops, even though it was under 30 miles. Result.

 

[theloafer]

well been a bad year cycling wise ...what with me had 3 operation's on my right eye had no rides with the club either as still suffering with double vision in it..(not good for group rides).. and I have seemed to lost all motivation which is narking me ..so today call to see grandkids drop off some cash for Christmas (saves trying to think what to buy them)... and a mate I used to work with who is feeling a bit down at the moment ... only 16 mile and boy did it hurt http://connect.garmin.com/activity/418017314

 

[400bhp]

Today's ride went to @SatNavSaysStraightOn country and a trip to Delamere Forest cafe, not been there before and very much enjoyed the route.
Some very quiet peaceful if muddy lanes, which means the summer bike might be a little on the dirty side now though, 56+ miles with Mr and Mrs @400bhp

Don't forget the woman who wanted us to ask permission to use HER road that SHE pays to use.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Don't forget the woman who wanted us to ask permission to use HER road that SHE pays to use.

thought I had them better trained than that around here - must have been east side of Northwich.... still working on them