Your ride today.... (part 1)

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Managed to get out for the last ride of 2013 as there was a break in the rain this afternoon. The sun even came out! Mrs 26 came as did daughter #2. We took a lanesy route around the north end of the Hills and looped around the western side. The ford at Clencher's Mill was running pretty fast and deep so the footbridge was the answer today. We returned by more lanes with 37 miles under our wheels at the end.
Lovely way to end the year with a pleasant family outing

 

[Bobby Mhor]

Woohoo
First ride of the year for me...in the bag.
A out in the dark visit along the local track, only 16ml...
Wasn't venturing on the side roads as pothole city...

Met revellers in the strangest of places....
plus it was raining in bits...the cold wet stuff

 

[biggs682]

A quick 11 miles this morning making first ride of 2014 . went further than planned as a n other cyclist was out and they inspired me to follow and see if i could catch his wheel , which i just managed as we got to the Earls Barton cross roads on the A4500 , not sure if they realised i was behind them or not but thanks who ever you were for giving me an incentive

 

[Saluki]

Ooooh page 666, the page of the beast?

Took the husband out with me for an 8.15 mile ride in 39:35 around the Wattlefield (short) loop, going in a clockwise direction as the hills are at the start and finish so a nice gentle, undulating mostly downhill for the rest of the way, which I thought would be better for his first ride since about October (I am telling you, that carbon Boardman is getting fat!).
It was a nice ride, very windy though. The first bit up Silfield Road was just horrible, turning off onto Wattlefield Road was lovely, the battering of the wind just stopped. Wonderful, like having a disclocated shoulder put back.
In fact the rest of the ride was great until we got back around to near the Station and then we turned directly back into that wind again and our progress slowed from about 13 mph down to about 7mph as we just kept on pedaling through it. I waited half way along as Hubster was having problems, that wind really caught him out.
We averaged 12.2mph, which is astonishing in. Mind you, on the back roads, sheltered by the tall hedges, we were getting pushed along at a happy 17+ mph which made up for the 7 - 8mph into the wind.
Naturally the local club swooped down the hill at a pace while we were slogging up it looking like overweight neophites who had got a bike for Xmas. But they were gone so fast that they didn't get a good look anyway. That hill is one that we whoosh up at about 14-15mph when fit, today less than 10. In a month or so though........

 

[alans]

Today PlanA rapidly became PlanB

Plan A was.... ride to the village for newspapers & victuals(approx 1km round trip)the long way round which would have been approx 10km.,sufficient to get heart,lungs & muscles into New Year wake-up mode;particularly in consideration of even more rain & wind than yesterday

So I got togged up in wet weather clobber,sealskinz,overshoes & sandals & set off down the hill to the High St..I had to change down a couple of gears & pedal downhill. I did stop pedalling as I crossed the bridge & the wind actually did bring me to a halt.
My brain & body had a quick committee meeting & unanimously decided to invoke PlanB which was goto Co-Op,collect vituals,do not pass Go but return directly to home.
The uphill return was a joy;I actually changed up a gear.

I probably spent more time getting togged up & de-togged than I did riding.
C'est la vie.

 

[PeteXXX]

Just back from a very wet, windy and muddy ride.... I only had 45 minutes, according to the forecast, before the rain started.
They were correct!.

This hill down from Great Billing church was more slippery than I thought it was going to be, but not as slippery as one of my regular riverside paths...

I did chicken out at this point as wet roots next to a river seemed a bit dodgy..
In the summer, or when the river is a bit lower, I ride in the water as the riverbed is fairly level and actually easier than the bankside but it's 18" deep at the moment so I didn't bother today.

Never mind, I found a shop open in Brafield on the Green and though a New Year ice-cream would be appropriate as they didn't sell decent cake of coffee..

It got a bit battered after I'd ridden a mile or so to Whiston Ford before I stopped to eat it...
Never mind, it tasted good!

The bridle ways were a bit moist in places, but as it was about to start hissing down, it didn't make much difference really.

At least it washed the mud off the tyres!!

Only 17 miles ridden but it seemed like so many more with a rainy headwind pummelling me for about an hour.
Still, nice to get the 1st ride in on the 1st day of the year, and it wasn't even cold!

http://www.strava.com/activities/103169274

 

[colly]

The new year rides started with a short uninspiring out and back to the sunshine capital of West Yorkshire..............Wetherby. Except Wetherby was short on sun.
18miles or so at about 16.5mph and about 1100ft of climbing.

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2121431
http://app.strava.com/activities/103174873

 

[Toeclip]

Just a wee spin of 13 miles to wish my local CTC group a happy New Year, not many of them out this morning probably due to the wet and windy weather.

 

[DCLane]

Wet and windy Ravensthorpe CC ride to Oil Can Cafe plus an additional early loop via Holmfirth/Emley Mast: http://www.strava.com/activities/103182340

65 miles which puts me, temporarily, top of MyCyclingLog . It'll be the only time this year, so I'll revel in it for the 10 minutes or so I'm at the top. The only way is down ...

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Metric hundred to start the year off. First 35 - 40 miles a bit windy and a bit drizzly. The wind decided to pick up and the rain got heavier and turned to hail. Very hard work for the last 20 miles or so, gloves have never been so wet, no way will they be dry for the commute tomorrow.

 

[Hacienda71]

45 miles for me. Met 12 other Cyclechatters in Manchester city centre for Skolly's New Years day ride and battled our way through driving rain, punctures, unoncious people, ambulances around North and East Manchester to the Vinery in Bruntwood Park. I left them near the aiport. There will no doubt be some more in depth accounts in due course.

Skud lookking somewhat put out. Potsy refusing to smile for the camera.

The real reason for the stop.

 

[craigwend]

The first ride / 10 of the year, very - very windy

having squeezed 5.5 'family walk' & before the 'weather arrived' with vengeance ...

I managed to squeeze the ride between downpours

The wind powered me like 'EPO /Armstrong' from behind & from the front Stretch - Armstrong !

A dour day - but the start for 2014

 

[Rustybucket]

http://app.strava.com/activities/103172158

Very wet & very windy ride today! Did a few laps of Richmond park - not very busy this morning. By the time I got home I was soaked thru. Stupidly didnt have any waterproofs with me, never-mind enjoyed being out without too much traffic on the roads.

Happy New Year everyone!!!!

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm going to try and write down on here every mile i've cycled in 2014. To start with i'll write down today's ride which was 12.961 miles on my exercise bike.

 

[derrick]

Had a heavy night did not get up till 1-45pm felt a bit groggy it was peeing down with rain blowing a gale, so i got on the rollers fell of at 10 miles, got back on did another couple of miles, ended up with 12 miles on the garmin, memo to one self don't ride the rollers with a hangover.