Your ride today.... (part 1)

[PeteXXX]

A mate bought a full carbon synapse a few weeks ago but hasn't had a chance to take it out for a spin (I'd have ridden it back from the shop!!), I think he thought carbon shouldn't go out in the rain..

Today was its inaugural ride. Having finished work at midnight, I managed to get 6 hours sleep before aiming over to t'other side of town to meet up with him and another friend. Coffee was drunk, and the bike was checked over and admired for a while, then it was time to get some dirt on his tyres.
After a few miles we had to pull over and tighten up his seatpost as he was getting closer to the ground with every pedal stroke. He'd used the proper grease for carbon to carbon, but after several fettle stops he decided to head for home in case he scratched the seatpost or damaged it.

Mid fettle..
He's taking it back this afternoon I think.
Anyway, after a chat for 30 mins or so, two of us rode together until our paths split left and right. I wasn't minded to go straigh home so I put a few more miles in towards Cogenhoe, Earls Barton hill and homewards.

The rooks are nesting already and making their usual racket!!

Back home for a bacon sarnie.

33 miles in all. Just as I got home, the sun came out. Typical! Still, it was a pleasant ride.

http://app.strava.com/activities/119646562

 

[young Ed]

only commute today still thats 15 miles more under the belt!
Cheers Ed

 

[MontyVeda]

after Sunday's 25 mile jaunt with my buddy, today i extended the same route a bit to about 43 miles...

... but not knowing the roads too well around St Michael's-on-Wyre, i ended up going to Gt Eccleston, then back to St Michael's and rejoining the planned route, which made it 47 miles in total. 4 hours start to finish, and with a couple of stops i reckon 3h45m in the saddle.

Only one bad pass from a complete nobber who couldn't be arsed to wait for the obvious passing place a mere 10 no 5 yards ahead of where he squeezed past... prick!

I think i have earned beer and take-away

 

[young Ed]

only commute today still thats 15 miles more under the belt!
Cheers Ed

commute tomorrow will bring me to 400 miles, 100 miles short of halfway to my years target and i may well get to the half way point this month which is a quarter of the way through the year so at this rate i will get near on 2,000 miles (double my target) so i may well have to up that target!
Cheers Ed

 

[young Ed]

after Sunday's 25 mile jaunt with my buddy, today i extended the same route a bit to about 43 miles...

View attachment 39717
... but not knowing the roads too well around St Michael's-on-Wyre, i ended up going to Gt Eccleston, then back to St Michael's and rejoining the planned route, which made it 47 miles in total. 4 hours start to finish, and with a couple of stops i reckon 3h45m in the saddle.

Only one bad pass from a complete nobber who couldn't be arsed to wait for the obvious passing place a mere 10 yards ahead of where he squeezed past... prick!

I think i have earned beer and take-away

sounds good
i don't think i would enjoy all the noise from the m6 on the way out, did it other you much?
Cheers Ed

 

[young Ed]

I met a friend at his house this morning as he had routed a 65 mile trip for us to crack on with. Quick cuppa at Andy's house and we set off in the blazing sunshine. From his house we made our way to Haverfordwest which started out with a 3 mile hack up hill.......
Got to the top where we were greeted by a fellow cyclist who had stopped for a quick drink .....
View attachment 39635
View attachment 39636
After a brief refreshment of our own we descended on the other side of the mountain hitting 49mph as we did so. Made all that climbing worthwhile !!
From Havorfordwest we headed for the seaside town of Newgale where we stopped for a banana break and watched a couple of surfers hit the waves......
View attachment 39639
View attachment 39640
Was a hell of a climb as we came out of Newgale but the scenery was simply breathtaking, which took the pain out of the hill a little bit......
View attachment 39642
Next stop was another seaside town called St Davids where we found a cracking little café. Latte and lemon cake was a warm welcome....
View attachment 39643
20 mins later we made our way to Fishguard where we had another coffee before the last 15 miles back to Andy's house in Eglwyswrw
View attachment 39646
View attachment 39647
His bike he has recently built for our London to Paris trip in September. ..
View attachment 39648
Really digging these steel retro looking roadies at the minute.
Thoroughly enjoyed today and felt like I could have completed my first century if we decided to carry on, but my van was at Andy's house so ill leave that for another day.......
View attachment 39651

65 miles done !

is that garmin edge touring in last pic? is it the plus model? what is the little personalized thing saying doyley burger under it? do you use it for navigation?
Cheers Ed

 

[MontyVeda]

sounds good
i don't think i would enjoy all the noise from the m6 on the way out, did it bother you much?
Cheers Ed

you only notice it when you're crossing it... so no.. it's a lovely route, nicely undulating on the lower flanks of the Pennines, then flat as a pancake on the western half of the route.

commute tomorrow will bring me to 400 miles, 100 miles short of halfway to my years target and i may well get to the half way point this month which is a quarter of the way through the year so at this rate i will get near on 2,000 miles (double my target) so i may well have to up that target!
Cheers Ed

Well done... I don;t think I've even done 100 miles this year... and most of those are in the last week or two.

 

[Doyleyburger]

is that garmin edge touring in last pic? is it the plus model? what is the little personalized thing saying doyley burger under it? do you use it for navigation?
Cheers Ed

Yeah it's the non plus touring model !
Does the job !
I ordered my name graphics from eBay. Goes nicely on the top cap. Just a bit of personalised bling !

 

[ScotiaLass]

A glorious (approx) 19 miles....yes I finally broke the 15 mile barrier

We headed the usual route from home via the cycle paths to Helix Park, then onto the canal towpath, cycling from Lock 1 all the way up to Lock 16 on the Forth & Clyde canal.

Lock 9

Lock 16 is the last lock before the canal winds it's way along to the Falkirk Wheel.
It was a pleasant surprise to find that since the last time I cycled this stretch, it has been laid with tarmac.
Before I got to this point I realised that my padded undershorts were a source of major irritation (they are too big for me now) so I decided to stop at the Falkirk Wheel and pop to the ladies and remove them.
Well, I would have done this had the visitors centre been open! It's still working on Winter hours so is closed on a Monday/Tuesday.
I did notice a big group of people - looked like a business conference - hanging about - take note of this...

Okay, plan B! take off the undershorts in a bush....no wait, it's not spring yet and everything is still bare.
Okay, plan C! You know how us women can remove our bra without taking off our tops?
See where this is going yet?
I found a small wooden seat half way up the hill that leads up to the top basin of the wheel. No one was about so I commenced operation Remove Irritation.
I rolled my undershorts down under my baggies then sat down and proceeded to do 'the trick'.
I had just got one leg free and was busy fumbling about trying to get the undershorts pulled up under the baggies so I could stuff them down the other leg, and get them off...
It was then I noticed it.....a barge FULL of people, going up on the barge lift...with a bird's eye view of what I was doing!
I have no shame, so just continued and triumphantly pulled the undershorts out and stuffed them into my rucksack

After that little drama we cycled up to the top basin...

View at the top basin, Falkirk Wheel

From here we headed over to the Roughcastle Community Woodland for a little trail riding and then up to the remains of the Roman Fort and Antonine Wall.

Overlooking the ditch where the Antonine wall once stood

View in the opposite direction

We headed back via the canal but the Falkirk Tunnel is closed for path upgrades so we had to divert.
This took us out near Callendar Woods so we cycled through, and eventually met back up with the cycle paths that had taken us into the Helix park at the start of our journey.
I was absolutely shattered at this point. I walked up the cemetery hill and cycled up the incline into the village.
I am sitting here totally wiped out...my son is currently in the kitchen baking peanut butter cookies! Oh the youth!

It was a great ride though but I am really feeling it tonight!
If you managed to read all of that - well done!

 

[young Ed]

A glorious (approx) 19 miles....yes I finally broke the 15 mile barrier

We headed the usual route from home via the cycle paths to Helix Park, then onto the canal towpath, cycling from Lock 1 all the way up to Lock 16 on the Forth & Clyde canal.
View attachment 39726
Lock 9

Lock 16 is the last lock before the canal winds it's way along to the Falkirk Wheel.
It was a pleasant surprise to find that since the last time I cycled this stretch, it has been laid with tarmac.
Before I got to this point I realised that my padded undershorts were a source of major irritation (they are too big for me now) so I decided to stop at the Falkirk Wheel and pop to the ladies and remove them.
Well, I would have done this had the visitors centre been open! It's still working on Winter hours so is closed on a Monday/Tuesday.
I did notice a big group of people - looked like a business conference - hanging about - take note of this...

Okay, plan B! take off the undershorts in a bush....no wait, it's not spring yet and everything is still bare.
Okay, plan C! You know how us women can remove our bra's without taking off our tops?
See where this is going yet?
I found a small wooden seat half way up the hill that leads up to the top basin of the wheel. No one was about so I commenced operation Remove Irritation.
I rolled my undershorts down under my baggies then sat down and proceeded to do 'the trick'.
I had just got one leg free and was busy fumbling about trying to get the undershorts pulled up under the baggies so I could stuff them down the other leg, and get them off...
It was then I noticed it.....a barge FULL of people, going up on the barge lift...with a bird's eye view of what I was doing!
I have no shame, so just continued and triumphantly pulled the undershorts out and stuffed them into my rucksack

After that little drama we cycled up to the top basin...

View attachment 39737
View at the top basin, Falkirk Wheel

From here we headed over to the Roughcastle Community Woodland for a little trail riding and then up to the remains of the Roman Fort and Antonine Wall.

View attachment 39738
Overlooking the ditch where the Antonine wall once stood

View attachment 39739
View in the opposite direction

We headed back via the canal but the Falkirk Tunnel is closed for upgrades so we had to divert.
This took us out near Callendar Woods so we cycled through, and eventually met back up with the cycle paths that had taken us into the Helix park at the start of our journey.
I was absolutely shattered at this point and very tired. I walked up the cemetery hill and cycled up the incline into the village.
I am sitting here totally wiped out...my son is currently in the kitchen baking peanut butter cookies! Oh the youth!

It was a great ride though but I am really feeling it tonight!
If you managed to read all of that - well done!

congrats!
i am still waiting for a chance to go for 50 miles then 70 then my first imperial century! hoping to have at lest one imperial century under the belt before this year draws to a close
Cheers Ed

 

[dan_bo]

Extended commute home via saddleworth tonight. Turned off grains bar to come home into this.....

 

[I like Skol]

Extended commute home via saddleworth tonight. Turned off grains bar to come home into this.....

View attachment 39753

You lucky bugger! I think I would extend my commute if I wasn't rushing home to get the kids to school. I sometimes do on a sunny Sunday morning if I have just finished a night shift. It's lovely leaving work and doing an extra 10 or 15 miles while the roads are quiet.

 

[dan_bo]

You lucky bugger! I think I would extend my commute if I wasn't rushing home to get the kids to school. I sometimes do on a sunny Sunday morning if I have just finished a night shift. It's lovely leaving work and doing an extra 10 or 15 miles while the roads are quiet.

Yeah it is. Especially when you work next to saddleworth....

 

[cosmicbike]

Given the excellent forecast it would have been almost rude not to have gone out today. I'd made a minor adjustment to the new Charge Spoon angle of dangle as it was a bit less than comfy last time out, so needed a 20 miler to test it. Setting out at about 0930 it was anything but sunny, with a faint mist as I headed off up through Virginia Water towards my regular haunt, the Royal Landscape. Since I was on the road bike I didn't enter by the lake, instead ambling up the hill on the A30 before heading off towards the Savill Garden via Wick Lane, another of those which is definitely more hilly on the bike than in the car, before going in via Bishopsgate. Into Deer Park and it was very quiet, the mist heavier here and dulling off any sounds, all I could hear was the whisper of the well mickled chain zipping round the rear cassette. Every now and then I spotted the deer in the mist, all very serene. Once past the village it was a case of up and down a few hills, there's 3 all next to each other so you can go up one, down the next, up the next and so on, none are big, but as they say, every little helps...
Now, I didn't take any pictures today (too busy enjoying the views), but here's one from a couple of weeks back. It's in the Valley Garden, just off the side of Guards Polo Club, and somewhere bikes are not allowed, so taken when walking the dog. This time of year burning is a common sight, just seems to be more so this year presumably due to the winds we had. Just a small example of the amount of work that goes into keep the Royal Landscape all prim and proper.

Quick coffee at Savil Gardens, then a lap of the Polo Club/Smiths Lawn before heading for home through Englefield Green. Bit of a change for me coming home, thought I'd give Prune Hill a go, not one I'll be doing again soon as the surface was terrible and spent all the way down on the brakes.
Got home just as the sun came out, so well timed as always.
23 miles, and pleased to report the 'Spoon' is now really quite comfy. Rest day tomorrow, and hoping the weather holds for Fridays outing

 

[ScotiaLass]

Back from a lovely 12 miles.
I didn't stop for pictures today but did a round route to Helix Park, past the Kelpies and then along side the River Carron and into Abbotshaugh Community Woods for a loop round, then reverse.
I got up cemetery hill in one go, although no faster than usual.
However, when I first got back on the bike in October it was taking me 30 mins to reach the Helix.
Today (even with a slight headwind) I did in 19mins!! Wow! That's quite a difference in a short space of time (well for me anyway!).

I had an epiphany and the bike now has a name! (see other thread).

I went into town this morning before the ride and bought some new shorts as I had a feeling that my old ones weren't helping the sore butt issue.
I was right...I needed a size smaller and bought two pairs, one padded, one unpadded.
I wore the padded today in combination with the new seat I'm trying out, I was a very happy bunny!
I may just have cracked it!!