Your ride today.... (part 1)

[arranandy]

I'm jealous of everybody getting out in this good weather. I'm on dayshift this week (7 until 7) plus my 35 mile drive each way means I've only managed 2 late evening turbo sessions this week. However I'm off to Mallorca on Saturday for a weeks cycling so I shall endeavour to post up some ride reports and photos

 

[coffeejo]

On Saturday I'm leading a 50 mile ride for my cycle group to Escot Park near Ottery St Mary, Devon but since I've not been that way since last year, I thought I'd better do a recce ride yesterday to see what state the roads are in after the flooding this winter.Yesterday was misty to begin with (perfect for the morning hills) and then the countryside was bathed in glorious sunshine, but Saturday looks to be grey and a bit grim. I'll just have to describe the views...

It was a good thing I did the recce as the smaller lanes are somewhat wrecked, sadly the ones that involve the best descents. Ho hum, never mind. Just hope I do as a good a job of pothole dodging on Saturday as I did yesterday.

Not many photos as a friend came with me and we were too busy chatting and having a laugh to stop.

My bike made a friend at Escot

I think "croyle" means "crow wood" or something similar? Happy to be corrected.

Made some friends just a bit further up the road from the signpost.

Stopped for cake on the way home at the ever-fantastic Strand Stores in Culmstock.

It was my longest ride of the year to date - 63 miles with 3000+ft of climbing. And I'm doing it all again on Saturday. Though with a lot less cake, alas. I collected my friend on the way out and she gave me a home-made chocolate brownie to see me up the first hill. And then I had another piece when we stopped at hers afterwards. Om nom.

 

[dan_bo]

I like following this thread but it is hard to keep up. Sometimes I just quickly scan through the latest rides and miss a few out, but I would just like to say 'Keep up the good work everyone'!

I'm not even keeping up with my own rides. Here's a quick update:

Saturday 8th March - 33 hilly miles on a windy day with a superfit tiny friend who makes the petite dr_pink look tall! It was an extended edition of my 'Trauma of Trawden' route and I think it is the first time that I have ridden it since getting my DVT.

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Sunday, 9th March - 25 lumpy miles in the Spring sunshine. Took 38 seconds off my Cragg Vale HC time.

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Wednesday, 12th March: Another fantastic sunny Spring day here. I decided to tackle a couple of severe hills that I avoided since getting ill. My route was a hilly 25 miler - Hebden Bridge, Pecket Well, Old Town, Midgley, Luddenden, climb of Stocks Lane (used for National HC Championships a few years back), Wainstalls, Cold Edge, Oxenhope, Leeming, Sawood (to the top of the steep climb, then back down a bit), Black Moor Lane, Haworth Brow, Oxenhope, Cock Hill, Pecket Well, Hebden Bridge.

The main feature was the Stocks Lane climb which averages 11% for 2 km, and has a nasty kick up round an s-bend halfway.

Ride profile:

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Stocks Lane starts at about the 9km point. Here's a more detailed look at its profile:

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You can see where it ramps up round the bends at about 900 metres.

Here's what the bend looks like on Street view:

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My legs are stiff tonight!

Bloody remarkable really.

 

[Adam1965]

My morning ride out, total contrast from yesterday's weather, not a soul to be seen

 

[cosmicbike]

View attachment 39825 View attachment 39824 View attachment 39823 View attachment 39822 My morning ride out, total contrast from yesterday's weather, not a soul to be seen

Great pics, where was you riding?

 

[Adam1965]

Great pics, where was you riding?

I was riding in between an area called Marple and Romiley, the river is the Goyt, I didn't think the pics would come out as well as they have, only taken with iphone

 

[dan_bo]

I was riding in between an area called Marple and Romiley, the river is the Goyt, I didn't think the pics would come out as well as they have, only taken with iphone

That bridleway in the top pic- I was barelling down there with @longers a couple of years ago in heavy rain wearing a wooly peaked hat. Hit one pothole- bars rotated in the stem. Hit second pothole- heavy wet hat slipped over eyes. Careered out of control until hit third pothole.


Did a bit of swearing.

 

[Dangermouse]

Roll on 3:30.........pick Eileen up and then a good couple of hours riding somewhere

 

[HLaB]

Not today but yesterday after sitting in a court rooom (well jury room) all day at 4:15pm 'ish staring at a beautiful day, they told us we were released; so I jumped on the fixie and went for a slow extended commute to enjoy the last of the warm sunshine for the day a slow 26.5miles later I got back to the flat by that time the mist/fog was starting to settle in but that suited me as I was still in my work shirt and was deliberately going a pace where I wouldn't sweat.
Edit: if anybody is interested the ride is on STRAVA and it doen't work at work (stupid IT) but its nothing special anyway, just a slow go with the flow ride so as not to sweat.

 

[Adam1965]

I did jury service about 3 years ago, hope I never have to again, only got to sit on 1 trial and that only lasted 2 days, , the other 8 days were just spent hanging around waiting, sorry, no pun intended

 

[Dangermouse]

I did jury service about 3 years ago, hope I never have to again, only got to sit on 1 trial and that only lasted 2 days, , the other 8 days were just spent hanging around waiting, sorry, no pun intended

We were once witnesses at a Crown court case which lasted a week, we spent a week in a room with a police liason officer and 15 minutes in court............and after he was seen beating an old man, he walked free, the accused that is

 

[ComedyPilot]

Flinging back the curtains afforded me a view of the Yorkshire Wolds shrouded in a mist that was being quickly burnt off by the early morning sun. The bike was ready to go. A schluck of tea, 2 pieces of toast smothered generously with peanut butter and a pot of vanilla yoghurt gave my tummy something to keep it going for the time being. A quickly-disappearing ground frost meant I would be in bib longs and jacket to start the ride.

About 9AM I set off south towards Beverley to meet my little (faster than me now) brother. A couple of miles got the legs and lungs warmed ready for the day. We met up near Lund, and got the hello's out of the way and set off towards Kirkburn. After Kirkburn the road rose up towards Tibthorpe. I am not a climber (cyclist excuse #1) but I won't avoid them, I just grin and bear it.

5 miles later we were 500 feet higher and passing through the lovely village of Huggate (do have a pint at the pub, it's great). Beer wasn't on the menu for us, cake was at the Rambler's Rest in Millington, so we pressed on. About half a mile out of the village we summited for the day at about 650 feet ASL, before dropping down into Millington Pastures. The 30mph+ descent was chilly, but we'd earned a bit of speed after the climb. The 4 mile run through Millington Dale (timed perfectly with no cars) is a treat in either direction, heading West you get a lovely speedy and sinuous descent with a leg-sapping hairpin climb out at the end. Heading East you get a technical, switchback, on the hoods descent followed by a 2.5 mile climb out again. It's even nicer if the Highland Cattle are out grazing.

Dropping into Millington I made a bee-line for the Rambler's Rest. Alas, they were shut, so it was plan B time.

Turning left out of Millington I dropped into my granny ring. "Why have you just done that?" Bro asked as we shot down hill at speed.

"Oh, I get it" he added as we strarted to climb out of the other side.

Fair play to him, a year ago he couldn't even get up a hill like this, now he just jumps on the pedals and flies off into the distance (I must improve my climbing/get a lighter bike #2 excuse)

We stopped for Latte/Pannini/flapjack at the World Peace Cafe, and sat in the strengthening sun to keep warm.

After the cafe we set off and headed out into the East Yorkshire lanes (that were ours and almost devoid of motorised transport).

Initially we went to Nunburnholme, but I erred on the side of caution/wimp/chicken and turned right to Burnby to avoid Nunburnholme Hill (which ramps up 400 feet in a mile) and did the slightly less lumpy Burnby/Londesborough route. Even still there were a couple of little digs that got me working. Bro (seemingly) flew up them, but turned down my offer of a bike swap (16kg for his 9kg (excuse #3))

A lumpy run to Market Weighton was soon out of the way before we turned East and up into the Wolds again towards Kiplingcoates and Etton. A thoroughly pleasant 5 mile run (with a couple of lumpy bits) then through the South Dalton estate brought us to our fork in the road. Bro turned right to Beverley and I turned left and North back into the Wolds.

The last 10 miles home were a joy, with the afternoon springtime sun on my back, birds chirping in the hedgerows and daffs, snowdrops and assorted bulbs pushing their way out of the ground. A week or two more and the colour in the hedgerows will be a joy to behold. A 5 minute natter to an elderly neighbour on his dog walk was the only stop I had on the way home.

All in, a thoroughly enjoyable 46 miles in the bank, and can't wait to get out and do it all again tomorrow.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Nothing spectacular... just needed to get some errands in town down and get some birthday wrapping paper for my OH's present... Still foggy at home, just cloudy starting to burn off in town, then still foggy at home... coming back up the hill out of town I started to catch a guy on a hybrid, so held back knowing that a) he didn't know I was there & b) I was turning right on a 90 degree right hand bend and then promptly right again and there was a good chance he was as well and him not knowing I was there.... when I chose to overtake him I unfortunately scared the living daylights out of him as I came alongside and said hello (he did turn right and right again) proving my decision to hold back was the correct one. He stayed with me for a while and I chatted to him after checking he was sitting on my tail - he acknowledged he was catching a free tow... but to my surprise despite my heavy D lock and shopping in my pannier once we hit the 'local' climb which has a nasty kick in it, I did drop him (myself and I hate that last hill, mostly because it is usually done at the end of 50 miles and/or with a heavy pannier(s) but also because there is a really nasty kick in it up and over the railway bridge - one of those be careful if you are in a car jobs where there is a very definite change in inclination as you get to the actual bridge...), so I have finally found someone slower up hill than me http://www.strava.com/activities/120277272

 

[Supersuperleeds]

127.8 miles today (206km)

First ever double metric, found it pretty tough around the 90 mile mark, but once I hit 100, it was a lot easier. Took in a few of the roads around Rutland and apart from the fog for a good 4 hours of the ride it was lovely weather. Took a couple of photos on the phone but being a complete luddite, they will have to wait until the eldest lad comes in from school.

http://www.strava.com/activities/120272747

 

[Dangermouse]

SL you make ours pretty petty really, but still another 20 miles in the bag, picked Eileen up from work and got out just before four, fast (ish) 20 miles into the country and back, Eileen kept up too which just goes to show her leg is getting stronger, went up a slight but longish climb and yep.......she was on my wheel all the way, in fact she has shown me that she is so determined to go faster and further, I am looking for a nice frame to build up to her dream bike.........possibly a nice carbon frame or top end alloy/Ti but it was a cracking ride below an hour for 20 mile and loads of traffic for the last 3 mile, the lass done well