mooseracer
Guru
- Location
- Nr Bristol
Nice ride on the cyclepath to Bath with Mrs Moose. 32 mile round trip - easily her longest. Great effort by her 
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
- Status
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Bobby Mhor
Guru
- Location
- Behind You
Had to wait on a slight frost lifting (disadvantage of N facing house)
Headed to route 75 and after heading through Kilmacolm, I nipped off down the B788 to turn left at the junction of the B786 heading for the Cat 4 climb where I wimped out and headed down Torr Rd towards Bridge of Weir.
Took the road over to Kilbarchan, did both short hills in a 'oney' even with the wind in my face
and quickly dropped down to the area of the Weavers Cottage where I bagged a geocache
Weavers Cottage, Kilbarchan
I next took the road out towards Brookfield before heading along the Barochan Rd and as the previous ride, I nipped up the Lochar Rd and joined 75 again..
24 ml in the log...a cold but a good run.
A Bobby bonus.....beat the rain home.
Headed to route 75 and after heading through Kilmacolm, I nipped off down the B788 to turn left at the junction of the B786 heading for the Cat 4 climb where I wimped out and headed down Torr Rd towards Bridge of Weir.
Took the road over to Kilbarchan, did both short hills in a 'oney' even with the wind in my face
and quickly dropped down to the area of the Weavers Cottage where I bagged a geocacheWeavers Cottage, Kilbarchan
I next took the road out towards Brookfield before heading along the Barochan Rd and as the previous ride, I nipped up the Lochar Rd and joined 75 again..
24 ml in the log...a cold but a good run.
A Bobby bonus.....beat the rain home.
jhawk
Veteran
- Location
- New Brunswick, Canada
Today was the first ride of 2014 for me. It felt great to get back out there, especially in my newly-acquired cycling gear... I seem to have lost my helmet though? 
No idea how that happened. (I didn't wear one as I couldn't find the damn thing before I left).
It was a very quick ride. About 5K all-told, but I just wanted to get out on the bike today. Will be putting better mileage in when the nicer weather comes in the beginning of April. I although think I may have got a puncture, that's why I came home so soon. That, and it was a balmy 0 degrees.
No idea how that happened. (I didn't wear one as I couldn't find the damn thing before I left).It was a very quick ride. About 5K all-told, but I just wanted to get out on the bike today. Will be putting better mileage in when the nicer weather comes in the beginning of April. I although think I may have got a puncture, that's why I came home so soon. That, and it was a balmy 0 degrees.
alans
black belt lounge lizard
- Location
- Staffordshire
ah but....little acorns become big oak trees
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
Today was the first ride of 2014 for me. It felt great to get back out there, especially in my newly-acquired cycling gear... I seem to have lost my helmet though?
It must have been cold out then.
Maverick Goose
A jumped up pantry boy, who never knew his place
- Location
- A champagne supernova in the sky
And provide nice shady patches on hot days!
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
My ride was not what I expected. I should have been doing a FNRttC but there was a major signal failure which meant that I arrived in London King's Cross twenty five minutes after the ride started. Poorly briefed rail staff dealing with disgruntled and panicking passengers meant that I lost a bail out option of catching a train back to Leeds twenty minutes later leaving me stranded in London until 07:00. I went for a gentle SMrrL, Saturday morning ride round London instead. I met some crazy folk including a chap who was desperate to hold a conversation with me in Welsh because 'you might be denying it but you sure as hell are Welsh', a drunken young woman who interrogated me on the cultural significance of Nelson's column and Trafalgar square. I had some quiet moments of contemplation in the small green spaces that I found as I pedalled through some of the quiet backwaters of central London and overall, notwithstanding the disappointment of not being with the Fridays, I had a nice time. Twenty five miles of pootling including riding to and from Leeds station.
Admiralty Arch
Gates opposite Buckingham Palace
Dawn breaking over Kings Cross Station
Admiralty Arch
Gates opposite Buckingham Palace
Dawn breaking over Kings Cross Station
derrick
The Glue that binds us together.
- Location
- On the edge of London
Had a really nice ride today, 58 miles with three of the girls, my other half being one of them. a n ew route to me nice roads , great cafe lovely breakfast while we where in the cafe the heavens opened up rain and hail, so we waited for it to stop before we set of, the sun came out still felt a bit nippy but we made it back to our local for a couple of Peronis, perfect day.
http://app.strava.com/activities/122980206
http://app.strava.com/activities/122980206
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
I had a really great ride this morning. The bloody stupid cold head wind was still there though.
I was riding with a girl from the village who I have been riding with since the new year. She is just coming to the end of maternity leave so in the new year was somewhat off the pace.
Today was one of those days where you could really see that she's getting back into it. It's nice to see people improve.
We took in the alpine delights of Chapel hill from Haslingfield to Barrington and then Old Wimpole hill. They are about as big as it gets round here.
Her comment at the top of Barrington was " I surprise myself sometimes"
Our last 8 miles was wind assisted for a change!
I was riding with a girl from the village who I have been riding with since the new year. She is just coming to the end of maternity leave so in the new year was somewhat off the pace.
Today was one of those days where you could really see that she's getting back into it. It's nice to see people improve.
We took in the alpine delights of Chapel hill from Haslingfield to Barrington and then Old Wimpole hill. They are about as big as it gets round here.
Her comment at the top of Barrington was " I surprise myself sometimes"
Our last 8 miles was wind assisted for a change!
jhawk
Veteran
- Location
- New Brunswick, Canada
It must have been cold out then.
I put on a wooly hat instead! And now it's snowing. Oh, joy.
jhawk
Veteran
- Location
- New Brunswick, Canada
And, I should mention that I had to dodge potholes left, right and centre because the town never patches them properly! EVER.
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
Are you sure you're not near Cambridge?
jhawk
Veteran
- Location
- New Brunswick, Canada
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
Then it could well be Cambridge.......
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Wednesday's ride was a bit different to both what I'd planned and what I usually do. I'd plotted a 66 mile ride with lots of hills. Lots. And then some more. But time ticked on, not least because I was waiting for a parcel, and by the time I'd left the house and stopped in the village to get some cash out, it was nearly one o'clock and I couldn't see me getting home until long after the sun had set since the aforementioned parcel was my new "bike-sized" digital camera and I knew damn well that I wouldn't be able to resist stopping to play with the new toy... Lots.
So ... I deleted the course on the Garmin and instead of heading south to the Brendon Hills, turned north and headed up into the Quantocks with no plan in my mind, just a resolution to do at least forty miles and no less than two thousand feet of climbing. The extra pennies (!!) I'd spent on getting the OS maps for the Garmin when I bought it last winter really proved their worth as I was able to spend the afternoon choosing where to go based on what it looked like or where it would lead, something I wouldn't have the patience to do with paper maps. My normal "don't get lost" plan BG (Before Garmin) was to plot a route, write and memorise the routesheet, and stick to it, no matter what. I've been a bit more flexible since but this was the first "freeride". And what a ride it was. Great fun.
I cycled through the undulating foothills of the Quantocks and then gained height on the eastern flanks. First though, a pause to enjoy the peace of the quiet lanes in the village of West Monkton:
Up, up and up ... but not quite the scenery I was expecting:
(I took that to make @potsy feel at home.)
A few miles along (and higher) and the usual beauty of the area is restored:
I had a fun blast down the hills into this valley and then up and out the other side, heading to the village of Nether Stowey where I hoped to find somewhere for a quick stop. My luck was in!
From there, I kept going north and explored the quiet lanes on the flatlands between the hills and the coast. Serenity was the word of the day.
I was forced to abandon the peace and quiet and rejoined the loud, bustling world of Other People in Cannington, where I hopped onto the A39, planning to skirt round the edge of Bridgwater and make my way back into the hills for the return leg. It wasn't as bad as I expected, mainly because of roadworks which allowed me to filter past nearly a mile of slow moving traffic. I was too smug to care that I had just become the most hated person in Somerset!
Another half mile and I was able to leave the main road and get back into the hills, hurrah.
Another "wreck", this one much more aesthetically pleasing than the van:
It was shortly after here that my "freeride" went a little wrong and my legs went on strike, claiming that they needed much more cake to keep cycling up the hill I'd chosen. So I pushed. And then got back on. And pushed a bit more. And got back on ... and then saw a couple of horses and their riders coming down the hill. I didn't think they'd cope very well if I toppled over sideways (a real threat by this time) so I took the opportunity to rest up and let them pass before getting back on ... and making it to the top! Woo hoo!
Compared to that little lot, the rest of the ride was easy going, despite gaining more height so I could swoop down Buncombe Hill, which I'd climbed a week or two ago. I decided I was too tired to push it on the descent and keep my speed to 30mph - a wise choice since I nearly went into a pot hole, the main problem being my reaction times.
From there the bottom, back through the foothills to home and a long soak in a hot bath, much deserved I thought after 52 miles and 3600+ft of climbing - or 4200+ft of climbing if you include the section I walked!
So ... I deleted the course on the Garmin and instead of heading south to the Brendon Hills, turned north and headed up into the Quantocks with no plan in my mind, just a resolution to do at least forty miles and no less than two thousand feet of climbing. The extra pennies (!!) I'd spent on getting the OS maps for the Garmin when I bought it last winter really proved their worth as I was able to spend the afternoon choosing where to go based on what it looked like or where it would lead, something I wouldn't have the patience to do with paper maps. My normal "don't get lost" plan BG (Before Garmin) was to plot a route, write and memorise the routesheet, and stick to it, no matter what. I've been a bit more flexible since but this was the first "freeride". And what a ride it was. Great fun.
I cycled through the undulating foothills of the Quantocks and then gained height on the eastern flanks. First though, a pause to enjoy the peace of the quiet lanes in the village of West Monkton:
Up, up and up ... but not quite the scenery I was expecting:
(I took that to make @potsy feel at home.)
A few miles along (and higher) and the usual beauty of the area is restored:
I had a fun blast down the hills into this valley and then up and out the other side, heading to the village of Nether Stowey where I hoped to find somewhere for a quick stop. My luck was in!
From there, I kept going north and explored the quiet lanes on the flatlands between the hills and the coast. Serenity was the word of the day.
I was forced to abandon the peace and quiet and rejoined the loud, bustling world of Other People in Cannington, where I hopped onto the A39, planning to skirt round the edge of Bridgwater and make my way back into the hills for the return leg. It wasn't as bad as I expected, mainly because of roadworks which allowed me to filter past nearly a mile of slow moving traffic. I was too smug to care that I had just become the most hated person in Somerset!
Another half mile and I was able to leave the main road and get back into the hills, hurrah.
Another "wreck", this one much more aesthetically pleasing than the van:
It was shortly after here that my "freeride" went a little wrong and my legs went on strike, claiming that they needed much more cake to keep cycling up the hill I'd chosen. So I pushed. And then got back on. And pushed a bit more. And got back on ... and then saw a couple of horses and their riders coming down the hill. I didn't think they'd cope very well if I toppled over sideways (a real threat by this time) so I took the opportunity to rest up and let them pass before getting back on ... and making it to the top! Woo hoo!
Compared to that little lot, the rest of the ride was easy going, despite gaining more height so I could swoop down Buncombe Hill, which I'd climbed a week or two ago. I decided I was too tired to push it on the descent and keep my speed to 30mph - a wise choice since I nearly went into a pot hole, the main problem being my reaction times.
From there the bottom, back through the foothills to home and a long soak in a hot bath, much deserved I thought after 52 miles and 3600+ft of climbing - or 4200+ft of climbing if you include the section I walked!
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