ScotiaLass
Guru
- Location
- Middle Earth
Fab pics and well done!!
Your ride today.... (part 1)
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Glow worm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Near Newmarket
Just a 12 mile spin earlier today here. Declining the opportunity of a shopping trip with Mrs G in Newmarket, I offered a compromise- I'd meet her for a pub lunch afterwards in nearby Burwell instead as she headed home.
After the pub, we parted company and it was out towards Wicken Fen along my usual tracks and lanes. The sunny morning gave way to cloud sadly, and quite a strong headwind as I turned the corner to head south across Burwell Fen. Only took one pic today- this is Burwell Fen..
There's still a fair bit of water on there, but the tracks and bridleways are nice and dry.
I managed to drop my cycle computer the other day- it still works but you can only see half the digits now, so I ordered a new one which annoyingly, the postie had tried to deliver while I was out. So another day at least of guessing my speed (slow) and not knowing what the time is.
This is great bridwatching country and I'm sorry I often seem to bang on about my bridwatching here. There wasn't much about though today although before setting off, a red kite flew right over my house - they're still pretty rare hereabouts. Yesterday I saw the first house martin of the year here, a sign that Summer's well on it's way.
After the pub, we parted company and it was out towards Wicken Fen along my usual tracks and lanes. The sunny morning gave way to cloud sadly, and quite a strong headwind as I turned the corner to head south across Burwell Fen. Only took one pic today- this is Burwell Fen..
There's still a fair bit of water on there, but the tracks and bridleways are nice and dry.
I managed to drop my cycle computer the other day- it still works but you can only see half the digits now, so I ordered a new one which annoyingly, the postie had tried to deliver while I was out. So another day at least of guessing my speed (slow) and not knowing what the time is.
This is great bridwatching country and I'm sorry I often seem to bang on about my bridwatching here. There wasn't much about though today although before setting off, a red kite flew right over my house - they're still pretty rare hereabouts. Yesterday I saw the first house martin of the year here, a sign that Summer's well on it's way.
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Glow worm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Near Newmarket
Great idea that, chapeau ! - and thanks for sharing.
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
Just my bread and butter ride round the lanes South of Gloucester today (Frampton on Severn and back) just to get some miles in my lazy legs. Came round a blind corner a bit too fast and came closer to parking my face in the rear end of a horse than I ever care to repeat.
OP
OP
gbb
Squire
- Location
- Peterborough
33 mIles 
..no biggie normally, but thats a result for someone who's struggled for the last year..and more.
A little cloudy, a little breezy but perfect temps for cycling. Out of Peterborough, Wansford, Kings Cliffe, Blatherwyke (thats a really olde worlde name)..Bulwick, Southwick, Fotheringay, Elton and home.
Took a predominantly sidewind route...just between Wansford and Kings Cliffe,
...a herd of maybe 15 to 20 deer crossed the road 30 yards In front of me...and they didnt even look 
. Maybe 2 miles further on, I came across a dead one at the side of the road.no wonder they make such a mess of your car when you hit them, probably 4ft high and maybe 80 kilos 
5 red kite, 1 magnificent buzzard, massive he was, one rider on a Cervelo who left me dead on a short stab of a hill
...i'd have had him two years ago 
...no really ...well....maybe, one bike race near Oundle with four main groups, plently to see, excellent ride.
15 mph average...im happy with that.
..no biggie normally, but thats a result for someone who's struggled for the last year..and more.A little cloudy, a little breezy but perfect temps for cycling. Out of Peterborough, Wansford, Kings Cliffe, Blatherwyke (thats a really olde worlde name)..Bulwick, Southwick, Fotheringay, Elton and home.
Took a predominantly sidewind route...just between Wansford and Kings Cliffe,
...a herd of maybe 15 to 20 deer crossed the road 30 yards In front of me...and they didnt even look . Maybe 2 miles further on, I came across a dead one at the side of the road.no wonder they make such a mess of your car when you hit them, probably 4ft high and maybe 80 kilos 5 red kite, 1 magnificent buzzard, massive he was, one rider on a Cervelo who left me dead on a short stab of a hill
...i'd have had him two years ago ...no really ...well....maybe, one bike race near Oundle with four main groups, plently to see, excellent ride.15 mph average...im happy with that.
Did my first audax last weekend.....the Wormingford Wyrm.........113km (70 miles) through some gorgeous and hilly mid-Essex and Suffolk countryside. I surprised myself by being first home. I wasn't racing until I found myself with over 90 riders behind me, and none in front. Today I did my second, another shorter one (104km or 65 miles) from Copdock near Ipswich where I rode the bulk of the race with an Ipswich guy. A couple of riders didn't stop for tea at the cafe/ control, and like a F1 Grand Prix jumped us at the pitstop otherwise we would have been first home. Despite doing a voluntary extra 4 km through poor navigation we got around in comfortably under 4 hours, and I really impressed myself by averaging 27.2 kph despite a stiff headwind. That's 17mph on non-audax days. The countryside around here is almost designed for cycling, and the Dedham valley, Constable country, was utterly beautiful.
Now, next time I really must remember that audaxes aren't races.
Now, next time I really must remember that audaxes aren't races.
Mrs Milligan once opened the door to take delivery of a telegram, and it said something like "where's my breakfast?".
I imagine that sort of stuff could wear a bit thin over the years......
- Location
- Egham
Since I have to go kitchen looking at tomorrow, figured I'd best get a ride in this morning. I was after a flat 20 miles, so headed out on one of my usual runs through Chertsey and up to Walton Bridge, which now has shared pedestrian/cyclepath signage on the incredibly wide pavements. From there it was through Addlestone where I realised I was nowhere near my 20 mile target, so I headed up through Ottershaw towards Foxhills which is where the roads start rolling, so much for avoiding hills. Stopped for a Haribo and a pic in Kitsmead Lane, strange smell here..
Quick whizz through Virginia Water and home, 23 miles today. Gearing up for my first commute on Monday since my little episode last year....
Quick whizz through Virginia Water and home, 23 miles today. Gearing up for my first commute on Monday since my little episode last year....
OP
OP
gbb
Squire
- Location
- Peterborough
Cosmic ^^^..your words under your strava graph made me laugh..'I have no idea what any of this means..'
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
That's an unusual, but interesting project! I'm a bit confused by the bit about not owning a SatNav but GPS-tracking the rides though! If you have a GPS, why not simply program your routes into that? If you do not have a GPS, how do you do GPS-tracking?
As for my ride today ...
I was not going to ride because the forecast looked poor, but the rain was holding off and there was a local event taking place which I thought I would go and support, so out I went ...
As almost everybody must be surely be aware, this year, we have Le Grand Départ for the Tour de France in Yorkshire.
What most of you will not know is that we have a piano festival In Hebden Bridge coming up soon.
One of the organisers of the festival decided to combine the 2 concepts and came up with The Grand [Piano] Departs! A team of cyclists would tow a mini grand piano up the Cragg Vale climb (longest continuous hill in England, which features on stage 2) while he played some music composed specially for the event!
Quirky? Check! Mad even? Check! Media friendly? Check! Possible? Er, maybe ...
A local sculptor fabricated a multi-person cyclist-powered vehicle to tow the piano trailer. He called it a pianoporté.
There was a really good turnout for the event. I only caught up with it for the last mile or so, some time after it had gone up the steepest part of the climb. Pity - I would have liked to see how the cyclists coped with that!
The rain just held off, but the wind didn't. There was a strong cross/headwind which must have made grand piano-towing especially strenuous, so a big chapeau from me!
The traffic going up and down the hill was completely blocked but I have never seen such smiling faces on the faces of stationary drivers before! Nearly everyone was getting into the spirit of the event. This bodes well for the reception that the TdF peloton will get in Yorkshire in 3 months time. One driver clearly did not know what was going on though. The look on his face when the reason for the delay was pedalled past him was a delight - unfortunately I didn't take a picture of him. He looked like he was having a heavy acid trip, man!
Traffic jam, cyclists, pedestrians, cameras, weird vehicle powered by male and female cyclists of all shapes and sizes. And a guy playing a white grand piano ... You couldn't make it up. Well, you could, because the organisers did last year, but who would have thought that they would actually do it!
Anyway. A big cheer went up at the finish, and a TV camera crew suddenly appeared. If I can find a video on YouTube or elsewhere. I will add it below later.
A few snaps:
I went on to do the rest of my 19 mile lumpy loop. I got a puncture on the way home and finally remembered to see if I could replace a tube without using tyre levers. I can!
My legs are definitely getting fitter - no granny ring needed on the short steep bits today.
UPDATE
Somebody has posted this short video clip on YouTube of The Grand Depart-ing ...
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LarryDuff
Guru
- Location
- Hillsborough Co Down
Did a nice 30 miler from Hillsborough to Scarva via Moira and Portadown up the towpath had a nice big fruit scone in Sinton's.
I had to get back for a tennis game so I left the others and went home the direct way through Banbridge.
The others went back to Portadown where one of then had a nasty crash when he slid on some silt like substance. He got a dislocated finger and a bit of concussion
I had to get back for a tennis game so I left the others and went home the direct way through Banbridge.
The others went back to Portadown where one of then had a nasty crash when he slid on some silt like substance. He got a dislocated finger and a bit of concussion
booze and cake
probably out cycling
Haha love the piano haul, chapeau.
I'm just recording on 'my tracks' on my phone, which is in my ruksak on my back, I can't load routes onto it, it just records where I go. I'm only using that as a record so I can use them to 'draw' the lines onto a map later. I've always been crap at drawing so I'm using my bike to draw instead . I also wanted the challenge of proving you can do long winding rides across the whole of London without the use of a satnav, which I think I did, though if I'm honest I was surprised I did'nt get lost more often.
I'm just recording on 'my tracks' on my phone, which is in my ruksak on my back, I can't load routes onto it, it just records where I go. I'm only using that as a record so I can use them to 'draw' the lines onto a map later. I've always been crap at drawing so I'm using my bike to draw instead . I also wanted the challenge of proving you can do long winding rides across the whole of London without the use of a satnav, which I think I did, though if I'm honest I was surprised I did'nt get lost more often.
In Sheffield yesterday it was the ShAFF (Sheffield Adventure Film Festival) down at the showroom cinema but to celebrate the Tour De Yorkshire angle this year they had a large outdoor screen set up at the Amphitheater up on the hill behind the train station and were showing some cycling films so rode down and met a friend, watched the films and cycled back in mostly good weather with my, as usual, own personal headwind for company. Round trip of just over 32 miles so a nice steady afternoon which made for a nice change. Still amazed at how bad the road networks are in the city for cyclists, although my friend reckons theyre pretty good - I'll stick with being a country bumpkin and sharing my roads with an odd tractor or 2.
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
Middleton Hall the destination, 47 miles the journey, Got up this morning and looked at the raindrops on the window, then at the trees out the back being blown around, but it wasn't raining and the forecast was dry to dinner time so off out for a short ride, great fun on the way out bombing along with the wind behind me, the ride home though was a slow hard slog into the wind and not a lot of fun, but the forecast rain held of and in the end it wasn't a bad morning.
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