Your ride today....

[cosmicbike]

Yesterdays intended ride was delayed until the more windy and wet weather of today due to DIY commitments, and I needed to get my metric half challenge ride done. I've just signed up to Veloviewer too, and noticed a missing square within a few miles of my front door which would take me from 7x7 to 10x10, so that defined the start of the route.
Off to Wentworth estate then, past the sign which said no cycling clubs or cycling groups which I ignored as I was neither, and that bagged me the missing square. A very nice couple of miles through the golf club/estate too, which unfortunately dumped me onto the A30. I did a few miles along there, passing this (I had to turn back and get the photo as I'm sure there's a thread for these things here somewhere..)

Pretty sure there's a similar one in Egham which I'll have to track down.
Onwards to Sunningdale, then Ascot, pausing at the McLaren garage as they had this rather nice bit of history in the window, a 1993 MP4-8 from 1993, Ford V8 and 640bhp, lovely looking car

Back home via North Ascot for another square (I get the feeling this is going to become slightly obsessive..) and my plan of a return through the park was thwarted as Red Bull were doing something, so I extended the ride home via Chobham.
42.2 miles done. Metric century and half century challenges still alive for 2017, and a few Eddingtons in the bag too.

 

[BoldonLad]

The end of BST, so, first light morning, out for a gentle 11 mile circuit, Boldon -> Jarrow -> Washington -> Boldon, with SWMBO, mostly on cycle lanes / tracks.

Map

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

Toward Fellgate metro station, on cycle track

Cycle track to Fellgate Metro

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

A short road section

Jarrow

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

then into the upmarket(?) part of Jarrow, with a cycle lane:

Jarrow, York Avenue

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

along the old Bowes Railway cycle route:

Cycle track, was Bowes Railway

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

head for Washington, on shared path

Shared Path - Wardley

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

then more scenic shared path

Cycle track, Washington

• BoldonLad
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into Washington

Washington

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

past Washington / Usworth

Cycle track - Washington, Usworth

• BoldonLad
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and some very new cycling provision

Cycle Track, Washington

• BoldonLad
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now, past the Nissan works, although, you cannot see it!

Cycle Track - Washington, Nissan

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

and, back toward Boldon Colliery, on a former railway line

Cycle track, Boldon

• BoldonLad
• 29 Oct 2017

Only weakness of this circuit, no coffee and cake stop!

If the TV is abysmal, you can re-live our excitement https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjGYRauW7lm3CafTdX5oRtzKcEZ8qXU_X

 

[Spiderweb]

A lovely day in North Yorkshire, definitely colder so the first time out in longs and shoe covers. Really struggled in the wind but still a fab ride.

 

[gbb]

Do you want to go out before dinner ? My wife asked. This is not a question...this is a request I gather
I usually ride early / late afternoon but no problem eh.
Now I remember why I don't like pre dinner rides, back roads were busy with all sorts of traffic, too much, too fast, some too close.. ...one bunch of pedestrians on a back road , 4 abreast covering 80% of it, I eased up and slid past but still (unintentionally) scared one of the women witless, I guess the wind prevented them hearing anything at all. I put a hand up in apology but I suspect all cyclists are now t0ssers in their eyes...meh, should have used a bit of awareness then meducks.
Good ride somewhat marred by poor judgement of plenty of folk, even myself a little perhaps

19 miles, very windy in places but bright.

 

[Dark46]

Well it's a long time since I've been out for a ride with KCC. Today's ride was completely accidental as I forgot to put watch back an hour and thought that I had left the house at 10. In some ways I wish it was lol. Today's ride was up Frocester Hill oh god.

Well after the shock of me turning up we set off via Haresfield and Stonehouse.

I must say at this point today marked alot of firsts. Its was the first ride on the new bike, garmin,leg warmers, arm warmers and overshoes.

The bike certainty made me look better than I am at the moment as I have a cold and wasn't really planning on a long ride. Plus I've not been out since May this year due to personal reasons.

Anyway back to the ride , the bike felt really great there is not much I have to think about adjusting as it felt great all ride. My legs didn't though. Through Stonehouse we headed towards Frocester and you can the it looming in the background. The bike was so comfortable and responsive and was and is a real joy to ride. While I was stopped I was looking at my Garmin and realised the auto pause was not set. There was no way at that point my average speed was 9.9mph.

Getting to the bottom of Frocester I could feel my chest so stopped part of the way up. There was no way I was pushing too hard today. I thought @Donger Was coming back down but didn't haha. But @Frazzle did with others so I followed them down what bit I had gone up. As per usual my chain came off part way down, Yes I hold my hands up my fault as was duly point out at the bottom. Its happened in both my road bikes and the common denominator is ME.

From the bottom after everyone was together as some people don't like descending we headed to Cam and then across the A38 to go through the lane to get to Berkeley where we were stopping for coffee and cake.

I had a large latte and a slice of Halloween cake which went down very well.

From here it was back the way we came back to the A38 and back home to Gloucester .

When I got back to the starting point my Garmin read 38.4 miles. I thought bigger I have to do 40 as it's over 37.5. So in the end I got 40.4 which I'm really happy with, and my legs don't feel as bad as I expected.

So now I've got out I just need to make sure I'm out on a regular basis.

 

[cyberknight]

Mercia CC medium club ride today , shoulder hurting after 35 miles but a damn site better than it was.
Fairly sedate pace but probably just right to get back into the swing of things .
https://www.strava.com/activities/1252235953

 

[stumpy66]

 

[johnnyb47]

What a brilliant thread this is. I've only just noticed it a few days back ,and it's a fantastic thread to motivate cyclists to get out on there bikes by reading this.
Today I managed a 28 mile ride which is a miracle after one to many Guinness,s last night down the pub with my mates :-) :-)

 

[Biff600]

The first time I've used the bike in a week as I've been away in Vegas.........Skeg-Vegas !!!

When I set out I thought I'd have a back wind on the return leg, how wrong was I ??

18 miles of headwind instead.

Regardless I knocked out 40 miles in 2 hrs 20mins, the first 10 miles in exactly 30 minutes !!

 

[Mr Celine]

Light winds and sunshine for once, though it was only 7C when I set out. Only 43 miles but I was knackered at the end - it must have been the cold.
Beautiful autumn colours everywhere, but too cold to stop for many photos. It isn't just deciduous trees which provide colour, I love the contrast between the yellow grasses and the brown bracken.

From the summit of the Berrybush, looking north east down Altrieve Lake.

In Ettrickdale

 

[Mrs M]

Out for my Friday ride was taking it slightly easier. Just going over roundabout at West End, van did not see me getting checked out now. Bike is bad. Steerer tube snapped.

Best wishes
xx

 

[Dave 123]

Once home from the big city I took my mountain bike out for a spin. Across the fields to Caldecote, then on to Kingston to join the Wimpole way. It was blooming cold up on the top of the ridge, my feet were particularly cool.
I flew down the hill to the farm, almost reaching 33mph, then got stuck behind a tractor and trailer. Bloody farmers!
There were plenty of people in the park. I did a loop around the far field before coming back.
After taking the following photo my phone died with half a battery. If you look at the trees they're all a bit odd. Not sure what happened there...

I then stopped at the far end of the field for a quick pee, away from people. Then I rejoined the carriage drive. The sun was back out so I reached for my glasses..... no glasses! I doubled back, they must have fallen off while having a wee. They felt dry, but I put them in my pocket!

Back up the hill and down the farm track into Eversden, then Kingston and rejoin the Bridleway in Caldecote. Coming back I saw a flock of 10 fieldfare, my first of the winter.

Once I was home I was happy that the bike was cleanish and dry. Then I found the dogshit all over the front tyre.....

A ride of mixed fortune!

Just short of 20 miles.


https://www.strava.com/activities/1252445325

 

[Glow worm]

GWS @Stonechat - sounds horrible and I hope you'll be back in the saddle v soon.

Today's ride here just a 16 miler out on the fen toward Wicken Fen and along the Lodes Way cycle route.

A tiny shower brought about a nice rainbow as I went through Burwell Fen.

A bit further along.

Stopped at Tubney Fen to see the starlings come in to roost but only about 50 turned up. Last Monday it was well over 10,000. A passing marsh harrier made up for the disappointment. Headed home in the twilight with freezing hands telling me it's time to dig out the gloves once again.

 

[Donger]

This was to be the profile of today's club ride! :

(Frocester Hill, on the Cotswold edge, South of Stroud in case you were wondering).

It is my very favourite hill around here, though there is, I suspect, more than a touch of masochism to that. There are some nice bends, and you get great views of the River Severn down below you, and the Forest of Dean and the Welsh hills in the distance. I always find that rewards you for all the pain. Sometimes a view can make it all worthwhile, and this is one of those hills. I have failed on smaller, less steep hills than this one, yet somehow I have never failed to get up this in one go, despite it being over a mile long. (Don't tell anyone, but I did once get overtaken by a jogger half way up this one though!). Today I held up the traffic a bit, and I could feel the searing resentment of half a dozen drivers burning through the back of my head as I winched myself up one of the tougher bits at just under 4 mph!

As I had promised Mrs Donger that I'd be home by 11:30 at the latest, I decided to stick with the club ride until the pointy bit on the profile (Coaley Peak, at the top of Frocester Hill) and then turn for home. As I got to the top, I said my goodbyes and turned left along the ridge, eventually dropping down from Selsley Common into Selsley, then up and over to Middleyard before returning to Frocester and then heading for the A38, going hell for leather to arrive home at 11:29. Never in doubt!

Great to see @Dark46 back in the fold today, on his new Green Machine. Shame we seem to have miscommunicated though. I'd have dropped straight back down Frocester Hill and headed home with him if I'd known he had stalled. I thought someone said a few were riding around the hill instead of going up it, so I thought I was one of the last three to finish the climb. That's another 29.1 miles towards my target. Nice sunshine and warm enough today for shorts and short-sleeved jersey. I wonder how many more rides we'll have like that this year?

Cheers everyone. Donger.

 

[delb0y]

Nice one Donger - I've never had a go at Frocester as it looks too daunting. Come down it many a time, though, but those few hairpins just at (what would be) the fast bits means one has to be on the brakes a fair bit.

Got up early to watch the MotoGP and then, taking advantage of the extra hour, did a gentle 37-ish (the Garmin locked up so I don't know for sure) around Tibberton, Kents Green, Upleadon, Hartbury, Tirley, Wainlodes, Churchdown to visit my folks, and back through town to home. Really enjoyed it, as I didn't feel guilty at avoiding the hills as I did Portwayyesterday. It was great that the first half was against a stiff breeze, too, which meant coming home was easy.

And then Gloucester beat Bath at the Rec'. Days don't get much better than this!