Your ride today....

[Old jon]

A better looking day out there, and certainly drier than it has been. Not much thought devoted to the route, I had decided to complete the ride I cut short last Tuesday, ‘cos it would bug me if I didn’t. No, it is a different ride days later and on a different bike. With gears and all.

A repeat of the wander through the delights of Holbeck, all a bit low key at ten in the morning, but then I was sort of low key myself. I blame the weather. That said, it was dry and breeze free, although with quite a bit of debris around, broken branches and such.

Along the towpath to Viaduct Road, across the river and take Cardigan Road all the way to Headingley. Still dry, and feeling warmer so pedal on to Lawnswood and after crossing the Ring Road take the right turn to ride over Adel Dam. A bit of up and turn left to pass the eastern side of Golden Acre Park, on the way to the next left for Bramhope. Down the hill, turn right at the roundabout and spend a whole millisecond wondering if I wanted to ride down Creskeld Lane. No.

Stay on the A 660 then, past the puritan chapel and to the Dyneley Arms traffic lights, where I turned right for a brisk descent of Pool Bank. Big truck behind me at the lights, nowt overtook it so I had a clear and quick ride, brakes not needed. And the pedalling was fun . . .

Left at the bottom to ride into Otley for a stop at the maypole. Change the gloves, and go find the bottom of Leeds Road, just to ride up it and back to the junction at the Dyneley Arms. I turned the camera on just after passing the lights.



The rest of the ride follows the A 660 to Headingley, all the climbing is done now so it is easy pedalling, just keep an eye on the traffic. The right turn to Kirkstall had only one van in the queue, and it stayed in front of me all the way until the river was crossed. Just checked the map, and the railway was crossed as well. A convenient way to the towpath and the ride back to Office Lock. Water Lane, a small corner of Hunslet and a stretch of Dewsbury Road takes me home after 30 miles and 1400 feet of climbing. Happy about that, as ever.
The ride in wobbly pencil . . .

 

[cosmicbike]

Despite it being really quite close, I've never ridden to, or around Richmond Park. So that was todays destination, and a suitable route was plotted last night to get my Metric Century ride in for January. Nice enough ride out there, even if I had to return home after 3 miles due to a clothing error, which despite being based on the Met Office forecast was far too warm. Getting through Kingston was easier than I thought it was going to be, and I went into the park at Queens Gate. 2 anticlockwise loops done, and it was time to head for home. At this point the Met Office were wrong again. No gusts they said, wrong. An absolute bugger of a slog all the way home, I even tried to vary the route a little to try and zigzay home but it made little difference.
A few new roads on the way out, together with the park itself and I bagged 14 new Explorer squares
Home completely shattered on 63 miles. I do hope it's not that windy when I try the imperial century next week.....

 

[Dave 123]

Circuit training last night, legs feeling good this morning could only mean one thing....

It was a dirty day out there so my mountain bike came out. As ever it was tough going, but it was that wet that the mud was a bit too wet to stick. From Caldecote I went to Kingston

and The Eversdens, then up the Mares Way and along the ridge before dropping down to cross the A603. Up on the ridge a Corn Bunting sat atop a short chestnut watched me go by, not 6' away.

Just in to Harlton I took a byway heading south east, it was a new one on me, but as it turned up the hill I worked out where I'd end up. At the top of the hill I stopped

So I'd ended up between Barrington and Orwell. I headed to Wimpole as it gave the most off road options.

^ This fella was intently watching his 2 mates being led into the farm.
I had to go up the road as farmer Palmer was flailing the hedges on the farm drives. I cut through the woods then skirted a claggy field. Overlooking Cambridge I stopped for a biscuit

And then I dropped to The Eversdens again. Over the A603, Harlton, Haslingfield

and in to Barton. I had an evil finish in store for myself. I took the bridleway at the end of the village, dark clouds spat at me

Following the fork to the right brings you to the rifle range

Luckily nobody was playing out!

In to Coton, more sludgy fields until Long Road, then came the sting in the tail I'd planned. In the dry it's a bugger, but today was murder! It's about half a mile of rough, grassy field edge with a slope of about 8%, it was sodden. In some places I was hardly moving. Eventually I was back to lovely tarmac.
28 and a bit miles. Time for a sleep I reckon.....

https://www.strava.com/activities/1343410699/segments/33293173923

 

[colly]

Second ride of the year on mucky winter roads. Not wet but sort of sludgy. After not riding much for 9 months or more I can tell it's going to be a struggle to get back into any kind of form. I did a country loop today taking in Eccup, Weardley, Harewood, Sicklinghall Wetherby and Thorner. It totalled just under 32 miles...........felt like 62 miles. It was sort of hilly though with 2000ft of up. Despite being cream crackered I did enjoy it.
I'll try to get a few good rides in during Jan and Feb so as to build a fitness base. Seems like it's going to be a slog.


View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/19937442

 

[Levo-Lon]

Lovely afternoon to mucky the new Marin..really love this bike..

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

It was a bit chilly out there. The Met Office reported -1C. I headed out for the meet anyway. Pete M and Sara P were already there and Steve E wasn't too long after. We took the loop by Coles Green for Alfrick and on to Knightwick. It couldn't be as cold as the Met Office folks thought as we really didn't feel cold. We even had a bit of energy for a relatively rapid bash along the main road to Doddenham where we would climb "mini Ankerdine". Not long now and Martley arrived. Steve called the loop around Ockeridge and Moseley which is "all downhill" (not). We were ready for refreshments as we rode into the Mayfly cafe.

Lots of chat later we had allowed some showers to pass over. We took the shortest run back by Upper Broadheath and Bransford Bridge. Sara headed homeward from Broadheath while we had some assistance from a chill NE rising breeze. Steve headed off for an appointment with some DiY so Pete and I rode by Woodsfield before having a cuppa at mine. It was a rather pleasant outing today with the weather being much better than expected. Got to take that at this time of year. 41 smiles

 

[gavgav]

Bagged my Half Century Challenge Ride early in the month, with a hilly one down to Cardington.

I donned full Winter gear, but despite the wind being cold at times, it really wasn’t as bad as the weather forecasts were making out it would be.

Began by heading to Betton Abbots and then down the very muddy lanes to Berrington, Eaton Mascott and Cound. Started the climbing here, onto Cound Moor and then the steep pull up Kenley Bank, pausing for a breather at the top.

The wind was behind me now and that meant good cruising speed to Church Preen and then on towards Gretton, before the climbing started again. As I arrived in Cardington, I met the Hunt coming towards me and pulled in to let them through, whilst resisting telling them what I thought of their pursuits .

The climb up Folly Bank didn’t feel as bad as sometimes I’ve done it and the fast descent the other side is always great fun .

I turned into the wind now and it was fairly stiff and cold, tempering what should be the easiest part of the ride. It’s mostly flat or downhill, but didn’t feel it today, through Longnor and then along the mud bath of a lane to Ryton.

I paused for some flapjack and then pressed on to Condover, back to Betton and then had to extend the route through the estates, to get the 50k mileage.

32.1 miles at 10.9mph avg, with 1700ft of climbing.

 

[NorthernDave]

The forecast suggested that if I was out and back by lunchtime I'd stay dry, but whatever it was going to be cold with a stiff north easterly wind which is fairly uncommon round here.
So I thought I'd head out east, on the basis that I'd get the slog out of the way going out and maybe have a bit of assistance on the way back...

Fully layered up, it still felt cold pushing the bike out of the gate, but I thought I'd soon warm up. Local roads down to Leeds Road and across Cock Beck and up the hill to Scholes which was a bit odd cycling into the wind for a change. Past the Coronation Tree and up the hill before the descent into Barwick and still not showing any signs of warming up, I stopped for a pic at a location I'd sussed out previously for the photo challenges:

Back on board and down the hill past Barwick's other church, eventually crossing Cock Beck again and up Cattle Lane for the lumpy way to Aberford. A wiggle along Main Street, then left under the A1(M) bridge and up the hill to Lotherton Gates. Left again and into North Yorkshire then down the hill past the Crooked Billet and then back up past the battlefield site where weather gods added driving rain to the wind and cold. It was about three or four minutes until I could find a safe place to get off the road and stop so I could wrestle my jacket on.
I could see blue skies off to my left and right, but I'd found the rainy bit and it continued through Towton and up the A162 to the turning onto Raw Lane and the run down to Ulleskelf. The marshes either side of the road were full of water and I reckon it will only take a couple more decent downpours before the road is in danger of flooding.
Over the railway line and through the village, with the rain having backed off a bit but showing no signs of stopping, I decided to turn left again towards Ryther - my idea being to get the "into the wind and rain" bits done and dusted. Though Ozendyke and as I climbed the railway bridge just before the village the rain finally stopped. Past the River Wharfe which was also quite high, then right onto Mill Lane through the run through the fields, over the East Coast Mainline and around the airfield, but now getting a welcome push in the back from the wind. Just after the airfield I decided to add a new section on to ensure I got the required mileage in so took the left towards Biggin, but was only a couple of hundred yards down the lane when the wind and rain picked up again and continued almost all the way to Broad Lane, where I turned left on the single track road towards Church Fenton.
This is a nice lane in the summer, but it was absolutely filthy today in a few places and I was glad of the mudguards on the Giant. I escaped the worst of the weather on here and it was brightening up nicely as I reached Church Fenton and passed the Fenton Flyer pub and carried on through the village.
Over the railway line and onto the long straight to Barkston Ash, before a short sprint on the A162 and up onto Headwell Lane for the run into Saxton.
Back out of the village on Coldhill Lane, noticing that Linda's Bench has been wrecked - not sure if it was by vandals or if a car has hit it, but no-one will be sitting on there anytime soon.
Onto Copley Lane and the run up to Lotherton Gates, where I stopped for a mini-Mars bar before carrying on past the windfarm and under the A1(M) bridge, before turning right on the old Great North Road into Aberford.
From there it's a familiar enough run on Cattle Lane to Barwick, then Leeds Road through Scholes and down the hill, across Cock Beck for one final time and up onto local roads to home.

33.88 miles (54.52km) in 2h 32m at an average of 13.3mph with 1,387ft climbed and a chilly average temperature of just 1.1°C - but trust me it felt colder!

Another point in the half century challenge and despite the weather it's always good to get out and there were quite a few cyclists out so I'm not the only one.
That said, today was the first time I can remember the cold getting through my gloves and overshoes in an age - even with thermal socks on my feet were like blocks of ice when I got in.
Tomorrow is looking debateable for a ride, as the forecast is for a hard overnight frost with temperatures that won't get above zero until late morning, so glad I braved it today.

And, to end the map and mileage updates:

 

[Jon George]

View attachment 390265

I really like this pic!

 

[Levo-Lon]

I really like this pic!

Beautifully atmospheric ..

 

[theloafer]

took the bike`s up to https://www.kbcycles.com/ to look at a couple of e-bikes very helpful staff there arrive next Saturday so while we were there took the g/f for a ride along the river towards town. stopped at the hub for and coffee ,we have the soup minestrone ...its was a meal by its self ....had a chilly ride back as darkness was almost upon us.. really enjoyed it

 

[Brandane]

Set out to do 100km for the CC monthly challenge. Due to the cold weather I took my Trek MTB on it's Schwalbe ice spike tyres. Having done this route from Largs to Girvan before, I know it is almost exactly 100 km, or 63 miles in old money. A nice tail wind, and the train home.

Leaving Largs from the south...

Trek MTB with the snowy peaks of Arran in the background.....

On reaching Prestwick, 30 miles into the ride, I decided to visit an LBS which had a sale on. Bad move. I've been after something more exotic for a while and doing some research on line. This LBS is a Merida dealer and they just happened to have the object of my lust in stock. Last one in shop, heavily discounted etc... Long story short, I went to the pub next door for an hour and had something to eat/drink while they prepped the new bike. I then set off for the last 33 miles on this....

I will have to go back to pick up the Trek MTB next week. Due to the time spent in Prestwick, the ride was finished in the dark so just as well I transferred lights from the MTB.. Three trains and 2 hours later I had my new baby back home. Lovely bike to ride and looking forward to upping the miles this year.

 

[Biff600]

A frosty start to the morning, and I set off with a course that I'd planned on the Garmin.

Well that lasted about 3 miles and I took a wrong turn somewhere, and it never really recovered, I think I was going anti-clock rather than clockwise,

Regardless, I still the ride, which resulted in 32 miles.

You can see from the picture how many wrong turns I made all part of the fun !!

 

[colly]

Very frosty this morning and out just after 9am. I was wary about the roads but the sun was shining and main roads had been gritted so it was fine. Or so I thought.
I went south making for Featherstone where my son and his partner live because I had some things to drop off for the grand childers. Into the sun most of the time so was missing my sun specs something chronic.
Quite a nice run but the roads down there are busy, even on a Sunday morning. I'll probably be riding down there way more in the coming months so I'll have to find a quieter route. I don't mind riding in traffic but it's just so ****ing noisy.
Got to my destination at about 10.30, came into their road and with the sun low in the sky, and a section of road having been shaded from the sun, the corner was an ice sheet. Naturally I decided to fall off. No cars about and no real drama, a sore elbow and hip but what really pi**es me off is I now have a hole in the sleeve of my brand new winter cycling top.
To top it all Debbs was out and while Matt my son would be in, he works nights so would be asleep. Turn round and head back home.
After another noisy run back it finished up at 32 miles and about 1500 ft of up.


View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/19959131

 

[LarryDuff]

Went out yesterday for about 30 miles with 2 mates. We had a lucky escape when going down a road near Lough Neagh and we saw a cyclist about 200m down the road picking himself and his bike up from the tarmac. The road down there was like sheet ice which surprised me as they were totally fine up till then.
The guy was a bit shaken but ok but I was glad his fall stopped the 3 of us hitting the deck.