Your ride today....

[gbb]

Home, out for a quicky.
Just under 17 miles and pushed myself a bit to get 15.4 average. Nice and quiet cycle route to Whittlesey and back plus the city centre at rush hour...one WVM tried to pull out and nearly head on'd me...one car overtook while I was pushing along, only to brake and turn left right in front of me...not close but disrespectful ....and the same happened at the next junction
Apart from that...all good, recovering quicker now.
One Greater Spotted Woodpecker sighted....nowt much else of note.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Todays ride - 142Km Blaby - Wigston - Newton Harcourt - Great Glen - Houghton on The Hill - Ingarsby - Cold Newton - Marefield - Somerby - Little Dalby - Wymodham - Garthorpe - Stonesby - Saltby - Sproxton - coston - Wymodham - Edmonthorpe - Little Dalby - Somerby - Owston - Tugby - Goadby - Glooston - Cranoe - Tur Langton - Kibworth - Fleckney - Arnesby - Peatling Parva - Countesthorpe - Blaby.

Couldn't make 162Km...legs wouldn't let me - was a hilly ride,,,,and I didn't even make the vale of Belvoir....but a lovely ride nonetheless.

Should’ve come out with us on our forum ride, a little less hilly and much gentler on the legs, and this is coming from a relatively weak climber!! You’d have got your imperial ton in then easily!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

After a weekend in Wales (sans bike) I got out for another morning jolly today. I tried something a bit different this time, linking up regular routes with a lesser used one as I did an anti-clockwise circumnavigation of Shrewsbury then headed out to Melverley, climbed up the hill behind Crew Green and headed back via Westbury, Pontesbury and Condover.

I was heading out as the traffic was busy so it took a while to get onto the A49 heading for my first visit to Condover. With light winds I got along quite well until I got into the village and found the roadworks are still there, however with no workmen around I was able to cycle through the closed bit.

I had a good run to Atcham and went through Attingham Park to enjoy the park and the Georgian architecture, then it was back out onto quiet roads to Upton Magna and the long drag acoss the edge of Haughmond Hill. I'd seen a one or two cyclists out already and on the approach to the next small climb at Ebury Hill spotted another couple ahead of me. I wasn't especially trying to catch them but did slowly reel them in until they turned off just before I caught them up.

At Hadnall I almost went a different way to normal knowing that the surface is very bad on the way to Plex, however some proper resurfacing has been going on in the last few days and it's now a nice smooth lane to ride.

I had two hares lolloping up the road in front of me near to Bomere Heath, then enjoyed the nice long descent that took me to Yeaton. Not long after this I was back onto my more regular route to Great Ness and Melverley. The light wind was at my back and I made good progress along here. Outside the military training area I thought I was going to get stopped by troops with big guns so that a phalanx of their fellows could cross the road. They stopped the tractor coming the other way but allowed me through.

As already mentioned I decided to take to the climb into the hills above Crew Green. Having cruised easily at 17/18 mph for several miles the legs weren't keen on being asked to climb 400 feet or so in around a mile. The summit soon came into view though and the descent of the narrow lane the other side was quite fun (barring van drivers who don't expect anyone to be coming the other way).

After Westbury I took another lesser used lane and headed through Asterley and Farley to Pontesbury. A section of quiet lane through gently rolling countryside that seemed particularly pleasant in the sunshine.

After Pontesbury it was my usual route to Condover and back up the A49 where I misjudged it and pulled out just ahead of a car doing some speed. No danger of them hitting me but I'd normally have waited for a safer gap.

Apart from that last bit, a very pleasant ride. 52.1 miles at 15.3 mph average. So much for the more leisurely pace I'd intended on setting out.

Looking across the parkland at Attingham.

At Hadnall. Tempting....... but not today.

Smooth fresh tarmac. Bliss!

Overlooking Bomere Heath. A bit too misty to make out the hills today.

At Yeaton.

Between Melverley and Crew Green looking towards the Breidden.

Not too far after the previous pic and I've climbed a fair way.

Windmill near Asterley.

Edit to correct mileage. Fifty two miles done.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I was a bit late heading out for this one. T storms were forecast. I hoped they wouldn't make it this far west. I took the standard run around the north end of the Hills to loop for Coddington Cross. I decided here to take the Trumpet route as I seemed to be riding quite well. So onward by Peg's Farm and Munsley took me to Trumpet and the run south along the western flanks of the Marcles. Still going well I turned eastward heading for Bromsberrow. At Camer's Green rain began so I sheltered under an old petrol station canopy at Rye Cross. It didn't take long to pass so I headed into the Castlemorton lanes for the run north. The roads were sometimes wet and sometimes dry but no rain for me. As I headed homeward I could hear thunder not far off. Fortunately I rolled in before the storm hit. Nice speedy one today for a change. 52 smiles

 

[Thomson]

Mr celine. It's weird you were in duns. That's were I worked for ten and a half years! Seems a great day out your cycle.

 

[Mr Celine]

Mr celine. It's weird you were in duns. That's were I worked for ten and a half years! Seems a great day out your cycle.

Duns is on the edge of my normal range if starting and finishing at home, so I don't cycle there often, but if passing through on the way to my brother's house I usually stop as there are no other shops the rest of the way. And yes, it was a fantastic day to be out on a bike. Unfortunately Sunday was windy, I didn't fancy 45 miles into a headwind so went home by car.

 

[i hate hills]

5 miler before going back to work today . Usually manages to lift my mood but i'm afraid i've had a big dark cloud hanging over me all day . No cure for the back to work blues.

 

[Reynard]

Utility ride today; insurance bods bollixed up the car insurance (causing it to expire ) and I wanted to sort it out face to face rather than on the dog & bone as it wasn't entirely straightforward. Nearest office is in Cambridge, so I rode to Ely station, hopped on a train to Cambridge North along with the bike, and cycled to where I needed to go - start and finish on the road, the middle bit on a very nice cycle path along the river and along Midsummer Common.

The chap I needed to speak to was tied up in a meeting, so with a couple of hours to kill, hopped back onto the bike, rode to the Grafton Centre and popped into Decathlon to look for a crank extractor and a new pair of shorts - well, the 3/4 jobbies. Annoyingly they didn't have what I wanted on both fronts. The food court was closed for redevelopment, so sat on a bench in the sunshine and noshed down the flapjack and banana I'd brought with me before riding back to the insurance place. Got it all sorted no problem.

By then I was getting a bit peckish and I had the horrors for a McDonalds, so back into town, this time to the marketplace. Not an empty rack anywhere in sight. Wiggy therefore joined the multitude of bikes locked to the railings of St Mary's while muggins trotted off for a Big Mac, a brew and a sit down. I had thought about an ice cream as well, but couldn't be bothered to stand in the queue, and, as I hadn't brought any lights with me, there was that need to get home before the light faded.

So back on the bike for the return leg to Cambridge North. Missed the turn off for the cycle path and ended up riding through Chesterton instead. Thanks to the timetable shenanigans, had to hang around for half an hour for a train back to Ely instead of 10 mins. From there is was the usual ride home, but I didn't even bother attempting Fore Hill, as by then my knees were already protesting a fair old bit. No shame in getting off and walking. The drag up to Orwell Pit was also hard going, but just about had enough left in the tank to get me home.

Roughly 22 miles in total, which included lugging a backpack containing two locks along with all the other necessary gubbins. Cycling in Cambridge is a real blast though and I'd definitely do it again - far easier than taking the park & ride. Though my knees, quads and calves are certainly letting me know I've put some effort in today...

As an aside, my route took me past Light Blue Cycles, so I stopped to ogle up the very nice bikes in the window display.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A shorter and more leisurely ride this morning taking in a few roads I haven't ridden for a little while. I headed south over Lyth Hill and on to Acton Burnell and Cardington to start with then through Plaish, and up to Kenley and Broomcroft before working my way round to Harnage, Cound, Eaton Mascott, Berrington, Betton Strange and Weeping Cross and finally turning towards Meole Brace.

It's windier today than it's been recently and coming from the northeast which was helpful on the way south but I had to work against it most of the way back. It was also quite cloudy when I set out but that broke up as the ride went on. I can't recall when I last enjoyed so many sunny rides in succession.

A very pleasant ride without any incidents worth mentioning. I could feel some aches in the legs after the efforts yesterday.

35.5 miles at 13.9 mph average

First drink stop before I tackle the climb up Folly Bank.

At the Folly Bank summit.

Plaish

On the way to Kenley.

Looking towards the Wrekin.

Harnage.

 

[PatrickPending]

An outing on the hybrid today - down the grand union canal towpath.
75Km Wigston - Kilby - Saddington Tunnel - Foxton (along the Grand Onion Canal towpath) - Just north of Market Harborough (towpath fenced off) - Foxton - Saddington Tunnel - nipped onto the road for the second part - Fleckey - Arnesby - Peatling Magna - along the road to Wiloughby Waterlys but turned right to go down a road I don't remember having ridden before (turned into a farm track - i'd have turned back if I was on the road bike) - Ashby Parva - Countesthorpe - Wigston.

Lovely ride ...I went slowly but it's tired me out.

 

[Noodle Legs]

An outing on the hybrid today - down the grand union canal towpath.
75Km Wigston - Kilby - Saddington Tunnel - Foxton (along the Grand Onion Canal towpath) - Just north of Market Harborough (towpath fenced off) - Foxton - Saddington Tunnel - nipped onto the road for the second part - Fleckey - Arnesby - Peatling Magna - along the road to Wiloughby Waterlys but turned right to go down a road I don't remember having ridden before (turned into a farm track - i'd have turned back if I was on the road bike) - Ashby Parva - Countesthorpe - Wigston.

Lovely ride ...I went slowly but it's tired me out.

Saddington climb aka heart attack hill....... still gives me the heeeby jeeebies !!

 

[colly]

Woke early and at 4,45 was as wide awake as I ever get.
Went out for a hilly little run up and down Gledhow Lane through the woods. No traffic about that early so made a pleasant change. It's dull doing repetative loops but putting in lots of sudden steep climbs into a short ride helps with fitness.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/23437360


9.5 miles and about 1500ft of up.

 

[Fonze]

Glad last week finished, had man-flu and still not completely gone, surgery on my face, so not the best of weeks ..
But looking better this week, went for 2 hour cruise and was nice to be out in the fresh air ..

 

[Noodle Legs]

Glad last week finished, had man-flu and still not completely gone, surgery on my face, so not the best of weeks ..
But looking better this week, went for 2 hour cruise and was nice to be out in the fresh air ..

View attachment 410622

Nice wheels

 

[welsh dragon]

Fabulous day here. 21 deg at least and bright sunshine. 22 mile bimble done. Quite a headwind in places but very welcome as it was roasting in places. I crossed over the border into Gwynedd today. I did think of going into Mach but it is market day and the roads would be packed with people just walking into the road without looking so I avoided it.