Your ride today....

[BianchiVirgin]

68km this morning and 960m climbing up to the local TV mast on Black Mountain, which is on the border between NI and RoI. Good climb with a max gradient of about 13% in places. Assisted by a stiff tail breeze that I then had against me on the way home

 

[Mr Celine]

'Scotland prepares for scorching weekend' proclaimed the BBC yesterday, but rather than go out for my normal Friday evening ride I checked some more reliable weather sites which all predicted rain at 5 pm. It didn't actually start until half past, but then pissed down for four hours.
Today was mainly sunny but with an easterly gale and I don't consider 17C at 2 pm to be scorching.
I headed out east into the wind through Melrose and Newtown to cross the Tweed at Dryburgh suspension bridge. This bridge is only open to cyclists and pedestrians, but on arrival I found it barriered off due to the deck being replaced. A small notice cable tied to the barrier said 'cyclists find alternative route'. WTF? Do they signpost roads closed to motor vehicles the same way?
Rather than turn round and go back up the hill I opted for the riverside path, which appeared to be a pave track. My bike says Roubaix on the top tube so ought to be able to cope, but the path got narrower and then started going up and down wooden stairs, over tree roots and bare rocks, which were a nightmare as I had to walk over them in cleats. Eventually I made it back to terra firma and headed for Kelso. Here the easterly wind was making me cold and having no extra layers to put on turned south then west for a tailwind towards home. I ate an energy bar at Crailing Kirk...

... then crossed the Teviot at this bridge with its 8 Tesla charge limit.

It looked like a haar might be coming in off the sea, but as I got further west it did warm up a bit, though nothing close to what I'd call scorching.
The map...

 

[Vantage]

A small notice cable tied to the barrier said 'cyclists find alternative route'. WTF? Do they signpost roads closed to motor vehicles the same way?

I suffered a similar experience on NCR55 a couple years ago. I had a mile or 2 of backtracking before I could turn off for a diversion. No prior warnings whatsoever. Idiots.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

'Scotland prepares for scorching weekend' proclaimed the BBC yesterday, but rather than go out for my normal Friday evening ride I checked some more reliable weather sites which all predicted rain at 5 pm. It didn't actually start until half past, but then pissed down for four hours.
Today was mainly sunny but with an easterly gale and I don't consider 17C at 2 pm to be scorching.
I headed out east into the wind through Melrose and Newtown to cross the Tweed at Dryburgh suspension bridge. This bridge is only open to cyclists and pedestrians, but on arrival I found it barriered off due to the deck being replaced. A small notice cable tied to the barrier said 'cyclists find alternative route'. WTF? Do they signpost roads closed to motor vehicles the same way?
Rather than turn round and go back up the hill I opted for the riverside path, which appeared to be a pave track. My bike says Roubaix on the top tube so ought to be able to cope, but the path got narrower and then started going up and down wooden stairs, over tree roots and bare rocks, which were a nightmare as I had to walk over them in cleats. Eventually I made it back to terra firma and headed for Kelso. Here the easterly wind was making me cold and having no extra layers to put on turned south then west for a tailwind towards home. I ate an energy bar at Crailing Kirk...
View attachment 411227
... then crossed the Teviot at this bridge with its 8 Tesla charge limit.
View attachment 411225
View attachment 411226
It looked like a haar might be coming in off the sea, but as I got further west it did warm up a bit, though nothing close to what I'd call scorching.
The map...

View attachment 411229

I shall never look at weight limit signs the same way again.

 

[bruce1530]

A little further than I had intended today....

 

[Dave 123]

Her ride today/yesterday
A drive to Windsor with Mrs Dave, my sister Jane and BiL Mike. The last time I was in this town I was wearing a nappy. Things have moved on a bit since then!

We had a stroll around the town, very pleasant too, then we made our way to the racecourse. A steady stream of bike laden cars was turning in. Already you could sense an atmosphere without the poison macho bullsh1t, it was a really nice atmosphere. Party time

Jane was using Mikes bike, but sadly there was a problem with the front brake.... not to worry, Halfords efficiently and cheerily fitted a new cable FREE OF CHARGE! I know they get slagged off on here sometimes, but a big thumbs up from me!
You could pay £ for a glittery face painting, or a donation to play with stuff, we chose the latter. My make up artist skills shone through

Then there was the photo opportunity with a comedy prop

Then came the riders free bucket of pasta, then it was time to kit up

At the start line a lady on the mic hyped the crowd, Saturday night by Whigfield

Mike and I left them to it at this point, we decamped to the Harvester round the corner for the nearest food opportunity. It was ok. We then wandered in to town and had a drink at the two brewers, very nice. Ladies riding by

We found ourselves wandering...... out past Home Park, lightning bolts illuminating a leaden sky. A few spots of rain... "maybe we should turn round Mike..." F*ck me! Instantly we were hit with a wall of rain!!! We were soaked to our pants in a trice. Lightning flashes, one after the other. Being well trained Boy Scouts we sheltered under the nearest leafy tree- chance of being killed by lightning 1,000,000 to 1, chances of being washed down the drain never to be seen again, a certainty.

Meanwhile at a garden centre near Feltham

Mike and I beat a hasty retreat to a taxi near the station, 10 quid back to the racecourse, robbing bast4rd! We had the easy option.
Jo and Jane were out in it. The outbound leg to London was stop start. Potholes. Speed bumps. Level crossings. 4 abreast slow cyclists. Knobhead taxi drivers.
Through the suburbs slowly, Jo using Jane as a guide dog. Mrs Dave doesn't have great distance vision, in a monsoon it doesn't improve. No windscreen wipers on her glasses.
Over Putney Bridge, more water on it than under it. Eventually they washed up at Buckingham Palace, a solitary lit window. At the feed station near Green Park
Ham sandwiches and a brew were taken on board.
Headwind gone, rain easing it was the easy part of the ride. Normally the second half would be harder, but minus the interesting weather it became a pleasure. She rang me, her voice sounded bright. Jane rang Mike, she too sounded perky. We'd been sat in the car, soaked, laughing, shaking our heads...."bloody hell, what kind of state will they be in? There's going to be some bloody swearing when the return".

We both nodded off. Mike started to snore so I got out of the car and wandered across the field to water the hedge. On my return 3 lit bikes silently and swiftly went over the bridge toward the finish, cheers, whoops and whistles came from the darkness. 2.17am

I roused Mike. We wandered down to the finish. We were still damp, but slowly warmed by the glow of these amazing women who'd been in one hell of a ride. Every one was clapped and cheered through, some looking cool, some looking bedraggled, some with smiles as big as the castle.

My phone rang. 'We're just coming into Windsor, we'll be in in a minute'.

I waited, poised, phone on video mode. Only I didn't bloody recognise them did I...! By the time I'd twigged it was too late. I walked over to the finish line.

They were euphoric. Not a hint of bad language.

Whilst I loaded the bikes onto the car the girls got changed into dry kit, I had the engine running, heater on full blast.

Jane had brought some recovery drink

I thought they'd be out like a light, but no, tales of epic, watery struggles, fights with busses and flying by the seat of your bib shorts were told.

64.9 miles at an average of 11.4mph, the longest ride for both. They raised about £1,000 between them. It was a great event, the weather came a close second to all these lovely ladies.

Go on, give her a bit of Strava kudos, you know you want to....

https://www.strava.com/activities/1598386412

 

[Spiderweb]

A gentle pootle this morning with my friends Martin & Gaynor with a coffee stop (no cake as I’m on a diet!) at Naburn Marina. 26.8 miles with an average of 14.3mph.

 

[C R]

I shall never look at weight limit signs the same way again.

Well, it is a metal bridge, and 8T is a mighty strong magnetic field ...

 

[gbb]

A very heavy days work in my DILs garden yesterday and I bloomin ached like crazy last night, a bit less so this morning so just an hour puttering along quiet roads and tracks. So times it' good to back off and just pootle.
Some Goldfinch, a couple Yellowhammers, Buzzard, and a close pass with a small deer I surprised as it came out of some roadside bushes...a bit big for a muntjack...who knows ?...

 

[Reynard]

A very heavy days work in my DILs garden yesterday and I bloomin ached like crazy last night, a bit less so this morning so just an hour puttering along quiet roads and tracks. So times it' good to back off and just pootle.
Some Goldfinch, a couple Yellowhammers, Buzzard, and a close pass with a small deer I surprised as it came out of some roadside bushes...a bit big for a muntjack...who knows ?...

Could be a Chinese Water Deer - foxy red in colour, big ears, males have tusks (!)

 

[cyberknight]

Medium clubrun today, a bit slow for me now so i need to stop up to the next group.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1599607545

 

[Mike_P]

A game of cat and mouse with a few A roads this afternoon, up through Ripley using the A61 either side of the village than along Nidd Land and the bridleway to South Stainley, back on the A61 north to Wormald Green then turned off west to Markington, slightly hiller than I thought

Then north and east - just before crossing the A61 a number of cyclists partaking in a cycle event headed in the opposite direction and continued to do so for the remainder of the east bound ride. On through Bishop Monkton via Roeclffe

to Boroughbridge where just before I reached the end of the eastbound route the cycle event broom wagon turned the corner. South west, A6055 to Minskip then turned off to Staveley.

South east crossing over the A6055 to Arkendale, then west to Ferrensby and again crossing over the A6055 to the fringes of Farnham then south to Knareborough rejoining the A6055. A59 uphill to Starbeck, was hoping for the wind to assist but it was noticeably absence despite hindering much of the eastbound progress, so I resorted to the adjacent cycle track. Turned off on the delightfully named Bogs Lane to access enroute the Starbeck spur of the Nidderdale Greenway. Up Bilton Lane and A59 homewards.

33.16 miles and almost a flat ride around these parts - only 1385ft climbing. 13.1mph average

 

[Dave 123]

After going to bed at 7am and then having a nice pub lunch I was sat watching the Giro, but it was a bit of a parade so I went out for a ride on my Cube.
I made the mistake of going down Madingley hill. It was a bit busy. Quieter in Coton.
In Trumpington the tourists were out in the pubs and tea room , I carried on through to Shelford. A diamond formation of blue and yellow fighter jets flew overhead. As I rode on to Newton there were various planes flying by, some in groups, some singly.

Back through Haslingfield and the Eversdens. A steamy afternoon for a pleasant 25 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1600024773

I spotted this rusty tandem in Grantchester

 

[jongooligan]

Another pleasant (Wear) valley Sunday. My thoughts all seem to stray to places far away. I need a change of scenery. And as I was up before the weekend squire began to mow his lawn I pointed myself to Teesdale and was in Staindrop too early for the cafe to be open. On then to Middleton, after a brief crossing of the Tees to the Yorkshire side, for breakfast at the 'Cundy'. Except it's not the Conduit anymore and is now called the Teespot. It's still a good caff though and the scrambled eggs were direct from the new owners own chooks.
A frustrating visitation as I was leaving the village. Couldn't find the source of the deflation or anything obvious through the tyre. A couple of riders passed as I was putting in the new tube, both asking if I was OK and telling me that they too had just had to fix flats.
Into upper Teesdale then with the meadows looking alpine and the roads still fairly empty although I was now getting buzzed by the occasional low flying motorbike. The gradual climb up to Langdon Beck was going all too easily as there was now a fairly stiff NE wind pushing me along - that free ride would have to be paid for later.
At the signpost for St. John's Chapel I took the road out of the valley towards Weardale and began the climb of Chapel Fell into the wind. This side is usually the easy side but not today as a cheerful farmer told me, pulling alongside me on his quad with a huge grin on his face. Well I still got to the top without having to get out of the saddle and the views, although a bit hazy, were reward enough for the effort.
The road across Chapel Fell

The screaming descent down into Weardale didn't happen as there was some kind of Motorbike trials thing going on with the road being constricted by bad parking and some dodgy multi point turns but it was grand not to pedal for a while, take it easy and enjoy the scenery.
Took the road on the South side of the valley through Brotherlee. It's in much better nick than the A road on the other side and is so so much quieter.
Was almost taken out by another cyclist at the Grey Bull, one of a group of four, who I'd see again later on. The climb up Crawleyside Bank had me out of the saddle several times as it's probably the steepest bit of the ride plus I had 60 miles in my legs by this point but all things pass and I eventually reached Park Head caff where I had my dinner.
Just as I was leaving, the four cyclists I'd seen at the bottom arrived. 'Hey, haven't we seen you before?' one said. Turned out that while I'd been eating my dinner they had been walking up the climb. TBF they were doing the C2C and had huge panniers on their bikes.
Pretty much all down hill from here but still with that stiff wind in my face so in places where I'd normally be doing 30mph I was actually doing half that.

86 miles with 6,000ft of climbing at 14mph.
Fell into such a deep sleep when I got home that I didn't recognise where I was when Mrs. jg woke me.

 

[BianchiVirgin]

Around 40km spin this morning and 485m climbing. Average of 27km/hr which wasn't too shabby. The same east as yesterday so a stiff head wind home but it was pleasantly warm and I didn't give a toss. Really enjoying the Bianchi to the point where I went road yesterday as well and normally Saturday morning is with the MTB group!