Your ride today....

[Rickshaw Phil]

Meh, women drivers eh?!?

Seriously though I’m glad all went well, good ride.

Thanks for the good thoughts.

Regards the drivers, I find that incompetence is fairly evenly spread. I've had a police driver give me an exemplary overtake.......... apparently without noticing the cars coming the other way.

 

[derrick]

was a bit bored this morning, so out for a quick loop. feel much better now. Apart from a couple of dick heads in 4x4s taking up the whole road to turn right,
https://www.strava.com/activities/1805239070

 

[Katherine]

Followed Miss K (who drove) to young Mr K's to walk their dogs. I tried to get the hang of the stop start lead but ended up with friction burns on my finger and the back of my leg from the lead when one of the dogs saw another dog she wanted to play with.
The outward route past the Trafford Centre has road (tram) works which was slow to negotiate so I decided to go back via the Quays but that involved even worse roadworks to negotiate. Once at the Quays I went in search of the Bee-in-the-City at the Blue Peter Garden which I missed the other day.
I also found Petra - she died in 1977 so you have to be over a certain age to remember her.
More bees found in Monton.

 

[iancity]

Ok here goes an attempt at posting pics !
Ride first of all, I'm struggling with bike fit at the minute, been riding perfectly comfortably for 3 years then in the last 5 months (coincidentally when I have been doing more rides, and of a greater distance), I'm finding lower back issues between 15-20 miles. So bike rides at the minute are consisting of little tweaks and then a ride to see if I can get comfortable (its also an excuse for a low avg mph )

Local route around South East Northumberland, seemed to be heading into the wind all the way round !

 

[postman]

Followed Miss K (who drove) to young Mr K's to walk their dogs. I tried to get the hang of the stop start lead but ended up with friction burns on my finger and the back of my leg from the lead when one of the dogs saw another dog she wanted to play with.
The outward route past the Trafford Centre has road (team) works which was slow to negotiate so I decided to go back via the Quays but that involved even worse roadworks to negotiate. Once at the Quays I went in search of the Bee-in-the-City at the Blue Peter Garden which I missed the other day.
I also found Petra - she died in 1977 so you have to be over a certain age to remember her.
More bees found in Monton.

View attachment 427439 View attachment 427440 View attachment 427441 View attachment 427442 View attachment 427443 View attachment 427444

What a beeutiful post.

 

[Mrs M]

Followed Miss K (who drove) to young Mr K's to walk their dogs. I tried to get the hang of the stop start lead but ended up with friction burns on my finger and the back of my leg from the lead when one of the dogs saw another dog she wanted to play with.
The outward route past the Trafford Centre has road (team) works which was slow to negotiate so I decided to go back via the Quays but that involved even worse roadworks to negotiate. Once at the Quays I went in search of the Bee-in-the-City at the Blue Peter Garden which I missed the other day.
I also found Petra - she died in 1977 so you have to be over a certain age to remember her.
More bees found in Monton.

View attachment 427439 View attachment 427440 View attachment 427441 View attachment 427442 View attachment 427443 View attachment 427444

Aw, I remember Petra xx

 

[Dave 123]

Nice pics @iancity

Out on my mountain bike tonight, although I was a bit tired from playing immature willy waving whilst cycling home. I never learn.

It was very quiet on the roads and bridle ways. I ended up going to Wimpole. Down the drive just as the lad was shutting the gates, there is a gap for bikes.

I decided to be naughty and ride up to the folly. A bloke came running by with his husky while I was at there.

Once back in Kingston I used the roads all the way home.

16.5 miles

https://www.strava.com/activities/1806002692

 

[Reynard]

Followed Miss K (who drove) to young Mr K's to walk their dogs. I tried to get the hang of the stop start lead but ended up with friction burns on my finger and the back of my leg from the lead when one of the dogs saw another dog she wanted to play with.
The outward route past the Trafford Centre has road (team) works which was slow to negotiate so I decided to go back via the Quays but that involved even worse roadworks to negotiate. Once at the Quays I went in search of the Bee-in-the-City at the Blue Peter Garden which I missed the other day.
I also found Petra - she died in 1977 so you have to be over a certain age to remember her.
More bees found in Monton.

View attachment 427439 View attachment 427440 View attachment 427441 View attachment 427442 View attachment 427443 View attachment 427444

You should stick those in the street art thread, hun xxx

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

After Sunday's Challenge I was still tired as I rolled out for the meet in Upton. Jules H was already there and Pete M arrived not long after. We headed off over the bridge and for a change took the Strensham/Besford route out for Drakes Broughton and the ford at Walcot. It was then a traditional run to Bishampton but we diverted from standard at Rous Lench to climb to Church Lench. My tired legs wouldn't work too well on the ups today so I tended to let the others go. After Atch Lench we dropped at speed to Harvington which allowed us to loop by Salford Priors to the Hillers cafe at Dunnington. It was busy with a Falconry demonstration, another group of riders and large numbers of lunchtime folks. We found a pleasant spot outside and service was efficient.

Refreshed we took the unnecessary but very pretty run through Abbots Morton before heading south from Flyford Flavell. We paused on the bridge at the ford at Naunton Beauchamp before heading for the ford at Walcot again. Our return took in Wadborough and its level crossing for a change. Climbing Kinnersley bank my legs seemed to behave for the first time on a slope today. Jules and Pete wanted to head back with me so we took my standard route but altered the final miles to take in all the Guarlford Road loops which allowed my mileage to be increased enough to give a nice round number. Hurrah for OCD! 70 smiles

 

[Katherine]

You should stick those in the street art thread, hun xxx

I will when I get to the end. I've been enjoying reading the thread over the last week or so, a few pages at a time. Nearly there...

 

[Cavalol]

Just the commute today, but I only do it about 5 times every 4 weeks, so I enjoy it more. Bit of a backlog down the lanes, the farmer's wife had roped the road off as the cows were coming in for milking, so I took a mile de-tour.
Every time I take the route, I seem to see the same cat in the same place down the back lanes, who I always tell to keep off the road, but he/she doesn't seem to listen!

 

[Reynard]

Today's outing was a mix of utility and leisure, as I took the bike with me on the train and went to Cambridge to do a spot of retail therapy.

So, the five mile ride to Ely station via Downham Common, California and Orwell Pit. From there, train to Cambridge North, and then the ride from there into town, through Chesterton, along the river and across Midsummer Common.

Bimbled around variously in town as well, checking out sales deals in various cycle shops as I was after some MTB / touring shoes. Ended up in Decathlon by default after not having much luck elsewhere LOL. I was after some Giro shoes I'd seen online, but no one had them in store for me to try on, so bought Shimano ones instead. And a pair of hiking trousers. Pootled around the Grafton, Lion Yard and the market, then had a refuel stop in MaccyD.

Journey home was the reverse of the journey out. Ran out of gas a bit on the ride back from Ely, so bimbled gently home. So, 20-ish miles of mainly urban cycling (owwww, my poor knees - all that stopping and starting!), but have to say, cycling in Cambridge is a blast.

Well, other than the suicidal pedestrians with noses glued to their phones, and the Chinese tourists either a) standing in the middle of the road taking photos or b) riding hire bikes on the wrong side of the road...

Edited to say, a chap who rode into Cambridge North station alongside me, stopped me and said how much he liked my bike. How cool is that?

 

[Old jon]

I was after some Giro shoes I'd seen online, but no one had them

Shame about the shoes, I think mine have been great this last three years, and likely much longer to come. Mind, my Shimanos do almost as well . . .

 

[Reynard]

Shame about the shoes, I think mine have been great this last three years, and likely much longer to come. Mind, my Shimanos do almost as well . . .

One of those things, I suppose... Was after a pair of Giro Petras, but ended up with a pair of Shimano MT34s instead. They're chunkier than the Giros, but they'll do the job.

 

[Mr Celine]

Seemed a bit warmer tonight, back in shorts again. For a bit of variety I decided to try out the nearly 'completed' sustrans bimbleway alongside the A68 south from Earlston. This is the southern end - it just stops.

I'd avoided the northern end as it includes a section less than half this width where the road crosses the Leader Water and I reckoned the road was safer. It then passes across a layby and has those horrible concrete pimple slabs, except those ones are on a cross slope so steep they will be lethal when wet.

Although the new path ends here there is a sort of continuation in the form of a loop of the old road, which is still perfectly rideable. It has fine views towards the Black Hill.

This bit of old road rejoins the A68 with no alternative for about 300 metres. This also happens to be a very fast three lane section and although fairly quiet at 7:00pm I would not ride on that during the day. So far this cycle facility seems to be a complete waste of money, especially as there is an alternative route along quiet lanes on the other side of the river.
Today's map -

26.8 miles @14.3mph 2084 feet