Your ride today....

[galaxy]

Out and about with @gavgav today as he has the day off. He left me in charge of plotting a route and requested that it include a pub stop. After offering a couple of options the one he chose is one of the routes I've ridden fairly regularly over the summer but has sections that Gav has never cycled before.

After a morning meetup we headed out of Shrewsbury on the road to Acton Burnell, turning off after a couple of miles or so towards Condover then over Hunger Hill onto the road to Exfords Green , Pontesbury and Minsterley. It's quite breezy out which made this first part of the ride into the wind quite an effort. It was also a bit on the cool side but borderine for needing layers on top.

After Minsterley (on the first section that's new to Gav) we turned north and the wind helped a bit through Westbury to Prince's Oak but we didn't get the full benefit until Melverley, from where it was behind us for a few miles and helped with the climb on the way to Great Ness.

Reaching Prescott (just south of Baschurch) we turned south to Yeaton and realised how much the wind had been helping as it seemed to have strengthened since earlier. We had a pause for our lunch just After Yeaton then tackled the steady climbing through Walford Heath to Merrington (thankfully with wind assistance again).

There was some nice downhill on the way to Hadnall and a stop for me to take a phone call (my brother had borrowed my car and couldn't remember which fuel it's supposed to take. Thankfully he'd called rather than guessing )

In Hadnall we encountered our second numpty of the day who came storming out of a side road without even a glance (the first numpty had given us a good overtake but came within millimetres of jousting mirrors with the car coming the other way), then shortly after the village encountered a tractor being driven energetically which left one of its beacon lamps hanging in a tree after swinging over to the side to make room for us. Oops!

Astley to Upton Magna was a lot less eventful but the wind was to the side and it's a bit uphill so progress was slowing a bit. The descent from the edge of Haughmond Hill into Upton Magna was as fun as ever though.

We were getting about ready for the promised pub stop now. The Haughmond Inn is closed on a Monday unfortunately but the Corbet Arms at Uffington isn't so we ended up there instead, which was a good choice as they had beers from two of our favourite local breweries on tap.

Eventually we needed to press on again and kept mostly to the cyclepaths for the remaining trip back. Shortly after parting from Gav I realised that his waterproof was still in my pannier so I ended up adding a bit of extra distance going back to return it to him.

58.6 miles for me today at 12.6 mph average.

Very few photos taken this time:

View attachment 429561
Early on in the ride. Taking a quick break at Plealey.

View attachment 429562
Gav enjoys his pint......

View attachment 429563
..... and mine isn't bad either.

I do like your Raleigh

 

[Noodle Legs]

NCN picks the most hilly roads,

Hehe, round here only when on route to Cafe Ventoux it would seem! There’s more ups and downs than a yo-yo!! Otherwise it’s gravelly old railway tracks not always suitable for roadies (Cloud Trail excepted)

Most of my rides are in the 14 to 20 mile bracket depending on how much time I have on my hands. Sometimes I'll go to 40k

If you can do 20 miles you most definitely can do the 31 you would need to meet the challenge. It’s not about how hilly or how fast you go it’s about the distance and you’re almost there!!

 

[Reynard]

Great write up! I am in fact away cycling in France so I am glad you made it solo!

Thanks! It was one heck of a memorable day.

Enjoy your cycling hols xxx

 

[Reynard]

Hehe, round here only when on route to Cafe Ventoux it would seem! There’s more ups and downs than a yo-yo!! Otherwise it’s gravelly old railway tracks not always suitable for roadies (Cloud Trail excepted)

Here, NCN 11 picks the windiest and straightest roads.

If you can do 20 miles you most definitely can do the 31 you would need to meet the challenge. It’s not about how hilly or how fast you go it’s about the distance and you’re almost there!!

If you put it that way... At my speeds, that's about 3 hours' worth.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I do like your Raleigh

Thanks.

I'm really pleased with the look of it since changing the stem and handlebar a while ago.

 

[Salar]

I do like your Raleigh

@galaxy

Do you want a free one?, obviously my Pioneer is not as nice as @Rickshaw Phil but it's only about 10 miles from you.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Here, NCN 11 picks the windiest and straightest roads.

We’re not open country here like you are but NCN 6, 48, and 63 are reasonably steady- there are hills on each of these so I guess it’s a case of how each of us would define steady but coming from a rubbish climber they’re definitely doable! NCN 64 between Market Harborough and Melton Mowbray is as lumpy as hell however!

If you put it that way... At my speeds, that's about 3 hours' worth.

So it’s more a case of making enough time to do it as opposed to doing the distance. I find it a great motivator- it is a distance challenge so you can get out, do the miles at whatever pace you want and enjoy the scenery, so it’s winner, winner chicken dinner! I hope you give it some serious consideration.

 

[Reynard]

Yeah, that's exactly it - hammer, nail, head.

I usually head out for my rides late afternoon / early evening when I'm done for the day. It's what I love about cycling - I can get out for as little or as long as I have time to spare.

Will definitely think about the metric half challenge @Chris Doyle . I definitely want to do Sunday's ride again, and it's something that will stand me in good stead for next time.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

If you put it that way... At my speeds, that's about 3 hours' worth.

Hehehe, same here.
You can do the challenge: I could too, but I'm too lazy

 

[C R]

Hehehe, same here.
You can do the challenge: I could too, but I'm too lazy

We could have a new challenge every week, who takes the longest to ride 50km.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

After a wet start to the day it brightened up about lunchtime so I got out this afternoon to ride some hills. The route was over Lyth Hill and down to Exfords Green, along Long Lane and up to Oaks, the back way to Pulverbatch then over to Wilderley and Smethcott, down the hill to Leebotwood, along towards All Stretton then across the A49 and back via Hollyhurst, Longnor, Ryton, Condover and over Lyth Hill again.

I didn't meet much in the way of traffic, so no incidents to report. It got quite windy after the rain had gone through so the first part up to to Oaks was quite an effort but I got a good boost later on in the ride.

A very pleasant 27.3 miles at 12.9 mph average.

The view from Lyth Hill early on.

Pulverbatch

En route between Wilderley and Smethcott.

View to Caer Caradoc from near Dudgeley Farm

 

[TheDoctor]

Grrr.
Had the second visitation in a fortnight, while riding the E-bike home in the rain.
And it was the rear wheel, which is an absolute swearfest to remove.
I only had two miles to go, so I rode on the flat. Bumpety-bumpety-bumpety with a bit of oo-er on the bends.
Just ordered a pair of M+ with tubes. I think I know what I'll be doing on Saturday.

 

[TheDoctor]

Don't go liking it. It was horrid, and I got wet.

 

[Katherine]

Don't go liking it. It was horrid, and I got wet.

 

[welsh dragon]

Grrr.
Had the second visitation in a fortnight, while riding the E-bike home in the rain.
And it was the rear wheel, which is an absolute swearfest to remove.
I only had two miles to go, so I rode on the flat. Bumpety-bumpety-bumpety with a bit of oo-er on the bends.
Just ordered a pair of M+ with tubes. I think I know what I'll be doing on Saturday.

I only liked it because of your stoic perserverance in getting home.