Your ride today....

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Pete M, Jules H and me today. Ross on Wye had been decided on so over to Brooms Green and on to climb Gwynne's Hill. Then the lumps to cross the Fownhope road to ride along the lane beside the River Wye (Hole in the Wall). Bluebells in the woods were in good form. A rider joined us and it turned out to be Jinks who I have ridden several GV tours with. Great to catch up with my old pal. The Priory Cafe did us some super food and we watched a shower pass while we chatted. The return route took Pete into unknown territory but at last we had help from the stiff wind which had hindered us significantly on the way out. Legs are tired now so time for a rest. 71 smiles

 

[Elybazza61]

Stayed at the better half's late father's house last night so today did a short pootle to Scotsdales GC in Cambridge(well Shelford) for some plant buying then once panniers were filled(actually could have bought more) to the station to come home.

https://www.strava.com/activities/2320519046

https://www.strava.com/activities/2320519065

 

[AndreaJ]

I actually got a second ride in today, I have been trying all week to get my daughter to come out on a bike and this afternoon she finally decided she would. Obviously being a teenager there were conditions attached- no lycra, no going “fast” and she wanted to take some photos. Didn’t go very far but she enjoyed it and it was nice to have some company.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I have been trying all week to get my daughter to come out on a bike and this afternoon she finally decided she would. Obviously being a teenager there were conditions attached- no lycra, no going “fast” and she wanted to take some photos. Didn’t go very far but she enjoyed it and it was nice to have some company.

It's always good when that happens.

 

[Billy Wizz]

There had been a heavy rainfall this morning, judging by how wet things were outdoors. But the phone said a dry day and I believed it, though when I saw the bike in all its Monday muck that belief took a bit of holding on to.

View attachment 464027


First thing Monday morning this saddle was 283 miles old.
Ten miles older, where has the shiny gone??
View attachment 464028

Down the hill and around the bend, pedal along parallel to the beach until the new bridge is reached. It is a popular stretch of road, in dry weather at least. Lots of folk around, some on bikes, some happy joggers and some people using the exercise machines that the council (?) provides all around the area. Turn a corner and there is a set of physical torture equipment, a lot of it being used and by all age groups too. Yeah, younger outnumbers older and I guess there is a majority of men using this stuff. Never been tempted.

There was a plan for today’s ride and for a change the plan was followed. Cross the bridge, onto the mainland, and turn right. North and a lot west. Under the old bridge, Ponte Hercilio Luz to award the Sunday name, and there is another cycle path, just inland from the beach. At the end, carry on along the road in front through a jumble of houses and small businesses until a T junction is reached. Right is to the beach, but the bike don’t float. Left to the main road and right again. Pass the naval college, still wondering where they keep all the ships, and carry on for a while. This road is fair busy, when I saw a road off half right, I took that. Peace! Having glanced at the map last evening, this road was the closest to the sea and eventually would meet the main trunk road north, BR 101. Just as the day’s mileage clicked to twelve this road was reached, and I decided to turn around.



So, allowing for navigational errors, it should be a simple ride home. Back through the bit I had just ridden, was about to turn off the camera and saw the two scrap collectors. This area has a scrapyard or two, I had seen another bloke pulling a cart. Just did not put the two together, never thought. Still, home is in that direction, so keep pedalling. Back to the busy road and a left turn. One more left turn and found a one way street going the wrong way so rode three sides of a square to reach where I wanted to be. Back along the beach road, old bridge, new bridge and then Beira Mar on the island. Another crossing of the main drag via the footbridge, along the road to the left turn up the two ramp hill home, which still defeated me but this time at least half a dozen pedal turns, and one foot already unclipped.

A grin for twenty four and a smidge miles and about 1300 feet up. Bigger grin for the shower to come, it was a warm ride.

The map may explain better

View attachment 464030

A Brooke’s saddle fan

 

[13 rider]

To keep my run of consecutive days (419 )going I needed a ride today I looked at the weather app last night and it was either out early and possible get wet or later get wet and be blown around by storm Hannah .Decided on the early option . Woke at 0530 to rain lashing against the window . I might get wet faffed about until 0615 by which time it had stopped raining . Out the door on the Defy into blustery conditions but not too bad . Wind assisted ride out to Cropston around the back of Bradgate park . Turned to Swithland on the downhill into Swithland there's a right hand bend ,on the wet road today I discovered I had got use to the disc brakes on the new bike and had forgotten about rim brakes in the wet . Stayed upright through Swithland into Mountsorrel ,Rothley ,Cropston and home. Just 14.5 miles today but keeps the run going . Just had a bit of a shower for the last 2 miles so much better than expected. Wind already beginning to pick up so glad I went early

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Not what I had planned
Little different that we expected this morning. We got out to go for a ride but we run into the IRONMAN 70.3 Marbella 2019 and stayed there to cheer for our friends that were taking part of the competition.
Congrats to Salvi Gonzalez Gonzalez y Salvador Jimenez Luna son unos campeones! Club Triatlón Coín

Salvi (one legged)

And Salvi Gonzalez

 

[TigerT]

The weather forecast said 50% chance of rain. I took the gamble...... I lost

A very wet ride yesterday. Normally I don’t like going out in the wet, but I was getting grumpy staying indoors so I decided to go out anyway, it was dry when I started but the forecast said rain so I expected to get wet. It didn’t take long!

I headed out on a local loop and extended it down past a local lake. It was already raining but I decided to explore a bit and headed off through some woods. I had seen other cyclists come out, so assumed it was road all the way through. It was a good choice as it joins up with another of my routes. So I then added another big loop to head down one of my favourite cycle paths. Even though it was wet, I enjoyed this bit, the wind was behind me now so it was a pretty fast run all the way home.

The bike was serviced last week as was looking like new. By now it was looking filthy again. So the next hour was spent cleaning me and it.

Day off on May 1st and there is a small chance I can collect my new bike much earlier than expected, so I’m hoping the weather changes again

SUNDAY EDIT : Woke up from a Sunday afternoon nap and the sun was out so repeated yesterday’s ride dry! Much nicer although a lot more windy. So 60kms for the weekend when I didn’t expect any.

 

[Donger]

Club ride day again. Three ladies and two gents in the social ride today, which skirted Gloucester and went up Nut Hill as the big climb of the day, then cut through the suburbs of Cheltenham before meeting up with our intermediates in the Gotherington Village Stores Café. I mentioned the place in an earlier post as they had come to our rescue towards the end of a recent audax, staying open just for the two of us. They seem very popular with cyclists now, and have a rail outside for hanging bikes by the saddle. £2.50 for a chocolate shortbread and a cup of coffee, and very friendly service.... Impressed by the place.

Some pitted and scarily busy roads spoilt the way back until we hit the A38 and enjoyed quieter traffic and a tailwind. Chose to go off piste on the way back to take in a bit more of the quiet country lanes (Sandhurst Lane) before riding through Gloucester back to Kingsway. Nice company, great coffee stop and two thirds of the cycling was enjoyable. 44.5 miles.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A shortish one this morning just round some of my regular haunts: Condover, Longnor, Acton Burnell, Harnage, Cound, Berrington.

The main part of the ride was pleasantly uneventful really, even though some of the roads were busier than I'd usually expect on a Sunday morning. The most notable thing was how cold it felt and after the gorgeous few days last weekend it was quite a contrast, needing two fleeces to keep warm. Despite this there were a good number of other cyclists out today.

I was out with an aim this time which was to see the Bike4Life motorcycle event (in aid of the Midlands Air Ambulance) set off from Meole Brace and head for their closed road jaunt to Cosford. I arrived in good time and witnessed a spot of bother when a delivery lorry took out a line of the cones that had been set out to redirect traffic so that the bikers route would be kept clear. The Highways Agency officials were not impressed and told him so.

This little incident held up the traffic long enough for me to cross and get a better viewing point as the 3000+ bikers set off. It takes quite a while to get this many bikes, trikes and quads on their way so 45 minutes later having seen enough I backtracked to a safe place to cross the waiting traffic and join the cyclepath headed towards home. The last of the motorcyclists and their escort vehicles came past me as I headed for Dobbies Island.

24.1 miles this time at 12.6mph average.

Acton Burnell

Berrington.

The motorcyclists set off.

It was quite a spectacle seeing so many motorbikes on the road at once. Blooming noisy though!

Meanwhile, everyone else is having to be patient on the A5..........

.....and it's much the same along the A49 as I head towards Bayston Hill.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Managed to ride to the tram stop, and from the other tram stop to work in the one dry hour of the day.

Now I've written that with due smugness it'll probably pish it down when I have to go back...

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

This kids are going to kill meeee!!!

Went out today with the young guys from the club, there is a lot of talent around some already proved they are worth remembering their names and some will eventually get there.

And here one classic climb where I could not reach the last 2 kids in 13 km… is Ok the other ones were under coach instructions not to ride over zone 3.. Whatever that is..

100 km and 2000 meters to close this weekend.

 

[8mph]

Did my first Audax ride yesterday, Valley of the rocks 200. It was wild and windy and took me 12hrs 30 to complete.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Did my first Audax ride yesterday, Valley of the rocks 200. It was wild and windy and took me 12hrs 30 to complete. View attachment 464335

That was a nice surprise: I met my wife there.

 

[Katherine]

Very glad of the lovely weather today, warm, dry, light breeze, in total contrast to the vile weather yesterday.
37 miles, starting to feel a bit easier, the group only had to wait for me once at the top of a long winding hill, on our way to Style. Out past the Trafford Centre but on the way back we got on the Bridgewater Canal by the tram station in Stretford to avoid the Sunday afternoon traffic.
It was so lovely to ride by the canal, which was really quiet and there's something calming about being near water. Lots of geese to avoid though, that are just starting to get a bit protective of their nests.