Your ride today....

[Pumpkin the robot]

It was a bit warm on the commute home tonight. I do not think I have been so happy for a head wind and deluge to keep cool! By the time I got home, I was dry again!

 

[Slow But Determined]

30 miles only this a.m. with an embarrassingly low average but climbing practice was the order of the day. Just why are there uphill sections on a descent!!!

 

[oldfatfool]

70k back road bimble from Ingleton to Morecambe and back, just in time for shiwer and tour df.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Out again earlyish this morning (about an hour later than yesterday) with the Galaxy to get some miles in while it was nice. It's not expected to be as warm today but the thermometer was already showing 20C wen I set out.

I didn't want to be out too long as there was a possibility of rain so opted for one of my regular routes (Upton Magna, Walcot, Cressage, Acton Burnell, Longnor).

The Galaxy felt fabulous despite tired legs (with one thing and another it's been a while since I last rode four days in succession) and a tailwind after Condover helped greatly with that (and improved my mood after a rather pointless close pass). The lane I wanted to use past Berrington Hall is closed which I wasn't expecting so I risked using the A458 to Cross Houses. The traffic was okay but that stretch was uphill and seemed to be into the wind so I didn't enjoy it.

I did enjoy the stretch from Cross Houses, through Atcham and Upton Magna to Withington though which the bike seemed to just fly along. After Withington I turned southwards into the headwind which brought my enthusiasm back down to earth a bit. Nothing to be done but keep turning the pedals though.

The chain jammed on me as I shifted down from the big ring approaching Atcham Bridge. The bike has an annoying habit of doing this on random shifts and I can't find anything specifically wrong.

Shore Lane felt a bit of a slog today and having a cross or headwind through Acton Burnell all the way to Longnor meant I wasn't going to break any records. At Longnor though I turned north again and enjoyed a cracking wind-assisted run pretty much all the way home.

34.4 miles this trip at 15.3 mph average.

Pausing for a drink near to Acton Burnell.

 

[postman]

Bingley five rise locks on the mountain bike.Lovely.I even tried to help a chap who had managed to jam/wedge his chain in the cassette.As hard as we tried we could not shift it.Both of us covered in muck,boy that bike needed a real good clean.Sorry to leave him as he carried it to a bike shop in Bingley.

 

[theloafer]

not a big ride today....just a birthday ride (64) ... so a short trip to see where route 715 went to that I came across last time I was mooching about ..karon was to impressed but I love to see where end up ...ended up not that far from my fav ice cream parlour is so detoured that way back ...plus had to get back for the tour a also only 20 miles but great fun

https://www.strava.com/activities/2564870221

 

[Dave 123]

Another short one this afternoon in the quiet back lanes. Some good hills too.

https://strava.app.link/uxdFh9mRDY

 

[gavgav]

The intense heat has abated to a normal warm Summer day, in Shropshire and so I ventured back out on the bike. Last few days have been past the heat level, for me getting on a bike.

My usual Shrewsbury route, but in a clockwise direction, which I don’t often do. Headed down through Meole Brace, where I had the usual Friday night idiot, woman in a VW Up who overtakes me, whilst I’m going between 2 parked cars, with inches to spare and then promptly pulls in front of the parked car on the right Utterly pathetic driving.

Thankfully there were no more idiots on the route through Nobold, Radbrook, Copthorne, Shelton and Porthill, where I dropped down into the Quarry. Flower show tents are slowly going up, ready for the 9th August.

Along the Towpath to the weir, where there were some teenage boys playing on the weir and in the River, really not a good idea in that river lads

Continued on through Castlefields and then along the cycle lanes to Reabrook, back down to Meole and home.

Did have some real problems with the gears on the Hybrid, again. Seems to be between gears 2, 3 & 4, particularly when pulling away in 2 and 3 with some effort. It jumps out of gear and between gears, which is very disconcerting when pulling across busy roads. Had a tweak when I got back, but it needs resetting up by @Rickshaw Phil me thinks.

13.43 miles at 11.5mph avg

 

[galaxy]

Three o'clock this afternoon found me sitting on an upturned milk crate on the forecourt of a petrol station in Ferryhill repeatedly pouring water from my cap onto my head. The cold water tap was a lifesaver but I still wasn't sure I could ride the remaining twelve miles home. Every time I tried to stand up my vision clouded, my head started spinning and my knees began to buckle. And it had all started off so well - kind of.

Plan A, to get out on the tandem, didn't survive Mrs. jg's encounter with an aggressive speed bump at the QE Infirmary. She'd tweaked her back badly enough to bail out but urged me to get out on a single so plan B was quickly formed; head South and try to avoid hills and the A167.

Set off into a hairdryer headwind but felt good. So good that when I'd finished my Cherry Bakewell Scone at the Number 4 Teashop in Sedgefield I decided to carry on to Eaglescliffe. Haven't been that way for ages but remembered the route from past Ferryhill Wheelers club runs and was down there in good time.

It was as I rode along Aislaby Road towards Middleton One Row that I began to get really hot. I guess it was because I was now missing the cooling effect of the headwind. No problem though, there are plenty of places to get refills and anyway the shortest way back was to carry on. I had to stop though at Middleton and again at Neasham, which isn't that much further on, because I was getting light headed.

View attachment 476999
River Tees at Neasham

Cheered myself up with the thought of a proper meal and a long sit down at Barton Truck Stop (a World Heritage Site according to @Skuhravy). Beans on toast, a pint of tea and an ice cold coke on the back of my throat saw me fit for action again so off I went down the Roman Road to Piercebridge. All was right with the world again apart from the thunderbugs getting up my nose.

Usually, at Piercebridge I'd take a hilly route home on the lanes but today thought the line of least resistance would be more sensible. Through Newton Aycliffe, charcoal burning everywhere, to the A167 and swing directly North. By now I'd drunk 7 bottles of water, a couple of pots of tea and a couple of cokes but was feeling groggy. I'd stopped sweating, hadn't had a pee for ages but just couldn't face anything else to drink.

That's when I found the tap at Ferryhill. Eventually I managed to get my body temperature down and could stand without feeling faint so I pottered home occasionally dowsing my head from my refilled bottles.

82 very hot miles not to be repeated.

Its been over 30 years since i`ve been to Barton Truck Truck stop, amazing place.

 

[galaxy]

Out again earlyish this morning (about an hour later than yesterday) with the Galaxy to get some miles in while it was nice. It's not expected to be as warm today but the thermometer was already showing 20C wen I set out.

I didn't want to be out too long as there was a possibility of rain so opted for one of my regular routes (Upton Magna, Walcot, Cressage, Acton Burnell, Longnor).

The Galaxy felt fabulous despite tired legs (with one thing and another it's been a while since I last rode four days in succession) and a tailwind after Condover helped greatly with that (and improved my mood after a rather pointless close pass). The lane I wanted to use past Berrington Hall is closed which I wasn't expecting so I risked using the A458 to Cross Houses. The traffic was okay but that stretch was uphill and seemed to be into the wind so I didn't enjoy it.

I did enjoy the stretch from Cross Houses, through Atcham and Upton Magna to Withington though which the bike seemed to just fly along. After Withington I turned southwards into the headwind which brought my enthusiasm back down to earth a bit. Nothing to be done but keep turning the pedals though.

The chain jammed on me as I shifted down from the big ring approaching Atcham Bridge. The bike has an annoying habit of doing this on random shifts and I can't find anything specifically wrong.

Shore Lane felt a bit of a slog today and having a cross or headwind through Acton Burnell all the way to Longnor meant I wasn't going to break any records. At Longnor though I turned north again and enjoyed a cracking wind-assisted run pretty much all the way home.

34.4 miles this trip at 15.3 mph average.

View attachment 477115
Pausing for a drink near to Acton Burnell.

You have a good taste in Bikes, lol.

 

[jongooligan]

Its been over 30 years since i`ve been to Barton Truck Truck stop, amazing place.

Can't see the caff lasting much longer tbh. Last three times I've been in I've been the only customer. Can't remember the last time there were more customers than staff.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

You have a good taste in Bikes, lol.

Thanks.

The intense heat has abated to a normal warm Summer day, in Shropshire and so I ventured back out on the bike. Last few days have been past the heat level, for me getting on a bike.

My usual Shrewsbury route, but in a clockwise direction, which I don’t often do. Headed down through Meole Brace, where I had the usual Friday night idiot, woman in a VW Up who overtakes me, whilst I’m going between 2 parked cars, with inches to spare and then promptly pulls in front of the parked car on the right Utterly pathetic driving.

Thankfully there were no more idiots on the route through Nobold, Radbrook, Copthorne, Shelton and Porthill, where I dropped down into the Quarry. Flower show tents are slowly going up, ready for the 9th August.

Along the Towpath to the weir, where there were some teenage boys playing on the weir and in the River, really not a good idea in that river lads

Continued on through Castlefields and then along the cycle lanes to Reabrook, back down to Meole and home.

Did have some real problems with the gears on the Hybrid, again. Seems to be between gears 2, 3 & 4, particularly when pulling away in 2 and 3 with some effort. It jumps out of gear and between gears, which is very disconcerting when pulling across busy roads. Had a tweak when I got back, but it needs resetting up by @Rickshaw Phil me thinks.

13.43 miles at 11.5mph avg

I shall have a look when the wheel for the carbon is sorted. Still waiting on spokes at the moment.

 

[derrick]

Gentle one today as the other half was a bit under the weather. Was only a short one from Ghent to Brugges. Mostly along the canal. Got to the B&B just as the rain started. Would have been there 5 mins sooner. But my mum decided to ring me for a chat.
Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/jC7YRQZnFY
A veiw from one of the other towers in Ghent.

 

[Old jon]

Definitely dim outdoors this morning, but not raining. I took that as a forecast, wheeled out the fixed and pedalled away. The rain started falling.

Ah well, navigate around Holbeck to Office Lock and ride along the towpath, with the thought that if the rain really does become heavy it is easy to turn around. Cardigan Road to Headingley, more rising road to Lawnswood. I had thought about turning left after crossing the Ring Road here, for an extra forty or fifty metres of climbing. Nope, straight on and enjoy the easier pedalling, all the way to Bramhope, where I turned right onto Creskeld Lane.



Not the fastest downhill ever, but loads of fun anyway. Turn left at the bottom and ride a short way along to stop under the viaduct for a munch. And shelter, the rain was heavier with a vengeance. Out there in the weather, opposite the end of Station Road, is the Wharfedale pub. Pub no more, to all appearances, surrounded by a fence now. Used to be the sort of place where you expected to be charged a fiver to look at the menu.

Never mind, ride on through Pool and then to Otley. No need to stop at the maypole so make the succession of left turns to reach the bottom of Leeds Road. And start going up. In the rain, which was making the road resemble a river, and I was travelling against the flow. The higher the road went, the lighter the rain seemed. Just past Cragg View the crag on the other side of the valley was visible. Through the rain though, light as it then was.

Back through Bramhope, turn left at the roundabout and climb Kings Road. Turn right to ride through Adel after crossing the dam and then another right to be back on the A 660. Down to Headingley, more down to Kirkstall for the ride along the almost deserted towpath. Not far to ride now, back in traffic for the last turns of the wheels to the end of the street and the sight of home. Very nearly thirty miles, and a grin ‘cos I will soon be dry and warm. A good ride.

Familiar map,

 

[MrBeanz]

Another 13 mile climb, 3,018 feet of gain up a local mountain road. Almost feel guilty with the easy downhill return.

Got my fat bastard legs working today. Only a high of 91 degrees today!