Your ride today....

[galaxy]

Nicer day today, up and out by 09.00. More a Utillity ride, into Leominster. Pick up Perscription, into Coop, butchers and a Coffee. Took the cycle path out of town, over the A49. Up the Bromyard Road and took the Muddy lanes home. Hosed the bike down, gear in the washing machine, nice hot shower and Bacon Sarnie.
What a excellent start to the day.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Yesterday’s ride I shall entitle “Saga CC- The tortoise and the Hares”

Three friends and I took advantage of a break in the recent unsettled weather for a self-proclaimed “Saga CC” ride down to the Cotswolds, specifically to the picturesque village of Bourton-on-the-Water.

We initially planned to do this back in August but for various reasons we couldn’t make it happen and so yesterday was the next mutually convenient date.

Met up with the lads just before 8am on a dry but cool morning, setting off in a SW direction through local lanes towards Atherstone, a place I’ve ridden a few times before. However the way out of Atherstone was a new one to me and involved quite a long upward drag which definitely got the ol’ ticker pumping a little bit!
Once on the south side of the A5 it changed from flat to a lot more rolling terrain and this was to remain pretty much so throughout the entirety of the ride.
Arriving at our first stop in Meriden, we were 20 minutes early and utilised the waiting time by trying to solve the conundrum of why there was a bulge in Tim’s tyre. It was concluded there was evidence of perishing, probably having done a few thousand miles on them. He decided to continue, albeit with a little more caution with a view to finding somewhere to get a new one.

Before long the cafe opened and I ordered a light breakfast of scrambled egg on sourdough toast. The sorriest egg on toast I’d ever seen at that and a snip at “just” £6!

Eager to get going again we set off through the Warwickshire countryside, still largely SW and into a headwind, another constant through the route!
The roads still rolling, some still a little wet, 30 more miles in, edge of the Cotswolds reached.

The lunch stop at Chipping Campden was in our sights and before long we hit our first steep climb of the day. Looking on strava it was called Larkstoke Hill. 1.25 miles, average of 7%, maxed out around 16% in places, this was a tough climb due to the road conditions which were wet and muddy.
My back in bits from the spinning, every time I got out the saddle I lost traction and so had to sit back down and slog it out.
Climb eventually defeated in a little over 10 minutes, it was down the other side and into the beautiful picturesque town of Chipping Campden, the site of our lunch stop.

After a painfully long wait for three toasties and a sandwich, we set off for the next 16 mile phase to our target destination of Bourton-on-the Water.
Climbing from the outset, and quite steep as we approached a junction on the outskirts of town, it began to ease off into a more gently rolling terrain. The combination of Tim being mindful of his tyre and general fatigue was taking its toll on him and he kept dropping behind. We all agreed to push on and Tim insisted he would be ok for the last few miles into Bourton so if we dropped him again he would be ok.
That happened quite quickly, and midway down a hill we observed our computers telling us to make a right turn, only there was none to be seen. We carried straight on and after a two mile detour got to a small village where we could begin to see the route emerge again.

Taking 10 minutes to wait for Tim, he never showed and so we did the last couple of miles into an agreed meeting point (a pub) in Bourton itself.

And on arrival, we noticed a familiar looking bike and a familiar looking bloke sat waiting, impatiently tapping his watch.......

Yes it was Tim!

The right turn we couldn’t find earlier, he did find, and he was then able to steal a march on us!

The tortoise had beaten the hares!!

Ah well, all was quickly forgiven as we had a couple of well earned beers and snacks.

.......and before long it was time to head west over to Cheltenham, to catch our train home.

104 miles to the good, and around 5,800 ft of upness.

 

[galaxy]

Bourton On The Water busy what ever time of the year you go, still a lovely place thou.

 

[Noodle Legs]

Bourton On The Water busy what ever time of the year you go, still a lovely place thou.

Yeah it’s the second time I’ve been, it was heaving the first time I went!
I’d happily go again.

 

[delb0y]

Just a short ride - 18 miles - today, but it was up and over and one hill, then up and over another. About 1250 feet of climbing, all told, with a max grade of 16%. Those from this neck of the woods will know the hills - first one is the lane up to, and beyond, Standish Hospital, from which you can cut across a muddy track and come down the other side into Cashes Green; then the second one is the road up through Randwick and Whiteshill before free-wheeling most of the way home. It's a lovely short but hard loop for when you haven't got long. Today I was delivering a stack of hardback books which I reckoned added a couple of kilos to the already chunky (16 Kilos) Toughroad. So a good work out over those hills.

Only annoyance was under pressure the seat post creaked like an Irish defence. At least I assume it was the seat post - the noise went when I stood up on the pedals.

Average speed was a spritely 10.3 mph which puts me a long way behind 2 hour marathon man Eliot Kipchope's non-cycling 13.16 mph pace.

Cheers
Derek

 

[Shearwater Missile]

After a sunny albeit cool start I thought my luck would be in with a sunny ride, wrong. No sooner had I got myself ready that low cloud came over, oh humbug ! Now, I don`t know about you guys but when you change over from summer to autumn you are never too sure what to wear, or at least what to start with. The outside thermometer said it was 6 degrees and so I donned arm warmers, a long sleeve thermal top,short sleeve top, leggings and two pairs of gloves, well one pair of gloves and mitts. It happened to be the right combination as I did`nt overheat or feel too cold,excepting the feet but that is another story.
I headed off towards Mendlesham on my usual route and the roads were pretty quiet, this was about 10.00 am. Before Mendlesham I noticed a tractor and trailor waiting to pull out and thought oh good he is waiting for me to go past, how wrong can I be ? Just before I got to him he pulled out and you should have seen the mud he left behind. Luckily he was only doing about 10mph so I quickly got passed him. In the back of my mind I thought, great I am coming back that way as well, well I am not now with all that mud. I then consulted brain to work out a re-route to give me the same distance or roughly anyway. So I headed up to Cotton, Bacton,Finningham and on to Wickham Skeith, roads still pretty quiet, well until the 30 mph limit at Wickham Skeith. I was suddenly aware of this buzz behind me and it was not a wasp either it was a prat on a motorbike coming past me at I would estimate at 80-90mph and doing a wheelie in the process. I am truly sorry that bikers get killed but in my experience they bring it on themselves, he could have taken me out if I`d strayed off line.
After Wickham Skeith I headed back towards Mendlesham but then turning right to Cotton and taking the scenic albeit country lane route back.
All in all 26 miles covered at 17.5mph average in what was a gloomy ride. When I got back the sun came out, typical !

 

[Spiderweb]

Out on the Tricross just before lunch for coffee at Naburn Marina. A windy ride ended up a very wet ride too.
31.53 miles with an average of 14.6mph.

 

[Old jon]

Pedalled away on the fixed again today, the new mudguards for the other bike have yet to arrive. Mind, I did receive an email fifty minutes ago promising delivery by three. Pretty good, I hope!
Autopilot to start with, pretty sure I was going to ride northwards, vaguely. Missed the turn off Water Lane for the towpath, so Wetherby was the turn around point for today. Cross the river on Crown Point Bridge and ride past the bus station. Leeds once had three bus stations and a coach station, must have been difficult for visitors so there is only one now. One of the former stations is now a bar, an improvement indeed. Anyway, a right turn and start the road to Oakwood. Feeling slow and wondering why then realised the breeze was in my face. All the better for the return journey then. Still, had to stop for a rest halfway up Boot Hill. After starting again, reach Red Hall Lane and turn right, having forgotten about the roadworks and traffic lights. A rest is always welcome. Carry on and turn left at Thorner Lane, downhill for a while.



Bright enough for a summer day, the leafdrifts and temperature don’t match that time of year though. Pass the church and the road bends right. Church Hill it is called, short and sharp, followed by a long gentle descent. And another sharp rise on the way to Bramham. Turn left onto West Woods Road before reaching the village and enjoy riding into the wind all the way to the roundabout outside Wetherby. And take the first exit onto the A58, putting the wind on my back. Easier now, though the road still rises and falls. Through Collingham, seemed to be a collecting point for motorhomes (?) today, and up to Bardsey and Rigton. Not tempted to climb Rigton Bank today, it is some time since I tried the long haul through Scarcroft. Did that, and the next hill to Carr Lane. Almost turned onto Coal Road, but remembered the roadworks so stayed on the main drag and soon enjoyed the twiddle down the hill I rested on earlier. The end of the ride was reached on oddly quiet roads, all the way to my front door. Thirty miles, 1700 feet upwards and one grin for a good ride. Mudguards? Not yet. Edited, mudguards at 1615. Result!

Map, aye,

 

[derrick]

Saturday club ride. Nice route, 19 people turned up we split into two groups, a little nip in the air first thing but it soon warmed up, Have put a camera on the back of the bike, Have done a couple of rides without turning it on, seems to be a bit of a deterent, have had no close psses whilst it's been on the bike, I decided to turn it on for the club ride, nothing special just a short clip.
View: https://youtu.be/xYQmJXNSXGM

https://www.strava.com/activities/2800257038

 

[13 rider]

I hadn't done an Imperial ton this month for the challenge due to work commitments ,loss of mojo and the weather so today was my chance . Route planned to Leicestershire/ Northamptonshire/ Rutland area which meant very rolling terrain . Out the door at 0630 star chilly but not too bad had an hours before meeting @Supersuperleeds who decided to tag along despite having already bagged his ton . Got to Cossington and @Supersuperleeds was waiting so off we set .My preferred route to Market Harborough is too skirt Leicester on the eastern side which isn't flat . @Supersuperleeds may have said I could have plotted a flatter route ( several times ). Finally at the veloviewersquare grabbing began at Great Bowden and continue around the villages as we circled towards Uppingham and the terrain is now constant up and down . I did manage to get to 62 miles without using the little ring at the front but I paid for that later . First deadend farm track for a vv square after a long draggy climb into a headwind was a welcome break . Our cafe stop was a new one for us and we managed to ride straight past it . Neither of us could be bothered to back track so on we go probably a bad decision . We hit a proper hilly section of up and down and I really struggled a short steep one nearly had me walking . Finally got to Tilton on the hill and the worst of the climbing was done . @Supersuperleeds had dropped me onto the climb into the village I followed my route and @Supersuperleeds wasn't Infront . Stopped got my phone to ring him and he rolls up he gone a different way through the village then waited for me realised his error and found me . Heading towards Gaddesby I'm doing maths working out what I need to cut out some climbing . We realise there's a cafe in Rearsby bit near home so never been before but we were both ready for a stop at 82 miles . We not very adventurous eaters so the normal bacon sandwich for @Supersuperleeds and beans on toast for me . On our way again up the wreake valley on local roads and finally home 102 tough miles in the bag and just 6386ft of upness despite no really big hills that was a tough one

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Where I was? Or where was I?

Oh whatever.. You know what I mean..

Friday I went on a recovery ride to just ride and stretch the legs after playing with my bike and finished getting it ready for the Winter, this means heavy tires and and wheels and every ride starts at 12 kilos with 2 big water bottles on it.

Some pics?

Sun was coming down and was time to get home. Camera in my jersey pocket and took the wind out for this guys.

Maybe will be a good idea to ride the gravel bike when if I go out with them. They are a great bunch!

 

[pawl]

Yesterday’s ride I shall entitle “Saga CC- The tortoise and the Hares”

Three friends and I took advantage of a break in the recent unsettled weather for a self-proclaimed “Saga CC” ride down to the Cotswolds, specifically to the picturesque village of Bourton-on-the-Water.

We initially planned to do this back in August but for various reasons we couldn’t make it happen and so yesterday was the next mutually convenient date.

Met up with the lads just before 8am on a dry but cool morning, setting off in a SW direction through local lanes towards Atherstone, a place I’ve ridden a few times before. However the way out of Atherstone was a new one to me and involved quite a long upward drag which definitely got the ol’ ticker pumping a little bit!
Once on the south side of the A5 it changed from flat to a lot more rolling terrain and this was to remain pretty much so throughout the entirety of the ride.
Arriving at our first stop in Meriden, we were 20 minutes early and utilised the waiting time by trying to solve the conundrum of why there was a bulge in Tim’s tyre. It was concluded there was evidence of perishing, probably having done a few thousand miles on them. He decided to continue, albeit with a little more caution with a view to finding somewhere to get a new one. View attachment 489760

Before long the cafe opened and I ordered a light breakfast of scrambled egg on sourdough toast. The sorriest egg on toast I’d ever seen at that and a snip at “just” £6!
View attachment 489761

Eager to get going again we set off through the Warwickshire countryside, still largely SW and into a headwind, another constant through the route!
The roads still rolling, some still a little wet, 30 more miles in, edge of the Cotswolds reached. View attachment 489762 The lunch stop at Chipping Campden was in our sights and before long we hit our first steep climb of the day. Looking on strava it was called Larkstoke Hill. 1.25 miles, average of 7%, maxed out around 16% in places, this was a tough climb due to the road conditions which were wet and muddy.
My back in bits from the spinning, every time I got out the saddle I lost traction and so had to sit back down and slog it out.
Climb eventually defeated in a little over 10 minutes, it was down the other side and into the beautiful picturesque town of Chipping Campden, the site of our lunch stop. View attachment 489763

After a painfully long wait for three toasties and a sandwich, we set off for the next 16 mile phase to our target destination of Bourton-on-the Water.
Climbing from the outset, and quite steep as we approached a junction on the outskirts of town, it began to ease off into a more gently rolling terrain. The combination of Tim being mindful of his tyre and general fatigue was taking its toll on him and he kept dropping behind. We all agreed to push on and Tim insisted he would be ok for the last few miles into Bourton so if we dropped him again he would be ok.
That happened quite quickly, and midway down a hill we observed our computers telling us to make a right turn, only there was none to be seen. We carried straight on and after a two mile detour got to a small village where we could begin to see the route emerge again. View attachment 489769
Taking 10 minutes to wait for Tim, he never showed and so we did the last couple of miles into an agreed meeting point (a pub) in Bourton itself. View attachment 489765
And on arrival, we noticed a familiar looking bike and a familiar looking bloke sat waiting, impatiently tapping his watch.......

Yes it was Tim!

The right turn we couldn’t find earlier, he did find, and he was then able to steal a march on us!

The tortoise had beaten the hares!!

Ah well, all was quickly forgiven as we had a couple of well earned beers and snacks. View attachment 489766

.......and before long it was time to head west over to Cheltenham, to catch our train home. View attachment 489767

104 miles to the good, and around 5,800 ft of upness. View attachment 489768

I always used the old Fosse when heading for the Cotswolds Had few Hostel weekends in that areal back in the day
Takes me all my time to get to Brinklow these days.

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Saturday? I had to work cleaning bikes and delivering and picking up some others. There was no time to ride.

Today on the other hand we had our yearly cycling event here in Coin where everyone is going out on the MTB so I took this chance to reconnect with the kids in the way I know best.

Pablito (my older son was in charge of the camera)

Felix and I

Happy faces for most of the day.. (it was a climb that required lots of stops)

Great day out and talking to the wife to do this once a week at least. Saturdays afternoons or Sundays.

The ride? Amazing for Felix! 45 km and like 600 meters of climbing..! Kudos to him.. Oh and he is on Strava as well..!!! LOL!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I hadn't done an Imperial ton this month for the challenge due to work commitments ,loss of mojo and the weather so today was my chance . Route planned to Leicestershire/ Northamptonshire/ Rutland area which meant very rolling terrain . Out the door at 0630 star chilly but not too bad had an hours before meeting @Supersuperleeds who decided to tag along despite having already bagged his ton . Got to Cossington and @Supersuperleeds was waiting so off we set .My preferred route to Market Harborough is too skirt Leicester on the eastern side which isn't flat . @Supersuperleeds may have said I could have plotted a flatter route ( several times ). Finally at the veloviewersquare grabbing began at Great Bowden and continue around the villages as we circled towards Uppingham and the terrain is now constant up and down . I did manage to get to 62 miles without using the little ring at the front but I paid for that later . First deadend farm track for a vv square after a long draggy climb into a headwind was a welcome break . Our cafe stop was a new one for us and we managed to ride straight past it . Neither of us could be bothered to back track so on we go probably a bad decision . We hit a proper hilly section of up and down and I really struggled a short steep one nearly had me walking . Finally got to Tilton on the hill and the worst of the climbing was done . @Supersuperleeds had dropped me onto the climb into the village I followed my route and @Supersuperleeds wasn't Infront . Stopped got my phone to ring him and he rolls up he gone a different way through the village then waited for me realised his error and found me . Heading towards Gaddesby I'm doing maths working out what I need to cut out some climbing . We realise there's a cafe in Rearsby bit near home so never been before but we were both ready for a stop at 82 miles . We not very adventurous eaters so the normal bacon sandwich for @Supersuperleeds and beans on toast for me . On our way again up the wreake valley on local roads and finally home 102 tough miles in the bag and just 6386ft of upness despite no really big hills that was a tough one

That climb was average 10% for just under 4/5ths of a mile. 416 feet of climbing

 

[cyberknight]

Cafe Ventoux today
102 miles , steady pace although another rider bonked maybe 10 from home so we were down to 6-7 mph on the flat

View: https://www.strava.com/activities/2804075192/embed/9ef1db064538a920dd8fa74ad5354754811b6609