Your ride today....

[PeteXXX]

This mornings ride..
After a stupid o'clock finish this morning due to Friday traffic, I thought I might not get the opportunity to take advantage of the pleasant weather before today's shift...

This is how late I finished....Great to see the crack of dawn on the drive how from an afternoon shift <yawn>

I only managed a short ride around The Washlands and back. Still, all miles are good miles

11 miles in warm weather with a blustery wind. Off to w*rk again in a few minutes.. Booooo

https://www.strava.com/activities/319387411

 

[Hill Wimp]

Only a short one today but i was multi tasking, riding, shopping, being gentle with a sore right knee and gathering photos for the photo challenge.

She is not impressed as breakfast had not been served yet.

A glorious day to ride along the seafront. We are very blessed with great cycle paths here.

Past Walmer Castle.

Along through Sandwich Bay and all the golf courses. This is the Royal Cinque Ports course.

Into lovely Sandwich where the French Market was on

back towards home through Worth

and finally a quick pit stop at The Crown in Finglesham. Well i had been taking photo's of pubs all morning so i thought i should at least stop at one

 

[Racing roadkill]

Only a short one today but i was multi tasking, riding, shopping, being gentle with a sore right knee and gathering photos for the photo challenge.

View attachment 90894
She is not impressed as breakfast had not been served yet.

View attachment 90895
A glorious day to ride along the seafront. We are very blessed with great cycle paths here. View attachment 90896
Past Walmer Castle.
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Along through Sandwich Bay and all the golf courses. This is the Royal Cinque Ports course. View attachment 90898 Into lovely Sandwich where the French Market was on
View attachment 90899
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back towards home through Worth View attachment 90902
and finally a quick pit stop at The Crown in Finglesham. Well i had been taking photo's of pubs all morning so i thought i should at least stop at one

You have a deeply unimpressed cat, be wary of leaving anything remotely fleshy, or inflate able on show.

 

[Hill Wimp]

You have a deeply unimpressed cat, be wary of leaving anything remotely fleshy, or inflate able on show.

She was even more unimpressed half an hour later as i put her flea drops on . Nearly 6hrs later she remains unimpressed.

 

[Simontm]

So bike is back with the new wheels but because I haven't ridden in anger for a week, thought I'd give the hills a miss - so of course, after going through Sunbury-Staines-Windsor, I thought heading back via Windsor Great Park-Virginia Water-Longcross was a sensible way to avoid any hill strains
Nice ride out skimmed a couple of group rides through Lower Sunbury as I'm trying to push average speed up before August by keeping above 15mph. Of course after passing there's that moment of prayer when you hope they won't pass you in a couple of minute leaving you looking like a right nana.
Windsor was very busy thanks to the road works at the Great Park and only had to climb out of the saddle once on the way back towards Weybridge, Walton then home.
Couple of pics at Windsor Great Park

 

[Racing roadkill]

She was even more unimpressed half an hour later as i put her flea drops on . Nearly 6hrs later she remains unimpressed.

Ohh you are sooooooo dead .

 

[Racing roadkill]

So bike is back with the new wheels but because I haven't ridden in anger for a week, thought I'd give the hills a miss - so of course, after going through Sunbury-Staines-Windsor, I thought heading back via Windsor Great Park-Virginia Water-Longcross was a sensible way to avoid any hill strains
Nice ride out skimmed a couple of group rides through Lower Sunbury as I'm trying to push average speed up before August by keeping above 15mph. Of course after passing there's that moment of prayer when you hope they won't pass you in a couple of minute leaving you looking like a right nana.
Windsor was very busy thanks to the road works at the Great Park and only had to climb out of the saddle once on the way back towards Weybridge, Walton then home.
Couple of pics at Windsor Great Park
View attachment 90907 View attachment 90908

The road works at the Great park are a massive ball ache, even for a cyclist. Most people in cars, seem to be taking it easy through the 'escape route'. Some aren't though. Especially the guy in the Bentley who didn't like the fact I made better progress than him, but that's a whole 'nother thing.

 

[Simontm]

The road works at the Great park are a massive ball ache, even for a cyclist. Most people in cars, seem to be taking it easy through the 'escape route'. Some aren't though. Especially the guy in the Bentley who didn't like the fact I made better progress than him, but that's a whole 'nother thing.

Well behaved this morning to the point that I had to usher through a couple of the more timid passers in case they caused an even greater tailback

 

[13 rider]

Target Junes metric half century . Out in sunny but windy conditions( sod of wind I had enough of you).Out through Newtown Linford and up Ulverscroft lane heading to Polly Botts climb . Just at the bottom I got overtaken by enough cyclist and enough two guys just in front ,so we had a bit of a hill climb race . I lost but got my strava pb so all wasn't lost .At the top we all went different ways I headed down priory lane and then up the climb and headed out to beacon crossroads ,swung a left and out to Oaks in Charnwood and up that climb and on to Mount St Bernards Abbey .Down Swannymote rd and out towards Belton and turned back into Shepshed and back along Charley rd back towards Beacon hill but went right at the t junction and headed back out to Whitwell rd down that to to crossroads at the top of Polly Botts .Went right here and headed out to Thornton down pass the reservoir and back to Mark field .Stopped to talk to a work colleague who was at work at the side of the road he offered to swap places me do the job him ride the bike ,thought about and said NO
Headed home through Newtown Linford .33.4 miles done at 13.5 mph 2100 feet of climbing and Junes metric half century done lovely ride even with the wind loads of cyclists out and about

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Up at 04:30 and out of the house at 05:30. Was chilly at that time of the morning so woolly gloves, bikesters and a windstopper were in order. For once I had mapped out a route and I was going to follow it.

There were three aims for today's ride. 1) Go to Hallaton to take a photo of a foot bridge going over a stream to the church; 2) Take a photo for the cycling photo challenge (your bike and a pub); 3) Do the June imperial.

So I set off and get to Hallaton after about 30 miles only to realise the bridge isn't in this village but in Medbourne a few miles away Luckily Medbourne was on the route anyway so got the picture

Before I got to Hallaton something reminded me of @vernon, not sure what it was:

After a few more miles I found a pub to photograph:

Yes it is the Red Lion and it is at...............

At around 65 miles I stopped at a Co-op and had a can of coke and bought a bottle of water to refill one of my bottles. By now the woolly gloves had been consigned to the back pocket and at this stop I took off the windstopper and bikesters and slung them in the stowaway rucksack I carry with me.

Whole ride was in beautiful sunshine but was very very windy, that combined with being knackered from the commuting this week made it a hard ride, but with 105 miles on the clock and the above photos I had achieved my aims for the day.

Saw lots and lots of cyclists out today, even managed to go by a few of them

https://www.strava.com/activities/319435548

 

[Crackle]

Popped over to Banbury yesterday, M40 was total gridlock man. Pleased to be on a bicycle.

View attachment 90883

Oh look and you bought an orange chain to go with your bike. Been in the fettling thread recently?

 

[Racing roadkill]

Up at 04:30 and out of the house at 05:30. Was chilly at that time of the morning so woolly gloves, bikesters and a windstopper were in order. For once I had mapped out a route and I was going to follow it.

There were three aims for today's ride. 1) Go to Hallaton to take a photo of a foot bridge going over a stream to the church; 2) Take a photo for the cycling photo challenge (your bike and a pub); 3) Do the June imperial.

So I set off and get to Hallaton after about 30 miles only to realise the bridge isn't in this village but in Medbourne a few miles away Luckily Medbourne was on the route anyway so got the picture

View attachment 90913

Before I got to Hallaton something reminded me of @vernon, not sure what it was:

View attachment 90914

After a few more miles I found a pub to photograph:

View attachment 90916

Yes it is the Red Lion and it is at...............

View attachment 90917

At around 65 miles I stopped at a Co-op and had a can of coke and bought a bottle of water to refill one of my bottles. By now the woolly gloves had been consigned to the back pocket and at this stop I took off the windstopper and bikesters and slung them in the stowaway rucksack I carry with me.

Whole ride was in beautiful sunshine but was very very windy, that combined with being knackered from the commuting this week made it a hard ride, but with 105 miles on the clock and the above photos I had achieved my aims for the day.

Saw lots and lots of cyclists out today, even managed to go by a few of them

https://www.strava.com/activities/319435548

I like the sound of hare pie, as long as there are no hairs in my pie.

 

[Dark46]

Well what a great ride with @Donger, I arrived at the meeting point early so I was watching the seagulls feeding their chicks on the KFC roof.

Well he turned up spot on time at we set off. The weather was great dry and not too hot.

As we hit the A40 towards Chepstow we realised it was going to be a windy ride ti the Severn Bridge.

We took it in turns being infront as I did act as a small wind jammer to @Donger s amazement. So it was all systems go.

For those who haven't done the bridge loop it up and down with not much flat. In the hills I pulled away from @Donger and then waited for him at certain points. The hills that I was dredging really never bothered me to my amazement.

We stopped in Newnham for a few pics then off again. The ride was going well apart from the fact the wind felt to me as though I might cramp up in my calf's.

The views across the Severn were amazing and on a bike you can really appreciate them.

Things were going really well until @Donger wanted to turn off before Chepstow to go to the Wye bridge for some photos. Then he noticed a sign saying Wye bridge shut! Well put a end to that so we carried straight to Chepstow.

Once there it was another to take a picture of the castle.

Then it was straight up the hill, I wasn't looking forward to this one! We I surprised myself as it didn't get out the saddle on the way up. Sods law when in Wales it rains. lol

Leaving Chepstow behind and leaving for the bridge @Donger decided to dismount while crossing the last road before the bridge, then remounted after crossing only to fall off as as he was still in top gear. I couldn't get my camera out in time before he was up and back in the saddle.

On the Severn Bridge we both took action photos as I haven't got any of me on the bike on the move.

From here everything was going well until on the A38 at Falfield I heard a ping only for a spoke to go on me. This was about 20 miles before the end of the ride. From here I struggled to keep up with the old diesel engine that is @Donger. with the wheel moving slight the back brake was rubbing and I found it hard going. My legs were really starting to ache. Then I thought if I loosened the rear brake other might help. But being the numpty that I am I only thought of it after 15 miles!

I was struggling with what to do as I was thinking that I wasn't going to make my goal of 65 miles on my first full day of being 50 yrs old.

Well we had a bit more rain on the Longley Loop but it was welcome.

Well all in all a great ride with some PB'S that I didn't expect especially as the spoke had gone at that point.

66.5 miles and over 2,000 ft of climbing. So that's another goal with another ride of over 100KM done. Next time I have some new goals.

This one is my longest ride ever so really pleased. Thanks must go to @Donger for suggesting the ride and I look forward to the next one we do. I doubt the weather will be so kind next time.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Oh look and you bought an orange chain to go with your bike. Been in the fettling thread recently?

That's a Goldie Lookin' Chain, std issue

 

[HertzvanRental]

Well, I blame @nickyboy! He planted an idea in the minds of local CycleChatters about the joys of riding a Snake Pass (just about) closed to traffic and the idea took hold.

The sun was shining today and the wind was not as bad as it has been recently so I decided to do a 'Snake sandwich' - Snake Pass from the Glossop side, sandwiched between ascents/descents of Holme Moss from both directions. Now these are both pretty big hills ... Holme Moss goes up to 524 metres and Snake Pass to 512 metres.

The ride nuked my back, and also that of my pal Bill who accompanied me. My heart, lungs and legs were up to the job but my back, neck and arms screamed for mercy!

The route got changed on the way to avoid one steep climb, and this is what we ended up doing: Todmorden, Mytholmroyd, Scout Road, Sowerby village, Triangle, Ripponden, Ripponden Bank, Barkisland, Stainland, Outlane, Scapegoat Hill, Slaithwaite, Meltham, Digley Reservoir, Holmbridge, Holme Moss, Woodhead, Torside, Glossop, Snake Pass, Glossop, Torside, Woodhead, Holme Moss. Holmbridge, Digley Reservoir, Meltham, Marsden, Pole Moor, Deanhead, Ringstone Edge reservoir, Booth Wood reservoir, Pike End, Baitings reservoir, A58, Blackstone Edge, Littleborough, Todmorden.

144 km (90 miles), 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) of climbing in total, some of it very steep, in one case so steep that my legs buckled and I was forced to walk!

Elevation profile:

View attachment 90764

Ouch!

It has taken me a little while but I have sussed it! All you hooligans ploughing up and down Snake Pass will cause the road surface to rapidly deteriorate, thus forcing the local authority into a " Forth Bridge" scenario of never ending repairs!
I don't expect it will ever open to vehicular traffic again! Brilliant!!