Your ride today....

[Oxford Dave]

Day ten of my return to cycling after a fifteen year layoff, and broke the fifteen mile barrier today. Basically an extension of one of my regular routes, two roughly parallel roads with several places to cut between them. This time, I rode one of them from end to end, passing through the village of Bampton (where they film a lot of the TV programme 'Downton Abbey', apparently), then nipping along close to RAF Brize Norton before turning back towards Lew and a quiet lane back to Hardwick, then home. 15.2 miles at an average of 11.1 mph, according to Strava.

 

[Donger]

A dull, grey, cloudy day in Gloucestershire. Cool, but not cold. Roads greasy bud not exactly muddy. A pleasant ride out to Frampton on Severn and back just to keep the legs moving and the miles ticking over. Visibility poor. That meant you couldn't see the Cotswolds or the hills of the Forest of Dean today. It also meant you couldn't see the incinerator, so not all bad. Got back home when I felt like it ... without ever looking at my watch. A nice, timeless January ride. 22.5 miles added to the total. The beard worked as a fog filter again, and it ended up soaking wet and cold, though the rest of me remained nice and warm.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[colly]

A brisk ride down to my sons house to have dinner and catch up with the grandkids.
Not too cold and at least dry, but the roads were filthy.
Into the sun for a good percentage of the ride which means I was squinting for much of the journey, and that always makes me feeI have missed something. Feels like half a ride for some reason.

36 miles and 1205ft of up.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/43994887

 

[Oxford Dave]

Another day, another ride. I was sneezing last night and had a sore throat, so wasn't too enthusiastic about today's ride, but was determined to get out on the bike anyway. I also discovered that we'd run out of food for the bird table, so rode to Eynsham and back to get some more. I straightforward 13 mile round trip, fair amount of traffic about though. Also found myself going round a roundabout and realising that the last time I was there on two wheels, I ended up in hospital for a month as someone decided that a six foot bloke on a Harley Davidson was invisible!
Definitely below par on the energy front, but survived and the birds have been fed. Less than two weeks back on bikes and I'm already thinking of another one!

 

[EltonFrog]

Another cobweb blower on the hybrid bike today, just a loop close to home, 7.10 miles on a cold damp day with wet roads.

 

[Oxford Dave]

Nearest part of that ride is only 20 miles from our place!

 

[Old jon]

Sunshine!

Gentle breeze!!

F f f fairly cold.

Ride.

And I did ride, away in the direction of Holbeck. Before reaching the scruffy dump I noticed the garthing was not displaying distance. Seemed like I was pedalling to nowhere. Turn it off, wait, turn it back on. Nope, just the same. Ride first, untangle gps after if at all possible. The vague intention had been out on the A58, so that was followed and I repeated a route ridden recently. So, out past the end of Hol Beck, it flows into the Aire just downstream of River Lock, and cross that river on Crown Point Bridge. Through the John Lewis end of town and head out towards Roundhay via the clock at Oakwood. That is the first bit of climbing out of the way, and it was a little easier than expected. After the spare park gates are passed there is a bit of a dip followed by the next up. All the way up to and across the Ring Road, there is a spot height of 136 metres on the map by the junction with Red Hall Lane. I live about 100 metres lower than that.

Turn right, at the next junction is Skeltons Lane, complete with the two sets of roadworks, each with their own set of traffic lights. Left onto Thorner Lane eventually and ride through the village, then out again climbing Church Hill. Could have chosen Milner Lane but that is a good bit steeper. Might be a bit much on the fixed. Of course, there is only one way to find out. Maybe next time. The stretch of road that follows the top of Church Hill descends gently for a mile or so . . .



A steeper drop and the inevitable climb, up to Hope Hall, then a flat road to Bramham. Left onto West Woods Road and ride to Wattle Syke. It is a bit exposed along here, the wind can be awkward but not today. Join the A58 at Collingham and turn left to return to Leeds. In the past this road was busy all the time but since the M1 and the A1 had a link road built the A58 lost a lot of traffic. Which is fine by me.

Through Collingham and Bardsey to the climb to the top of Scarcroft, never becomes any easier, this one. At the top of the rise after that, the junction with Carr Lane, the outskirts of Leeds are visible and also the final drag before recrossing the Ring Road. The quickest spin for a while down Boot Hill followed by the wander back past the Oakwood Clock to the edge of town and across the river to home. All the way around, the garthing had been showing me the speed I was riding, and the time of day, but nowt else. Plug it in and the website adds that it took me two and a half hours to do zero miles at nought miles per hour. Have to laugh. Still, I did this ride on the 11th, 28 miles then. And home with a different grin.

And no map today.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I'd hoped to get a short ride or two in after the long one at the start of the week, but it wasn't to be, so I took the chance today. A variation of one of my regular summer routes: Lyth Hill, Condover, Acton Burnell, Cressage, Eaton Constantine, Walcot, Withington, Upton Magna, Atcham, Cross Houses and back via Weeping Cross.

It was grey and a bit breezier than I'd expected from the forecast but that meant the fog of the last couple of days had cleared. The road conditions were a bit mucky as the next round of farm operations has obviously started so a lot of the lanes had a film of mud on them (and also a lot of spilled oil).

The ride itself was pretty uneventful so I was able to just enjoy seeing the scenery go by. After some tinkering yesterday (stripped and greased the rear derailleur and the brake pivots) a pause for some minor adjustment was about as exciting as it got. It's nice to have rides like that sometimes.

32.1 miles at 12.8 mph average.

Crossing Lyth Hill.

Concord College under a moody sky.

The Wrekin trying to hide in the cloud.

At Withington. Too early to get a drink but I could pick up a book from the mobile library.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I got a call from Beautiful Wife this evening: Beautiful Daughter had finished her dance concert and was exhausted.

I guess that's what we have a Bakfiets for...

At least this time I was riding uphill empty.

Um... 2km total, and about 30m climbing, but the return included one sleepy 5 year old in the box...

 

[Old jon]

Yay @Katherine , good to see you again. Missed you! And thanks for the like.

 

[jongooligan]

Before reaching the scruffy dump

Yeah, with a name derived from 'the holy stream' hinting of an illustrious past it's obvious that Holbeck has come down in the world. Haven't bothered with the place since the Brit closed - used to drink in there on my way to Elland Road from the station.

 

[Oxford Dave]

Decided to have a morning ride today, headed out to Snarcot again, then round to Hardwick lights, straight across onto the long single track road through Yelford and on to Lew, left turn into Bampton, back through Aston and Cote, then along the High Street and home. 18.7 miles, for a total this week (my second since my long lay-off) of 85.8 miles.

 

[Dave 123]

A ride that was to do jobs, but I turned it into an interesting one. Jennycliff and Plympton St Maurice were the highlights, and passing my friend Liz coming the other way twice riding with her friend .

https://www.strava.com/activities/3041325135

 

[colly]

A no frills ride out to Ilkley this morning. No frills in that it was a cool and cloudy, dull sort of a day. I could have got down to finishing off my tax stuff but even a mucky, car strewn ride out was preferable.
Now I'm back in the tax still has to be done but at least I won't be distracted with thoughts of distant places. (well not so much anyway)

It was a tad under 40 miles with about 1800 ft of up.
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/44041197

 

[13 rider]

Decided to do an hour today I must be getting quicker as I was out for 59 mins 31 secs . Did an extended version of my Polly Botts lane loop . Out through Newtown Linford up Ulverscroft lane then the climb of Polly Botts . Managed the bottom half in the big ring until the road goes right and kicks up inner ring was required . At the crossroads carried on climbing up Whitcroft lane . Through Copt Oak headed towards Markfield had plans of a KOM attempt up old school lane where I'm currently second by 2 seconds behind . Onto the lane just accelerating and met a car on the first corner as its a single track road had to slow almost to a stop so attempt over .Over the A511 into Thornton down on back up by the reservoir Markfield ,Newtown Linford and home 16.3 miles with 1150 ft of upness Happy with the effort just pressed on the whole ride