Your ride today....

[colly]

Yesterday.
My first ride in nearly a fortnight and only the second in a month. Stuff justs gets in the way sometimes. I can see it coming..........but can't avoid it.

So a chilly but lovely sunny morning and I headed north (which is often the case) and made for East Keswick. Collingham. Linton came and went then it was up towards Spofforth (of Spofforth Castle fame):

Onwards to Follifoot but I turned off to Pannal and then down into Kirkby Overblow:

Apart from some very expensive houses Kirky Overblow boasts couple of pubs and a 14th century church along with quite a nice view.
Down hill again to Harewood Bridge and across The River Wharfe towards Weardley and up the valley side via Bedlam Lane:

Which is a bit of a grind but it's worth the effort. Then it was a simple matter of going around the back of the Reservoir de Eccup:

and making for home. It was a slow ride and I think all the better for that.

All in just over 32 miles and 2225ft of the upwards variety.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/45973392



Photos courtesy of GoogleEarth and others.

 

[Dave 123]

I’ve not been out for about a month. First weekend I had a tooth abscess so I didn’t fancy riding up hills.
The next weekend I was reeling from the tooth extraction.
The third weekend I still had a flat battery.....

So off I went, sunny, breezy and chilly. Down into Yealmpton and then off into the lanes festooned with primrose and violet.
There were lambs in the fields, cyclists, runners and horse riders a plenty.
Back via the coast road, and at Noss Mayo I discovered that the tide was out, so I rode across the Vos, top excitement for this corner of the world!

https://www.strava.com/activities/3206060822

 

[Gunk]

That looks absolutely stunning, fantastic photos.

 

[All uphill]

Out southward today. A bit of a hill on the way up to the Wellington Monument.

I was overtaken by a young male runner ! I was holding 6mph up a long 10% - 15%
drag. How did he do it?

18 miles, and once again I'm smiling.

 

[Mike_P]

Having sold another bit of my former ebike conversion a trip to the Post Office was required this morning, the one good thing of it relocating into WHS is that it has Sunday opening. So off on the new ebike greeting a neighbour at a good distance and thinking I had forgot something, but no the parcel was in the rucksack along with my normal glasses so continued forth.

As opposed to taking the normal commute route along a path to another road where the Defy hit the deck on ice the other week I stayed on the minor local road. Due to some somewhat mysterious road works that means the more major road is completely closed, including its footpaths, all traffic to the western end of the housing estate is diverted onto the minor one but it was still reasonably quite. Once on the open part of the more major road I turned onto the cycle track that parallels it, a left then almost immediate right turn which, with a wall alongside and a metal post in the middle to avoid, all too often requires a foot on the ground to balance the bike right for the necessary clearance and today was no different. Took care to keep a distance from walkers; two lads appeared wearing masks and their seemed to a lot of cars in the, now closed, swimming pool car park.

As I cruised rather than clambered, being on the ebike, up the short sharp grade, that cycle route planers seem to love to include, to the crossing of the A61 Ripon Road it suddenly dawned on me I had no lock. So a quick U turn, the masked lads were now having a game of tussle and I sneaked back along the path avoiding the now briefly major road where it climbs horribly steeply after a ninety degree turn into it and not the sort of location on a bike you want some fast moving clown behind you. Three lads were playing a game of single goal football, where they from the same family, my wonderings were interrupted by realising a misplaced shot at the goal was rapidly rolling towards me and I just avoided the ball.

Arrived back home and opened the back door to see immediately the missing the D lock, a Kryptonite one that at times has been problematic to unlock. Keeping the mechanism well oiled and keeping the lock indoors seems to be the trick

This time decided on the commute route as it meant less use of the cycle track and encounters with pedestrians. The football game was still going on watched by who I took to be their mother. Commute route does require a right turn, that to avoid potholes has to be done too soon clipping the corner or very late at almost ninety degrees; as I did the former it did dawn on me maybe the latter would be better in the circumstances of being doubly safe.

A very brief use of the A61 from the cycle crossing as opposed to the poorly to the point of non existent marked cycle track on the opposing pavement and another pot hole filled right turn with clipping the corner necessary – did that taxi driver realise or did he glare at me?

Final cycle path towards town is through a park, the children play area had one or two children in groups with their parents all seeming to keep a fair distance apart. This also has a steep climb on it, around an S bend with gradients on some bits well into double figures I suspect. It also passes through a wooded area and despite the warm sun as the shade hit the temperature fell like a stone, so there I was wishing I had put my coat hood up while a couple of metres away basking in the sunshine was an elderly couple sat on a bench.

Back on public highway a further climb followed made worse by the road surface of rough tarmac, I took sympathy on the ebikes motor and dropped down a gear as if on a normal bike to cope with the surface. At the top of the climb a set of 3 way TTLs were in situ and true to form I had just missed the requisite one. So a long dose before heading finally into town, downgrade past the forlorn no Conferences now Centre, an acute left turn being doubly careful of what was coming the other way as it is a bus route and those electric buses are pretty quite. Right turn onto a steep climb that is in my book ebike only territory as there is an alternative gentler route available. Another right then left and straight across a very quite A61 to the cycle stands behind the also forlorn theatre. A handful of people walking in town keeping well apart, and into WHS where the store seemed deserted (some would say that’s normal) and the Post Office was indeed open with the sole staff member sheltering in the currency exchange booth behind Plexiglas or whatever is used.

Had a quick scan of the magazines but nothing said I must buy this, not sure what exactly new Mads Petersen has to say on the day he won the World Championships that those watching like drowned rats do not already know. Alternate route taken back to avoid the TTLs, this features a road that really is pot hole central; there is a single strip of tarmac close to centre that is sound and today thankfully it was free of moving vehicles. Left, right and left the ebike found itself on its homebound commute so I was tempted to let it lead but decided probably it might still need some guidance. The crossing of the A61 nicely went in favour of me just as arrived and the game of football was still going on – this time the shot went in the net, phew!

So a longer than expected short trip of 6.74 miles with 485ft of ebiked climbing and a very low battery- rapidly thinking the range is based on no gradients being encountered.

 

[Spiderweb]

A bit breezy but a lovely day for a ride. Bumped in to my friend Gaynor so cycled most of the route together. 20.49 miles with an average of 13.7 mph.

 

[pawl]

Out southward today. A bit of a hill on the way up to the Wellington Monument.

I was overtaken by a young male runner ! I was holding 6mph up a long 10% - 15%
drag. How did he do it?
View attachment 509710


View attachment 509711

18 miles, and once again I'm smiling.

Out southward today. A bit of a hill on the way up to the Wellington Monument.

I was overtaken by a young male runner ! I was holding 6mph up a long 10% - 15%
drag. How did he do it?
View attachment 509710


View attachment 509711

18 miles, and once again I'm smiling.

E running shoes

 

[ianbarton]

I was overtaken by a young male runner ! I was holding 6mph up a long 10% - 15%
drag. How did he do it?

This happened to me on the C2C. I was struggling up the hill out of Keswick to the Stone Circle. I caught up eventually when the gradient eased. Made me determined to not get off and walk.

 

[geocycle]

Not feeling like a major ride as my head was not in the right place. But after 5 miles was back in the bubble. Went up Jubilee Tower near Lancaster and did some serious social distancing. Here was the ‘cafe‘ stop.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Nice morning for another solo ride, nothing new there then. I`d worked out a route in my head yesterday to be about 24 miles as that is the distance I like without taking anything to eat with me. I had worked out the route also with regard to the wind direction coming from the East so left Stowmarket via Combs Lane and up past the golf club, plenty of cars there and on to Buxhall before turning right by the church. Sure enough the wind was kind of behind me most of the time and kept on the road that runs parallel to the B1115 which is a dangerous road to use ( well the road is OK but the idiots who drive on it are not).
I went almost to Hitcham but turning right at the end of Dale Road and on to Brettenham, carrying on close by to Rattlesden Gliding club, plenty of gliders there. I stopped to take a picture of a glider but could`nt see what I was doing so ended up with sky ! Once off the high ground I descended down along the Rat valley into Rattlesden and then back following my outward route to Stowmarket. The wind was not as bad as the Met office had predicted, it was only 15mph and temp 7oC, felt a bit cooler though. The ride ended at 24.7 at a 16.9 mph average with 948 feet of climbing. I saw no birds of prey out today which is unusual but I did see a foal which could not have been many days old.

 

[JPBoothy]

A nice quiet mornings ride along the Wirral Way to West Kirby and back to
Great Sutton. A few walkers, cyclists and dog walkers but, it was early enough to ensure that the appropriate distancing was easily possible. My advice would be to get up and out early and avoid the middle of the day. Stay safe and healthy all

 

[gavgav]

When you are working with Covid 19 related stuff every day, it’s difficult to get any sort of balance and so waking to a stunning sunny morning meant I simply had to get out for a ride, on my own and picked a route that goes into the most isolated places I can reach in a 25 mile ride.

Out to Betton Abbots, then Condover,Wheathall, Ryton and Longnor. There was a fairly brisk East/South Easterly wind blowing, but lighter than yesterday and the skies were clear blue.

Continued on to climb the Corkscrew, but instead of descending to Cardington, I this time turned and continued climbing up to Enchmarsh. It’s very isolated up there, with just a couple of farms and some simply beautiful views over the Stretton Hills and Wenlock Edge.

Had to make way for a couple of tractors up there, before the nice descent into Ruckley, where the scenery is just fabulous. There is a bit more climbing up towards Acton Burnell, where I just paused and looked at the scenery, breathing in the fresh air and it was bliss. Something that we are getting very little of at the moment.

There is a fast descent past the castle and then had the wind mostly behind me through Pitchford, Cantlop and Betton Abbots, before turning onto the A458 and then back home.

Saw loads of people out on bikes today, all in 1’s or 2’s, so hopefully people in Shropshire are getting the message about the social distancing......

Almost forgot to add that nearly all of the drivers were really courteous today.....but there is always 1, who overtook me very closely, towards a blind bend, in Condover......and they were carrying 3 bikes on the back of the car Words fail me sometimes!

Anyway, 25.9 miles, with 1600ft of climbing and for 2&1/2 hours, the world felt a better place again.

Stay safe all

 

[13 rider]

Another solo ride today target 100km for the monthly challenge . I have had this route planned for months but winter flooding has so far stopped me riding it . The plan was to ride to the edge of Nottingham the back to Derby for a few veloviewer squares . Out the door at 0800 and it's s bit chilly but the is very welcome . Anstey ,Barrow ,Normanton on Soar ,Kegworth before turning on to Long lane the problematic flood spot . I expected the road surface to be quite bad but it wasn't as bad as feared . Over the Trent in Nottinghamshire ,Long Eaton ,Stapleford and the square grabbing begins . Some nice quiet lanes heading towards Derby where I cross into my 3rd county of Derbyshire . Skirted the edge of Derby via Spondon and back over the Trent at Shardlow and back into Leicestershire . Changed my planned route and turned to Castle Donington which meant all the climbing would come at the end of the ride . As I past East Mids Airport I saw a rare sight an aeroplane in the sky (DHL cargo ). Diesworth ,Belton then took the hilly route Of Thringstone and the Long drag upto St Bernards Abbey then a quick descent through Oaks in Charnwood which I climbed yesterday . Towards Newtown Linford and noticed a lot more parked cars on the road at the Old John entranced to Bradgate park as I past the car park I realised it was closed presumably to discourage visitors which wasn't working . Into Newtown Linford which was at near grid lock as this car park was also closed so people were parking everywhere . Not much social distancing being practiced . Home with 64 miles in the bag with 2800ft of upness at 35 miles I'd done just 1000ft of upness so a climby end to the ride. Loads of riders out again today mostly solos today

 

[All uphill]

This happened to me on the C2C. I was struggling up the hill out of Keswick to the Stone Circle. I caught up eventually when the gradient eased. Made me determined to not get off and walk.

Glad I'm not alone!

 

[Gunk]

Some great rides today, glad people are trying to get away from all the craziness and are enjoying the lovely weather.