Your ride today....

[theloafer]

just a short trip to see my mate Walter in darlo who has just had his second cataract done and is not like been banned from cycling at the moment

went a different route than usual via patch's lane ...

cheers deno (of yacf) its a lot better than the cyclepath along side the A167 theres even a ford to cross

17 miles https://connect.garmin.com/activity/799238768

 

[Hacienda71]

Rode my second crit at Oulton Park tonight, learn't from the week before when I finished seventh and didn't try to get into any silly break aways. Timed my charge reasonably well but just pipped on the line by half a wheel, took second place and won £15 which was nice.

 

[PeteXXX]

Blimey it was windy out today! A mate and I had seen, and ignored, the forecast, but as it was our only day off together we met at my place at 10:00 ish for a coffee and a bacon sarnie once he'd dropped his car in for a service and MOT.

I actually planned a route, for a change, to get the headwind on the way out and, hopefully, a wind assist for the way home.... I do admire my optimism sometimes

As the obligatory pics of Bell End have been posted many times before, I took a few different ones in Wollaston..

Me, then a Bee In the Pocket Park behind Bell End...

Back on route, we grappled into the headwind for an hour or so before dropping down towards Ringstead where we spotted a sign for coffee and cake!
Happy to see a sign directing cyclists to aim around the back of the premises, we availed ourselves of coffee and a large fruit scone, complete with fresh clotted cream and a strawberry, overlooking the moorings for boats and barges..

This was an added bonus as we thought it'd be a dry and cake free run!

Once sustained, we had a few ups and downs to ride before heading back homewards

.

Good to feel the love with a heart shaped pothole...

My ride finished on 58 miles and didn't quite have the time for a Metric Century as I had to pick my granddaughter up from school at 16:30 from her trip to Hunstanton.

Smashing day out, but felt more effort was expended than on the 107 miles I did on the Norwich 100 than on the 58 miles today

https://www.strava.com/activities/321744656

 

[nickyboy]

Unbroken sunshine in the Peak District. Bit of an Easterly so I constructed a S,E,N,W loop so when I'm knackered at least I'd get a bit of a tailwind. Also made the W bit a climb over the Snake so I could do a fast blast descent to Glossop. Route was Glossop - New Mills - Chapel en le Frith - Tideswell - Bradwell - Snake Pass - Glossop

Straight out of the house and bang.....we're climbing. In fact I can only remember about 4 miles of flattish road, the other 41 miles were all up or down to some degree (some of them were a lot of degree). Here's a little lane behind Charlesworth, looking W to Cheshire

And it was hot. Or at least what passes for hot in North Derbyshire. I carry massive 900ml waterbottles and I refilled both of them. Must have drunk at least 3.5 litres. The massive waterbottles are also my excuse for my climbing speeds.

Finally made it to Tideswell "The Cathedral in The Peak". Except it isn;t a cathedral, it's a church. It is an impressive church for a small village sitting 1000ft up in the Peak District. Co-op cheese and ham sandwich, magnum lolly (did I mention it was hot?), bottle of diet coke.

Onto the homeward leg and I can feel the wind starting to turn. Snake Pass is still closed to vehicles so there were plenty of cyclists out. I caught one and passed him. Only for him to pass me a few miles later. No problem I thought. Except he'd bust his gut to pass me and now was sitting 10m in front and going ever so slightly slower than I wanted to. I was left with a choice; sit behind (but a reasonable distance) or attempt to pass him and hope that my slightly faster speed would hold. I sat behind, it passed the time, making sure I didn't get so close to him that he thought I was a stalker or something. Finally passed him when the road ramped up and when I looked behind he had obviously taken a "tactical stop"

Saw my second ever recumbent on the Snake. A lady cycling from Sheffield to Macclesfield

Here's the top of the Snake

Mad, fast descent to Glossop with a nice tailwind. Topped out at 49mph and snagged a 3rd place on a Strava segment (out of 3,000!). Snake reopens to traffic next Monday so get up there while you can.

45 miles, 4,700ft of climbing

 

[Bazzer]

Out on the Snake Pass again before it reopens to cars on the 14th. Was there last week for a quick (due to other commitments), ride to the top and back down again. This time the breeeze was coming from Sheffield, which made the ride up so much harder.
On the climb to the top three skateboarders came hurtling down towards Glossop, waving cheerily. WIth no brakes, they must have had plums the size of pineapples. A short while later they passed me going up the hill, being driven in an old Peugeot, windows down and once again waving cheerily. I passed them parked in lthe layby before the final bends, getting ready to once again hurlte down the hill.
Quite a few cyclists coming down towards Glossop as I wound my way up. Mainly women it seemed; certainly from the "Hello";s shouted.
During a drink break, had a brief chat with a couple of riders at the summit, who had come over from the Sheffield side. Their intentions seemed to be to go up and down all day. Not for me, I stupidly thought.

Anyway, here is the summit:




And the deserted road:




The drop down to Ladybower reservoir was spoiled by the breeze being right in my face, but pleasant never the less.



And then on to Castleton. For those not familiar with the area, famous for its caverns and the mineral Blue John. The village was suprisingly busy for a weekday.

Had a bit of brain freeze here. Not having sat nav I had written the route down. The first turn to Chapel en le Frith was ignored and I chose instead to follow the old road to Mam Tor. It didn't feel right but then discovered why. The road has subsided in a couple of places and cars are not allowed.

Still, not to be deterrred, I passed through the walkers' gate and rode up the hill. Bugger it was steep and the number of walkers and two large groups of school children, ensured that whatever my legs were feeling, was being overridden by my ego. I did though have to get off the bike a couple of times where the road had collapsed completely. As one walker helpfully pointed out, not an ideal surface for a road bike. To be honest, I was more concerned about falling flat on my face as 4 inch stilletoes would have provided more purchase on the surface than cleats.

Onward to the main road and finally the descent down Long Hill, before turning off towards the climbs in Chinley and Hayfield before finally dropping into Glossop.

Just short of 32 miles and 3,500 feet of climbing and was I very gratefull for Glossop Fish Bar being open. - Highly recommend their cod and chips.

 

[derrick]

Had a little ride to Cambridge and back today, was a tad windy.Seem to be a head wind all the way there, took a wrong turn and ended up doing extra miles, The ride back felt a bit easier, A bit of a tail wind in places, 106 miles for a Wednesday ain't bad, but i have still to do our evening group ride, have told them all to be gentle with me.
https://www.strava.com/activities/322514752
Had a little ride out with the guys tonight.
https://www.strava.com/activities/322832829

 

[nickyboy]

Out on the Snake Pass again before it reopens to cars on the 14th. Was there last week for a quick (due to other commitments), ride to the top and back down again. This time the breeeze was coming from Sheffield, which made the ride up so much harder.
On the climb to the top three skateboarders came hurtling down towards Glossop, waving cheerily. WIth no brakes, they must have had plums the size of pineapples. A short while later they passed me going up the hill, being driven in an old Peugeot, windows down and once again waving cheerily. I passed them parked in lthe layby before the final bends, getting ready to once again hurlte down the hill.
Quite a few cyclists coming down towards Glossop as I wound my way up. Mainly women it seemed; certainly from the "Hello";s shouted.
During a drink break, had a brief chat with a couple of riders at the summit, who had come over from the Sheffield side. Their intentions seemed to be to go up and down all day. Not for me, I stupidly thought.

Anyway, here is the summit:




And the deserted road:




The drop down to Ladybower reservoir was spoiled by the breeze being right in my face, but pleasant never the less.



And then on to Castleton. For those not familiar with the area, famous for its caverns and the mineral Blue John. The village was suprisingly busy for a weekday.

Had a bit of brain freeze here. Not having sat nav I had written the route down. The first turn to Chapel en le Frith was ignored and I chose instead to follow the old road to Mam Tor. It didn't feel right but then discovered why. The road has subsided in a couple of places and cars are not allowed.

Still, not to be deterrred, I passed through the walkers' gate and rode up the hill. Bugger it was steep and the number of walkers and two large groups of school children, ensured that whatever my legs were feeling, was being overridden by my ego. I did though have to get off the bike a couple of times where the road had collapsed completely. As one walker helpfully pointed out, not an ideal surface for a road bike. To be honest, I was more concerned about falling flat on my face as 4 inch stilletoes would have provided more purchase on the surface than cleats.

Onward to the main road and finally the descent down Long Hill, before turning off towards the climbs in Chinley and Hayfield before finally dropping into Glossop.

Just short of 32 miles and 3,500 feet of climbing and was I very gratefull for Glossop Fish Bar being open. - Highly recommend their cod and chips.

Great ride Bazzer. I love the way you describe Winnats Pass, one of the toughest in the Peak District, as "the first turn to Chapel en le Frith". I hate that last climb before Glossop (Chunal). Invariably I'm knackered by then and it's a real struggle

 

[Bazzer]

Great ride Bazzer. I love the way you describe Winnats Pass, one of the toughest in the Peak District, as "the first turn to Chapel en le Frith". I hate that last climb before Glossop (Chunal). Invariably I'm knackered by then and it's a real struggle

The mind games of: signpost, next corner, that bit of wall, etc., were almost exhausted.

 

[Donger]

Hell's teeth! How in the name of everything holy can the wind possibly be coming from all four points of the compass, yet always against me? Just messed about down the local lanes today, but every which way I turned it was straight into a blustery headwind. Started Southwards to Frampton, then headed first East then North to Whitminster, where I hung a left to head West to Arlingham, which is a dead end. Turned around and headed East again before turning North once more and heading for home....... Through all this, not a single sodding tailwind. 30.5 miles of being buffeted about and battling against the wind. How the hell does that happen?
Rant over. Donger.

 

[doog]

Hell's teeth! How in the name of everything holy can the wind possibly be coming from all four points of the compass, yet always against me? Just messed about down the local lanes today, but every which way I turned it was straight into a blustery headwind. Started Southwards to Frampton, then headed first East then North to Whitminster, where I hung a right to head West to Arlingham, which is a dead end. Turned around and headed East again before turning North once more and heading for home....... Through all this, not a single sodding tailwind. 30.5 miles of being buffeted about and battling against the wind. How the hell does that happen?
Rant over. Donger.

didnt ride today due to the wind, or yesterday....no fun

 

[13 rider]

Three rides today commute to and from work 6.9 miles in 8 miles home . Then the main ride to Breedon on the hill to meet up with @MickeyBlueEyes to pass on the cycle jersey that's making its way round the country. Out through Newtown Linford up Sharply Hill out Charley rd through Oaks in Charnwood up pass St Bernards Abbey out through Belton then on to new roads for me to Breedon the hill .16 miles done found the meeting point sat on bench in glorious sunshine

Picture of jersey and my bike St the war memorial at Breedon
After meeting @MickeyBlueEyes and passing on the jersey and a good chat (nice to meet you Mick) I retraced the route home bit a grind home its seem to be entirely into a headwind Anyway 32.23 miles done in lovely sunshine .Nice to put a face to another avatar .

 

[HertzvanRental]

didnt ride today due to the wind, or yesterday....no fun

Same for me. Busy tomorrow-plan to have a blast Friday. Violent thunderstorms forecast!!

 

[cosmicbike]

Quick run out last night round Chobham, a very pleasant 15 miles on quiet roads, wind was a bit naughty mind..

 

[Mike_P]

Suffering severe shock, this evenings 19 miles included a newly retarmaced single track country lane! North Yorks County Council excel at last, still they have had 40 years to practice it.

 

[Katherine]

After two and a half weeks off, I had a lovely ride today, 32 miles in glorious sunshine, windy at times. I stayed on the canal between Astley and Sale for most of the ride because I wanted to take it easy due to recovering from tennis elbow. I found I could manage without putting too much pressure on my arm, using my core as much as possible to support myself, getting more comfortable and relaxed after about 10 miles.

There were plenty of goslings to be seen and a few cygnets.

It was nice to see some barges transporting material to upgrade the canal path.This was just before the swingbridge at Barton.

More scenes of the canal.

Someone has built a lighthouse in their garden!