Your ride today....

[Mrs M]

I was down for 5 hours overtime today so did my first ever commute
“What do ya want, a chocolate watch?” said Mr M
Enjoyed the ride to work, hardly an people or traffic.
Got a big grin and a wave from a young man on a MTB, made me smile
Stayed a work a wee bit longer as had something to finish, then set off home.
Tougher ride home as more uphill and a headwind.
Felt a “bit weak” part of the ride, my own fault, hadn’t had enough to eat during the day, and had no snacks with me, will do better next time!
On way home there were far more people out and about, used the road instead of the shared cycle path to avoid most of them. Had to use the shared path on one stretch, saw a couple coming towards me so edged over as far as I could, hoped they’d do the same and pass in single file. No such luck, the guy kept to the middle of the path and actually spat just as I passed What a pig ignorant piece of work I thought
Never mind, still happy with my lot today
xx

 

[EltonFrog]

Another early ride for me today on the road bike, dry roads, but overcast and misty in places. I’ve installed my GoPro on the bike to record the journey, I’ve heard stories of really anti-social behaviour by other road users lately and it’s made me a bit paranoid about going out. It won’t stop the behaviour but I might get evidence to pursue a miscreant If it does happen. Nothing did.

Out through Blewbury , on the other side I had the experience of that rare moment when the wind is directly behind you, no other vehicles and the only thing you can hear is the music of the tyres on the road, it lasted for nearly a mile, fabulous. Then to the Astons then to the edge of Wallingford then through the charming village of Brightwell cum Sotwell, then to the edge of Wittenham down the hill into Didcot then home via the Hagbournes. I saw a queue outside the village post office today, most odd I thought.

A nice ride with a bit of wind.

Miles: 18.09
S.I. : 0

No photos unless you want one of my bike all clean and shiny in the sunshine after the today’s ride .

 

[derrick]

Solo loop. Was nice to get out. Been a bit busy this week. I can push myself a bit harder when i am on my own. Nice quiet roads. Still a bit of wind on the way home. Managed to get a descent average. Although there was not to much climbing. Would have been nicer without the wind. But the sun was out the sky was blue. So all good. Just having a beer in the garden.🍻
Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/fMMFFVILp5

 

[tribanjules]

Nice bright 45km south of Birmingham this afternoon. Took my triban out, nice to be on 28 which look positively to skinny after yesterday on my 650*47 !

 

[JhnBssll]

We've started printing components for face guards at work. As one of the few people trained to use the prototyping equipment this gives me a great excuse to get some miles in on the bike No laptop or work clothes to carry also meant I could leave the commuter at home and take something a bit more fun for a change

7.7 miles in on the direct route, and a respectable 18mph average with a bit of a tailwind helping me along I was overtaken by a clubmate about a mile in to the journey - as a responsible citizen I "allowed" him to build a significant gap rather quickly, social distancing of course

After an hour or so in the workshop unloading and reloading the machines it was time to head home. I decided to take the indirect route this time and enjoy the beautiful weather. 16.3 miles home at a more leisurely 15mph average in to a slight headwind. I stopped a couple of times along the way to take in the scenery, certainly the most pleasant ride I've had so far this year

 

[Grant Fondo]

We've started printing components for face guards at work. As one of the few people trained to use the prototyping equipment this gives me a great excuse to get some miles in on the bike No laptop or work clothes to carry also meant I could leave the commuter at home and take something a bit more fun for a change

7.7 miles in on the direct route, and a respectable 18mph average with a bit of a tailwind helping me along I was overtaken by a clubmate about a mile in to the journey - as a responsible citizen I "allowed" him to build a significant gap rather quickly, social distancing of course

After an hour or so in the workshop unloading and reloading the machines it was time to head home. I decided to take the indirect route this time and enjoy the beautiful weather. 16.3 miles home at a more leisurely 15mph average in to a slight headwind. I stopped a couple of times along the way to take in the scenery, certainly the most pleasant ride I've had so far this year

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The sky and the bike are beauties! 😃

 

[Donger]

One look at the well-spaced line of dog walkers and little family groups disappearing slowly down Elmore Lane made my mind up quickly this afternoon. A more mundane exercise ride was called for today. And so I headed out via Kingsway to do a lap of the Beaufort housing estate in Tuffley. This is a hilly little estate, so I took a few side roads and cul de sacs to take in as many little hills as I could. I'd almost forgotten what a hill was. From there, I headed back to do a lap of the Kingsway housing estate, finding some roads I'd never been down before. My third loop was of the Hardwicke suburb. All would normally have felt a bit dull, but in these very odd times, it was actually quite nice to get some of these roads entirely to myself and have a good nose around.

I treated myself to a final two miles or so of country lanes on my way home, having never been much more than two miles from home at any point in this ride. Lovely weather, and a surprisingly enjoyable alternative route. Another 15.5 miles in the bag from my fourth ride in four days on number two bike. Somehow I've managed nearly 100 miles since lockdown in 7 exercise rides ..... possibly a tad more than I would normally have done in 3 rides during the same period.
Stay safe. Donger.

 

[Mike_P]

Today the Defy with a fixed rear shifter on largely a repeat of last Fridays hybrid ride. Still a cold wind despite its obvious change of direction but opted for bib shorts and leg extenders just in case it suddenly warmed up. It didn’t. A change to the initial route was possible as the local estate road closure has finished, apparently a foul sewer leaked and flooded a house
Towards Ripley I was gaining rapidly on a cyclist with laden panniers so as they headed along the bypass I headed into a deserted village centre with the stocks in front of the village cross visible for once.

Rejoined the A61 ahead of the cyclist with panniers. Did note a number of daffodils already dying off, and the southerly route through Nidd had clearly indicated a slog into the headwind lay ahead. That was unwittingly a worse time from Killinghall to the A59 just to rub in the two ebike KOMs I have lost this week, one of them to a L*n*e Armstrong. Got home and discovered as this was the first time I had entrusted the ride data solely to the Wahoo Elemnt it failed to upload it to Strava, finally resolved by deleting its link to Strava and setting up it again. 13.32 miles @ 13.2mph avg, 673ft climbed.

 

[Mr Celine]

I haven't even been past the front door since Wednesday, when I'd taken the road bike out for a short shakedown ride, so I reckoned I had Thursday, Friday and today's exercise quota to get through. I did a circuit on main roads that would have been suicidal on a normal Saturday, though today the only noteworthy close pass was a BMW who overtook straight into the face of an oncoming polis van.
I overtook two cyclists on the A7 on the way to Hawick, giving them both a 2m wide berth, and made a point of pulling over to the middle of the road when passing pedestrians. There is a cycle track under construction (currently paused) on the A7 south of Selkirk, which is already being used by dog walkers. There was a strong south westerly blowing which made the first leg tough but gave a stonking tailwind on the next leg on the A698.
I rode non-stop as far as Cleikimin which is about half way round, where the A698 meets the A68. This is taken from the bridge over the River Teviot looking towards its predecessor -

Only other stop was at the top of the hill at Lilliardsedge on the A68. Looking south, back the way I'd come -

And looking north, towards home -

Not a car in sight in either direction!

But a mile or two later, on the ex roman Dere Street, a car did catch up with me and gave a good reminder of why you don't cycle roads like these in normal times. I was overtaken, doing a good 20mph, by a car which completely crossed the DWLs here -

Above pic is from Google streetview but from a less elevated position this is a completely blind summit with a road junction on it, which itself has very poor visibility due to the old toll house on the left.

Today's map -

39.6 miles @ 16.2 mph, 701m up.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

It was a bit warmer today. I climbed from the off up and over The Wyche cutting to take the straightforward run to Bosbury. Wood Anemones were shining out from the woods. I headed towards Ashperton but diverted to visit the church at Canon Frome. What a lovely spot that is. Then around to the Hereford road to turn for Durlow Common, a climb I haven't ridden for a long time. The views to the Malverns and the Cotswolds were superb. Heading for Canwood the wild daffs were still showing well. As I dropped off the ridge a new sculpture appeared before me. It wasn't there last year. I climbed to Broadmoor Common, another little used lane and then dropped to Fownhope. I took the steep climb to Capler Camp and stopped to eat my banana whilst admiring the view of the Wye flowing below. Another little used lane brought me out at Falcon from where I could head back towards the ridge with the transmitter on the top as my guide. Over the ridge meant a fast descent to Much Marcle. Time was getting on as 5 Buzzards circled a tractor ploughing up some tasty snacks for them. Despite time being short I took the lane from Brooms Green to Ryton, yet another little used lane. From there it seemed prudent to use the standard run back. Amazingly there were no cars at all on the Guarlford Road. It's usually quite busy with brisk traffic. That's one benefit of the current crisis. 58 smiles

 

[C R]

Another chance for a ride just before sundown, as the rest of the family had been out earlier. First time in shorts this year. Beautiful evening with the sun setting over the Malverns, and hardly any traffic, I think I was only passed by two cars. Distances are shorter, so putting in a bit more effort.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

I had to get more chicken today, so I went for a ride whilst I was about it.
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it was eerily quiet out in Southampton water today ( good ).
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Blue sky and very blue water ( apparently this is because the sediment isn’t being stirred up) it’s a weird sight, as that bit of Southampton water usually resembles a sewer.

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these pair of idiots were clearly not observing social distancing. I had a word, they weren’t listening.

Horseplay no doubt.

 

[tribanjules]

Hope to get from birmingham to Stratford down the lovely back lanes. No cafes, and I’m sure waterfront will be packed, so intend a quick loop round the block there. Stay safe and distant BUT WAVE !!!!

 

[EltonFrog]

The Fragrant MrsP was supposed to be running the Reading Half Marathon this morning but it was postponed (obsv) she had the option of deferring to November or doing the virtual half. She opted to for the virtual, that is run it from home, record it and post, she’ll then get the credit and the medal.

I took this opportunity as it is such a beautiful morning to go for my allotted ride and to act as support to The Fragrant MrsP.
Because it’s such a lovely day I took the Kingpin out, stayed away from the byways, bridleways, shared cycle paths as I knew they’d be busy with other folks, I stuck to the roads. I had an opportunity to take some photos as it was quite early an not many people about where I was, ( no one in fact) .

I met up with TFMP supplied her with a fresh water bottle, wine gums, told her to ‘Dig Deep’ , and we went on our merry way.

I rode back home via Harwell Village and explored some lanes the were new to me.

Miles:10.05
S.I: 1
Weather:Stunning.
Edited to add mileage over 750 for the year so far.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Lovely 15 mile ride out with the good lady, no cars to speak of quite a few pairs and self isolating cyclists..