Your ride today....

[Mike_P]

Um.. where have I not been, the obvious for this afternoons post homework outing on the Defy was the steeper climb from Hampsthwaite to Swincliffe Top. Known on Strava as Swincliffe Swine it looks quite innocent to start off with

although the ninety degree bend precludes much of a run at what lies around the corner which is a climb typically bouncing all over the place in grade of 8% average overall and peaking at first at 13.9% and then, after easing for a distance, 14%. Also was direct into the sun so hot anyway. Of course what goes up must come down, which is virtually immediately after the climb on a decent of up to 12.9%.

After that warm up the 15.2% max climb past Grange Farm and up to the ridgetop Back Road via the gentler 9.6% max Sleights Lane in a PR.

Subsequently south on B6451 matched my previous best on the climb up to the A59 crossroads.

Back east on Penny Pot Lane for the first time in ages the wind turbines were all stationary.
15.82 miles @ 13.2mph avg 1165ft climbed. Plenty of cyclists about and cars limited.

 

[tribanjules]

Nice 45km on empty lanes south of Birmingham tonight

 

[geocycle]

Today’s social distancing ride was a hilly, 750m of up in just 26 miles, around the edge of Bowland. As the pictures show keeping 2m away from people was very easy. Hundreds of lapwings and oyster catchers going mad, must really irritate the sheep.

 

[colly]

Up earlyish with the intention of getting out. Sitting eating breakfast the enthusiasm dropped like a stone. Why does that happen ?
It was misty grey out and it looked and I found out later it was indeed cold. Messed around on the computer a bit and almost reluctantly got into my cycling stuff.
I managed gee myself up enough to get out the door and of course once finally under way I remembered why I go riding and I was fine.

I decided last night it was going to be a hilly ride. So the first step was to get right into it using a couple of local climbs to get me warmed up.
Ilkley was the destination and it was up via Bramhope and the back of Otley Chevin and down to Menston. Through Menston village and up to Burley Woodhead and on to Moor Road, which unsuprisingly runs across the edge of Rumbolds Moor, AKA Ilkley Moor. I stopped at the Cow and Calf rocks to take a pic:

and a couple of views over a misty Ilkley:

Then a swift run down into the almost deserted town, across the river and a clamber up Curly Hill.
Curly Hill is home to a lovely 1930's style house:

I can just imagine Noel Coward hanging out in a place like this, Hercule Poirot even.

Down through Denton to collect the road that runs alongside the River Wharfeand then rises up to Askwith. In Askwith it was a left onto Askwith Lane and another Moor Road. The climb up is steady with a couple of steep ramps, the worst right near the top.

I stopped at the top on the moor to grab a drink. From here on a clear day you can see Menwith Hill Base and if it's really clear even a hint of the Howardian Hills some 30 miles or more away to the north east.
A fast drop down into a busy Otley and then a climb I do only when I'm in the right frame of mind. East Chevin Road. It's probably no worse than the climb up from Askwith but once underway it's a straight road leading up and up. No let up. It just looks hard. Well it is for me so I guess that's about right then.
Over the top and a cruise down through Bramhope again, along towards Leeds, cross the ring road and down through Weetwood. A left at Shaw Lane takes me into Meanwood and more up uphill on Potternewton Lane. Down across Scott Hall Road to Chapel Allerton and Harehills and the final bits of uphill to Oakwood Lane via Easterly Road.
So after an unpromising start it turned out good.

40.2 miles and 4132 ft up upness

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/47706247

 

[Mr Celine]

Friday night's social distancing. The novelty of riding on local main roads has worn off a bit, so it was back to an old favourite, the Swire. From the summit looking back the way I'd come, down into Yarrowdale -

...and looking the other way, south over Ettrickdale towards the border. About a fifth of the way in from the left, where the horizon rises a bit, is the Carter Bar, where I rode to last week.

And back home, recovery time -

30.75 miles @ 15.1mph. 545m up.

 

[13 rider]

I seem to be getting used to this ride for an hour I was out today for 1 hour a 31 seconds ,a good judge of time and distance . Today's ride had a purpose an attempt at a KOM on a road were I was in second place by 2 seconds . I have had a couple of attempts halted by traffic on the single track lane . To get to the segment involves quiet a bit of climbing so took it steady until then spinning up any hill .Newtown Linford up Polly Botts lane and Whitcroft lane to Copt Oak Back to towards Markfield and turn onto Old house lane . Full gas traffic free run saw me take the KOM taking 4 sec of my time . After a quick breather that was required into Markfield then Ratby crossing the M1

Which wasn't very busy .
Onto Groby and home . 16.2 miles done in the hour was being to warm up as I finished . Other than the one effort is was a nice relaxed ride for a change for me really enjoyed it

 

[gavgav]

Finally ended my 49 hour working week, at lunchtime and so out to make the most of the last day of nice weather, as the forecast suggests it’s downhill from here, for a while.

There was a cooler breeze, as I set out, following a family group ride out of the estate, from whom a little girl fell off as she turned the first corner! She seemed ok though and so I left them to it, as I headed out on the A458, where I encountered the 1 and only idiot of the ride, in a Range Rover, who squeezed past me and another car that was coming the other way, giving me no room and then turning in towards me, too soon, as he was towing a trailer. The road was clear as far as the eye could see, ahead, if he’d just waited 5 seconds, utter moron.

Onto the Betton Abbots road, where today’s insects were weird black hovering things, with bits hanging off them! Don’t know what they are, but they like being near hedges and they’re annoying when they get inside your helmet!!

On towards Condover, along Lyons Lane and then up towards Ryton. I decided to vary the ride, a little, by going via Wheathall. I swallowed something along there, started coughing and retching, so had to pull over and take a drink, to get rid of it. Good job no one was nearby, as I’m sure they would have though I’d got the unmentionable, with the coughing!

Out at Ryton and then down to Longnor, quietest I’ve had it along that lane, since lockdown, with only 1 cyclist and 0 cars.

Turned North and had the, what little there was by now, warmer wind behind me, as it had veered from Easterly to Southerly, which was nice. Good cruise through Frodesley, Acton Burnell, Pitchford and Cantlop, then more encounters with those insects, at Betton, again.

Looped around the business park and then home, where I noticed that the main road into our estate has been decorated with bunting, criss crossed from house to house, for the NHS. Absolutely brilliant.

20.68 miles at 13.5mph avg. Also took me past 500 miles for the year, so far.

 

[Dave 123]

A 19 mile hilly little ride this afternoon, up and down to the river Yealm. Cold air and dusty roads were the order of the day. The ox eye daisy are just starting to open...

https://www.strava.com/activities/3351264368

 

[roubaixtuesday]

No photos today, but a miracle to report...

Out on the tandem this morning, thirty miles round the local lanes with all three teenagers in formation!

 

[EltonFrog]

A completely utterly lovely day, warm in the sunshine cool in the shade, not cloud in the sky and not many cars on the roads. Lots of people out on bikes though, feckin hundreds of them, all want to say hell or wave, jeezus it’s exhausting, I turn away pretending I don’t see them.
Any way set off from not having any plan and headed toward Steventon, then on towards the Hannays , Theres an interesting Mill converion there. I don’t know this area very well so I let the bike do the navigating and a love ride it was visiting lanes and villages I’d never seen before. At Southmoor I turned left which didn’t get me far before I had to cross the A420 which took me to Hinton Waldrist and back across the main road to Pusey and Lyford, back to the Hannays then across some gravel track to the edge of Grove and familiar territory then back home via Lockinge and Harwell labs.

35.55 quite frankly bloody lovely miles on my new Trek.

 

[AndreaJ]

Out in the sunshine again this afternoon around the Whixall lanes. Headed off to Whixall, Fenns Bank, Fenns Wood, Blackloe, Alkington, Tilstock, Prees, Coton, Lower Houses, Stanley Green, back to Coton, Abbeygreen, Waterloo, Edstaston, Creamore, Horton and back home. Still lots of people out walking on the lanes, a few cyclists and oddly no dog walkers today. Lots of flying insects here too which are a downside to the lovely weather. 26.26 miles @15.7mph and only one picture today.

 

[Mike_P]

West of southerly wind today so the Defy went west on the A59 to Hampsthwaite crossroads early this afternoon, then via Burley Bank, Strava once again claiming it’s a Cat 4 climb – all the other must be Cat 1s then, to Penny Pot, along which the wooded section was bliss but the exposed western end was a bit less; the wind turbines after their rest yesterday had woken up. Then down and a lot more up on Wydra Lane and the same of Cobby Syke Road.

The mist @colly encountered had long gone and local landmarks were plainly visible Close to the top and the junction with the A59, three cyclists passed in the opposite direction, all 2m apart so was not sure if they were cycling together or not. Then largely followed last Sundays route bar I avoided the bridleway and continued to the end of Meagill Lane and hence the full length of Menwith Hill Road which for a road that largely falls eastwards has a slight climb initially.

Also stayed on Back Road in contrast to the windswept conditions of last Sunday. The climb out of Hampsthwaite on Hollins Lane I thought was a bit of struggle compared to last Sunday but it transpired to be 13secs faster. 20.35 miles @13.7mph avg, 1273ft climbed. A bit on the limits of my lockdown rides policy of taking nothing to eat with me so as to limit their duration and the cake and biscuit tins subsequently took a hammering

 

[Donger]

After breaking the tension bolt in my Brooks saddle, I had to substitute my old San Marco Rolls Tour de France souvenir special edition Union Jack saddle on No.1 bike. Would have been rude not to give it a spin out to try it out. Pleased to say it behaved itself and was a pleasure to ride. Got the position right first time. I stood back to admire it at my drinks break at Epney ....

.... only to discover that, when changing over bikes for tonight's ride, I'd forgotten to pack my drink (or, for that matter, my tool container). No drink, then.

It is always a little concerning if you set off on a fettling ride and discover you have forgotten your tools. But this tool got away with it.
Stay safe everyone. Cheers, Donger.

 

[tribanjules]

100km loop from bournville via Stratford upon Avon. Great little lanes through stunning villages. Stratford was EMPTY .

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Another superb day allowed short sleeves to be the dress code. I took the fairly standard run down to Forthampton to cross the Severn on Haw Bridge. Looping in the lanes set me up for the lane to Bozzards Farm with the Cotswold escarpment beginning to loom ahead. But first I had some foothills to conquer on the way to Winchcombe. I haven't ridden here since the cafes closed. I checked this time and it seems one may be back in business if this lockdown hadn't shut it at the moment. I climbed Sudeley Hill for the first time in years and headed along the ups and downs of the escarpment ridge by Taddington for Snowshill. That is a run I used to do quite often but recent years have left it neglected. The descent to Broadway is a speedy one with 46 mph showing on the computer. Now it is a fast road across to Hinton before the leg sapping ramp at Haselor. It was just the usual run back from Elmley Castle except I had to add some loops at the end to round the miles up. Dratted OCD! 80 smiles