- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Great to hear you're back in the saddle again. The first of many rides I hope.
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Rocky
Hello decadence
Thanks PhilGreat to hear you're back in the saddle again. The first of many rides I hope.
I'm slightly shocked at my lack of fitness and how weedy my legs are. I'm sure it won't take too long to build up a bit of strength and endurance.
Hard tail. Was running Maxxis tyres (though they were very expensive) but recently switched to Vittorias (£23.99 the pair) and they're every but as good. They were both (,Maxxis and Vittoria) off road tyres but touch wood have been fine on the road.
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I'll check them out when I need to change them thanks.
Oh ‘eck, what’s that grey stuff in the sky?. A vague memory stirs, clouds is what it is. Hmm, I looked, and looked again. On the third time of looking, I saw it; a little patch of bright blue sky high up over there in the northwest. Shame I am going to ride south east.
Very early for me, but Holbeck don’t care what time it is when I ride through on the way to elsewhere, the first bit of elsewhere being John o’ Gaunts this morning. Down the hill from there and negotiate a couple of roundabouts to point the fixed at Castleford. On the way there, cross the River Calder at Methley Bridge, will not see that river again today, it joins the Aire a mile or so away, a short distance before I cross the joined pair at Castleford Bridge. This is the A656, after it crosses the bit of canal that goes around the weir it travels a few degrees east of north passing Allerton Bywater, Ledston Luck, and Peckfield Bar, then the gap twixt Micklefield and Garforth in a rather straight line. I did the same until the road bent left and I turned right to Hook Moor.
There is a right turn next, the gates of Lotherton Hall are this way, further along the B1217. Just as I turned left towards Aberford, I saw that I had a shadow. That bit of blue sky I saw earlier had caught up with me. No complaints, sunshine makes most things look better. From Aberford to Barwick the new green in fields and trees is very noticeable right now, and after leaving Barwick the short stretch to Scholes is similar. And the green continues, the A64 and Thorner Lane, though the new housing development on Skeltons Lane is visible, just to tell me I am back in the suburbs.
Still a few miles to ride though, and to enjoy the lack of traffic. Even the traffic lights were being kind all the way home from here, one foot down for a few seconds at the Oakwood Clock, the rest were on green all the way. This made the thirty three miles extra smiley today.
Map influenced by Romans, maybe
Very early for me, but Holbeck don’t care what time it is when I ride through on the way to elsewhere, the first bit of elsewhere being John o’ Gaunts this morning. Down the hill from there and negotiate a couple of roundabouts to point the fixed at Castleford. On the way there, cross the River Calder at Methley Bridge, will not see that river again today, it joins the Aire a mile or so away, a short distance before I cross the joined pair at Castleford Bridge. This is the A656, after it crosses the bit of canal that goes around the weir it travels a few degrees east of north passing Allerton Bywater, Ledston Luck, and Peckfield Bar, then the gap twixt Micklefield and Garforth in a rather straight line. I did the same until the road bent left and I turned right to Hook Moor.
There is a right turn next, the gates of Lotherton Hall are this way, further along the B1217. Just as I turned left towards Aberford, I saw that I had a shadow. That bit of blue sky I saw earlier had caught up with me. No complaints, sunshine makes most things look better. From Aberford to Barwick the new green in fields and trees is very noticeable right now, and after leaving Barwick the short stretch to Scholes is similar. And the green continues, the A64 and Thorner Lane, though the new housing development on Skeltons Lane is visible, just to tell me I am back in the suburbs.
Still a few miles to ride though, and to enjoy the lack of traffic. Even the traffic lights were being kind all the way home from here, one foot down for a few seconds at the Oakwood Clock, the rest were on green all the way. This made the thirty three miles extra smiley today.
Map influenced by Romans, maybe
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
Arm warmers..... it was a little chilly today. There were hardier souls out, but my bingo wings were under cover.
From Yealmpton to Ermington then along the 5 mile trudge up to Ugborough. Then I went to Avonwick, turning for Diptford heading along the Avon valley. I passed a great field that countless sheep hooves had sculpted
on through the rolling lanes, the skies looking glum
I stopped in Morleigh at the 13th century church
At California Cross I couldn’t resist stopping for a pasty. It was nice too.
plenty of colours around despite the dull weather.
34 miles, all enjoyed.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3360977660/
From Yealmpton to Ermington then along the 5 mile trudge up to Ugborough. Then I went to Avonwick, turning for Diptford heading along the Avon valley. I passed a great field that countless sheep hooves had sculpted
on through the rolling lanes, the skies looking glum
I stopped in Morleigh at the 13th century church
At California Cross I couldn’t resist stopping for a pasty. It was nice too.
plenty of colours around despite the dull weather.
34 miles, all enjoyed.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3360977660/
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
The White House
I go & have a look at that every time we're in Ilkley
And, when I was fit enough, & running, I'd enter an Ilkley Harriers event that started just west of it (on the unmade section) & invariably lose places, as I'd be looking at the house (just before the left, into Moddleton Woods)
Their 'Trail Race'
(I also used to run the 'Ilkley Moor Fell-Race')
It was offered at £895,000, in 2003
I presume it's more nowadays, if it was offered
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-25749621.html
And, in my Yorkshire collection is the 2003 brochure
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Fertilized the lawn nicely, though!
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Last ride before the weather turns, definitely cooler but nice all the same.
Sticking with the Scott now, Trek away in storage.
I'm finding the smooth transitions of the 12-36 cassette are allowing me to understand cadence a bit better, and make better use of the ratios. Definitely feels like I'm using the bike for its intended purpose for once, a bit of (by my standards) speed! The past couple of rides the Cateye showed 40km/h plus at one or two points. Pleasing, if a little scary!
A quick (for me, that is...) 16.92 miles out to Clearbrook and back. Reasonable 9.4mph avg. Once again, no climb data from MapMyRide.
Wonder if it's because I'm syncing it over mobile data? No landlind/internet for 3 weeks now, fix tomorrow if very lucky.
Sticking with the Scott now, Trek away in storage.
I'm finding the smooth transitions of the 12-36 cassette are allowing me to understand cadence a bit better, and make better use of the ratios. Definitely feels like I'm using the bike for its intended purpose for once, a bit of (by my standards) speed! The past couple of rides the Cateye showed 40km/h plus at one or two points. Pleasing, if a little scary!
A quick (for me, that is...) 16.92 miles out to Clearbrook and back. Reasonable 9.4mph avg. Once again, no climb data from MapMyRide.
Wonder if it's because I'm syncing it over mobile data? No landlind/internet for 3 weeks now, fix tomorrow if very lucky.
Richard A Thackeray
Legendary Member
Bike selected; CGR (as I was heading into the woods, & MTB trails)
Weather; sunny, cool, dry, breezy
Photographs from today (unless captioned otherwise)
Just a local potter
At no point, was I more than 2miles from the house! (I know where a mile is, when running the main portion of my 'out', from when I wore a GPS watch)
Out & onto NewLands Lane, behind the Catholic Church, past the Allotments, & the scrubland I used to run across, as the start of a XC loop
There's new track been laid under NewLands Bridge, primarily to get rid of a cross-over, as that siding's not been used for (probably) 20+ years
Not entirely certain about the work under the siding, unless it's to get track circuit cables through?
Past the old brickworks chimney, a few yards from the cutting (now used for phone masts); https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3675566
Past the 'Pylon Pond'; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2040381
Along NewLands Lane, towards the Woods & the remains of NewLands Hall; https://www.stanleyhistoryonline.com/Newland-Estate.html
At the 'cross-roads'/junction (TPT), it was a left towards the old quarrys (now 'lakes') https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/191208
I approached from Normanton;
View: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212718177781605&set=a.10211878570791955&type=3&theater
It was a clay quarry, but a lot of the surrounding area is now a sandy-soil, or seemingly pure sand
I had meant to follow a track at the far end of it, but a tree was down over it, a couple of hundred yards along; to the right
My bike's leaning on the post in the link; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2667765
I found out how sandy it all was, whilst riding back up, & taking the wrong line, at one point... ended up with sand over the rims
A change of a couple of feet got me going again
Then back to the 'cross-roads' (& straight over) onto the 'Miners Path'
Once at the top of the Plantation Woods, it was a sharp left into them & a matter of picking through untold amounts of tree-roots, to the 'Summer-House' (just a circle of stones, with no proof that's what it was) but its not marked at all, on the 1908 25" OS map
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2091017
In the corner near the 'Summer-House' is a drop down to the site of Stanley Lodge (see the Stanley History link above)
I rode down it steadily, braking intermittently, as it's about 3 years since I last used it, & there was a natural spring making it very wet at one point - now 'buried' under stones & bricks
So, once at the bottom, it was a case of turn round & stay in the saddle, choosing a line, crossing those ridges/roots and stones
(34 x 21?? - on a 12 to 28/10speed)
Not a single 'dab', but a few yards out of the saddle, just at the top, for a hump
Then back through the Plantation & back to NewLands Lane, via a different exit to how I entered the Woods
A short ride, but one that took energy & technique
Weather; sunny, cool, dry, breezy
Photographs from today (unless captioned otherwise)
Just a local potter
At no point, was I more than 2miles from the house! (I know where a mile is, when running the main portion of my 'out', from when I wore a GPS watch)
Out & onto NewLands Lane, behind the Catholic Church, past the Allotments, & the scrubland I used to run across, as the start of a XC loop
There's new track been laid under NewLands Bridge, primarily to get rid of a cross-over, as that siding's not been used for (probably) 20+ years
Not entirely certain about the work under the siding, unless it's to get track circuit cables through?
Past the old brickworks chimney, a few yards from the cutting (now used for phone masts); https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3675566
Past the 'Pylon Pond'; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2040381
Along NewLands Lane, towards the Woods & the remains of NewLands Hall; https://www.stanleyhistoryonline.com/Newland-Estate.html
At the 'cross-roads'/junction (TPT), it was a left towards the old quarrys (now 'lakes') https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/191208
I approached from Normanton;
View: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212718177781605&set=a.10211878570791955&type=3&theater
It was a clay quarry, but a lot of the surrounding area is now a sandy-soil, or seemingly pure sand
I had meant to follow a track at the far end of it, but a tree was down over it, a couple of hundred yards along; to the right
My bike's leaning on the post in the link; https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2667765
I found out how sandy it all was, whilst riding back up, & taking the wrong line, at one point... ended up with sand over the rims
A change of a couple of feet got me going again
Then back to the 'cross-roads' (& straight over) onto the 'Miners Path'
Once at the top of the Plantation Woods, it was a sharp left into them & a matter of picking through untold amounts of tree-roots, to the 'Summer-House' (just a circle of stones, with no proof that's what it was) but its not marked at all, on the 1908 25" OS map
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2091017
In the corner near the 'Summer-House' is a drop down to the site of Stanley Lodge (see the Stanley History link above)
I rode down it steadily, braking intermittently, as it's about 3 years since I last used it, & there was a natural spring making it very wet at one point - now 'buried' under stones & bricks
So, once at the bottom, it was a case of turn round & stay in the saddle, choosing a line, crossing those ridges/roots and stones
(34 x 21?? - on a 12 to 28/10speed)
Not a single 'dab', but a few yards out of the saddle, just at the top, for a hump
Then back through the Plantation & back to NewLands Lane, via a different exit to how I entered the Woods
A short ride, but one that took energy & technique
Attachments
Last edited:
Monday ride out around local lanes.
Up around Bramham and Thorner and back via Shadwell. It was nice and sunny but not overly warm. Even so still shorts and tee weather.
I took some photos, but they were dreadful
25.4 miles and 1700ft.
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/47856618
Up around Bramham and Thorner and back via Shadwell. It was nice and sunny but not overly warm. Even so still shorts and tee weather.
I took some photos, but they were dreadful
25.4 miles and 1700ft.
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/47856618
gavgav
Legendary Member
Looks like the best chance of an evening ride, this week, with the weather forecast and so sacked supermarket battle off until tomorrow evening, to get out.
However, after what I’ve just experienced, I’m just glad to still be alive to write up a report......
Cloudy skies, for the first time in what seems like ages, as I set off down to Weeping Cross and then out onto the A458. Moron time, as a female Audiot storms past me, as I’m crossing the bridge over the A5, then slams her brakes on, because she wants to go down the A5 slip road, can’t because traffic is coming towards us, so I have to do an emergency stop in order to avoid stuffing into her back end..........that was nothing....
Very pleasant riding followed, through Betton Abbots, up to Cantlop, Cound Stank, Berrington, King St and Betton again, with very little wind, mostly quiet lanes, bar the odd walker, runner and cyclist.
I then turn back onto the A458 for the short, probably 30 seconds, required, and as I reach the same slip road as before, from the opposite direction, an absolute f*****g idiot in a Sky Blue Corsa, just swerves across, into my path, on wrong side of the road, looking down at what I assume was his phone. There was literally nowhere I could go and I thought this is it, he’s gonna smack into me. Literally about 2 or 3 seconds before we collided, he looks up and swerves to miss me.
I stopped on the bridge, with heart pounding, to gather my thoughts. I waited to see if he joined the A5, at the end of the slip road, he didn’t appear and then I hear a horn from the top of the slip road, where he’d reversed back up it, winds window down and shouts “are you ok mate? That was totally my fault, I wasn’t paying attention, etc“. I just put my thumb up and carried on, no point getting into an argument, he knew he’d done wrong and it could have been catastrophically worse.
Arrived home, wondering why I bother cycling any more, as incidents like that do nothing to help, at what is already a stressful time.
12.6 miles at 13.9mph avg
However, after what I’ve just experienced, I’m just glad to still be alive to write up a report......
Cloudy skies, for the first time in what seems like ages, as I set off down to Weeping Cross and then out onto the A458. Moron time, as a female Audiot storms past me, as I’m crossing the bridge over the A5, then slams her brakes on, because she wants to go down the A5 slip road, can’t because traffic is coming towards us, so I have to do an emergency stop in order to avoid stuffing into her back end..........that was nothing....
Very pleasant riding followed, through Betton Abbots, up to Cantlop, Cound Stank, Berrington, King St and Betton again, with very little wind, mostly quiet lanes, bar the odd walker, runner and cyclist.
I then turn back onto the A458 for the short, probably 30 seconds, required, and as I reach the same slip road as before, from the opposite direction, an absolute f*****g idiot in a Sky Blue Corsa, just swerves across, into my path, on wrong side of the road, looking down at what I assume was his phone. There was literally nowhere I could go and I thought this is it, he’s gonna smack into me. Literally about 2 or 3 seconds before we collided, he looks up and swerves to miss me.
I stopped on the bridge, with heart pounding, to gather my thoughts. I waited to see if he joined the A5, at the end of the slip road, he didn’t appear and then I hear a horn from the top of the slip road, where he’d reversed back up it, winds window down and shouts “are you ok mate? That was totally my fault, I wasn’t paying attention, etc“. I just put my thumb up and carried on, no point getting into an argument, he knew he’d done wrong and it could have been catastrophically worse.
Arrived home, wondering why I bother cycling any more, as incidents like that do nothing to help, at what is already a stressful time.
12.6 miles at 13.9mph avg
EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I noticed yesterday that I was under 15 miles off completing 1000 miles for the year so far. I was in need of a cobweb blower, so I got the roady out and did a quick (for me ) blat around the villages, through Didcot and out through the villages again. It tried to rain a bit but gave up after about five minutes.
Didn’t stop for photos today, had to get on.
14.72 miles today, 1:00:23.
1001.21 miles for the year.
Didn’t stop for photos today, had to get on.
14.72 miles today, 1:00:23.
1001.21 miles for the year.
Andy in Germany
Guru
- Location
- Rottenburg am Neckar
Beautiful daughter and I have been making daily bike rides to The Cow Farm, where we have a bit of off-roading and say hello to the "Goodness aren't they big?" cows. Then we ride to the Field Where Dandelions Grow to get some dandelion leaves; these are carried to the Rabbit Farm where we feed the rabbits. After this we ride around some of the other agricultural roads*, dodging the occasional tractor, and back to the village and our apartment.
Sometimes we even go to the Next Village and complete a figure of eight.
In the course of this Beautiful daughter has got the hang of Riding In A Straight Line; Riding without Papa Holding Onto The Luggage Rack (to the great relief of my upper back, I might add); Stopping Without Falling Over; and in the last few days we've been working on Starting Without a Push: I think we should have that together in the next few days.
In the meantime I'm keeping her on a steady diet of cycle touring videos; Propaganda works...
*God's gift to cyclists in Germany: a huge network of traffic free, often paved roads linking the villages, generally with signs for bikes.
Sometimes we even go to the Next Village and complete a figure of eight.
In the course of this Beautiful daughter has got the hang of Riding In A Straight Line; Riding without Papa Holding Onto The Luggage Rack (to the great relief of my upper back, I might add); Stopping Without Falling Over; and in the last few days we've been working on Starting Without a Push: I think we should have that together in the next few days.
In the meantime I'm keeping her on a steady diet of cycle touring videos; Propaganda works...
*God's gift to cyclists in Germany: a huge network of traffic free, often paved roads linking the villages, generally with signs for bikes.
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
A quick spin on the Raleigh round my currently standard Longnor - Acton Burnell - Harnage route this afternoon.
It's cooler than the last few days so I started out with a fleece on, but put it away again at Longnor. Barely a breath of wind which gave the illusion, once moving, of having a headwind all the way round.
There aren't as many people out as there were at the weekend but still plenty taking their exercise. The bell got a bit of use and I needed to slow a few times until there was safe room to pass people walking. I counted 17 cyclists on the way round which is quite good going.
An intermittant clunk, apparently from the rear wheel of the bike bothered me on the way round. Not sure what it is but the rear bearings feel quite rough so I'll have to investigate that. Hopefully nothing that a service won't sort out.
I was getting on quite well but finding that I was running out of steam before the top of some of the climbs. The rides of the last week catching up with me I expect. If the forecast is right then I'll be having a rest day tomorrow regardless.
Something I'd forgotten when chosing to come round this way is that Lyons Lane is closed for some work starting today. The closure sign wasn't until the junction for Allfield which is also closed and has been for several months due to flooding. I decided to go and see if it was passable as either of the alternative routes would add miles to the trip, and thankfully the water had gone down enough after a dry April to wade through without getting wet feet. The road just after the flood is covered in a deep layer of sand which made things interesting.
23.13 miles today at 15.7mph average. Perhaps I wasn't doing so badly on the hills after all.
No photos today.
It's cooler than the last few days so I started out with a fleece on, but put it away again at Longnor. Barely a breath of wind which gave the illusion, once moving, of having a headwind all the way round.
There aren't as many people out as there were at the weekend but still plenty taking their exercise. The bell got a bit of use and I needed to slow a few times until there was safe room to pass people walking. I counted 17 cyclists on the way round which is quite good going.An intermittant clunk, apparently from the rear wheel of the bike bothered me on the way round. Not sure what it is but the rear bearings feel quite rough so I'll have to investigate that. Hopefully nothing that a service won't sort out.
I was getting on quite well but finding that I was running out of steam before the top of some of the climbs. The rides of the last week catching up with me I expect. If the forecast is right then I'll be having a rest day tomorrow regardless.
Something I'd forgotten when chosing to come round this way is that Lyons Lane is closed for some work starting today. The closure sign wasn't until the junction for Allfield which is also closed and has been for several months due to flooding. I decided to go and see if it was passable as either of the alternative routes would add miles to the trip, and thankfully the water had gone down enough after a dry April to wade through without getting wet feet. The road just after the flood is covered in a deep layer of sand which made things interesting.
23.13 miles today at 15.7mph average. Perhaps I wasn't doing so badly on the hills after all.
No photos today.
