Your ride today....

[JPBoothy]

Two rides over the weekend ,Saturday did my standard 50km loop out to St Bernards Abbey 32.27 miles with 1946ft of upness at 16.3 mph quite an uneventful ride Today ride was a bit more eventful . Out the door at 10.30 doing my other standard 50 km loop to Wymeswold . Anstey ,Cropston ,Rothley ,Sileby . Just leaving the village and a rider coming the other way some distanced away . Saw him wobble then the next thing he on the deck disappearing down a ditch . Feared the worse as I raced to the scene there was no movement but thankfully when I got there he was clambering up . Apart form a bloody nose and scraped knee he seem fine I told him to sit down and relax for a few moments. I checked his bike out ,chain off was out back on front cantilever brake repair and handlebar straighten . By now he was on his feet having stemmed the bleeding . He was only a few miles from home he thought he hit a drain cover with one hand off the bars and just lost it . He insisted he was ok he changed his route home so I rode with him for half a mile just to make sure he was ok .I wished him well as we parted company . On to Seagrave up Berrycott lane quick descent into Wymeswold then ,Hoton ,Barrow and Mountsorrel . Passing the shop there seemed a few people around the old butter cross heard someone shout my name . Turn back to find a cycling bubby with his mates having a coffee as the cafe was open .Having taken no money with I was grateful of the offer a coffee which was gratefully accepted ,so sat chatting at a distance of course can't remember the last coffee stop . Back on the bike Rothley ,Cropston and just coming in my village and stopped my brother in law on his allotment so stopped for a chat as I hadn't seen him for 8 weeks . Finally home 31.4 miles with 1168ft of upness at 16.8 mph

I'm definitely missing the Cafe/Pub breaks

 

[gavgav]

After yesterday’s return to longer rides, for the first time in 2 months, something a bit shorter today and I could certainly feel the legs a bit, as I set off, initially following the same route as yesterday. A touch milder than yesterday, but also a lot windier, with a West/South Westerley really gusting around.

The A458 had streams of traffic on it, so I took the safety first option, of pulling into the gateway for the lorry yard, then waiting to cross onto the Betton Road. Had a good minute or so waiting for a gap, haven’t had to do that since before lockdown.

It was busy with traffic, along the road to Cantlop, Pitchford and Acton Burnell, where I turned off and finally had the wind behind me to Coundmoor and along the mile or so completely straight road, to the Shore Lane crossroads.

I turned left there and followed narrower lanes to Cound, where people were enjoying the Tennis Courts being open again. Continued on lanes to Cound Stank and another short section on the A458, which was completely traffic free this time. The climb back to Berrington was hard work into the wind and then the narrow lane back to King Street crossroads was busy with walkers and cyclists.

I came up behind a couple walking, who were filling the lane and said “bike coming up behind” to them, so the lady moved to the side and turned to look at me, with an expression of utter bewilderment that I should be coming along there!

Came up behind a family of 4, on bikes, but wasn’t in the mood to rush, so held well back and let them carry on to the crossroads. The smallest member of the family was pedalling to the dozen and having a wail of a time, shouting “weeeee” on the short downhill bits . They pulled over and let me through, at the junction.

Final section was back through Betton and a slog into the wind to home.

18.77 miles at 13.1mph avg

 

[13 rider]

After yesterday’s return to longer rides, for the first time in 2 months, something a bit shorter today and I could certainly feel the legs a bit, as I set off, initially following the same route as yesterday. A touch milder than yesterday, but also a lot windier, with a West/South Westerley really gusting around.

The A458 had streams of traffic on it, so I took the safety first option, of pulling into the gateway for the lorry yard, then waiting to cross onto the Betton Road. Had a good minute or so waiting for a gap, haven’t had to do that since before lockdown.

It was busy with traffic, along the road to Cantlop, Pitchford and Acton Burnell, where I turned off and finally had the wind behind me to Coundmoor and along the mile or so completely straight road, to the Shore Lane crossroads.

I turned left there and following narrower lanes to Cound, where people were enjoying the Tennis Courts being open again. Continued on lanes to Cound Stank and another short section on the A458, which was completely traffic free this time. The climb back to Berrington was hard work into the wind and then the narrow lane back to King Street crossroads was busy with walkers and cyclists.

I came up behind a couple walking, filling the road and said “bike coming up behind” to them, so the lady moved to the side and turned to look at me, with an expression of utter bewilderment that I should be coming along there!

Came up behind a family of 4, but wasn’t in the mood to rush, so held well back and let them carry on to the crossroads. The smallest member of the family was pedalling to the dozen and having a wail of a time, shouting “weeeee” on the short downhill bits . They pulled over and let me through, at the junction.

Final section was back through Betton and a slog into the wind to home.

18.77 miles at 13.1mph avg

One positive of the lockdown is the number of families with youngsters out riding . The youngster always seem be be enjoying it good to see

 

[Mike_P]

A rare for me outing on the Defy at just after 9 on a Sunday morning whilst the wind was predicted to be less strong than later in the day. At first it looked like a case for bib tights, then the sun made an appearance so maybe shorts but then decided on knickers. Slight panic when I could not find the Wahoo, turned out I was looking straight at it hiding amongst some remote controls.
Intent had been to achieve the necessary ABC “D” by heading via Menwith and Thornthwaite to Dacre but the wind on the climb to Clapham Green from Hampsthwaite had forced me to the lowest gear so instead of more climbing onto the ridge top road dropped down to Birstwith and along the valley road so gained three “D”s in quick succession albeit at different altitudes.

Darley is sat part of the way up the hillside, Dacre is at top of hill with a beck between it and Darley and then Dacre Banks is in the valley bottom so down up and down again, and then up again steeply into Summerbridge. Better hill climbers than me would carry straight on to Brimham Rocks but the long sections over 15% with a 19.1% max sound like shank’s pony territory to me. So along the road some way up the north side of valley

and then the long but gentler climb through Hartwith

for a final climb towards Brimham Rocks, which is the raised land to the right of the photo.

Unlike the last ride past cars were parked where a car could and I saw one car drive through the coned off car park entrance. Then east on the B6265

with the ABC “E” of Eavestone being the next target. A hamlet with a scattering of properties with only one road in / out and potentially gated to trap visitors. I headed pass the first buildings only to see the road in front drop away at an alarming gradient so stopped and found a local resident alongside the road who did not disagree with me that this was Eavestone.

Back briefly on the B road before heading across Sawley Moor

and then towards Fountains Abbey but turning off just before to head up pass How Hill Tower and the climb at the end of Watergate Road

South-east to Ripley where the “cockpit” started rattling, desperately trying to work out what it was I induced a slight wobble in the bikes motions and immediately got blasted by horn from a Mini clearly about to overtake with inadequate clearance as the wobble was of less outward movement than if you had suddenly noted a pot hole ahead. Hand gestures were exchanged and on catching the Mini in a tail back from the roundabout I shouted at the closed window re giving adequate clearance. The rattling continued until half way along the bypass when the clip holding the sports cam case shot off. Retrieved and fitted back on with passing cyclists enquiring what the problem. I had used the Lidl 4k one and it seems to somehow got a speck inside the lens the waterproof case needs cleaning so a slight blur close to centre in the photos.
Another metric half century, 32.3 miles@13mph avg with 2720ft climbed

 

[C R]

Sunday morning long rides resumed today with the longest ride outside of sportives so far.

Out at 6:45, under grey skies and coolish temperature, but no wind, looking like a good day for a ride. Off past Norton church, Littleworth, Wadborough and Pershore came and went. At the beginning my legs seemed a bit uncooperative, and I was thinking I should have worn my full gloves instead of fingerless, as the cold was making my fingers tingle, by by the time I got to Pershore the legs were turning ok, and my hands were fine as the intermittent sunshine was warming up the air.

After Pershore came Pinvin, where the traffic lights at the A44 have disappeared, but with little traffic this wasn't a problem. Past Pinvin was a left for Throckmorton, where I stopped for a drink, and then headed for Flyford Flavell via Bishampton. Just outside Bishampton, a section of road has had surface dressing applied, which required some careful riding, but luckily the dressed section wasn't too long.

At Flyford took the right towards Radford, and followed the road to the end. I had expected this road to be a gradual ascent, but it was a continuous up and down, which made for hard work.

Once I reached the end of this lane it was a left for the Ridgeway, with the elevation now increasing steadily.

I stopped at Weethley for a bite and a couple of photos, the only ones today, as the views were quite dull due to the grey skies.

An interesting looking church, with the Malverns in the distance.

As I was having my nutbar, I heard some voices up the road, which turned out to be a solo cyclist pep talking himself and laughing as he sped down the hill.

Once refreshed I carried on, and soon I passed a Welcome to Worcestershire sign, which means that I had inadvertently strayed into Warwickshire. Anyhow, carry on towards the Saltway turn. A bit before the turn I had the only incident of the day. On the other side of the road there were two cyclists moving somewhat slowly, and a car behind them, who very considerately slowed down to wait for me to pass before overtaking the other two cycling. Suddenly I heard an engine revving behind me and a big car overtook me quite fast, leaving hardly any spare for the patient driver who was wait for a safe opportunity to overtake .

A few more cyclists came past in the other direction, and I overtook one before reaching the Saltway and heading towards Droitwich.

Now the route was predominantly downhill, but still with some short climbs, am my legs were starting to feel the distance.

To avoid the sharp ramp in Hadzor, I turned left before Hanbury Wharf, and headed for Oddingley via Shernal Green.

The last few miles past Tibberton and the hospital were quite hard work, but I made it home in about the same time that it would have taken me to cover ten fewer miles a year ago. I call that progress.

The map.

 

[SGG on a bike]

No pics, but Mrs SGG hit a milestone of 9 miles this morning with an average speed of about 8.5 mph and only a brief 3 min rest in the middle. I know it's not a huge distance, but to give you the back story, seven years ago, almost to the day, she had her last round of chemo to beat her stage 4 Burkitts Lymphoma, which they had to cut short due to picking up a C-Diff infection. Diagnosed in Jan 2013, she was admitted to hospital and came out in early August. In the following six months, she was mostly in a wheel chair, although she did go back to work in Dec on a staged return. As a result of using a Zimmer frame, she ended up with two frozen shoulders, a diagnosis which said she wouldn't get full movement back - she did through hard work and determination. She's also been signed off and is completely clear now, thankfully. It's fair to say, I'm immensely proud of her and generally chuffed to bits. She started riding regularly about a month ago.

 

[stoatsngroats]

No pics, but Mrs SGG hit a milestone of 9 miles this morning with an average speed of about 8.5 mph..../.... She started riding regularly about a month ago.

Well done Mrs SGG!
By comparison, today, I managed 7 miles, in a head wind, at an average of 8.9mph, and consider myself reasonably fit, and quite adept at cycling generally at around 14mph average ordinarily ( when on my own).
So Mrs SGG has done fantastically well today. 👏 👏

 

[SGG on a bike]

She really has. What else was nice was that we "met" a couple of guys that were having a break on vastly superior machines to our old bangers who took the time to have a conversation as we meandered by. No sign of any snobbery or elitism. The fact we were out at 7:30 may have had an influence though. We also rode past a lady walking some dogs for the second time about 30 min after the first who commented that we were on a long ride. At that point we had about two miles to go to get home.

 

[wafter]

Thanks (I think) to some stretches my leg was feeling a bit less gammy today so I elected for a gentle mooch to try to up this week's fairly pitiful mileage.

I started out on the same route as Tuesday's angry thrash; NCR5 through Woodstock - the nice singletrack section being taken at a much more sedate pace although by it's nature it seems to invite attack! Once at the end it was east out onto the A4260 and north for a bit to Hopcroft's Holt, east to Lower Heyford and back south to Kirtlington - where I stopped for a stretch due to a little leg-twinging and to snap my bike outside the church; as I believe is customary!

Hardly a great shot but the least-worst of numerous and now at least a lot less washed out since I've cleaned the accumulated pocket fluff from between the phone's lens and case..

I continued to Bletchingdon then east to Weston on the Green; only to find the road I'd intended to return on was in fact the (duelled) A34; so steps were re-traced and I continued on to Islip, Elsfield, back through Marston (avoiding the crappy new-ish cycle lanes) and through town home.

All in all a pleasant, uneventful and fairly sedate ride; weighing in at a little over 41 miles and 1100ft at 13.4mph and 122bpm for a mostly zone two effort; leaving me at a not-too-shabby 122 miles for the week.

Granted this ride should have burnt around a day's worth of energy but I feel quite rinsed as a result; with that warm, buzzing feeling often encountered after a good dose of exercise. Hopefully that'll offset yesterday's chips anyway, and that my leg won't fall off as a result..

 

[Dave 123]

After a busy day I had time for a loop around Battisborough. Lots more traffic around, parking bays for the coast path full up.
I got caught in classic South Devon traffic too!

https://www.strava.com/activities/3466641690

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

One positive of the lockdown is the number of families with youngsters out riding . The youngster always seem be be enjoying it good to see

+1 for this. I really hope that the families out there will have enjoyed their lockdown rides enough to keep them up when life returns to "normal".

No pics, but Mrs SGG hit a milestone of 9 miles this morning with an average speed of about 8.5 mph and only a brief 3 min rest in the middle. I know it's not a huge distance, but to give you the back story, seven years ago, almost to the day, she had her last round of chemo to beat her stage 4 Burkitts Lymphoma, which they had to cut short due to picking up a C-Diff infection. Diagnosed in Jan 2013, she was admitted to hospital and came out in early August. In the following six months, she was mostly in a wheel chair, although she did go back to work in Dec on a staged return. As a result of using a Zimmer frame, she ended up with two frozen shoulders, a diagnosis which said she wouldn't get full movement back - she did through hard work and determination. She's also been signed off and is completely clear now, thankfully. It's fair to say, I'm immensely proud of her and generally chuffed to bits. She started riding regularly about a month ago.

Very well done to Mrs SGG. Keep up the good work.

 

[ruffers]

Didn’t do a stage of the B&DCA tour today, my better half was working so ended up doing 19 miles through a few parts of Bolton.
From Bury I rode through Little Lever, Darcy Lever, Tonge and up to Eagley.
Not much occurring on the ride today just a quiet steady route, few hills I’ve never done, one nearly finished me off.

The picture above is a lot darker than it was to the eye but the view was stunning. The picture below I just liked the two horses in their own world getting on with whatever they do.

My legs felt like jelly all the way round today for some reason. But an enjoyable ride none the less. Great to read everyone’s posts too on their Sunday rides.
Happy cycling everyone 👍🏻

 

[MarkF]

Leisurely 40+ miler to Skipton along the canal today, on the downside it's very busy now and for the first 10 miles folk (who don't know what they are doing) get in my way too often, but I do hope the upside continues, those same families out cycling together every weekend.

 

[ruffers]

No pics, but Mrs SGG hit a milestone of 9 miles this morning with an average speed of about 8.5 mph and only a brief 3 min rest in the middle. I know it's not a huge distance, but to give you the back story, seven years ago, almost to the day, she had her last round of chemo to beat her stage 4 Burkitts Lymphoma, which they had to cut short due to picking up a C-Diff infection. Diagnosed in Jan 2013, she was admitted to hospital and came out in early August. In the following six months, she was mostly in a wheel chair, although she did go back to work in Dec on a staged return. As a result of using a Zimmer frame, she ended up with two frozen shoulders, a diagnosis which said she wouldn't get full movement back - she did through hard work and determination. She's also been signed off and is completely clear now, thankfully. It's fair to say, I'm immensely proud of her and generally chuffed to bits. She started riding regularly about a month ago.

well done to your good lady, inspirational 👍🏻

 

[AndreaJ]

It was warmer than yesterday but more wind and being a bit short on time today it was a shorter ride. Off towards Whixall via Northwood, over Dobsons Bridge where there were lots of cars parked on the side of the lane for people to go walking by the canal, turn left at the crossroads at Hollinswood over the canal to Fenns Bank and Fenns Wood, turned down to Blackloe and over the steepest canal bridge in Whixall to Alkington, Tilstock, turn back to Hollinswood crossroads, retracing my tracks for a short distance through Welsh End, Stanley Green, Coton, Abbeygreen, Waterloo, Edstaston, Ryebank, Horton then home. Hardly anyone about today just a few cyclists. 23.7 miles @16mph. Shropshire Council are slowly making progress with some of the potholes on the lanes with quite a lot of them filled in now.