Your ride today....

[gavgav]

Quite breezy in Shropshire too the last couple of days. Having missed out on a ride yesterday I was determined to get out today and decided on a hilly route where I'd have to work against the wind to start but hopefully should have it helping later.

I started out over Lyth Hill which still had busy car parks and plenty of people out exercising. From Exford's Green to Oaks I was heading into the wind and no mistake. 7mph up Long Lane is a tad slower than I'd usually manage. The last bit up to the summit at Oaks was thankfully slightly sheltered otherwise it might have been faster walking.

The steep climb of the day along the edge of Broom Hill was disrupted by three vehicles today which is really busy by the standards of this lane. Reaching Pulverbatch the descent out of the village was sheltered so I got up a good speed then the wind was helping as I headed through Wilderley and Smethcott. I had to work against it again on the way to Dudgeley then after crossing the A49 had a cross-tail wind most of the way home through Longnor and Condover. I approached Condover at over 25 mph, which is quite something for me on the knockabout bike, and up the little climb from the bridge into the village at double the speed I usually would. The stretch to the A49 didn't quite work with the wind direction this time but it was better on the main road which helped me up the hill.

The Met Office tells me that it was gusting to 40mph while I was out. That could explain the lack of other cyclists - I only saw three today.

26.3 miles at 12.2 mph average.

View attachment 524376
At the end of Long Lane, looking towards the village of Longden Common and the Stretton hills.

View attachment 524377
At Oaks.

View attachment 524378
Just about to cross the Picklescott road on the way to Smethcott. No prizes for guessing which way the wind is blowing.

View attachment 524379
View of Caer Caradoc as I approach Dudgeley.

You were brave, out in that!

 

[itboffin]

I watched someone walking and having to lean in that made up my mind

 

[AndreaJ]

Keeping with the theme it’s windy here too but looked like it had died down a bit this afternoon so I eventually decided to get out. Sticking to lanes and keeping off the main roads to avoid being blown across into any traffic it wasn’t too bad.Usual Whixall ride out to Northwood, Hollinswood, Fenns Bank, Alkington, back to Hollinswood, Coton, Abbeygreen, Waterloo where as I was met on a corner by a lady cyclist on my side of the lane, she seemed a little shocked and wobbled towards the ditch not seeming to realise that she was on the wrong side, not sure she bothered listening to my polite suggestion that it might be a better idea to ride on the correct side of the road. Carried on to Paddolgreen, Poolhead, Foxholes, Ryebank, Horton and home. 20 miles @15.1mph.

 

[delb0y]

Still nothing shaking but the trees, as the song goes, but a whisker over 21 miles this morning. Again, just round the local lanes trying to build the miles back up. I reckon I could've gone further had I more time. Another few rides and I will start venturing further afield once more.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

You were brave, out in that!

It's not the worst I've ridden in. This bike might be a bit of a pig in a headwind but it stays fairly stable in a crosswind. There were a couple of moments when I wondered about the trees I was riding under though.

 

[Donger]

Failure! Still, I gave it a go. Until last month I'd never cycled on more than 7 consecutive days. This month, when aiming to ride every single day of the month, I managed 22 before bottling it yesterday. When I look out of my window and see my palm tree doing semaphore, I know it is just too windy to be worth the risk, so the run came to an end yesterday. On the plus side, it gave my saddle soreness a chance to recover, and took the self-imposed pressure off me to keep riding every single day for the sake of it.

Today I had a great little 22 mile bimble along some of my regular lanes but with a friend who doesn't cycle much. A great bit of (socially distanced) banter and catch-up chat with Simon and a very pleasant ride. On the way back through Elmore we stopped off at the dairy farm to try out the "Wholly Cow" ice cream that they sell on site. Wonderful stuff, if a bit expensive. Never mind, I wasn't paying. We also did a couple of little detours to the river bank at Elmore Back and Weir Green. I wasn't able to enjoy a 30mph sprint downhill in Elmore this time as my glasses fell apart on the ride, leaving my eyes vulnerable to little flying critters. Still, at £5 from Halfords, they didn't owe me anything.

Even with a day off the bike yesterday, I'm still averaging 22 miles per day this month, with 513 miles done so far in May. This might be a PB that I'll never beat as long as I ride a bike.
Enjoy your rides everyone. Cheers, Donger.

 

[Wookee]

Been out for a 10 mile bimble to check out part of my commute. Usually I ride my Brompton to the station then ride it at the other end to wherever I need to get to. Thought I'd change to do the whole thing on my road bike when I do get back to something like normal working.
Not the usual photo for this thread, but after a couple of quiet roads and a gravel bridleway I get to cross the M25 and into London. Deliberately went fully loaded to see how I was on hills and in the wind

The ride back was a bit more circuitous and included some pretty rough gravel and hills, but all went well. The Brompton might be gathering dust for a little while longer😉

 

[13 rider]

Failure! Still, I gave it a go. Until last month I'd never cycled on more than 7 consecutive days. This month, when aiming to ride every single day of the month, I managed 22 before bottling it yesterday. When I look out of my window and see my palm tree doing semaphore, I know it is just too windy to be worth the risk, so the run came to an end yesterday. On the plus side, it gave my saddle soreness a chance to recover, and took the self-imposed pressure off me to keep riding every single day for the sake of it.

Today I had a great little 22 mile bimble along some of my regular lanes but with a friend who doesn't cycle much. A great bit of (socially distanced) banter and catch-up chat with Simon and a very pleasant ride. On the way back through Elmore we stopped off at the dairy farm to try out the "Wholly Cow" ice cream that they sell on site. Wonderful stuff, if a bit expensive. Never mind, I wasn't paying. We also did a couple of little detours to the river bank at Elmore Back and Weir Green. I wasn't able to enjoy a 30mph sprint downhill in Elmore this time as my glasses fell apart on the ride, leaving my eyes vulnerable to little flying critters. Still, at £5 from Halfords, they didn't owe me anything.

Even with a day off the bike yesterday, I'm still averaging 22 miles per day this month, with 513 miles done so far in May. This might be a PB that I'll never beat as long as I ride a bike.
Enjoy your rides everyone. Cheers, Donger.

Tough look on breaking your run .

 

[Donger]

Tough look on breaking your run .

Quite glad I didn't end up doing over 800 days like you did! Just thought I'd set myself a tough challenge to make up for backing out of the Metric Century-a-Month Challenge. Considering my highest ever monthly mileage was 338 miles before I stretched it to 368 last month, I'll settle for 513 with 7 days to go. Might have a change of focus to do a couple of hills tomorrow.

 

[chriswoody]

A Tale of Two Rides

So yesterday under leaden skies and muggy warmth I headed out through the lanes and into the forest. Emerging at the local glider school I waited patiently at the side of the runway for a glider to be pulled into the air before the flying officer let me cross the runway. Further on I was back on the roads for a couple of kilometres before diving back into the forest. Kilometre after kilometre I rode under the canopy, the whole forest a riot of green and a young deer foraging at the side of the track fails to see me until I'm really close. I continue on through gravel and mud before looping back South.

A while later I pause for a quick break at a clearing where a newly built Hunters stool stands guard over the clearing, though no hunters are around today.

Further on I'm surprised to find a memorial stone nestling at the side of the track, I've passed this way a few times before but never seen it.It commemorates the death in an accident of a forest worker.

After a while the forest ends and it's back on the roads for the last kilometres back home. As I'm riding along past fields of grass gently swaying in the breeze I'm suddenly hit by a massive hayfever attack. I spend the last kilometres violently sneezing and cursing myself for forgetting to take antihistamine. All in all 35 kilometres of mostly pleasurable forest exploring.

Today was a different day, strong winds and heavy showers did not make for a promising day, but I was determined to set out. I headed down the side of the river this time. The weather keeping most people indoors so I had the place to myself. Though the recent wet weather has caused some places to grow quite wildly and one favourite track is overgrown with nettles, threatening to sting my bear legs as I cycle on by. I think next time I'll pack some secatuars and indulge in some gorilla gardening! After a while I enter a patch of forest giving over to horse pastures, a major business around here.

Then it's up to the waterworks and over the river. The leaden sky and steel grey water make for an almost dreary sight.

Then we loop around and start to head back home on perfect gravel tracks. With the wind in my back and the crunch of gravel under my wheels I make good time. After a few kilometres I forsake the gravel track and head deeper into the forest where fun single track paths await.

The bike flies gleefully over tree roots and rocks as the rain comes down, it just feels good to be out. After 25 kilometres I return home, not the longest of rides but a fun time none the less and overall a good weekend of riding.

 

[gavgav]

After 2&1/2 days of unseasonably strong winds in Shropshire (typical when I have a good few days off work, for the first time in ages) it finally died down to just a strong breeze, about 3pm and the sun came out, so I got out for a short ride.

Out through Sutton Farm estate and then, Wenlock Rd, Betton Abbots, Condover and then lovely to have the wind behind me on the steady climb to Cantlop. Saw a couple on a tandem, along that lane, as well. Not seen one of those for a long while.

From there it was back to Betton Abbots and then some meandering through Wenlock estate, up London Rd, to the column, then down Sutton Rd and back home. Tiny bit of new territory, having not ridden all the way along Sutton Rd, before.

13.43 miles at 14.1mph avg. Hoping for something longer, tomorrow, as weather looks decent, but just hoping my on-call morning at work doesn’t eat into it too much.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Just over 80 miles today for me, down to Ringwood and back.

My favourite cycle cafe has reopened for takeaways

Pony

cart wheel.

Gate

Tide mill.

Ted Bates.

80 miles in wind conditions that made the bike feel like it was possessed at times. I was shouting “I need an old priest and a young priest” and “The power of Christ compels you” and the other line about the priest’s mother. Anyone in earshot would have thought I’d gone mad. Other than the crazy wind, it was a lovely ride out on the new toy.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Bit breezey out there so I aimed at the Hams first for a change. Very pleasant run down to Ashleworth with a little detour around Queenhill. Up on Woolridge the view was a little hazy but the ride through to Highleadon was reasonably sheltered. At Brand Green I turned for Ketford taking in a new bit of tarmac. Just a few hundred yards on a side loop. I was forced to pause at Ketford with a thorn in my front tyre. Sorted I headed round to Redmarley D'Abitot. Then it was the run up to Rye Cross and the Castlemorton lanes to finish. 54 smiles

 

[derrick]

Another breezy ride, 42 miles, Started with the other half for 3 miles, then she met a mate and did a girly ride, So i went and did my own thing. On the way back i met the other half on her way home, We rode the last three miles together, then enjoyed a beer in the garden.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3503308437

 

[Algarvecycling]

I had a good solo ride today. I have a sprained wrist that is still healing so didn't join my MTB Team for the usual Sunday training/club ride and instead headed out on my road bike which is kinder due to the positioning on the hoods. 29C here, beautiful sunny day if a bit breezy.

75 miles and 4475ft @ a non-taxing 18mph average. Ideal after a week that had a couple of hard rides in the mix.