Your ride today....

[Rickshaw Phil]

After not being able to get out in the morning I took the Raleigh for a quick spin after lunch hoping to get back before it poured down again. The route was roughly the reverse of yesterday's ride with the exception that I took the main road option through Cross Houses rather than the lane through Berrington.

Pleasantly warm and humid out, with a light wind which was pretty good for cycling. I was a little slow to start but once the legs warmed up a bit the Raleigh responded well and seemed to just fly along. There weren't that many cyclists out this time and the traffic was quite light as well. The flag at Cound didn't appear to have been changed since yesterday so I was able to get a better view and looking it up it's the Falkland Islands.

Pretty uneventful for the rest of the ride and the cloud never looked too threatening so I got round without getting rained on. Odd light showers have rolled through during the rest of the afternoon and sitting here writing this there is golden evening sunshine flooding in through the window but I can hear thunder rumbling round in the distance. I think we've been lucky so far.

24 miles again at a very pleasing 16.2mph average.

Drink stop near Harnage (Wrekin in the background)

View to the Stretton hills from Ryton. Sunshine here but those clouds are bubbling up nicely.

Looking the other way at the same spot.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I took a fairly standard run out around the north of the Hills for Coddington. Then over the Munsley lump took me to climb up and over to Woolhope Cockshoot and then on over to Canwood and the strange sculpture. I took the lane from Woolhope to climb up onto the ridge again. Lovely views up here for sure. Then it was the drop off to Much Marcle and the standard route by Brooms Green and the Castlemorton lanes. Pleasant ride out today in warm humid weather. I missed the thunderstorms of the forecast thankfully. 56 smiles

 

[gavgav]

After not being able to get out in the morning I took the Raleigh for a quick spin after lunch hoping to get back before it poured down again. The route was roughly the reverse of yesterday's ride with the exception that I took the main road option through Cross Houses rather than the lane through Berrington.

Pleasantly warm and humid out, with a light wind which was pretty good for cycling. I was a little slow to start but once the legs warmed up a bit the Raleigh responded well and seemed to just fly along. There weren't that many cyclists out this time and the traffic was quite light as well. The flag at Cound didn't appear to have been changed since yesterday so I was able to get a better view and looking it up it's the Falkland Islands.

Pretty uneventful for the rest of the ride and the cloud never looked too threatening so I got round without getting rained on. Odd light showers have rolled through during the rest of the afternoon and sitting here writing this there is golden evening sunshine flooding in through the window but I can hear thunder rumbling round in the distance. I think we've been lucky so far.

24 miles again at a very pleasing 16.2mph average.

View attachment 530202
Drink stop near Harnage (Wrekin in the background)

View attachment 530203
View to the Stretton hills from Ryton. Sunshine here but those clouds are bubbling up nicely.

View attachment 530204
Looking the other way at the same spot.

And boy did it come to a big storm!!

 

[AndreaJ]

Another warm but dull morning and just a short ride round the local lanes before any thunderstorms arrived. Set off to Northwood ,Whixall over the canal to Fenns Bank, Fenns Wood back over the canal to Alkington, Tilstock, Coton Wood, Coton, Abbeygreen, Waterloo, Edstaston, Horton and back home just as the sun was starting to appear and getting quite hot out. Quite a few other cyclists out today, 25.2 miles @16mph. The thunderstorm arrived here at about 7pm which unfortunately was about 5 minutes after I left to take the dogs out, we got very wet very quickly Louis the spaniel doesn’t mind getting wet but Orla the collie was not impressed.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

According to the forecasts I'd seen it should have been raining this morning. It wasn't and there was no sign of anything on rainfall radar so I took the chance and got out for a quick spin. I took the Galaxy this time because I wanted to try out a minor saddle tweak and headed out to do the anti-clockwise version of my short Acton Burnell loop.

It was quite warm and more humid than yesterday, still with a light wind. The bike felt really nice and fast from the start so I got on at a good pace, overtaking another rider on the way to Condover. In the village the road to Ryton was unexpectedly closed. I approached the vehicle guarding the closure and the guy in it shouted out that it was okay to go through..... at which point I crashed into one of the signs because I was paying attention to him instead of where I was going.

Having ridden through the closure (I think they were doing some patching - this stretch of road needs a lot more than that) and advised another rider that it was okay to go through, it was back to normal on the way to Longnor, Acton Burnell, Pitchford and Cantlop. The rain yesterday has washed sand and gravel onto the roads in places so I was a bit cautious on some of the corners. The dip at Pitchford has a layer of sand just at the fastest point which isn't ideal.

From Cantlop I picked up a bit of a tailwind down the hill into Condover so got some good speed up but the approach to the village had a coating of mud, making me wary again.

It was quite a good dash up to the A49 and I climbed the hill at a pretty decent speed.

17.1 miles at 17.2 mph average. I'll settle for that. The saddle tweak seems an improvement and in particular it feels a bit more comfortable when on the drops now. As always, the next few rides will tell.

I didn't stop for photos today.

 

[Mike_P]

Unexpectedly a couple of identical, almost 10 mile, round trips for the ebike across town to Sainsbury's. The original one was
fated from the off as I realised after only a few turns of the pedals the bike was devoid of its D lock. Lock retrieved from the kitchen and set off again, the route eventually using a reasonably wide bridleway but care needed not so much in terms of distancing from walkers but more the antics of their four legged friends. I commented to one walker with four well behaved dogs that by the law of averages the next dog would chase me. Actually it turned out to be one of the "let's walk straight at the cyclist" variety and for once my left foot hit the floor first despite the cleat on my right shoe being a quick release. Down the steep grade at the showground and past stacks of people drinking hot drinks; the farm shop had its catering van open although it's cafe was obviously closed. Bike locked up outside Sainsbury's and into the store I picked up a self scanner. At Sainsbury's you have to scan your Nectar card to start it and that was when I discovered my wallet missing. Shot back to bike, had it fallen out their, no sign of it, followed route back into store but no sign and checked with customer services to the negative so retraced route back home as far as possible given one way roads and eventually found it on the garden table, I had obviously put it there when retreiving the lock
Second attempt somewhat more successful apart from the lack of mackeral fillets. On the return a Dulux dog wanted a fight but it's owner had both hands on its lead. As with the earlier any waiting motorist would have thought I had jumped a red light; the bridleway forms a crossroads at an otherwise T junction that has traffic lights but those for the bridleway are worked by a push button set at a height for a horse rider only. 1284ft of running the battery down.

 

[13 rider]

As mentioned is a previous post last weekend I should have been in Sweden completing the Vatternrundon a 315km epic for obvious reasons this didn't happen so while using my booked leave from work I set myself the challenge of completing the distance .After 3 days I had completed a imperial ton a 50km ride and 2 shorter rides I was still 30 miles short today . Still needing a metric ton for the monthly challenge that became the target . A phone call last night sorted out the route big Sis who also should have been in Sweden asked if I fancied meeting for a picnic . Market Bosworth park was chosen as there is loads of space .I had a route planned out to Tamworth and back via Market Bosworth so that's the route . Out the door at 0700 took a fairly direct route to Tamworth where a bit of velo viewer square grabbing took place . Squares bagged and back to Market Bosworth down some lovely lanes so glad to be out of the urban jungle of Tamworth .Found my bid Sis in the park with BIL and my aunt who is now in her social bubble . Enjoyed a socially distanced picnic and a mid ride coffee the first since March . The clouds were rolling in so a quick blast of 12 miles to home . Made in the dry ,20 mins later it chucked it down good timing . 68 miles in the bag with 2700ft of upness . 4 day total came in at 237.9 miles (380km) back to work tomorrow . Now hoping Cornish holiday early July can go ahead which is in the balance at the moment

 

[theloafer]

todays ride was to see if Bettys in Northallerton would have any Fat Rascals not had one for months.. route was the old Darlington 50 miler (which they have stopped running) ....traffic was manic looks like things are back as they were .
alas it was not to be.... Bettys still closed 67 miles by the time i got back

https://www.strava.com/activities/3623945327

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Thunder in the air and fancied a change so went and got very muddy on the mountain bike, first time in yonks.

It's flat round these parts which isn't my scene really but had lots of fun and good to do something different.

Only real point of interest was the pedestrian tunnel under Manchester 2nd runway - where Swampy ultimately met his nemesis. Oh - and it stayed dry in the end.

 

[Andy in Germany]

The normal commute from the new job/apartment takes about 15 minutes, but today I decided that I was going to find a longer route to the apartment after work because I'm young and reckless and I want to see if it is better to do a little exploring rather than just riding straight back from work, or if it just makes me too tired all evening.
Yeah, that's reckless for ya.
At four pm, it certainly seems a damn fool idea, but I give myself a good talking to and get on with it.
Work is in a moderately dull light industrial estate on the edge of the nearest big town, so I lock up, pedal off past the post office sorting depot, and get stuck at the traffic lights leading toward the main road at the edge of town. After negotiating a set of traffic lights that clearly wasn't meant to recognise bicycles I join the procession of other cyclists already on the gravel cycleway following the river. This path runs along the river directly towards the Black Forest, which makes for a nice view but was also the wrong way to get back to my village. However I had a plan: according to a plan I made this morning with help from Google Maps, there's a bridge over the river a few kilometres along this path, leading through another village and a bridge over the main road, so I can make a circular route through the local forest.
The town has the interesting name of "Wasser" ("Water"); sometimes I think my adopted country lacks a little flair in the place naming department.
I go cycling through Wasser. If I go in a basement am I unter Wasser?
Unfortunately I'm following this grand plan by memory, which is usually pretty good for this sort of thing, but it is far from perfect. I think I should ride to the end of the road, and turn left, then right... probably.
I go left, follow the road for a bit then take the next right, past a large school for people with disabilities, and hooray and huzzah, I can see the pedestrian bridge over the road that I remembered from the morning. Not only that, it has a lovely smooth wide ramp. It also has a large covered area at the top to turn in. I'm guessing these are because of the school, not to be nice to some random cyclists wandering through, but I'll happily make use of it and head over the covered bridge and into the forest.
There's a long flat route through here too. It's very nice, so nice in fact that I even switch to the big ring and use the drops. Also, I miss my turning and end up on the other side of the forest a couple of kilometres away from where I intended. Fortunately I can see the village I was aiming for so I trundle around the side of that and find the road that leads back to my own village.
This is the straightest route from my village to Freiburg, unfortunately it has about two hundred metres of the worst cycling surface I've found locally. The first is while passing a farm and equally unfortunately I'm distracted by a pair of Storks nesting on top of a relatively short silo, so I hit the first lumpy bit while looking up. Fortunately due to my skill and probably because I was pootling along pretty slowly, I don't fall of and after this the path improves and I'm cruising the forest. A few minutes later I emerge onto the other bad bit, which I've named the Marble Run because it's like riding on a sea of marbles. Fortunately it's pretty short and there's tarmac on the other side. There's a slight rise here. I change down the gears. I'm getting soft in all this flat geography: in Stuttgart I'd have powered up that without thinking twice; admittedly I wouldn't have done this very fast, but still...
Once over the rise my village is in sight. So is the Kaisertsuhl, rising out of the plain like... um... a large lump of misplaced volcanic rock, sorry, I'm not that good at similes.
Beyond that in the surprisingly clear evening air, are the Vosges mountains in France; grey in the distance.
From here it is a fairly short direct route over the fields, past a couple of farms and around a barrier over the lane saying "no vehicles past this point". Unfortunately I'm coming at it from the back, so I ignore it.
At the edge of the village I get stuck trying to cross the road because there's two way slow moving traffic on the main road. These are the first cars I've seen for several kilometres, so I shouldn't complain. Still do.
Once over the road, into the old town, and over the unsurfaced driveway of my house, or at least the house whose basement I inhabit. Inside I make tea, and evaluate. The whole ride took about 40 minutes; I think I'm more awake than I am normally on arriving back from work, and the evening is still young. The area is the geographical equivalent of a pancake there are probably other ways to get back from work, so I'll have plenty of variety.
Looks like this idea could be a goer, as it were.
I'll try and take a camera next time though.

 

[wafter]

Following last night's ample thunderstorm I was looking forward to riding in the fresh, cool air today. As it happened I didn't really feel much like going out after yet another poor night's sleep, but I thought it might make me feel a bit better and again escape the house / my head for a while.

Out on the CdF the cool air initially felt good, however after a few miles it was clear the humidity was significant and rising; making things pretty sweaty and uncomfortable. Given my supposed recovery status I took things easy and ended up in Abingdon. As the ride continued aimless and increasingly sweaty I decided to chase the large ominous black cloud hanging above the city in an effort to find some relief from a quick shower.

Despite pursuing the darkness all over the city the best I got was a few drops; although the closer I got the cooler the winds became, which was welcome. Having nearly been run over by some knobhead who decided to overtake me on the outside of a roundabout as I was trying to turn off, plus the hope for a cooling shower exhausted I was starting to get a bit bored so headed back towards Oxford; feeling especially unacomplished and pretty low. This was made so much worse by failing to level my cranks when dropping off a poorly finished transition on the cycle path; putting a massive scrape on the end of my NDS crankarm

Rides usually do wonders for my mental health and have been a valuable crutch over the past few months, but I've found that purposefully low-intensity recovery outings really don't help at all - potentially even making things worse. By the time I'd got to Radley I was utterly dispondent and sick of the mediocrity of the slow, aimless pace so stuck on some NIN and hammered it; into the city on the cycle and tow paths then out onto St. Aldates and up the high St. toward Headington; leaving a trail of smashed PRs in my wake.

I attacked Headington hill, shaving 5% off my previous best (set on my lighter / more aero road bike) and coming over the top at 95% of max HR. I floated around the area for a bit then headed back into town; only to hit a load of traffic at the Plain and eventually cutting through it to reveal another BLM protest aimed at the uni's much-maligned Cecil Rhodes statue on one of its buildings:

After a few minutes observing the shuffling throng I concluded I couldn't tolerate its pace so doubled back towards Headington; forking off toward Marston and back into town to head them off at the pass as it were; beating them to Longwall St:

From there I thrashed it back down the High St (now dotted with Police, photographers and the odd curious spectator) then home.

In summary a bit under 33 miles and 500ft at 13mph and 113bpm. Now collapsed post-dinner and shower in a proper post-exercise afterglow I feel so much better; aside from the persistant mental image of my damaged crank

Hopefully I'll be able to get out tomorrow for a more sustained ride, legs permitting.

 

[MntnMan62]

The normal commute from the new job/apartment takes about 15 minutes, but today I decided that I was going to find a longer route to the apartment after work because I'm young and reckless and I want to see if it is better to do a little exploring rather than just riding straight back from work, or if it just makes me too tired all evening.
Yeah, that's reckless for ya.
At four pm, it certainly seems a damn fool idea, but I give myself a good talking to and get on with it.
Work is in a moderately dull light industrial estate on the edge of the nearest big town, so I lock up, pedal off past the post office sorting depot, and get stuck at the traffic lights leading toward the main road at the edge of town. After negotiating a set of traffic lights that clearly wasn't meant to recognise bicycles I join the procession of other cyclists already on the gravel cycleway following the river. This path runs along the river directly towards the Black Forest, which makes for a nice view but was also the wrong way to get back to my village. However I had a plan: according to a plan I made this morning with help from Google Maps, there's a bridge over the river a few kilometres along this path, leading through another village and a bridge over the main road, so I can make a circular route through the local forest.
The town has the interesting name of "Wasser" ("Water"); sometimes I think my adopted country lacks a little flair in the place naming department.
I go cycling through Wasser. If I go in a basement am I unter Wasser?
Unfortunately I'm following this grand plan by memory, which is usually pretty good for this sort of thing, but it is far from perfect. I think I should ride to the end of the road, and turn left, then right... probably.
I go left, follow the road for a bit then take the next right, past a large school for people with disabilities, and hooray and huzzah, I can see the pedestrian bridge over the road that I remembered from the morning. Not only that, it has a lovely smooth wide ramp. It also has a large covered area at the top to turn in. I'm guessing these are because of the school, not to be nice to some random cyclists wandering through, but I'll happily make use of it and head over the covered bridge and into the forest.
There's a long flat route through here too. It's very nice, so nice in fact that I even switch to the big ring and use the drops. Also, I miss my turning and end up on the other side of the forest a couple of kilometres away from where I intended. Fortunately I can see the village I was aiming for so I trundle around the side of that and find the road that leads back to my own village.
This is the straightest route from my village to Freiburg, unfortunately it has about two hundred metres of the worst cycling surface I've found locally. The first is while passing a farm and equally unfortunately I'm distracted by a pair of Storks nesting on top of a relatively short silo, so I hit the first lumpy bit while looking up. Fortunately due to my skill and probably because I was pootling along pretty slowly, I don't fall of and after this the path improves and I'm cruising the forest. A few minutes later I emerge onto the other bad bit, which I've named the Marble Run because it's like riding on a sea of marbles. Fortunately it's pretty short and there's tarmac on the other side. There's a slight rise here. I change down the gears. I'm getting soft in all this flat geography: in Stuttgart I'd have powered up that without thinking twice; admittedly I wouldn't have done this very fast, but still...
Once over the rise my village is in sight. So is the Kaisertsuhl, rising out of the plain like... um... a large lump of misplaced volcanic rock, sorry, I'm not that good at similes.
Beyond that in the surprisingly clear evening air, are the Vosges mountains in France; grey in the distance.
From here it is a fairly short direct route over the fields, past a couple of farms and around a barrier over the lane saying "no vehicles past this point". Unfortunately I'm coming at it from the back, so I ignore it.
At the edge of the village I get stuck trying to cross the road because there's two way slow moving traffic on the main road. These are the first cars I've seen for several kilometres, so I shouldn't complain. Still do.
Once over the road, into the old town, and over the unsurfaced driveway of my house, or at least the house whose basement I inhabit. Inside I make tea, and evaluate. The whole ride took about 40 minutes; I think I'm more awake than I am normally on arriving back from work, and the evening is still young. The area is the geographical equivalent of a pancake there are probably other ways to get back from work, so I'll have plenty of variety.
Looks like this idea could be a goer, as it were.
I'll try and take a camera next time though.

Yep. That's reckless for ya. I bet you run with scissors too.

 

[ruffers]

I have been back at work now a few weeks, did a few commutes when the weather was more favourable for me. 11 mile round trip so that kept off the cobwebs.
My son is back at school Monday and Tuesday for 5 weeks so that did free up some me time.
Monday I did a 13.4 mile loop near me and yesterday I did 16 mile similar loop just added another few roads on to it.
Nothing spectacular but it was great to get out again and enjoy the ride.

Well done people on some great posts and great pictures.

Happy cycling everyone 👍🏻🚴🏻

 

[Old jon]

It has been such a long time, but now the heel is healed. Time for a ride again!

Pedal away on the geared bike this morning, seven thirty sort of morning. I must have been keen. But traffic was surprisingly light and it stayed that way all through the ride. Through Holbeck, not much changes, and cross the river at Crown Point before the road up to the Oakwood Clock. The higher I was, the more mist, something I have not seen in a while. Higher still on the A58 to Whin Moor Lane, a bit of button pressing on the garthing told me I had already climbed six hundred feet before I had reached Shadwell Main Street. On to Slaid Hill and that quick fun road along the ridge to Wike and East Keswick, where I noticed the Potts clock had stopped.

Up the hill called Whitegate and carry on to the A659, oh!! the mist has gone! Turn right and after the first rise enjoy the dropping road to the outskirts of Collingham and the left turn to cross the River Wharfe at Linton. On to Wetherby, stop at the town hall for a bite then back across the river and up to Wattle Syke, aka the A659 yet again. Take West Woods Road to Bramham, a couple of misty patches along here, and one more obscuring Norwood House, on the way to Thorner. Sandhills again to leave Thorner behind, then Skeltons Lane back to the A58 via Red Hall Lane.

Back inside the Ring Road, whizz down Boot Hill and pass the tradesmen’s gates to Roundhay Park. More down all the way back to Crown Point Bridge, home is the other side of the river. And I reached it, home that is, thirty four miles after leaving. Happy cyclist after a good ride.

The elevation squiggle does look impressive. Sort of.