Your ride today....

[Goonerobes]

With rain forecast for 2pm today & with the old legs feeling a little heavy still from last weeks Velothon I planned a slightly shorter weekend ride than of late just in case it all went pear shaped.

Setting off just after 9 in almost perfect weather conditions, with just a gentle westerly blowing, I headed out across the New Forest & into Wiltshire again on another mix of old & new roads but along the lines of my first visit there just over a year ago now. (how time flies!)

The quiet country lanes around the pretty Villages of Ibsley, Damersham & Martin were just what I wanted as I made my way to my only real little climb of the day, the 356ft Howgare Road on the way to Broad Chalke, which I actually done in record time so the legs weren't feeling that bad after all!!

Having taken lunch at the top it was then down through Stratford Tony to Coombe Blissett & a bit of main road before turning off & through Rockbourne, Sandleheath & Fordingbridge & then back across the forest again for home.

63.4 miles in total with no rain & fine feeling legs so I could have stayed out longer really.

https://www.strava.com/activities/329163007

It was the village fete at Sandleheath where the locals made the effort to dress for the occasion.

For some reason this place always makes me think of an East London gangster?

Lunch taken with a view across the Wiltshire countryside.

 

[13 rider]

Another quick spin on the new defy after seat adjustment . 7.4 miles at 15.9mph .Anstey to Cropston around the back of Bradgate park and up warren hill a really nasty shortish steep climb with no run at it as it straight of a crossroads .Would have been in bottom ring on the triple on the hybrid but still surprised I can get up it in bottom but one gear (25 tooth) on a compact. Onto home via the descent of sharply hill into Newtown Linford .Broke my strava pb on the last climb before home the one segment I really chase .Pb started it at 58 sec now down to 32 sec finally equaled a much more experinced and quicker guy from work . Riding position seems better surprising what just moving the saddle a few mm can do still getting used to riding on the drops

 

[Elybazza61]

Some rides to catch up on which topped me up at 376kms.

First did a two-bit 100 miles on Thursday which was a roll in to work and then after a few hours there a long ride back via some rolling Suffolk roads.
Route got a bit messed up due to some road closures,lack of signs and my terrible navigation so ended up going back over the A14 via Bury St Edmunds(after a stop at the Maglia Rosso cafe/shop).
Got back to Ely in time to pop in to the LBS to get some bar tape for the cross bike and also a refreshing chilled can of Coke(first I've had for yonks!)

https://www.strava.com/activities/327774926

https://www.strava.com/activities/328143946

Then club ride today with the moderate group with a nice stop at the River Tea Rooms in St Ives to join the easy guys(and gal)

 

[Simontm]

Did 55 miles today. Out to Epsom-Reigate-Horley. On the way down Reigate hill, chain came off at the front which was a bit hairy and gave me a lovely chain tattoo but stopped easily enough. At Horley, I got waylaid by some parade


Text my boss saying I think I may have gone a bit mad with the bike ride and, as they lived in Horley, went for a coffee.

I have to say, when doing 50 miles previously. About half way I've stopped for five minutes to eat some thing then off again. Sitting for half an hour did me no favours when it came to the hills coming back via Newdigate
There was some bike ride from the Redhill CC I think as I headed back. Despite slowing and pulling towards the side as much as possible, it is still Quite a surreal experience to suddenly have a hoard of cyclists heading towards you
Got a double beep from the safety car which I presume was a thank you as it was still an open road.

So Horley-Newdigate-Dorking-Leatherhead.got passed by someone at Oxshott and if he's on here and if he heard me saying:"Show-off", it was meant to be a piss take on myself rather than any slight to your good self Tho the fact I had to slow down cos you created a traffic jam on the downside of Oxshott heading to Esher

Esher-popped into dad's for coffee and a sandwich then home.

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.strava.com/activities/329330931.

FPKW ism at its best.

 

[Simontm]

https://www.strava.com/activities/329330931.

FPKW ism at its best.

View attachment 92671

 

[MikeW-71]

Out on the MTB again, went up to Mabie forest this time to try their red route, which I haven't done before.

Much more rideable for me than the Dalbeattie route, lots of fun and some fairly narrow technical stuff with roots and rocks galore. I was determined to tackle more of them this time and it was going well... until I crashed on "Descender Bender".

Well, I say crashed... It was at quite slow speed and I took a poor line on a rock step with the front brake still on. It was one of those slow-motion over-the-bars kind of crashes that you desperately try and save, knowing that you're doomed, before collapsing in a heap on the trailside

I came out of it with a scratch on my arm. Then pushed the bike back up the trail a bit and had another go, successfully this time

Then I stopped to eat the tuna-mayo sandwich I'd brought along, which gave me an amazing case of indigestion, and rather spoiled the second half. These are not quick snack for a ride, you need to give them some time to digest it seems.. Ho hum.

Now I need a couple of easy road rides before getting a rest for my first 100 miler next weekend

 

[MikeW-71]

Just back from a lovely evening ride here. The mission: to see the first glow worms of the season, out on the fen.

I need to see a Glow worm for myself now, need to see where to find them.....

 

[Spartak]

Cycled into Bristol to watch the city-centre racing at College Green.

Lovely evening with lots of people enjoying the warm sunshine.

Club mate came second in Cat 3/4 race

 

[coffeejo]

Today's plans were based on the idea that I'd go the long way to town, meet up with my cycling group and join them for the first part of the ride, then leave them to it and make my own way home for lunch. But like all best laid plans, this went to pot and I was talked into staying out for the duration. I've only been out with them a few times over the last 10 months or so and it was strange to be riding with so many other people after such a long time riding solo but it was also good fun, and we ended up at a member's house for a picnic and strawberries and cream in the garden.

Not CAKE! but fresh strawberries.

• coffeejo
• 20 Jun 2015

20 June 2015

The only downside to the day was that I was wearing my least favourite bib shorts, which are only good for 30ish miles. I ended up doing 50*.

* ok, 49.99.

 

[cuberider]

Took the MTB out for a change from home and down the Monsal trail where there were lots of vintage bikes around as its L'eroica weekend in Bakewell. Managed a round trip of 22.5 miles to Hassop station cafe and back with the wife for company, but got soaked in a heavy shower in thw way back.

 

[cosmicbike]

On the way home from the village fair yesterday we spotted lots of white on red arrow signs, so this morning's plan was to follow them to see what it was about. That lasted about a mile, until they went in a direction I didn't want to go! I think they were related to a Help For Hero's ride, as there were lots of folk out riding with tags on and H4H kit towards Windsor.
Nowt fancy today, just one of my usual 20 mile circuits out through Eton & Windsor. I did stop to take a photo of some more horses, this time the 'Greys' on the kidney roundabout in Windsor, to commemorate the Queens 60th Anniversary

And at the request of SWMBO, one of the new statue unveiled last week during the Magna Carta events

(No idea why it is laying down, the file is up the right way...).

Mod Edit: Apologies but it was annoying me!

 

[coffeejo]

And at the request of SWMBO, one of the new statue unveiled last week during the Magna Carta events

View attachment 92780

(No idea why it is laying down, the file is up the right way...).

Sunday ... day of rest.

 

[Gravity Aided]

11 miles for yesterday's ride, testing the Fuji. I rode uptown, usual touristy things were going on. A sunny day in June should not be wasted, though. A very nice day for a ride, about 85F and a light breeze. Fuji's lower gearing makes it a very agreeable, albeit slow, ride.

 

[Simontm]

So much for a quick scoot out after yesterday. 30 miler
Went through Claygate-claygate woods, had a chat with another cyclist about the speed of cars down Fairmile.
Through the Coverts where, according to Strava, I got a PR. Which is amazing considering I stopped to take this

Over to Cobham and up Ockham, West Horsley then round Downside and up through esher home.
Since the week off the bike, any moderate gains I had on hills have plumb gone. So guess what I'll be doing on my days' off next week