Your ride today....

[Landsurfer]

Short ride this morning to loosen the legs after 4 weeks without a ride.
Got caught up in school run this morning so no early start ....

These next 2 shots are the murals at Holmes lock between Rotherham and Sheffield ..... they've survived a long time without

being tagged ...

Ikles Lock ..... weather forecast was grim today but turned out lovely .... Off for a 35 mile ride up the Trent and back early doors tomorrow ..

 

[13 rider]

After 2 days off successfully dodging the showers ,today the weather caught up we me . A day of work so a ride called for . Out the door at 0800 into gloomy conditions . Up through Newtown Linford up Markfield lane ,Markfield ,Botcheston and it's starts to spit with rain into Barlestone and it's starts to rain properly on with the rain jacket . I'm 10 miles from home decision time turntail or press on . Me being me obviously I press on Carlton ,Shenton and finally turn for home the rain is beginning to ease but with no overshoes I've got wet feet . Home via Market Bosworth and Desford . 35 miles in the bag .The goretex jacket had kept the top half dry but soggy feet and legs but I was being to dry out has the rain eased . Considering the forecast before the weekend I think I been lucky getting as many miles in as I did

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

At last the deluge stopped. I headed out to first get my feet soaked by pedalling through a flood and then to pick up a puncture. While sorting that out I helped the farmer by blocking a side turning so his cows and calves went the correct way. Now I was late for the meet so after another feet soaking flood I cut my original plan and turned at Upleadon to take the run back by Hethelpit Cross. I opted for the crossing of Longdon Marsh and made it to the meet in Upton half an hour late. Some chat later I headed to my daughter's for dinner. Bit of a mixture on this one. 48 smiles

 

[Archie_tect]

A one way pootle into Newcastle to deliver our old tandem on my own ['she's fallen off!'] to its new owners after yesterday's sale on ebay. 9 miles on level cycle paths and back roads past the flat and our first house where MrsA_T and I lived after I got married.

The family were very excited to get out on it as soon as the rain stops [yup, another wet day!]. Really pleased they bought it as the young mum has a degenerative sight problem so they will still be able to go out altogether on family rides and have a young son who's just big enough to go as stoker with his dad. A lovely new home for our first tandem!

I know we probably should've got more for it but I'd rather it went to a family who will love it. Some things in life are priceless.

 

[AndreaJ]

The rain caught up with me as well today, light showers was the weather app’s description which should ease off after 10am it did look like it was brighter in the distance so I didn’t bother with a jacket, the rain just got worse and didn’t stop so I got very wet although it wasn’t too cold. I set off to Whixall, Hollinswood , Fenns Bank through the first flood of the day, down to cross the canal again over the swing bridge, the lane to the canal is slowly being taken over by a badger set and they have dug loads of soil/mud onto the lane, carried on to Tilstock, CotonWood, Lower Houses, Stanley Green, Coton, Edstaston, Creamore, Horton passing the first bailout home junction onto the Ellesmere Road and another chance to bailout I carried on towards Loppington through lots more floods to Lyneal where I decided I was wet enough and turned to Northwood and home avoiding the first turning which was already flooded yesterday. 28.3 miles @15.3mph. After I got home and dry Hermes delivered the overshoes I’d ordered could have done with them before I left really. Unsurprisingly only saw one runner, one dog walker and no cyclists, luckily it eventually stopped raining when I took our dogs out.

 

[Landsurfer]

Mrs Colly and I drove north yesterday for a few days up in Northumberland. It was raining when we set off, it rained for the entire journey and it rained for the rest of the day and evening.
This morning however I looked out at blue, blue skies, and after a leisurely breakfast of eggs and bacon, I, not unreasonably, decided it was bike O'clock.
Shortly before 11am I was out with the bike. Before I set off in earnest I stopped and took a couple of pics of the River Aln which is just at the end of the lane where we are staying:
Looking down stream
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Looking upstream
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This is normally a shallow brook maybe a metre deep, not after yesterdays rain though. It is maybe 2 meters above normal. All that water has to find it's way to the sea somehow.
So I headed north and after skirting Alnmouth I climbed up in the direction of Boulmer and stopped to take another couple of photos of the same river as it meanders slowly down to the sea. At this point it's about a half mile further down stream from the first photos and maybe another mile before it winds around Alnmouth and finds the sea.

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Pressing on I found Boulmer and passed Boulmer RAF Station which by all accounts is home to Aerospace Surveillance and Control System Force Command. The gates of which have this beast parked nearby:

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On then through Longhoughton and Howick and a quick stop for a view of the sea:
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North still, passing Craster (of crab fame) Dunstanburgh Castle, Embleton, into Beadnell, Seahouses and up to Bamburgh Castle and the Farne Islands shining off the coast in the sunshine. Pity you can't see them really because it was a lovely view. Naturally I stopped and took a photo.....of my forehead. Not for the first time my phone has played this trick on me.

Bamburgh Castle is always impressive, as this photo shows:

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No of course it wasn't me who took the pic. For a start it is in focus and there are no thumbs or fingers in the way.
I turned west and south here and made my way back through small deserted lanes until I found somewhere I recognised and knew for sure I was on track.
A pic or two of the old bridge in Lesbury and part of the mill that once stood alongside the river here:
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Back in for around 2 ish just in time for a cuppa and a read of the papers.

47.3 miles and 1800ft of up.
View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/57160011

I am a Phantom Phixer .... and always will be ... F4K / M, FGR2, F4J .... a life spent at the sharp end ...
How lucky are you to have that machine to ride by .....

 

[Jenkins]

Having spent all of Monday and also Tuesday morning at home fettling and cleaning all my bikes plus a few domestic today, I finally managed to get out for a quick ride this afternoon in sunny & warm conditions. And picked up one of thse punctures where you think 'Hmmm that feels a bit soft' but it's only 3 or 4 miles later where you actually have to do anything about it. And as a result of having to change the tube I got caught in a rain shower. And it got appreciably colder in the rain. And the bike now needs cleaning again despite only having been done on Monday. Bowlocks.

 

[Landsurfer]

Morning ride up the Trent...
Lovely morning, westerly wind which translated into a tail wind as i sheltered behind the levee between Gainsborough and Susworth. I realised that the plan to ride to Keadby Bridge would involve a significant ride back into the headwind .... so .. turn right at Susworth and ride back over some new roads through the forests ...
Lovely forest area, lots of empty car parks , one with a cafe gazebo ( yes, i had a sausage buttie, healthy option sausages of course.).. and the National (We Hate Britain) Trust had a pop up "pay to park" site in one car park .......which was nice. (Irony) .....

Just as you leave East Stockwith this appears in someones garden ...

...
One of a pair of war memorials I passed on the road north...

 

[wafter]

Fuelled by abject misery and three reduced Co-op chocolate chip muffins I had to get out of the house earlier to avoid another viewing.

The sky looked suspect but the prospect of getting wet was infinitely preferable to the alternative so I dragged out the CdF and made my way to some local trails. While I'd easily be embarrassed by a 15yr old on a hard tail my confidence and speed off-road have been growing and I've really come to enjoy slinging the bike around on gravel and hard-pack mud.

My new favourite route was unsurprisingly damp - starting along Chiswell lane then up into Boar's Hill; all was fine on the chalky / rocky bridleway but the slick Contis unsurprisingly met their match against the slippery wet mud in some parts, with a modest 3% climb being sufficient to see the rear slipping convincingly on the power strokes.

Once out of Boar's Hill I headed down through Abingdon, Culham, Long Whittenham (past the clumps), Wallingford, Didcot, Sutton Courtney and eventually "home". My mindset, sugar intake and fine new wave soundtrack dictated that I went at it reasonably hard from the off, and don't think I got out of the big ring on the whole ride.

While still mostly road I'd thrown in a few off-road bits and these proved hugely enjoyable on account of the sceneary and distractionary, engaging terrain. Due to my growing speed off-road the bike's taken quite a pasting from the mud this time, although it was evidently just the right viscosity to give a pleasingly diffused pebbledash effect on all it touched. It's certain that the mess would have been a thousand times worse were it not for the great SKS mudguards.

I got caught out a bit later than planned and while initially comfortable in a long sleeved base layer, lightweight walking trousers and cap, I was starting to feel the cold in my extremities by the end. I also fell foul of the dark, however was gloriously prepared with my ever-present head torch and emergency (found) rear light, which also stays in my cycling backpack for the occasions where I forget to swap the "main" rear light between bikes. While everything else is falling to bits it was nice to exercise a tiny bit of preparedness and control in one small area of my life..

All in all it was a great ride and very necessary; being more visceral that usual on account of the pace, terrain, cooler temperature and threatening weather (which thankfully stayed dry throughout). I really enjoyed the off-road bits and tbh find "gravel" to be one of the few things in life that lives up to the marketing lifestyle BS constantly being sold by outlets like GCN. I can genuinely think of few better things tbh than to get out on beautiful, quiet routes I'd previously only have walked

If anyone's arsed the final numbers were 42 miles and 900ft at 14.6mph and 151bpm for 2200Kcal burned; an uncharacteristically high but welcome amount of exertion for a foray on the CdF 😊

 

[Old jon]

First ride on the Bob Jackson this month, I bought and fitted a new seatpost, somehow the old one was looking scruffy enough for me to notice it. The saddle is now 3mm higher than before, deliberately, and I wondered how much difference it might make.

The day still had a temperature in double figures, when I pedalled away towards Holbeck and the towpath. Leaving that to begin the upwards stuff to cross the Ring Road at Lawnswood. And then bear left to climb some more to the water tower at Cookridge. Just before reaching that I felt the wind for the first time. Stronger than I thought.

The road to Bramhope, all the way, and the wind has vanished again. Turn left to the Dyneley Arms and right for Pool Bank. Straight through the village, cross the Wharfe and take the next left, signposted Leathley I hope. A bit more riding along here and then the left to cross the Washburn, on its very own narrow bridge.

And up the hill to Farnley. Which provides the descent into Otley and the chance to feed me by the riverside. And decide to take an unusual way home. So ride back across the Wharfe and then back to Pool on the A659, staying on this road as far as Arthington. Where I turned right to ride up Creskeld Lane to return to Bramhope.



Through the almost finished road alterations there and turn left, up to the road that borders Golden Acre Park’s eastern side. Whizz down that and cross Adel dam. And back to the A660. Headingley, Kirkstall and the towpath. A bit of Hunslet and home is then close.

Thirty four miles and 1959 feet up, said the garthing. Which for once seems to have a pretty standard shape to it, no scuba diving needed. Extra saddle height? That worked, or at least I noticed nothing untoward. Turn into my street, a few spits of rain which didn’t wash the smile away. A pretty good ride.

And some topographical stuff, or should that be geographical?

 

[Archie_tect]

Just meant to do a short loop but turned right into the wind so ended up down in Newburn, up to Prudhoe, further up to Harlow Hill where the wind was buffeting hard, then across to Stamfordham to enjoy a fast wind assisted ride home. 23 miles in the sunshine.

Lovely day to be outside.

 

[DCBassman]

A quick loop around town as a test ride for the Revell mixte, details of how it went in build thread.

This bike is surprisingly light, haven't weighed it yet with this much lighter wheelset.

 

[Donger]

Made myself scarce today while the missus had someone round. Took advantage of the lovely sunny weather to get out there in my shorts and short-sleeved jersey for a stroll-around ride down to Sharpness docks and back. One mile from home, I stopped for a moment at one of my favourite spots along the banks of the Severn at Stonebench. I don't think that tree is going to survive many more Severn Bores:

.... then pootled on to Frampton on Severn, where the Bell Inn and village green were looking particularly great in the sunshine:

At Slimbridge, I did a loop around to Sharpness via Purton before returning to Slimbridge via Breadstone. At Sharpness Docks there is a picnic area looking out towards Lydney Harbour, and with views of Oldbury power Station and the Severn bridges to the South. That was straight into the sun, so not a great picture of that. With the naked eye you could see big trucks crossing the nearest of the Severn Bridges:

This is where the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal joins the River Severn and the houses on the opposite bank, among the trees, will be the outskirts of Lydney.... with the Forest of Dean beyond:

Sharpness docks are actually rather unlovely, and I had to dodge quite a few fast moving trucks coming from a ship that was unloading in the port. I did get this shot when I pulled over for an oncoming convoy of trucks that were going to beat me to the next roundabout. I quite like the old dock warehouse building in the background, which looks much like those in Gloucester docks:

After re-tracing my steps back via Slimbridge and Frampton, I headed off home via Longney, where the creeper on the house by the stableyard was looking nicely autumnal:

A great, gentle pootle of a 43 miler, this. I stopped one last time to get a shot of Elmore Court in the sunshine. I've always liked the white swan on top of the gates:

From this driveway, the road drops down the nearest thing we have to a hill nearby. A nice little ramp that gets you from 0-28 in next to no time without pedalling. You just have to remember to dodge the potholes at the bottom of the hill, and then carry your momentum into a slight rise before turning for home back at Stonebench (see first photo). Cycling doesn't have to be all nose-to-the-bars, arse-in-the-air stuff. Sometimes just pootling around taking in the views and making the most of the last of the decent weather is nicer.
Anyway, enjoy your rides, everyone. Cheers, Donger.

 

[itboffin]

eek! mech side down

 

[Donger]

eek! mech side down

I know it looks like that, but it was actually a pedal against a grass bank!