Your ride today....

[Archie_tect]

A 25 mile loop starting north up to Stannington, across to Gosforth and home for tea and a bacon sandwich!
A bit wet with some exciting flooded bits to whizz through- the mudguards earned their keep today!

Photo doesn't do justice to the escarpment climb out of the saddle up from the valley. I felt I should stop to admire the view... it'll be easier next time [cough].

 

[Dave 123]

After an early morning dog walk I went out on my mountain bike.
Down to Bridgend, along the river, past theSwanand Ship pubs, customers turning up.....
Up the rocky footpath to the Warren and then along the coast road. Massive herds of dairy cows everywhere.
Down into Holbeton and up to Ford, then the lane through the gloomy woods.
over the A379 and then I took a rocky, mucky byway for about half a mile. A steady rise. I then descended down the road, back over the 379 and into Flete. The castle looked good in the sun.
Through Holbeton again and home via Creacombe.

sunny, still and cold. 18 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4437757445

 

[Donger]

As the Rule of Six applies in our Tier 2 area, it was back to club riding today for me. Somehow (not sure how) that's my 17th club ride of the year. Normally I'd have done 30-40 by now, but I'm pleased to have managed 17 this year. I say "club ride", but only three hardy souls turned up for what was, in effect, a glorified triangle route between Gloucester, Sharpness and Dursley. The only big hill today was Tait's Hill near Cam, which didn't pose any great problems .... and I was pleased to see it has been transformed from the pot-holed death trap it was into a smooth new stretch of fresh black tarmac. Can't wait to have another go at descending that again some time soon.

After Tait's Hill, we decided to skip the monster climb of Crawley Hill and head back via the very scenic Uley to Coaley road, threading our way on quiet country lanes between the Cotswold escarpment and a couple of outlying hills that have all the hallmarks of iron age hill forts. We parted company at Standish, and by the time I got home I'd done 46.4 miles. I was aware my feet were getting cold, but it was worse than I thought. Had a horrendous attack of chilblanes after taking a hot bath on my return. My feet have only just recovered from a long ride in cold drizzle with no shoe covers. I don't think the temperature ever rose above 4 degrees.

Despite that, this was one of those rides where it was difficult to get up and out there, but the moment you did, you knew you'd made the right decision. Thoroughly enjoyable. Big congratulations to @KingswayRider who, by stretching this ride out with a few pre-club ride miles, completed his first Metric Century-a-Month Challenge.I got him into that this year, then dipped out of it myself in April !!!

Cheers, Donger.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Lovely to see the above ride photos, really spurring me on to get out this week

 

[geocycle]

Got out for a 45 mile loop with 900m of up through Dalton Woods, Burton in Kendal, Milnthorpe, Silverdale and Arnside. Quite cold but surprisingly bright and no wind. Didn’t want to climb high or head to Dales as still snow and ice about. Fortunately roads nearer the coast were all fine. Ingleborough covered in snow with a cloud sat on it, Lake District fells were clearing from Thursday’s snow. Deer in Dallas Park looked to be contemplating Christmas. Interesting sign on a lane near Milnthorpe made me explore further.

 

[chriswoody]

One of those dank steel grey days, with temperature's barely in single figures. Perfect for getting out and clearing your head.

I headed down river, the track was muddy and wet, the forest empty and still. The hiss of gravel and slap of wet leaves the only thing to be heard. The only colour on this dark day was the vibrant mosses and lichens on the trees.

The river was dark and cold, providing no colour on this monochrome day, not a soul to be seen as I seek out ever more solitude under he depleted canopy.

Further on, the trees in the forest close ranks as the path winds under them. The mud under my tires is all churned up by the passage of the horses from the nearby horse farm and feels like porridge to ride through.

I emerge onto the empty streets of the village in the forest and head back out on the cobbled road. As I return closer to the river I pass by the horse paddocks under the trees, the path close to the waterworks has been all churned up by the heavy machinery thats been working on the flood gates. The bike ploughs on through, skitting this way and that over the deep ruts. After climbing the bridge, I descend the other side onto the island in the middle of the river. A lock provides passage off of the island and is the furthest point on the ride before swinging back home.

Perfect gravel tracks await for the next 10km, which soon flash by. I then turn away from the gravel and onto glorious single track that runs parallel, but deeper in the forest. For several kilometres I'm completely alone as the path snakes it's way, up and down, tree roots and rocks make the bike dance around on the edge of traction as we get closer home.

Emerging from this section, I'm back on perfect gravel fire roads for the last kilometres back into town and then home for a hose down and coffee. Only 25km in total, but my head is clear and my soul is happy.

 

[footloose crow]

6 Dec. Too many hills

Never plan a route on RidewithGPS whilst drinking wine. Or any other substance that may impair your judgement.

Should you be stupid enough to do that, check the route before sending it of to Audax HQ as a mandatory DIY Audax route . The one where you have to follow the route you have given - no exceptions unless the road is physically closed.

If you ignore all of this and go out anyway, you have no one to blame but yourself when the Wahoo says turn left up that steep hill, when you know that turning right avoids the steep hill and will still take you to the same point.

If I had got it wrong once or twice I would understand that I have some fallibility and shrug amiably and get on with it. But between Goss Moor (fifteen miles into the route) and Truro (pretty much the end of the route) I found it happening time and time again. Lots of unnecessary hills culminating in a savage lane averaging 19% with up to 25% in places, that took me back up to the top of the hill I had already descended on a different road earlier.

So I descended the hill again on a third road following the arrows on the Wahoo. And grumbling.

The descent of which third road placed me in a position to start on another completely different hill that is also avoidable and usually avoided. After 100k in my legs at this point, I was starting to become a bit cross with myself. You can tell I am stubborn though - I just kept on following the arrows.

Anyway it was good to get home finally- and get warm. I have deleted this route from RidewithGPS. I am never doing it again.

And it was bloody cold all day. It is not supposed to be cold in Cornwall. We don't dress for it or expect it. Perhaps I should have looked at the weather forecast rather than just read the label on the wine bottle. But I didn't and suffered. There was ice on the road. Ice! We don't get ice. It hasn't snowed here since 2010.

Setting out up the steep lane. I live in that fog.

Isn't the sun supposed to be warm? I am not feeling it at this point. I am now the Strava Local Legend on this road which shows how often anyone uses it - or not.

That orange squash in the bidon actually started to freeze. I am sorry to go on about this but we really don't get it cold in Cornwall most years.

Where else would you find a footloose crow?

I don't know if it is just me but RidewithGPS has some funny ideas over the exact definition of the term 'road'. This is a track. I just kept following the arrows on the Wahoo and hoping it didn't get worse....but it did.

No Cornish ride ever avoids the sea at some point. This is the north coast from St Agnes Beacon. I should have moved on and got the telegraph pole out of the picture .....but it was too cold to mess about. It even rained briefly just after this.

Lessons learnt:

1. Don't drink and plan a ride.
2. If you do, don't send it off straight away as a route you intend follow in every detail.
3. Look at the weather forecast in more detail than just "Ooo, sunny symbols. 🌞 It will be nice then."

 

[AndreaJ]

Cold and grey this morning and a shorter ride planned hopefully avoiding hedge cutters! Started off to Loppington and through to Burlton crossing the road to Marton where I turned to Weston Lullingfields, up a muddy lane to Stanwardine, Bagley, Lee taking the lane past Whitemere- no one sailing today, up past the nature reserve towards Colemere then remembered to avoid Colemere itself and took a different route to Lyneal, Northwood and home. 23.3 miles in more mud . A few other cyclists out today and a couple of horse riders, all the runners appear to have disappeared though. No pictures too cold to stop.

 

[Jenkins]

Time for a bit of Christmas shopping. I needed to go out to the local Currys superstore the other side of Ipswich to pick up a click & collect item, so this was combined with stopping at another couple of places in town for a couple of other bits. There was virtually no wind and it was a bright & sunny day, but still damp following overnight rain so I took the Bootzipper 29er for some big tyred comfort.

Outwards was the usual Levington & Nacton mucky back road route, then into Ipswich and down to the waterfront area for a slow ride through the Neptune Marina area

Then alongside the river to the first shopping stop and up London Road to Currys where I hit a snag - I'd failed to check the size of the item I was picking up and it didn't fit into my backpack, so I'm going to have to drive back out there tomorrow instead.
Back downhill into town for the third shopping stop and then back out of Ipswich for the run home through Bucklesham and Falkenham
(this looking across the fields down from Falkenham to Bawdsey the other side of the river Deben)

 

[Spiderweb]

A Day off today so out on the Hewitt at 1.30pm for a nice stead ride to the outskirts of York. Stopped at the usual spot on the Sustrans planets route over the Ouse at Naburn and spotted an Otter in the river.
A bit nippy but a lovely spin out 27 miles with an average of 15 mph.

 

[colly]

A late am ride for me because I thought...'I'm worth it'

As soon as I had cleared Oakwood Clock and was crossing Soldiers Field I knew it was going to be hard work. I never really got into any kind of rhythm either. I made for Moortown and Shadwell, out to East Keswick and Linton.
All very nice out that way but I was grovelling so didn't take much notice tbh. After crossing the river I made for Sicklinghall where on the climb up through the village an arse in a 4x4 4x4 was gassing to his mate on the other side of the road.
Pulled up, mid lane, raised footpath and fence to his near side, van and cars parked on my side of the road. There was about 2ft between him and the van parked on my side of the road. He saw me coming but did he move over? Did he **** ! At the very last minute when he realised I had no intention of stopping, grinning like a fool he turned his wheels to the left and moved about an inch. As I passed I gave him a couple of words of encouragement. Something to do with his weight and onanism if I remember correctly...........well it made me feel better.
So onwards and downwards to Harewood Bridge and a right hand turn to the west into Arthington. I had planned on making it to Ilkley but the wearyness continued and instead I decided a turn for home would be best.
Why I thought turning up Creskeld Lane would be a good idea when I was on fixed wheel, and feeling tired I can't imagine, but turn I did. It was a grind that much I know. Checking Strava it wasn't as slow as it felt but I was damn pleased to get it behind me.
King Lane and up again past the quarry, around the reservoir and home via Moortown corner.
Good to get out and even better to get back home. I feel fine now so just one of those days.

End to end it was 32.8 miles and just a tad under 2000ft.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/60016621

 

[bagpuss]

A potter round the Derbyshire triangle of lanes between the A6 and the A50 . Road testing my recently built Spa wayfarer .No idea how many miles or how fast . It was a grand ride in winter Sunshine.
Kedleston Hall {NT} by rebalrid, on Flickr

 

[Archie_tect]

Two trips down to the shops, sporting my new fluorescent bicycle clips! Love cycling round the village on errands.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I left this one a bit late. It had been misty all day and it didn't get any better as I rode round the standard loop. Down at the Severn it got thicker and as the light began to fade it was even thicker again. I did see the White Rabbit watching as I went by but visibility was so poor I couldn't see the Red Rubies. Quite a brisk one this. The retro tourer does roll very well. 35 smiles

 

[Andy in Germany]

Two trips down to the shops, sporting my new fluorescent bicycle clips! Love cycling round the village on errands.

I enjoy that as well. I can enjoy myself and feel virtuous. Also people don't get upset when I don't stop to talk to them.