Your ride today....

[rockyroller]

hoping to get out for a ride this afternoon late, before dark. overheard the boss saying he was leaving at 1:30pm. my bike is on the car & my clothes are in the car. in the woods, the ground should be wet, with mud patches & possibly flooded areas. didn't pack the SCUBA suit so there are no intentions of going submarine

 

[Jon George]

Changing into my winter cycling clothes is a bit like preparing for an EVA aboard the ISS.
From bottom to top: Merino wool socks; winter cycling boots; over-shoes; bib-tights; thermal tights; Gore wind-beater leg warmers; cycling shorts with padding removed; short-sleeved base layer; long-sleeved compression layer; long-sleeved base layer; cycling jersey; wet/winter jacket; buff; cycling cap (peak turned up in cheeky-boy fashion.)

So I was a tad exhausted even before I went to Nacton to catch the light.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Yesterday's planned ride with @gavgav became a walk due to the icy conditions then today I wasn't expecting the chance to get in any more than a short utility ride, however I unexpectedly found myself at leisure so got the ice tyres on quick and headed out. I stuck with one of my regular routes (Cross Houses, Harnage, Acton Burnell, Longnor, Condover and back).

I headed over Lyth Hill to take a quieter route and found the studs going silent after the first junction I turned into. There were a few people up at the first car park for their perambulation and I see that the drainage has been sorted at the top so there was no flood to wade through - a much quicker response than on previous occasions.

The roads have been very wet so there was plenty of ice on the ones that hadn't been gritted. Dropping down through Little Lyth the road was particularly treacherous where the slope is steep and a stream of water had been running down it. I knew that with it having been so wet until recently that wouldn't be the only example. After Condover a walker that I passed warned me to be careful.

Between Berrington and Cross Houses I was following the tracks of another cyclist but that turned out to be the only sign that anyone else was brave (daft) enough to be out on two wheels. I took the short stretch along the A458 which was fairly quiet then turned off towards Cound and more icy lanes. The flag flying today is still the one saying "Merry Christmas".

The climb to Harnage had a few bits of frozen run-off and even the studded tyres lost traction on the one bit. I think I'll run lower tyre pressures next time.

The road through Cound Moor had mostly thawed and the one between Acton Burnell and Longnor gets gritted so these weren't a problem and the lane to Ryton was the last bit with any significant ice on. I decided to retrace my steps over Lyth Hill but by this time the ice on the steep bit had mostly gone slushy.

26 miles at 11.5 mph average and a nice way to finish off 2020.

This didn't come out as hoped due to looking towards the sun. Lots of snow still up on the hills.

Looking to the Wrekin from near Harnage.

Just a little bit of snow lingering at low level.

Still one or two floods that have to be waded through. This one at Acton Burnell.

Another view of the snowcapped mountains of Shropshire from near the Longnor crossroads.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Yesterday's planned ride with @gavgav became a walk due to the icy conditions then today I wasn't expecting the chance to get in any more than a short utility ride, however I unexpectedly found myself at leisure so got the ice tyres on quick and headed out. I stuck with one of my regular routes (Cross Houses, Harnage, Acton Burnell, Longnor, Condover and back).

I headed over Lyth Hill to take a quieter route and found the studs going silent after the first junction I turned into. There were a few people up at the first car park for their perambulation and I see that the drainage has been sorted at the top so there was no flood to wade through - a much quicker response than on previous occasions.

The roads have been very wet so there was plenty of ice on the ones that hadn't been gritted. Dropping down through Little Lyth the road was particularly treacherous where the slope is steep and a stream of water had been running down it. I knew that with it having been so wet until recently that wouldn't be the only example. After Condover a walker that I passed warned me to be careful.

Between Berrington and Cross Houses I was following the tracks of another cyclist but that turned out to be the only sign that anyone else was brave (daft) enough to be out on two wheels. I took the short stretch along the A458 which was fairly quiet then turned off towards Cound and more icy lanes. The flag flying today is still the one saying "Merry Christmas".

The climb to Harnage had a few bits of frozen run-off and even the studded tyres lost traction on the one bit. I think I'll run lower tyre pressures next time.

The road through Cound Moor had mostly thawed and the one between Acton Burnell and Longnor gets gritted so these weren't a problem and the lane to Ryton was the last bit with any significant ice on. I decided to retrace my steps over Lyth Hill but by this time the ice on the steep bit had mostly gone slushy.

26 miles at 11.5 mph average and a nice way to finish off 2020.

View attachment 566450
This didn't come out as hoped due to looking towards the sun. Lots of snow still up on the hills.

View attachment 566451
Looking to the Wrekin from near Harnage.

View attachment 566452
Just a little bit of snow lingering at low level.

View attachment 566453
Still one or two floods that have to be waded through. This one at Acton Burnell.

View attachment 566454
Another view of the snowcapped mountains of Shropshire from near the Longnor crossroads.

Fantastic pic of the Wrekin. Britain's own mt Fuji!

I think I could just about get there and back in day in Midsummer... the OS map shows a track to the summit- any idea if its cyclable on a road bike?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Fantastic pic of the Wrekin. Britain's own mt Fuji!

I'll tell my Japanese wife that, see what she says...

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I'll tell my Japanese wife that, see what she says...

Telford, the Shizuoka of the West Midlands...

 

[Andy in Germany]

Telford, the Shizuoka of the West Midlands...

I know both cities and um... no.

I'm not going to be drawn on which better, although you can leave Shizuoka more quickly.

 

[Oldhippy]

I lived in Mishima and Fuji wasn't that far.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I know both cities and um... no.

I'm not going to be drawn on which better, although you can leave Shizuoka more quickly.

Whereas you'll never leave the Royston Vasey of the West Midlands...

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Fantastic pic of the Wrekin. Britain's own mt Fuji!

I think I could just about get there and back in day in Midsummer... the OS map shows a track to the summit- any idea if its cyclable on a road bike?

You might struggle on a roadbike as it's quite a rough track. Pretty steep too so would be quite a challenge.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

You might struggle on a roadbike as it's quite a rough track. Pretty steep too so would be quite a challenge.

Ah well. Just a thought. Nice to have an objective for a ride

 

[RoubaixCube]

I almost didnt make it home today. An uber driver pulled out in front of me while i was in a descent at over 20mph. I didnt expect him to pull out but he did and stopped full out across the bus lane i was tearing my way down on and by the time he noticed me there was just a slither of a gap for me to pass through.

I was 5 seconds from flying across his bonnet or slamming directly on it as i went over the handlebars. I had already unclipped my left foot out of instinct just incase i needed it to slow myself down or stabilize myself and it probably would have done more bad then good because my rear tyre spun out from underneath me as i tried to slow down.

skidding across the tarmac with a foot on the ground trying to steady myself almost wiped myself out but i managed to regain control.

I honestly thought i was a goner.

 

[Jenkins]

A beautifully sunny morning here, but bitterly cold - still sub zero at 11am when I finally decided to get out and head into town for supplies, with a quick stop of at mum's to return an empty tuppaware container. Although the round trip could have been done in around 6 miles, my route took 3 times as far, using the Bootzipper and as many off road bits as sensibly possible (avoiding a couple of narrow bits with the numbers of walkers out today).

Out, over the rail line and heading off road in completely the wrong direction to the far side of Trimley St. Martin, then on road up to Candlet Track off, on, off and than back on road eventually ending up on Cliff Road overlooking the North Sea and then mums. Returned the container, only to be given it back 5 minutes later filled with the remains of a chocolate log that they couldn't finish 🍽. A couple of shopping stops in town - not taking the most direct route between them again - and finally homewards over the A14 for the bridleway down to the docks and back up again into Trimley.

The worst problem was not knowing whether the various muddy looking rough sections ahead were frozen solid or slippery mud as it didn't seem to matter whether they were in the shade or the sun and I reeally could have done with a cap to keep the sun out of my eyes as there was plenty of it!

 

[a.twiddler]

The last ride of 2020, on my steel tourer. I had hoped to change the BB on my Linear Recumbent this pm and go for a twirl but alas, it was more complicated than anticipated and it's still in bits. Still, it's always a pleasure to go out on the Revolution Country Explorer.

Out to collect medication from Boots -essential trip, 1st day of Tier 4 lockdown. The pavement behind the house was quite slippery with some thin slushy stuff on the road but generally OK.

Turned Left on Swanlow Lane, through the lights to A54 roundabout, then right down the long downhill to town centre traffic lights. Turned right into Dene drive, then into the precinct at the taxi stand. Not so many people about today. Back on the same route though used the pavement up the hill as very few walkers about. A little slippery in places but not so bad going uphill. Left on to Swanlow Lane. There are a few traffic islands on Swanlow Lane, presumably designed to discourage overtaking with the many small junctions along here. Nevertheless a motorist passed me then continued on the wrong side of one of these islands before cutting back in to the correct side. Maybe poor observation, as the car behind him passed me with plenty of room to spare and returned to his side of the island without causing any alarm. He beeped several times at the other driver, while I sailed unconcernedly on.
Back through the lights on Swanlow lane then home to my back gate. About 5-6 miles, the last ride of 2020. A pleasantly bright, frosty, if chilly day.

Happy New Year!

 

[rockyroller]

I honestly thought i was a goner.

oh man, welcome back to 2021. you've got a 2nd chance at life. congratulations, near death experiences are nothing to dismiss. don't ask me how I know