Your ride today....

[DCBassman]

A short one, because I'm worth it. Revell mixte.

A bit busier on the path today, and a bit warmer. One layer less. About right. Mixte's braking continues to improve, technically, but it's still not ideal by any means.
Not quite sure why there's a loop shown near Horrabridge, anywhere off the track is a forest or a steep drop...
Back at Lidl, I took to the road for once, and hammered it with the traffic. This bike does speed quite well, and pleases this FOMIL* quite a bit.

*Fat Old Man in Lycra

 

[Spiderweb]

Out at 4pm with David & Suzanne from our village. A beautiful late afternoon for a ride out to Naburn Marina on the outskirts of York.
26.9miles with an average of 17.7mph.

 

[Mike_P]

Sunny week (bar Tuesdays afternoon rain) but a chilly easterly. Disturbed the ebike from its slumbers for six shopping / work outings on four days totalling 41.88 miles and 3099ft of upward elevation; a late afternoon ride today being the longest to Lidl at Knaresborough. I was not intending to use Waterside but queuing traffic down to High Bridge over the River Nidd meant that I did and was immediately concerned by a road closed ahead sign - turned out to be a half width closure of the single track road. It was probably to be expected I went that way in hindsight as the battery had been fully topped up so up the stupidly steep and U bends of Castle Ings Road. The trip to Lidl was primarily to get a refund for an overcharge but in the centre isle was a pretty barren section with just four rolls of tape in it, assorted and one of them was a rubberised waterproof one the charging port on the ebike which I have never used, always taking the battery off to charge, had lost its rubber cover sometime in the week.
Returned avoiding Waterside and the High Street gaining a joint ebike KOM on the climb of Stockwell Lane.
On the urban stretch of Bilton Lane pretty sure a cyclist on a road bike who I had overtaken drafted behind me.
Heat map for the week;

 

[gavgav]

Got out for a ride this morning, before heading back from Wales. Another beautiful sunny but chilly morning. Headed out through Dyffryn and down the main road to Llanaber. Busy traffic, but it’s been a pleasure to not have a single close pass during my 2 trips along the busy coast road, this week, which makes a nice change.

Turned off in Llanaber and began the climb up to Cwm Bychan, enjoying the lovely views. Only met 2 vehicles, but both were vans towing trailers and on the narrowest sections of the lanes, meaning I had to scramble up the bank to enable them to get through!

Paused half way up for a couple of photos

Upon reaching the Cwm, it was bliss, with not another person or car to be seen, as I cycled along to the far end of the road and took this photo.

I then doubled back and perched myself at my favourite spot, for a snack and 10 minutes enjoying the view. It was too cold to sit there much longer.

The descent back down to Pentre Gwynfryn was lovely, but quite cold into the breeze, before I began the lung busting steep climb up through Coed Artro woods. Had to stop twice, it’s a real pull up there!!

There are then some gated lanes to contend with, they love a gate in Wales, before more climbing up to the foothills of Moelfre and a view down the coast.

The descent back to Dyffryn is fast and quite exhilarating, before I arrived back at the caravan.

18.0 miles at 10.5mph avg and 1352 ft of climbing, which gets the legs and lungs working.

 

[Ian H]

I'm running my Combwich Century on Sunday, so I thought I ought to check the route. That's the furthest and certainly the hilliest I have ridden since October. Utterly knackered. Strava says about 2400m climbing, Garmin claims over 3000m.

 

[Donger]

...... Turned off in Llanaber and began the climb up to Cwm Bychan, enjoying the lovely views. Only met 2 vehicles, but both were vans towing trailers and on the narrowest sections of the lanes, meaning I had to scramble up the bank to enable them to get through!
.......
There are then some gated lanes to contend with, they love a gate in Wales, before more climbing up to the foothills of Moelfre and a view down the coast........

More great photos, @gavgav . That Cwm Bychan climb and those gated lanes were the highlights of my holiday near Harlech a couple of years ago.... along with the Mawddach Trail that you reported on yesterday. Wonderful cycling country ...... once you get off the main A road.

 

[Jenkins]

One last day of freedom before returning to work after 10 days off, so a trip by train out to Ely and a ride in the Fenland flatlands. I'd initially planned to take my Planet X road bike, but decided to take my time over the ride and took the Pickenflick flatbar with its 37mm tyres instead - an inspired decision as it turned out that some of the roads are in worse condition than the bridleways local to me thanks to subsidence and poor maintenance.

Leaving Ely rail station and heading through Little Downham & Pymoor there's little evidence of the open nature of the area until you come out by the New Bedford River along the Hundred Foot Bank when the road becomes a straight line for a few miles - to one side is flat, open farmland and the other is about 10' of river bank with the river itself being at about head level. Crossing over the river at Welney gives an idea of this

The land to the right is used as a flood plain (the Welney Washes) as the Old Bedford River is about 1/4 mile further on.
From here, I'd intended to take the Fifty Road to Manea, but it was closed due to roadworks (with a specific sign stating no through route for cyclists) and the diversion took me up to yet another straight road with a number related name - the Sixteen Foot Bank. Along here was one of the lowest bridges I've ever come across at Stonea (apparently the 2nd most struck rail bridge in 2018!) with only 2m of clearance which was noticable on a large, upright bike.

Having regained the intended route back in Manea, I headed onto Chatteris through yet more flat farmland and then Somersham and Bluntisham where there was actually a bit of a rise to over 100ft of elevation!
Down into Earith and a short break for a coffee by the side of the river

Then back towards Ely on yet another flat, straight road alongside & below the river with another uncharacteristic lumpy bit at Sutton,

a short blast along the A142 then turning off for more punishment for the legs, arms & backside on the awful conditions of the road through Withcham, Wardy Hill (no hill, just more flat stuff), Coveney and another short coffee stop by Ely Cathederal before returning to the train station for home.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Taking the long route back from work yesterday. Will have to try and ride here again when the sun is better positioned...

 

[Andy in Germany]

Forgot this one: On the way into work:

 

[Donger]

Found time for a brief spin around the lanes this morning, nipping down to Epney, then back via the A38 and Hardwicke. 11.8 miles @ 14.4mph. Unusually brisk for me! Didn't overdo the distance as we have a club ride out to the Forest of Dean tomorrow.

 

[13 rider]

So over the last 3 weeks life has dealt me a pretty s*"%%y hand so I've had no time to ride and no motivation to ride . This weekend offered a bit of respite so had the time but still lacking motivation . After a visit to the shops and a chat with big sis I was told to get out on my bike . So after much faffing I found myself pushing my bike out of the door . The first 2 miles were awful just not feeling it got up the climb of Sharply hill and the legs began to work and I just clicked into cycling mode and I started to enjoy being out .Did a standard 50km loop out to St Bernards Abbey so all the climbing in the first 12 miles Had to stop just after Shepshed to remove my leg warmers as the sunshine warmed me up ,Then looped back to Quorn via the fast descent of Beacon hill ,Into Mountsorrel and changed my route home and took on the climb up Bond lane because I could . Back home with 31.6 miles done with 1886ft of upness at 16.4mph . So glad I got badgered into going out the cycling therapy worked and I felt much better on getting home but after 12 days off the bike my legs felt it as I did push on .Celebrating with a cup of coffee and a bit of Charlie the caterpillar cake (co op) which bares no likeness to Colin (m+s) or Cuthbert (Aldi)

 

[bagpuss]

Day late with this,but still I thought I would write it up .
My ride had been planned for a while,like everyone else, in these strange times, I kept my fingers crossed . For most of my Journey I followed an old Audax route I organized many years ago,so it is etched into my memory . I Left the suburbs of Derby at 8 am sharp .The grass verges still glistened with frost and would continue do so in places as I rode through the lanes to Tutbury and into Staffordshire .
The roads on this section of my wander are best described as undulating . So 'wheeeee', followed by a slight grimace was in order. Through Abbots Bromley .

and over Blithfield reservoir , which seemed a little low for the time of year .

Onto Colwich,Little Haywood & Tixall



Up and over the edge of Cannock Chase at Milford and past the Indian restaurant that used to be The Little Fawn cafe and a control point on my old events . Along to Penkridge and a visit to the local bakers for tea etc .
Leaving Penkridge I follow the wheel of a fellow cyclist for a mile or so and we pass the time of day. Across the A5 to the village of Brewood.
The Hotel/pub here has a lovely orginal CTC sign on its wall.

Out Of Brewood onto Boscobel House which used to have a separate tea room ,not so any more . Boscobel H sits right on the County Boundary of Staffordshire and Shropshire . History has it that Charles 2nd hid in an oak tree near here following the Battle of Worcester in 1651 .
So at this point i was now an old git in Shropshire !! . I rejoined my old event route and was rewarded with far reaching views of the Wrekin and the Clee Hills . Down To Shifnal and another tea stop from a take away . Shifnal is another fine old Market town that is slowly losing it charm due to the need of more housing .
Out Of Shifnal to Kemberton .Here what remained of road suface was well,very little in places !? .
Now into Coalport and Iron Bridge

This is a place so full of history it takes a week to see it all .
Cressage and over the Severn . From here on, out came the map . Now I delight in riding country lanes , and what a reward they were .
Harnage, Cound ,Berrington & Condover .

A vista to make a ride . The Wrekin .

Cound Church .
Now Condover Hall looks to be a fine old Country pile but for the modern signage , such is the modern way . On I plodded for a few more miles and tea after a day in the saddle .

 

[Teamfixed]

Very nice Mercian😊

 

[Teamfixed]

Short ride in the sun today. Spinning along doing 19 on 68 fixed with a tailwind.... there's not much better😁😁😁

 

[theloafer]

a nice and easy ride today with karon ... she was more motivated , it was sunny but with a chilly breeze. took the same route as last sat to Barnard castle as she prefers minimal traffic ... called at the Teesdale tearooms for our bacon butty=coffee, we sat outside basking in the sunshine .then i allowed her to pick the way home, our second coffee stop was the fav Eppleby cafe which we found it void of cyclist's and people.. on such a nice day.(possible watching the funeral) ... just short of 44 miles grand days ride