Your ride today....

[bluenotebob]

At last – at long last – some decent cycling weather. The first half of July here was unseasonably cold and wet – I’ve been out every day on one of my bikes but I’ve not particularly enjoyed it. It was much warmer yesterday, despite a stiff NW wind and I contrived a 52km ride .. unplanned but I just kept going until I’d got over the 50km mark.

Same weather today, so I did plan a 50+km ride. Essentially a loop out to the NW, followed by a wind-borne easy ride S to Loyat (with a quick visit to the chateau). 14km up the Voie Verte to Mauron, then a climb up to Les Fossées (against the wind but in the lea) then a descent to Pont Ruelland .. also against the wind and slower going down than the ascent had been. A gentle ride home from Pont Ruelland with the trees on the roadside giving some protection from the wind.

58km in just over 3 hours

The road to Crétudel with the wind-turbines at St Malo-des-Trois Fontaines in the background

The château at Loyat

The old bridge at Loyat

 

[DCBassman]

I think we need a CycleChat (Cornwall chapter) meet up and ride in September. We go at the pace of the least fastest...

Totally up for that. Even though I'm in Devon! But not by much...

 

[AndreaJ]

Was actually yesterday’s ride but I have internet problems again☹️ and don’t get 4G or even 3G here! Set off to Wem as I needed to call in at work to sort a couple of things, got that done fairly quickly and carried on to Tilley through to Loppington. Turned right at the crossroads to Burlton then over the road to Marton where I turned to Myddlewood, Fennemere and Eyton, crossed the railway to get to Baschurch . Over the crossroads to Weston Lullingfields, Bagley, Lee and into Ellesmere, through the one way system with a bit of pedestrian dodging required then up Swan Hill to Coptiviney timing it just right to avoid the silage contractors with one just turning into the field and the next one not quite ready to go. Into Welshampton staying on the main road to Northwood before turning off towards home. Very hot and surprisingly windy in places. 34.4 miles and some much needed thinking time. I have noticed the number of idiots on the roads is starting to creep up again with a couple of pointless overtaking moves in daft places.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Insane evening ride through the peak with four of us led by a pal.

For those who know the Peak, feat. Brickworks (both ways) Windgather rocks, Goyt valley, Earl Sterndale, Monyash, Ashton in the Water, Monsal Head, Cressbrook, Tideswell, Doveholes, Coombes, Whaley Bridge.

Amazing weather, perfect scenery, very happy but utterly banjaxed.

100k, 2100m climbing.

Monsal Head:

 

[delb0y]

Hardly getting out these days at all - so busy with life, what with one thing and another. But today I woke early and so did a loop of the lanes at 5:30 am. My favourite time of the day. I wish I'd taken a camera as the mist over the fields and river was spectacular. Might try and do this more often as evenings and weekends are chocka with other stuff at the moment.

 

[Spiderweb]

Out on the Tricross for a ride to Prologue Cycles Harrogate for early lunch, wow it was warm in North Yorkshire today, must have lost a couple of kilos in sweat!
45.42 miles with an average of 15.1 mph, back home in time to watch Cav in the TDF.

 

[DCBassman]

Another bowl out on the mixte. Thought I'd try what I mentioned and see if I could add a short loop from Clearbrook CP on to the NCN further down. It added a whole mile!
Took the required right turn, and started to freewheel. It got faster and faster until I reached the previous turnaround point. Slow for the bend, and there's a cattle grid, and it's steepening all the time. Past the grid, the road surface deteriorates markedly, with some serious potholes. And yet steeper still! Glad I chose this way around. Eventually comes alongside the trail again, but disappointingly still north of the Shaugh tunnel.
Back up through Clearbrook, and sit for a drink with quite a large herd of ponies. Then away home arriving before midday. Usuall I don't set out until 11 or so, but things to do, etc...
Stats:

Very warm, and eventually very busy on the trail, both walkers and cyclists.

 

[gavgav]

Out after work, in the very warm and Sunny early evening, but still a keen wind from the North. That was behind me and made for a fairly quick run through Meole, Hook a Gate and Annscroft. I was heading to dads, to check up on him, after a short spell in hospital for an operation this week. He’s doing ok, but quite sore and pretty exhausted from lack of sleep.

Route home, mostly battling into the wind, was via Gonsal, Condover, and Betton Abbots. Traffic was busy, with it being Friday rush hour, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good the driving was, which was nice after a recent number of really bad examples.

14.88 miles at 13.0mph avg.

 

[Mburton1993]

Didn't lose my phone this time which was nice, as was the ride, quite warm.

 

[Old jon]

A bright morning again, and the promise of hotter later. Which, for me, makes it a good idea to be back sooner. So off I went, on the fixed, at early o’ clock.

Very quiet on the roads, no complaint about that. Cross the river on Crown Point Bridge and make my way up to Oakwood. Passing the spare park gates I almost changed my mind about riding up Boot Hill but I am that slow at thinking I had passed the turn off. So the usual way it was. All the way on the A58 to Carr Lane, which is the new normal way to Thorner, temporary version.

Church Hill, out of Thorner, was a bit steeper than I remember it. The road then trends gently downhill for a while, surrounded by summer colours in the fields on both sides. Even the woodlands in Wothersome dip were summery today. But that little climb out was a pull. Bramham next, a right turn to head south (ish) towards Bramham Crossroads. The map does not call it that any more, it seems, but Crossroads Farm is still there. Looking derelict. Negotiate that roundabout and continue pedalling south to Aberford.



Straight on to the B1217, turn right there to go to Garforth. Things are warming up now, the climb past the hotel on the way to Swillington always makes a sweat. But Swillington is downhill in this direction. Back across the River Aire before reaching Woodlesford, and cross the Aire and Calder Canal too. Then turn right, I am riding the last but one lap of the trip beside and between these two waterways. The surfaced towpath (?) swaps from side to side of the canal. Yep, it is a towpath, originally. The canal was started in 1699. Although, sometime in the late 1980s I did some work for the Silver Gain, a sailing barge. Not much room to tack on a canal, so aye, they needed a towpath.

Back to cycling. And even though I am travelling upriver, it does not feel uphill. Except that flight of steps to the top of Skelton Bridge. Cannot ride up them. Nearly home though, I resisted the temptation to take a short cut through Hunslet, went all the way to the Armouries, the other end of Hunslet, before returning to the road. And then home. A big smile for a shortish ride, the elevation gain, hmmm, it could have been 1234 feet. But it was not. Thirty one miles and 1342 feet. And a sense of satisfaction too.

The way around I went, and the achey legs stuff . . .

 

[cyberknight]

Just over 60 miles today solo to the coffee cabin in tywcross, to hot at the end so i had to slow it down and i got indegestion after the cake stop so was having to let air out both ends
BB still creaking terribly after a few miles so i have just taken it to a good LBS to have a look, still managed 61 miles at 17.6 avg

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Just over 60 miles today solo to the coffee cabin in tywcross, to hot at the end so i had to slow it down and i got indegestion after the cake stop so was having to let air out both ends
BB still creaking terribly after a few miles so i have just taken it to a good LBS to have a look, still managed 61 miles at 17.6 avg

View attachment 599528 View attachment 599529

I was going to the coffee barn today, but got there before it opened and there were a queue of people already forming, so I skipped it.

 

[cyberknight]

I was going to the coffee barn today, but got there before it opened and there were a queue of people already forming, so I skipped it.

i was going to be earlier but CBA to get going at 7 am , was bloody hot by midday

 

[Supersuperleeds]

i was going to be earlier but CBA to get going at 7 am , was bloody hot by midday

Out the door before 7 and home before 11

 

[cyberknight]

Out the door before 7 and home before 11

all week i have been on the road by 4.20 am, i fancied a lie in