Your ride today....

[theloafer]

popped out for a short ride as the Boss was working from home ... decided to call in to Barnard Castle at my fav café stop for their great bacon butty(as it comes with chips). as its been wet a lot here lately i choose to stay on roads this trip , the off road sections were out of bounds.
usual route out from home a long the cycle path through Shildon and then the short cut i use to the bottom of Brusselton bank up the bank to Royal Oak over the A68 and down to Bolam -Hilton on to the Langton ford road .on to Little Newsham to pick up the A67 into Barnard Castle and the Teesdale café. out of Barnard Castle past the famous Museum then a left turn to the Abbey bridge to cross the river Tees as the Whorlton bridge is still closed (grrrrrrrrrr) and this way you need to use a short section of the A66, though today it was not that bad.
through Thorpe-then Caldwell to Eppleby back through Piercebridge -Walworth-Heighington and down to home . weather was sunny with a chilly wind leggings and full gloves needed ..(winters on it way )
Morning Ride | Ride | Strava 44 sunny miles

i was so tempted to try this as its never been this low for ages ... but backed out very green under that water

 

[Alex321]

New(ish) after work ride for me today. I had ridden it all before, but not put those segments together as one ride.

Started out towards and through Pontyclun, turned right at the roundabout and out to Miskin. Turned right again in Miskin, towards the Llanerch vinyard, but turned right again just before it, and up the hill alongside and through Hensol forest.

At the top, turned to Welsh St Donats, through there and out to the A48, where I turned right, then left at St Hilary.

Down from St Hilary to St Mary Chiurch, then turn right onto St Athan road nack to Cowbridge.

After Cowbridge, out to Aberthin, then fork left to take the back road home rather than staying on the A422.

16.8 miles, at 16.8mph Almost exactly an hour, with 1421 feet of climbing.
https://www.strava.com/activities/6165212737

 

[Old jon]

A bit dark out there this morning, somehow unexpected. And a chance of rain too. But I finally put the new wheels on the fixed yesterday, so it is essential that I take them, and the rest of the bike, out for a ride.

New sprocket to go with the new wheels, and as ever the gearing felt too high. I even stopped and counted the teeth on the thing. All was well of course, so I continued on my way to Holbeck. Out of there on Great Wilson Street and carry straight on through Hunslet, then up the hill to John o’ Gaunts. And down the other side to the Oulton roundabout, which had a heron flying across as I approached. Something I rarely see. Onwards through Mickletown and Methley on the way to Castleford, and across the River Aire at Castleford Bridge.

From there the A656 does a bit of climbing but levels off before reaching Peckfield Bar, where I turned right onto the A63, heading in the direction of Selby. Not going that far, I turned left to go through Micklefield. The Great North Road of times gone by, ride along this to Aberford and turn left onto Cattle Lane. A few lumps along here on the way to Barwick in Elmet and one last rise out of the village on the way towards Scholes.



Turning onto Leeds Road there, soon a right turn to ride to Seacroft and its green. Baileys Lane leads away from that to North Parkway and the descent to Wyke Beck. Cross Easterly Road and through Wyke Beck Woods to the A58. Turn left, it is an easier climb than the previous road has, and Oakwood Clock is next. Down hill now, and across the Aire again, this time at Crown Point Bridge.

A bit of a squiggle through a mostly different bit of Hunslet to the street where I live. The smile had certainly been there since the rain stopped, the wheels and other new stuff worked well for the thirty four miles of riding today, and just over 1500 feet of going up, most of that in the second half of the ride. Most fun ride that was!

The little garthing did the illustrations again,

 

[gavgav]

My early finish day working and so I got out for a longer than normal evening ride. A cloudy and gloomy evening with a strong southerly wind, but extremely mild and I almost wished I’d worn shorts!

That wind was a challenge for the first 4 or 5 miles, with it being a direct and very blustery head on wall to Hook a Gate and Annscroft. I was expecting the same to Plealey, but the hills must have done a good job of sheltering me and it wasn’t too bad at all.

From Plealey I began the stinker of a climb up to Oaks, which is over 350ft of climbing in just over a mile. I paused at the top to enjoy the views and a bird of prey swooping above me in the sky, Red Kite or Buzzard, not sure which?

I then continued on to Pulverbatch, with a short section into the wind on the main road, but then had a lovely downhill and wind assisted 3 miles, to Stapleton, which was also entirely traffic free and meant a good pace could be achieved.

I called in to see dad for half an hour and had a chat, before heading home via Gonsal, where they’ve been erecting some new reflective bollards, to create a gateway effect at the A49 junctions, Condover and Betton Abbots. Wind behind me for a good proportion of that as well.

Had to contend with temporary traffic lights, not far from home, where the Mercedes that had stormed past me in the 30mph speed limit, doing what must have been 50 to 60, was now holding me up over the speed humps, due to risk of grounding

Enjoyable 20.53 miles at 11.6mph avg and 1153ft of climbing

 

[Jenkins]

Another of my occasional trips to just over the Norfolk/Suffolk border for a slow ride around somewhere different from normal. This time I took the 29er having deliberately planned a fairly flat route on some of the rougher back roads & lanes the area has to offer.

I started out from the train station in Diss in sunny weather and lightish and ending up at the pub up the road 3 hours and 41 miles later having done a clockwise route up to Shelfanger, across to Burston & Dickleburgh, down and across a bit to Brockdish.

Then a slow ride into an increasing breeze across to Eye, across the A140 and then up through the picturesque woods around Thornham Magna & Thornham Parva and the open areas of Mellis & Thrandeston and back to Diss. As an end of the month treat I'd given myself plenty of time for a much needed lunch and a few pints of Hobgoblin IPA before heading back to the station for the train home

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Red Kite or Buzzard

Red Kite for sure

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Jules H, Margaret PR and John B were waiting as I rolled up to the meet. We took the route by Strensham and at Woodmancote I peeled off as the others were heading around Bredon Hill. I returned by Dunstall Common managing to get through the closed road barriers at the A38. Then the standard run home adding in the 3 Guarlford Road dodges. 27 smiles

 

[Alex321]

Red Kite for sure

Yep. Look at the forked tail.

It is amazing how they have spread in the last 40 years.

When I met my wife, the ones in the Tregaron area (which is where she was from originally) were the main colony (if that is the right word) in the whole of the UK. Now they are almost common in most of Wales and the borders, with significant numbers in other parts of Britain.

 

[Donger]

Forgive me, for it has been 18 days since my last confession. I mean ride report. A combination of things has kept me off the bike. Mostly a sore knee and the need to stay near the phone to act as an ambulance for my brother if he needs further urgent treatment. Actual ambulances are taking about 8-9 hours to arrive these days, so it is much quicker for me to drive out to Ross-on-Wye and take him in to Cheltenham myself. Anyway, circumstances have changed slightly now, so I'm back on the bike.

Within the first few yards today I could tell why I ended up with a sore knee after my last audax, as my saddle must have slipped a couple of inches. At the end of a long, tiring ride this hadn't been apparent. Must have slid down in little increments, imperceptible at the time, but explaining the dodgy knee and the overworked thighs. It also explained why my rear light had come off, as the seat post slid down, causing the light to press against the reflector beneath it. Funny, straight away today it felt like a clown's bike. Once fixed, my ride was great. Just a standard ride out along the Severn Estuary to Frampton and then back via Fretherne and Framilode, but it felt great to be out there again. Endorphines flowing.

23.2 miles in blustery conditions. Into the wind on the way out, and with a glorious tail wind on the way back. Back in the game.

 

[AndreaJ]

Still warm here but a bit blustery. Shropshire council or whoever it is in charge of fixing roads has suddenly decided that all the roads need fixing now (which has been the case for a long time) so there are road closures everywhere! A route was planned with diversions available.
Set off to Horton, Commonwood and into Loppington turning to Burlton and over the road to Marton. Turned off to Weston Lullingfields and into Baschurch and the first roadworks, there was traffic control on the main road but not the lane joining it so the workmen stopped the traffic for me and I carried on to Stanwardine then down to Bagley. More road closed signs which I took the chance that I could get past and turned off to Tetchill before I found any road works. Turned back to Lee passing more signs then past Whitemere to Spunhill, over the road and up to Colemere passing between the vineyard and sailing club to Lyneal. Through the woods to Pikes End, English Frankton, Brown Heath back into Loppington, Wolverley and turned for home past more road closed signs. 31.7 miles which did look a bit like it might be a 49km ride so a slight detour was added just to make sure 🙂.

Pretty picture of a field full of flowers, not sure what the purple ones are but the yellow dots are little sunflowers.

 

[gavgav]

An after work ride with @Rickshaw Phil and Doug. Even windier than last night, but also even warmer! They’d braved shorts, I should have done, but chickened out.

After yesterdays hilly ride, I fancied something flatter and so suggested we do the loop of Shrewsbury, that we haven’t done for ages and it was agreed.

We began by heading through Sutton Farm and Reabrook, where we had a moment as Phil forgot where we were heading and turned left as I turned right, when we were side by side! We avoided collision, just about!!

We then followed cycle paths up towards Heathgates and knew we were about to turn into the wind, when it blew me slightly sideways, crossing the River Severn bridge.

It was blowing a hoolie into our faces, through Castlefields and along the busy River towpath, into the Quarry, then Porthill. We were back on cycle paths towards Shelton, but had to dismount for some works that had sprung up. 2 chaps down a hole, digging away…..with some signs saying no smoking and a hissing sound coming from down below…….gas leak!

At Shelton we turned down past the Mental Health and Acute Hospitals, before going through the newish estate, where an impatient driver was rather keen to push Phil along and then overtake in between gaps in parked cars, forcing someone coming the other way to perform an abrupt stop, when it was their right of way.

We then followed Mousecroft Lane, to Nobold and enjoyed a wind assisted run back through Meole village, to our departing ways point.

An enjoyable ride in good company, with 12.71 miles on the clock and that takes me past 13,000 miles on Strava, since I took cycling properly up in 2013.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I met Rich B, Neil McK and Jules H in the Green for a wee outing. It was good to see Neil after quite some time. We took to Hook Bank for Queenhill. I parted at The Rampings to head over Longdon Marsh and on to Castlemorton. Then by Brotheridge Green to finish on two of the Guarlford Road dodges. 30 smiles (and I've put 2 days in a row together).

 

[Old jon]

Breezy again, likely to be dry and I fancy taking the Spa out for a ride. Leisurely breakfast, check a few things and off I went.

Breezy indeed, cannot decide where it comes from, but I know where I am going. Holbeck round and then Crown Point Bridge to go across the Aire. A rather large transporter of cars was in the way, so I waited a bit and still reached the end of Regent Street before it. Up the hill to Oakwood, easier riding past Roundhay’s spare gates and then up again on the A58 all the way across the Ring Road.

Red Hall Lane next, and remade Skeltons Lane after that. The first Thorner Lane of the morning goes to Thorner, and so do I. Leave there on Milner Lane, which has a sharp rise and then cuts across the end of another Thorner Lane. Which does not go to Thorner. Stay on Milner Lane until the right turn onto Holme Farm Lane, which carries on to Thorner Lane number three. Despite, or perhaps because of, the number of Thorner Lanes around here, these are great roads to ride on.

Bramham next, turn right onto Paradise Way. Heading south now, into that breeze, all the way to Aberford. Just past most of the village, on the right, is a row of old cottages and a bit of wall to lean the bike on for a photograph. No shot of the cottages, there were some distractingly bright signs scattered about.

Keep going once started again, and turn right at the B1217 to ride around the northern side of Garforth. This is the A642, which goes as far as Wakefield. Much further than my legs want to pedal today, up the climb from the roundabout then downhill happily through Swillington and the crossing of both river, the Aire, and canal, the Aire and Calder. Turn right, go to Woodlesford lock and discover the video camera does not want to play. Shame, I was going to call it ‘Duckery.’

Carry on upstream, cross the canal at Fishponds Lock and see the river over to the right, the river that defines the upstream. Not far now, the Armouries is soon reached and I am back on the road for the final couple of miles to home. Which took the ride’s distance to thirty two miles, put a grin on my face and added thirteen hundred feet of climbing to round off a very pleasant pedal around.

Garthing doodles at a slow speed

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Pretty picture of a field full of flowers, not sure what the purple ones are but the yellow dots are little sunflowers.

Yep - what are those purple ones. They seem to get planted in fields as either a crop or a "fix nutrient" type thing. Puzzled is I.

 

[AndreaJ]

Yep - what are those purple ones. They seem to get planted in fields as either a crop or a "fix nutrient" type thing. Puzzled is I.

There was a field of it last year and it was used for sheep grazing then ploughed in so maybe it is used as a sort of nutrient fixing plant.