Your ride today....

[Saluki]

I am back from a foggy 15.
It was really spooky out there, dim fairy lights on the houses and the water dripping from the trees just breaking that weird quietness there is, in the fog. I was listening to a Zombies. Run! Mission. That possibly didn’t help with the spooky feeling.
Bike is all clean and on his rack, clothes dripping in the bath and I have slippers on and all warm again. Lovely ride and very chuffed to get out.

 

[Mike_P]

The rain stopped earlier than has become the norm with enough what passes as daylight this time of year for a quick 10 mile outing on the ebike to knock off a number of ABC road names. A number of flooded sections of road to avoid presumably due to blocked drains. First stop was the Tap on Tower Street, road name and the pub as the something of note wrapped up together.

Next Union Street where a closed Debenhams is not really a place of note and the only building of note is the Jubliee Car Park

More scenic - Valley Drive with Valley Gardens beyond

Final call was Wetherby Road with the ground of Harrogate Town AFC

 

[gavgav]

A Bank Holiday afternoon ride with @Rickshaw Phil and Doug had been arranged, after the morning rain had finished going through. Cool out there and a brisk South Westerly wind was blowing, but at least we saw a bit of sun, for what seems like the first time in weeks.

I cycled down to meet them and we set off into the wind, through Meole, onto the busier main road to Hook a Gate and Annscroft, then onto the lane to Plealey and Pontesbury.

The short section on the main “A” road, to the turning for the Mary Webb school, wasn’t too bad bar one close overtake from a BMW, but it was nice to get onto the quieter lane and begin the climbing up to Habberley. I wanted to take Doug up some hills, as we keep trying to encourage him to get out more and be ready for our Lake District holiday in February, but it constantly falls on deaf ears……It’s a steady climb up, but then after the village it ramps up with a couple of steep gradient arrow climbs, over towards Huglith Hill and Pulverbatch.

We paused for a rest in a forestry track entrance, where I took a couple of photos.

We then climbed up to the summit of this hill and enjoyed a lovely view over towards the Wrekin, which was bathed in light and meant a snap needed to be taken

The descent into Pulverbatch was welcome and then the short fast descent on the main road, before we joined the wet and muddy lanes up to Wilderley. It’s lovely rolling cycling country up there, with fabulous views and one of my favourite sections in all of Shropshire.

We enjoyed the long and wind assisted descent down to Netley and Dorrington, crossed the A49 fairly easily and then continued onto more familiar ground to Condover, along Lyons Lane and then down to Betton. Just after turning onto the Betton road we came up alongside a beautiful Buzzard, who didn’t seem phased by us at all and it then took off and swooped across our path, up into a tree. A great sight.

We paused at the hen farm, where they have an egg vending machine, to find Christmas had taken it’s toll on the best of us! 😆

We parted ways and I thoroughly enjoyed that, plus Doug did really well. I will be keeping nagging him now to continue!!

Upon arriving home I found that Strava had decided to pause itself again, back where i’d taken the pictures after 10 miles, so missing the remaining 16. Getting fed up with that app and won’t be renewing the subscription next time.

So somewhere near 26 and a bit miles was done, at around 10.6mph avg based on Doug’s GPS

 

[Saluki]

I wanted to get a ride in, during daylight, but it was pelting it down with rain. I don’t mind rain but riding in it is not my favourite thing. I did a Joe Wicks EMOM workout instead then visited my Aunt for the afternoon. Or at least we had planned the afternoon. Her son, who lives at home and is an entitled bully and gets right on my chimes, was there. 35 mins and I got a friend to call with ‘an emergency’ so I could escape.
Rattled by Half an hour with a bully and his mother and his girlfriend being so polite to stop him from kicking off, was quite enough. I took the Genesis out for just 12 miles, in the drizzle, which was enough to calm the jitters. I really do not like being in a situation where a narcissist bully is about to fly of the handle. If I had known that he was home, I would not have gone.

I rode through 2 puddles of a good 30 yards or more, a really nasty mud patch and discovered a lovely cycle path which suddenly stopped and became a gravel trap. I may have missed a sign in the rain and the unlit bit of road. It’s a new path so the sign may not have arrived yet.
I need 23 more miles to finish the year on 3,333. I don’t have time (work) to hit the 3,500 mark.

 

[AndreaJ]

Actually had time for a ride today but needed to sort the slowly deflating front tyre first rather than just pumping it up again and hoping for the best, nice big thorn removed and new tube and I could get moving.
It had finally stopped raining and was brighter than it has been for days. Set off to Loppington passing some large red signs warning it was an animal disease control area( bird flu) and turned off to Lyneal past the woods towards Colemere. Lots of people parked at Colemere going for a walk as I passed going back into Lyneal to turn off to Welshampton, Breadon Heath, Bettisfield and into Northwood. Turned off to Whixall, along Goblins Lane to Waterloo, back into Northwood and home. Much better weather today and even had some sunshine but everywhere is very wet and the roads are filthy, had to hose the mud off the bike as it was even worse than usual. 23.25 miles, lots of people out walking but no other cyclists.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

A couple of rides to report on: Boxing Day: I only had about a couple of hours available for riding so headed round my usual Longnor, Acton Burnell, Harnage, Cound loop. The roads were nice and quiet traffic-wise but I don't think I've seen so many people out walking along the lanes since the last lockdown - hardly anyone else cycling though. It had been rather wet overnight so I had numerous minor floods to splash through.

A small irritation was caused between Frodesley and Acton Burnell when a Tesla Model X overtook, with the driver squeezing through at a narrow point of the road. Waiting a mere five to ten seconds would have brought us to a bit where the road widens and they could have passed much more easily.

After passing through Cound (a flag with a snow scene and "Merry Christmas" on flying today) I thought I'd risk going up to the A458 and finding it fairly quiet I stayed on it into Cross Houses before turning towards Berrington then making my return to Condover and home via the A49.

24 miles at 13.5 mph average. I misjudged the layers, finding it to be milder than anticipated.

Between Ryton and Longnor, a bit of a water splash to negotiate. One of many this time.

The sun is trying to break through the cloud obscuring the top of Caer Caradoc.

At Condover.

Today: Gav has already beaten me to it as usual. Our timing was good at the start of the ride - arriving at the meeting point just moments before Gav. Then it was out of town through Meole Brace and along the road through Hook A Gate and Annscroft. We had a headwind through Plealey which slowed things and I dropped back to take a photo requiring a bit of an effort to catch up.

Once past the main road section we headed past the school and skirted the edge of the village (youngster riding no-hands coming in the opposite direction - I used to be able to do that. Not sure what happened in the mean time. ). The proper climbing of the day starts with a steady drag up to Habberley then, after a bit of flat through and just after the village, it ramps up on the way to Pulverbatch with two steep climbs, the first of which starts long and steady then gets steep towards the end and the second which is short but sharp. i was quite pleased that Doug managed both of these pretty well.

The section from Pulverbatch through Wilderley undulating as always but gives nice views and tends not to have much traffic, if any, on it. This time there were a couple of vehicles being loaded with sheep just before Wilderley Hall - it seemed to me that it would have been pretty tight to get past the two of them if we had been in a motor vehicle.

The descent through Netley to Dorrington is always enjoyable and there were only about three vehicles on the A49 making crossing it very easy. It wasnt easy to tell which way the wind was coming from on the way to Condover but along Lyons Lane it felt like it was more of a help than a hindrance. Gav has mentioned the buzzard which completely ignored us riding close by. I stopped to try and grab a photo but it wasn't having that so swooped off and along the road ahead of Gav and Doug before alighting in a tree.

Getting to Weeping Cross we found the traffic busier than we are used to when riding this way and a little more impatient. At one point a vehicle came past us doing about 40 in a 30 limit - I saw the brake lights come on just as the car passed me (at the back of the group) when the driver realised there was a speed ramp ahead and it was beside Gav when the crunch came as the suspension bottomed out.

26.2 miles by the time I got back at 10.7 mph average. It turns out this is Doug's longest ride of the year so I think he did really well with it being a hilly one.

Quite a moody sky on the way to Pontesbury. Shame it hasn't really captured the light on the distant hills that had drawn my eye.

The Wrekin catches a break in the clouds.

Doug and Gav at the top of the second steep climb on this ride.

 

[mpemburn]

One of my favorites today: Down to the Susquehanna River State Park and out on a pretty decent climb. 25 miles under cloudy skies and and temps in the mid-40’s F (~ 7°C).

 

[chriswoody]

After the wonderful blue skies and subzero temperatures of Christmas day, it was back to grey skies and 6 degrees. I'm still on holiday, so was able to find some time this morning to get out into the forest and go for a quick ride. The ride started well, out on the quiet lanes, past the pig farm on towards the glider school. After 7km I leave the road and head into the forest. The tracks are pock marked with large puddles, still partially frozen from the sub zero temperatures of the last week.

The puddles are deceptive, what appears to be water is often mostly still frozen and hitting them at speed results in some interesting moments. The only colour on this drab grey day comes from the moss that clings to all of the trees all around, testament to the damp and ever wet nature of the forest.

As I wind ever further north, the ground is a mix of mud and ice, the sands at Wildech are still partially frozen and not too tricky to negotiate. However, the lack of grip from the mud and ice is testing my bike control skills and I'm enjoying every minute.

My back brake is starting to bind, probably sticky pistons but there's not much I can do on the trail. The constant scraping noise of the pads on the disc is bad enough, but worse is the energy sapping friction, couple with the glutinous mud it's hard going. After 15km, I turn to the east and head off towards Reberllah. This track is normally a Wald Autobahn and quite quick, today though, weaving between the icy puddles and negotiating the mud, not to mention the binding brake, it's a ponderous section to ride.

After a few kilometres I hit the road that leads into Reberllah and a few turns takes me back out and into the forest on the other side. Again it's a slow ride as I weave around and grind out the kilometres. Stopping for a quick snack and a drink, I drink in the solitude of the forest. It's so quiet and still out here, there is the occasional sound of dripping water from the trees and a few birds are chirping merrily, aside from that the solitude is absolute.

There is a dank mist in the air and it takes a while for me to realise that it's changed into rain and whilst not heavy, it's still making me wet. The brake has stopped binding for now and a quick exploratory pull on the lever demonstrates why, there appears to be no pad left to bite! oh well no stress, we'll have to look later, for now I need to remember to keep to the front brake only.

The last kilometres lie ahead now and soon I'm free of the forest and fields are to my left. The fog is really thick now and lending quite an atmosphere to the ride.

A last section of muddy path through the edge of forest is great fun, the bike sliding this way and that, barely any control as I fight to keep upright and in a semi forward direction. There is only soft grass and mud to fall on if it all goes wrong, so for the moment it's just great fun to mess around and develop my bike control. Then all too soon, I'm onto the last stretch of tarmac and the last couple of kilometres home, it's really raining now and the bike is absolutely plastered in mud. I roll back into the garden after 35km, not a massive distance, but great fun and just a joy to be out. I treat the bike to a quick hose down to get the worst of the mud off, then head in. I need to check the rear brake out, but for now it's hot shower and coffee time.

 

[Landsurfer]

Short and flat ... but a joyous ride.
7 weeks ago I had Transient Global Amnesia event while out cycling, I’ve recovered but the investigations showed long term heart disease and dangerously high blood pressure .... taking the meds ...
And cycling again ...
Plan is to ride every other day, getting longer each week, until i’m back to my 50 mile days again .... and see how we go from there ...
It was so nice to clip in this morning !!
8.6 miles, 30m of ascent, just under an hour.

 

[Spiderweb]

First ride for 6 weeks!
Out on the Paul Hewitt at 11am for my regular loop. 15° at the end of December, how mad is that! Had to take my gloves of in an attempt to cool down, got my top half clothing completely wrong, far too warm.
26.9 miles with an average of 14.4 mph, felt really sluggish, my fitness seems to have disappeared ☹️

 

[Landsurfer]

First ride for 6 weeks!
Out on the Paul Hewitt at 11am for my regular loop. 15° at the end of December, how mad is that! Had to take my gloves of in an attempt to cool down, got my top half clothing completely wrong, far too warm.
26.9 miles with an average of 14.4 mph, felt really sluggish, my fitness seems to have disappeared ☹

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I started off with a long sleeve thermal, a summer cycling jersey and a fleece ... with full finger gloves ... after 2 miles i was wearing the summer jersey and track mitts !! Oh and shorts ... I wear shorts all year round ...

 

[Old jon]

Warmth was promised, and delivered! Though the decision had been made earlier, too long since the last ride, need to turn those pedals a bit. The original thought had been to ride the fixed, but the route that appealed most made me choose the Spa.

And off I pedalled. Down the road to Jack Lane, turn right at the terracotta library and soon find the towpath. Travel west as far as Viaduct Road then ride up the hill to Headingley. More up, crossing the Ring Road on the way to Lawnswood, and a thought provoking sight. Why would a fire engine be parked outside the crematorium? Countless answers are available, of course. I rode on. Turn right, through Adel on the way to the climb up the eastern side of Golden Acre Park and then down Kings Road to Bramhope.

Turn right, pass the puritan chapel on the way to the Dyneley Arms and the swift descent to Pool. Straight through the village and cross the Wharfe, shortly after that turn left to head towards Leathley. The valley is wide here and the view of the southern side was not veiled by rain, a bit of a change. Another left turn to cross the River Washburn and then the climb to Farnley, and a stop for a pic of the bike leaning against what I think is the gatehouse of Farnley Hall.

The intention was to have videoed the descent into Otley. Camera informed me the SD card was full, which did not slow me down at all. But I cannot prove it. A munch stop at Wharfemeadows Park, the river was sort of high. Back across the river, first time riding roughly south and the sun was a bit of a nuisance, until Leeds Road started climbing up the hill. Which felt like a lot of up this morning, I must have been tiring a bit.

But once the top was reached, tiredness vanished. Back through Bramhope and stay on the A660 all the way back, and down, to Headingley. More descent to Kirkstall and it seemed the mist of yesterday had returned. Mist does not have lumps, have to call it rainfall. Back to the towpath now, and by the time I reached Armley Mills the rain had stopped. Sort of busy along the way now, all the way to Office Lock, but easy riding and I was in no hurry.

Through Hunslet, nothing much has changed along there, then the U turn to reach Leathley Road (not the Leathley I rode towards earlier) and I am almost home. Thirty two miles this morning, and more than 1800 feet of going up. A pretty good ride, though maybe the legs say otherwise.

lefts and rights and ups and downs

 

[13 rider]

Well done @Landsurfer take it steady you will get there

 

[Spiderweb]

Out on the Hewitt Chiltern at 10.45am. Same ride as yesterday, another 15° but really windy, not great in the flatlands.
26.65 miles with an average of 14.3mph, really struggled, my fitness has disappeared ☹️

 

[jongooligan]

Mist does not have lumps, have to call it rainfall.

Never rains in Yorkshire does it? At least that's what I been telling my family for the last 30 odd years since I moved up to Co. Durham. If there's precipitation when we're down home I always pass it off as, "just a bit of wet fog."