coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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EltonFrog
Legendary Member
I know about Lobby Lud, what has that got to do with potsy whoever he is?
coffeejo
Ælfrēd
- Location
- West Somerset
Bad joke at potsy's expense. Never mind.
Gareth C
Veteran
- Location
- North Pennines.
With Ride London-Surrey 100 ever approaching, I figured I’d better get a representative ride in beforehand. Liz was booked in on a course at The Chrichton in Dumfries, and we had taken the opportunity of a long weekend in Scotland… but neglected to book any accommodation! Our “Plan B” was to stay at a mates place in Lesmahagow (even though she was in Portugal), and we had a lovely day up on the Friday, exploring Kirkcudbright.
On Saturday we landed in Dumfries at The Chrichton, Liz went to her course… and I set off to ride home to County Durham!
The first section along the B-road to Annan and on to Gretna was pan-flat, with a side/tailwind and went along at a rapid pace. Hopefully this will model the run out of London to the Surrey Hills. Gretna was too awful to stop, so just inside England I had a quick break to text Liz on progress and have a piece of her wonderful chocolate brownie.
Next was the flat but depressing section next to the motorway towards Carlisle. Fast, but only yards from the speeding traffic. Soon you turn left/east and head into rural backroads between Longtown and Brampton. This was not pan-flat, but not too far from it, and any downs would get you up the next up, if that makes sense. Absolutely beautiful scenery, and certainly somewhere I’d like to get back to.
Whereas the first section to Gretna had the Solway Firth off in the distance on the right, as I approached the Roman Wall at Gilsland, off in the distance on the right were the North Pennines, and the second half of the ride! Things looked set to get “a bit harder.”
Gilsland was a café stop to refuel, and on to Greenhead and Haltwhistle. Somewhere along the way an annoying knocking noise had developed on the bike. Hmmm, maybe time to get the bike serviced. Later on I spotted it was a broken spoke, and when going slowly up the hills the spoke was moving back and forth through the hole in the hub, making it sound like a dodgy bearing. Once this was wrapped around an adjacent spoke, all was quiet again.
Negotiating the railway line and A69 was a navigational challenge, and the first of the real hills. Crawling up Penmeller Common was painful, but the descent to Bearsbridge in the valley of the River West Allen was enjoyable. However, it was followed immediately by another climb up to Keenley where I stopped to text Liz an update. The descent to Allendale was well-earned, but with a short pull up from the river to the village hurting tired legs. This was probably my lowest ebb on the ride. I stopped for a shandy and crisps at the pub, and had there been any phone service would probably have arranged for Liz to pick me up here on her way back. However, no service, so onwards and upwards (literally) and a climb into the headwind to Allenheads.
On arriving at Allenheads, I knew I just had the brutal climb up to the border with County Durham, beside the ski tows and the highest point of the ride. I rode up after two guys on the coast-to-coast. We had a nice chat near the summit. Psychologically I knew the worst was over: what followed was now a long descent to Rookhope, Stanhope, and then down Weardale following the river (so generally downhill). This gave me a second wind and I was flying again.
From Stanhope I took the back road to Frosterley, where I was obliged to join the main road. This was the worst part of the ride, particularly the last climb up to the A68 where the only close passes of the day occurred.
Once at the A68, a right turn, and a mile down the road and I’m home! Just short of a hundred miles, beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, and hopefully ideal training for a few weeks when I head south for a trip into Surrey!
The following day I felt it would be wise to spin out my legs, so met up with Adam for a mountain biking trip into the forest. Why wouldn’t the aggressive climbs with short bursts of power be just the thing my legs needed after yesterday? Sure enough, it hurt, and the odd section was walked. However, the restorative powers of a roast beef lunch and shandy meant the second major cross-moor climb of the day was completed in better style than the first. Even managed to pick up a few Strava PBs on the red trail on the way back. Luckily Adam had been pushing it on his Saturday ride, so I didn’t even need to persuade him to skip “heart attack hill:” he even suggested it!
Next stop: getting that spoke fixed and an upcoming long weekend of mountain biking in the Lake District!
On Saturday we landed in Dumfries at The Chrichton, Liz went to her course… and I set off to ride home to County Durham!
The first section along the B-road to Annan and on to Gretna was pan-flat, with a side/tailwind and went along at a rapid pace. Hopefully this will model the run out of London to the Surrey Hills. Gretna was too awful to stop, so just inside England I had a quick break to text Liz on progress and have a piece of her wonderful chocolate brownie.
Next was the flat but depressing section next to the motorway towards Carlisle. Fast, but only yards from the speeding traffic. Soon you turn left/east and head into rural backroads between Longtown and Brampton. This was not pan-flat, but not too far from it, and any downs would get you up the next up, if that makes sense. Absolutely beautiful scenery, and certainly somewhere I’d like to get back to.
Whereas the first section to Gretna had the Solway Firth off in the distance on the right, as I approached the Roman Wall at Gilsland, off in the distance on the right were the North Pennines, and the second half of the ride! Things looked set to get “a bit harder.”
Gilsland was a café stop to refuel, and on to Greenhead and Haltwhistle. Somewhere along the way an annoying knocking noise had developed on the bike. Hmmm, maybe time to get the bike serviced. Later on I spotted it was a broken spoke, and when going slowly up the hills the spoke was moving back and forth through the hole in the hub, making it sound like a dodgy bearing. Once this was wrapped around an adjacent spoke, all was quiet again.
Negotiating the railway line and A69 was a navigational challenge, and the first of the real hills. Crawling up Penmeller Common was painful, but the descent to Bearsbridge in the valley of the River West Allen was enjoyable. However, it was followed immediately by another climb up to Keenley where I stopped to text Liz an update. The descent to Allendale was well-earned, but with a short pull up from the river to the village hurting tired legs. This was probably my lowest ebb on the ride. I stopped for a shandy and crisps at the pub, and had there been any phone service would probably have arranged for Liz to pick me up here on her way back. However, no service, so onwards and upwards (literally) and a climb into the headwind to Allenheads.
On arriving at Allenheads, I knew I just had the brutal climb up to the border with County Durham, beside the ski tows and the highest point of the ride. I rode up after two guys on the coast-to-coast. We had a nice chat near the summit. Psychologically I knew the worst was over: what followed was now a long descent to Rookhope, Stanhope, and then down Weardale following the river (so generally downhill). This gave me a second wind and I was flying again.
From Stanhope I took the back road to Frosterley, where I was obliged to join the main road. This was the worst part of the ride, particularly the last climb up to the A68 where the only close passes of the day occurred.
Once at the A68, a right turn, and a mile down the road and I’m home! Just short of a hundred miles, beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, and hopefully ideal training for a few weeks when I head south for a trip into Surrey!
The following day I felt it would be wise to spin out my legs, so met up with Adam for a mountain biking trip into the forest. Why wouldn’t the aggressive climbs with short bursts of power be just the thing my legs needed after yesterday? Sure enough, it hurt, and the odd section was walked. However, the restorative powers of a roast beef lunch and shandy meant the second major cross-moor climb of the day was completed in better style than the first. Even managed to pick up a few Strava PBs on the red trail on the way back. Luckily Adam had been pushing it on his Saturday ride, so I didn’t even need to persuade him to skip “heart attack hill:” he even suggested it!
Next stop: getting that spoke fixed and an upcoming long weekend of mountain biking in the Lake District!
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
Just a quick week night blast from me today.
The sofa was getting increasingly comfortable, but after a day of grey, miserable rain the sun had come out so I decided to get the hybrid out and have a quick scoot around some old off road favourites.
Wood Lane to Scholes, down to the Coronation Tree then the off road mile down Bog Lane and Barrowby Lane through the woods (setting a PB shaving 3 seconds off my previous best
) then along Manston Lane, through Pendas Fields and retrace my steps to home. 5.87 miles, average 11.1 mph 219ft gained and all in just over half an hour.
Even though I'd done much of this route yesterday, todays constant drizzle had made big chunks of it surprisingly muddy, so I was quite pleased with that.
The sofa was getting increasingly comfortable, but after a day of grey, miserable rain the sun had come out so I decided to get the hybrid out and have a quick scoot around some old off road favourites.
Wood Lane to Scholes, down to the Coronation Tree then the off road mile down Bog Lane and Barrowby Lane through the woods (setting a PB shaving 3 seconds off my previous best
) then along Manston Lane, through Pendas Fields and retrace my steps to home. 5.87 miles, average 11.1 mph 219ft gained and all in just over half an hour.Even though I'd done much of this route yesterday, todays constant drizzle had made big chunks of it surprisingly muddy, so I was quite pleased with that.
gavgav
Legendary Member
Can someone please explain how it can possibly be this windy in July?! I thought it had been bad over recent months, but this evening's ride was the worst yet and up there with my windiest ever I reckon. The Met Office forecast this morning said 13mph with no gusts, what it turned out to be was 18-20mph with 30mph gusts 
. Do they have any clue?
I decided to go for a hilly one and set out through the estate, risked my life turning right off the A458 in rush hour and then headed over to Cound. From there I did a reverse of my usual route to Kenley, for the 1st time ever, and boy is it a long climb up to Harnage, before it flattens out for a short while and then ramps it up even more up to the top of Kenley Bank. I paused for a well earned chocolate bar at the top, before enjoying the nice descent down the other side of the bank and then a short steep climb against the ridiculous wind into Acton Burnell. From there I took regular roads back through Pitchford, Cantlop and Betton Abbots, with the wind at it's worst along this part. It was a mixture of headwind and sidewind, with some gusts in exposed gaps threatening to blow me off course.
I was glad to get home having done 21.4 miles with 1016ft of climbing. I was pleasantly surprised to see I had averaged 11.4mph, despite the terrain and wind.
. Do they have any clue?I decided to go for a hilly one and set out through the estate, risked my life turning right off the A458 in rush hour and then headed over to Cound. From there I did a reverse of my usual route to Kenley, for the 1st time ever, and boy is it a long climb up to Harnage, before it flattens out for a short while and then ramps it up even more up to the top of Kenley Bank. I paused for a well earned chocolate bar at the top, before enjoying the nice descent down the other side of the bank and then a short steep climb against the ridiculous wind into Acton Burnell. From there I took regular roads back through Pitchford, Cantlop and Betton Abbots, with the wind at it's worst along this part. It was a mixture of headwind and sidewind, with some gusts in exposed gaps threatening to blow me off course.
I was glad to get home having done 21.4 miles with 1016ft of climbing. I was pleasantly surprised to see I had averaged 11.4mph, despite the terrain and wind.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
A 'My Ride Yesterday' post ...
I am still dithering about ordering the required parts for my new Cannondale CAADX so I have not been riding it much but I decided yesterday to get the dodgy front brake as good as could get it, go out on a ride, and just be careful.
I did a stint on the Rochdale canal towpath, then left that, crossed the A646 and headed up the hill on the opposite side of the valley via Stony Lane and Turret Hall Road, which are really more like dirt tracks than roads. Just the kind of surface that I bought the CAADX for. I got up there ok, but I would like to be using lower gears rather than muscular 'grunt'. Yes, I know, 36/30 is already a pretty low gear but I would greatly prefer a bottom gear of 34/34 or even 34/36, so that is what I am going to put on the bike. For this ride though, I had to use the grunt!
I used to turn left at the top of Turret Hall Lane, and head for Blackshaw Head, but this time I turned right and proceeded along a bridleway which eventually descends to the road down from 'Mytholm Steeps' towards Hebden Bridge.
I only went halfway down, but then turned left up Colden Road, a.k.a. Colden Clough. The gearing was fine for the first part of that. I had already chosen my route and it did not involve going all the way to the top of the bridleway, which emerges opposite the New Delight pub. Instead, I went down to the right on 'Lumb Road'. These are historical names and I'm sure that the reason so many SatNav companies get it wrong is because they assume that something called a 'lane' or a 'road' on an historical map is just that. In fact. many of these rights of way round here are what used to be packhorse trails and they are not really suited to motor traffic.
For instance, here is a photo taken on my ascent of Lumb Road to Lumb Bank near Heptonstall village ...
Not what most people would call a 'road'! Great for the CX bike though. I rode up most of it, but a combination of big rocky outcrops and slight overgearing led to me walking a few short sections.
When I got to the top, I was back onto tarmac. I turned left on Smithwell Lane then followed the road down Draper Lane and Lee Wood Road in the direction of Hebden Bridge. I know a shortcut down Moss Lane into the town which avoids the town centre. HB is always very busy on sunny weekend afternoons, so I took the shortcut. The only problem was that dodgy front brake ... A rough concrete and cobblestone path at 25% is not what you want to descend with poor brakes!
I had the front brake lever pulled to the handlebar but still was not stopping so I locked the back wheel and managed to slow down a bit and hopped off the bike while I still could. No more very steep descents on that bike until the brakes are sorted!
I rode the back way out of town and down to Midgehole and the entrance to Hardcastle Crags, a local National Trust beauty spot. I followed the road round to the right as it climbs past the car parks and soon the tarmac fizzles out and the surface becomes dirt and gravel. I did it once on my road bike but decided not to repeat that experience. Another one ideally suited to the CX bike ...
Halfway up ...
And here is the bike with some nice views in the distance once I had climbed beyond the woods ...
I continued through the hamlet of Walshaw and discovered that some of the rough track has been given a pristine new tarmac surface, ironically better than the roads at the end of it!
A woman on a mountain bike came whizzing downhill as I climbed towards her and a rabbit ran straight in front of her and missed getting run over by only about 3 or 4 inches. Things nearly got messy ...!
I emerged onto Widdop Road, turned left then immediately right onto the bridleway which climbs up past Lower Gorple reservoir. It is a few years since I have been up there. I used to do it a lot on my mountain bike.
There is a short descent to follow, then through a gate onto Edge Lane. That starts off as a rough road but eventually becomes a tarmac lane leading down to the village of Colden. I turned right there and continued home on roads via Jack Bridge, Blackshaw Head, and Great Rock.
So, a nice 22 mile mixed terrain ride on the CX bike.
I was using the minimum recommended tyre pressures of 50 PSI but I think I might risk dropping the front to about 44 PSI and the rear to 48 PSI for a touch more comfort on the rough stuff. I will sort out the new gears and brakes, then take the bike out to show you some more of the local rough-ish stuff!
I am still dithering about ordering the required parts for my new Cannondale CAADX so I have not been riding it much but I decided yesterday to get the dodgy front brake as good as could get it, go out on a ride, and just be careful.
I did a stint on the Rochdale canal towpath, then left that, crossed the A646 and headed up the hill on the opposite side of the valley via Stony Lane and Turret Hall Road, which are really more like dirt tracks than roads. Just the kind of surface that I bought the CAADX for. I got up there ok, but I would like to be using lower gears rather than muscular 'grunt'. Yes, I know, 36/30 is already a pretty low gear but I would greatly prefer a bottom gear of 34/34 or even 34/36, so that is what I am going to put on the bike. For this ride though, I had to use the grunt!
I used to turn left at the top of Turret Hall Lane, and head for Blackshaw Head, but this time I turned right and proceeded along a bridleway which eventually descends to the road down from 'Mytholm Steeps' towards Hebden Bridge.
I only went halfway down, but then turned left up Colden Road, a.k.a. Colden Clough. The gearing was fine for the first part of that. I had already chosen my route and it did not involve going all the way to the top of the bridleway, which emerges opposite the New Delight pub. Instead, I went down to the right on 'Lumb Road'. These are historical names and I'm sure that the reason so many SatNav companies get it wrong is because they assume that something called a 'lane' or a 'road' on an historical map is just that. In fact. many of these rights of way round here are what used to be packhorse trails and they are not really suited to motor traffic.
For instance, here is a photo taken on my ascent of Lumb Road to Lumb Bank near Heptonstall village ...
Not what most people would call a 'road'! Great for the CX bike though. I rode up most of it, but a combination of big rocky outcrops and slight overgearing led to me walking a few short sections.
When I got to the top, I was back onto tarmac. I turned left on Smithwell Lane then followed the road down Draper Lane and Lee Wood Road in the direction of Hebden Bridge. I know a shortcut down Moss Lane into the town which avoids the town centre. HB is always very busy on sunny weekend afternoons, so I took the shortcut. The only problem was that dodgy front brake ... A rough concrete and cobblestone path at 25% is not what you want to descend with poor brakes!
I had the front brake lever pulled to the handlebar but still was not stopping so I locked the back wheel and managed to slow down a bit and hopped off the bike while I still could. No more very steep descents on that bike until the brakes are sorted!
I rode the back way out of town and down to Midgehole and the entrance to Hardcastle Crags, a local National Trust beauty spot. I followed the road round to the right as it climbs past the car parks and soon the tarmac fizzles out and the surface becomes dirt and gravel. I did it once on my road bike but decided not to repeat that experience. Another one ideally suited to the CX bike ...
Halfway up ...
And here is the bike with some nice views in the distance once I had climbed beyond the woods ...
I continued through the hamlet of Walshaw and discovered that some of the rough track has been given a pristine new tarmac surface, ironically better than the roads at the end of it!
A woman on a mountain bike came whizzing downhill as I climbed towards her and a rabbit ran straight in front of her and missed getting run over by only about 3 or 4 inches. Things nearly got messy ...!
I emerged onto Widdop Road, turned left then immediately right onto the bridleway which climbs up past Lower Gorple reservoir. It is a few years since I have been up there. I used to do it a lot on my mountain bike.
There is a short descent to follow, then through a gate onto Edge Lane. That starts off as a rough road but eventually becomes a tarmac lane leading down to the village of Colden. I turned right there and continued home on roads via Jack Bridge, Blackshaw Head, and Great Rock.
So, a nice 22 mile mixed terrain ride on the CX bike.
I was using the minimum recommended tyre pressures of 50 PSI but I think I might risk dropping the front to about 44 PSI and the rear to 48 PSI for a touch more comfort on the rough stuff. I will sort out the new gears and brakes, then take the bike out to show you some more of the local rough-ish stuff!
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
4.3 miles this day, from my workplace to Mrs.GA's workplace. Weather the big news item, with 92F high temp and 72% relative humidity, that makes for a heat index of 114. Very few other riders on trail or commuter lanes,owing to the heat, and with threat of thunderstorms. Schwinn Impact did a nice job of it.
vernon
Harder than Ronnie Pickering
- Location
- Meanwood, Leeds
A forty mile ride from just outside Colville to Ione. About 3000 ft of ascent and a nice six mile descent.
There were several firsts today. It was the first day below 90°F - it never reached 80. It was the first day I drank less than half a gallon of water. I saw my first elk. It rained for the first time by the time I'd descended into warmer air and cycled along the valley I was dry again. It was nice to be soaked through.
My first American rainbow.
The site of a homestead forest clearance preserved since the 1940s
There were several firsts today. It was the first day below 90°F - it never reached 80. It was the first day I drank less than half a gallon of water. I saw my first elk. It rained for the first time by the time I'd descended into warmer air and cycled along the valley I was dry again. It was nice to be soaked through.
My first American rainbow.
The site of a homestead forest clearance preserved since the 1940s
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
mybike
Grumblin at Garmin on the Granny Gear
- Location
- Not 'emel 'empstead
£5 in 1927 would be worth £267 today we are told!
- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
It was a bit breezy wasn't it?Can someone please explain how it can possibly be this windy in July?! I thought it had been bad over recent months, but this evening's ride was the worst yet and up there with my windiest ever I reckon. The Met Office forecast this morning said 13mph with no gusts, what it turned out to be was 18-20mph with 30mph gusts
I decided to go for a hilly one and set out through the estate, risked my life turning right off the A458 in rush hour and then headed over to Cound. From there I did a reverse of my usual route to Kenley, for the 1st time ever, and boy is it a long climb up to Harnage, before it flattens out for a short while and then ramps it up even more up to the top of Kenley Bank. I paused for a well earned chocolate bar at the top, before enjoying the nice descent down the other side of the bank and then a short steep climb against the ridiculous wind into Acton Burnell. From there I took regular roads back through Pitchford, Cantlop and Betton Abbots, with the wind at it's worst along this part. It was a mixture of headwind and sidewind, with some gusts in exposed gaps threatening to blow me off course.
I was glad to get home having done 21.4 miles with 1016ft of climbing. I was pleasantly surprised to see I had averaged 11.4mph, despite the terrain and wind.
Yesterday's commute wasn't the best. A puncture (glass) on the way in then that wind against me all the way home. Much nicer round trip today in an almost dead calm.
Racing roadkill
Guru
Just a short one tonight, to blow the dust off of the hybrid.
Garry A
Calibrating.....
- Location
- Grangemouth
A wee pedal out to the hillfoots today. Lots of shady roads at the foot of the Ochils where lack of sunlight has left them wet and slidey, no fun on a road bike. Lots of happy faces passing on bikes though 
https://www.strava.com/activities/345914835
https://www.strava.com/activities/345914835
Levo-Lon
Guru
I just put the Easton wheels back on my Meta with the big tubless schwable Hans Damph tyres.
quick 4 ish mile rip around the village via every known hole ,hill, gap jump, routy section i could find and its raining.
good fun..needed to clear my fuzzy stormy feeling headache..quite muggy atm
nice in the rain..actually felt refreshing..
quick 4 ish mile rip around the village via every known hole ,hill, gap jump, routy section i could find and its raining.
good fun..needed to clear my fuzzy stormy feeling headache..quite muggy atm
nice in the rain..actually felt refreshing..
