Your ride today....

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Ian H

Ancient randonneur
I am down near Crediton (in the Exeter area) visiting my sister and I managed to sneak away yesterday to get a decent ride in. I wanted to do a metric century for my 'Lunacy Challenge'. I also wanted to explore a loop taking in Black Dog (which doesn't look as depressing as it sounds) and Littleborough (which is nothing like the one we have down the road from where I live, in Todmorden)! It struck me that the loop is almost 50 km so I could just do it twice and make up the missing distance round some local lanes, so that is what I set out to do.

The loop!

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The forecast was for warm sunshine, and a fairly brisk, gusty breeze which would give a 'feels like' temperature of 17-19 C. The wind forecast was accurate but I swear that temperatures were 4 or 5 degrees higher than I was expecting. I had gone out with a long-sleeved light base layer, jersey, and gilet on. I stopped after a couple of hours and took the jersey off.

I liked the route. Most of it avoided the really narrow, high-hedged Devon lanes which can be quite frustrating (no views and problems with traffic needing to get by). This was more like it...!

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I am not really riding enough to get properly fit so the ride felt tougher than it should have done. There were some very tough little ramps which hurt my legs, so much so that I felt tempted to wimp out after the first loop, especially because by then I knew exactly how many of those tough ramps there were! I toughed it out though and got on with loop #2 without stopping for a break at the end of loop #1, which had been been my original intention. I waited until after passing through Black Dog the second time.

One steep ramp got me on loop #2. It didn't even register with me first time round, but my back was aching so I hopped off and walked the top section of it the second time. I had a few drivers go by smiling as they passed me and I gave them a theatrical 'Aargh, what is THIS!' look. All in fun of course... I am used to steep hills in Yorkshire, but I am not particularly good at climbing them!

I was thinking back to how I was 16 years ago when I did The Other Fleet Moss Randonee at just over 20 km/hr including stops. IIRC, that had about 2,200 m of ascent in 200 km. Yesterday, I did 100 km with 1,650 m of ascent but only managed 13.5 km/hr! Advancing age doesn't help, and neither does having had 2 bouts of serious lung problems, but I'm sure that much of the problem is due to lack of kms in the legs - verdict: Must Try Harder!

PS @Ian H - I haven't forgotten that we said we would get together and organise a forum ride down here some time... I just want to get back to a better level of fitness for it! Maybe next spring or summer?
It looks like you found some of the hills. Black Dog is indeed pronounced Black Dog, as a friend who claims to have been born there will confirm. Crediton on the other hand is Kirton (thus spelt, but pronounced with a glottal stop) to the locals.
Shout when you're down next.
 

Scotchlovingcylist

Formerly known as Speedfreak
Todays ride was my first decent one, barring a few commutes, since C2C nearly 2 months ago.
Had a saddle sore than became an abscess and some nerve damage in my hands that has only just gone away (cyclists palsy I believe its called) so have been resting up.
Planned 50 miles but just wasn't feeling it so after a stop for lunch cut it short to make 36.
Little annoyed with myself as I now wish I'd pushed on but I'm not 100% still and have had 3 hard, long days at work and another 3 after today, which i think also contributed to my lack of motivation so I'll call it a mental health recovery ride :rolleyes:.
I've also had lots on in my personal life and a couple of holidays so have lost alot of fitness which I'll also blame and attempt to undo in the coming months. Just going to enjoy the social side of cycling for the rest of the year now and continue to commute through winter as much as I can as my main goals.

Not many pics taken but had a lovely sandwich in Patrington

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geocycle

Legendary Member
Lovely weather for a bike ride. Headed north to the Howgills and the road along the ridge to Fox’s Pulpet. Fabulous views to the Pennines and across to the lakes. The location gets its name from George Fox, founder of the Quakers who gave a service there in a natural hollow. Great bird watching with wheatear, flocks of meadow pippet, curlew and lots of raptors. Steep descent to the main road but was then thwarted by a road closed sign. Re routed to Sedbergh which was having an art market. Followed the tiny road across the mouth of Dentdale where I encountered a real life fox trotting ahead of me. Then back home via Kirby Lonsdale. 101 km or 63 miles with 1437 m of climbing.

pictures of Howgills and bike contemplating descent down from Fox’s Pulpet.

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Mr Celine

Discordian
After an enjoyable and uneventful 100km last Sunday I went for an imperial ton today. Not helped by the FD throwing a wobbly and chucking the chain off whenever I put it into the granny ring, which I needed a fair bit due to some horrendous hills. Also developed cramp after 105km and had to take it easy after that.

I was expecting budha, which is just as well as otherwise I'd have thought I was hallucinating.
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As I was approaching the entrance to the tibetan temple two BMW wankpanzers turned into the car park. The irony! Two examples of pointless consumerism visiting a Budhist temple!

On the way I'd crossed over Langholm moor, 10 miles of nothing except extremely steep hills at either end.

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And I'd also passed Thomas Telford's birthplace. Probably spinning in his grave at the state of the local road surfaces.
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The map-
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101.3 miles @ 14.4 mph. 2009 metres ascent.
 

chriswoody

Legendary Member
Location
Northern Germany
Well the weather has finally broken after weeks of temperatures of around 30 degrees a big thunderstorm last night cleared the air and today was grey and overcast, but still a muggy 22 degrees. I decided to head out on the new Sonder and try to find some nice single track trails in the woods. I headed out north on the country lanes before diving into the woods. The upright position on the mountain bike, meant I was catching the stiff headwind and the going was a bit of a grind. I was soon over the glider school and into the shelter of the forest. The unending drought has left the forest floor immensely dry and sandy, the bike is skitting around bouncing off of all the ruts in the trail.

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The trail turns to gravel once more and I'm making good ground, the heather is in bloom and there is an abundance of berries of all types adorning the trees and scrub around me.

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I'm soon back to sand and for a while I'm fighting the bike as I dig into deep drifts of the stuff, I feel like I'm trying to ride on a beach, just the absence of the sea breaks the illusion. The forest here is all Silver Birch and Scotts pine, whilst only a semi natural forest it is fairly pleasant to look at. I'm soon hitting a junction though and swinging back south onto a nice single track trail, this time in a deep forest of Sitka Spruce, planted in regimented rows.

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The trail here is lovely, a nice flowing piece of single track with some gentle dips and turns. I'm still getting used to the bike and what It's capable of, but so far it's proving a lovely bike to ride. Before long it's time for a quick break under the canopy and a quick flapjack.

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The trail breaks cover for a short while now and we are riding across large patches of clearings, this is an area I'd not visited in a while, the last time I was here it was badly churned up by the forestry workers, today though it was dry and dusty, most of the scars have healed.

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Several kilometres later and I'm onto the stark gravel roads that break free of the forest and wind their way between fields of corn that is close to being harvested. Other fields are looking parched and dry, sunflowers in amongst them are looking weak and forlorn.

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My route has been quite a meandering affair, linking up many of the roughest and remote trails in my local forests and now I'm entering the last wood with some lovely single track with even a short downhill section, a rarity in my part of the world. The forest soon closes in and before long I'm staring down the lovely single track that weaves its way between the spruce.

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All to soon it's over and the last kilometres are ahead, a mix of dusty trails on the edge of small copses and next to dry looking fields and all to soon it's over as I turn into my garden dusty and tired after a lovely late summer ride. 42 kilometres in total today and I'm slowly getting more comfortable on the bike.
 

gavgav

Legendary Member
My first Saturday morning Shropshire ride in what feels like ages. My mate Paul was going to join me, but some devastating family news meant he wasn’t feeling up to it, very sadly.

It was cloudy and almost a bit cool when I set off along the old railway path and up the cycle paths to Heathgates. The sun soon came out though and that really warmed things up instantly. It did threaten to rain for a few minutes but didn’t come to much thankfully. I Encountered a woman parked completely blocking the cycle path on Whitchurch Rd, so shouted at her to inform her, which made her jump when she looked up from her phone. I don’t expect she moved though 🙄

I then joined the old canal path to Uffington, with a “cycle well” greeting from a very friendly group of walkers. It was then out on the roads to Upton Magna and a climb up East Haughmond.

The descent to Somerwood and Rodington Heath was good fun as always, followed by the bumpy lane back around to Upton Magna. The Pelham Road was completely traffic free, for a change and the rat run to Atcham was also quiet. I crossed the old bridge, where there were a few playing in the river, before taking the hillier route up via Chilton, to King St and then back home via Betton Abbots.

I’d chosen the Gravel bike today and when we were up in Wales recently I’d noticed a squeaking noise starting. Well today it started to get worse and got more progressively noisy as the ride went on, turning into a screeching noise, which sounded like I had geese following me. I’d narrowed it down to the rear wheel somewhere and so did some fettling when I got home, but with no luck in sorting. I think it may be the back brakes causing a problem, as the noise goes away when pulling the rear brake on slightly, but it’s beaten me, so needs @Rickshaw Phil to have a look.

An enjoyable ride that, with 21.29 miles covered at 12.5mph avg
 
First ride for a while and I managed..... 1.25 miles lol Explanation incomming....

Went to Gisburn Forest for some MTB action, met a friend who was very excited to be riding together again. Unfortunately I made a schoolboy error and shifted gears under load and damaged my chain, ok not a disaster back to the centre to try and fix. Unfortunately when I tried riding it it was broken worse than I though, got stuck in the rear derailier and ripped the whole thing off! Snapped my mech hanger clean in two.

Good news is I think I can repair this myself, but not in time to ride it again this BH weekend. So I'm going back tomorrow on the other bike which is none suspension, have to stick to the Green/Blue trails as the other stuck is too rocky for it.

Zoom in on the picture below to see the damage....
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Oldhippy

Cynical idealist
Photo Winner
rt trip out to Durham almost got lost in the university woodland area looking for some sculptures and artwork.. but had a blast ...

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View attachment 658661 and also i had a tumble on the way there road rash and hurt pride View attachment 658662

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Love the sculpture of the mushrooms.
 
Back to Gusburn Forest after yesterday's mishap with broken bikes.

No hire bike available so used my none suspension bike. It's a Giant Toughroad SLR and supposed to be ok on this, and it mostly was.

Did the Blue trail only, with some Red. My friend on his full suspension locked his suspension out of sympathy for me (lasted about 1/2 mile lol) .
 

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Hacienda71

Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
Took a ride up to Ladybower via Rushup past Mam Tor and down Winnats to see how low the water is. Then headed back over the Snake Pass and back via Marple Bridge. Just over 100k and a few hills. Only really spoilt by a small percentage of motorcycles and high performance cars on the Snake whose driving was really very substandard.
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GeekDadZoid

Über Member
Really wasn't feeling it last night and early this morning. Every route I planned in my head I second guessed myself a few minutes later with reasons I didn't want to do it. This partly as I had a pretty much free day as the rest of the family where busy, so I didn't have my usual deadline.

Anyway headed out the door at 0815 with a packed lunch, my bike and no plan. First off I headed through the City Centre and up to Swinton to the cemetery where my Dad is buried, had a late breakfast there and then headed for the Leigh Guided Bus Way. Dropped down to Chat Moss and traversed that on the fab gravel style roads.

I hoped to use the Hulme Ferry but it didn't open till 12 so headed back to Irlam/Flixton locks and headed to Carrington, quick fly by the Manchester United training ground which is a fab cut through as it's a private road in good repair. Then it was over to Altrincham and down the 556 to Rostherne where I headed into Tatton Park and grabbed an ice-cream.

From Knutsford I headed to Mobberley where I visited my Grandads grave and then headed to Wilmslow. Stopping near Woodford for a drink at a pub, I headed back through Adlington, Poynton and via the new cyclepath / pump track from Hazel Grove to Bramall I cut home.

Ended up doing 110 km my longest ride ever.

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