Your ride today....

[Hill Wimp]

Tuesday saw us head down to Liege through Flanders fields quite literally. The weather was warmer but overcast and very showery but if it had been better the ride would have been stunning.

We booked a budget Ibis on the outskirts of Liege which was 73 Euros for 2 in a triple room. They let us keep the bikes in the room which was neat and clean and i would not hesitate to recommend it.

We decided to hit Liege after we arrived which was a barnstorming 4k downhill much on cobbles.
My personal opinion of Liege is that if its on your list of places to see then cross it off. I am no stranger to the less than salubrious streets of London in the early hours so have a awareness and appreciation of the not so nice side of life. Liege is an armpit and one i would not wish to stay in longer than i did.

Thankfully Wednesday morning dawned and we were leaving Liege behind. We were soon out riding through fields of gold,purples and greens listening to skylarks. We were on our way to our b&b just outside Wanze.

and even a field full off narbis which i am convinced was the community field as small patches were missing

The ride to the b&b was hilly with a lovely

drop at the end of the driveway which we had to climb after a rather lovely late lunch.
Chimay and armagnac may have featured as a self congratulatory treat for the freeking hills.

Tomorrow downhill to Namur.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Today's ride started with a phone call from my cycling partner. She was on route, but her pedals were going around of their own accord but the chain was still on. Not good news. Her bike is on its last legs as it is, so this is terminal. I told her to start walking home. There was nothing I could do for her even if I came out to her with tools. Even whilst she was on the phone to me she was constantly being stopped by car drivers and other cyclists all checking on her to see of she was ok. She was a touch surprised having never really encountered this before.

So that meant I was on my own and I could get out. So the question became where to go and what to do. Off to find some hills and sunshine I think. I stopped half way around to put sunblock on. SF30 was needed I was burning! I was coming across loads of cyclists out enjoying the sunshine and eventually came across 2 tourers one on a Thorn... we cycled along talking to each other for a while until my route departed from theirs. They were apparently trying to avoid all the hills . I hadn't the heart to tell them that they had managed to include just about all of them in this area!

Anyhow, it was a really nice day out in the sunshine. Fantastic views of the Northern Welsh Mountains and later on over the Cheshire Plains and of the Pennines. Just the 1 photo for you, looking west to wards Chester and the Welsh Mountains. It really does not demonstrate how good the weather was today, but the numbers of cyclists out said it all.

Oh and a word of warning to you all. The Hedge Cutting Season has started in Cheshire. Bring your kits with extras...

https://www.strava.com/activities/346551080 not very fast and strava has robbed me of at least 150m of climbing! humph Oh well. It was a great ride and a shame it had to end, but my legs were dead and I needed lunch!

 

[mybike]

My other half and I had been wanting to go out for a ride, especially since I'd just fitted her new saddle. The story of the saddle is told elsewhere https://www.cyclechat.net/posts/3769902/

The weather cleared up a bit so we decided to try for a short ride, in good part because she wasn't feeling well. We managed 2 or 3 miles until she really felt too ill to go further and the saddle wasn't quite right, it could be she'd grown used to the other of course. so we headed back. Since I felt fine and she was happy to do last part alone I carried on cycling along the canal while she took the short road route home.

I thought I'd take some photos to show you lot who cycle on that stuff called tarmac why I like soft tyres & a bit of suspension. Just level with my front wheel is a lump of concrete, sticking up Uluru like, this one's quite small

It's surprising how near you can get to the town centre and still feel quite rural, as long as you're deaf.

Just a littl further along the bank, taken from the same spot.

The geese were unfriendly, not that I feel friendly towards them, they didn't want their photos taken. There are further lumps of concrete along this stretch. I've been told by someone who has lived in the area for some time that in her youth the tow path was much worse and collapsing into the canal in a number of places. So maybe we shouldn't complain.

The moor is used for grazing and these were contributing their own rush hour. You can just see some of the railway infrastructure between the trees. Now that might make a good cycle path.

At this point I thought I'd done about five miles out, I'd done five miles but it was less than five miles home, so I turned around.

Curiously these swans didn't want their young photographed either. This fashion of protecting children from being photographed is spreading.

Likewise these ducklings headed for the overhang of the bank as soon as I arrived.

As I neared home I realised I was going to be short of the 10mile minimum I wanted to do so I carried on for a bit, back beyond where we'd previously turned round. All in all an enjoyable ride, chatting to other cyclists and discussing the problems of cycling over canal bridges. There were plenty of folk out walking their dogs, mostly helpful, although one dog did growl as he went past. On the way back I followed a runner, I thought I was going to be able to overtake him but the only part that was wide enough had dogs roaming free. He couldn't have heard me behind him with his headphones on anyway and kept up a steady 6-7 mph which is really about the limit along most parts of the canal. And now I've covered 200 miles this year!

11.1miles max 17, avg 6.3 mph. Year to date, 201.7miles

 

[Donger]

Back on the bike for the first time since June 26th, and Episode 6........... On the plus side there is light at the end of the tunnel for my ongoing condition now

Well done Cosmic. You continue to be an inspiration. Good news about the light at the end of the tunnel.

Uneventful 20 miler to Frampton on Severn and back for me, tonight. Was planning on spending the night slobbing out in front of the telly, eating. Then the sun finally came out, and I had to re-think my strategy for the evening. Cyclists and horse riders everywhere, out enjoying the upturn in the weather. Lovely ride - apart from the swarms of midges everywhere. Back into club action on Sunday. Getting twitchy feet already.
Donger.

 

[NorthernDave]

Another quick ride to make the most of these warm sunny summer nights.
Out on the road bike tonight - still getting used to it, but I'll get there. Quick local circuit to warm the knees up then up Leeds Rd to Scholes, then the Coronation Mile to Barwick. Paused for a drink (not in the pub...) then circled round the back streets onto Leeds Rd, and returned to Scholes.
Staying on Leeds Rd that pesky headwind appeared (is it always windy on here?) which again limited my top speed on what should have been a downhill blast. I'm managing to ride on the hoods, but still don't feel comfortable getting right down on the hoops.
Then on to home.
9.61 miles at an average of 14.1 mph so the numbers are heading in the right direction, although if I'd been paying attention I really should have ridden the extra 0.39 miles to make it a straight 10.
There were a lot of cyclists out tonight - at one point I thought I'd stumbled upon a secret re-run of the Tour de Yorkshire...

 

[Katherine]

A 20 mile pootle in the perfect weather : warm sunshine with a slight breeze.
I'd been told about a new cycle path which was lovely as far as it went which wasn't that far, Winton to Eccles. The person who told me about it was a walker, rather than a cyclist. So, Eccles, Salford Quays by the road, then home on The Bridgewater Canal path.
I watched some fireman practicing their skills on water at the docks.
I was interviewed by a Sustrans person as I was on the canal coming out of Trafford Park.
You know when you're near Kellogs by its distinctive smell.

A balloon sculpture called First Flight...

 

[Hill Wimp]

Well todays ride to Namur was a real breeze after we had negotiated the 18% hill fully laden outside the b&b. The b&b was lovely and our hostess Lilly was smashing.

We dropped down into Huy where the TDF boys did that spectacular hill on the 6th. Thankfully that was not on our route.

From here we picked up the Ravel 1. Fantastic cycle path which took us all the way to Namur. Very well signposted too. We did have a bit of a hairy 2k on a busy dual carraigeway inbetween but overall we cycled from Huy to Namur with the River Meuse lapping gently to our right.

Tomorrow Namur - Dinant

 

[Spartak]

Much better conditions last night on the journey home from work !

Stopped off en route to watch the final round of the Ridley-Western Cyclocross Summer League at Oldbury Court.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Done my first 50k today..
werrington to castor,souththorpe,barnack,stamford,belmesthorpe,greatford,westdeeping,and back to werrington. For the locals ..
32.4mile..
really nice day and tho a bit of a strong breeze on higher ground it was a welcome cool down.
also managed 34.9mph so 50k speed passed..im loving this RT58.

few pics..Burleghy house entrance..the bell pub at belmesthorpe..lovely tree lined road and the river at stamford..
2 hr 14 mins with a long 8 train level crossing stop..
had a good chat with a guy and we rode togeather for a few miles untill we went our seperate roads..
he does local sportives and knows a few of my mates , small world when your into road bikes..

felt tired after but im getting the hang of it..

 

[robjh]

The weather yesterday afternoon was glorious in the Midlands, pleasantly warm, a cloudless sky and a light southerly breeze, and I got out of work early again to make the most of it.

After a bumpy start (here) I was soon out in the countryside, and once past Leamington and Wellesbourne the roads got smaller and quieter and I started to see the first hills of the Cotswolds on the horizon. I attacked the escarpment on an unclassified road south of Admington, a wonderful (or if you prefer, brutal) climb which snaked steeply upwards between hedgerows with two false summits en route. My route then dropped quickly again to Chipping Campden, a most attractive village built of warm, honey-coloured sandstone, but with the slightly unnerving atmosphere of a beautifully-preserved plaything for the rich.

I was then back to climbing, past Broadway Tower with its views over the Vale of Evesham, and followed the high ground through some of the best bits of the ride, to Charlton Abbots then crossing the A40 near Andoversford, completing it with a small loop southwards (past the rather Irish-sounding Kilkeney viewpoint) through woods before swinging north again to reach Cheltenham on the A435.

It was a great ride through some lovely scenery, and with plenty of climbs on small roads it wasn’t the fastest, but I took it easily and enjoyed the fine evening to the full. I arrived at Cheltenham station at 9 pm, with 64 miles on the clock. The evening finally finished after two train rides with 14 more miles home from Coventry station, until I got through the door at 20 minutes before midnight.

The route :

and some photos :
- the art deco styling on Leamington's 1939 railway station

the big climb near Admington - the start

and looking back from near the top

Chipping Campden

a bit later, near Charlton Abbots

 

[Saluki]

I got a text from Bosslet this morning, saying he was exhausted and can we work tomorrow. No, we can't actually as I have a wedding to go to, but I suggested double bubble next week. I was a bit chuffed about this as the sun was shining and it was a brilliant day. I skipped off to doggy work this morning and back by 11.45, out on the bikes and GPS said that we hit the 'go' button at 12.17.

We headed off to Halfords and grabbed a couple of inner tubes (just in case like) and then off to Mousehold and then up to Salhouse Road where we grabbed a couple of pics of our first Dragon of the day. Another mile and we got our 2nd dragon. I took pics while Hubster picked his bike up and then collected all the sweeties that live in his crossbar bag thingy. They were wrapped sweeties.

We then headed up the Salhouse Road, which has vastly improved since I last rode up it. It used to be heavily used by trucks but we only saw one today, it's much quieter. I think that the A47 might have something to do with it. We passed the brewary and stopped at Ranworth Maltsters for a coffee and to share a muffin and then off again to South Walsham, Hemblington and then along the cycle paths of the Plumsteads.

At Great Plumstead we had a min while Hubster adjusted his seat and then off to Thorpe End. We normally go right there but we felt a bit of an explore coming on so went left, found a cycle path and followed it. That cycle path wasn't there when I was a kid and it goes through the Dussindale Estate - which also wasn't there when I was a kid. It was cornfields then - It brought us out opposite my old school.

We rode down to the Yarmouth Road, that becomes the Thorpe Road and followed it, with the river to our left, all the way to the city and then rode on the Riverside path and then up Bishop Gate to The Great Hospital to snap our 3rd Dragon of the day. We had a nice bikey chat with another couple who were dragon hunting and then doglegged through the edge of the city to the Marriotts and home again.

30.27 miles in 2 and a quarter hours or so. Nice steady riding. It's the dragon hunting that slows us up. Those and the hills

Just catching the last few km of Le Tour on +1 before dog walking, shower and then off to Evans for the Fit It evening. Might have shower before dog walking now I think about it.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Today was teaching my cycling partner how to ride a road bike day... It is going to take a while before she susses some of the little things out, like changing down through the gears whilst braking so that you are in a gear you can actually start off from, but overall she did brilliantly having never ridden a road bike before. Luckily we are only a couple of inches in size difference, but she has now sussed out why a) we wear padded lycra and b) you don't wear underwear underneath said lycra. We have 4 weeks to get her riding 88 miles in one go, but at least she is on a road bike now not a BSO... so we stand a chance and today she set 12 PR's on Strava all on climbs. Hopefully we will see that continue to happen over the next few weeks.

So plenty of climbing agaian today, plenty of again today and the need for sunblock yet again how well... can't win them all. A slightly shorter route than yesterday with a slightly more laid back approach and slower time but...

Rachel at the top of a steep climb that I have seen other lycra clad roadies walking! She did it in one easily.

The view from another top, Rachel had long since left me behind and was actually coming back up the hill towards me when I finally stopped taking photos and caught her up. But it was a good view over the Cheshire Plains and the Pennies which were just about visible. Jodrell Bank was visible to the naked eye, but was face up so does not show on the photo. The Pennines are there honest, it was a bit murky really with all the pollution....
I'm going to have to work out how I 'train' someone who is going to be at least 1.5-2 times as fast as me once she finds some confidence with the road bike and finds some speed...
https://www.strava.com/activities/347259385

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.strava.com/activities/347381817

A short warm up for tomorrow.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_in_World_War_I

Mmmmmmm suiCider.

 

[Racing roadkill]

It is going to take a while before she susses some of the little things out, like changing down through the gears whilst braking so that you are in a gear you can actually start off from,

That's overrated, falling off whilst trying to pull away in a 53-11 is underrated.

 

[robjh]

....we got our 2nd dragon.....The Great Hospital to snap our 3rd Dragon of the day... the dragon hunting that slows us up.

What is it with all these dragons in Norwich? We were there the other week and saw them lurking on Fye Bridge and Tombland. Norwich may have changed in several ways since I lived there but this wasn't one I was expecting.