Your ride today....

[Dave 123]

After 2 days of short sharp Zwift rides I ventured out into the open air on my Spa.

It was only a ride of 13 miles, but it had 1375 feet of up. The two main hills were from Dunstone up to Sun Ridge, then down to New England and up to Westlake. This is where I saw a lovely big buzzard float in front of me.

As a little treat I bared my knees to the world.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8471653214

 

[cyberknight]

Determined to get the 100km in today to get the strava badge even though my knee is still playing up so i concentrated on spinning and luckily out of the 3 of us another chap was still getting his form back so it meant i wasnt having to hammer it on the hills so the knee was fine .
Very cold wind and even when the sun came out it was still chilly in the shaded parts .
from my house to the meeting point onto the cake stop at Curborough it was 40 miles for a nice coffee and teacake
Not long after we set off for the return ride one turned off for home as he lives a fair way from the start point which left 2 of us to spin on , about 10 miles to go i had a rear flat and luckily i had company as at the cake stop i had got cold due to drying sweat and my hands were still numb so he found the thorn which i couldn't feel .
A good average today all things considered and the longest one so far this year

 

[wafter]

I've not managed to get out for a couple of weeks due mainly to the weather.

I woke up yesterday feeling none-too-splendid after more vodka than appropriate on Friday. I had an appointment to keep and didn't want to go into it feeling grotty, so nipped east to the farm to find one box of eggs, then back across the village and out west to get another two from the less-favoured source.

On the way back from the farm I was passed at about 60 within probably less than a foot by some knobhead in a BMW.. as I got back to the village I spotted an identical vehicle (didn't get the plate) just parked up, so I went and had a word with its driver as he was putting on his gilet Pretty sure it was him (distinctive car, timing fit) however couldn't be sure so approached the situation from a hyperthetical perspective and offered him a few choice words.

Only about 6 miles but very welcome and I felt a lot better having got back, had a shower and some breakfast

 

[C R]

Second proper ride of the year, getting some miles in my legs feels good, but progress is slow.

Reasonable weather forecast, with little wind but a bit cold, so dressed up warm. Out at about quarter past six, still dark, but soon with a hint of pink in the horizon.

I hadn't quite decided on a route, just try to get more than 50km in. Headed to town, which is still really quiet at this time of day. The traffic light in Sidbury was green for City Walls road, so decided to go towards Droitwich via Fernhill Heath and Ladywood, and by the time I reached Salwarpe the day was starting to break.

After Droitwich I headed for Hanbury, stopping for a snack at Hanbury Wharf, with almost daylight.

Didn't linger long as I was cooling down too quickly. Cracking on through Hanbury, and then a right at Bradley Green, then Stock Green and join the A422 at Kington where I stopped for another snack.

Next I headed towards Worcester on the A422, and then turn towards North Piddle towards Pinvin along the back lanes. I decided to go via Seaford, which I hadn't been for a while, only to see that some arsshole had dumped a load of plasterboard by the picnic table next to the ford .

Next comes Pinvin and then the ford at Walcot Ln on the way to Drakes Broughton. The ford is almost passable by car now, the water is at least a metre lower than a couple of weeks ago.

Now the last stretch through Drakes Broughton, Wadborough and Littleworth went fairly quickly, and got home with just under 36 miles on the clock. Really enjoyed the ride, though my hands were a bit cold. As if on queue about the cold, a friend from Galicia sent me this cartoon just as I was getting home

The wife is saying "so tell me, what is it you were expecting to find in the woods at seven in the morning?"

The map

 

[gavgav]

I gave the bike a much needed wash, this morning, in the sunshine and it felt quite pleasant out there, so I decided to use the bike to make my planned journey to Dad’s.

I don’t know what happened in the 90 minutes between finishing the wash and heading out, but someone had turned on a brutal and swirling West/South Westerly wind, which was really cold and I’d underlayered.

I battled into the wind straight away, to Meole, Hook a Gate and Annscroft, with a mixture of being buffeted from the side and in front. It was a battle to go downhill at times.

I was glad to turn east, through Exfords Green and Stapleton. I arrived at Dad’s and enjoyed a couple of hours, playing Jenga and Bingo with my Niece and Nephew. Always guaranteed to put a smile on the face 🙂

I set back out to Gonsal and then decided to head to Wheathall and Berriewood, to vary things and also avoid the mud bath on Lyons Lane. The descent to Condover wasn’t very pleasant, due to bad cross winds blowing me around, before I turned to Cantlop and had a tailwind again.

The road to Betton Abbots was busy with traffic, before a short stint on the A458 was heaving with traffic. I then turned West, for the final mile and boy was that a battle into the wind, down to the lowest gears on the flat and felt like I would be going backwards soon!

16.59 miles at 11.9mph avg. I was surprised it wasn’t slower with that wind. 75 miles done this week, which I’m happy about.

 

[Donger]

The weather looked too nice (for this time of year) not to get one last ride in for the month, so I nipped out down the lanes to Saul Junction, Frampton and Fretherne for a 21 miler that conveniently brought up the 150 miles for January. Saul Junction is quite an interesting place. The "junction" is the meeting of the now defunct Stroudwater Canal with the very much still alive Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

There is a working boat repair yard and a pleasant little cafe with a balcony overlooking the canal. A couple of large cruise boats are moored up for the winter, and a whole marina full of narrowboats uses the small open stretch of the Stroudwater Canal for access to the canal system. This is the actual canal junction that gives the place its name:

Just a little further along the bank you find this nicely re-purposed Dad's Army bunker from WW2 - actually part of Bristol's "Defence line Green" outer perimeter defences in case of the Nazi invasion that never came:

Have you ever wondered how they make sure canals don't overfill? Right next to the bat bunker is the answer. An overflow run-off into the River Frome - a small local river flowing from the Stroud direction into the Severn at Framilode, and interestingly flowing directly underneath the canal at this point:

From Saul Junction I made my way home via Frampton, Fretherne and Elmore. In Frampton I spotted this lovely old Citroen H-Type van:

Elmore Court was looking nice in the sunshine, and was followed by a short but exhilarating descent that always gets you up to 30mph with very little effort, and the momentum gets you up the final little incline before home.

Job done. 150 miles for the month. Back in the game.

 

[sevenfourate]

Especially great pics @Donger

Enjoyed the write-up 🙏

 

[buzz22]

A free afternoon and chance to get out and take in some scenery.
I headed west across the Woronora River along the bike path and aimed for Alfords Point, a leafy suburb on the Georges River.

I wasn't aiming to set any records so I chose my old Repco Monaco for the trip.
The 40/28 low gear was just right to get up the steeper sections and the bullmoose bars rigid enough to allow me to comfortably grind without the bike tying itself in knots.

The path leading to the bridge over the Georges River goes down a nice long hill, once at the bottom the view opens out along the river and time for a drink break.

I headed for home, along the way back up the hill stopping for a quick photo op of Alfords Point and wishing one of the places on the river was my address.

An uneventful ride home, all up just under 25km of mainly hill work.
The biggest benefit was my heart rate was in the lower zones compared to when I do road rides so a good balance.
of training.

 

[galaxy]

I worked
All
Weekend and it wasn’t untill
Saturday byhem ice left our lane. So Monday new ride into Leominster for some Fresh Milk and Bannana Milk shake. Was nice n mild and a enjoyable circular 11 miles.

 

[8mph]

Widdecombe to Hameldown Beacon, Hameldown Tor, Natsworthy and back. Much colder than last week but better traction.

 

[theloafer]

replaced the front pads so thought i best go for a spin to bed them in(and check i did it right). all was good a tad windy but rather warm well got round and no cold fingers ...lol 30 miles on the clock out to Sunderland bridge via the Bishop -Brandon cycleway .. bridleway from Brandon Sunderland bridge, then headed through Hett onto Metal bridge up to Ferryhill .... took a slight detour down the back lane of the row of houses i was born in. out though Ferryhill station-Chilton back along side the A167 to home nice and steady
https://www.strava.com/activities/8487632292

this guy `s followed me all day

 

[gavgav]

I managed to get out for a short loop around Town, this evening. The mildest evening we’ve had for a while and so I was back in short finger gloves and could dispense with the fleece.

I’d walked the bike around the rear path, to the front of the houses and realised I’d forgotten to put my water bottle into the cage and so back I went, to retrieve it from by the shed!

I headed through Sutton Farm and Reabrook, then along the cycle paths up towards Heathgates. As I turned down the track towards Castlefields, a couple of lads apologised for being in my way, which they didn’t need to as they had every right to be there also.

I went through Castlefields and then along the river towpath, for the first time in a few weeks since the floods, now that it’s been cleaned and reopened. A lady on a bike came around a bend, a bit quick and apologised for the battery having “run out on her light”. To be honest it was more the speed you needed to apologise for!

The Quarry was unusually quiet, before I walked the bike over Porthill Bridge and then cycled up and onto cycle paths again, to Shelton. I passed the mental hospital and then went though Bowbrook, to Radbrook, followed by Mousecroft Lane, Nobold and Meole Brace.

The underpass is now back open, next to the brook and I was surprised to find the bike still there chained to the railings, which has been the case since before Christmas. It’s survived being in the flooded brook and still no one has claimed it!

12.76 miles at a leisurely 11.3mph avg. That wind was still a hard challenge at times.

 

[buzz22]

A free day and I knew the weather was going to be clear so off to Kiama, a beautiful beachside town almost exactly 100km south from my place.
I left early (around 6.30 am) as I knew it would be warm. Before 7 the sun was already hitting hard.

Continuing south I dropped down to Stanwell Park and stopped at one of my favourite places, Bald Hill, for a break.

I was a quarter of the way in and already feeling the heat. Sea Cliff Bridge (middle of photo) beckoned, it's a solid mainly down hill run to the start of the bridge so off I set.

Once on the bridge it was a slow cruise over, the light at this time of the day casting an almost hypnotic shadow as I made my way along.
It took ages to get across as I kept stopping to take in the changing scenery.
Next stop was Austinmer, by this stage the heat was starting to bite so a drink and some shade was welcome.

Onward south and I finally reached Wollongong Harbour. It's a pretty spot and sits a bit over halfway from home (amost 60km down) so it's a good mental checkpoint.
Another stop for a feed and drink and the realisation that stops will need to more frequent than previous trips.

The next section always gets me- Port Kembla is a working harbour so the path goes inland a bit and there's no services for a bit.
I find my mind wandering during this section and it seems hard to push through, every little ache is magnified and the heat was hitting hard.
I finally got past the harbour and find some shade beside the beach to pull up for some more sunscreen and another big drink.

From this point on the rest of the ride becomes a game of survival. It was 31 degrees and the sun was relentless.
Stops were now every 8-10km or so and I upped my water intake.
The scenery was as pretty as ever:

Eventually Kiama rolled into sight and I kicked myself for not bringing cossies for a swim.

The lighthouse in the photo was my goal.
I finally reached it 5hrs and 55minutes after setting off and ticked over 100km as I headed up the hill towards it.

A Quick ride around the headland then down to the train station to head home.
My bike of choice for the day was my light touring bike I've dubbed "Throwback".
It was the first big trip and I realised that the bars were too narrow so my back and shoulders copped the brunt of the poor ergonomics.
The triple chain ring came in handy on a couple of steep hills and the luggage was welcome.
Overall I'd take it again but only after some wider bars go on.

 

[lazybloke]

No beach, lighthouse or sun here; just a quick dash to the allotment.

Although I decided I would take the scenic route back, which might extend that distance to 22 miles.

Was mostly offroad, but the occasional bit of tarmac showcased the high quality of Surrey's roads. A county council highways van was parked round the corner from this hole, so I expect it will shortly be fixed with a generous layer of Dairylea.
I'd realised by now that I had tools & spare tubes, but no pump, so I was a little apprehensive about tyre damage and flats.

The A3/M25 junction widening work didn't seem to have progressed since my last visit in Jan.

Although it was fun to watch a tracked vehicle that rolled up to tree after tree and exectuted this amazing manouvre with a claw that (a) grabbed the tree, (b) chainsawed through the trunk, and (c) lifted the entire tree clear off the stump! The perfect tool for anyone with a logburner.

At 7miles into my ride I fluffed a hop and banged my front wheel a little heavily into a kerbstone. Thankfully no snakebite puncture, but with dampness in the air I decided it was time to ride home, carefully avoiding any further risks of punctures. Lunch awaited, plus a lovely mug of tea.

Just over 14 miles, sedately explored in 90 minutes.

 

[gavgav]

I’d arranged an after work ride with my mate Paul, on a blustery evening that was colder feeling than last night, despite the thermometer temperature being a degree higher.

Paul was delayed leaving work and so we changed to me riding up to his instead of him coming to mine. I set out directly into the westerly wind and it was gusting towards 30mph, which meant a slow plod.

Had a bit of fun, where I came up behind a fairly elderly chap on a bike, just after Meole bridge and upon seeing me he pedalled furiously to try and stay in front. To be fair he did well up the first part of the hill on Roman Rd, but he ran out of puff and so soon pulled over a bit, to allow me through. We’re all big kids at heart really 😆

I arrived at Paul’s and we set out for a very leisurely chatting ride. We went through Porthill and then into the Quarry, where we had a tailwind now, which was nice. This continued along the River towpath, where Paul saw someone he knew, under the railway bridge, but he said hello and didn’t really want to stop for a proper chat.

We followed Sydney Avenue, into Castlefields and then joined the cycle paths down to Reabrook and Meole, where we parted ways and I had the short journey back home to finish off.

The bike seems to have developed a clunking, from what appears to be the rear wheel area. Coupled with a sticking brake at times, the bike really needs an interim service from @rickshawphil soon, before our holiday trip later in the month.

10.13 miles at 10.1mph avg, very slow chatting pace and a good hours catch up