Your ride today....

[wafter]

Some crackers as usual - particularly jealous of @Glow worm's escapades - looks absolutely fantastic

I've actually managed three rides this week; all local and boring but welcome. I seem to have been doing more shorter, "just get out for a bit" rides and haven't done much of any distance for quite a while.

Today's was no exception - after fiddling with the Fuji a bit I'd resolved to stay in due to the variable weather and general malaise; however both the skies and my mood perked up (the latter after a couple of beers) so I headed out for a gentle evening mooch.

Nothing exciting, 14-ish mile local loop with a couple of bridleways thrown in for some respite from the cars; however they were absolutley heaving with flies.. which wasn't pleasant. The bike's still not perfect but felt very smooth, quiet and refined none the less.

Good to get out but could do with something more substantial as I feel like I've slipped into a bit of a rut. Looks like tomorrow's off on account of the weather. Havent't ridden the Genesis for time; which I guess is saying a lot for the Fuji that's somewhat usurped it despite the enormous difference in spec and cost..

The usual few from today's ride

 

[gavgav]

With the weather looking bloody awful yet again, I woke early (for a Saturday) and decided to get out before the forecast rain was due at 10am.

Mildish, as I set off at 8:25, grey skies and really not feeling like Summer will ever come, at the moment.

I first headed to Betton Abbots and then onto the lanes to Berrington, never saw a car after turning off the A458, until I rejoined it for a short while at Cross Houses, 15 minutes later.

I then enjoyed the descent to Atcham, before turning to Berwick Wharf and along the Pelham Road, into Upton Magna. I paused by the school for a drink and people were arriving to set up for a Coronation afternoon tea. Hope they’ve got waterproofs ready.

The sun actually made a very short appearance as I descended to Uffington, but it was short lived. I followed the old railway path to Pimley and they’ve actually done a pit of patchwork where the tree roots are breaking through the tarmac, but it’s not made it a huge amount better.

I joined Sundorne Road and had the only idiot of the day, woman in a mini give me only a few inches of room as she passed between me and a car coming the other way, not even crossing the white line at all.

I then followed cycle paths to Reabrook and Meole, then back home. The rain arrived about a mile before I finished, but I’d put the bike away before it got heavier and more persistent.

An enjoyable 15.78 miles at 12.5mph avg and meant I was back in time to go food shopping and avoid the TV saturation of royal events.

 

[geocycle]

With the forecast of the largest audience for Saturday morning TV viewing since Swap Shop finished, I headed out on eerily quiet roads. Weather warm and humid with rain approaching in the afternoon. Lacking energy, I headed through the villages building up to Coronation picnics and decked with bunting. Id donned red white and blue in case there was a scone to be had. Lovely ride through Sedgwick and the Kent valley, then elevenses at Sizergh Castle. Home via Lyth valley, Kent and Keer. Lots of chaffinch, goldfinch and bullfinch in the hedges, orange tip butterflies on the milkmaids and wild garlic succeeding the bluebells. 84km with just 760 m of climbing.

Pictures of Sedgwick, Sizergh Castle and Kent estuary.

 

[Mburton1993]

Nice ride, rained a bit at the end.

 

[Mike_P]

Front disc brake pads on the ebike realigned this morning after a ride to Morrisons on Thursday evening had sounded like an anchor being dropped whenever it came to full stop - had put a new disc rotor on it last weekend. Somewhat better on a ride to Waitrose this morning and downhills used to bed the pads in more.
The weather forecast was not good but the actual weather was better so after a bit of consideration decided again on the ebike using it to go to Lidl at Knaresborough; it would not be anything new if I got soaked on the return but it stayed dry. Outbound the wind was pretty noticeable and that was confirmed by a Union Jack flag flying pretty well

passing it on the return it was looking rather limp.

I was wary how much charge was left in the battery so apart from two hills assist was left off outbound and the larger sprockets on the cassette given a bit of rare use with 202ft climbed. Encountered a motorhome having gone wrong on the bridleway section of Bilton Lane. “Anywhere I can do a 10 point turn” enquired its driver – I could only reply in the negative.

That pause turned out fortuitous as I dropped down the Beryl Burton Cycleway straight onto the A59 over High Bridge and the turn into Waterside, along which somehow not stopping. Then unusually straight across the B6163 and onto Abbey Road where my no need to stop ran out when cars in the opposing direction were encountered with one at a particularly narrow point not helped by the positioning not as far to the left as it could have been – surprise surprise a BMW.

Direct route over the hill on the return and another lengthy non stop ride back coming to an end with the traffic lights at the urban end of Bilton Lane for a right turn onto the A59.
Combined 27.3 miles, 1739ft elevation gain.

 

[Glow worm]

Just a short 34 miles today heading west from Just south of Tilburg NL to Kalmthout, which is kind of the Antwerpish area in Belgium.

The first town I rolled through was bonkers Baarle Nassau (NL) / Baarle Hertzog (BE). It’s a place with about 35 parcels of Belgian territory, within Netherlands.

This shop is on one of the numerous borders.

Dutch houses have the Dutch flag on their door numbers (same with their Belgian counterparts).

Then on through miles of fairly unremarkable country. Good cycle paths though - this is in Belgium.

As I’m pootling along at about 10 mph, I value them royally loud freewheels all the roadies seem to have as it means I hear them well before they roar past me. That racket would do my head in.


more quiet lanes.

Cycling never ceases to surprise. Just after being spat out of the arse end of yet another soulless Belgian town, I found myself in this amazing landscape of heaths, pools and forests.

Finally reached my b and b with curious neighbours

The b and b is in Belgium but the nearest pub for dinner in NL so one more attractive border post to tick off.

The Garmin behaved itself better today with only a couple of hissy fits in bonkers Baarle. to be fair, it was all a bit bonkers there- I witnessed a bloke punch a passing car In a car park. I felt like shaking his hand In empathy.

Hoping to explore the borderlands national park here tomorrow before heading for the overnight Harwich ferry from the Hook Monday night.

 

[sydney]

My first post in this thread!
I recently got back into cycling due to a change of office which made riding to work the best option. I've not really cycled since I was at school in the 1990's and this is my longest ride since I was 16.
We drove out from Newcastle to Haltwhistle to attempt the 46 miles of the South Tyne Trail, 23 out to the source of the South Tyne River and 23 back.
We set off at 9am and hit some unexpected hills, the tourist information leaflet didn't mention them as you are meant to start at the source of the river and ride or walk to Haltwhistle - we were going in the opposite direction!
We arrived in Alston at around 11:30 after travelling 15 to 16 miles, I'm overweight and quite unfit so was pretty tired at this point. We grabbed a delicious bacon and sausage sandwich and a coffee at the Spar for only £3.50 - absolute bargain!
I didn't feel able to complete the remaining miles to the end so we turned round and headed back towards Haltwhistle. The return journey was far easier due to most of it being downhill.
Looking forward to some aches and pains tomorrow!

 

[Mike_P]

Sunday actually turned sunny, a rare thing in these parts this year so time to test the Defy with its 11-40 cassette fitted rear wheel. Legwarmer less shorts, short sleeve jersey and mitts donned for the first time this year.
Up the A59 and then down and up two of the Oaker Banks on the B6161, up the long slog of Penny Pot Lane and then Wydra Lane.

Paused at the junction at the top to sort the 530 out; it was back to its annoying loop of finding and failing to find the light network despite it separately having found the Varia. Light network switched off.
Down to Swinsty reservoir

On the climb beyond I overtook a number of cyclists only then to double change the rear derailleur by mistake and consequently speed slowed such that one of those cyclists eventually overtook me. Paused at Bland Hill for snack with a nice view from the bench.

Up the climb of Broad Dubb Road to Little Armscliffe, the highest point of the ride,

a car behind stalled, restarted and immediately stalled again. Down to Beckwithshaw and up Shaw Lane, for once not stopping at the top. Onto the decent of Brackenthwaite Lane to Burn Bridge and the climb through there, pausing at the top of a snack. Then the up, down and up again route home via Rossett Green and the Pine Woods.
The mech worked fine with no adjustments needed during the ride.
21.22 miles 1718ft climbed 12.9 mph avg

 

[Donger]

Went out with the club for only the second time this year. They were heading out deep into South Gloucestershire on a 60 miler, but I had decided to tag along until we hit the village of Hill at the 21 mile mark, then hang a left and loop back on my own towards Berkeley via Rockhampton. Lovely catching up with seven of the regulars, some of whom I hadn't seen for more than a year. My plan was to get a 50km ride in for the monthly challenge. In the end, by adding a bit of zigging and zagging, I managed an 81km (50.4 mile) ride, which became my 99th lifetime 50 miler. There's a stat I'll just have to tidy up this year. Stopped in Berkeley on the way back for a bacon buttie and a vanilla milkshake. Rocket fuel for cyclists. Mrs Donger had me on gardening and mowing detail later on, so I am now truly knackered.

 

[Glow worm]

My first post in this thread!
I recently got back into cycling due to a change of office which made riding to work the best option. I've not really cycled since I was at school in the 1990's and this is my longest ride since I was 16.
We drove out from Newcastle to Haltwhistle to attempt the 46 miles of the South Tyne Trail, 23 out to the source of the South Tyne River and 23 back.
We set off at 9am and hit some unexpected hills, the tourist information leaflet didn't mention them as you are meant to start at the source of the river and ride or walk to Haltwhistle - we were going in the opposite direction!
We arrived in Alston at around 11:30 after travelling 15 to 16 miles, I'm overweight and quite unfit so was pretty tired at this point. We grabbed a delicious bacon and sausage sandwich and a coffee at the Spar for only £3.50 - absolute bargain!
I didn't feel able to complete the remaining miles to the end so we turned round and headed back towards Haltwhistle. The return journey was far easier due to most of it being downhill.
Looking forward to some aches and pains tomorrow!

View attachment 688689

Great stuff. Welcome aboard! Here’s to plenty more cycling miles to come.

 

[wafter]

This afternoon was a BBQ at some mates' place. I'd planned to blag a ride off another mate, but that started to look sketchy and tbh given the weather it'd have been rude not to have at least considered taking the bike. A quick feasibility study revealed that after the largely unavoidable bit of fast A-road out of the village for a couple of miles, the rest of the journey could be done on quieter B-roads; coming to a shade under 15 miles according to Google maps.

This would be pretty much the longest utility / social ride I'd done, although thinking about it not by a huge amount as I'd gone to the other end of the town on the tow path before on the Genesis for a pint; although for some reason that didn't seem as long. Regardless, this felt like an important step towards integrating the bike more into general transport duties and using it for a journey that otherwise would very likely have been done in the car.

The whole thing was nearly torpedoed by the rear tyre finally making clear its intention to shuffle off its mortal coil, but this was got around (details no doubt will make it into my Fuji thread if anyone's really that bored)..

Sad as it is, this little outing felt a little like a mini-tour; with the usual locks and cable in one pannier, accompanied on this occasion by some burgers in the council-cooler (wrapped in bubble wrap). The other pannier took a very handy repurposed zipped, transparent linen case containing a more presentable change of clothes and a few other bits... certainly not its usual contents.

Due to the scale of this excursion I made sure the rucksack was fully stocked with both pork scratchings and a Trek bar.


The journey out was generally very pleasant and uneventful; clear blue skies and the blazing sun made for easily the warmest day yet and I was quite comfortable in my thin baselayer and shorts. There were enormous amounts of flies around on some of the roads; sometimes peppering my sunglasses and occasionally finding their way into various bits of my face before being hastily ejected

I took it steady and arrived about an hour and ten minutes after I'd set off. Had a nice few hours with some people I'd not see for a while; a few beers, and some questionable meat products.. A couple of other friends at the BBQ had also cycled; so I felt in good company especially as they're somewhat of an ideal model of the cycle-centric lifestyle that I aspire to.

I started marking my way home at a time I'd hoped would mean most of the journey was before the sun set. This wasn't to be as evidently it was a bit downhill on the way out, I think there was a bit more wind on the way home and I stopped to take some photos - getting sidetracked by a hitherto-undiscovered track past the local -now decomissioned- air base; in all its remaining brutal, cold-war-era glory.

All in all a great ride in its own right; even better to see people and use the bike for something genuinely useful and practical. This has also topped off a very good week; relatively speaking - bringing the total to a little under 90 miles over 5 rides

All in all I think about 32 miles and 1100ft today, at probably a bit over 11mph and around 138bpm for a shade under 3hrs in the saddle and 1900kcal burned

 

[Spiderweb]

Fab ride in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, far too warm for long sleeves & 3/4 bibs 🥵
I was staying at our tin cottage (Caravan) and met up with Martin & Gaynor who were staying locally at The Wensleydale Hotel.
A great route from Middleham out to Bedale for a cafe stop, Cappuccino & Bakewell tart ice cream 😋
Lots of village parties celebrating the coronation, even spotted Yorkshire bun tin hung up in East Witton.
31.2 miles, great ride.

 

[ColinJ]

A friend came over today to do a mountain bike ride with me. I had plotted a local route which included some places that she hadn't been to before but when she arrived she had her dog with her and he was poorly, so we did a shorter ride, not to be away for too long.

We cycled up from Tod park, through Sourhall, and on up to Flower Scar Rd (which is a dirt track closed to traffic rather than a road these days!) over to the top of Bacup Rd. I got distracted and had a touch of wheels with the back of my pal's bike - I saw it was about to happen but I had my hands on my bar ends and couldn't brake in time, and couldn't avoid her rear wheel swiping my front wheel away. I was lucky, getting away with some minor bruising, and my friend stayed upright. No harm done!

We got onto the bridleway of Limer's Gate and headed along that. I saw changes to the steep landscape since I had last been up there. There had been a lot of soil erosion and measures had been put in place to limit it. But then... the bridleway came to an abrupt end! My OS maps are 7 or 8 years old and these changes are not shown. Confusion dot com!

We stopped to have a snack and take some photos. My phone helpfully volunteered a panorama assembled from some of my pictures. I like it so, I kept it for y'all...

We eventually set off up the hillside to go round the top of the new plantation. My GPS told me that we were about 80 metres away from the original bridleway. Soon we were back on the planned route.

We dropped down to the Rochdale canal towpath at Walsden and took that back to Todmorden.

Back at my place, we discovered that the dog had woken up just long enough to do a little puke on my kitchen floor, and then gone back to sleep... I let my pal clear that up while I made us a pot of coffee!

It was good being out today in warm, dry, sunny conditions without a horrid cold wind from the north or east!

 

[Jameshow]

Mini tour for my mate Tom and I.

Left home Leeds about 2pm meet up at the bridge at Ikley. He was later so I brought milk and chicken pieces for tea later.

Took the back road to Beamsley and then storiths on the "closed" back road. The sun was shining and the lamb skipping.

Quick pint in appletreewick before heading off to kettlewell where we set up came at a lovely small campsite. Oh and my rack bolt fell off and Tom has his first puncture!

Tea cooked in two batches of different pasta with pre cooked chicken and pesto on the smallest ever stove and cooker!

Neighbours gave us a fire pit and wood.

Lost my multitool for an hour and needed to borrow one from neighbours then found it under pannier floor!

Slept in 2 midget man tent - Vango 200 deffo take a 300 next time. My new Mat and sleeping back worked well, I needed to unzip my bag as was too hot.

Today was the complete opposite of yesterday drizzly and drank.

Porridge filled us up well. I case Tom put his foot down I could say he had the bigger bowel!

However we pressed in over park rash I had to walk a bit as Tom stopped in front of me!

However turning east rather than west was genius as the rain eased and we had a lovely ride down the valley to middleham and then masham.
Bacon butty in masham at a greasy spoon cafe full of locals with tough bacon, the cafe west side of the square looks a better option tbh.

Then on to Kirby mazard and patley bridge but not quite as we dropped down into summerbridge. Another puncture for Tom on Norwood edge - no way was I going back up to help him out!

Then parted company at otley and home!

Lessons learned take a bigger tent and cook set, adjustable spanner and overshoes.

Riding with small panniers was great, I hadn't used panniers for 30 years since visiting Tom in Aberystwyth!

 

[geocycle]

@Jameshow no honour lost walking park rash with panniers! Love the descent through Coverdale as the reward.