Your ride today....

[All uphill]

A friend and I had planned to meet for lunch today in Street. The weather forecast was good for the time of year so I headed out bright and early.

Cycling through the Polden villages is always a pleasure and today was no exception.

There was very little traffic despite it being half term and I was just thinking how good things were when this stretch of road turned up. And yes that is a proper adopted road.

Lunch in Street then back on the road through a couple of showers.

Lovely.

 

[postman]

Not the quickest ride I’ve ever done, but I decided to look for fungi down the drive through Flete.

I found some too.

I also saw a great white egret along with the little egrets.

14.5 miles , and a bike wash at the end!

https://www.strava.com/activities/10077188561

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Shame i am a bit off it at the moment.It would be great to go out with you.You look a fun guy.

 

[albion]

It's anti-suicide fencing, the viaduct being a spot notorious for it in the past. Although the actual cast iron railings were alarmingly low when riding a bike over it. I've ridden it a couple of times before the high fences were put up and it was an arse twitcher .

They were fine, as you can still see in the photos. It was a sad ugly day when those anti climb rails went up.
Sadly people still ascend them, it being maybe last year when it was temporarily cordoned off from me, while the police coaxed a stress up chap off them.
Edit - thinking about it, it was likely a good 5+++ years ago. The memory of it is still vivid.

 

[GuyBoden]

Fog, mist, sunshine, sunshine, sunshine, home.

 

[a.twiddler]

Fog, mist, sunshine, sunshine, sunshine, home.

Blimey! Succinct, or what? Get me a crocodile sandwich, and make it snappy!

 

[Dave 123]

Just a Battisborough loop ride after work. It was peeing down this morning, so the roads were filthy.

It was nice to get round without any rain falling!

https://www.strava.com/activities/10113923992

 

[Dave 123]

After a day of running around, then getting drenched on a dog walk I ventured out on a reverse of yesterdays ride, give or take.

I was again lucky that the rain had rained itself out!

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I carefully (well, by my standards) cleaned the summer bike last weekend, fitted a new chain and put it to bed for the winter.

But, today dawned bright and sunny, roads seemed not too wet, so I woke it very early from its slumber and set off into the wide blue yonder.

What a glorious day! First through Marple to climb the Monks Road, a vicious little blighter but with fantastic views:

Then to Hayfield, and down to Chinley, thence up Eccles Pike, a favourite spot (and another stiff climb)

I had intended to head home from here, but it was just too wonderful out, so another big climb past Windgather Rocks to Pym Chair, where I was photobombed:

I'd really intended to head home from here, but it really was too wonderful out, so was forced to descend to Errwood Reservoir and climb the Goyt Valley. (Warning: extensive waxing lyrical may follow).

The Goyt is one of my favourite roads: traffic free most of the time, and today just perfect.

Errwood Reservoir was sparkling in the sunshine, a lone sailor out in a dingy, then the road climbed through oak woodland, today richly coloured and glowing in Autumn sunshine. Next, the ascent alongside the infant River Goyt, bubbling away beside the road as the woods fade to open moorland:

Finally the climb from Derbyshire Bridge up to the Cat and Fiddle, a grouse flying across and all bathed in soft sunlight.

From the Cat, it's a great descent to Macclesfield, twisting but never too steep, with splendid views, particularly today Jodrell Bank catching the sun at a perfect angle.

55 miles, 1700m climbing.

 

[Spiderweb]

First ride for two weeks!
Time for the winter bike, out on the Dolan just before 10.30am. One of our regular loops out to Naburn then back via the Sustrans cycle route to Riccall. A light lunch at Cawood cafe then back home. Really mild today and great to get out.
30 miles with an average of 14mph.

 

[Cavalol]

Just been so lazy the last couple of years, this one especially. A chance dog walk somewhere random (thanks to another person's post on social media) meant we found Hockenhull Platts in Cheshire only a few weeks ago. We didn't walk all of it, maybe a mile and a bit and back, but stored it to memory as it looked good for a ride. Strava kept packing up again, had some nightmares with it on my phone, so it's not quite showing the proper routes or times I think. Anyhow, it was a lovely day and a lovely route. Aside from someone shooting (I really don't like shooting ir hunting) which scared hundreds of geese into flight, it was a great ride. 3 buzzards were in flight and calling to each other near Tarvin, as ever they are a sight to behold.

Coming back down Hockenhull Platts I was absolutely motoring, and luckily had slowed down by the first bridge as a young couple were walking along. It must have looked like I meant it as I flicked left and then right a couple or three times and the back end slid round over the cobbles, but I didn't intend it and was probably lucky not to come off! It burnt off a bit of last nights credible attempt to drink my own body weight in vodka, so was a double whammy I suppose!

 

[geocycle]

A bonus ride. The forecast had been for rain all day, but fortunately it came overnight leaving light clouds. Carpe deum and all that, so I headed to Malham Tarn and Settle. Lovely ride out through Keasden, Austwick and Wharf to the view across Penyghent. Yorkshire’s sphinx was shrouded in cloud although it seemed to be clearing. That gave me the thought of heading up the long steep hill to Malham Tarn. I picked up the bridleway to the field study centre and a viewpoint across the Tarn. Descended the white knuckle route to Settle and lunch with the Naked Man. Good bird day, a woodpecker at Malham, starlings murmur aging and a large group of redwing on their winter holidays from colder parts. 108 km with 1400 m of climbing.

pictures of bike on road to Malham Tarn, the Tarn and the start of the descent to Langcliffe.

 

[HLaB]

Lol, it was supposed to be a short recovery ride but the sun was splitting the sky this morning and it was warming up nicely! So I decided to check out the 3rd iteration of a local cafe. Within 5mins of me heading south into a stiff headwind, the skies greyed and it became quite chilly. Because my post chemo circulation is bad I didn’t realise my hands had become numb until I took the gloves off and started to fiddle with the helmet strap. At least the new cafe building is nice and the cakes as good as always

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I couldn’t face going out in the cold again so I ordered another Latte and a Scotch Egg.


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With a strong tail wind I cycled back up the old A1 to Peterborough. Ive cycled the old A1 hundreds (if not thousands) of times but I am usually in a group, on a training session or in a rush to get back. But today I decided to stop at RAF Glatton at Connington.


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There’s a Watertower hidden up in the trees but this site has a bit of a better picture and a bit of history

Water tower at Conington (RAF Glatton) © Richard Humphrey cc-by-sa/2.0 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland.

 

[Dogma F]

125 km with summer weather and breathtaking landscapes

 

[bruce1530]

A slow and unexciting 50k today, around local streets and paths. Didn't get more than 5 miles from home. It was a struggle. But probably one of my most satisfying rides.

Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. No symptoms, no obvious Indications; a blood test highlighted a problem and a MRI then biopsy confirmed. (Guys - get yourselves checked!)

I had surgery on 16 Sept. I was pretty sure that that was going to curtail my "50k challenge" streak, which has been going since 2017.

I've been doing lots of walking, but haven't been on a bike in 6 weeks.

Today, decided to try a short cycle. Just "around the town", avoiding anything that even resembled a hill. Cold morning, and quite windy. Back home, having done 12k. Felt pretty good.

Went back out for a second trip. Followed national cycle route to a country park about 8k away, then back mostly by same route. Then along the sea front, wind behind me, stopping at cafe on the way. Back home, 35k done. Had to hang around for an hour, waiting for a phone call.

Decided to take my wife's e-bike out for a spin. 7k, but didn't feel comfortable. We've spent ages setting it all up "just right" for her, and I didn't want to adjust the seat!

So back on my own bike for a final 9k to take it over the 50 mark. Pretty much out and back (twice!) along a cycle path - nice and flat!

As I rolled back into the driveway, the Garmin clicked over to 50.00. The phone in m pocket, with Strava, said 50.66, so I'll believe that....

It was probably my slowest 50k ever - almost 3 and a half hours rolling - but it feels good.

Bet I regret it tomorrow! This 50k challenge has a lot to answer for....

 

[Willd]

Scotland again, slightly more picturesque

Why Scotland End?

Been to Scotland today, much closer than I thought, being just outside Leicester The Great Glen, wasn't quite what I was expecting either

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