Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Windle
Über Member
- Location
- Burnthouses
I had a free day Saturday gone as the wife was at work and had an idea for a ride out somewhere different, so I stuck the bike in the car and headed up to Jarrow riverside car park at the south hub of the cycle / pedestrian tunnel. It was a mostly sunny day but only about 4 or 5 degrees and had been spotting on to rain as I drove up. I rode down to the hub building then took the lift to the bottom before a decidedly warmer run through the tunnel, a place blessed with strange acoustics, especially at the ends near the lifts and with cycling shoes clomping on the tiled floor (yes, some pillock forgot his water bottle and had to purchase a bottle of Ribena to rattle around his bottle cage, the usual weekend ride sustenance a Taylor's pork pie peeps out of the top tube bag).
Once up the lift at the other end I rode off with no particular plan, just to have an explore of the cycle routes and waggonways that abound up there, crossing over the A19 near the Tyne Tunnel north portal
then passing by Royal Quays shopping park and through part of Silverlink before heading up past the Stephenson Steam Railway
and up through Shiremoor to West Holywell. I had no idea where I was half the time but the area is a maze of cycle paths, bridleways and waggonways, with numerous bridges and tunnels and offered excellent traffic free riding.
After coming back down the same way I went off to the east, taking in part of the cycle path alongside the A1058 Coast road, very busy with Saturday traffic and after a bit more random exploring / getting lost ended up at the Left Luggage Room pub at Monkseaton Metro station where a very nice pint of Almasty IPA was supped, sitting outside feeling pleased I wasn't travelling on the rammed metro trains.
Whilst the inside was cosy and inviting I've experienced the joys of leaving many a warm pub / cafe to continue a ride in the cold before so didn't want to get too comfortable! Back down via roughly the same way I came up and a reverse run through the tunnel back to Jarrow for a thoroughly enjoyable 32 miles and a surprising 1,332 feet of climbing.
(My computer didn't count the distance though the tunnel as there's no GPS signal obviously but I added the extra half mile on myself, I rode it so I'm having it)! 
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Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
A Friday afternoon treat of a ride in the freezing cold! I was wrapped up, but my feet were a little bit cold, despite thick socks and overshoes.
Down through Flete, in to Holbeton and back along the coast road, down through Membland and home.
On my ride I disturbed a couple of roosting buzzards.
And a nice gaggle of trooping funnel fungus.
13 miles.
https://www.strava.com/activities/10312037928
Down through Flete, in to Holbeton and back along the coast road, down through Membland and home.
On my ride I disturbed a couple of roosting buzzards.
And a nice gaggle of trooping funnel fungus.
13 miles.
https://www.strava.com/activities/10312037928
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
Ms AU and son were heading off by car to a favourite cafe about 7 miles away. On impulse I said I'd cycle and meet them there. So that's a fourteen mile round trip. All went well, the Schwalbe G Ones I've just put back on coped brilliantly, the coffee was hot and the bubble and squeak was tasty.
That should have been the day's ride, except I'd picked up their car keys and ridden home with them!
Oh bother.
Back on the bike and repeat the trip, returning the keys to amused wife and son.
That should have been the day's ride, except I'd picked up their car keys and ridden home with them!
Oh bother.
Back on the bike and repeat the trip, returning the keys to amused wife and son.
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
A Cornish Coast-to-Coast-to Coast: We've found ourselves in Cornwall for a last minute bargain holiday, so of course I brought my bike with me. Yesterday it snowed. Got up and out bright and early this morning, with various parts of me swathed in two, three and even four layers of clothing to take the bite off the cold air. Starting from Porthleven, I headed off through the port:
and up the Beacon Road (the higher road opposite) onto the top of the cliffs, where the early morning light lit up the headlands. Great views of abandoned mines and (in the distance) the village of Mousehole:
From there, I turned inland, passing a few patches of ice and a couple of shallow floods on my way through Breage, Godolphin Cross, Townshend and St.Erth Praze on my way over to Hayle in St. Ives Bay.
Plenty of buzzards, pheasants and kestrels seen on the way. After St.Erth Praze, I caught my first fleeting view of the Atlantic on a long, sweeping descent of about two miles down into Hayle. I didn't hang around as I'd stopped a lot to take in views, and I wanted to get back to the missus on schedule. Just got this one shot of the harbourside:
After doing a two mile long climb to start the ride, and encountering a few sharp little climbs (and very little flat land) in the middle of the ride, I was a bit concerned at the thought of having to climb two miles back out of Hayle again on the return leg, but I needn't have worried. I just zoned out and made myself comfortable and my legs felt like they were working on their own. I did a straight retrace, arriving back in Porthleven from the cliffs above it:
By then, the bright sunshine really lifted the place and it was quite a sight to see:
By the time we got back to the house, (the one to the right of the blue VW van in the above shot), I'd done just a tad under 23 miles ... about 8 of it up and 8 of it down.
Kept toasty warm for the whole ride and loved every minute of it. If I don't get another ride in while I'm here it will still have been well worth carting the bike down here with me. I've been so lucky this year with getting in a number of rides in places far from home. I hoped at the start of the year to go for quality over quantity or distance of rides this year, and 2023 has not disappointed. Some great rides done in Carmarthenshire, North Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, Devon, East Sussex, Kent and now Cornwall. After last year's paltry 1,000 miles, I've put in 1,700 so far this year and am feeling much stronger.Next year I'm really hoping to get back to France.
and up the Beacon Road (the higher road opposite) onto the top of the cliffs, where the early morning light lit up the headlands. Great views of abandoned mines and (in the distance) the village of Mousehole:
From there, I turned inland, passing a few patches of ice and a couple of shallow floods on my way through Breage, Godolphin Cross, Townshend and St.Erth Praze on my way over to Hayle in St. Ives Bay.
Plenty of buzzards, pheasants and kestrels seen on the way. After St.Erth Praze, I caught my first fleeting view of the Atlantic on a long, sweeping descent of about two miles down into Hayle. I didn't hang around as I'd stopped a lot to take in views, and I wanted to get back to the missus on schedule. Just got this one shot of the harbourside:
After doing a two mile long climb to start the ride, and encountering a few sharp little climbs (and very little flat land) in the middle of the ride, I was a bit concerned at the thought of having to climb two miles back out of Hayle again on the return leg, but I needn't have worried. I just zoned out and made myself comfortable and my legs felt like they were working on their own. I did a straight retrace, arriving back in Porthleven from the cliffs above it:
By then, the bright sunshine really lifted the place and it was quite a sight to see:
By the time we got back to the house, (the one to the right of the blue VW van in the above shot), I'd done just a tad under 23 miles ... about 8 of it up and 8 of it down.
Kept toasty warm for the whole ride and loved every minute of it. If I don't get another ride in while I'm here it will still have been well worth carting the bike down here with me. I've been so lucky this year with getting in a number of rides in places far from home. I hoped at the start of the year to go for quality over quantity or distance of rides this year, and 2023 has not disappointed. Some great rides done in Carmarthenshire, North Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, Devon, East Sussex, Kent and now Cornwall. After last year's paltry 1,000 miles, I've put in 1,700 so far this year and am feeling much stronger.Next year I'm really hoping to get back to France.
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Nearly a third of the ride on flat roads is a flat ride in Cornwall . For a longer ride the coast road from Hayle to Portreath is nice but very lumpy
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
Actually a third of it was mixed, "lumpy" terrain, a third was just up and a third was just down. I'd be surprised if 3 miles were flat. But you are right, I sought out a manageable route that avoided any roads with chevrons on them on the map! Really wanted to go coast to coast but had a time limit on this one.
Dogma F
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Athens Greece
Vouliagmeni Greece, winter early morning ride
roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
Local parkrun was cancelled for ice, so I decided to stay in bed, then changed my mind and dragged my lazy carcass to the nearest open one. I didn't regret it!
Parkrun complete, I decided to divert via the local foodie shop to buy some venison for Christmas. A pair of kippers and an almond croissant may have accidentally fallen into my basket too. Very pleased to have the spiked tyres, slow going but lots of very frosty and icy patches.
By now, it was ridiculously lovely in the sunlit frost, so a further diversion round the Moss ensued
Thence home, my heated gloves running out just before I reached warmth, having forgotten to charge them after yesterday's commute.
Kippers and croissant for brunch. Yum!
Parkrun complete, I decided to divert via the local foodie shop to buy some venison for Christmas. A pair of kippers and an almond croissant may have accidentally fallen into my basket too. Very pleased to have the spiked tyres, slow going but lots of very frosty and icy patches.
By now, it was ridiculously lovely in the sunlit frost, so a further diversion round the Moss ensued
Thence home, my heated gloves running out just before I reached warmth, having forgotten to charge them after yesterday's commute.
Kippers and croissant for brunch. Yum!
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
Glad I did it though.
Jameshow
Veteran
30 miles from Thornton to Adel to meet mate, forgot my lights so had to head straight back. Rode along canal for a debrief, feet got covered in snow!! Feet were freezing, proved the theory the slower you ride the colder you get ..!
Quick push up the hill back to Thornton, good to get out despite the circumstances and the weather.
Quick push up the hill back to Thornton, good to get out despite the circumstances and the weather.
roubaixtuesday
self serving virtue signaller
The day dawned snowy... ...well actually only traditional British snow ie 1cm of grey slush.
So I went looking for the white stuff around Lyme Park which was there, albeit in thick fog above about 400m!
Still, an invigorating 40km ride with 500m climbing.
So I went looking for the white stuff around Lyme Park which was there, albeit in thick fog above about 400m!
Still, an invigorating 40km ride with 500m climbing.
chriswoody
Legendary Member
- Location
- Northern Germany
In the last week the rain has given way to intermittent snow as the temperatures have plummeted. This morning, eager to have a few hours riding this weekend, I set off north onto snowy roads with the thermometer reading -1.
After a slippery 6 km I turned away from the tarmac and into the forest. The snow was lying over the numerous deep puddles whose covering of ice cracked as I rode over them. The sun made a few fleeting appearances lighting the whole forest up, but then the clouds won through and covered everything in a grey blanket.
I continued to meander my way north through the forest, the silence split only my the soft crunch of the snow under my wheels.
Some tracks were almost free of snow, other quite deep and it was lovely to see the forest in it's winter coat. I made the decision to carry on north as I reached a large junction and paused for a bite to eat.
The grey light and the white snow were playing tricks with my perceptions, it brought to mind the many whiteouts I'd experienced during my many forays into the Scottish winter mountains. I finally reached the most northerly extent of my ride and swung round to the west on firm forest roads blanketed in deep snow. Progress whilst not rapid, was still reasonable despite the conditions. Then at one junction it was time to swing south and back towards home.
The temperature was slowly rising as well and was now hovering around zero, the snow was becoming softer and the going slightly tougher. I continued south over rough forest trails working my way ever closer to home. At times the forest gave way to open fields and the trail became more rutted and broken. Boot prints and paw prints ambled this way and that through the soft powder, giving evidence to others unseen that have also come this way.
Back under the canopy of the forest, I elect to take a shorter track that will save me a small amount of effort and time as my legs are growing tired. It's still heavy work though and several more kilometers of trails combine to lead me ever closer to home. Finally i reach the sodden fields behind my house, where the river has risen over the floodplain and deprived the Highland Cattle of half of their field.
The final few turns bring me back home to a warm coffee after just under 35 kilometres of wonderful snowy forest riding. The weather is due to warm later this week, so this may be the last snowy ride for a while, but let's see.
After a slippery 6 km I turned away from the tarmac and into the forest. The snow was lying over the numerous deep puddles whose covering of ice cracked as I rode over them. The sun made a few fleeting appearances lighting the whole forest up, but then the clouds won through and covered everything in a grey blanket.
I continued to meander my way north through the forest, the silence split only my the soft crunch of the snow under my wheels.
Some tracks were almost free of snow, other quite deep and it was lovely to see the forest in it's winter coat. I made the decision to carry on north as I reached a large junction and paused for a bite to eat.
The grey light and the white snow were playing tricks with my perceptions, it brought to mind the many whiteouts I'd experienced during my many forays into the Scottish winter mountains. I finally reached the most northerly extent of my ride and swung round to the west on firm forest roads blanketed in deep snow. Progress whilst not rapid, was still reasonable despite the conditions. Then at one junction it was time to swing south and back towards home.
The temperature was slowly rising as well and was now hovering around zero, the snow was becoming softer and the going slightly tougher. I continued south over rough forest trails working my way ever closer to home. At times the forest gave way to open fields and the trail became more rutted and broken. Boot prints and paw prints ambled this way and that through the soft powder, giving evidence to others unseen that have also come this way.
Back under the canopy of the forest, I elect to take a shorter track that will save me a small amount of effort and time as my legs are growing tired. It's still heavy work though and several more kilometers of trails combine to lead me ever closer to home. Finally i reach the sodden fields behind my house, where the river has risen over the floodplain and deprived the Highland Cattle of half of their field.
The final few turns bring me back home to a warm coffee after just under 35 kilometres of wonderful snowy forest riding. The weather is due to warm later this week, so this may be the last snowy ride for a while, but let's see.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
i really need a gravel bike to get out there atm
It’s been a week of freezing conditions and limited two wheel action. Today promised better with local temperatures reaching a maximum of 4 degrees. I opened the curtains to see lots of snow over the Lake District but nothing here only 30 miles south of Windermere. Planned a flat route down to the Fylde avoiding all gradients and residual ice. Amazing birds along the coast and fields along the estuaries toward Pilling. Redwings and field fare in the trees but many thousand lapwing that rose peewitting as I passed. Also thousands of pink foot geese with smaller groups of greylag. On the way back I noticed several hundred curlew, knot, redshank and godwit. The roads were mercifully ice free except for where puddles had frozen to depth. A bacon barm was welcome in Knot End at the mouth of the Wyre estuary. From there I tracked up the river to Garstang and then had a second stop in Scorton where the Priory was offering takeaway. Last stop was Cockersands Abbey where the monks who drained all the area were based. 101 km with a minuscule 185 m of climbing.
photos of the Wyre estuary at Knott end and Lune estuary at Glasson.
photos of the Wyre estuary at Knott end and Lune estuary at Glasson.
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