Your ride today....

[ColinJ]

I found I only had a £20 note with me so I overpaid for 3 dozen eggs using the honesty box. I'll catch up the next time I call and seeing as I get through eggs at an alarming rate it won't be long.

I foresee a future conversation where you try to convince a sceptical farmer that you once overpaid with a £20 note, honest guv!

My sister in Devon also gets her eggs from a roadside honesty stall. I was with her one time when she didn't pay (because we didn't have any money with us). At that moment the owner of the hens appeared. I felt nervous... It turns out that they keep a discreet eye on the stall and know that sis sometimes takes eggs without paying but other times pays without talking any eggs!

 

[colly]

I foresee a future conversation where you try to convince a sceptical farmer that you once overpaid with a £20 note, honest guv!

My sister in Devon also gets her eggs from a roadside honesty stall. I was with her one time when she didn't pay (because we didn't have any money with us). At that moment the owner of the hens appeared. I felt nervous... It turns out that they keep a discreet eye on the stall and know that sis sometimes takes eggs without paying but other times pays without talking any eggs!

I did something similar a while back. Collected some eggs and when I got back home I found I still had the dash in my rucksack. I posted the cash on it's own with a note.
To be honest I doubt they count the money to see if it tallys with the number of eggs taken but just in case.....

Mind you I noticed they have a camera now.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Riding to work this morning. Technically already working as I'd already picked up a delivery.

Wheel in the bike bag is now at work, and will be fitted to the Touring bike tomorrow.

 

[wafter]

Awoke early again and couldn't get back to sleep. WFH so no commute today; the bright, mild outside creeping in through the window and single egg left in the kitchen goading me to pop down the farm shop.

Out on the Brompton with a basket full of empties destined for the bottle bank; their jingly-janglyness piquing the interest of some deer grazing down in the valley by the layby.

Bottles banked it was down to the farm shop, to find the cupboard bare once more. Back through the village past some hen pheasants enjoying the sun in one of the fields en-route and out to the other egg supplier - who was also out.

In the face of this unprecedented dearth of the precious I resorted to the Co-Op - which was thankfully free of the usual raft of confused / inconsiderate / obstructive boomers littering the isles. Also managed to score some heavily reduced sprouts and carrots to have with my out-of-date danger pie for dinner later. Resisted the opportunity to get some breakfast beer, as tempting as it was.

Felt great after the 7-8 mile mosey; now somewhat less-so being sat in the work-in-progress living room awaiting people to call and offload their problems onto me..

 

[Donger]

Nipped out for another 50km ride while the nice weather lasts. Although my local lane had a "Road closed" sign, the tide had gone out on the Severn, and the river level was well below the road. The meadows on the opposite bank were still flooded though.

I turned right at Saul to follow the river along in the direction of Arlingham. At the top of the hill, there is a nice view over towards Westbury on Severn and the Forest of Dean. A pity, but my camera just didn't know what to focus on.

I rode through Arlingham ....

to my usual riverside place opposite Newnham on Severn. There I got chatting with an old bloke who had also cycled there. We had a nice chat, and from what he said he seemed to be doing quite well for his age. Then I discovered he was exactly the same age as me! We ended up exchanging details after riding back together for a few miles. It turns out he lives just round the corner from me, and I have a feeling we might end up riding out together occasionally. Elmore Court was looking quite nice in the sunshine today. I don't often turn to look at it, as it is at the top of a nice little descent where you can easily get up to 25mph with very little effort. Today I had a look as I had only just been watching an old episode of "Salvage Hunters" that visited the place. I have always admired the gates.

Exactly 50km showing as I pulled up in front of my garage, so job done. Another great little ride in mild weather for the time of year.

 

[Dave 123]

After a very wet 3 days it was dry today! As custom dictates I finished early and went on my bike.

After last nights deluge and recent hedge trimming the roads were grotty. No need to go off road.

13 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/10774037918

 

[lazybloke]

Out this morning with no particular destination in mind, just a loop of local lanes.. After a string of night rides, and not much leaving the house in daylight, it was a surprise to see blossom, snowdrops and other plants waking up.
Plenty of potholes emerging too, and slicks of mud, but with spring on the way I was a happy man.
Did a slow low-gear grind up Box Hill before dropping back into the river valley and heading directly up the other side - through a Park Run, and up through the vineyard and onto the road along the North Downs ridge, which was in thick fog.
A car sat behind me for ages, struggling to see oncoming cars due to poor visibility. When he did eventually pass, he had no lights on; f***wit! He wasn't the only one either.

Home with a short but pleasing 18 miles on the Garmin. Shame about the dull weather.

 

[wafter]

East for eggs on the Brompton, then west for eggs.. eventually got a couple of boxes. Overcast, spots of rain and feeling a little wintery, I still feel a bit more level for this short, sedate ride though. Would really like to get out again later but not really feeling it and the weather looks ominous..

 

[EltonFrog]

Similar to @wafter, east for bread though, specifically sour dough from the local baker on the Brompton. I took the long way around , the baker’s emporium is less than a mile away, but it’s on a busy road.
Damp in the air with a threat of rain, approaching Blewbury an annoying head wind. Once I made my purchase, I thought I’d go back the way I came, the return journey being much more pleasant although the threat of rain made me put on my waterproof jacket.
A smidge over 11 miles to do a 2 mile trip.

 

[Mburton1993]

To 16 Arches:

It got muddy:

And I lost my cap at some point:

 

[Bristolian]

I had an epic ride today. Epic because it was my longest ride of 2024, epic because of the quality of the coffee and cake I had half way round, epic for the views over the River Severn, epic for the fact I managed to climb Blackhorse Hill and finally epic for the two bleedin' punctures that I had.

I know that many folks on here won't consider 25 miles (41km) to be epic and Blackhorse Hill may be not much more than a bump in the road for some but I'll take it (for now)

As for the punctures, I managed to go all 2023 without one so I guess karma has been restored The first one, at about 15 miles, took ages to fix because the repair patches just wouldn't stick to the inner tube so I finally gave up and put my spare tube in. Happy days and back on the road again. The second one, about 5 miles later, just after I'd climbed that flippin' hill meant I had to repair it. No problem the patch stuck first time and removing the shard of glass from the tyre ensured it didn't puncture again. However, my little pump was struggling to get any pressure into the tyre - I think it's goosed - so I had to complete the ride rather gingerly so as not to get another or damage the rim.

3hrs 20mins to complete a ride that I had expected to do in about 2 hours I will be faster next time

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Out without gloves and overshoes for the first time this year, a very pleasant 10°. Just a little potter through the local lanes.

 

[Dave 123]

Yesterday the weather was horrible, not even a hint of a blue sky.

Today after doing a few jobs the sea fog receded! There was blue!!!

I put my bike in the van and headed to Princetown.

You couldn’t see the end of your nose!

After 2 miles I had to put a buff under my helmet, it was raining, windy and cold.

I decided I’d go 5 miles and then turn around so at least I’d do ten miles. As I was on the old Princetown to Yelverton tramway it was an out and back ride. I’d never been down there before, I shall return when the sun is out!

I decided to treat myself to a flat white and a slice of carrot cake at the Fox Tor cafe before getting back to the van.

At home while washing my bike I was bathed in beautiful sunshine!

https://www.strava.com/activities/10787732828

 

[Mike_P]

The Defys pedals turned in anger today for the first time since mid October as I headed in search of more ABC Pubs. Kettlesing was the initial destination and I opted for the closed as a through route A59 initally. Maybe not the best choice given the wind direction which coupled with the rough road surface meant at times a couple of gears extra dropped as I battled largely uphill for 3 miles before descending to Kettlesing

More climbing rewarded by a vista of Nidderdale as Stumps Lane was descended towards Darley.

The OS map in my head got muddled and I turned down a farm access by mistake; realised the road I was thinking of was further to the west. Into Darley I spotted a bench for a snack break. After that the sun had disappeared and coupled with the wind the temperature plummeted. Turned north east along Dairy Lane to Dacre and then down the bank to Dacre Banks.

The steep climb into Summerbridge was sheltered from the wind.

Then the B6165 east to Burnt Yates for a further snack break then down the bank through Bedlam.

A rather stop start ride through Ripley and onto the Nidderdale Greenway which was clear, just, of flood water.
24.97 miles 2005ft climbed

 

[EltonFrog]

Flipping heck it’s wet today. I had to go to that London today, to see an ailing aunt in the Brompton hospital. Rode to Didcot station on the Brompton, train to Paddington, then rode to Brompton on the Brompton via Hyde Park, Knightsbridge etc., after the nephewly duties more or less the same journey back.
Had the weather been better I would have had a pootle about and taken some pictures, but it was absolutely precipitating down today. I think it’s only the second time I’ve been out on the B in the rain, however I was toasty warm and dry with full water proofs on.

EDIT: just to add when I was 13, in 1970, I used ride an Dawes Kingpin all around that area delivering meat to various addresses from the local butcher.