Your ride today....

[Donger]

Another great little ride in the Belgian Ardennes this afternoon/evening. We went for a drive this morning and ate out at lunchtime, so I had the rare opportunity to go for an afternoon/evening ride once the rain cleared away. I drove down into Malmedy and parked for free at the old railway station next to RAVeL Ligne 45, and I headed off along the cycleway towards Waimes still not certain where I was going to go after that. Out towards the German border via Weywertz, Butgenbach and Bullingen or down southwards towards St Vith via Steinbach and Montenau? It wasn't until I reached a junction in the track at Waimes that I surprised myself by turning right and heading off towards St Vith on Ligne 48, the "Vennbahn". Once again, I found the RAVeL to be extremely well signposted and enjoyable. There was one quite hairy crossing of a main road just as I left Malmedy, but all the others felt very safe, always announcing themselves by the track going bright green and the road being painted red, with warning signs and little wickets to slow you down. Pedestrians and dog walkers were as well behaved as ever, and the scenery was great. Some pictures:

I didn't quite make it to St Vith, stopping when I reached the viaduct at Born, due to time constraints and wanting to watch the England game, but that was a great little 23.7 miler. Loving this Belgian RAVeL network. After a sticky and humid start, I got caught in a torrential downpour that freshened things up nicely and the rest of the ride was done in sunny weather with a nice cool breeze. Can't complain. As usual, here's another of my "Flatnav" screen shots of the ride:

I've just realised that I've left myself 4 miles short of 1,500 all time miles in mainland Europe. I'll have to make time to nip out for one last little ride just to put that right tomorrow.

 

[Jameshow]

Saltaire to Haworth Haworth nice ride despite being on the cx bike. Big tyres give comfy ride and you can cheat and take the canal from bingley to Saltaire and avoid the roundabout and big hill!

Saw a couple of deer in the worth valley which was nice! 👍

 

[ExBrit]

I can't make out the near sign in the first picture. Is it saying "Do not feed the equestrians"?
Or is it saying "Do not levitate above your bicycle because it will confuse the horses"?

 

[sevenfourate]

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I can't make out the near sign in the first picture. Is it saying "Do not feed the equestrians"?
Or is it saying "Do not levitate above your bicycle because it will confuse the horses"?

Blue Circular is mandatory. Square Blue is informational.

So i'd suggest its a warning of Ghostly apparitions hovering above all (?) other path users; so as to not cause shock.

Standard stuff really

 

[Donger]

Although this is the last day of our holiday and time is short, I managed to get out early for a mini ride just to ensure I hit my all-time total of 1,500 miles in continental Europe today. (Never can be sure when you are coming back .... it had been 5 years since my last foreign ride). Mrs D was outside waiting with the camera when I got back, having just done 9.5 miles in the immediate vicinity to complete 89.8 miles of riding in 4 rides this week. I made sure I got the old ticker working though, by dropping down about 3 miles through the woods on the Route du Grand Fond down through Xhoffraix and Longfaye, forcing me to climb 3 miles back up again. When I got back, the missus got this shot:

.... after I was initially photobombed by a red squirrel:

The end of a superb week in the Ardennes/High Fens. I cannot recommend this area highly enough as a place to go cycling.

 

[DCBassman]

Longest ride for...quite some time!
My arriss hurts...

 

[Cavalol]

Desperately overweight, desperately unfit and not done a proper bike ride in quite a while. It therefore made perfect sense to accept my mate's offer of riding to Shrewbsury and getting the train home. Considering I was blowing out of ar*e just riding go meet him 1.5 miles away, I did wonder how it would go.

I've been to Ellesmere twice on a bike, but we went a different way today and it was glorious. Lots of tight, rough country lanes with decent climbs (for an old fat bloke) some of which I won't lie, I walked up. Some of the descents were brilliant, felt like maybe we'd have gone faster on them had we known the roads, but lots of tight turns, no real vision of what's coming the other way, and gravel aplenty.

43 odd miles, which I really felt, but was glad of the offer to go or I'd never have done so on my own..

 

[sevenfourate]

Desperately overweight, desperately unfit and not done a proper bike ride in quite a while. It therefore made perfect sense to accept my mate's offer of riding to Shrewbsury and getting the train home. Considering I was blowing out of ar*e just riding go meet him 1.5 miles away, I did wonder how it would go.

I've been to Ellesmere twice on a bike, but we went a different way today and it was glorious. Lots of tight, rough country lanes with decent climbs (for an old fat bloke) some of which I won't lie, I walked up. Some of the descents were brilliant, felt like maybe we'd have gone faster on them had we known the roads, but lots of tight turns, no real vision of what's coming the other way, and gravel aplenty.

43 odd miles, which I really felt, but was glad of the offer to go or I'd never have done so on my own..

Well done ! Sounds a fun ride.

And repeat……😁

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

Out with the local tri-club again this weekend. After last weekends rather arduous ride, and several weekends of overreaching my aerobic fitness, I was planning to join the slow group - but my arm was twisted into going out and doing some hills. Didn't break any records on this one, but it was the toughest ride with them to date. Held my own pretty well for the hilly section at the start - but on the open road where they were really pushing the pace, I lost contact with the group for a little while. I was sustaining 22 mph into a 12 mph headwind on a slight incline. And I was giving it all I had.

Thankfully, things were a little bit easier after re-grouping and I had recovered a bit for the race to the cafe at the end.

The bike set-up isn't really right for these rides - rack/trunk bag/mudguards - but as I cycle for transport whenever I can, I don't really want to remove all the stuff only to reconfigure the bike when the need arises. It was never my plan to go out with the faster group - just the slow group as I was only doing it to maintain a decent level of fitness. But I'm having way too much fun.

I'd decided to buy a bike both more suited that I could keep for this sort of activity - next year. But after today's ride I'm almost tempted not to wait. Especially given the rate at which I'm losing weight (didn't seem like much point when I was north of 80kg, but at this rate I'll be comfortably south of my target weight before the end of the month).

They seem like a really good group. Bit disconcerting that they all know me but I've only picked up a handful of names. I think it's because the bike really sticks out.

 

[Dave 123]

Just a short one yesterday after work. I managed to time it fairly well between massive showers. I did endure a smattering of precipitation though.

Another variation of the Battisborough loop.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11870889665

 

[ianbarton]

Desperately overweight, desperately unfit and not done a proper bike ride in quite a while. It therefore made perfect sense to accept my mate's offer of riding to Shrewbsury and getting the train home. Considering I was blowing out of ar*e just riding go meet him 1.5 miles away, I did wonder how it would go.

Well done. Ellesmere is a great place to cycle with great views over the mere from the cafe. The only bad point is almost all the ways out are uphill.

 

[geocycle]

After several rides into the Dales I decided to head to Windermere. Winds were light, temperature ok and it was dry when I set off. Unfortunately, the clouds came in over the lakes and I had a few hours of drizzle. What’s happened to July! I went out through Silverdale and Leighton Moss where I had a great view of a red deer stag with impressive antlers and about 4 hinds. Continued through to Arnside and then round the Kent estuary to Levens. From there I escaped the light head wind and went west across the flat Lyth valley. Well flat untilI got to Whitbarrow and then the steep climb up Strawberry Bank. Once I submitted I knew it was all down Gummers How to Fellfoot. The cafe on the lake was full of wild water swimmers, a frightening collection of big jackets and ruddy complexions. The home leg was similar but I took a more easterly route. 105 km with 1250 m of climbing.

pictures were hampered by the drizzle but show bike getting a glimpse of Windermere, some leafy lanes in the Lyth valley and the cafe at Fellfoot.

 

[HLaB]

More Base miles today, at least that is what Garmin says.



The usual autumn group ride to Oundle and the pub. Slight change in habit there (the pub) we stopped at The Crown in Elton.

 

[Dave 123]

A ride of almost 10 miles.

Later and shorter than intended, but if the weather gets all heavy and threatening at this time of year my Chest tightens up, and today it duly did.

So after some antihistamines and salbutamol and a sit down I was ready to roll.

I went down Preston bridleway that was very mucky and wet.

Up to Battisborough and the sky over to Ivybridge and the moors was a little dark.

To the coast it was solid blue.

Back via Creacombe.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11878900285

 

[Cavalol]

A ride of almost 10 miles.

Later and shorter than intended, but if the weather gets all heavy and threatening at this time of year my Chest tightens up, and today it duly did.

So after some antihistamines and salbutamol and a sit down I was ready to roll.

I went down Preston bridleway that was very mucky and wet.

Up to Battisborough and the sky over to Ivybridge and the moors was a little dark.

To the coast it was solid blue.

Back via Creacombe.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11878900285

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There's something oddly pleasing about riding bridleways, the muddier/deeper the better imho.