Your ride today....

[C R]

About 20 miles around Kyoto in 35C temperatures. Hired a bike near the hotel where I am staying and went up by the Katsuragawa River Path to the Tenruyi Temple. Nice views of the mountains along the path.

Parked the bike and went to see the temple park, which was quite busy with Japanese tourists. Apparently this coming week there's some holiday in here.

Next I cycled up the hill a bit, planning to stop at Kinkaku ji, but got mixed up and stopped at an earlier one called Ninna ji. Signage is pretty much exclusively in Japanese. Ninna ji proved to be quite spectacular

This is more like a complex with several temples with each more spectacular than the previous one.

I decided to start heading back now, as I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get back. I cycled past Kinkaku ji without going in, heading for the Kamogawa River which has another spectacular path next to it.

Heading back to the hotel.

Kyoto is a nice place to ride, and drivers are very considerate. There's a lot of utility riders, with many parents carrying young children in their bikes. I even saw a lady carrying three children in her bike.

I could probably have ridden a bit more, but I was melting and really wanted to get away from the heat. No map as I had forgotten to charge my garmin watch battery and it died after the first five miles.

 

[sevenfourate]

Just a tiny 4.85 miles. Doing a few laps of the same route on a shake-down of the new ride. Messing with lever positions, seat angle but mainly tyre pressure 🙄

 

[sevenfourate]

About 20 miles around Kyoto in 35C temperatures. Hired a bike near the hotel where I am staying and went up by the Katsuragawa River Path to the Tenruyi Temple. Nice views of the mountains along the path.
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Parked the bike and went to see the temple park, which was quite busy with Japanese tourists. Apparently this coming week there's some holiday in here.

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Next I cycled up the hill a bit, planning to stop at Kinkaku ji, but got mixed up and stopped at an earlier one called Ninna ji. Signage is pretty much exclusively in Japanese. Ninna ji proved to be quite spectacular

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This is more like a complex with several temples with each more spectacular than the previous one.

I decided to start heading back now, as I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get back. I cycled past Kinkaku ji without going in, heading for the Kamogawa River which has another spectacular path next to it.

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Heading back to the hotel.

Kyoto is a nice place to ride, and drivers are very considerate. There's a lot of utility riders, with many parents carrying young children in their bikes. I even saw a lady carrying three children in her bike.

I could probably have ridden a bit more, but I was melting and really wanted to get away from the heat. No map as I had forgotten to charge my garmin watch battery and it died after the first five miles.

Stunning pics ! Enjoy your trip…..and your rides.

 

[HLaB]

he usual Saturday group ride for me today, A relatively relaxed ride especially when we cycled for a bit with a mate who was going on a bike tour with panniers et al. I did give it one dig before the pub but I dropped everyone

 

[Glow worm]

Evening ride out on the Cambridgeshire Fens, looking for my favourite glowing chums😀

Just a nice slow 12 miler. An early barn owl a bonus then 3 glow worms near Wicken Fen includiing this one.

In all these years I’ve yet to work out how to take a decent photo of a glow worm with a phone. Any tips gratefully received! Later on, I found a glow worm in my village, for the first time in 25 years of searching. I am beyond happy that they are here!

Sunset here was pretty good tonight too.

 

[FrankCrank]

Those glow worms are a common sight here, they come up to the window mozzi nets of an evening and peer inside for a while.
When the Xmas tree is up in the living room, they get particularly excited, thinking that the room is full of a colourful clan of their cousins

 

[C R]

Stunning pics ! Enjoy your trip…..and your rides.

Thanks. Just the one ride, I'm flying back today. This was a work trip, but the return flight yesterday had no seats available, so had a day to see the city.

 

[Jameshow]

Just a typical ride over to Hawes pint in Aysgarth then back over to grassington.
High lights seeing Ingleborough, the beer, the helicopter, the headspace.

Lows ...
Rd messed itself up.
Ribs hurt front crash in Thursday night.

 

[wafter]

Just a typical ride over to Hawes pint in Aysgarth then back over to grassington.
High lights seeing Ingleborough, the beer, the helicopter, the headspace.

Lows ...
Rd messed itself up.
Ribs hurt front crash in Thursday night.
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Great to see you getting out and that it's done you some good - scenery looks stunning!

 

[sevenfourate]

Longest ride yet. New bike behaved. Sun was out. And all done in fine company. A fab Sunday ride !

 

[Grant Fondo]

Early morning ride on the old girl at Traeth Bychan Anglesey.
More than acceptable.

 

[geocycle]

A hot and dry Sunday deep in August. Decided to avoid the crowds and head to Bowland for some millstone grit. I took a route through Wray and the backroad to Keasden, just pausing to admire Ingleborough as I past. The climbing began as I slowly winched myself up Bowland Knotts at 424 masl. I l loved the smooth road surface at the start of the climb and appreciated it more as I picked my was through the pock marked roads toward Slaidburn. I decided to mix with the cool kids in Gisburn Forest mtb hub for some lunch. Unfortunately that was a mistake as there was some sort of festival going on which was fairly unpleasant. I continued through the centre of Britain, up and over the wild boar park for a coffee in Chipping. This also involved an enormous scone! Coming home I got some views of kestrels and a stoat. Loads of cyclists out today enjoying the sunshine. 102 km with 1440 m of climbing.

Pictures are of Ingleborough, view from Bowland Knotts, the Chipping Scone and the view toward the sea from Harris End.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Friday: After only getting in a couple of trips to town since my last write up I fancied a ride but was struggling a bit with motivation, partly because the day was surprisingly windy. I thought I'd grab the knockabout bike as it's easy to get out and just go for one of my regular routes.

I headed over Lyth Hill and in the direction of Plealey and the climb to Oaks. The road to Plealey was oddly busy with cars coming through in groups of six or seven - quite often on this road I don't see that many on the whole stretch. It was a plod against the wind but I was sheltered by hedges once I started climbing. The BBC Shropshire outside broadcast van overtook me en route to Pulverbatch. I wonder where they were headed to.

The wind helped on the undulating lanes to Wilderley and Smethcott. There was more traffic in the proximity of Leebotwood, including a car with caravan which made me think that some of it was visitors arriving for the weekend. I thought I'd take a detour through Botvyle and up to Comley just to make a change. I haven't been along this road for a while and I'm not sure if I have ridden it in this direction before.

The wind wasn't as helpful as hoped on the way back through Longnor, Ryton and Condover. I opted to head for Hunger Hill and the climb at Little Lyth this time which proved to be a good choice as the A49 was really busy. I'd have had to wait even longer to cross it if a kind driver in a Skoda Yeti hadn't allowed me into traffic.

Exactly 29 miles showing on my speedometer at the end and 11.5 mph average. Strava tells me 2139 feet of climbing. Great to get out - I really needed that and apart from being pretty blustery the weather was quite pleasant.

Crossing Lyth Hill at the start.

On the climb to Oaks.

Wrentnall.

Pulverbatch.

Between Wilderley and Smethcott.

A couple of shots between Botvyle and Comley.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Saturday: I'd arranged to get out for a ride with my brother but the weather was rather grey and drizzly so we waited until after lunch to get out. It hadn't dried up when getting ready for the ride but the sun broke through shortly after we set off and we only had to contend with a couple of light showers during the rest of the ride.

The start was the same as the previous day - Over Lyth Hill and dropping down on the Exford's Green side but this time I was taking Doug onto some roads that are either new to him or he hasn't ridden for a long time. We headed through Arscott and Shorthill, crossed the main road at Lea Cross then headed for Nox and the roads I was fairly sure Doug hadn't been on before. There is a deceptive climb here where Doug pulled away from me, then we had a meandering loop round the quiet lanes of Ford Heath. There is a campsite which used to advertise that they had a cafe but now advertises a bar and takeaway - quite tempting but the late start meant we didn't really have enough time for a stop this time. One to go back to at some point.

The route back was through Cruckton, Cruckmeole and Hanwood. I warned Doug about the steep climb of Pound Lane so he didn't rush at it as much as earlier but he was still pulling away from me at points. To get back we crossed Lyth Hill again but from the Annscroft side this time and once again Doug was getting ahead on the climb until it steepened at Lyth Bank.

21.1 miles at 11.9 mph average. 1043 feet of climbing. Enjoyed that and not for the first time I think Doug would be a really strong rider if he got out more often.

Today's view from Lyth Hill. The rain cleared very quickly once it started to.

And one of Doug from the same spot.

Some bastard has fly-tipped this lot since yesterday.

Drink stop at Ford Heath.

 

[Donger]

32.5 miles today. Nipped out on the reserve (No.2) bike to go and investigate a new cafe that has been opened up in Arlingham by a relative of a club mate of mine. Arlingham is a village near the banks of the river Severn just opposite Newnham on Severn, and is a popular destination for local cyclists, with the last 3/4 mile being a no through road to the viewpoint on the river bank. Sophie has just opened up her cafe in the village itself, (to anyone who knows Arlingham, turn left at the Red Lion crossroads and carry on for 1/4 mile or so and the Farmer's Yard cafe is on the right). It opened for business yesterday and for the moment is open from Friday to Sunday. Sophie and family (photo) were really friendly and the service, the cakes and the iced coffee were great. I wish them all the best. This area needed a cycle friendly cafe. I chose not to sit inside, but to sit in one of the sheltered former stables outside with chickens and guinea fowl running around my feet.

After that, I carried on down to the viewpoint. The pub, the Old Passage has closed down, so its car park is now being used by picnickers who were enjoying the hot, sunny weather on the river bank.

I nipped back and forth between Arlingham, Frampton and Fretherne to bring up enough distance for a metric half century, stopping a couple of times for boats to pass along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.

It was a bit of a sauna out there today, but when there was a headwind it was like having your own air conditioning. By the time I got home I had drunk all my energy drink and poured all my water over my head. Started sweating as soon as I stopped. 32.5 miles.