Your ride today....

[Grant Fondo]

12 mile utility ride around Chester earlier, rain started just as I got home. Looks like a foul night?
Treated myself to a pint of Guiness at Harkers, and why the ruddy hell not?

 

[Dave 123]

My first ride in about 5 years with my son. It was the Princetown loop.

We hired him a mountain bike in Plymouth and chucked it in the van.

The weather was sunny with a stiff westerly breeze.

I used to really enjoy riding with him and I miss it. We’ve done lots of walks on Dartmoor but not ridden. It’s one of my favourite rides and I think today will go down as ride of the year for me.

Climbing up to Eylesbarrow he’d did have to walk a few bits, he doesn’t encounter too many inclines with moving rocks in Cambridge!

A bacon butty to finish at the Fox Tor cafe.

https://www.strava.com/activities/12221398438

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Yesterday (Thursday): Windy yet again but warm. The rain in the morning hadn't been as bad as forecast so I got myself out after lunch. I had trouble deciding on a route again so it was yet another safe choice - the longer version of my Acton Burnell loop with a little bit of variation. I took the Hawk again partly for ease of access, partly because I expected to get rained on at some point.

The start was over Lyth Hill but after the top I turned down Green Lane, which in this case lives up to its name. At Exford's Green I took another gravel track before turning towards Stapleton. I unexpectedly saw @gavgav's dad out in the car and he stopped so we could have a quick chat before I continued towards Gonsall and Ryton. I'd expected to be working against the wind to Longnor but it wasn't too bad then I enjoyed a good stretch with the wind at my back to Frodesley and Acton Burnell. It was even better on the long straight at Cound Moor and having no other traffic to slow for made it really special. I don't usually go that quick even on the Galaxy along here.

Turning towards Harnage and Cound it was back to the more usual pace. It felt like the wind was still helping even though the flag at Cound (the Shropshire flag flying today) suggested it was actually a strong headwind. I did notice it more after the village and when I turned off the main road to Berrington it was definitely a headwind and stayed that way along Lyons Lane to Condover. Taking the hillier but less busy way back via Lyth Bank seemed like a good idea rather than plodding into the wind on the A49.

26.8 miles at 12 mph average. Great to get out but it would really be nice to have a spell of pleasant, calm weather for a while.

From the top of Lyth Hill - still some showers about but nothing that justified waterproofs.

Descending Green Lane. This is quite rocky so slow going.

Easier going on the track through Exford's Green.

View to the hills from Stapleton.

Passing through Cound.

 

[wafter]

Breakfast was a dogshit sandwich served via email.

The least self-destructive means of escaping my own head seemed to be a ride; which was an easy sell given the nice weather and dearth of distance this week.

I decided to go to Oxford. The initial excuse was to get black pudding, however I knew I'd never make the Butcher's 3pm close so didn't try.

A test-ride for the full commute I'll never do was also a worthy justification, and I chose a slightly more direct route which cut out the bulk of the admittedly lovely-but-longer off-road cycle path. Usual faff over with I was out fasted on the Fuji down the increasingly familiar, typically quiet lanes towards Woodstock.

The only notable event was some utter tool in a massive tractor and trailor trying to pass me on a very short straight before a blind bend. He was barely level with me when predictably an oncoming vehicle appeared and literally had to come to a dead stop (as did I) to let tractor dickhead finish his manouver. Once the ordeal was over my shaking head got a wave from the oncoming driver as he passed, which was appreciated.

After a bit of trimming on the last bit of the cycle path it was through Woodstock and on to Yarnton to pick up the tow path and continue on the usual commute route; the experience only made more enjoyable by my neck twinging about 15 miles in and remaining painful throughout..

The lack of a bell was a bit of a pain on the tow path but I politely made people aware of my presence verbally so it was no big thing. By about mile 20 my quads started to complain slightly as per my last fasted ride, and again I ignored them. I stopped at the park; didn't want to tempt fate with the rings but did a couple of pull-ups and hoped a dead-hang would help my neck; which it didn't.

I carried on to work for the full pseudo-commute experience; this coming in at 25 miles pretty much on the nose.. which I think is a bit of an ask on top of a full working day.

From there it was back through town for a fruitless trip to the Summertown charity shops then to the White Rabbit for a tonic water before the garden became totally rammed..

Still-novely-"cheap"-drink smashed it was on to Waitrose for some bits than back to Wolvercote via Wytham; stopping at Godstow to take some more crap pictures. I purposefully didn't take a proper camera (and it would have been a pain); and while convenient the phone rarely fails to disappoint when I look at the images at home; I guess crap pics are better than none..

I did consider stopping for some food at some point but still had no appetite and always welcome the opportunity to burn some fat / stress my crap body in an arguably positive way.


From Wolvercote some more trimming was had especially at the Yarton end of the tow path - eliciting a very much appreciated "good work" from a passing chap on a hybrid

Sailing past where I park the car with many miles left to go I took the same route back to Woodstock. I forgot to mention my delight at finding a van parked squarely in the middle of the cycle path between Yarnton and Woodstock - it could have been parked inside the adjacent property, or nosed onto the verge either side to allow people to pass, but no - dumped right in the middle with about three inches of tarmac on either side. Something unfortunate might have happened to its wing mirror as I dragged the bike past on the verge..

From Woodstock I stayed on the nice rural cycle path for its duration. By about mile 40 my stomach was beginning to feel as hollow as my soul..

I re-joined my outbound route a bit further on just as the sun was setting; glad I'd listened to my OCD in fitting the lights and taking the head torch despite the assumption I'd be back before dark; allowing me to inadvertantly startle an owl. I was less glad about the seatpost's insistance on gradually creeping down; by this point having lost maybe 30mm over the whole ride I eyeballed it at some aribitrary "that'll do" height and nipped it up again..

Irritatingly I'd been on the fence about fitting an excellent Salsa seatpost clamp (which seemed like a bit of an indulgence) - now they've apparently revised the design so it's cack; meaning that particular boat appears to have sailed


Anyway, a shade under 61 miles at 11.9mph for 2700kcal burned; apparently my second longest ride. I've had some salt for dinner and hope I've had enough exertion to force a good night's sleep for once.. SPOILER: Had a terrible night's sleep

 

[geocycle]

This afternoon presented a weather window after a wet and windy morning with more promised tomorrow. I don’t usually like afternoons but decided to get a shortish ride up onto the hills toward Bowland. First was the river path to where JMW Turner painted the Lune valley, a moment of calm ahead of the steep 20% climb up Littledale. It was nice to see the heather coming out adding a purple contrast to the greens we have come accustomed to. After a steep descent I pulled up Jubilee Tower with great views across toward Morecambe Bay. The route continued onward to Bowland and then I headed back through lanes to the coast. 56 km with 760 m of climbing.

 

[Windle]

I've been doing a 20 miler or so on Saturdays or Sundays recently, taking the bike in the car and parking in West Auckland after dropping the wife off at work but fancied a change today, so a ride from home it was. I'd planned to take the Trek Singletrack 810 out next so it had a mid length local run. It was knocking on 19 degrees and sunny, but a bit breezy, although better than most of the recent days. Setting off down my usual local 'green lane' and past Cockfield football ground where the pavilion building has finally been painted all over in a canny shade of blue (the south end was painted earlier this year to cover some amateurish graffiti).

Down nettle alley and out onto the road & through Cockfield, past the turn off to the cemetery where I normally go I headed north out of the village down the bank, hitting just over 30 mph on the Trek, it's knobbly tyres roaring like a Bombardier Dash 8 revving up for take off! I turned off left at the bottom and headed down past the sewage works to Low Lands where the path along the old Haggerleases railway branch on the north side of the river Gaunless starts. There was no way I was trying to lug the 33lb Trek over the narrow, overgrown stile but luckily there was a gate just a way down which I lifted it over.

This is a cracking little path and meanders along heading west, following the river, passing the one remaining tower of the long gone Lands viaduct. I think these chaps could smell the pocketful of freshly picked cherry tomatoes I'd taken for snacks, no fancy gels here.

This is the west abutment of the viaduct which I've photographed from the top recently, there were signs up at the start of the path, dated last August, explaining how the council were doing remedial works on it ~ they still don't appear to have finished a year later with fencing still left up there. The river is the other side of the fence.

Continuing along the path, over the old skew bridge and out of the other end onto the road at the bottom of the Slack bank, I headed north west, over the river and past the former Gaunless valley visitor centre, the building on the end, which used to be a pub years ago.

Just past this little collection of houses the road climbs steeply and bends round to the right, I forgot to look at my computer to see how steep it is but I'm guessing it's over 10%. It levels out soon enough then settles into a long drag up past the Teesdale Cheese factory / visitor centre.

After a brief photo and tomato stop it was up to Copley where I turned left and dropped down the 14% bank to cross the Gaunless again at the bottom. From here I headed off up the track through Copley Chimney wood,

then past Gibsneese farm and instead of heading straight home down Scotland Lane I diverted off down the railway path and did the west end of my usual loop, up to Cockfield, back down the fell then returning via the railway path & Scotland lane. Lots of cows were laid around in the sun on the bit in between, and this young Tup (I think) calling to the girls in the field next door.

11.7 miles completed with 850 feet of climbing. The old Trek performed superbly as ever, maybe with the exception of a slightly creaky seat post, which needs a dab of grease.

 

[HLaB]

The group ride went ahead partly because it was a gravel ride but mainly because a friend who lives 2.5h drive had organised to meet us. On hindsight I should have cancelled, 60 odd miles in heavy rain with a feel like of 10deg C (last night was 21deg C!). The inevitable after about 30 miles as I tensed up on a series of descents my fore arms went sore weak and numb and I mis controlled a real wheel slide and went down, The helmet seemed take 99%, the other 1% of it was my eye socket fortunately it was just bruising and it never closed up. The clothes seem to have escaped. I should have came back a road route at speed to keep warm but I continued the planned gravel route and the inevitable happened again circa 30miles later and the same but on road. Fortunately the following driver was on the ball. We were close enough to my mates home that two of them sprinted down to house to get a van which I gladly got in. I thought I was getting back to normal but I guess not my body, head and legs were warm enough but my now poor circulation saw the arms go :-/ Lol, the rain was due to stop when I got home but it was heavy showers on and off for the next 3 hours and it was a while before I got the bike fully clean,



Lol the altimeter seems to have stopped working with all that rain.





3h later

 

[Grant Fondo]

Another repeat ride of 11 Aug beach blast this evening ... lovely, but tide not as far out. Got back at 8.30pm properly sand splattered. The Cannondale now needs some TLC

Even late on the beach was busy with bank holidayers having BBQs and wondering why on earth a strange chap on an old MTB was wearing a Bora Hansgrohe race top

Early morning ride on the old girl at Traeth Bychan Anglesey.
More than acceptable.
View attachment 740712

 

[sevenfourate]

My first ever Gravel type ride. Also encompassing Fields, Mud, Farm-Tracks, Leaning 🙄 against a few Hedgerows 🤣 and everything inbetween. What an absolute giggle. Loved it !!

 

[Spiderweb]

Out on the Tricross at 9.30am for a bank holiday ride for coffee at Bosun’s in Bishopthorpe on the outskirts of York. Great setting by the river, will definitely be returning. A fabulous day for riding with my two besties.

 

[Grant Fondo]

23 miler into the Wirral from Chester, back around the racecourse and under Grosvenor bridge.

I somehow got lured back to Harkers for a pint on the way home. Easily done

 

[HLaB]

I got woken up by a WhatsApp at circa 8.30am; a group of mates were meeting for a ride at 10am. I got up had breakfast and went out for a relaxed 10miles before I met them just to check I wasn’t too jittery. After we met the first 3/4 of the ride to the cafe were pretty full on into a headwind but coming back after was pretty relaxed with a tail wind.

I came back and had lunch and then went out to test my gravel bike. On the whole the damage is just cosmetic but the rear derailleur hanger is slightly off, not enough to make it rub the spokes but enough to compromise shifting under load. Into the shop it’ll go.

Lol, I rode out to a village fete my mates were helping out at (the burger stand). They had no burgers left but plenty of buns

 

[geocycle]

A lovely day, coincident with a day‘s leave so had to head for the hills. I perused my saved rides on cycle.travel and came upon one to Ribblesdale taking in the Three Peaks. Outwards to Ingleton where I picked up the Twistleton Scar road to Chapel-Le-Dale, gorgeous views across to Ingleborough and a wheatear perched on the dry stone wall. I continued past the former Hill Inn and then pulled in at the magnificent Ribblehead viaduct. All was relatively quiet as it was a week day although still a procession of walkers heading to Whernside. I tumbled down Ribblesdale through Horton and then lunched outside the Naked Man in Settle. A sausage roll and flap sustained me through Keasden and home. 104 km with 1040 m of climbing.

Pictures of bike enjoying a break by the limestone, Ribblehead and Whernside, and Ribblesdale approaching Settle.

 

[cyberknight]

As i was off work friday night i managed to get a saturday ride in with the club .
Lead the group 2 ride which was about right for me atm as i am still getting my form back after my operation so im still a bit podgy and lacking top end fitness.
6 of us rode from Moira Furnace around the lanes heading for the world peace cafe at the tara monastery in Etwall which is a great cafe , as i am skint due to sick pay i took my own flapjack from bm bargains and had a coffee whilst the rest tucked into cake and in once case cake and a panini ! . i thought shes going to pay for that when we hit the final hill with that lot sitting on the stomach but hey its up to them .
After we left the cafe we headed back to Repton then the climb on manchester lane hatshorne always burns your legs before dropping back down the Moira .
64.77 miles in the legs by the time i got home ready for for food with heavy legs and my left shoulder that has been hurting for a couple of weeks seemed to cope with it without being more than just niggly .

 

[Dave 123]

Another Ivybridge tip run to top up the cardboard skip….. the puffing Billy track beckoned.

It was warm and breezy up there, but the view across the South Hams was a bit hazy.

Not too much livestock for the first few miles, but then at the pool I call White Horse pool there were 3 white horses and some Belted Galloway cattle.

Lots of meadow pipits and a single Wheatear were spotted.

I had a laze around at Redlake.

On the way back my chain came off the chainring, other than that there wasn’t much excitement

https://www.strava.com/activities/12289722751