cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
There are some nice country lanes filled currently with potholes and god knows what fell off the back of tractors 💩
Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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There are some nice country lanes filled currently with potholes and god knows what fell off the back of tractors 💩
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
What a lousy, dirty Devon day. Absolutely piddling down!
But it did stop and by 4pm I was on my mountain bike for a spin around the Warren.
The stream that goes into the river Yealm was running red from the local soil.
Once out at the sea it was lovely and warm.
The Brittany ferry was on its way back to France.
There was a flock of 40 odd linnets flitting around on the thistles and fence wires.
Back home via Membland, where I spied a giant Polypore bracket fungi.
https://www.strava.com/activities/12591865736
But it did stop and by 4pm I was on my mountain bike for a spin around the Warren.
The stream that goes into the river Yealm was running red from the local soil.
Once out at the sea it was lovely and warm.
The Brittany ferry was on its way back to France.
There was a flock of 40 odd linnets flitting around on the thistles and fence wires.
Back home via Membland, where I spied a giant Polypore bracket fungi.
https://www.strava.com/activities/12591865736
Witzend
Well-Known Member
^^^My bolds and edits^^^
Stick with it, old mate - it's vital to make it more of a habit to go out than to stay in.
I know you have off-road bikes, so the opportunity to stay traffic-free will have been explored. I tend to avoid riding at weekends due to the increase in people with a decrease in patience and consideration post-Covid, who are doing the weekly shop/taking junior to xyz/driving the dog for a walk etc.
I find that Fridays tend to be the quietest due to the volume of people now choosing to "work from home" on Fridays, and that weekdays between 09:00 and 10:00 (after most have got to work) and 17:00 to 18:30 (home from work/before going out) have reduced traffic, but realise weekday riding is not an option for everyone.
The more you go out, the more confident you'll get in you and other road users.
Above all, avoid school run traffic.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
Out to the flat Fens with the Yaxley Riders today to a town called Ramsey before cutting west to the Holly Lodge cafe before heading back north to Yaxley. I think I needed thicker gloves to keep the neuropathy at bay when folks are tired.
Thanks chap - appreciate your encouragement
Unfortunately I'm coming at it from the other end.. I used to be a lot more confident riding on the roads but it seems this is diminishing thanks to a combination of both an increase in my general anxiety and unpleasant interactions / conflict with drivers; be that as a pedestrian, cyclist or driver.
I grew up loving, and generally being pretty involved with cars; however I'm increasingly coming to hate them for what they represent, the damage they cause and the way they serve to amplify the worst traits of some.
The problem with traffic is made worse with where I'm living currently as it's pretty rural and affluent; meaning an amount of self-entitled muppets who aren't used to accommodating anyone but themselves; especially cyclists.
I don't often let the anxiety stop me per se, however it does contribute as another of those low-level factors that makes me think "meh, maybe I won't bother" on some occasions.
I try to ride out of rush hour if I can and off road where possible, however proper off-road is difficult in the winter as I'm not used to / can't abide washing the MTB literally every time I go out because I've come back with half the countryside stuck to it.
I'm lucky in that my commute is pretty much exclusively tow paths and Oxford city centre (where the traffic is slower and much more cycle-friendly), while my semi-regular shop (as per my last post) can be made on country roads and maybe 20% off road; however of course it only takes one inattentive / aggressive / entitled idiot to write you off.
With increasing age the underlying urge only grows to just get as far away from people as possible..
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Witzend
Well-Known Member
55.07 miles; 479m of ascent; non-stop; on- & off-road.
Trying to keep the mileage up as I'm hoping to get in a multi-day, off-road trip amongst the Highlands sometime in the next few weeks if there's a weather window.
There - I've said it out loud so I'll have to do it, now.
Trying to keep the mileage up as I'm hoping to get in a multi-day, off-road trip amongst the Highlands sometime in the next few weeks if there's a weather window.
There - I've said it out loud so I'll have to do it, now.
Witzend
Well-Known Member
26.71 miles; 189m of ascent.
A shorter day due to other commitments, but again non-stop and a combination of on- and off-road.
Unusually uneventful other than the complete absence of other cyclists and the marked increase in wind, which is forecast to get worse.
“You never have the wind with you – either it is against you or you’re having a good day.” - D. Behrman.
A shorter day due to other commitments, but again non-stop and a combination of on- and off-road.
Unusually uneventful other than the complete absence of other cyclists and the marked increase in wind, which is forecast to get worse.
“You never have the wind with you – either it is against you or you’re having a good day.” - D. Behrman.
Witzend
Well-Known Member
42.05 miles; 277m of ascent; non-stop (apart from a set of traffic lights); mainly on- with a bit of off-road; not a single other cyclist encountered.
Gave up trying to second-guess the weather, bit the bullet and got togged up for a wet and windy ride. They say that often the hardest part is getting through the front door.
Within 2 miles a driver thought there was enough room to squeeze between the kerb and a set of bollards - which there was had I not been there. When he finally got past, he had his phone held up near his chin, so he was probably trying to avoid slowing down and having to change gear with the other hand.
After a road closure forced a detour through a nearby town, another driver didn't bother to indicate until I was committed and my subsequent swerve resulted in the familiar 'klang' of a broken spoke, so had to cut short.
Limping home, a large S Class tried to force past me as I slowed for a set of lights, pushing me in front of a car in the left turn lane. Not sure if he hadn't seen me or hadn't realised the large white transit van stood at the lights in front of me was actually stationary. When he got past, it stank of cannabis smoke, so probably both. Hey ho.
Gave up trying to second-guess the weather, bit the bullet and got togged up for a wet and windy ride. They say that often the hardest part is getting through the front door.
Within 2 miles a driver thought there was enough room to squeeze between the kerb and a set of bollards - which there was had I not been there. When he finally got past, he had his phone held up near his chin, so he was probably trying to avoid slowing down and having to change gear with the other hand.
After a road closure forced a detour through a nearby town, another driver didn't bother to indicate until I was committed and my subsequent swerve resulted in the familiar 'klang' of a broken spoke, so had to cut short.
Limping home, a large S Class tried to force past me as I slowed for a set of lights, pushing me in front of a car in the left turn lane. Not sure if he hadn't seen me or hadn't realised the large white transit van stood at the lights in front of me was actually stationary. When he got past, it stank of cannabis smoke, so probably both. Hey ho.
Witzend
Well-Known Member
41.42 miles; 261m of ascent; 2 stops; 7 other cyclists.
Combined the need for a weekly shop with wanting to give the legs more load-carrying miles than the usual 14 mile shopping trip. Took the heaviest bike, 2 panniers and a rucksack to the next-closest supermarket - 20m empty; 20m loaded; a stop for a level crossing and the other for the shop.
Even windier than yesterday at times, but not the 4,993mph "Hurricane force winds" forecast on the BBC website this morning (technical issues apparently).
Combined the need for a weekly shop with wanting to give the legs more load-carrying miles than the usual 14 mile shopping trip. Took the heaviest bike, 2 panniers and a rucksack to the next-closest supermarket - 20m empty; 20m loaded; a stop for a level crossing and the other for the shop.
Even windier than yesterday at times, but not the 4,993mph "Hurricane force winds" forecast on the BBC website this morning (technical issues apparently).
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
31.3 miles (50.4km) today. Cool but sunny in Gloucestershire. Ideal cycling conditions and light traffic down the lanes, so I had a great little ride around the Severnside villages. Started off along the canal bank, slowing several times to allow swans to scoot out of the way and get launched.
I headed out to Frampton and Arlingham (as usual), but first stopped off at Saul Junction.
Not sure whether that guy was angling or ghostbusting. Closing in on a major milestone with my cycling now, which I reckon I'll hit before the end of the month - weather permitting.
I headed out to Frampton and Arlingham (as usual), but first stopped off at Saul Junction.
Not sure whether that guy was angling or ghostbusting. Closing in on a major milestone with my cycling now, which I reckon I'll hit before the end of the month - weather permitting.
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
Amen to that.
Out on the Brompton earlier for the usual egg / rings run. Stupid anxious brain was once more resistive thanks to the chill in the air, but it was gloriously sunny and once warmed up I was comfortable in the zipped merino base layer and thin gloves.
Headed east for one box of eggs, back through the village for some difficult time on the rings then west for another box of eggs (they owed me 40p from last time and their lack of change provision, which I didn't want to forget about).
On the way out I had a thoroughly bizarre experience at the traffic lights - signalled right and waited for the oncoming vehicles to pass.. one chelsea tractor stopped and flashed so I pulled across and raised a hand in thanks. Turns out it was the *individual* who'd been low-level harassing me earlier in the year; who then followed me up the road with her back seat passenger (and I shoot you not) addressing me by name through a loudhailer from the open window of the back seat..
Thankfully they passed (safely) and turned off; not sure of their motivation or whether I should be concerned or flattered. I've seen the main protagonist in the shop and she never makes any effort to engage. Suffice to say it seems they're all absolutely batshit mental and just another reason to get out of this greasy little hellhole at the first opportunity...
The ride was also subject to indifferent / self-entitled boomer content later; however that paled into insignificance given what had come before.
Anyway, about 8 miles and as usual I feel better for getting out; nutjobs not withstanding
Headed east for one box of eggs, back through the village for some difficult time on the rings then west for another box of eggs (they owed me 40p from last time and their lack of change provision, which I didn't want to forget about).
On the way out I had a thoroughly bizarre experience at the traffic lights - signalled right and waited for the oncoming vehicles to pass.. one chelsea tractor stopped and flashed so I pulled across and raised a hand in thanks. Turns out it was the *individual* who'd been low-level harassing me earlier in the year; who then followed me up the road with her back seat passenger (and I shoot you not) addressing me by name through a loudhailer from the open window of the back seat..
Thankfully they passed (safely) and turned off; not sure of their motivation or whether I should be concerned or flattered. I've seen the main protagonist in the shop and she never makes any effort to engage. Suffice to say it seems they're all absolutely batshit mental and just another reason to get out of this greasy little hellhole at the first opportunity...
The ride was also subject to indifferent / self-entitled boomer content later; however that paled into insignificance given what had come before.
Anyway, about 8 miles and as usual I feel better for getting out; nutjobs not withstanding
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Witzend
Well-Known Member
One of the many reasons I choose to live in the sticks, but we still have them - just fewer in number.
36.81 miles today; 341m of ascent; 3 stops; 7 other cyclists (all but one in long sleeves/full-finger gloves/tights/buffs up to their nostrils whilst I topped up my tan).
A necessary trip to the nearest town followed by a steady jaunt on- & off-road around favoured mushrooming spots.
Wrapped up 200 miles for the week without having to dip into riding at the weekend - leaving it free for spoke replacement/cleaning/fettling and Il Lombardia.
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Had a free morning and with the prospect of rain at the weekend decided to get out for a ride. Headed up toward Kendal more or less along the route of the Lancaster to Kendal canal. I left it at Natland, fortuitous perhaps as it is filled in at the point leaving ghostly bridges and stonework to satisfy future archaeologists. From Natland the one long climb took me up the limestone promontory of Scout Scar. I paused for some excellent views down to the coast and across to the Lake District hills. A steep descent took me to Lyth Valley and the village of Levens for lunch. I followed the Kent estuary to the coast and the along through Arnside and Silverdale. 84 km with 865 m of climbing.
pictures are of bike by a canal bridge, the lovely river Kent and view from Scout Scar.
pictures are of bike by a canal bridge, the lovely river Kent and view from Scout Scar.
