Your ride today....
- Thread starter gbb
- Start date
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Ian H
Ancient randonneur
I was busy at the weekend with running my VoR200 (over 40 entries, which might be a record), so finally I got out this afternoon for a solo ride. It's not difficult to find hills around here, but heading off eastwards takes you up on to the East Devon Hills and the Old Chard Road crosses a couple of steep valleys before climbing to cross the Seven Mile Straight.
I continued on through Stockland and another steep climb from Longbridge. I turned off towards Wambrook, then got a bit lost in steep grotty lanes, passing signs for Furley, Farway, Cotley and Ridge without ever actually finding any of these places. Eventually, after a climb to a crossroads, I realised I had found the Bewley Down road, so turned towards Axminster.
I by-passed the town, graunched up Gammons Hill and turned through Kilmington and Whitford to Colyton. Leaving the self-styled Rebellion Town I passed Greg's wheelwright yard, but didn't see any sign of activity.
I passed old Mrs G's bungalow, which no longer looks over the family farm since her sons fell out and sold it. Then a final climb past Beacon Hill and the bluebell woods (no bluebells there yet) and along the ridge road back home.
Only 51km, but over 1,000m of climb.
https://www.strava.com/activities/14117056337
I continued on through Stockland and another steep climb from Longbridge. I turned off towards Wambrook, then got a bit lost in steep grotty lanes, passing signs for Furley, Farway, Cotley and Ridge without ever actually finding any of these places. Eventually, after a climb to a crossroads, I realised I had found the Bewley Down road, so turned towards Axminster.
I by-passed the town, graunched up Gammons Hill and turned through Kilmington and Whitford to Colyton. Leaving the self-styled Rebellion Town I passed Greg's wheelwright yard, but didn't see any sign of activity.
I passed old Mrs G's bungalow, which no longer looks over the family farm since her sons fell out and sold it. Then a final climb past Beacon Hill and the bluebell woods (no bluebells there yet) and along the ridge road back home.
Only 51km, but over 1,000m of climb.
https://www.strava.com/activities/14117056337
Homers Double
Active Member
…scuppered by kids and an offer of a G&T in the late afternoon sun.
Fiddlesticks.
May have to endure 2 degree temps in the morning.
Fiddlesticks.
May have to endure 2 degree temps in the morning.
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
And the water in front of it is a tidal millpond. The tidal mill is no longer operating, although it has been restored.
We have done a couple of Sealed Knot battles there in the past.
Thanks for that. I read in Wiki that the river/stream/tidal pond used to be navigable.
Yep, sometimes go there and it's high tide and you'd think it was a lake in front of castle.
Spartak
Powered by M&M's
- Location
- Bristolian
Great ride around the tourist sights of Bordeaux 🇫🇷 this afternoon ....
What a great way to see this beautiful city, highly recommended.
I hired a very comfortable 'city' bike from Esprit Cycles, only 12€ for a 4 hour hire.
What a great way to see this beautiful city, highly recommended.
I hired a very comfortable 'city' bike from Esprit Cycles, only 12€ for a 4 hour hire.
VinSumRox
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Another Borders circuit in glorious sunshine
lazybloke
Ginger biscuits and cheddar
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
2nd attempt at posting this:
Due to holiday season, the office was pretty much dead yesterday. I opted to work from home today, but with one child not doing his uni project work, and the other child not doing her GCSE revision, things were pretty dead here too.
The morning passed by. Lunch was a fridge graze (the corner off a block of cheddar, left-over fish curry, bread & butter, and a mug of tea). Then I decided there was time for a rare lunchtime bike ride.
But only half an hour, so I threw on some shorts, but then figured it probably wasn’t as warm as it looked so I pulled on a thermal long-sleeved top. Yeah, I was glad for that.
The great thing about cool conditions is you can ride hard and still not raise a sweat, particularly on the faster/lighter bike. This was important, because I had a 1-2-1 with the boss a bit later, and wouldn’t have time for a shower.
So just a short local loop, which was almost 11 km in an elapsed time of nearly 23 mins; that’s an average speed of 28.1kmh – not bad considering the gravel section. The road section was 30.4kmh, which is a rather pleasing confirmation that my fitness is coming-on.
Got to cook dinner for the children now. And with their conditions, that means a different meal for each of them; and my wife & I will have something else again; so three meals. I wish I could just give them the corner of some cheddar....
Hoping to nip out on the bike again after dinner.
Due to holiday season, the office was pretty much dead yesterday. I opted to work from home today, but with one child not doing his uni project work, and the other child not doing her GCSE revision, things were pretty dead here too.
The morning passed by. Lunch was a fridge graze (the corner off a block of cheddar, left-over fish curry, bread & butter, and a mug of tea). Then I decided there was time for a rare lunchtime bike ride.
But only half an hour, so I threw on some shorts, but then figured it probably wasn’t as warm as it looked so I pulled on a thermal long-sleeved top. Yeah, I was glad for that.
The great thing about cool conditions is you can ride hard and still not raise a sweat, particularly on the faster/lighter bike. This was important, because I had a 1-2-1 with the boss a bit later, and wouldn’t have time for a shower.
So just a short local loop, which was almost 11 km in an elapsed time of nearly 23 mins; that’s an average speed of 28.1kmh – not bad considering the gravel section. The road section was 30.4kmh, which is a rather pleasing confirmation that my fitness is coming-on.
Got to cook dinner for the children now. And with their conditions, that means a different meal for each of them; and my wife & I will have something else again; so three meals. I wish I could just give them the corner of some cheddar....
Hoping to nip out on the bike again after dinner.
Homers Double
Active Member
Yesterday evening, Cragg Vale loop from Littleborough. Thought I'd made a mistake layering on the way up Blackstone Edge and was glad I did on the way back home as the temp dropped quite dramatically.
Donger
Convoi Exceptionnel
- Location
- Quedgeley, Glos.
Not so much a ride as a day out on my bike enjoying some cyclotourism. Just the 18.6 miles ridden with my buddy Simon, but long rest stops for bacon sandwiches, beers and ice creams. I've been wanting to ride the Wye Valley Greenway for a few years now, but every time I'm just about to do it either the weather takes a turn for the worse or the greenway gets closed for one reason or another. Either the Tidenham Tunnel being closed from October to April to protect the horsehoe bats that roost in it or the Wireworks Bridge being closed for repair, or the track being re-laid. Anyway, today along with my buddy Simon, I was finally able to do this lovely ride. We took advantage of the free parking in Sedbury School, though we did only just get the last parking space at about 10.30. Then we set off from this little peninsula between the mouths of the Severn and the Wye near Chepstow and headed off up the greenway along the English side of the Wye towards Tintern. It is an old railway path that has been laid with compacted gravel and has only very gentle gradients as it makes its way gradually up and over a small hill as it stretches northwards through woodland with regular glimpses of the River Wye and the cliffs on the opposite bank. First there is the matter of the mile long Tidenham Tunnel, with its dim lighting and "no bike lights" rule. It was noticeably cooler in there and really quite dark. I liked the bat silhouettes on the gates at each end:
The greenway track was really quite smooth and, with the recent dry weather, was quite suitable for Simon's road bike.
It didn't take long to get level with Tintern Abbey:
... and we were soon crossing into Wales over the Wye using the Wireworks Bridge:
We carried on a further half a mile to the old Railway Station Cafe at Tintern Parva, where we sat in the sunshine putting the world to rights and eating bacon butties and drinking coffees.
After that, we carried on another half mile or so to the next bridge and crossed back into England for a moment at Brockweir before turning back.
Back at Tintern we stopped off for a pint at the Rose and Crown with beautiful views from the roadside beer garden:
It would have been rude not to call in at Tintern Abbey after coming this way, so we stopped off there for ice creams .... our third stop of the day!
Back to Sedbury on the Greenway:
.... then past the car park and on down past the army housing at Beachley as far as the lifeboat station underneath the M48 Severn Bridge by the old slipway of the now long extinct Severn Ferry.
By the time we arrived back at the car we had done just 18.6 miles, but this was one of those rides that I will remember for many years to come. Wye Valley Greenway highly recommended.
The greenway track was really quite smooth and, with the recent dry weather, was quite suitable for Simon's road bike.
It didn't take long to get level with Tintern Abbey:
... and we were soon crossing into Wales over the Wye using the Wireworks Bridge:
We carried on a further half a mile to the old Railway Station Cafe at Tintern Parva, where we sat in the sunshine putting the world to rights and eating bacon butties and drinking coffees.
After that, we carried on another half mile or so to the next bridge and crossed back into England for a moment at Brockweir before turning back.
Back at Tintern we stopped off for a pint at the Rose and Crown with beautiful views from the roadside beer garden:
It would have been rude not to call in at Tintern Abbey after coming this way, so we stopped off there for ice creams .... our third stop of the day!
Back to Sedbury on the Greenway:
.... then past the car park and on down past the army housing at Beachley as far as the lifeboat station underneath the M48 Severn Bridge by the old slipway of the now long extinct Severn Ferry.
By the time we arrived back at the car we had done just 18.6 miles, but this was one of those rides that I will remember for many years to come. Wye Valley Greenway highly recommended.
Chris S
Legendary Member
- Location
- Birmingham
I woke up early so I got the train to Chirk and cycled out to Llangollen. I don't know whether it was the lack of sleep or the heat but on the way back I started to hallucinate. There seemed to be bumps in the canal towpath rising up to meet me. They were just contrasting patches created by the shadows from the trees. When I got on the train a young woman with beautiful red hair sat opposite me. It looked metallic! Fortunately I managed to grab some sleep before I got off and had to cycle home through the Birmingham traffic.
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
The usual Saturday group ride in the 🌞 Folk were away so there was only 4 of us at the start and one pulled away to do intervals after warming up with us. We met him and another mate who had been gravelling at the cafe.
We had one kinda bizarre incident before the cafe. My mate p'tured and as we were fixing it a fast well drilled group of 8 or maybe 10 flew by after a few minutes. A few minutes later a driver pulled up and ask if we were with them. She then proceeded to rant that she couldn't overtake because they were 'riding two abreast', then she came out with the classic 'I'm a cyclist too' 🙄 I don't think she listened when I told her the Highway Code tells them to ride like that and one short block is easier to overtake at the appropriate spot. Theres plenty of room between parked up villages where other folk seem to manage. She just repeated, 'I'm a cyclist too'. I decided I had to walk away before I said something more I'd regret.
Other than that it was a pretty relaxed enjoyable ride with a good cafe stop and beer garden stop in the 🌞 I only made one real effort, on Southwick Hill. But even allowing for the headwind it was well below my younger me best.
We had one kinda bizarre incident before the cafe. My mate p'tured and as we were fixing it a fast well drilled group of 8 or maybe 10 flew by after a few minutes. A few minutes later a driver pulled up and ask if we were with them. She then proceeded to rant that she couldn't overtake because they were 'riding two abreast', then she came out with the classic 'I'm a cyclist too' 🙄 I don't think she listened when I told her the Highway Code tells them to ride like that and one short block is easier to overtake at the appropriate spot. Theres plenty of room between parked up villages where other folk seem to manage. She just repeated, 'I'm a cyclist too'. I decided I had to walk away before I said something more I'd regret.
Other than that it was a pretty relaxed enjoyable ride with a good cafe stop and beer garden stop in the 🌞 I only made one real effort, on Southwick Hill. But even allowing for the headwind it was well below my younger me best.
