Your ride today....

[I like Skol]

Thought I would get a short MTB ride in this morning while my son did his canoeing session on the Irwell. First I saw them off on the river then returned to the carpark at Burrs Country Park to practice some of my skillz in the old mill ruins . As there have been quite a few of my fellow Manchester commuters having offs this week (@skudupnorth @400bhp ) I decided I would join in the fun and threw myself down a set of steep irregular stone steps with my bike landing on top of me (I'm glad it got a soft landing ).
I jumped up pretty quickly and straight away could feel numerous bumps and scrapes spread pretty evenly around my person. However, by far the worst was my right knee which must have taken a fair old whack to the knee cap. I dusted myself down and once the bike had a quick check over decided to press on with the intended ride. It soon became apparent that I was in trouble I could barely press on my right leg hard enough to clip in to the SPDs and any incline was excruciating. I was also unable to control the bike on any downhill bumps as supporting my weight out of the saddle was similarly intolerable. After less than 2 miles of limping along I threw in the towel and took to the main roads to make my slow, painful way back to the car and wait for my son to get back.

At home know with my bad leg up on a bean bag and I'm hoping for some Valentine day sympathy when Lady Skol gets back

 

[arranandy]

Out with some of the more mature club members this morning. Did the usual 'Round the Douglas' route. Milder than of late but the roads are absolutely filthy with salt and mud, makes them quite greasy in bits as well. Back home, bike filthy, so 30 minutes washing and re-lubing it before I went in the shower.

94km with just over a 1000m of climbing.

https://app.strava.com/activities/254695112

 

[Dave 123]

Woke up to bright sunshine, but a nip in the air, so on with the leg warmers and the Buff. Coming out of Sa Pobla it seemed we were in the shade for an age!
We took the road to Muro, warming up in the lovely sunlight. There was something else to keep us warm, the steady, steepish drag up to Muro. Jo doesn't do hills....

As you can see, there is snow on the mountains. They had 1 metre up there last week, the last time it was that bad and cold was 30 years ago! The reason that we've come to visit now is to see the almond blossom (any excuse!) but due to the cold it's quite sporadic. One or two trees in full blossom, or a whole field full of bare twigs.
On through Muro town and then the beautiful road to Sineu. This road has some nasty little hills, and Jo found them a challenge, but she M'dTFU and got to Sineu to eat apple tart and flirt with the local old boys who were sat out in the sun with us. She had a nip of their 56% local rocket fuel, they thought that was great!
We rode on to Petra, round each bend was a better view til we reached an ugly quarry. This is where I got my legs out. Bliss!
At St Margalida we took a dead end road, the bonus being we flushed a stone Curlew out of the field.
On to the coast and a stop for a bit of food at Son Boulo. We had pamboli. Bread, cheese, ham, olives.

We came back through to Sa Pobla the same route as yesterday, with me being the windbreak!

We did 50 miles today, the first time Jo has done a half century! I'm taking her out for a posh dinner tonight, she's earned it!

 

[Billy Wizz]

First loop since Jan 11 th.
28 miles, I should say smiles I feel great work is relentless at the moment, passed my watering hole at 18 miles, won't be long I will be sitting in the sun with a pint of ale and the deserved chip buttie, averaged 13.2 mph really dropped off at around 22 miles I was hurting the bike is rotten, roll on spring.

 

[Goonerobes]

After virtually 24 hours of rain yesterday I was pleased to wake up no more of the wet stuff this morning & no frost either.

As its a short month & I'm at football next weekend I thought I'd better get my metric ton today just in case the weather takes another turn, so after the usual porridge breakfast I was good to go into the Test Valley on a mix of previously ridden roads & a few new ones thrown in for good measure.

Setting off in a northerly direction I was in & out of the New Forest within the first few miles & into the more rural parts of the area & before long I was crossing the River Test for the first of many times today. Up through Kimbridge & Kings Somborne the roads were relatively dry & the sun even made a brief appearance, although both of these things were to change later in the journey. Next up were the pretty villages of Longstock & Leckford with an abundance of thatched roofs & also with the latter being owned by the John Lewis partnership all of the houses & cottages were painted in their green & white colours. The turn for home was made at 34 miles & it was then down through Nether Wallop, West Tytherley, West & East Dean & back across the Test for the final time today just as it started to rain but even that didn't spoil what was a very pleasant, if a little wet, 63 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/254726737

Spot the satellite dish in rural Hampshire!

The crystal clear waters of Wallop Brook before it joins the River Test.

Once again it would appear that not all of today's roads were chosen wisely!!

 

[fatjel]

47 miles with the club run today.. Very nice lunch other than that was muddy , wet and cold
The Defy passed 1000 km yesterday.. Averaging about 200 a week
Must try harder

https://app.strava.com/activities/254739658

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Got my February Imperial Century in today.

I managed to get on the road shortly after 7am, at which time it wasn't fully dark , and headed out to do roughly the reverse of the route I did last time. I say roughly as I was visiting the same places but not necessarily using the same roads to get there.

Leaving the village I passed a ninja cyclist (proper ninja - black clothing, no lights, no reflectors and I wasn't even sure the dark shape up ahead was a cyclist until I was quite close). I cheerily said "your lights aren't working" and got a grumpy "I know!" in response. Ain't I a stirrer?

I headed for Condover first to add some distance, then doubled back to Hunger Hill and round the base of Lyth Hill joining my usual route to Lea Cross and Westbury. Got overtaken on this stretch by another rider.

One of the reasons I decided to go the other way round today was the wind which was forecast to be a north-easterly, so I'd be against it on the way to Oswestry, then should have it helping, or at least not hindering until the last 10 miles or so. I was therefore fairly slow on the way to Oswestry where I had my second breakfast.

The next leg to Ellesmere should have been directly into the wind but I didn't notice it that much which was just as well as this is a lumpy bit. Going in this direction there is a nice alternative to the signed NCN route which has a climb at the start but is then mostly downhill after that (the signed route is much more up and down). I paused by The Mere for a quick photo then carried on towards Wem. The wind was helping now and made for some nice easy cruising until I stopped for lunch in Wem where I had a bit of entertainment as an angry chap in a BMW made several very noisy scenes in the high street. I had a couple of nice chats with people who were interested in where I was going , then proceeded towards Shawbury.

A group of riders had left Wem shortly before me and I had jokingly said I'd try to catch them up. I could see them way in the distance for the next 3 miles and was very surprised when I did actually start to catch them and managed to pass all but the lead rider before Shawbury.

Roden was the next place en route and was where I passed the Metric Century. I was tempted to stop at The Haughmond when passing through Upton Magna (they have a shop and I think a cafe in the stables) but I was getting on well so didn't want to break the rythm.

Doing the route this way round means the downside is that the hilliest bits are all near the end. I slowed down a lot after Cressage (76 miles) and felt the need to break out the jelly babies by Hughley (about 81 miles). These gave a much needed boost and although slow on the hills I never felt like I wasn't going to make it like I did on the last ride. I wound my way up the long drag to Cardington, then after another handful of sweets tackled the Folly Bank climb, which isn't too bad from this side (provided you haven't already done 88 miles) and has a nice long fast descent the other side.

I finished by heading home the longer way through Acton Burnell, Condover (again) and over Lyth Hill.

103.2 miles done this time at a more respectable 12.2 mph moving average. 9.5 hours total when the stops are included, which I'm much happier about than the 11 hours it took last time. Not bad on what started out life as a BSO.

Starting out into a very grey misty morning. The signs warn of the hazards in this rural area.

Near Westbury - there are several solar farms springing up in the county and more in the planning stages.

Crossing the canal at Maesbury Marsh

I've shown it before, but a pub name that amuses me at Ball.

Oswestry

A quick pause by The Mere, Ellesmere.

You can only just make out The Wrekin as I cross the A5.

There are a small number of visitors at Viroconium.

A quick rest at the top of Folly Bank.

The view from Lyth Hill. I've done the ton at this point - now just need to find the energy to get the couple of miles to home.

 

[PeteXXX]

For some reason or another, I awoke at 07:30 after finishing w*rk at 01:00 this morning.. <yawn> and thought of getting out for a few miles as the forecast, after a rainy drive home at 01:15, was supposed to be cloudy but dry.
That proved to be a bit incorrect. After getting the bike out of the shed and fettling the rear brakes a bit, I put it back in the shed again as the drizzle increased..

More time for coffee then

By 11:00 ish, I set out to drop some stuff off at No1 daughters house a short distance away. After a chat and a cuppa I had a cheque to deposit at the bank in the town centre.

Yep, there's still a few original cobbled streets in Northampton. Bit bouncy on the bike though

I was hoping to pick up a thingy for the phone in the market, but unfortunately the stall wasn't there today.

I did, however, spot this old Argos, with Reynolds 531, hanging off a lamppost!
Yet again it started to drizzle and get greyer and greyer so I set off for home.

I only rode on 13 miles in grey and dismal weather but hope to get out again tomorrow.

https://www.strava.com/activities/254711043

 

[MikeW-71]

Made do with commuting again, but that's another 20 miles in the bank. And it'll be the same again tommorrow.

Monday is my day off and the forecast is absolutely dire

 

[Levo-Lon]

Had a ride over wakerley woods today, a little rain over night and what a change from weds night ride, bog fest and no rear grip, think I peddle a lot further than I travelled

 

[Cush]

First 20 miler of the year, beautiful afternoon. The ride would would have been longer but for a late start. Aglionby, Scotby, Golden Fleece, cross the M6 (via a bridge) Durdar, Dalston and down the longest dog walk in Cumbria to Carlisle, must remember to get on this delightful path / cycle track in the early mornings before the average dog walker gets out. lot of groups of people on it today. Dodge the pedestrians in Bitts park, forget about speed this is just leisure riding or so I tell myself as I try out my pedestrian avoidance tactics. Nice ride up Warwick road, cross M6 again, then the usual struggle up Woof House hill too home, smugly pleased.

 

[CharlieB]

Just the two of us today, @Dogtrousers an' me, on an outing to his friends in Marton, near Coventry.
Andrew had started out in London, I joined at Berkhamsted, in some very light drizzle, and out through Bucks, Northants and Warwickshire, where we reached Marton and a very generous spread of home made quiches and cakes.
THANK YOU!
The route was stunning, gently rolling, rather than outright hilly, through some very pretty villages.
A swift run back to Rugby train station and a train home to Berkhamsted, where I have to confess I picked up a cab home, not wanting to ride through the dark lanes on my own.
78 miles for the day and my longest ride for nearly six months.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I set off yesterday afternoon with the intention of doing 20 miles mixed in with looking for a new car. Nothing expensive mind you,anything decent(ish)under a grand will do me,it's only for short distances and carrying my ladder. I didn't find a car but i nearly managed the 20 miles until a puncture stopped me 2 minutes from home. That's the 7th puncture in a row that's happened close to home after i've been miles away from home. The puncture fairy was smiling on me again!

 

[Stu Smith]

Work today just a 10 mile commute 12 hour shift and then the chill out ride home

 

[djb1971]

Finally managed to get out on the bike. It was a lovely warm morning and I watched the sunrise as I pedalled away through boggy fields.







Met a friend







You wait all day for one........