Your ride today....

[i hate hills]

After getting woke up early with lawnmowers ( on nights ) i got out and managed a wee 4 miler in the lovely afternoon sun which calmed me down enough to say to one grass cutter as i passed " great day for it "............

 

[robjh]

My ride today was a mere 1.8 miles, crossing the Mawddach Estuary by the Barmouth bridge at 6.20 this morning, in the half-light before the sun had risen to light up the mountain tops. It was an inspiring start to the day. I then joined the first train of the day for the four-hour journey to Birmingham.

It was the last stage in a weekend ride through Mid and parts of North Wales, starting at Wolverhampton on Friday afternoon. I hadn’t ridden the loaded tourer for a while – with the weight and the hills it is a different game from my usual ride and I soon realised I would have to cut back my planned mileage for the next 3 days.

On day 1 I only got as far as Ludlow, about 40 miles, and laid out my bivi on Whitcliffe Common, a wooded hillside overlooking Ludlow castle. I probably surprised one or two late dog-walkers but had a comfortable night.

Shropshire - Clee Hill ; Ludlow from Whitcliffe Common

It rained for about 2 hours on Saturday morning. I took the hilliest route possible to Knighton, where I stopped for a full breakfast and chatted to two other sometime cyclists. Not a Welsh person in the café, only English and South African escapees and Australian tourists, but the best breakfast I’ve had for a long time.
I took minor roads to Llanidloes. Mid-Wales is in some ways better cycling country than North Wales as it has a huge web of tiny roads, which are often exquisitely beautiful but excruciatingly steep. It is lovely countryside, with astonishingly vivid greens – I sometimes felt like I was in a photograph with the saturation turned right up.

Mid-Wales scenery

Continuing north, I got to Dinas Mawddwy at 7 o’clock, and slogged very slowly up to the Bwlch Oerddrws pass on the A470, where I knew of a good camping spot, behind a wall and away from the road. It was a cold night but with amazing stars, although I saw less and less of them as I pulled the sleeping bag ever tighter around me.

Bwlch Oerddrws at sunset ; View from my campsite in the morning

On Sunday I did 94 miles in a kind of strange S-shape, to finish at Barmouth in the evening. I rode first past Talyllyn lake down to the coast road near Llwyngwril, for the magnificent cliff route down to Fairbourne. I took a particularly steep lane into the hills past Kings Youth hostel, then coasted into Dolgellau from the Cadair Idris road.

Cadair Idris ; Talyllyn

I followed the A494 up to Bala and another café stop, then turned NW on the minor road to the south of Llyn Celyn reservoir, and under the looming bulk of Arenig Fawr. From there on it all went more quickly. I zoomed down through Cwm Prysor to Trawsfynydd, then the A470 southwards with the outline of the Rhinogs away over moorland on my right. I reached Barmouth just after sunset, and had some fish and chips before heading over Barmouth bridge to another bivi spot for the night.

Barmouth bridge

and yours truly

 

[BSRU]

A good rapid afternoon squirt around south Wiltshire, 68km with 800m of going up, felt very good all the way round.
Nice and warm when I left, bright sunshine and fairly quiet roads.
Back to summer gear today after donning some winter gear to survive the +4 early morning ride yesterday.

Started recovering with some scotch pancakes and a big fresh cream Belgian chocolate éclair, while watching the end of today's Vuelta stage, some real tough climbs, unlike the pimples I ride up.

 

[robjh]

A map of the ride a couple of postings above.
I did 219 miles in all - approximately 43 on day 1, 80 on day 2, 94 on day 3 and 2 on day 4 (this morning).

Usefully colour-coded for each day of the ride!

 

[sanddancer]

I had a great ride today.
Only a short one of about 15 mile this evening but on the way back I held the gates open for another cyclist.
We started chatting and I learned he is in a local club.
really nice bloke and what a buzz when he wound it up for a strava segment and I tried to keep up
I think I should give this club a ring and give it a go

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Just a random pic, but someone's in for a surprise when they get home from the commute tonight

 

[Nomadski]

After not riding since 7th August, I've been out twice in 3 days, primarily as we have flat viewings for selling and I needed to clear orf!

The first was a welcoming flat ride into the city, through Wandsworth then around Richmond Park and back. En route we went over Blackfriars bridge (rather than Southwark) to check out the under construction new cycle lane being built along the embankment to Parliament.

I have to say it's a massive improvment over the normal CS "Blue Lanes of Doom" as they are fully segragated from the road. Me and Matt did manage to ride on a small section already completed prior to the end.

Happy

Pedestrians will still need to be looked out for

Better put the phone away!

At Richmond Park we did what we had talked about doing for ages - we swapped bikes! Found my shifting was worse, Matt's seat was probably too high, my bike rolled faster down slopes, and Matt's bike was comfier over bumps!

https://www.strava.com/activities/385344710

I also had to clear out this afternoon, so went out for a hillier venture through Carshalton, up How Lane and along to Box Hill and back.

It was noticeable cooler on these two days, but it's my kind of weather. No sweat dripping down my northern scalp, no blinding heat on my face...just cool air telling you your not pedalling quick enough!

The road in the distance is the Headley road that quickly grinds upwards which people who did RideLondon will remember I'm sure.

Lodgebottom Road...hehe bottom.

The very lovely Headley Lane that Lodgebottom (hehe) turns into

Going to miss Box Hill

The obligatory shot at the top

Got a nice bunch of PB's up a well worn route, and got some nice comments about the overpriced (but I have to say exceptionally good quality, very light & nice fitting) blue Strava jersey I wore too!

https://www.strava.com/activities/387081558

 

[Gravity Aided]

7 miles this day, still hot, but improving. Heat haze going by mid morning, as was I , day off for American Labor Day. Many riders were out there with me. Then home, and washed up to take Mrs. GA and Niece to a nice lunch out.

87F
Winds S12
67% relative humidity
30.04 barometer

 

[i hate hills]

My ride today was a mere 1.8 miles, crossing the Mawddach Estuary by the Barmouth bridge at 6.20 this morning, in the half-light before the sun had risen to light up the mountain tops. It was an inspiring start to the day. I then joined the first train of the day for the four-hour journey to Birmingham.

It was the last stage in a weekend ride through Mid and parts of North Wales, starting at Wolverhampton on Friday afternoon. I hadn’t ridden the loaded tourer for a while – with the weight and the hills it is a different game from my usual ride and I soon realised I would have to cut back my planned mileage for the next 3 days.

On day 1 I only got as far as Ludlow, about 40 miles, and laid out my bivi on Whitcliffe Common, a wooded hillside overlooking Ludlow castle. I probably surprised one or two late dog-walkers but had a comfortable night.

Shropshire - Clee Hill ; Ludlow from Whitcliffe Common
View attachment 103010 View attachment 103011
It rained for about 2 hours on Saturday morning. I took the hilliest route possible to Knighton, where I stopped for a full breakfast and chatted to two other sometime cyclists. Not a Welsh person in the café, only English and South African escapees and Australian tourists, but the best breakfast I’ve had for a long time.
I took minor roads to Llanidloes. Mid-Wales is in some ways better cycling country than North Wales as it has a huge web of tiny roads, which are often exquisitely beautiful but excruciatingly steep. It is lovely countryside, with astonishingly vivid greens – I sometimes felt like I was in a photograph with the saturation turned right up.

Mid-Wales scenery
View attachment 103013 View attachment 103014
Continuing north, I got to Dinas Mawddwy at 7 o’clock, and slogged very slowly up to the Bwlch Oerddrws pass on the A470, where I knew of a good camping spot, behind a wall and away from the road. It was a cold night but with amazing stars, although I saw less and less of them as I pulled the sleeping bag ever tighter around me.

Bwlch Oerddrws at sunset ; View from my campsite in the morning
View attachment 103015 View attachment 103016
On Sunday I did 94 miles in a kind of strange S-shape, to finish at Barmouth in the evening. I rode first past Talyllyn lake down to the coast road near Llwyngwril, for the magnificent cliff route down to Fairbourn. I took a particularly steep lane into the hills past Kings Youth hostel, then coasted into Dolgellau from the Cadair Idris road.

Cadair Idris ; Talyllyn
View attachment 103017 View attachment 103018
I followed the A494 up to Bala and another café stop, then turned NW on the minor road to the south of Llyn Celyn reservoir, and under the looming bulk of Arenig Fach. From there on it all went more quickly. I zoomed down through Cwm Prysor to Trawsfynydd, then the A470 southwards with the outline of the Rhinogs away over moorland on my right. I reached Barmouth just after sunset, and had some fish and chips before heading over Barmouth bridge to another bivi spot for the night.

Barmouth bridge
View attachment 103020
and yours truly
View attachment 103021

Stunning scenery , great photos.

 

[robjh]

View attachment 102933

I'm glad I did as this magnificent specimen of fungusness was spotted. A good 9" tall, and probably best not eaten! (not a clue what it is!)

Caprinus Comatus, or Lawyer's Wig/Shaggy Inkcap, perhaps?http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/coprinus-comatus.php

Yes definitely a shaggy ink-cap. Very good to eat when young but the one in the picture is past its best, and starting to disintegrate into inky goo.

 

[robjh]

Stunning scenery , great photos.

Thanks. For many years I've tried to get away to Wales at least once in the summer for either hiking or biking. I missed it last year and was getting withdrawal symptoms, but I got my fill again this weekend!

 

[PeteXXX]

Yes definitely a shaggy ink-cap. Very good to eat when young but the one in the picture is past its best, and starting to disintegrate into inky goo.

Cheers.. I don't eat anything I'm not certain of though. Indentification can be a bit of a minefield, can't it..

 

[robjh]

Cheers.. I don't eat anything I'm not certain of though. Indentification can be a bit of a minefield, can't it..

Indeed it can. Luckily the shaggy ink-cap is one of the most distinctive mushrooms you'll find. In any case, I'm not recommending anyone to try anything they're unsure of, but I personally am looking forward to finding a few of these this autumn.

 

[Elybazza61]

and got some nice comments about the overpriced (but I have to say exceptionally good quality, very light & nice fitting) blue Strava jersey I wore too!

Been tempted a couple of times with one of those but have been put off by the combined cost and postage;did you get done for import dutyat all?

I did get the Classics challenge bidons though;one's kept as a sort of trophy and the other's being used.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Got to ride home from the office in the dark last night for the first time on this gig. Boy the streets here are empty after 20:00 on a Monday, the meat packing district felt like a ghost town. But it had an upside, I could hammer round the Fisktorvet 360 loop, and then nail the brakes to peel hard right and go flat out, hell for leather, down the bicycle snake and on over the Bryggebroen. Was probably going a little (far) too fast at the end of that one where one has to turn sharp left onto the cobbles. It got slightly squirrelly and then my back wheel ended up in a narrow gully/channel between the setts and the paving and the rim now has a chunk missing. 23c tyres maybe not the best option for such high-jinx.

One of my colleagues got a dislocated elbow on Friday morning when they were taken out by someone who passed her and then swerved right in order to stop, lost control, and wiped out my colleagues front wheel in the process. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

This morning I saw a near identical incident right outside the office where I work. Fortunately I was wheeling my own bike over a pedestrian crossing at the time, so was not involved, but the spectacle of two adults in their 30's having a post-collision push, shove, and a spot of handbags, as cycle-rage swept over them, was pretty unedifying. And the nobber in the wonkpanzer who just sat there riding their horn did nothing to defuse the situation.

Hmmmmmm. Cycling in cph has an underbelly.....