Your ride today....

[mooseracer]

Enter "Big Red", my 17 year old No.2 bike whose maiden voyage it was today, after a recent major refurb following years spend languishing, unloved, at the back of the garage. It is a 1998 saracen Skyline steel tourer. This is going to be my explorer bike from now on .... for days out in the back of beyond with a bar bag that will take a rain jacket, a packed lunch, a camara, a spare tube, a tool kit, my mobile phone, maps, keys and money ..... and (ahem) perhaps the odd can or two.
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Took it for a gentle 21.5 mile test ride around the lanes to Frampton on Severn and back , with a little detour to the riverbank at Framilode. Stopped off at the Anchor Inn at Epney in much better spirits than when it was used as a control point in a recent very icy audax ride.
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This next shot is my usual turning point at the 10 mile point of my standard ride, on Splatt Bridge over the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. This is the canal's closest point to the River Severn, which you can see in the background.
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I returned home via Saul Marina today .... where there is a nice little cafe that our club (Kingsway CC) calls in at regularly on Sunday mornings.
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Then back via Epney again. The river looks quite serene here, but there are some monster Severn Bores (tidal waves) due shortly, and the tides have been getting bigger daily ..... as evidenced by the tree floating past.
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A nice comfortable ride, with a very different, more upright feel to it today. A little disappointingly, the chain slipped a couple of times on the chainring under stress on the only things approaching "hills" around here- perhaps because it used to be an 8 speed, and is now a 9. I'll have to consider replacing the chainset to compete the job. Overall, though, I was chuffed with the way it went today, and I'm looking forward to taking it to new places this year. If I find any good new routes, I'll be sure to keep you all posted.
Cheers, Donger.

Highest tides for many years due this weekend - could be interesting!

 

[AndyWilliams]

No photographs from my ride. Quick 24 miles around Staines Windsor Ascot and Slough. Very dark very cold but happy to get out. 2nd ride of 2015.

 

[Elybazza61]

Nice easy ride home yesterday in the sun,nice to just pootle along a bit for a change;only downer was the garmin cadence/speed sensor playing up causing the auto pause/resume to cut in and a high cadence speeds so a little job to do at the week-end.

https://www.strava.com/activities/256738570

 

[Racing roadkill]

A nice steady 20 miler today for me, in between the rain showers. I even found time for a Latte and a Jaffa cake.

https://www.strava.com/activities/257003746

A bit of a loosener before the double imperial I'm doing on Saturday. I'm riding from Southampton to the Olympic park in Stratford, and back again (barring disasters)

 

[BigonaBianchi]

jpg upload

35 miles out on the Mesaroria plain here in Northern Cyprus today. The Garmin said 6c but with wind it felt like 0c, bright and sunny and dry though. Took a trip to see the Roman Ruins down the road and an old Monastry. Again riding with Miss Budapest at pace. Still have lung fulls of plague so looking forward to normal service being resumed on the weather front in two days time. Met my new mates, two cute as you like puppies...it really isn't 'all about the bike' out here, thankfully.


Here's pic near St.Hilarion Castle Girne/Kyrenia today

 

[Oldbloke]

A bit late but ventured out yesterday pm in sunny 1c for a good 3 hours, 73 kms.

Hardly any wind at all but really noticed the difference between main and country roads surfaces. Must get a decent camera to stick some pics up on here one day.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Managed to leave work at 3 today, enjoyed a 35 mile ride home in Spring sunshine, albeit somewhat fading by the time I got home. Very pleasant.

 

[PeteXXX]

108Km down to Brixworth - bit misty at first but rather nice. My 100K ride for February done then.....

Have you ever stopped at 'The Breadline' in Brixworth for a toasted bacon, brie and cranberry panini? <drool>

 

[thetribe]

Went out tonight just for a steady ride to enjoy the sunshine, still bloody cold but I enjoyed the sun and the sunset 10.9miles at a steady 13mph
http://www.strava.com/activities/257125492

 

[PatrickPending]

Have you ever stopped at 'The Breadline' in Brixworth for a toasted bacon, brie and cranberry panini? <drool>

nope I'm one of those vegetablarian types.....

 

[PeteXXX]

nope I'm one of those vegetablarian types.....

I'm sure they'll skip the bacon option and stick summat suitable in instead then....

 

[PeteXXX]

Up with the lark this morning at 05:00 for a ride in the dark to Pitsford Reservoir where I watched the sunrise over the water as I rode round.
Absolutely beautiful listening to the birds waking up. I could even hear the sound of little sparrow farts coming from the shrubbery...

Off piste a bit down towards the waters edge.

Looking across the top dam wall between the two lakes.

Back home by 08:30 ish for an egg and bacon sarnie washed down with a mug of tea before washing the bike down.

A cracking 30 miles before going shopping and then w*rk this afternoon. Boooo...

https://www.strava.com/activities/257360506

 

[Dirk]

Finally finished the decorating yesterday, so managed to get out for a half decent ride today with the missus.
First time out this year on the best road bikes saw a trip to Swimbridge and back. Stopped momentarily at the Jack Russell pub for a breather, then back to Barnstaple for coffee and cake at Carb Cycles before heading home.
24 miles in all total and the weather was fine, if a bit cool.
Nice to ride Di2 again after a winter of clanky hybrids!
Couple of PRs each on the way was an added bonus.

 

[Archeress]

My ride today was a short 5 1/2 miles down to Cribbs Causeway and The Mall and back. I have been popping in and out of Hobbycraft this week, trying to catch a particular assistant as she had wanted to see the book I had been binding. Took it and a couple of others down with me as I was assured by colleagues she would be in this afternoon. She liked them a lot, but particularly liked the coptic stiched notebook (this is a book with hard covers, but the folded edges of the pages are exposed and you can see the stitches).

I then popped over to the Mall for a nice relaxed coffee at Starbucks, I managed to get one of the comfortable bench seats and has a nice read. I then browsed the preowned PS3 games in Game (I got a PS3 from Mr Archeress for Xmas) and then went down to John Lewis to get some cartrdges for my new Cross fountain pen.

No piccies as I think you all be bored rigid with the mundane urbaness.

I have been struggling this week with lethargy and being more depressed than is normal for me, so it was good to get out.Going to try to get out again tomorrow as I am not sure the weather will permit the club ride on Sunday to go ahead.

Hugs
Archeress x

 

[Racing roadkill]

23 odd miles today, as a loosener for tomorrow's madness (attempted 200 miler)

https://www.strava.com/activities/257522552