Your ride today....

[Goonerobes]

The met office were back on form today as the forecast of a nice dry day was blown out before I'd even got up by the sound of hail stones on my bedroom window so the planned morning ride was pushed back to a lunchtime ride & then an afternoon ride as it rained again at midday but fortunately cleared quite quickly.

I don't usually set targets, especially on midweek rides, but today I knew that a mere 915ft of climbing was all I needed to complete the December Strava climbing challenge & 33 miles was required to hit 10,000km for the year so history told me that a flat route to the south of the New Forest would achieve both within the few daylight hours left.

It was south & into the breeze for the outward leg, past Beaulieu & continuing via Sowley lake to East End before looping back for the homeward leg through East Boldre, past Beaulieu again & across to Lyndhurst & Ashurst for home & 33.1 miles I needed!

https://www.strava.com/activities/458722454

My trusty steed that sees me through the winter months.

& this years stats, as that's it for 2015.

 

[Crandoggler]

Windy windy today for me.

Headed out after a 24 hour bug had me in bed most of yesterday. No hills or anything of real interest, just a photo of the Thames as I entered Abingdon. Impressive lack of climbing also! Flattest 24 miles I've ever ridden.

https://www.strava.com/activities/458594550

 

[Racing roadkill]

The met office were back on form today as the forecast of a nice dry day was blown out before I'd even got up by the sound of hail stones on my bedroom window so the planned morning ride was pushed back to a lunchtime ride & then an afternoon ride as it rained again at midday but fortunately cleared quite quickly.

I don't usually set targets, especially on midweek rides, but today I knew that a mere 915ft of climbing was all I needed to complete the December Strava climbing challenge & 33 miles was required to hit 10,000km for the year so history told me that a flat route to the south of the New Forest would achieve both within the few daylight hours left.

It was south & into the breeze for the outward leg, past Beaulieu & continuing via Sowley lake to East End before looping back for the homeward leg through East Boldre, past Beaulieu again & across to Lyndhurst & Ashurst for home & 33.1 miles I needed!

https://www.strava.com/activities/458722454

My trusty steed that sees me through the winter months.
View attachment 114269

& this years stats, as that's it for 2015.
View attachment 114270

You're in my neck of the woods, and yes the weather forecast was for lovely, and we got utter sh1te. At least it wasn't cold. If I can be arsed to do another 67 miles this year, I'll be at 8888 miles .

 

[sanddancer]

You're in my neck of the woods, and yes the weather forecast was for lovely, and we got utter sh1te. At least it wasn't cold. If I can be arsed to do another 67 miles this year, I'll be at 8888 miles .

Thats about 3000 more than I do in a car

 

[grumpyoldwoman]

Decided to do the Bristol to Bath cycle path,upon getting to the end,we found the start of the Two Tunnels route,so we know where to go later in the year.Discussed riding a mile and a half and getting the train from Bath back to Bristol (then back to W-s-M) then decided it was easier to just cycle back along the way we came.
30 mile round trip all in all,not a bad day's ''work'' and not one complaint from teenage son!
Oh and the cake and tea stop at Warmley was lovely! The best victoria sponge I've ever tasted!

 

[Deleted member 23692]

A change of scenery for me yesterday , foresaking the windy wet climes of Cumbria for a the dry and [reasonably]still weather that is the Trent Valley.

From my mum's house it's a short road ride to he top of theroad where I picked off the bridleways that lead to the towpath of the former Nottingham Canal, which I followed all all the was to Cossall.

From there I headed south on the Erewash Canal which I followed all the way to Trent Lock, and then followed Trent Valley path back to Beeston Marina before following the Nottingham Canal back towards the city centre.

Leaving the towpath at Dunkirk, I followed a few quiet back roads to cross the University Campus, Woillaton Park and Sandy Lane Open Space LNR to finish the ride off.

24 miles, with less than a 0.75 mile on very quiet public highways

 

[totallyfixed]

What a cracking day to be out and about, a bit of a late start but a solid 61 miles on our fixed.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Very Short Hit a bunch of wet leaves at the bottom of a steep hill dropped the bike scraped my chin and elbow and blew the back tyre. i love winter cycling

Ouch! Can't like this, hope poor bike is better soon.
Where abouts did it happen?

Group of us where out on a run yesterday and we where shedding layers after 5 miles

I think I saw your group, I was on foot. Did you head towards Fernhill?

My ride today was lovely in the spring like weather, rode a few villages up the road to meet @flyingfifi then we rode back to Rutherglen for a cuppa and a chat.
Got a QOM ... apparently no other woman with gps rode the segment yet
Weather was still nice at around 3, so I set off again to the shops, bidding Fifi bye bye along the way.

 

[Elybazza61]

Nice sunny day with lighter winds so gave it a go for a 100+km ride.

Had a hiccup early as the auto stop/resume on the Garmin was playing up so had to turn it off so the clock kept running no matter what;will have to find the problem(poss low battery).

Tried to keep a steady pace as the plan was to go out for the next two days so av speed kept quite low but more importantly the HR was kept below my zone 3.

113 kms done so now 63 needed for 10,000 year total and 106 for the Rapha festive 500;pants weather tomorrow so all in for 106k on new years eve.

https://www.strava.com/activities/458853768

 

[Dave 123]

@Elybazza61

I hope you waved....?

 

[Stonechat]

https://www.strava.com/activities/458711739

Just a short one today. What a nightmare. 2 punctures within 10 miles, one on the front, one on the back. The Conti 4000SII's roll and grip like nothing else I've ridden on, unfortunately they've proven themselves to be as puncture resistant as toothpaste. I've never seen tiny bits of glass do that much damage to the tyre either. So they get a on resilience too. It didn't help that my superb little mini track pump is a screw fit, I could get 100 psi into the tyres, with no big effort, but the only spare tubes I had were (yes, you guessed it) Continental 2 part screw valve types. Fortunately I had a gas inflator and some CO2 canisters, or I'd have been walking home.

Sorry to hear about the punctures.
Did not mention that I had one on Monday.
Mucky weather bringing debris on the roads at present.
2nd puncture in a couple of weeks for me
I think my Conti 4000S II tyres are not man enough for these conditions.

Next winter may go for the 4 seasons for winter, think they may be tougher

 

[Stonechat]

42 miles short of last years mileage
Weather not great probably just a short ride this morning before rain hits
Very windy out
So will be short of last years total

 

[Stonechat]

I did indeed get out, it is rather windy, tried to keep speed up and attacked a couple of downwinf Strava segments.
Kept pretty local, doing loops etc. When directly againt the wind took my speed down to 12 mph
With the wind, how hard can you go, reaching up to 25 mph at times.

Some drivers did not seem to appreciate that you might need a little more room when gusts come.

So hit a few PRs on Strava

Good work out and better than the turbo session though I might have to do

19.52 miles @ 17.4 mph
Not much climbing, just a couple of motorway bridges

https://www.strava.com/activities/459245432/

p.s. this leaves 2015 total as 4527 miles, just short of last year's 4550!
However climbing total much more 175,550 feet, sounds impressive!
Not cycling tomorrow as I want to go out on New Year's Day

 

[john59]

I went for a one hour ride in heavy monsoon-like showers, at least, my bike is a little cleaner! I had to clock 1000km this month before the new year.
http://www.strava.com/activities/459245624

 

[Pale Rider]

I had my first ride out for two and half weeks today (been struggling with motivation and the poor weather). This one was a bit special, being a trip right around the Wrekin with @Pale Rider who was visiting locally. My ride started with a trip across town on lovely quiet roads to the agreed meeting point where pleasantries were exchanged and cake supplied.

Wanting to show off the area a bit I'd come up with a choice of routes and fortunately we agreed on the one I'd hoped for, to Ironbridge via the slopes of the Wrekin.

Starting off we were on easy roads but against a fairly brisk headwind (getting that out of the way early and it should be helping on the way back). Our pace was leisurely but all the better for chatting.

We skirted the edge of Haughmond HIll, through Rodington and Walcot before going round the northern side of The Wrekin and up to Little Wenlock (busy with folk making the most of the Bank Holiday) before taking a new route for me down through Coalbrookdale (where the Industrial Revolution started) to Ironbridge where we had hot drinks (thanks for getting those ) and a break.

The return was along the easier but busier road through Buildwas and Leighton then the quieter back road to Wroxeter. I changed the route slightly here, as the bikes were already muddy, to take the shorter way to Upton Magna then back along the edge of Haughmond Hill and retracing our steps to the start.

We chatted a bit more, then I had to head back, using the reverse of the route out as the darkness gathered (have I mentioned I like my new lighting set up?)

A nice day out in convivial company. 54.3 miles recorded (actually about three more than that due to me accidentally riding without the speedo connected for a bit).

I needed that ride - It's brought the enthusiasm back.

View attachment 114165
Heading out in the morning - The Severn is high but surprisingly not properly in flood despite the recent rain in Wales.

View attachment 114166
A stop with a view on our way round the Wrekin.

View attachment 114167
In Ironbridge.

View attachment 114168
And the famous Iron Bridge itself.

View attachment 114169
On our way back and taking a quick break overlooking The Severn at Leighton Bends .

Big thanks to @Rickshaw Phil for turning out to lead me on the ride.

Local route knowledge is invaluable and he has lots of it, meaning I was able to do a well thought out circuit which I would not have found just by staring at a map.

A short stretch of our ride was new to Phil, so he was able to bottom out that bit which should be of use to him in future.

Very agreeable cycling, although I think that's true of most parts of the country - if you know where to find it.

Given the area's industrial heritage, a lot of the villages are surprisingly chocolate box picturesque.

My area in the north east is also post-industrial, but wears its heavy industry background more obviously.

Phil and I got on well, which is more a testament to his affable nature than my ability to deal with new people.

Given that I admire qualities in others which I don't possess, I reckon as well as being an excellent riding companion, Phil is also a good signing for the mod team on here.