Your ride today....

[Lilliburlero]

The thighs still felt a bit stiff this morning due to my first 100 km ride of the year on Friday, but I just had to make the most of today`s weather. So, it was a nice and easy 50km ride through some luscious countryside for me today. http://www.strava.com/activities/515800104

Highlight of the day was turning off the A444 after Twycross Zoo towards Orton on the Hill (18km into my ride). I noticed a Common Buzzard just sitting on top of a hedge (eye level) about 50 yards in front of me on the other side of the road. As I get nearer i`m waiting for it to fly off, but to my amazement it just sat there and eyeballed me as I went past it... I was gobsmacked, I must have been 20 feet away from it at most.....

Today was a good day

Edit : I forgot to say well done to @SatNavSaysStraightOn

 

[Racing roadkill]

Back on 2 wheels. The only way is up.

 

[Hugh Manatee]

First ride in ages, possibly the first of 2016! Ever since I changed jobs and got a different company car my back has been really bad. I simply don't have a Mercedes shaped back. Thanks to the weather I decided to ignore the discomfort and get out.

I know I did around 25 miles but I have no idea how slowly I went as the Garmin battery died inside the first few miles. Very enjoyable in the sunshine!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

The hills have been calling to me lately so on the first proper spring day of the season I could resist no longer. I was heading for the Stiperstones then the Long Mynd today using the Raleigh for its first proper outing of the year.

I started out with the climb over Lyth Hill then headed through Exfords Green to Pontesbury and Minsterley. There were plenty of cyclists out this morning and I did a good deed for the day when I found a couple stood alongside the Pontesbury - Minsterley cyclepath, tinkering with one of their bikes. I slowed and asked "have you got everything you need?" and knew that assistance was required when the response was "Errrrr......". It was their first outing with brand new, but cheap bikes and the chain had overshifted into the spokes. The "pie plate" had done its job but the chain was well and truly jammed solid behind the block. After a false start where I managed to nick my thumb and bleed profusely over the new paintwork, between us we eventually freed the chain and rethreaded it and I made sure I didn't let them go before setting the derailleur stops properly.

Getting back on the road I passed through Minsterley and headed for the first big climb of the day up through Snailbeach, Stiperstones, Tankerville and The Bog. There were various stops for photos along the way and I noticed that most of the riders coming the other way had numbers on.... more about that in a bit.

I had a rest and bite to eat at the top of the climb (The Stiperstones proper - not to be confused with the village I rode through earlier) before descending to The Bridges and turning right for Wentnor. At this point I had a moment of uncertainty - over the last year I concentrated on racking up miles and haven't done much in the way of really steep climbs so which way should I head up the Long Mynd? I was already pointed in the direction of Wentnor so just followed my nose and carried on that way.

I ambled round Wentnor taking a few photos then dropped down onto the Prolley Moor and headed for Asterton and the infamous Asterton Bank. I've learned from past mistakes so stopped at the bottom for a drink and to remove most layers before tackling this climb. Fortunately I was here at about lunch time so the road was quiet and for the first time I've climbed this monster without having to stop. The new set up of the bike seems to favour climbing well with none of the tendancy to lift the front wheel that it used to have.

I was greeted at the top by a couple of motorcyclists who said they were impressed I'd tackled it without an engine.

The rest of the climb to the summit seemed quite easy by comparison. It's a shame it was too misty at the top to see much in the way of a view (although other visitors at the top were convincing themselves they could see the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia.... not today you weren't!)

Moving on I encountered a couple of riders lying in the grass at the summit of The Burway enjoying the sunshine. Their bikes had the same type of ride numbers I'd seen earlier so I asked and it was the Shropshire Devil sportive today - 85 miles of very hilly riding with climbs of the Long Mynd and Stiperstones to finish them off before the last descent into Minsterley. No wonder they were taking a breather.

I carried on down The Burway, getting held up slightly by traffic, then finally headed north on much easier roads with the gradient in my favour for most of the way to home.

41.3 miles for the day at 12.1 mph average. Not bad with the amount of climbing involved.

At Snailbeach. This area used to be famous for lead mining which locally dates back to Roman times. This is up at one of the old mines.

I've climbed from Minsterley through Snailbeach, Stiperstones village and Tankerville, all of which are visible from this view point, if not in the photo itself.

Above Pennerley the landscape becomes more open and wild-looking.

The visitor centre at The Bog. Not open today to the frustration of some visitors (being quite remote I expect doesn't open 'til Easter).

Just past the Stiperstones summit and about to descend towards The Bridges.

The Crown at Wentnor.

Made it to the top of Asterton Bank.

Some of the ponies that roam wild on the Long Mynd.

Oooh, isn't it a long way down. The view into Carding MIll Valley from the edge of The Burway.

Church Stretton. I'm about to go left here and head for home.

 

[Osprey]

A mild spring day and for the first ride in months no wind. What a difference it makes. An early start down the North Gower road with the high spring tides lapping on the roadside sea wall. A quick diversion where the Loughor estuary marsh road was flooded forced a change of plan to a clockwise route. Through Llanelli and take the cycle route 47 heading due North up through Swiss Valley to Tumble. Back through the B roads through Llannon, Hendy, Pontardulais and Gowerton.
38 miles and 1370 feet climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/516328228

North Gower Road, Penclawdd.

 

[Berk on a Bike]

Blimey! You can tell the clement weather's arrived. I neglect this thread for 24 hours and it just... explodes with activity!
I did the Holmfirth > Meltham > Blackmoorfoot reservoir route today. See post passim for the scenic stuff. Today was about times up the climbs. So of course on the main one I p******ed, didn't I?

The perils of being a Strava tart...

Anyhow, it was 46 miles with 2,300 feet of ascending on a rather lovely day, all things considered. Spring rolls on!

https://www.strava.com/activities/516327253

 

[Glow worm]

A sparkling day here in the flatlands after a foggy start. Temps nudging 50 degrees f (according to my Garmin) / 10 c made it feel very springlike. Quite a noticeable easterly breeze though so on one road it feels warm, turn a corner and you're back to winter.

First off a couple of pics from sunset during a ride a day or so ago.

Couldn't quite get the light settings right on the camera but you get the drift.

Then today's ride through Bottisham, Lode, Upware and Wicken

Wicken Lode in the sunshine. The ground still quite wet so walked the bike for a mile or so as I didn't want to mess up the grass bank. Very pleasant walk it was too.

Returning to my recurring theme of taking crap photos of owls, here's a little owl, sat on some crates near Reach.

Here he is on a log. If you look carefully, or better still, take my word for it, you can see his mate to the right, also atop a log.

It was a good day bird wise- a lovely flock of siskins feeding on some alder, a marsh harrier and a pair of displaying kestrels the highlights. Nature not quite dead yet here in the agri-deserts of East Anglia.

Towards dusk it was getting chilly at 38 degrees/ 3c and almost reached for the gloves. 21 miles here today in total on one of those perfect, memorable spring days.

And great to see you back in the saddle again @SatNavSaysStraightOn

 

[Hugh Manatee]

@Rickshaw Phil some lovely scenery up there. I headed out there on a shakedown tour when I was going to try to do an unsupported end to end. Some of those hills!

Some of the houses up there are pretty remote. I rode past one house with a little girl watching me inch painfully past. She ran into the house shouting, "Mummy, I just saw....a person!"

I love the fact at Snailbeach they have areas where you can hunt and take away interesting geological specimens, with their blessing!

 

[Nomadski]

I got vertigo looking at that Carding Mill Valley picture @Rickshaw Phil!

Well my 1 ride a month isn't doing me much good regarding fitness, so decided now we have some weather which isn't trying to rip my face off, I probably should get out and try and do something more difficult than the routes I've done these last couple of months.

Looking back through my thread asking for advice on good places to cycle near Manchester, Rivington kept coming up. With the aid of some posters, I even had a route planned out I felt I could trust.

It was a bigger distance, and more climbing than I had done in quite a while, so made sure I left early (for me). Headed up through Drinkwater and Outwood Country Parks (really my favourite bit of cycling in Manchester central so far) up to Black Lane.

After taking this photo I stripped much of the "Manchester Required" clothing off and actually got down to "Sunny Surrey" levels of clothing....nice!

Headed thru Walshaw and some nice climbs to Affetside.

As I came down the other side, I found I couldn't shift the front derailleur to the larger 50T chainring. There was absolutely no reistence on the bigger left side shifter.

I stopped to have a look and a nice fella on his own ride stopped to offer suggestions (cabling under hood maybe snapped?) and told me of a few nasty climbs in the area, which I may check out. Or not. Maybe not.

Carrying on, pleased it was at least the larger chainring I couldn't access and not the 34T one I passed through Edgeworth and Turton stopping again near the reservoirs for more pics.

Some nice (much needed) descents to Belmont where a pheasant walking in church grounds caught my eye. Didn't have time to stop so did a flyby photo which actually turned out alright!

More climbs and along Rivington Road, I realised I was doubling my cycle time by all the mini photo stops I was taking....but I didn't care, this was a ride I was enjoying too much!

My legs were starting to really struggle with the climbing by the time I saw an oasis....Rivington Village Green Tea Shop, a seemingly very popular stop for all types, and a cracking place to refill.

I looked for local bike shops, and apparently a decent one was down the road in the next town, so I quickly headed off to Rivington Reservoir (which had been the target location for the ride so had to be done).

Other side...

Then headed back on myself to go to Horwich. En route I chatted with a local who I had helped slipstream up the hill (!) and he guided me to the bike shop, although he did say it would actually be closed...damn you google.

While I was cycling, the shifter suddenly came alive and it shifted into the larger chainring....??! No longer mattering about the closed shop, I bid the local farewell and headed back to pick up the route.

A fairly long and bland trip along the A6 only really seeing one op for a pic, quite different from the inbound trip.

About 15 miles from home, the shifter, again, decided to stop working. No tension at all, it was how it was before. No idea so LBS time later this week I figure.

Stuck again in the 34T I had to coast along a relatively flat 10 miles, legs getting sore, bum shouting out for soft cushions...8 miles to go I had really run out of gas.

Then the last 2 miles I suddenly remembered the fun long downhill section in Agecroft wouldn't be as much fun the other way. A rather unpleasant 4% followed by 7% followed by 4% over a mile was not in tune with my interests at that point.

Hey ho, done, felt very stiff, but have finally got out on a proper decent ride. The views were brilliant, almost too good, and despite stopping plenty, there were umpteen times I wanted to stop for pics, but didn't.

Really want to thank all that recommended Rivington as a destination, and those who gave ideas on routes to take to get there in my thread - @Hacienda71 @User33236 @stephec @Katherine @SteCenturion @Siclo and especially @400bhp whose route I used, and thoroughly enjoyed!

Also showed me how far I have to go to get back into shape for Velothon Wales in May.

https://www.strava.com/activities/516123525/

If anyone has any ideas what might be up with the shifter / front derailleur I'm all ears, and why it worked / didn't work / worked / didn't work!

 

[EltonFrog]

@SatNavSaysStraightOn good to see you back here.

 

[Stonechat]

The plan for a longer run this morning was thwarted by SWMBO reminding me she had classes to go to at 9, so a short run out round WGP for me. Only the 14 miles, but brings the week to 130miles so a good one for me.
I enter the Strava distance challenge every month, but if I'm honest I'll never hit the target of 1250km. So the past couple of months I've decided to have a go at the climbing challenge instead. February didn't go too well, but so far for March I'm over 50% so hopeful I may hit the 4500m target. Helps keep me motivated and forces me to get out and do some climbing.

I have completed that just twice (the hill challenge)
Feb last year, was just crazy hill repeats
October had seriously tough rides and did 25000 feet climbing

Can't seee myself completing distance challenge, surely after a while they are just junk miles?

 

[biggs682]

First double figure ride of the month just done and suffering now but hey ho it was worth it

 

[grumpyoldwoman]

Grumpy Junior dragged himself away from his xbox and suggested a ride yesterday (I'm still in shock!) So I suggested a short ride (a
fraction under 7 miles) out to Anchor Head to see if we could find some holey stones (the best place is out at Sand Bay but he didn't fancy going along the toll road,spoil sport) Was lovely weather,the prom was packed with pedestrians so didn't get up much speed and had to keep slowing to a crawl,but was nice to be out!

 

[Elybazza61]

Two rides to report.

First was a roll out with the better half on a nice bright Sunday;her first ride for a couple of weeks but was able to do a good average and hopefully will get out a bit more now.

Only downside was the 520 re-setting itself so all the settings was messed up;

https://www.strava.com/activities/515902402

Today was the first tubeless commute with the Hutchinson Sectors;really,really nice feeling to them tubeless although they still haven't really seated properly yet especially the rear which had lost pressure.They pump up ok though so probably just need to bed in hopefully but I will persevere with them.

Good average today as I was able to keep rolling along and a couple of short efforts bumped it up as well;good way to start the week;

https://www.strava.com/activities/516687521

Some pic whoring;

 

[john59]

I was out by 8.30 am, for a morning ride, the temp was a cool 4c but the sun was shining.

Cycle path on route 568.


Nets cafe.


54 km
https://www.strava.com/activities/516759118

John