Your ride today....

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PeteXXX

Cake or ice cream? The choice is endless ...
Photo Winner
Location
Hamtun
Today it was very easy to decide which chain lube to apply....
I set off on the MTB in a light drizzle and breezy conditions, towards ever darkening skies, to a mates house for a quick coffee (or two) and some flapjacks before a ride up to the woods and trails behind Delapre Abbey. They were slippery as a slippery thing, with wet roots and mud! Still, I held on grimly and only had to put a foot down once!
From there, we cut through Hardingstone and Brackmills on a mix of roads and tracks to Salcey for half a circuit of the forest before using a rather moist and tricky bridleway alongside an electric fence. I shouted back to my mate, "If you fall off, make sure it's to the right, that's only brambles!!" :laugh:
Never mind, we survived, and blasted down the side of a field and across towards Denton, by this time, we were on tarmac, with big globs of mud flying off the tyres.
Fortunately (:whistle:) it started to precipitate it down a lot at this point, so some of the remaining muck got washed off the bikes, and us, before the Northerly headwinds dried us out..

Once we reached the outskirts of town, we went our separate ways just as the sun was trying to beak though the clouds. I was only a mile from home, but my mate had to enjoy the headwinds I'd had on my way over to his place a few hours earlier.
Not many pics of the ride as it was too sh*te to get the phone out of its plastic bag.

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As luck would have it, the sunshine burst out just as I propped the bike up in the garden to dry, after a hose down. :laugh:


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37 miles, in the usual inclement Spring weather, but most enjoyable nonetheless.

https://www.strava.com/activities/556345837

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twentysix by twentyfive

Clinging on tightly
Location
Over the Hill
My legs were a bit tired today but I had to get out despite the freezing cold north wind. My aim was just a nice little pootle but the wind and the climbs over Setmurthy Common, away from the Derwent valley as well as through Sunderland had me reaching for my granny gears. At least the climbing was helping me stay warm. The drops were a different proposition tho'. Nevertheless it was nice to take the strain off the legs as I contoured around to Gilcrux and the ramp up to Tallantire did have some assistance from that wind today. I was getting pretty cold by the time I swooshed at 37 mph back down into Cockermouth. Glad I went out for this one and glad to get back into the warmth at the end too. Only 23 miles but I'd had enough
 

Old jon

Guru
Location
Leeds
It was blowing a bit this morning, so not at all difficult to sort out a route. It had to be more or less circular, and not too long.

After the three sides of the Holbeck square the wind was definitely blowing through Hunslet. I can take a hint when it is that size. Even the climb up to John O’ Gaunt’s was more like brisk than slog. The drop to the canal at Woodlesford and the ride along to Swillington only had a crosswind, and yes, careful steering was necessary. Around the east and north of Garforth, and the road on to Lotherton Gates the weather became interesting. A fair freezing gale on my left side, hail bouncing off my bald bonce and icicles forming in my beard, while my right ear and that side of my face was a serious risk of sunburn. They should charge extra for that . . .



The same old same old, Lotherton, Aberford, Barwick, oh Barwick with bunting and brightly painted bikes, even Scholes had bunting. I do hope it is not catching. Three lanes to the A 58 and another hail shower to keep me company down Boot Hill, traipse across Leeds to reach my front door 28.3 miles after leaving it and just before yet another tantrum from the weather.
 

EltonFrog

Legendary Member
The plan was to got to Evans bike shop in Reading to collect some road mitts I ordered on-line.

I decided to go on the MTB ride as much as off road as I could, so from the track outside my gaf, up to The Ridgeway, (very forward thinking of those folk to come up with a 187 mile cycle track about 10,000 years ago) along to Streatley, along part of the Thames Path from Goring to Whitchurch, a coffee and a bacon and egg roll in Pangbourne. As I was riding out of Pangbourne I discovered a new bike shop called Pankhurst Cycles LINK , so I popped in there for a look, lots of old school bikes in there plus some modern bling, they're very friendly blokes, offered me a coffee as soon as walked in the door, go and have look if your in the manor. Onwards via Sulham along Nunhide Lane towards Calcot where those twunts Ikea are building a new store and multi story car park, onto Theale and along the Kennet & Avon canal to Reading, collected my mitts, had a coffee in the Premier Inn next door. At just over 26 mainly off road miles I contemplated the ride home, and couldn't be arsed so I rode to the station and go the train back to Didcot ( very good service) and cycled the three and a bit miles back from there. I have had a lovely day out on the bike, I met some nice people along the way and had a chat with them, it don't get much better than that really.
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The Ridgeway on the horizon

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The bridge on the old railway line

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Further along The Ridgeway this old bridge crosses line.

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On the way down to Goring

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Bacon & egg butty.

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A nice Holdsworth Mixte at Pankhurst Cycles

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The Evil Empire and the new Death Star

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A 'Pill Box' along the Kennett & Avon canal, I expect Dad's Army were guarding it in case The Bismark came sailing down.

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30.80 miles, mostly off road.
 
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PaulB

Legendary Member
Location
Colne
By heck it was cold out there today!

I had hoped to enjoy my leisure days/weeks but while it was warm and sunny last week, it looks like winter's back with a vengeance today!
 

Goonerobes

Its okay to be white
Location
Wiltshire
A brief shower delayed the start of todays midweek sortie into the New Forest which was planned to go up to the northern tip. However, a look at the sky after a mile or two suggested this may not be the best route to take as my old foe Mr big black cloud was looming larger than life in the direction I was planning so a quick detour was undertaken & I headed south instead to Lyndhurst & onward to Beaulieu.

I did still get caught by another hail shower & the temperature dropped by a good 9 Fahrenheit according to Garmin but I managed to outrun it & ended up with just over 31 miles on the clock, albeit at a slightly lively pace, but at least I got home dry.

https://www.strava.com/activities/557308473

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twentysix by twentyfive

Clinging on tightly
Location
Over the Hill
Another trip to Maryport today to visit my mother. Cold? Absolutely. There was even some snow on the fells. The wind was blowing strongly and directly from the north pole it seemed. I took the short route out as I had luggage to deliver. The return along the prom was cold and the Solway was being whipped up a bit by the wind. Eventually I could turn away from that exposed coastal run and things went sufficiently easy that I added a little loop around Hayton. But the cold was still cold and heavy showers were about so I took to the Gilcrux and Bridekirk return for a 37.5 mph descent into Cockermouth. 26 miles in the freezer today but I dodged the rain.
 

Jon George

Mamil and couldn't care less
Location
Suffolk an' Good
With my mother's funeral tomorrow, I felt I had to just get out today and ride and ride and ride. What I did not expect was Heady McHeadWind seemingly increasing the distance by about a half.

I did another 50km - roughly the same route as Sunday's i.e. North of Ipswich - and experimented with a couple of lanes I'd never explored. They were less Rat-Runs, more Tractor Boy routes with mud down the centre. :smile:

Just as I was heading down into Hasketon, I encountered some hail. I say hail - it did an extremely good impression of chopped up pieces of iceberg hitting my face. I retreated into a bus shelter, much to the surprise of the old man and his dog doing the same! ^_^

Tomorrow morning, I intend to do a quick 'Round The Block' to keep up with my target of riding every day this year, and then on Thursday doing the same, but most probably with a hangover from the wake.

If the weather changes for the better, however, Bank Holiday Monday has good prospects: my mate Dan and I intend to do about 60 miles in Stage 4 of this year's Tour De Cochon. (I have already checked that the various pubs will be open.:cheers:)

One of the weather today ... heading straight for me.

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Rickshaw Phil

Overconfidentii Vulgaris
Moderator
The usual commuting miles the last couple of days. Today was a little different as my brother felt well enough after the lurgy to attempt a bike ride and suggested coming with me as far as the turning for Upton Forge then continuing into Shrewsbury.

We headed over Lyth Hill as it's a quieter road, particularly at this time of day, then dropped down to Condover and took the lanes to Cross Houses. The clouds had been threatening but on this bit the heavy hail shower I thought we would just outrun caught up. Every time Doug comes with me the weather tries to put him off.:rain::laugh:

The wind was against us and on the exposed section alongside Attingham Park we were very slow but it was a little easier once we turned off this road. I parted from Doug as planned and with the wind assisting me for the next bit had a fast run for the last couple of miles or so to work. Doug continued with his loop but with the state of the weather didn't head into the park as he'd originally planned.

Another cold and dull day in the warehouse. The highlight was being sent off to road test a scooter that had been returned for our technical expert to fix as the dealer couldn't. (Runs sweetly now :okay:)

For my return ride the wind had picked up (gusting up to 32mph according to the met office). My route means I had it against me at the start, helping in the middle and against once more towards the end. I didn't fancy straining into it for the last couple of miles so went over Lyth Hill again for variety. There were some very threatening clouds around and fortunately this time I \was abale to get back and get the bike away before the shower hit.

23.9 miles for the day at 12.9 mph average.

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Just about to part from Doug near Upton Magna.

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Sunshine and heavy showers over the Wrekin as seen from Lyth Hill on my way home.
 
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