Your ride today....

[mark st1]

The temperatures didn't dip below 13° all night during May's FNRttC. Even with the mildly annoying mizzle/drizzle we had to contend with on and off throughout the night. A couple of times the drizzle turned into full on rain, but only for very short periods of time. Last nights ride was a new destination on the calendar. The most beautiful Art Deco, Shoreham Airport. And it was a glorious route with an even glorious finish. A full buffet fried brekkie with as much as one could eat. I managed 2 full English brekkies washed down with 4 cups of tea.

Well I wasn't going to ride back was I?. Do what I always do, the SMrbTH. I told myself and everyone else that would listen that I just wasn't feeling it.. but I felt guilty...my legs said no, my mind said no and they told me no the whole night. But after those awesome brekkies and tea and the voices of @Tim Hall and @robjh asking if I was riding back. I just couldn't help myself. Doh! But so glad I did, after a little trouble trying to find the road to the Devils Dyke. We were soon zooming along at a wind assisted rate of knots and I was home just after 1.30pm. It's exactly 60 miles from Shoreham Airport to home. It was a non stop journey and managed in under 4 hours. I got home, had a cup of tea, had a shower then jumped into bed, I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. Mrs Ian waking me up exactly 2 hours later with another cup of tea.

This was my 45th Friday Night Ride to the Coast. Who would have thunk it all those years ago when young @iLB's kept on badgering me to join the merry band. I held out for a while on the excuse that I do enough night riding on my commute without having to do night riding voluntarily. But finally relented andjoined my first Friday night ride, back in 2008. I never thought 8 years later I would be still doing these rides and still loving them. The camaraderie of the riders, the riding through deserted, eerie dark country lanes, the sound of 50+ tyres on tarmac rolling through the dark, the sound only broken now and again by hushed conversations. Some people chatting merrily away and some people who like to ride alone and in silence. It really is a great club this Friday's lark. If you haven't tried a Friday Night Ride to the Coast.. I strongly suggest you do.

I took some pics, but the mild temperatures mixed with mizzle and the body heat from keeping the phone in my jersey pocket meant they're not the best pics.

Halway stop. The Cabin at Faygate, 4am in the morning. Waves back at @sagefly
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On the road, check out the trike.
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On the road heading into Shoreham
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Gratuitous bike pic at somewhere very nice indeed.
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Shoreham Quarry and Cement Works. (long closed)
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Shoreham Airport
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The Fridays at Shoreham Airport
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Route map
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So 133 miles for the ride. Century 13 for 2016, 179 over all and a good few future Eddingtons.

Same ride as this but only the one way for me. I only took 2 pictures and they are exactly the same as 2 of Ian's. A stunning route in good company and after the drizzle around 2-3am a lovely mild ride never felt the cold once not even after the half way stop.

64.4 miles in 5 hours 39 moving time from Paddington back to Paddington via the train to Victoria. 2386 ft of climbing and a 11.4 mph avg.
https://www.strava.com/activities/582894315

Cheers
Mark.

 

[ianrauk]

Nice one @mark st1 , cheers for all the banter, made for a most enjoyable ride and 'ahem' breakfast.

 

[mark st1]

Nice one @mark st1 , cheers for all the banter, made for a most enjoyable ride and 'ahem' breakfast.

Banter indeed and yes the breakfast was lush I do love a room with a view .

 

[NorthernDave]

Unlike the UK, the weather here today is and forecast to be 25°C round about now (18:00 local)

As we're off to a BBQ tomorrow, in the , I thought I'd better get a ride in. For a change a different direction - South. First stop for a photo, St Laurent sur Gorre. Why park in the 150 space car park 50m behind me, when you can park outside the shop AND mess up the traffic?

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After that comes Gorre, which has an unusual church for the area, as it's relatively new (1892)

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After Chalus and Firbeix, comes the high point of the ride

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I don't know if there is one of these signs if every department of France, but if there is, that's only another 99 to go

I never like going back home the same way that I came, so I went via Saint Pierre-de_Frugie, where I stopped for something to eat at this deserted play area.
No cars or any person for at least 15 minutes

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Onward to Bussière-Galant, where I found this Iris in someone's garden , whilst trying to look at the map. The village is split in 2 - some round the railway station and the rest about 1km away

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Then it was Les Cars (buses? because's? French can be a strange language sometimes), Flavignac and Séreilhac, where I stopped for more food, including the obligatory cake (home made and a bit squished )

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Route map below
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I know it says only 99km, but my bike computer says otherwise and I did have to firk around a bit near home to get it over the 100.

101.41km in 5hr 5 mins - avg 19.93km/hr (well, it was a bit hilly)

Your ride took you virtually past the in-laws front door (in Fayollas). I'll have to take the bike next time we go over.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Hudson_edited-1 by Mid-Life Cyclist, on Flickr
My ride of 15 miles today took me to Hudson, Illinois, Noted for the fact that it was a colony of settlers from Upstate New York, who purchased land as a group, and moved here. This was also done at the Rhode Island Colony in Southwestern McLean County. Elbert Hubbard, artist, writer, and philosopher, and one of the founders of the Arts and Crafts Movement, was born here, as was Elijah Stone, who rose through journalism's ranks to be the founder of the Chicago Daily News, as well as the reorganized Associated Press. I fought a brisk north wind to get here, so I could return with the wind . I was going to stop at the Casey's, but thought the splendor might be too much, and eclipse the ride report. I returned southbound, after traveling east a couple of miles or so, and saw many cyclists on the road. The weather, despite the wind, was splendid.
78F
26C
Winds N 12, G24
Relative humidity 29%
Barometer 30.12 slow fall
Fair.

 

[Donger]

Sometimes you just have to keep the missus sweet, and one of my ways is to show her that cycling is not quite everything to me, and take her out for a Sunday lunch from time to time instead of going on the club ride. As the club ride was going to be a big one today (a 73 miler to Monmouth and back via the Severn Bridge), there was no way of going on that ride and cutting it short. So I arranged a much shorter social ride near Newent with an old work colleague and friend instead. Then it turned awkward, as it turns out the club had also arranged a shorter alternative ride for those who didn't fancy the big one. Hadn't seen my mate Simon since February though, so I stuck with my original plan.

I can thoroughly recommend some of the lanes around Tibberton, Newent, Highleadon etc, as they are amazingly quiet on a Sunday morning..... great for social riding where you want to ride two abreast and chat as you go. Only a slow and short 11.1 mile ride today, starting from Tibberton and looping around Upleadon, Brand Green and Highleadon, but very enjoyable not having to race to keep up for once. Think I may nip out for a "proper" second ride around my local lanes tonight to bring up my 1,300 miles for the year so far. Got a shot of this unusual church at Upleadon today:

Not sure I've ever seen a stone church with a half-timbered, brick and timber tower before. This was our turning point before heading back to where I'd left the car and then dashing back in time for Sunday lunch in Nailsworth. By this time the blue skies were disappearing and the black clouds were starting to roll in. Didn't stop these lovely ladies from loafing by the pool, sunbathing though:

Enjoy your rides everyone. Cheers, Donger.

p.s. (Ed) Just looked it up .... Saxon foundations, Norman nave and Tudor tower. Quite unique in these parts. Can't be too many churches like that in England.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Maybe French influence on the church steeple. Here is a French Colonial Church, Holy Family, built in Cahokia, Illinois, 1799, it appears to be poteaux sur solle construction. Built 1799, for the centennial of the parish. Those vertical logs are walnut.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I decided to get down to the New Forest today.

Some cows.

A shiny penny farthing.

The queen's peace fountain.

The M.P. for Southampton Itchen ( the guy on the far left, ironically).

A nice 30 odd miles done, and my lungs / ribs are finally back to normal.

https://www.strava.com/activities/584085938

 

[biggs682]

25 miles earlier this morning on the R.E.W Reynolds as the roads were damp when i set out .

Set off just after 5.20am and headed for Little and Great Harrowden,then Finedon,Burton Latimer,Barton Seagrave,Cranford,The Addingtons ,Irthlingborouh and finally back across town.

just got back in bed as my partner woke up ready to celebrate her birthday

 

[mark st1]

Wasn't planning on going out today but after a man out sleep from the Fnrttc I fancied a bit of a spin when I woke up so an early jaunt out towards Windsor through the park then off to Ascot Bracknell Binfield Ruscombe Knowl Hill then a stop off at Velolife cafe at Warren Row for a coffee and a bolt for my seat post on the commuter which I threaded whilst cleaning it . Then a swift zoom home to clean the good bike and some chores to keep swmbo happy . No pics today far to busy lol.

Bang on 36 miles with 865 ft of climbing in just under 1 hour 51 mins with an avg speed of 19.5 mph.

https://www.strava.com/activities/583925189
Cheers
Mark.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

51 miles the journey, Earlswood the destination. My first ride this week and my bike was back in stealth mode after removing the rogue niple from the back wheel the other night. I was in two minds as to do I go to Earlwood or into the Licky Hills, I set of and discovered there was a stiff breeze blowing and decided on Earlswood. After yesterdays rain I was surprised to see a bright and sunny morning when I got up, the lanes were surprisingly clear as well, I was expecting them to be a bit mucky after yesterday. It was a tad fresh first thing but warmed up nicely as the day progressed and I ended up over dressed. I followed my usual route out to Earlswood and it was hard work into the wind, I followed my usual route back home and was having fun in most places flying along with a tail wind. So thats a hard but enjoyable morning out on the bike.

 

[TheDoctor]

Bit of a lumpy one today. Went out through Gosmore to Preston, then along Lilley Bottom Lane to Whitwell and the source of the River Mimram. Followed the river along past Codicote and Old Welwyn, then followed it and the B1000 to Hertford, where the Mimram joins the Lea and heads off to London. From Hertford, I came back through Bramfield and Datchworth.
That's 36 rather lumpy miles, as I had to cross over a few ridges.Longest ride I've done this year so far though

 

[13 rider]

After yesterday's ride I noticed I was 72 miles short of 2000 miles for this year so that's the target. I had arranged to meet my mate Andy for an hour's ride . Anstey ,Cropston ,Rothley to meeting point in Cossington .Andy was there waiting that's a first .so up Humble lane and up the Wreake valley ,Ratcliffe on the Wreake ,Thrussington ,Hoby then the drop into and the climb out of Ragdale back to Paudy lane then the back route to Seagrave and Sileby ,after a coffee at Andy's it was off solo Barrow on Soar ,Cotes ,Stanford on Soar ,Normanton ,Sutton Bonnington and Kegworth where I headed out on some new routes coping @tallliman comuting route up long lane to the edge on of Long Eaton then followed the cycle path to Castle Donington I must say the tarmac on the paths was a lots smoother than most off the roads I been on .up through Castle Donington and round the back of East Midlands airport and back to familiar ground into Diesworth ,Shepshed are I caught a couple out for a ride both also on giant defys so for a couple of miles we formed a giant owners ride chatting about bikes until they turned off .Back down Charley Rd to Beacon hill up and down the fast descent into Woodhouse then Quorn. Stopped on a bench in Quorn for a quick snack .Mountsorrel ,Rothley and Cropston quick check of the mileage and Im a bit so a loop in Cropston and back to Anstey still short so turned away from home to Groby then Newtown Linford and Home 73.13 in the bag at 16.2 mph in lovely conditions loads of riders out today again
Edit got home to find my mobile is properly dead so no strava

 

[SteveF]

Out with the BiL for a meander north of Brentwood, did a 69km loop in the end, which was very pleasant indeed.

A random Windmill piccie:

Managed to do 430m of climbing which was pleasing on some roads I've never cycled before (or driven for that matter) one hill brought us out right next to the Thatcher's Arms in Great Warley, would have been rude not to:

From there it's a lovely downhill for a couple of miles then on to the flat fens before another brief stop at the Fox in Orsett Heath...

https://www.strava.com/activities/584400633

 

[gbb]

Busy couple weeks so precious little cycling but out this afternoon, 34 miles at a brisk pace for me, put some effort in and managed just under 15mph average...still can't (and maybe never will now) open my lungs fully...breathe deep, you fill them and then there's like a little extra at the end...I can't get that last bit. Hey ho...

Lots of vintage cars out, mostly MGs, a good few vintage motorcycles, lovely smell from them...maybe 8 red kite, one massive one swooping in a field some distance away, two buzzard lazily circling woodland at Blatherwyke...
Peterboro, Elton, Wansford, Kings Cliffe, Blatherwyke, Bulwick, Southwick, Fotheringhay, Elton and back.