Your ride today....

[Deleted member 1258]

Hatton Locks the destination, 54 miles the journey. My usual Thursday loop. Started out in cool cloudy conditions but within half an hour the sun was out and the temperature was rising, and I was wishing I had put my shorts on and left my long sleeved top off. There was a good crowd at the cafe. Leaving the cafe I did the same as Sunday, I put my waterproof in my back pocket and the long sleeved top went in the saddle bag. lovely ride home, hard work in places, that cold stiff breeze has returned, great fun riding in front of it on the way out but hard work in places riding into it on the way back.

 

[jayonabike]

100km loop out to Cublington and back

First 100km ride of the year, in fact only my 3rd ride of the year. The first being 25 miles in January and the second was 36 miles two days ago. Fell out of love with cycling a bit due to my lung condition but I'm starting to make a comeback.
Anyway I didn't intend to do over 60 miles but want to do at leat 40, maybe 50 at a push. Dusted off the Cervelo and headed out around 10 a.m. The conditions were perfect warm, sunny with a gentle breeze. I picked out one of my favourite routes of around 40 miles but has a few bail out points if I needed to cut it short (also this route can be extended which is what I did today)

After 30 miles I felt good, I made the decision to ride the extended route which would give me 60 odd miles. Stopped at the 40 mile mark for a cheese toastie and espresso. Headed off again shortly after and my legs were feeling it a bit, so knocked it down a gear or two and spun for a few miles to loosen them up. It worked, I was soon chipping along at a fair pace and before long I was heading back into Hemel. Just one last climb to go, I stopped for a few minutes breather and a drink, then rode the last 3 miles or so home

Went further than I intended and apart from forgetting my inhaler, a few neck pains and legs burning up I really enjoyed it and pleased my level of fitness hasn't dropped that dramatically, I think a few more rides like today and I'll be back where I was over a year ago.

So I rode 63.44 miles at an average speed of 16.34 mph with 2575 feet of climbing. I'm pleased with that.

 

[Smithbat]

100km loop out to Cublington and back

First 100km ride of the year, in fact only my 3rd ride of the year. The first being 25 miles in January and the second was 36 miles two days ago. Fell out of love with cycling a bit due to my lung condition but I'm starting to make a comeback.
Anyway I didn't intend to do over 60 miles but want to do at leat 40, maybe 50 at a push. Dusted off the Cervelo and headed out around 10 a.m. The conditions were perfect warm, sunny with a gentle breeze. I picked out one of my favourite routes of around 40 miles but has a few bail out points if I needed to cut it short (also this route can be extended which is what I did today)

After 30 miles I felt good, I made the decision to ride the extended route which would give me 60 odd miles. Stopped at the 40 mile mark for a cheese toastie and espresso. Headed off again shortly after and my legs were feeling it a bit, so knocked it down a gear or two and spun for a few miles to loosen them up. It worked, I was soon chipping along at a fair pace and before long I was heading back into Hemel. Just one last climb to go, I stopped for a few minutes breather and a drink, then rode the last 3 miles or so home

Went further than I intended and apart from forgetting my inhaler, a few neck pains and legs burning up I really enjoyed it and pleased my level of fitness hasn't dropped that dramatically, I think a few more rides like today and I'll be back where I was over a year ago.

So I rode 63.44 miles at an average speed of 16.34 with 2575 feet of climbing. I'm pleased with that.

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View attachment 131406

Ahhh Cublington, I have been very drunk in the Unicorn a few times, you are getting dangerously close there to my neck of the woods! The hill down from Cublington towards Whitchurch (Where I grew up) is epic and I used to love going down it as a kid. Now it would scare the hell out of me but back then I was fearless on my folding shopper bike (with tartan saddlebag, I was the epitome of cool )

 

[jayonabike]

Ahhh Cublington, I have been very drunk in the Unicorn a few times, you are getting dangerously close there to my neck of the woods! The hill down from Cublington towards Whitchurch (Where I grew up) is epic and I used to love going down it as a kid. Now it would scare the hell out of me but back then I was fearless on my folding shopper bike (with tartan saddlebag, I was the epitome of cool )

Yes I've rode down there a few times, a cracking down hill, seems to go on for ages. More fun than cycling up it!

 

[Hill Wimp]

Such a pretty day,. I have found a circuit that I can happily do at lunchtime and still have time to change and make myself presentable. It is 5.6 miles and at the moment takes me just over 34 minutes, this will give me a benchmark to work towards speeding up. View attachment 131400

https://www.strava.com/activities/603706283

You are just showing off now with a lunchtime ride as well.

 

[Smithbat]

You are just showing off now with a lunchtime ride as well.

I know but it still only takes me to about 10-12 miles on an average day, some people on here do 10 times that! I would actually die if I tried..lol

 

[Hill Wimp]

I know but it still only takes me to about 10-12 miles on an average day, some people on here do 10 times that! I would actually die if I tried..lol

Don't knock it, you are out on your bike, even better you are enjoying it. 1000s of people out there are in their cars,stuck indoors or doing bugger all.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Part 1

https://www.strava.com/activities/603835835

So far so good.

 

[cosmicbike]

Lovely ride home from w*rk this morning, cool, not much traffic and kept me awake! Tonights ride in was the opposite, hot, sticky and lots of traffic, the shower on arrival was most welcome. Still, keeps the miles ticking along.

 

[13 rider]

After this mornings ride I spend the rest of the day gardening oh joy oh joy I like a tidy garden but hate gardening . Well while chilling after tea the line "oh Emmerdale on for an hour tonight " was spoken so out with the bike . Nice spin out to Swithland and back including Sharply hill . 11.87 miles at 17 mph in absolutely fabulous conditions loads of riders out tonight including two big club groups . Got back just as Emmerdale we finishing what great timing

 

[Supersuperleeds]

After this mornings ride I spend the rest of the day gardening oh joy oh joy I like a tidy garden but hate gardening . Well while chilling after tea the line "oh Emmerdale on for an hour tonight " was spoken so out with the bike . Nice spin out to Swithland and back including Sharply hill . 11.87 miles at 17 mph in absolutely fabulous conditions loads of riders out tonight including two big club groups . Got back just as Emmerdale we finishing what great timing

Do what I do with the gardening, leave it to the wife. My only gardening jobs are to cut the grass and look after the pond.

 

[Dave 123]

Turning into Hardwick on my commute home tonight I was greeted with this...

So my ride out tonight started and ended quite gingerly, didn't fancy any spills!
Down through Knapwell where the elder flower was fulsome and on to Elsworth, before going over the hill that leads to Hilton.
Coming into Graveley there is a massive stand of giant hogweed, impressive, but evil.
Between here and the Toseland crossroad they're patching the road, I assume it'll get the gravel treatment too. Another road to avoid!

Down at Croxton Corner St Neots CC were holding a club time trial, I don't think Bradley Wiggins was in this one.

Back through the Gransdens and carefully home. A very pleasant 30 miles.

http://www.strava.com/activities/604100875#kudos

 

[Jenkins]

That's because it is a Red Kite

Thanks for the correct identification - as you may be able to tell, I'm not much of a bird spotter! All the birds of prey we get round this way are the smaller hawks hovering over roadside verges, so I guessed based on having seen info regarding the ospreys at Rutland. The red kite may also be what I've seen in the woodland beyond turn 3 at Rockingham Speedway a few miles south. It was just so good to see a bird of that size that wasn't a flying sh*t machine gull gracefully floating around.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

24 in the peloton tonight (later 26 for some miles). The pace was fast almost from the start. When we joined the A48 I saw 31.5 mph appear on my computer. The first 13 miles were covered at an average of 20.6 mph. A stop to allow regrouping meant the pace became a bit more sensible to Wainlode. Here Barney and Fred were waiting for a team photo shoot.

As we got going again the pace was sufficiently low that I found myself on the front. I could feel the hot breath of the fast boys just behind me. Thankfully I wasn't left at the front for too long. Barry punctured so there was a bit of time to grab a chat before we got underway again. Now the pace was picking up and the little hills were taking a toll. Then Ade flatted and so Rob, Simon and I stopped to help out. The others were intent on cranking up the pace even more. No worries as we 4 rode the "Widow Maker" to HQ at a more reasonable pace than those fast lads.

Fastest I've ridden for quite some time and if Ade hadn't punctured when he did I may have notched up an even faster average. Isn't it amazing how much quicker one goes in a peloton? 45 miles at 18.2 mph for me.

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.strava.com/activities/604306369

Part 2.

Cracking evening all round.