Your ride today....

[Buck]

I'd wanted to get out on Wednesday night but a few things conspired against me so it was going to be Thursday night for sure.

Lovely and sunny but a bit chilly with that wind. Despite this it felt nice to be out on the bike and I decided I would do my "one hour time trial route" - a trial because I have never got sub 1 hour - close at 1:01 but never below the magic 60!

I headed up out of the village and as I climbed towards the top of Marsh Lane I could see a group of 12-15 riders heading up Rowgate. As I went on the top road (Pensitone Road) towards the Sovereign I could see them climbing up Piper Wells but I headed straight on to the crossroads then right and straight on through to Hoylandswaine roundabout - an undulating 5 mile stretch.

I passed another group of riders then was passed on and off by a stream of fast riders with numbers pinned on (many with aero helmets too) who were competing in some form of time trail (to the roundabout and back is a popular route)

Perhaps they spurred me on as I felt in relatively good form and my legs had a pretty good cadence (for me!) My Strava gave me an extra push as I headed up the hill to the roundabout as I could see I was on for a PB and also come in ahead of a friend of mine (no, I'm not competitive, honest!!)

As I headed back down the hill, I could feel the strength of the wind even more on the exposed stretch but went on the drops and just kept going. As I passed a lay-by near the turning for Penistone there were a few spectators for the proper riders and as I drew near one guy gave me a heartfelt clap and cheer - thank you - you probably pushed me on just that little harder!

Turning left and heading past the reservoir I then cursed the wind again as I headed up Horn Lane realising that I am far from being streamline and drag efficient...

At the top, turning right onto Broadstones I could see another group of riders in front of me. As I cycled up I could see that some were wearing Holmfirth CC jerseys. I was still aiming for my sub 60 so a friendly "Hi" and wave as I passed a few of the riders who were taking it steady. I passed a few more as I headed to Five Lane Ends and more "Hi's" and nods before I turned right to go around the back of the quarry then left at the Sovereign before heading down Rowgate and towards home.

I knew I was close to my one hour target but didn't want to check my Garmin until I had pulled up on the drive and stopped the ride. 57:59

I realised when I was looking at my Strava later that the group of riders were Holmfirth.CC and amongst them were @Kestevan and his good lady!!

https://www.strava.com/activities/641014300/

15.3 miles

Also got this email from relive.cc - not very exciting but worth a quick look I thought...

https://www.relive.cc/view/641014300

 

[biggs682]

Nice pre work 13 miles on the big simo this morning, felt good and it would have been nice to keep going.....

Only one of my normal loops ie up the mad mile along to sywell,Mears Ashby,earls Barton,great doddington and back through the boro to home.

 

[13 rider]

Day off work doing all the little jobs before 2 weeks Holiday in Cornwall . I havnt done a 50 mile this month and not fancing doing a very hilly 50 mile rider on my hybrid in Cornwall I was up early this morning and out the door at 0700 headed out to Market Bosworth to reduce a route for CC ride I arranging in September . Headed on some quite lanes circling Market Bosworth though the villages of Sutton Cheney ,Darlington and Fenny Drayton where I took a wrong turn and nearly ended up on the A5 and I'm leaded the ride !!. Retraced my steps and you d my planned route again heading to Ratcliffe Culey and Sheepy Parts where I turned for home back to Wellsborough and back home via Newbold Vernon ,Desford ,Ratby ,Groby got to Anstey still 2.5 miles short so a loop of the village and Home with 50.2 miles in the bag and all 3 challenges ride done and dusted now to get ready for Holiday

 

[PeteXXX]

Yesterdays ride was a bit of a utilitarian pedal, with a few things to pick up, and a couple to drop off around the town.
First stop was at Northampton Railway station to pick up a ticket.

With all the available bike parking taken up, and only a D lock in my backpack, I had to lock my old Pub bike (far right)on the railings for 10 minutes.. It was still hanging there when I got back, so all was good.

Back via the cycle paths along the Nene to Riverside Retail Park for a few bits then to Weston Favell shopping centre to drop a book into the library and a buy couple more things I needed.

Home on 15 miles before lunch and w*rk. Booooo

 

[cosmicbike]

One of my usual loops to Walton and back. Nothing exciting in 20 miles, and looking forward to some company on tomorrow's ride.

 

[Alex H]

A short ride today, but somewhere new and a place I've kept meaning to go to for a long time. On the road from Saint Junien to Montrol Senard, there are a couple of signs pointing to a viewpoint. I'm well aware that usually such things are some way from the sign, so until now I've not pursued it. Yesterday I found out where exactly it was and so today is the day.

First, through Saint Junien by the back roads and on to the road to Brigueuil. Crossing the N141, the road is busy as usual

Onwards into the Charente, the road here is the same

In Brigueuil there is a strange pyramid shaped fountain, built in 1894

There is a sign showing the fortifications of the village and the fact there is a lanterne des morts in the cemetery. As I was going to pass it, I took a look, but it was in very poor condition and not very photogenic.

One thing that did catch my eye, however, was one of the decorations on one of the tombs. The French normally place small plaques commemorating their loved one on top of the tombs. These can range from simple stone or iron plaques with a small message or photo, to bunches of ceramic flowers.

Next stop, to look at the map, was Saint Christophe. Here is the church and war memorial in the centre of the village.

Git 'orf my mushrooms

So to the high point (groan!) of the ride. There is a small car park at the bottom of the site, but the route to the top is intended for walkers and maybe mountain bikers (or VTT - Velo Tout Terrain as they are known here). I managed on the Galaxy as it has fat tyres and lots of gears . A nice cairn about 2 metres high has been built to stand on to take photos. Although there are still too many trees to see all round .

This is the view to the North.

In the centre of the photo on the horizon, you can just see a plume of steam. This is probably the power station at L'Isle Jourdain 40km away.

Returned home via the faster main roads - route below

62km in 3 hours, 887m of climbing

 

[Old jon]

Sort of dull this morning, the weather that is. That should mean more room on the roads for me, thought I, so off I went on just short of thirty one tangled miles of a route.

Start with the Holbeck shortcut to the towpath at Office Lock and leave the towpath at Viaduct Road. Through Burley and Headingley to the Ring Road at Lawnswood and from there take Otley Old Road and keep going up past Cookridge water tower. A bit of a drop then, and take the left turn towards Otley, which passes to the east of Leeds and Bradford airport. Very steeply passes, I should say.



When the A 658 is reached, turn right towards Pool. The lights at the Dyneley Arms were green so a well quick whizzzzz down Pool Bank followed. Big grin time. Along the valley bottom road to Otley and a refuel. One of these days I will attempt the climb of Pool Bank again, but not today. So the good old A 660 was used yet again to take me as far as Headingley and the almost inevitable detour to Kirkstall and trundle along the towpath back to Holbeck. The rain started to fall just as I left the canal, but that was not going to spoil anything at all.
The little gadget gave me this map for my efforts.

 

[Racing roadkill]

64 odd miles, down to Chichester and back today. For another Metric century.

I was part of our regional Skyride Local "Team of the month" team, awarded by British cycling, as well as getting the individual award, for Skyride Social, so I went for a ride to celebrate.

https://www.strava.com/activities/6...-421F-84F6-66D9459AC605?hl=en-GB&v=1468591817

.

 

[Mrs M]

A short ride today, but somewhere new and a place I've kept meaning to go to for a long time. On the road from Saint Junien to Montrol Senard, there are a couple of signs pointing to a viewpoint. I'm well aware that usually such things are some way from the sign, so until now I've not pursued it. Yesterday I found out where exactly it was and so today is the day.

First, through Saint Junien by the back roads and on to the road to Brigueuil. Crossing the N141, the road is busy as usual

View attachment 134943


Onwards into the Charente, the road here is the same

View attachment 134944

In Brigueuil there is a strange pyramid shaped fountain, built in 1894

View attachment 134945

There is a sign showing the fortifications of the village and the fact there is a lanterne des morts in the cemetery. As I was going to pass it, I took a look, but it was in very poor condition and not very photogenic.

View attachment 134946
One thing that did catch my eye, however, was one of the decorations on one of the tombs. The French normally place small plaques commemorating their loved one on top of the tombs. These can range from simple stone or iron plaques with a small message or photo, to bunches of ceramic flowers.

View attachment 134947

Next stop, to look at the map, was Saint Christophe. Here is the church and war memorial in the centre of the village.

View attachment 134948

Git 'orf my mushrooms

View attachment 134949

So to the high point (groan!) of the ride. There is a small car park at the bottom of the site, but the route to the top is intended for walkers and maybe mountain bikers (or VTT - Velo Tout Terrain as they are known here). I managed on the Galaxy as it has fat tyres and lots of gears . A nice cairn about 2 metres high has been built to stand on to take photos. Although there are still too many trees to see all round .

View attachment 134952

This is the view to the North.

View attachment 134950

In the centre of the photo on the horizon, you can just see a plume of steam. This is probably the power station at L'Isle Jourdain 40km away.

Returned home via the faster main roads - route below

View attachment 134954

62km in 3 hours, 887m of climbing

Like the wee plaque on the tomb.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Where do I start.......really struggling for cycling motivation at the moment, partly because I feel so knackered from my new job, that I just want to flop when I get home. Made myself get out for a ride tonight, as I know it's what I need really. It was full of events the sort of which I didn't want.

Set off around through Sutton Farm, to avoid the roadworks, then through Bayston Hill and up Lyth Hill. Whilst dropping down the other side of the hill, there was a sudden horrendous grinding noise from the back brakes. I paused to see what it was, used my fingers to see if anything stuck in them (disc brakes) and promptly burnt the tip of my finger! Why didn't I realise that brakes would be hot after a descent

A bit of playing with the levers and wheel must have dislodged whatever it was and I continued to Exfords Green, where, approaching a junction to my left, I luckily saw that the car approaching was looking left and not right and he pulled out right in front of me, causing me to do an emergency stop . I was just about to shout at him, when he put his hand up to apologise, so sufficed with a glare and hand gesture back (not complimentary!)

Headed on through Stapleton, Ryton and Longnor, where an impatient driver tried to pass me on a bend and promptly met another car head on, whilst alongside me. Idiot.

Turned left towards Frodesley, and came up behind a couple of horse riders, gave plenty of warning, which they acknowledged, slowed and tried to pass with plenty of room, only for both of the horses to become bucking broncos and attempt to throw their riders off!! I stopped and let them settle the horses down, with a car also waiting and then managed to inch past them without the horses becoming skittish! The riders apologised, no need, not their fault. 1st time I've ever had horses react like that on a ride though.

Pressed on to Acton Burnell, Pitchford and Cantlop, where they have been surface dressing the road. Chippings are still loose and there are 20mph limit signs, however they obviously don't apply to the idiot driver who stormed past me at well over 50mph, showering me in loose chippings. He had the volley and hand gestures, complete and utter knobber of the highest order. Thankfully the remainder of the drivers had common sense and passed me slowly and with width.

Arrived home having done 22.3 miles, but not particularly enjoyable.

A like for having got out but you do seem to be having way more than your fair share of incidents lately.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

After the fast commute yesterday I went for a change of scene today and did the extended version of the ride in, working my way down through Acton Burnell to Cressage then onwards to work via Wroxeter.

The wind was southerly this morning so I wasn't as quick and it was more effort than yesterday for the first half. On the approach to Cantlop I got caught up in a bit of fun as two large tractors towing trailers met each other on a narrow bit. The driver of the one I'd been following thought he was being helpful by backing into a side access but that was the way the other guy wanted to go and now there was nowhere left to manouvre and more traffic was joining the crowd. I managed to sneak through a gap and left them to it, which was the last I saw of any of the vehicles involved.

The rest of the way was pretty quiet apart from Shore Lane at Cressage where I had to pull in several times to let vehicles pass, including a fuel tanker (quite narrow for one of these down here).

Leaving work the wind had shifted round to a west-southwesterly which is a bad direction for me as it means a headwind practically the whole way home. The effort made yesterday had caught up with me so it was a bit of a slog with aching legs. I'd considered extending the ride slightly on the way home too but gave up on that idea quite quickly.

28 miles at 13.9 mph average which I suppose isn't too bad really.

Something that surprised me on the morning ride. Do not adjust your monitor; this season hay bales will mostly be wearing pink.

 

[Stonechat]

Went out aiming to do more intervals

Soon realised my legs were too achey to do anything high intensity

Improvised a route through Ripley Clandon, then back trying to dodge round Woking so went through Send Old Woking, St John's and Chobham and back via Chertsey

More than I intended
45.06 miles @ 16.4 mph, not a bad speed considering tiredness and not pushing too hard, but I need some recovery, there is no club run this sunday (they're doing a TT) so will only do something really easy.1122 feet climbed today/
Will visit Mum instead, who sadly may not be with us for that long now.


https://www.strava.com/activities/641607865

 

[biggs682]

Finished the day off with a cruise along the promenade between Bournemouth and Boscombe on the tandem ........

 

[cosmicbike]

Went out aiming to do more intervals

Soon realised my legs were too achey to do anything high intensity

Improvised a route through Ripley Clandon, then back trying to dodge round Woking so went through Send Old Woking, St John's and Chobham and back via Chertsey

More than I intended
45.06 miles @ 16.4 mph, not a bad speed considering, but will needs some recovery, there is no club run this sunday (they're doing a TT) so willonly do something really easy.1122 feet climbed.
Will visit Mumm instead, who sadly may not be with us for that long now.


https://www.strava.com/activities/641607865

Liked for getting out on a ride.
Sorry to hear about your Mum..

 

[Stonechat]

Liked for getting out on a ride.
Sorry to hear about your Mum..

Thanks
Well she's 95 and her birthday is on the 20th, hope she makes it. She has gone down a lot, has an infection, and obviously not that strong to fight hard against it. She might just rally but not so likely.

She is in a nursing home on my regular routes, go in and see her when I am fresher
It's all a bit sad and difficult, not knowing how it will go.

Anyway this is too morbid.
I need to cheer up a bit. The dog is quite good at that!