Your ride today....

[Rickshaw Phil]

A couple of commutes to mention. Yesterday I took the scenic route over Lyth Hill on the way in to avoid the traffic and got stung by a wasp for my trouble. On the way home I had no energy in my legs - can't imagine why that should be. Not very quick at all on the Raleigh with a 13.8 mph average for 22.6 miles

Today: The forecast says showers for the afternoon so I used the knockabout bike. There was stationary traffic in the other direction through the village when I set out which I never found out the reason for and the rest of the ride was very pleasant in the warm sunny conditions.

During the day heavy rain and thunder rolled across and I thought I'd end up calling my brother for a lift home, however having kept an eye on the rainfall radar in between orders it looked like I'd have a good weather window to get home in.

I decided to brave the traffic and take the shortest route home but it wasn't enough. By Atcham there was thunder around again and on the lanes afterwards I needed to stop and grab my rain cape to avoid getting drenched. The rest of the trip was in a deluge of rain with flashing lightning and booming thunder which made it exciting if not enjoyable. There goes another pair of shoes.

En route I missed a call to say the part I need for the Galaxy is no longer available. Just what I needed to finish off.

19.7 miles at 13.6 mph average. No photos as I may have drowned the phone if I'd tried.

Edit to add: I completely forgot to mention that on the last stretch to work this morning I wondered where all these other riders had come from and were going. It was the Ride Across Britain on their Ludlow to Haydock stage. I hope you all managed to miss the rain.

 

[Jenkins]

With apologies to those under cloudy skies and heavy rain, but down here it was almost too hot & humid .

After a morning 12 mile round trip to the bottle bank and then the supermarket for fresh liquid supplies, the temperature was in the very high 20s by the time I went out for a proper ride. Even the wind didn't help today as it provided no cooling at all. To make things worse, the route I took was quite lumpy (for this part of Suffolk) with 400m of upwards bits in the first 32 miles even when the maximum height is only about 85m so i was grateful that the last bit was almost flat as I was out of energy and riding against the wind.

The ride was a looping ride starting out heading on my favourite and remarkably quiet roads to Newborne via Falkenham then Waldringfield, Bealings, Boulge & Debach before heading back via Clopton, Grundisburgh and Tuddenham. Unfortunately I hit Ipswich at school run time which slowed things considerably before getting to the Bucklesham road and a bit of messing around to take the mileage for the ride to just over 50 for neatness.

https://www.strava.com/activities/710918835

Tomorrow is Cycle to Work day so I may do an easy 30 miles as the commute equivalent as I'm still on leave!

 

[Elybazza61]

Longer ride in today as it's National Cycle to Work day.

Usual twenty pence start to Cottenham but then diverted to Westwick to pick up the bus way to Cambridge,just got on when I noticed how glorious the sun looked so a picture had to be taken(as did another guy who went by);

Gave a little time for the HRM to calm down after another spike after being set off again by my acid reflux(any sort of big burp and it sends it haywire).

Carried on in to that Cambridge to take in a nice coffee and toast pus a freebie mini orange smoothie at the Espresso Library;

Bike needed a rest too

And some random old fecker;

https://www.strava.com/activities/711673766

 

[steve50]

Good ride out this morning on the Boardman, I decided I needed a good workout so cycled the long way to Hollingworth Lake, nice and cool and a little bit misty when i set off but upon reaching the lake the sun burnt through the mist and a good wind blew up. I spent half an hour lakeside with a coffee and a blt before setting off back home.
Cycling home I had a good head wind against me and the sun on my back, it was hard going at times fighting against the blustery wind.
Got as far as Mytholmroyd and decided I no longer liked the "boil in the bag" effect my skid lid was having on my head so it spent the rest of the journey hanging from the handlebars. I also wore my Didoo bib tights today (1st time out) they were very comfortable without being too warm.
All in all a good training ride resulting in very tired aching legs, no pain no gain .
41.3 miles at an average speed of 13.6mph, not too shabby for an old man
https://www.strava.com/activities/711896522

A little bit of footage from todays ride showing the approach to the lake then entering the car park and picnic area, as soon as I park my bike you will see me go to have a word with some bloke. His dog had just taken a dump next to the picnic tables and he apparently had not seen it happen, to his credit he did get straight up and clean it up.

 

[Basil.B]

Had a surreal 28 mile ride this morning.
Woke up this morning unable to hear a thing due to an ear infection.
So had an eerie ride in absolute silence, more or less!

 

[welsh dragon]

Odd weather we are having here today. One minute its Sun blazing and scorchingly hot. The next its dull and overcast. Then I was blasted by a headwind, but The weather is very clammy and humid and hazy.

Took my normal route down the B4404 and then took a right after the bridge parallel to the river dovey up to cemmaes village.

 

[gavroche]

It is a beautiful day here today and as I am not working till 6pm ( only for 2 hours mind) I decided to go for a short ride, not intending to do more than 10 miles, so I only took a bottle of juice and one gel. After doing the 10 miles , I was sorry I didn't take any more provisions as I was feeling good and pushed on and ended up doing 21 miles

at a n average speed of 12.2 mph. Going through Rhos-on Sea, I took a bit of a breather and took this picture , overlooking the small harbour and the very popular promenade.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I enjoyed the cake that much yesterday that I went back for more today, the long way round! Mist didn't lift until I got to the cafe and when riding into the wind it was really hard work. 112 miles done, second century of the week, going out tonight to play pool and get drunk, might not be a big ride tomorrow

https://www.strava.com/activities/711962150

@13 rider - got 5th place today on the cafe segment

 

[NorthernDave]

Another cheeky post work ride.

No time for anything epic, just a quick blast out into the countryside and then loop back on roads that the bike could probably steer down on it's own. But it's a work night ride and that's what counts. Warm, surprisingly windy, but oppressively humid the second you got out of the wind.

View attachment 143765

7.1 miles (11.4km) in a breezy 26m at an average of 16.5mph, with a mere 259ft climbed.

View attachment 143748

Essentially the same post work ride as Monday, but with added stuff.
First was the headwind cycling out down Manston Lane - a bit unexpected but any attempts at a high speed run were thwarted by that and traffic - assuming 4 horses and their riders count as traffic? Serves me right for mentioning how there is hardly ever any traffic on there.

Anyhow, ready for a quick run back, only to find a slight headwind heading that way too... How on earth does that work?
However I did set a PB, so all is well in the world.

Then got checked by traffic a couple of times on the way up home. I must be improving when I keep having to slow down for a bus

So, 7.12 miles (11.45km) in 27m 26s at an average of 15.6mph, with a minimal 282ft climbed (oddly that is 23ft more than the same route two days ago...).
But you know what, I was out on the bike on a still sunny evening after a day at work, so it's all good. Although I'm going to have to dig out the proper CREE front light within the next week or two for such rides.

Map here

 

[Dave 123]

A quick turnaround after work and out on the boys CX bike. The brakes are now working.
It's just under a mile before I get off road and before then my legs felt like mush.... This would be interesting.
After 15-20 minutes they felt fine. The tracks were hard this evening and the air was heavy and hot.

I was flushing buzzards out of trees, rabbits scuttling away. Past the horse paddocks I went, then out on the road at Caldecote. I then picked up the track to the Red House, up hill for the first few minutes, then down. The track rose again, a long left hand bend. For some reason I was riding on the right hand side, good job I did. From the other direction a a mountain bike came screaming through downhill from the opposite direction. Had I been on the left there may have been a little incident, and tears before bedtime!
At the end of the track I saw the light...

Over the A1198 and along the wide track, more buzzards and rabbits, then a young black cat hunting in the long grass. He was off like a shot!
Around the back to Longstowe, back across the 1198 and up to Bourn. I spied a Virgin hot air balloon to the north.
Back to the rough stuff, rattling along I was, having a great time! The wispy clouds turning orange.
Back in Caldecote I dropped down to the south to get back to where I came. The view to the west was good

Round the back of the paddocks and things were feeling a bit spongy on the back end....

I continued and came out into the big wheat fields. I stopped and gave the tyre a squeeze.... Hmm, I might make it back. I might not though!

Half way across to the road it was no good. I stopped, whipped the pump out and put some air in. It wasn't too bad, the view looked like this....

So now it was a race against time. By the time I was home again it was just about rideable. The second puncture fix in 2 nights!

16.5 miles of warm, sunny beauty! Smile inducing.


https://www.strava.com/activities/712306711

 

[steve50]

A quick turnaround after work and out on the boys CX bike. The brakes are now working.
It's just under a mile before I get off road and before then my legs felt like mush.... This would be interesting.
After 15-20 minutes they felt fine. The tracks were hard this evening and the air was heavy and hot.

I was flushing buzzards out of trees, rabbits scuttling away. Past the horse paddocks I went, then out on the road at Caldecote. I then picked up the track to the Red House, up hill for the first few minutes, then down. The track rose again, a long left hand bend. For some reason I was riding on the right hand side, good job I did. From the other direction a a mountain bike came screaming through downhill from the opposite direction. Had I been on the left there may have been a little incident, and tears before bedtime!
At the end of the track I saw the light...
View attachment 143965

Over the A1198 and along the wide track, more buzzards and rabbits, then a young black cat hunting in the long grass. He was off like a shot!
Around the back to Longstowe, back across the 1198 and up to Bourn. I spied a Virgin hot air balloon to the north.
Back to the rough stuff, rattling along I was, having a great time! The wispy clouds turning orange.
Back in Caldecote I dropped down to the south to get back to where I came. The view to the west was good

View attachment 143966

Round the back of the paddocks and things were feeling a bit spongy on the back end....

I continued and came out into the big wheat fields. I stopped and gave the tyre a squeeze.... Hmm, I might make it back. I might not though!

Half way across to the road it was no good. I stopped, whipped the pump out and put some air in. It wasn't too bad, the view looked like this....

View attachment 143967

So now it was a race against time. By the time I was home again it was just about rideable. The second puncture fix in 2 nights!

16.5 miles of warm, sunny beauty! Smile inducing.


https://www.strava.com/activities/712306711

View attachment 143968

View attachment 143969

Lovely pictures, I used to love going down to Hullavington when my son in law was stationed down there, the views were very similar, absolutely stunning.

 

[Donger]

A nice evening Eastgate Cycles ride with @Frazzle, Claire, Wayne and Rich tonight. The weather was surprisingly clammy and warm even at 6:30 tonight, but there was a pleasant cool breeze all evening. Three of us rode into Gloucester to meet up with the others. Started and finished at the Coach & Horses in Gloucester, and rode out through Tewkesbury to Bredon and back. Pulled over just after Tewkesbury to light up, and returned in pitch blackness with lights blaring. Felt surprisingly safe in our mini peloton with all the portable flood lighting. Sweated buckets, but demolished a beautiful pint of chilled Thatchers Gold cider back at the Coach & Horses.

While riding along the quayside on our way to the start in Gloucester, one driver disproved my theory that Gloucester was probably too big to have a village idiot. We were riding in line at the side of the road, behaving ourselves perfectly, when an estate car drove past with the driver agitatedly giving us the finger. We had the last laugh, though, as the traffic light ahead went red and he thought about stopping but then cowardice got the better of him and he sped off through the red light to get away from the people he'd just insulted!

38.7 very enjoyable miles for me. Cheers, Donger.

 

[Jenkins]

Today's ride was essentially the same as yesterday's, but with a chunk taken out of the middle and the equivalent miles added at the end to take me past the office as it was Cycle to Work day!

Photo from the viewpoint at Felixstowe Dock with the MSC Venice being worked in the background.

https://www.strava.com/activities/712258691

 

[Elybazza61]

Couple of rides again;

First was yesterdays return trip home;basically the same way back after getting out of Cambridge.No real hassles apart from negotiating the school kids on the busway but it was damn hot and was glad I only had water so I could splash myself pro-stylee to keep cool.

https://www.strava.com/activities/712168098

Today was a bit different;was hoping to give the Helium a run out but the weather put a stop to that as it was a lot cooler and pretty misty so all lights back on the XLS;nice ride in considering the conditions and good progress so despite leaving a bit late still got to work in good time.

https://www.strava.com/activities/712813940

 

[cosmicbike]

Lights on again for the morning commute, and chilly enough for arm warmers too.