Your ride today....

[welsh dragon]

Had a day off the bike yesterday, but back to the commute this morning. Chilly enough to have to wear a long sleeved jersey, first time this year it's been in single figures. Legs decided not to play ball after 5 miles, so onto the magic tablets again. Quite a painful ride home and actually nice to get off the bike
Hopefully settled by tomorrow as it's night shifts, and better be happy by Friday when I plan for the months metric half..

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Donger]

Had a day off the bike yesterday, but back to the commute this morning. Chilly enough to have to wear a long sleeved jersey, first time this year it's been in single figures. Legs decided not to play ball after 5 miles, so onto the magic tablets again. Quite a painful ride home and actually nice to get off the bike
Hopefully settled by tomorrow as it's night shifts, and better be happy by Friday when I plan for the months metric half..

Good luck with that. Keep posting this kind of stuff. It puts our "suffering" into context, and it is truly inspirational that you keep picking yourself up, dusting yourself down and doing it all again.

 

[cosmicbike]

Thanks folks. This place kept me going through an awful lot the past few years. Thankfully the 'magic tablets' I have been prescribed by my hero doctor up London really nip things in the bud when the pain comes on, and stop me ending up bed bound for 2 weeks.

 

[Edwardoka]

It was lunchtime but I felt the need to just ride so I took a fairly brisk run to turn for the famous Col de Marie Blanc. It starts fairly easily but ramps up steeply over the final kms, first 11%, then 12% and finally 13%. Ouch. Thank goodness it’s not too long.

Chapeau for all your ride reports thus far - very much enjoying and reminiscing!
An evil climb, the Marie Blanque - at least when you're on a loaded touring bike. Lulls you into a false sense of security but keeps steadily ramping up. Had to get off and push for about 1.5km. In my defence I did ride up the last 1 km...

 

[Jenkins]

Yesterday
Went to Snetterton for the MGCC meeting, but with only four races in the morning and a 4hr relay race which held no interest for me in the afternoon, I plotted a route around the lanes in the area and stuck the Kona in the boot of the car. After a few heavy showers in the morning, the afternoon was bright & dry, but very breezy - especially across the open fields in the area. 43 miles and good to get in a 'proper' ride somewhere other than this corner of Suffolk.

Today
Having the day off as part of a long weekend, I took advantage of the good weather to get in the metric 100 for October. No route planned, just go out, up round and back until I'd had enough. Day off the bike tomorrow to catch up with domestics that should have been done today then 10 consecutive days of commuting to look forward to.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Chapeau for all your ride reports thus far - very much enjoying and reminiscing!
An evil climb, the Marie Blanque - at least when you're on a loaded touring bike. Lulls you into a false sense of security but keeps steadily ramping up. Had to get off and push for about 1.5km. In my defence I did ride up the last 1 km...

Thanks. At least the Marie Blanque is relatively short. Some of the never ending 11%'ers really get to one.

 

[Old jon]

Just shy of thirty miles today. A little warmer than Sunday’s episode, at least in the sun it was. There was a bit of breeze which became more obvious as the morning went on.

As ever, a lap of Holbeck to persuade the legs to work, followed by a wind assisted pedal along the towpath as far as Viaduct Road. Then that slog along to the Ring Road. Cardigan Road sort of sapped the legs this morning, the rest was just get it done riding. I stayed on the A 660 as far as Bramhope, then turned right to reward myself with a whizz down Creskeld Lane. Always lifts the mood, that sort of stuff. Turn left at the bottom, to ride to Pool.



Another left turn in Pool to head straight to Otley and a sandwich break. Today, I did not even cross the river, just stood at the maypole while munching. Mind, the sight of Chevin top combing the clouds was impressive, and reminded me which way the wind was blowing. Started pedalling again, there is really only one way home until I try Pool Bank again, so along the A 660 I go. The usual right turn in Headingley for the drop into Kirkstall and the last gentle ride along the towpath back to Office lock. Pretty good morning out.

And the map. There was more uphill than it shows . . .

 

[Elybazza61]

Been a bit tardy with this so have three rides to report(no pics I'm afraid);

Sunday was an early solo bash around the villages as the better half was still feeling under the weather;front mech was better after a bit of fettling Saturday pm but still not quite right.

Apart from that a nice ride out;

https://www.strava.com/activities/731724785

Then a shopping recovery ride on the mongrel;

https://www.strava.com/activities/731724785

Monday was feckin' cold with 4 degrees c being shown on the Garmin upload;steady ride down a particularly busy and misty A10 on the mongrel.

https://www.strava.com/activities/732783047

And today was back on the XLS so a bit quicker ride in,this time heading down via Cottenham and Impington in to the city;not quite as cold but still a bit nippy but a nice ride in;

https://www.strava.com/activities/733761371

And the part two bit from the little 'trose to work,which was more hair raising than the main commute;

https://www.strava.com/activities/733761366

 

[fossyant]

Popped out last night on the 90's MTB. Decided on a trip down some paths, past the local farms by the Goyt river, then up towards the Peak canal and home via Tame Valley. Very little road, and any were sleepy residential streets. Totally pitch black. Gave a badger a startle and a fox, and one 'unexpected' cyclist on the farm track (it's a bit rough for anything other than an MTB) - nearly toasted them with my lights as I couldn't see their front light.

Just over an hour and a little over 12 miles. It's a route I can keep up over the winter, but it may get boggy.

 

[gordonrgw]

11 mile ride tonight to try out the new lights; Lenzyne 400XL and Aldi Cob back light, coupled with Chinese cree torch and Cateye rear.
impressed with visibilty of Lezyne and brightness of the Aldi Cob.

Forgotten how much I enjoy night rides - hopefully keep this up for the winter.

Excellent front visibility certainly saved the life of one innocent toad!

Suspect, however, that I might have been a danger to shipping.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Day 10 Tarascon sur Ariege

With grey wagtails and dippers on the river outside we completed breakfast and took to the Col de Latrape. It wasn’t a difficult climb it turned out as it wasn’t too long or steep. The descent was narrow and then we were faced with a long haul up the Col d’Agnes. This was followed by a short descent to a mountain lake before a beautiful climb on small roads to the Port de Lers. On this summit 3 French riders helped out with the obligatory photo opportunity. It seemed no one was keen to chat tho’. Sometimes it’s nice to be quiet. Descending took me back into the oven so I stopped at Vicdessos for the Plat du Jour and a top up of my bottles. It was then a very easy roll on to Tarascon sur Ariege where I decided it was too hot for much more. It was only 14:30 and the hotel wasn’t open so I spent some time attempting to sort my broken saddle out a bit better. The cable tie had done well so for a more robust fix I replaced it with some garden wire I had “acquired”. The heat was quite tiring today and only 41 miles but the climbing was 7000 feet.

 

[cosmicbike]

Day 10 Tarascon sur Ariege

With grey wagtails and dippers on the river outside we completed breakfast and took to the Col de Latrape. It wasn’t a difficult climb it turned out as it wasn’t too long or steep. The descent was narrow and then we were faced with a long haul up the Col d’Agnes. This was followed by a short descent to a mountain lake before a beautiful climb on small roads to the Port de Lers. On this summit 3 French riders helped out with the obligatory photo opportunity. It seemed no one was keen to chat tho’. Sometimes it’s nice to be quiet. Descending took me back into the oven so I stopped at Vicdessos for the Plat du Jour and a top up of my bottles. It was then a very easy roll on to Tarascon sur Ariege where I decided it was too hot for much more. It was only 14:30 and the hotel wasn’t open so I spent some time attempting to sort my broken saddle out a bit better. The cable tie had done well so for a more robust fix I replaced it with some garden wire I had “acquired”. The heat was quite tiring today and only 41 miles but the climbing was 7000 feet.

Putting me to shame you are, climbing more in the last week than I have in the past year Fair play for doing that level of climbing day after day

 

[Stonechat]

Day 10 Tarascon sur Ariege

With grey wagtails and dippers on the river outside we completed breakfast and took to the Col de Latrape. It wasn’t a difficult climb it turned out as it wasn’t too long or steep. The descent was narrow and then we were faced with a long haul up the Col d’Agnes. This was followed by a short descent to a mountain lake before a beautiful climb on small roads to the Port de Lers. On this summit 3 French riders helped out with the obligatory photo opportunity. It seemed no one was keen to chat tho’. Sometimes it’s nice to be quiet. Descending took me back into the oven so I stopped at Vicdessos for the Plat du Jour and a top up of my bottles. It was then a very easy roll on to Tarascon sur Ariege where I decided it was too hot for much more. It was only 14:30 and the hotel wasn’t open so I spent some time attempting to sort my broken saddle out a bit better. The cable tie had done well so for a more robust fix I replaced it with some garden wire I had “acquired”. The heat was quite tiring today and only 41 miles but the climbing was 7000 feet.

Yes I agree with @cosmicbike , I have done just the one French mountain, iand it is a great effort.

 

[Elybazza61]

No mountains here just the normal twenty pence road commute,bit warmer this morning and a nice easterly breeze.

Good run in (45min from Ely to the Kings Hedges/Histon road lights in Cambridge) and a pb(Victoria avenue) helped by a tow from a BMW

https://www.strava.com/activities/734855509

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Day 11 Axat

It was wet from the off today. Richard took to the busy valley road while I headed upwards for the Route des Corniches. It seemed familiar and indeed it was as I’d ridden this road on one of the GV tours not many years ago. Despite the weather it is a lovely road and I did get to view some of the spectacular rocky crags and pillars. Further along the cable cars bring Talc from mines high up on the mountain to the valley for processing.

I climbed to the Col de Marmare as I’d done once before and then followed this with the Col de Chioula. Still the rain fell. On the long 10% haul to the Col de Pailheres it was merely misty. Well that’s an improvement. The Pailheres is high 2007 meters and it was cold up there. I put extra clothing on for the descent but not enough it transpired. I was frozen on the way down. Now that climb and descent needs to be done again in better weather. On the descent there were some lovely mountain villages and I found Richard, who had taken the easier route, on the way down. He and I were attempting to take photos but my camera had misted up in the conditions so I got on with attempting to warm up.

The route took us lower and lower through some wonderful gorges. Gorges de l’Aube was superb but the Gorges de St-Georges were narrow and very spectacular. Axat lay beyond and it was good to get in to dry out and warm up. 61 miles and more than 10500 feet of climbing today.