Your ride today....

[gbb]

Just 19 miles but in my first full year back in cycling, I'll happily take that. Mojo is still hard to find but despite that, I always (well nearly always) enjoy it immensely.
It's going to be interesting seeing how many miles I managed this year, it's going to be a huge leap compared to maybe 100 miles cycled TOTAL in the previous two years.

 

[Glow worm]

There were still some Swallows about when we were out Sunday at Upware,also saw some out Welney way Saturday;suppose it's not been cold enough for them to go yet?

Yep I reckon you're right. Probably some of the late broods on their way now. It does seem like they are cutting it a bit fine though!

 

[Aravis]

I haven't done a pair of back-to-back centuries since 1991. Today was intended to be part one...

There's plenty of scope on either side of the lower Severn to visit roads I haven't seen for a while (or at all), and I came up with this (anticlockwise):

https://www.strava.com/activities/757550734

For once I managed a couple of photos. This is the old railway bridge at Monmouth, and some glorious colours even on such a sombre day, viewed from the Trellech Road:

And a look back across the Severn (just visible) after having just crossed back into England:

One curiosity: for the first time I managed to exceed 100 on Strava's "Estimated Avg Power" rating (whatever it means) which was pleasing. The Trellech climb must have helped, although it was definitely much easier last time I did it - many years ago.

I don't normally enjoy descents but I have to say the final approach to Chepstow was fantastic. Smooth tarmac, swooping downhill sections with brief respites to keep everything nicely under control - loved it!

I have official clearance for tomorrow so unless I wake up feeling like death I'll go for it. Heading up towards Worcester and over to Tenbury Wells.

 

[Racing roadkill]

A short one up to London today.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7...-4109-B4D6-909533FC2A51?hl=en-GB&v=1477669374

Selfridges, I asked, they don't.

Wellington, Beef or Boots, I dunno.

A tramp sleeping on a monument ( I think)

A room with a view ( of the Shard).

85 odd miles, fun ride.



Now for beer and pies

 

[Donger]

I haven't done a pair of back-to-back centuries since 1991. Today was intended to be part one...

There's plenty of scope on either side of the lower Severn to visit roads I haven't seen for a while (or at all), and I came up with this (anticlockwise):
........ I don't normally enjoy descents but I have to say the final approach to Chepstow was fantastic. Smooth tarmac, swooping downhill sections with brief respites to keep everything nicely under control - loved it!

So was that Monmouth at the 44 mile mark (the 600 foot climb)? I just love that descent into Monmouth. I think I might have also done Trellech .... certainly somewhere in that direction, but I haven't yet done Monmouth to Chepstow along the Wye. I'm planning to do a similar route to yours but cutting out Trellech and doing the Wye instead. How was the road from Lydney to Coleford? Looks steep on the graph.

 

[sbird]

Not a major ride but a trip out at lunchtime from work to the City (yep, London).

I'm riding east along the East-West Cycle Superhighway (which just has to be re-named to something simpler) when I get to the lights to cross over to the other side of the Blackfriars Underpass. The segregated vehicle traffic is pretty heavy and, as happens sometimes, when our cycle lights turn green there's a car blocking our path.

I cross over and weave round the vehicle and, using hand illustrations, demonstrate to the driver that perhaps that's not the best place to be. He's not happy and let's me know so.

Further along I get to the lights at the junction of Puddle Dock (I think). I wait a long time for the lights to turn green; the wait is so long that my new found friend re-appears alongside me on the road. So desparate he is to give me a piece of his mind that he drives into the back of the stationary Land Rover in his lane. And when he and the other driver get out to discuss said incident he keeps pointing and yelling at me as if it's my fault.

Our cycle traffic lights turn green, I ride away and wallow in the overwhelming feeling of schadenfreude.

 

[tyred]

If only I had got weather like today during some of my tours in so called summer. Visited the stone ringfort of Grianán of Aileach today, my first ever visit even though it's not terribly far from where I live. Last mile or involved a tough climb to the top but the views are worth it. 70 odd miles all told but I did get slight;y lost. Strange to be able to see your destination on top of a huge hill but not able to work out which of the maze of roads actually goes there...

 

[Elybazza61]

Quick nip over to Littleport and back to check out a bike for the other half at a local charity shop and ended up buying a grubby but basically ok Giant/Liv Escape 2 for £40;

https://www.strava.com/activities/758393320

So Saturday afternoon will be spent sorting it out after the club ride and we go to pick it up.

 

[Aravis]

So was that Monmouth at the 44 mile mark (the 600 foot climb)? I just love that descent into Monmouth. I think I might have also done Trellech .... certainly somewhere in that direction, but I haven't yet done Monmouth to Chepstow along the Wye. I'm planning to do a similar route to yours but cutting out Trellech and doing the Wye instead. How was the road from Lydney to Coleford? Looks steep on the graph.

There are several routes from Lydney to Coleford. The one I did yesterday is the easiest by road I think, and is never really steep, but there is an alternative along the old railway from Parkend up the same valley which may be easier because it's more consistent and doesn't go as high. If you carry on from Parkend past Cannop Pools and then turn left for Coleford you give yourself a much more serious challenge!

One feature of the Forest is that there are always several routes between any two places and none of them are ever straight. It often feels like navigating along the rings of an onion. I lived in Lydney for 15 years so I know it pretty well.

I not sure I did the descent to Monmouth you're thinking of. I went via Clearwell and Newland, not the A road from Staunton, reaching the Wye about three miles below Monmouth. They're both good.

Did you notice my diversion from the A48 via Awre? Well worth knowing - it cuts out a really horrible hill and is very pleasant. The only trouble yesterday was that someone seemed to have painted about half a mile of road with a film of wet mud. You can't legislate for everything!

The Wye valley road from Chepstow to Monmouth was part of my staple diet when I lived in Bristol, but it doesn't fit quite so well from Gloucester. There have been closures recently (repairing subsidence) between Tintern and Chepstow. I think they may be finished for now, but it's worth checking if you want to go that way.

I managed the second century today - 115 miles to add to yesterday's 118. Needless to say I'm pretty pleased, but too tired to do a proper report today!

 

[Aravis]

Yesterday's ride, the second century, shown below:

https://www.strava.com/activities/758442225

An easy start up to Worcester, then across the hills to Tenbury Wells, continuing to Mortimer's Cross, then back along the standard route towards Gloucester. A diversion at the end to explore the Rodley peninsula by the river Severn, so close to home, by-passed hundreds of times but never previously visited.

I can't rival the superb photographs posted recently, but the colours were every bit as exceptional, especially when the sun came out. One picture:

Ham Bridge over the river Teme, halfway between Worcester and Tenbury on the B4204. I paused here briefly for a Mars bar (or rather an Asda own brand equivalent) in readiness for the day's big climb. I think that for the first time this year I thoroughly enjoyed a significant climb. It starts at a sensible gradient, steepens in the middle and then proceeds to the top with no nasty surprises or dirty tricks. The descent a few miles later is similar but much steeper (20%) in the middle; out of my comfort zone both ways but at least it was over quickly!

Maybe I should be trying a 20%er or two, as I am carrying about 2½ stone less weight than a year ago. This is despite the most liberal interpretation imaginable of a type II diabetic diet. It's better than it was, doctor.

These two days I've been trialling an Edge 520 - possibly not the ideal feature set for my needs but some of the reviews suggest it's more reliable than the 810 and it's definitely a lot cheaper than the 820 and 1000. Running it side by side with the Edge 200 it's looking good so far. But when I was overtaken by a guy with four full panniers and a blond plait which Laura Trott would have been proud of, I felt distinctly over-dressed with two Garmins on my bars.

Long may this autumn continue.

 

[Old jon]

Just thirty miles today, and fifty four yards if I have to be accurate. And if the Garmin is also correct. Ah, who cares, an enjoyable ride it was. Dry, more or less breeze free and a little warmer than I expected. Not a lot else, I have ridden this route both clockwise and anti quite a few times and of course it is different every time.

Weekends are rush hour free, and I was out of the house before nine. I know, a lot of folk are out even earlier, retirement has its little blessings. Trundle through a silent Holbeck for the usual “get the legs moving” mile or so, Great Wilson Street, Crown Point Road and across the river, past the bus station and turn right at the bottom of Eastgate. That roundabout used to have a petrol station on it. Old man’s reminiscence, not sorry. By the end of Regent Street the road begins to rise a little, and by the time I reached the clock at Oakwood I was feeling it more. Boot Hill was a bit more breathless than usual, it was good to crest that and turn right for the three lanes to Thorner and a bit of easier breathing. Of course, Church Hill has the lungs gasping again, and there was a fair sized carpet of apples to negotiate at the bottom.



On to Bramham, turn left before the flyover and take West Woods Road to the Wetherby roundabout, turn left for an unadventurous pedal along the A 58 which joined up the circle at Red Hall Lane followed by a repeat of Boot Hill ( more fun down hill ), Oakwood Clock and the three Rs back to Crown Point Bridge. Good sort of tired.

At school, drawing maps was a pain. Wish I had had a garmin . . .

 

[Dave 123]

Shorts at the end of October, perfect!

Down to Toft and along to Kingston, field maples golden, dogwood purple black.
From Haslingfield we went to Newton and then Thriplow. We saw a lovely small herd of small cows, Dexters to be precise. Some Dun, some black.
Jo wanted to stop to take a picture of the Viburnum opulus

Down to Foxton and then a couple of hundred yards on the A10. It took a couple of hundred years for a gap in the north bound traffic!

In Barrington the trees were turning

In Orwell the front tyre turned to custard. We stopped and I stuck a bit of air in. It was enough to get us to Wimpole, for the third weekend on the trot. We shared a sausage roll and a bit of cake. By the time we were done the tyre was totally flat.
Off with the wheel and bung a new tube in, sorted.
On the way down the drive I couldn't resist stopping and taking a pic of this cutie

An Irish Moiled calf. Dad is in the back ground.

Here's auntie Doris.

So the 10 or so miles home was done on a slightly spongy front tyre, at about 40 psi. Fine on the straight, sketchy on a bend!

34 miles in all. A good day!

https://www.strava.com/activities/759288320#kudos

 

[13 rider]

Another ride with mate Andy arranged for this morning out at 0815 in very light drizzle . Anstey ,Cropston ,Rothley got to meeting point first checked my phone and realised strava wasn't recording .Messed about with phone as it wasn't getting a GPS signal by the time Andy arrived Id sorted the phone cant beat turning it off and on . So off at a relaxed pace for me through Swithland back to Cropston around the back of Bradgate park Woodhouse ,Quorn ,Mountsorrel where we got pasted by a guy on a hybrid who seemed to be really trying had to resist the temptation to chase him down as Andy wouldn't keep up . Through Mountsorrel and coming in to Rothley we were catching hybrid guy up the incline so a quick acceleration and I passed him before the lights. He went straight on and we turned left took Andy a while to catch me and I apologised for leaving him he just laughed at my silly racing . Into to Sileby dropped Andy off at his home another 21 miles in the bag at 14.4 mph for him. So now an extended ride home shall I do 50 km or 50m that will be 50 miles then .Walton on the wolds ,Stanford on Soar past the road closed sign as @tallliman had assured me the bridge was open climbed up to the bridge to see a builders fence completely across the road @tallliman may have been cursed at this point until I noticed the pedestrian sign and the temporary footbridge test of bike skills negotiating the corners on the ramps but made it over . Through Normanton and Zouch and across the A6 to Long Whatton ,Diesworth ,Belton and Shepshed long drag along Charley road to Old John and down into Newtown Linford One quick loop in Newtown to ensure the 50 and home . 51.05 miles in the bag to make this month my biggest to date at 650 miles with another ride tomorrow still nice and mild if overcast and a bit drizzle of

 

[tallliman]

@13 rider, Yeah it's down to annoying temporary bridges for both of em now....well lit at night though

 

[colly]

Bit of a fettling ride. I transfered equipment from one frame to another during the week. The old frame :




which I have used since, ..........well, ages, 10 years at least, is now hanging where my 'new' frame was last weekend.
The 'new' frame
:
which has been gathering dust is smaller (I thought too small) and a good bit lighter. It seems to fit OK but I do get a tiny bit of toe overlap.

So a steady ride to see what needs adjusting. Not much really, a bit of triming of the rear derallieur and maybe the seat post up a tad and it will be OK I think. A longer ride will see if it causes any aches and pains.
So my first ride on a geared bike for a long while. It felt odd. Ok on the flat but climbing a couple of hills I realised that I am dragging my trailing leg up slowly.
On fixed it just gets pushed up. I never had that before when I was on geared so I suppose it's a bad habit I've developed. It didn't feel any easier than on fixed, quite the opposite.

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/11704658


I'll so the same route on fixed shortly and see how it compares.