Your ride today....

[Mike_P]

Around 21 1/2 miles today

The observant will note a similarity in the gradient profile around 4 and 7.5 miles and a mirror image around 5 miles. An unexpected ride forth, back and forth again caused by a loud clatter which when I stopped nothing seemed to be amiss, continued on and looked again and only then realised my rear light was missing - had not switched the lights on and had completely forgot anyway they were on the bike. Anyway the fallen off light was smack in the centre of the northbound lane so presumably had not been run over by any vehicles and worked okay.

So back forth and for the second time the village of Ripley (N Yorks) as popular as ever

Another village with a pleasant centre is Scriven, now almost consumed by the northern suburbs of Knaresborough

One junction I am very wary of is this one in Knaresborough when wanting to proceed the down the road the cars are queueing on and their is a queue of vehicles behind to the right which are either going to do the same or turn right.

I tend to meekly go straight ahead and hug the opposing kerb line with one very acute, and slow, turn.

 

[Gravity Aided]

13 miles this day, out past the cheese factory and return, some Jersey cows and some big ole windmills. Very few other cyclists, but a couple I know on a tandem went past me, and I saw some runners out as well.
62F, 17C
Winds W10
Relative humidity 44%
Barometer 29.78 1010.8mb
Sunny, and beautiful for February.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I am trying for the metric half tomorrow. On the K2, as the Trek 600 is not out of the basement yet.

 

[biggs682]

Another early one for me and 31 miles covered on the Bmc and no saddle slipping backwards issue's so that is good .

Across to @betty swollocks side of the county then on to Thrapston ,Slipton ,Barton Seasgrave ,Isham ,Orlingbury and back home down the nearly finished new mad mile .

Last bit into a slight head wind but all in all a good ride .

 

[mark st1]

First ride for me today since the 6th of November having been permanently ill getting to grips with a new job and other real life stuff it just saped all my fitness mojo. However New Jersey and cap purchased as a treat by my lovely wife she basically kicked me out the door this morning ! Just followed my nose really out through the Walthams towards Hurst Wokingham then into Bracknell (which seems to have been under construction for decades). Then a nice trip up to Ascot the peanut roundabout then down the TT's favourite Drift Road headwind wasn't pleasant

Over the M4 dropping back into White Waltham then back to home. Thoroughly enjoyable to be back in the saddle bit chilly first off but new jersey jacket thing was pucker.

33.9 miles with an 18.4 mph avg

https://www.strava.com/activities/871662183/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1487496655

Plastic on metal !
Cheers
Mark.

 

[Katherine]

Well my tired legs made it round the A ride today and considering that I was meant to be leading, I wasn't actually at the front for a lot of it! A lot of the leading became shouting directions to those riders ahead with faster and fresher legs. It was good for me though and made me press on when I would have slowed down had I been on my own. Mercifully the wind was at the back of us up the long stretch of the A57. There were some motorcyclists stopped at the top of the Warbuton Bridge taking pictures of the view, so it's not just cyclists and walkers that do that.
So a lovely ride to Dunham again, with a wet and windy start but I was glad to take off my winter jacket once it had dried up as it was so warm!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

A short ride for me today. Coventry Road Clubs Deeley charity Ride, I did the 28 mile short route and rode to and from the event, a total of 37 miles. Another lovely day for a bike ride, cool cloudy and with a light breeze. Out about nine for the short ride to the HQ to get signed on then out onto the course. Most of the ride was on familiar lanes but there was one I've not ridden before a couple I haven't ridden for sometime and a couple of junctions I approached from a different direction just to keep me on my toes. A well organized well sign posted event and a lovely morning out on my bike.

http://www.coventry.gov.uk/events/e...ntry_road_club_sportivecycle_ride_for_charity

View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/13028650

 

[Dave 123]

The tandem came out today. From home we rolled down to Toft then took a left for Comberton. Soon enough we were in Haslingfield at the foot of Chapel Hill, I've not been up it in ages. A slow trudge up, my legs a bit lethargic, Mrs Daves weren't much better. Nearing the top an idiot in a Porsche screamed past. Knob.

Then it was our turn to scream down the other side. We topped out at 36.5 mph, great fun! On through Barrington and Orwell where some dick tried to put his van through a gap between us and a parked car that just wasn't big enough.

We went through the Wimpole estate. It was busy. A quick loo stop and then we were on our way to Arrington.

It's a windy little hill that on the tandem you never really get going, so it's sit and spin. Near the top is a pretty little church

Then we found ourselves at the foot of Croydon hill. This is another 1st gear job.

At the top in one of the fields was a buzzard, a dead thing and 4 magpies in some sort of Mexican standoff. It was all very tense. On the road from here to Gamlingay we were exposed to a chilly wind. The forecast sun just never materialised.

We stopped at Waresley garden centre and had a panini each and halves on a sticky bun. There were a few other cyclists in there.

On the way back home we saw some lovely birds. Kestrel, buzzard, goldfinch, fieldfare, redwing, long tailed tit and for the first time this year the skylarks could be seen & heard on high.

35 miles. A good ride.

 

[Diggs]

This year has been a slow stuttering start! Nothing serious but colds and the like and I'm currently halfway through a course of tablets for a throat infection.
Determined to finally get out this weekend so I did a dry run for my potential bike commute. There are a few lively bits but over all, it looks quite good.

 

[EltonFrog]

The Fragrant Mrs P and I went for a pootle over to Aston Pottery tea rooms today, about 20 miles from here. Its is a cool grey day day with a slight head wind. The roads in Oxfordshire are not getting any better, and on the way out went via Harwell village, Steventon, East Hannay, Frilford, Kingston Bagpuiz and Standlake. A lovely hot chocolate at the tea room the back a slightly different way through Bampton, Buckland, Charney Bassett, Lyford and West Hannay, this was a much quieter route with hardly any traffic, at East Hannay we stopped again at a farm shop for a sausage roll and coffee, a lovely mornings ride.

On the way back through Steventon I took a some photos of a really awful bit of traffic calming that had become a bit of a state, I took some photos of it to report to the council. Not a lot of photos today 'cos the FMP doesn't like to keep stopping.

A thoroughly lovely ride today, loads of cyclists about, especially at the cafe, at least 40 riders, including Bicester Millennium Cycle Club and the Club from Swindon plus others, it's a very popular cafe for wheelers.

Bike against a wall.

Why would a cyclist use that?

Just as bad in the other direction.

You need a 4x4 bike to get through that lot.

Aston Pottery, excellent Tea Room

43.36 miles today, the longest of the year so far.

 

[Donger]

What a fine mild day it is in Gloucestershire today. 11 balmy degrees meant shorts and sleeveless club shirt for me, and I never felt chilly. The sun even made a brief appearance, and some daffodils were out in Longney. I'll say it quietly, but I think Spring may have sprung early.

32.3 miles for me today. Did the club's short ride out to Stroud, up a steep hill to Selsley and Middleyard and looping back to Gloucester via Frocester, Frampton on Severn and a nice canal-side cafe stop at Saul Junction. Cruised along one of my favourite stretches of road along the banks of the Severn at Epney at 20mph. feeling the joys of Spring. Gazillions of other cyclists out and about today, in stark contrast to last week's 100km without meeting a single other cyclist.

An absolute joy to be out on a bike today. Enjoy your rides, everyone.
Cheers, Donger.

 

[gavgav]

After the hilly rides of the last few weeks, I went for something flatter today, but with increased distance and indeed it was my longest Shropshire ride since last June. There was also some new territory to explore for the first time.

Woke to the radio presenter saying it was mild outside, but it was actually distinctly chilly, grey and with a very gusty and much stronger than forecast wind blowing from the west.

I took the cycle lanes up to Heathgates and then along the old canal path to Uffington, which seriously needs to be re-surfaced now, with much of it a mud bath. Shrewsbury likes to portray itself as a cycling friendly town, but it's far from it and the condition of the paths and bridleways are appalling quite frankly.

Glad to get out onto the road to Upton Magna and then the climbs up East Haughmond and Ebury Hill, before the nice descent, with the gusty wind from the side making it a bit interesting in the exposed gaps, to Bings Heath.

The wind was behind me on the section to Shawbury and then Moreton Corbett, where I paused for a drink by the castle ruins.

I continued on to Stanton upon Hine Heath and onto the new lanes that I had plotted to explore on my route map. With the wind behind me and lovely flat countryside I was cruising along at 15 to 20mph for a good half an hour. I crossed the busy A53 with no issues and reached High Hatton, before more pleasant and flat lanes down to Ellerdine Heath. There was nothing exceptional about the scenery, but it was really flat and easy cycling country and there are so many more lanes to explore in the direction of Market Drayton, which I will endeavour to return to soon. The only downside was that I had now turned into the wind and that made it hard going for the rest of the ride.

I paused for lunch with a view of The Wrekin, at Osbaston and the impressive sight of a Buzzard taking off from the field nearby.

As I set off in the direction of High Ercall, I became aware of some odd looking orange patches on the road and then realised they were squashed carrots! For a good mile or so there were carrots everywhere, on the verges and on the road, so I can only assume something has been losing its load along there recently.

I reached High Ercall, which is a really depressing village these days, due to the pub and army bases both being derelict. I remember going there many times in my youth, to events and it's a sad state of affair now.

I had a short section on the busy main road, which is a bit of a rat run for people heading to Newport, and I had an annoying close pass from a knobber in a squashed Range Rover, before turning down the lane to Rodington Heath.

Next was Rodington and then Longden on Tern, before the lanes around to Isombridge and Walcot. Second knobber of the ride along here, with a woman in a Citroen C3 hammering it along the lanes and having no intention of slowing down as she forced me into the verge. She got a mouthful and a v sign, stupid mare.

It was really hard going into the wind to Withington and Upton Magna, where I joined the Pelham Rd for the first time since it's much needed re-surfacing. It is so much better now, with smooth tarmac and my fillings are glad of it!

The busier road to Atcham was extremely clogged with traffic today, due to an event at Attingham Park and indeed I joined a queue trying to get out onto the old A5. Managed to cross over it and over Atcham Bridge, before the climbs up to Betton Abbots and home.

43.4 miles.

 

[13 rider]

Today's target was Febs 50 miler .As a reward for diying at mums yesterday my big sister offered breakfast at nice pies my favorite cafe stop so I not going to refuse . So hatched a plan to do 30 miles pre cafe stop . Out the door at 0845 in nice conditions if a bit windy . Anstey ,Cropston,Rothley and Cossington where I set off to repeat a CC ride did last year . Up humble lane and up the Wreake Valley . Ratcliffe on the Wreake ,Thrussington ,Hoby and Frisby and turned over The A607 to the rolling terrain around Gaddesby and back over the A607 to Asfordby and up Saxileby hill . Needed to check this out as I leading a CC ride up it next week and a well known hill avoider had reported it's very muddy its was like oh it's muddy can we go round it . All as fine so we're going up it . Up along the ridge to Ab Kettleby and had time so turned to Holwell and back to Nice pies 100 yards from the entrance and I see my sister car turn in hows that for timing. So 30 miles in the bag . Note for @Supersuperleeds and @tallliman they now do Sunday dinners so going to be busy at dinner time lots of reserved tables. After coffee and Beans on toast back on the bike and turn into the expected headwind . Seagrave ,Sileby and had to extend so back to Quorn ,Mountsorrel ,Rothley ,Cropston and home 53.5 miles in the bag lovely ride and great cafe break . Big sister transported some pies home so a couple of nice teas this week

 

[LarryDuff]

Did 40 odd miles yesterday and got muddier than me or the bike have ever been.

 

[Jon George]

Just back from my second ride of the day (an excursion to The Briarbank - great jazz - and The Fat Cat - numerous long-lost friends coming up and saying hello) so I am not totally coherent.

Once again, the intentions were honest (I woke at 8.00 and instantly thought about going for a long ride), but I snoozed, instead. Consequently, I only managed 13 miles before I had to come back and then go out to the pub. (See above.)
I was horrendously over-dressed. It's only February and I should have dispensed with the winter jacket today. Still, I struggled on for a bit, then cut short any thoughts of a longer ride as I remembered that one of my favourite pubs in Ipswich had jazz this afternoon. (See above. The pianist was blind - I was in my jazz element.)
And a couple of pics.

One from Friday night outside The Fat Cat:-

And this one (I suspect this is not the first for CC this year) out at Playford and some snowdrops.