Your ride today....

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Lots out today. Mrs 26, Steve E, Sara P, Jose MLB, Mark L and me in the Green with Pete M and Jules H at Upton. Newent was the call so we took to the run south through the lanes for Pendock and Hethelpit X. Soon we rounded by Malswick for the Cafe at Newent. It had been some time since Mark had ridden with us so the catch up was good. Jose is leaving us as he has a new job. Best wishes to him.

Our route back took in some wild daffodils in the lanes around Dymock and then the nodding star of Bethlehem at Bromsberrow. Mrs 26 had been riding well today but decided to potter back over Hollybush while Sara headed off up the main road for home. Pete and Jules parted at Welland Stone so it was 4 of us in a line attempting to power back. Jose did a great job on the front for sure.

Nice sociable ride out today. Lovely lanes and great company. What a shame Jose is leaving. 53 smiles

 

[PeteXXX]

you doing it @PeteXXX ?

i will be home before it starts as got my daughter to pick up at 9am

Nope, a friend is though.
I was thinking of the 50 before w*rk, but My grandkids are staying overnight.

 

[bruce1530]

Great run today! Unfortunately, forgot to take photos.

It was a bit overcast when I set off, but pleasant. Completely calm. First trip of the year in shorts.
After leaving Saltcoats, i followed some farm roads towards Beith - very little other traffic. Some roads that I’d never cycled over before. Despite it only being about 15 miles from home - and less than that from the place I grew up - I didn’t know those roads at all, so it was all an adventure!

Some interesting countryside - lots of farms, then a MOD site. Roads deserted.

Into East Ayrshire, towards Dunlop, then Lugton. More unfamiliar farm roads eventually took me to Lochwinnoch (Renfrewshire) where I grabbed a coffee and something to eat.

Onto the NCN7 cycle path to Kilbirnie, and then up the hill towards Largs. The climb out of the town was worth it once I got over the top, and descended the Haylie Brae. Then back along the coast to home.
By this time the weather had brightened up, and it was quite warm - but there was a breeze. In my face, of course...
83km, so my first “50 miler” of the year, with about 2000ft climb!

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Not far today, as I felr very rough after this mornings ParkRun; Nostell Priory #140
(had to sit down on the 'big' house steps, before I fell over)
Out on the bike earlier (would have really preferred to have had a snooze though)
Headed through Castleford, up Barnsdale Road, up 'Mary Pannall hill', onto the Roman Ridge Road
Turned east at 'Peckfield Bar' roundabout

This stretch, if you can discount the sometimes heavy (HGV) traffic is one of my favourites in the area...
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2754979

Whether I have a tail-wind, side-wind, or even a head-wind, it's a fast road that I can blast along, to the 'Boot & Shoe' junction
Heck, it's not that long since the over-bridge was there, to allow you to join the A1, southbound

Then a call for tea, & (chocolate-orange flapjack), at Squires, with a loop home, via South Milford, Monk Fryston, Hillam, Brotherton, with a loop back to Fairburn

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Three Ride to Lincoln

Today was the day that @13 rider @tallliman and myself rode to Lincoln (Well North Hykeham which is pretty much Lincoln.)

The plan was to meet at 8am in Cossington and ride 93 miles to the station at North Hykeham and get the train back. We'd all previously decided that we would ride sufficient miles solo to the start to all get an imperial century in.

As usual I got up at stupid o'clock and was out of the door around 06:15 so got to Cossington just after 07:30, decided to go up to Sileby and do a loop of the Sileby plain and get back to the meet. By the time I was at the meet I'd done 25 miles and crossed paths with @13 rider and @tallliman turned up a couple of minutes later.

@tallliman had planned the route so he led the way, the route was pretty much north easterly all the way to the first cafe stop at Fulbeck (65 miles for me.) Was a cracking stop, I had a pot of tea which was big enough for three cups and a BLT which was out of this world. Straight after the cafe we went up Leadenham Hill which on a full stomach was hard work.

We stopped at Woodhall Spa to have a look at the dambusters memorial and as we left the town hit our only proper rain, but luckily it only lasted ten minutes or so and we were soon drying out At round mile 95 we turned west and into a horrendous headwind.

100 miles we stopped just passed Bardney at the Bardney Heritage Centre at a very quirky tea room. It was based on a disused railway line had had the platforms and everything, Beautiful cup of coffee for only £1.50 and the fella that runs it was brilliant.

As we got into Hykeham @tallliman said we've a mile to go and the next train is in 5 minutes, so we dashed the last mile and just got on the train.

I had done 118 miles, @13 rider 105 miles and @tallliman 102 miles.

When the conductor came to us for us to pay for our tickets he gave us a group discount and the expected cost of £40 fell to £27 (@13 rider I owe you a quid!) and when he gave us the ticket they were returns as well, absolute bargain. I haven't been on a train in this country for at least 10 years but will be repeating this sort of ride in the future

@tallliman got of the train at Loughborough and did a further 3 miles home. @13 rider and myself got of at Sileby, rode the couple of miles to Cossington and parted company, he doing a further 8 miles to give him, I believe, his biggest daily mileage. I did a further 15 miles to take my daily miles to well over the double metric.

This ride was my 60th Imperial century and took my Eddington number to 97.

Big thanks for the great company to them both and a great route from @tallliman Was a great day which no doubt we will repeat.

https://www.strava.com/activities/923653482

No doubt I've forgotten loads of stuff - like we had to turn back so @tallliman could take a photo of a mini railway line we spotted, but @13 rider or @tallliman can make another post, I'm going to have a beer

 

[13 rider]

Thanks @Supersuperleeds that's save some typing .
Like to add that when we turned into the headwind we decided to chaingang it and we were going quicker than with the wind . Nobody wanted to be the first to slow but we were all glad of the cafe stop afterwards the pace dropped thankfully but the racing to the top of climbs was a bit silly after 80 miles . Being the renown climber I am I did have to admit defeat as @Supersuperleeds was stronger at this point .
The rush for the train was a surprise with a ton in our legs we still could average 24 mph on a flat segment on the way. Perfect timing as we were stood by the doors as they opened after a run along the platform saved an hours wait .
Really enjoyable day out on the bike and thanks @tallliman for organising it . Made a change for me not to be the organiser so I relaxed and just pedalled.
Just a few showers but mainly dry although I had my rain jacket all day to stop the wind .
Using the train home was a revelation as I never considered it before so new destination my be calling
Sitting here eating cake from our favorite cafe stop Nice pies as my mum went for afternoon tea and brought me the leftovers

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Thanks @Supersuperleeds that's save some typing .
Like to add that when we turned into the headwind we decided to chaingang it and we were going quicker than with the wind . Nobody wanted to be the first to slow but we were all glad of the cafe stop afterwards the pace dropped thankfully but the racing to the top of climbs was a bit silly after 80 miles . Being the renown climber I am I did have to admit defeat as @Supersuperleeds was stronger at this point .
The rush for the train was a surprise with a ton in our legs we still could average 24 mph on a flat segment on the way. Perfect timing as we were stood by the doors as they opened after a run along the platform saved an hours wait .
Really enjoyable day out on the bike and thanks @tallliman for organising it . Made a change for me not to be the organiser so I relaxed and just pedalled.
Just a few showers but mainly dry although I had my rain jacket all day to stop the wind .
Using the train home was a revelation as I never considered it before so new destination my be calling

I deliberately left out my awesome sprinting up those climbs

 

[tallliman]

Glad you both enjoyed the day out and the ride! Fantastic ride with too many highs to name!

Just been looking up Kirby Green Light Railway, it's massive! Must go and see it run!!

@Supersuperleeds....make sure I pay you back for the train!!

@13 rider, I was merely trying to carry speed up some of those climbs!

 

[Reynard]

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee, I got my first ever 40k in!

Today's plan was to visit some very dear friends in Mepal this afternoon, which is 11-ish miles away, the ish bit depending on the route. Decided to go cross-country, so started off doing the first half of my usual loop via Downham, Way Head and Coveney. Instead of turning back towards Ely, I carried on along Short Causeway to Wardy Hill and out the other side, down Jerusalem Drove and Gravel Drove.

Just before I rolled into Witcham I had a real uh-oh moment when I came face to face with a rather unexpected steep devil of a hill. *gulp* No choice but to tackle it, so huffed and puffed my way to the top on the granny gears, much to the amusement of the motorcyclist at the top of the hill who had stopped to make a phone call. Didn't dare call it quits while someone was watching - my sense of pride, you know. Mind, riding down the other side of the hill was fun, and from there it was a short squirt to Mepal. Given that I was riding into a stiff headwind, it took me just over an hour from door to door.

Had a lovely brew and chinwag with my friends and played with some cats and kittens. Madam Dreadful took objection to my giving treats to cats other than her imperious self, and I got biffed for my pains...

After an hour and a bit of setting the world to rights, it was back on my bike for the homewards leg, this time with a nice tailwind that had me bowling along quite merrily. Instead of taking the A142 (I wanted to avoid the horrible drag from Witchford up to Lancaster Way), I retraced my route to Coveney. By then I was thinking of the 40k as I had a little bit of time in hand, so there I turned right at St Peter's and headed down the hill along Green Drove towards Ely to give me the extra distance.

No traffic on the A10 at that time of a Saturday evening, so I crossed over and ground my way up West Fen Road and into Ely proper. Once in town, I take a left turn and join what is my route home from the station - back down to the A10, over the roundabout, onto the B1411 and the usual three miles home. An hour and 15 minutes, that. Not too shabby for me.

While I put the tatties for supper on to cook (I'd prepped them plus veggies in the morning and had popped chicken thighs alongside other goodies in the crock pot) I did the maths and found that I was one mile short for the 40k... Drat...

Not to be beaten by bad maths a second time, after the consumption of supper and before MOTD, I popped out to get a sneaky mile and a half in. Was treated to a spectacular night sky with moon and stars which made a lovely end to the day. Had a fabulous time on the bike - lovely weather, stunning views and a new and challenging ride. Total distance, 25 and a half miles.

Today's observations: three jaywalking pheasants , more periwinkles in various hedgerows, heard several chiffchaffs, saw lots of ponies and sheep, the bouncing GSD in Way Head made a reappearance , and 14 assorted cyclists. Waved and said hello to all, even if a few of them were intent on being grumpypants.

Now I really need that slice of chocolate cake though...

 

[biggs682]

This mornings ride was one of those where you just wish you hadnt bothered .

Up early as got to pick daughter up an hour earlier than normal , 5 miles in Garmins chirps up Batteries low , another 2 miles later and my jacket lights go on to low batttery mode , a few miles later hit a large ripple in the road and the saddle drops , so decided to head homewards only 29 miles and home an hour earlier than needed , never mind always another day

 

[Biff600]

Cracked 40 miles before 10am, now have the rest of the day to get drunk !!!!

https://www.strava.com/activities/924371072

 

[gbb]

Just a quick ride out today, 19 miles from Pboro down towards Stilton /Sawtry via Bullock Road.
One stooping bird of prey, wings folded and fast moving, small buzzard sized i guess, quite spectacularly diving toward some trees. I don't think it was after anything, just diving from height maybe towards its roost in trees. Unusual to see that dive but I don't think Peregrine lived in open farmland so probably something else.
One large buzzard, one muntjack I assume, grazing without a care in the world in an adjacent field.
One, now getting monotonous, speed shimmy as I gathered speed downhill at one stage. Got it under control but it's annoying me now.
Good ride though.

 

[bruce1530]

A really enjoyable ride this morning. Lovely sunny morning. Didn’t plan on going too far, so headed inland for a few mile. Horrible roads at this stage - they weren’t too busy, but some fast cars, some lorries, and the road surface would shake your fillings out!

Turned onto a farm road and it was like a different world. Quite soon, I was onto a road that I had never cycled on before. But I knew the roads - it was the countryside where I grew up. I hadn’t been on those farm roads for about 40 years!

I recognised the names of all the farms, and remembered camping/hiking/exploring as a kid.... There were a few new roads leading to the wind farms, but everything else was familiar.

I came to a junction. The road to the right took me down into the valley, towards the town. That’s the way I had intended to go. But the road to the left was “the road to the Scout Cabin” - So I turned left.

I hadn’t thought about the scout cabin since some time in the mid 70s - which is probably about the time it fell down! Basically a shed, or maybe an old farm building, a few miles along that road......

About half a mile later, a guy in a tractor waved me down. “You do know that this road is a dead end?”. “Yes, just exploring.... is this the road that went to the scout cabin?” Spent 5 minutes blethering to him - turns out he was in my cousin’s class at school....

I did find the site - nothing left there now. But great memories....
36km

 

[Jon George]

The weather appears to have encouraged folk to get out on their bikes - I must have seen at least thirty odd cyclists today. Went towards Old Felixstowe (where a numpty over-took me on the blind bend near the golf course) and later bumped into someone I haven't seen in years. (When is it polite to say to a person that you've forgotten their name? ) Took a detour onto the promenade to take this pic.

I'm now off to a pub.

 

[Donger]

Another Sunday morning, another Chilled Group club ride. Nothing chilled about this one, though. A 35 miler with over 2,100 ft (650 m) of climbing:.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/11960065#.WNl33OI0jhQ.facebook

As usual, I stuck on a little extra to the beginning and the end by taking the long way to and from Kingsway via the Pilot canal bridge. 43.4 miles for me today.
Great company, perfect sunny weather with a very gentle breeze. What's not to love? A nice anti-clockwise loop up and along the Cotswold edge, with notable climbs up to Selsley through Middleyard, up past the fire station to Paganhill from Cainscross and the big 'un up through Ruscombe and Whiteshill to Edge before a final steep little climb up to the golf course on Painswick Beacon. A great descent of Nut Hill into Upton St Leonards made all the climbing worthwhile (even though bits of the Ruscombe/Whiteshill climb were around 17%) .

Bumped into the Intermediates three times today, as their route was quite similar to ours. Always nice to catch sight of your own club's shirts out on the road. You've just got to love cycling in this brilliant Spring weather.
Cheers, Donger.