Your ride today....

[Jon George]

Short ride out to Newbourne to clear my head. Stopped for a pic of Brightwell church and afterwards was nearly knocked from my bike at a T-junction by a bus that I'd already given a good thirty feet of extra room to manoeuvre in as he still cut the corner. Classic Flight or Flight response: a bang on the side of vehicle with my fist, I'm afraid. Still, a wonderful 'Good day to you, old friend', from some unknown old boy sitting down as he painted his fence half-an-hour later made up for it.

 

[EltonFrog]

Did you bring your donation to save time?

Yeah and they can do it while you wait.

 

[robjh]

This is an account of my ride yesterday, when I ventured into the deepest Fens and emerged unscathed, and also locked my bike to a post having left the key at home, but still managed to complete the ride. It was a lovely day weather-wise, sunny but crisp and with the lightest of winds, which made it a good one for riding across the flatlands.
Bad luck started early when I got my bike out and discovered a flat tyre. That fixed, I set out at 8 o'clock and rode north-west first of all to St Ives (the one on the Great Ouse, not the Cornish coast). It's a fine-looking town with an old bridge and a large market square, and served as café break #1, at 26 miles.
I carried on northwards towards the Fens, and was into new territory here. The land still rolls gently as far as Ramsey, but there the Fens begin for real, and the road neither rose nor fell for the rest of the ride. I stopped at Thorney for café break #2 at 52 miles. The pretty main street is now almost traffic-free, a long way from the days when the A47 led straight through it and we used to sit there in Norfolk-bound bank holiday traffic jams.
It continued then flat, flat, flat, with oddly straight roads and 90 degree turns, almost to the edges of the Wash. Gedney Hill was no such thing, and I reached the (almost) coast at Gedney Drove End some 15 miles further on. I climbed a dyke to see the sea, but it was only a distant blue blur beyond the salt marshes. It was here I also locked up the bike, realising moments later that I had no key. For that story, see linky above.
I came back to the A17 at Sutton Bridge, but then followed more backroads to King's Lynn, arriving at the station with 98 miles on the clock. As I'd missed a train, I had time for another trip round the town, and so just made a century before catching the train home. And lost my wallet and ticket on the train, but that's another story. It was a good day.

St Ives ; Ramsey (near the ruined abbey)

Fenland scenery : water and straight roads

the Wash in the far distance ; Sutton Bridge

King's Lynn

route

 

[Reynard]

That's a like for the ride, not for the oopses...

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Another day with a possibility of wet weather later on so the knockabout bike was pressed into service.

I decided to go for a change of scene today and headed into town to have a nose at the roadworks which have been causing a bit of grief locally and to enjoy a trip through The Quarry and along the riverside. The pace was relatively sedate and just as well as every man and their dog seemed to be out walking along the same paths as me today. A gentle reminder of why I generally prefer to use the lanes instead.

Work seems to have picked up this week with lots of orders for service parts. Good.... everyone is getting their bikes out for the Spring at last.

For the return trip the wet weather stayed away again and I retraced my steps into town and along the river then out via the Belle Vue area where I found the roadworks were causing long queues in unexpected places. It's a very good day to be on a bicycle in Shrewsbury.

23.9 miles for the day at a leisurely 12.8 mph average. Still quicker than some of the motorists I think.

The work at Meole Brace Island which has been causing a lot of hassle.

Heading into The Quarry. Oh dear, I seem to have photographed a pub again.

Don't know what it is that's flowering but it looks nice at Upton Magna.

Also at Upton Magna.

On my way home along the bank of the Severn.

Crossing the A5. The traffic has been like a Bank Holiday Monday every day this week.

 

[derrick]

Had a nice 50 miler this afternoon with a mate, A nice day weather wise, although i was a bit over dressed, Only one incedent with a young women who was texting on her phone while in traffic, she was getting closer and closer to the kerb, When i said to her in a polite way that she should get of the phone, she had a right go at me, But soon put her in her place, Just wished i had put the camera on, but hey ho another time, Ended up in our local for a lovely steak dinner washed down with a few beers, great afternoon.
https://www.strava.com/activities/950707639

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.relive.cc/view/950626226

A little jaunt into the forest tonight.

Black swans that make a noise a bit like a clanger when they think you have food.

Lepe beach in the sunshine.

Not so windy today.

Lovely afternoon for it.

 

[Stonechat]

Friday as usual I do a ride
Went up Tite Hill and Down Crimp Hill and headed to Windsor
turned left and hugged the outside of the Great Park, this road is a bit of a roller coaster
At Blacknest Gate, turned into the park and up Breakheart Hill, past the Polo fields, and left the park at Bishopsgate.

From here more or less made it up.
Down Prune Hill and looped round toward Virginia Water, by accident I found myself coming back on the road I came on so did an extra loop through Thorpe

33.07 miles @ 15.9 mph
1188 feet climbed

A nice mostly rolling ride

https://www.strava.com/activities/951395231

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Something different today, firstly it's a rare Friday off, and secondly the Mrs has a new hybrid so instead of a road ride we went out to do the Letchworth Greenway which is a circular 13 mile off-road path.

14 miles in the end with a couple of detours for interesting bits and bobs (a cake detour being the best). Nice change from the norm, leaden skies and a threat of rain, but we got home dry.

 

[Drago]

10 miles loop in Colin, OS benchmark hunting.

 

[Old jon]

Panniers! What an adventure! Sounds a bit Enid Blyton that way, better face reality I suppose. I was given a rear rack, incomplete as skip rescues often are, and a pair of top quality panniers. Thank you, I do think that is incredibly generous. Anyway, the rack was in good nick, even unused I would reckon, as the top mounts ( the bits that fasten under the saddle ) had nothing to fasten to on the rack itself. And there were no top mounts anyway. Learn swiftly, think a bit and let it simmer. And this happened.

So, this morning, having decided to test it all out, I put a 2.5 kg bag of flour ( don’t ask ) in each bag and set off on a bit of a ride. Breathing heavily.

Holbeck, a real rat run, above the river but under the station and then a right and a left and a left took me to Crown Point Bridge and the second river crossing in less than a mile. Rivers meander, this rider even more so. All the way to the Oakwood Clock, did I mention up? And a bit more of the same until the left turn to Shadwell off the A 58, where things level off and breathing stops hurting your throat. Leave Shadwell for Slaid Hill, then turn right for that really wonderful ride along Wike Ridge. Yes, as you can see, the downhill bits are fun.



That climb out of East Keswick is still just that, a climb. But the whole village is uphill in this direction. I must ride it in the opposite direction sometime. Turn right onto the A 659, I do miss the ride through Linton into Wetherby. I suppose the bridge will be fixed sometime. In the absence of that alternative, through Collingham to Wattle Syke, and a bit more up. Turn right at the roundabout for Bramham, once there right for Thorner and a bit of a breeze in the face. The climb up from Norwood Bottoms / Wothersome felt a bit steeper than usual, then I remembered the panniers. My legs may never forget the panniers. Through the village, Sandhills to remind you to breathe and Skeltons followed by Red Hall lanes back to the A 58. A present to me of the descent of Boot Hill, back past the Clock and through the scrag end of Leeds centre to home. Thirty one point four brilliant miles, and the new stuff worked properly. Big grin.

You do not escape the map,

 

[postman]

Ah East Keswick i used to get PAID to deliver mail in that village early part of the 70's.I got paid to walk in the countryside,it was brilliant.

 

[TigerT]

I got out of work a bit earlier than normal today, the sun was out and i've been waiting all week to try my new Brompton out properly, so I stuck it in the boot of the car and drove to Fällenden and did a 20km loop of the Greifensee.

Have to say although intended as a commuting bike, the Brompton was excellent fun but there are a few things I learned. Firstly riding around a lake on a spring evening, be prepared to swallow a lot of gnats. Secondly, these gnats love red clothing and orange bikes, so be prepared with bite cream! Thirdly, my Brooks saddle is not as comfortable as i'd like - hopefully it will break in a bit. Finally and most importantly, a Brompton is not a Roubaix, this is most evident when leaning into corners and braking.

Aside from a couple of scary moments I loved the new bike and can't wait to use it for it's proper purpose. Being quite rare out here it seems to draw attention, so I get to practice my German speaking as well. Altogether a fun ride.

Here are a couple of photos

and the map

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.relive.cc/view/951707909

I went for a short ride to get some more Bib shorts and a jersey from Pearl Izumi today.

A slightly cloudy view from Fort Nelson today.

A fantastic blueberry and lemon drizzle cake, with a Latte.

Interesting fountain in Portsmouth.

A much needed beer at Gunwharf Quays.

A mild, but cloudy day today.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I'm on a roll! My home is a mess, my garden overgrown, the cat is neglected, but I rode over 100miles already from the beginning of the week.
Monday and Tuesday, the usual commuting.
Wednesday, out with the local cycling hub, Thursday with the hub again, assisting @flyingfifi with the longer ride.
Today out with another cycling hub for 34 miles of twisty, hilly, cycle path fun.
True, when in company I cannot bimble as is my usual, hence my legs are feeling it, still, going to ride in Edinburgh tomorrow, stay tuned!
A few pictures for you.
Our Thursday group leaving Clydebank, a shopping centre cum cycling crossroads along the river Clyde:

A view from the canal, a selfie, me and @flyingfifi, like my pink hat?

A stop in Kelvingrove park:
Climbing the big bike at Clydebank, a must picture for all local cyclists.
The meeting point for today's ride, the terracotta fountain in Glasgow Green:

A view of the Clyde with the cycling route to Loch Lomond along it.
It was a windy, sunny day with drizzly showers, jacket on one minute, tops off the next!