Your ride today....

[jayonabike]

Sunday morning 100K ride with a couple of mates.

Been getting back into my cycling after a fair few months off. This is my fourth week in a row I've been out on a Sunday, increasing the distance each week.
First was 42 miles then 46, last week was 56 so this week was the "100K" ride.
I picked a route I've rode a few times before, a loop out to Waddesdon that circles Aylesbury, a mixture of fast B roads, rolling country lanes and a couple of hills.
Didn't stop for coffee, just a quick five minute P stop and enough time to eat a flapjack and then we were on our way again.

65 miles, over 16 mph average speed with a quick 5 minute stop. Legs are burning now!

The best thing about a Sunday morning ride is walking indoors to my wifes Sunday lunch

 

[Bryony]

Lovely warm sunny day so me and my friend headed out to ride the Viking Coastal Trail again today, but this time in the opposite direction to last week (we like to mix things up a little!)

It was a very pleasant ride despite having a bit of a headwind. The only down side of the good weather though was that the parts of the route that are on the promenades were packed with people which slowed thing down a bit!!

All in all though a great ride!

North Foreland Lighthouse

My mighty steed

Selfie time

Stopped for an ice cream at Minnis Bay

 

[Spiderweb]

Day 2, 56 miles from Richmond, North Yorkshire via Ripon Back to York. The West End B&B in Richmond was excellent, the Breakfast was really good but we all ate far too much and we were straight into lots of Dales climbing on full stomachs, not recommended!
A great ride with friends.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

80km/50mile circular up into the Mendips. Up to Beacon Batch where I was going to bivvy last night but it is SO wet in Somerset. Before I got there there was a nice off road stretch down to Ubley Warren. From the radio masts it was off road through the peat swamp up to the trig point. Got my salted cashews back in order up there and descended through Rowberrow forest. It is quite rocky on that side so most of the water had drained. Into Shipham before another tricky off road section down into the Strawberry Line. Easiest on the rock but the red clay was super sticky today. Through Axbridge and into Cheddar for a cream tea. Final slog up the gorge and home.

I think I'll be in my bivvy bag next weekend. And the map, which looks like a little dragon breathing fire.

 

[Osprey]

My first sportive, the Tour of Pembrokeshire https://www.strava.com/activities/997333703, started a few miles North of St Davids, then through the narrow lanes past the magnificent Cathedral and the climb up through the town (sorry, City). Heading eastwards along the coast dropping down into the picturesque village of Solva before a long climb back out followed by another steep twisty descent into the bay of Newgale before a gruelling ascent back out. At this point we headed inland, through pretty villages and narrow farm lanes, constantly ascending and descending with little recovery time. I couldn't believe how friendly the locals were all lining the villages ringing china cowbells which really made for a great atmosphere. I must pay credit to the feed station at Maencrochog in the foot hills of the Presceli mountains where all the food was local products ranging from faggots, salted Pembrokeshire potatoes, welsh cakes, fruit cake, crusty bread and jam and bananas. After a good feed it was time to set off, but thankfully the 60 miler skirted the Presceli Mountains rather than go over them. More narrow gravelly farm lanes with steep decents and a few 20% ascents before arriving at the coast and the port of Fishguard. Now we were into a 16mph headwind following the coast, with yet more steep narrow descents and ascents before finally making back to St Davids. A brilliant introduction to sportives with 62 miles and 4600 ft of climbing.

 

[Donger]

Another Kingsway CC ride today, after my adventures in Wales and Yorkshire. The club ride was about 38 miles, and much flatter than anything I've done for a month or so, though that just meant it was much faster too. Apparently we had a moving average speed over 16mph, though we did have a nice long coffee shop at Staunton Garden Centre. I added 6 miles to the start and another 6 to The end to make it a round 50 miles.

The weather was just about perfect for cycling today, and this was a great ride up the Severn Vale, forming a big figure of 8 coming back via Chaceley and Ashleworth and the short but vicious little climb up the Woolridge. My new rear wheel was perfect, and I managed not to use the new 34 tooth sprocket , saving that for something more monumental. There were two moments when I had to perform emergency stops today, and my rear brake worked better than I can ever remember. My concave rims on the old bike had been making stopping difficult, and the new wheel made such a difference.

Great to get out there again on my own stamping ground. Apart from the headwind on the return leg, this was almost the perfect ride.

Cheers, Donger

 

[Katherine]

I got the chance to lead a B ride today for the first time and at 64 miles it was the longest ride I've led so far. I chose my all time favourite route ever, which is out through Croft and Birchwood to get to Warburton bridge over the ship canal, then through the lovely lanes of High legh, Great Budworth and Comberbach to the amazing Anderton Boat Lift. After enjoying a bacon roll and cake and great service from the cafe staff we set off back with some loops of different lanes for variety. I persuaded the other riders to brave the slightly potholled track past United's training ground to take us back to go over the ship canal at Irlam Locks.

 

[rugby bloke]

A mix of utility and social riding on Saturday. Had to pick up my ticket for the Saints game so met my riding mate at the Gardens then headed out west over the M1 between Bugbrooke and Kislingbury. It has to be said, I am contently surprised by the glory of the Northamptonshire countryside. Rolling hills, pretty villages, history around every corner. Ventured south west, into the wind and with some long drags to drain the legs until we reached Moreton Pinkney (even the village names don't disappoint !). We then turned for home and a relief from the wind. North East back to Abthorpe until dropping south to Silverstone and Whittlebury. We had been dodging the rain all morning and our luck finally ran out with a sharp shower. Back in the dry we cut across the A5 south of Towcester, past through Stoke Brune, Salcey and home.
56 pretty hilly miles.
Even better - Saints managed a home win, a quite unexpected bonus !

 

[sbird]

A night ride report from me for Reading CTC :-

There are only two things to get right as a ride leader.

The weather

and of course, not forgetting

the weather.

Route, refreshment stops, pace and general bonhomie are in the lap of the gods so I’ve found. I am now a master in weather-control. Does the club have an award for this? In between a down-pour at 9pm on Friday night and whatever precipitation Saturday decided to bestow I’d demanded a wet-free window for our ride to dip into Bath.

So anticipating another miracle from previous Moses-like behaviour there were 14 mustard-keen riders at the station for the departure.

Old friends like Suj V and Nick C made big journeys before the big journey to join up with David R, Sophie D, Martin S, Ian W, Zoe C, Al N, Graeme H, Rob W, Edwin R, Charles R and Tony R. The skills spectrum was wide from serious Audaxers and long-distance talent to some of us who’s recent riding experience has been limited to pootling round a well known park in London. With this ride it’s easy to accommodate all tastes since the route is straightforward. Straight down the A4 and keep going forward. Kindly, Graeme had bought his recumbent which gave some of us a bit of relief when hanging onto his wheel.

The prologue was to run the gauntlet of night-life in Reading town centre which entertained some. A wiggle through town to the Bath Road, across the M4 and beyond Theale and we were off into the dark and quiet...except around Thatcham and Newbury where the incessant wagons delivering urgent internet shopping swarmed for a while.

But after Newbury it calmed down superbly. We had a clear sky with mists in the hollows, few of us had anticipated such low temperatures. Nick’s Garmin and mine continually disagreed about the temperature with his recording a record low of –0.9 degrees centigrade whilst mine was a balmy 1.9. Neither reading bothered the market-stall holders setting up in Marlborough at 3.30 am (yep same time as last year) whilst we all watched Tony and Al fix Charles’ puncture.

And then, Avebury. An absolute oversight on my part from last year’s route. With dawn breaking, the up-lifting song from the bird-chorus and the stones standing resplendent we absorbed the splendour.

Avebury stones

• sbird
• 22 May 2017

at 4.30am

However with the field full of slumbering sheep there probably was only one outcome.

We’ve all been there. New bike, shiny and clean. If only it could stay that way. Careful to avoid scratches from careless locking up with others we expend a great deal of energy to ensure our newly beloved keeps its sheen.

Sophie has a new bike. It was shiny and clean until Avebury. By the time we’d made it to Melksham for a re-grouping before the final stretch to Bath it wasn’t so much. Merde was a word I knew from O level French which together with the inspired suggestion from Tony of a brown jersey award suggested that walking around a field full of sheep with cleats meant you would be lucky to come out unscathed.

But the last bit is magnificent. A descent down Bathford and then on the flat through Bath Easton (via a path suggested by a newcomer local called Nick) and following the canal path alongside Bathampton is a wonderful entry into Bath via the Poultney Bridge.

And closed roads! With the Tour Series to be run on that Saturday we had a clear run through the city to breakfast at the Weatherspoons. Cyclists definitely welcome.

With Ian, Graeme and Al riding back there was only the 10 of us that needed train and bike space. Simple really. I’d managed this bit quite well. With a stack of tickets in my hand dispensed evenly to ensure all had a train seat and bike space home I was confident my plan was ending its execution well. Somehow though I’d left the Spoons without my jacket and despite some reckless and furious cycling from the pub to the station and then back to the pub and back to the station I could only watch my fellow cyclist’s wave as the train departed without me. Happily the IT systems at GWR have caught up with their renewed policy so I was able to book a place on the next train.

Want to see the route? Then spend 1:38 minutes to watch https://www.relive.cc/view/998075746 – a GPX on steroids.

 

[Dave 123]

A slightly different ride than our usual fare today

1- we are in Portugal
2- we rode sit up and beg granny bikes!

We set out from Porto across the big old bridge and followed the river Douro out toward the sea, before turning left and south. Hot, sunny and lovely. The cycle paths smooth and traffic free!

We eventually found ourselves at St Peters church, which is almost in the sea

A spot of lunch followed before we headed south for a while longer, before coming back in a headwind, that was quite cooling!

Green lizards, a gannet, stonechats and a Serin were our wildlife spots, plus some nice dune Flora

Maybe about 25 miles, who knows.....!?

 

[gbb]

No ride this weekend...too busy. So ironically today was forcast sunny with only a breeze....commuting it is then.
13.5 miles this morning, nothing noteworthy seen, bright and easy going....one muntjac grazing oblivious to my passing 100 yards away.
13.5 back this afternoon, sun's shining, part tail wind, mostly slight downhill so a lovely ride back.
13 red kite over fields near Stilton, a couple goldfinches, ...and a few too many close passes (not too close but disrespectful IMO) when there was no need, completely empty road, loads of room, yet they seem reluctant to deviate over the centre line....why ?? (shakes head in mild annoyance)

Anyhow....what's the weather like tomorrow might have some more....

 

[cosmicbike]

Fantastic weather for riding today, and I set off to meet a workmate to get this months metric century challenge ride in the bag. I've only managed my 'introductory' club ride with the H&DW, others things have gotten in the way since then, but todays route was a blatant copy of a recent ride into Henley which I copied from @Stonechat strava feed
Nice route out through Windsor Great Park, before heading out sort of Winkfield way to Waltham/White Waltham. A nice alternative route out to Warren Row which avoids the long straight ride along Drift Road. Cracking downhill into Henley saw my quickest ever on a bike of 40.5mph After a nice cuppa and toastie at the café by the river, we braced ourselves for the frankly horrific traffic to get back onto the other side of the bridge before the rathe rundulating ride back through Wargrave. The route gave us the joy of returning along the full length of Drift Road, and unfortunately we had a rather more than forecast headwind. Nothing to do but tuck in and share to load, and I was glad to get to the end of it today. Back through the park, and home on 62.9 miles (101.2km).
Work tonight, and I'll allow myself a rare van ride, I've done my miles for the day.

 

[Racing roadkill]

[QUOTE 4811992, member: 21629"]+23'C in Kent according to Garmin. With a light breeze. And sunny.

20 miles done, 1 litre of water consumed, suncream applied twice during the ride. Forgot to count how many insects and other flying dragons have disappeared in my throat. I can say responsibly - I always swallow those ones which taste is horrible.

Cycled past local bike shop in Headcorn so took a chance to measure the chain - it still has got 4000+ miles of life which made me very happy.

The route:
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Unknown bird of prey:
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Lonely poppy:
View attachment 353547 [/QUOTE]
That bird looks like a Harris's hawk. Which means it's a long way from home, or it's escaped from somewhere.

 

[rvw]

Nothing very special in many ways - I rode over to see my mother, which is a nice run along a ridge and down a hill. But today I didn't wimp out of the ride back up the ridge - so I'm feeling pleased with myself, even though it's nothing terribly impressive.

 

[PeteXXX]

Only 23 miles this morning to Spectacle lane Moulton and back on the Ian May.

Route was upto Orlingbury then across to Hannington , Holcot and Moulton

Nice dry roads and the yellow ball is out in the sky for a change .

View attachment 353329

Would love to find out more about the area as I stumbled across this massive arch . And there is what looks to be a castle and just down the road is consecrated graveyard and what looks to be a ruined church any ideas @PeteXXX

Then once i had managed to safely avoid the Green lane part of Spectacle lane that is the college side of and the ford in the dip and up past the restored arch to join on to the Moulton - Boughton road


View attachment 353330

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~The Spectacles~

As for the ruined church, I think you mean St John’s Church which has been in ruins since at least 1757 and was significantly damaged further in 1786 when the spire collapsed. A Holy Well, known as St John’s Spring is well documented and lies behind the Altar.
It's still a consecrated burial site.