Your ride today....

[biggs682]

~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.

thats it , i need to stop and have a look around the church next time i pass by

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.relive.cc/view/1000406427

I couldn't be arsed with R&R, so I went for a ride with some hills.

No traffic, dry roads, game on.

Coffee and cake, and sun.

Balls, weapon, snigger.

That's the view from Portsdown hill, summer stylee.

Beer, in a beer garden, with sun.

Beautiful

A more conventional set up today

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

At last. It has warmed up. Lots of firsts for 2017 today. First outing for the summer steed, first time out in shorts and first time out in short sleeves too. Could this really be summer at last? I was late getting out today. Admin takes time so it was after lunch when I headed out for the Bredon Loop. Crikey the wind was blustery and tricky. I never really figured out where it was blowing from. Swirly stuff. Nothing for it but to keep on keeping on. The ride was fairly uneventful apart from a hare appearing closely until he darted off behind a hedge. I heard a nightingale singing by the roadside just after Upton on my way back. Very special that as nightingales are getting very scare now. 53 smiles

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

[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:
View attachment 353545

Unknown bird of prey:
View attachment 353546

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.

Buzzard (certainly not a Harris Hawk)

 

[Stonechat]

[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:
View attachment 353545

Unknown bird of prey:
View attachment 353546

Lonely poppy:
View attachment 353547 [/QUOTE]
No it's a buzzard

 

[Stonechat]

We are away from Friday onwards (bike will come), so changing days of my rides this week to Tues & Thurs

Did some hill repeats up Tite Hill & a short loop
Not too long but a tester and legs felt good
16.3 miles @ 15.2 mph
856 feet climbed
Level crossings were the usual problem
Can't beleive they need to hold the gates open for 10 minutes or more to let three trains through
In wales last year saw automated barrier, it closed a mere 48 seconds to let a train through
Something badly wrong

https://www.strava.com/activities/1001539004

Collecting Kona tomorrow - aparently I missed an earlier message to say it was ready

 

[13 rider]

Just back from a 8 miles spin in glorious sunshine on a local loop after a dreadful day I was in desperate need of a ride so fitted the new cadence sensor and went for a test ride . Went full gas for most of the ride but then got caught at the traffic lights in the village and another rider pull alongside and we spent a pleasant mile chatting away pootling up the hill to home . Lovely way to end the ride .

 

[srw]

Oof. I think I misread the contour lines. "The Mount" perhaps should have been a clue. After my pootle along the river there was quite a lot of walking, both up and down, and I turned down the opportunity to keep on going downwards and westwards - which would have avoided the walking down.

Great views, north and south (even if a phone camera zoom doesn't help picture quality) - and a very clear day.

That's about 30 miles away, and this...

...is about 25 miles - the arch was very clearly visible.

 

[cosmicbike]

Did some hill repeats up Tite Hill & a short loop

Level crossings were the usual problem
Can't beleive they need to hold the gates open for 10 minutes or more to let three trains through
In wales last year saw automated barrier, it closed a mere 48 seconds to let a train through
Something badly wrong

Going up Tite Hill is OK, but since they put the speed bumps in I'm less inclined to go down it.
As for the level crossings, they are a real pain in the backside. On the plus side you can scoot down the outside of the invariably large queues of traffic. I've got little loops I do either side of the crossing at Egham station to save having to sit at the barrier, Pooley Green you just have to sit out, and the Staines one has a 'rat-run' around it.

 

[cosmicbike]

After yesterdays metric century I needed to spin the legs so planned a steady 10 mile amble out to Chertsey and back. Legs all good so extended to 17 miles. Home and a quick change of shoes, addition of baggy shorts and off to the high street on the Brompton, perhaps unsurprisingly catching the level crossing barriers shut so off on one of my little loops to save waiting.
Just over 20 miles today, and circumstance means I'm in the van for commuting tomorrow, boooo....

 

[Vantage]

On Saturday I'd planned on riding to a cafe called Owd Barn over in Mawdsley.
The ride started off ok but pretty soon the driving standards were plummeting. As was the rain. Along with my mood.
I wasn't far from the Delph Diver Training Centre and was on Town Lane when the desire to keep riding disappeared. I set the etrex to route me home and followed it. About a mile from home and the heavens opened up . Meh.

Today was going to be different I decided.
I left Erin at school and made my way towards Horwich along Chorley Old Road. Through Rivington and onto the L&L Canal at Limbrick. Aaaaaah......no cars
My little legs propelled the Vantage along the tow path at a paltry 10mph for almost the entire ride to Feniscowles just north of the M65. It was too nice a day to hurry. Those same little legs had all the get up and go of Del Boys plastic pig today so just as well really.

The Higher Wheelton or Withnell Fold area had an abundance of lovely little critters doing their best to pummel the living daylights out of me. Could have been midgies or horseflies. Or mini winged ninjas. Hard to tell. I do recall telling one or two to f off though.
It's been a while since I ventured this far north but it wasn't long before I remembered why I hate Horden Rake. The grinding along at less than 5mph seemed to be never ending. Slow enough and long enough to curse the B17 for taking so long to break in.
Having had my fill of tarmac going through Tockholes, I turned off before Crookfield Road and bumped and rattled my way along the bridleway. As much as I love my Dawes, there are times when I wish I had an mtb to alleviate the worry of trashing a rim or snapping the frame. I always wonder if my frame will suffer the same fate as @mcshroom's vantage. Hope not. Lots of cute little lambs took my mind off it. One had a Mexican standoff with me till I clipped in and then it legged it.

Approaching Stones Bank Road, a nice mountain bike chap opened and held the gate for me. It struck me as an odd place to be just stood around and his bike leaning against a drystone wall on the opposite side of the road. I asked if he was having mechanicals. Nope. He was meeting his mtb buddies there. They were an hour late. I wished him luck and set about my way home.
By the time I reached Belmont I was thoroughly buggered and the Mars Bars were doing little to recharge me. Where I could, I coasted.
I relieved the boredom of travelling at snail pace by trying to hit the springy middle bit of the cateyes in the road with the front tyre. I missed every one.
I left Scout Road and headed home through Barrow Bridge. Barely had enough strength to drag the Vantages heavy arse up to the front door but had a nice ride. The hot shower was very much needed.

 

[Stonechat]

Going up Tite Hill is OK, but since they put the speed bumps in I'm less inclined to go down it.
As for the level crossings, they are a real pain in the backside. On the plus side you can scoot down the outside of the invariably large queues of traffic. I've got little loops I do either side of the crossing at Egham station to save having to sit at the barrier, Pooley Green you just have to sit out, and the Staines one has a 'rat-run' around it.

Never quite worked out the way round Staines level crossing, but I will

Yes going down Tite Hill - I still occasionally do but speed has to be moderated to go round the edge of the square speed bumps

 

[welsh dragon]

Fabulous hot day today, so i had a bimble along the Mach loop to the old bridge right before it reaches Mach and then flows down into the estuary, then into the sea. Then i doubled back on myself until i reached the bridge over the river dovey where i usually turn off. From there, i continued along my normal route up to cemaes, then along the A489, and then the A470 and back home. 23 miles done. Many stops happened to take some photos, as, usual.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Need to get my miles up a bit so off I went for a longish one this morning. I thought it was going to be an easy sort of day. Well I got that wrong. Things didn't flow at all. I had my moments of course but the hills were tougher than expected. There were a couple of phew! moments when I was descending. First one was a truck unloading on a blind bend. Don't need those surprises when dropping at 30+mph. Then again in the Marcles I was topping 37 mph when I spied an HGV filling the lane and reversing towards me. That was a Yikes! one. There was a rabbit being chased by white van man. I've never seen a rabbit go at that pace. It went past me in a blur of fur. Then there were 3 hares to be seen at various spots. I followed one along the lane till he found a gap in the hedge. Then a stoat took a moment to find his way off the road. Definitely all go today for our mammal friends. 73 smiles on this one

 

[Donger]

Nipped out this evening in glorious sunshine for a quick little one hour spin down the lanes .... and came back two and a half hours later. Turned into a much more social ride than I'd expected. First up, at my usual ten mile turning point on Splatt Bridge in Frampton on Severn, I got chatting with a cyclist from Stonehouse while we both took a swig of our drinks. Glorious views of the sun shining on the River Severn in the distance.

Headed back home through Saul, and on a whim hung a left to get back to the river bank. There I met a surfer, in the act of getting his kit out of the car and preparing to ride the Severn Bore. Another interesting chat ensued. I had always wondered how they get back to their cars afterwards. The answer ... they paddle downstream for a couple of miles, ride the bore, and then try to get back out of the river somewhere near their car before the current starts raging too much.

Headed back home through Epney and Longney, and came across my old club mate "Shotgun" Rob (he of the exploding inner tube) coming the other way. Cue a rapid turn around, and we cycled back to Epney together to watch the bore, chatting all the way. Once the spectacle was over (rather a damp squib tonight, actually), we said our goodbyes and I headed off home. 24.6 miles today, and loved every one of them. A gorgeous still evening. Loads of cyclists out there tonight. Nice to see.

Cheers, Donger.