Your ride today....

[NorthernDave]

After yesterdays half, today was always going to be a bit less epic and after a rare lie in it was half past 9 by the time I finally got out with just an hour or so to fill.

However, being an idiot and missing out on a KoM yesterday by 0.6 of a second, I decided to try and bag it this morning with the wind still being in the same direction. To be fair I gave it everything I had up the hill and improved yesterdays time by......0.1 second So, now I'm just 0.5 seconds off...and still an idiot

Needless to say I was still huffing and puffing a bit as I made a rare left turn at the Coronation Tree in Scholes and up Main Street. Up being the operative word as I'd forgotten how it steadily climbs most of the way to the old railway bridge, and now into a headwind too
Anyhow, the gentle drop down the other side and out to the A64 soon arrived, followed by a 'your life in their hands' dash along to Thorner Lane, leading to the descent of Sandhills into Thorner itself. I gave it the beans down here too and was soon on Thorner Main Street, where I briefly paused for a drink and to pop a lung back in.

Valuable lesson learned. I really need to work on my fitness

So, the rest of the ride became a much more enjoyable pootle, turning left at the Mexborough Arms to climb Carr Lane out to the A58, stopping at the mid way high point for a couple of pics:

As I was enjoying the view and some Haribo Tangfastic a couple of very friendly ladies on horseback clip-clopped around the corner, so we had a quick chat before I set off again down the hill towards the S-bends, having to brake heavily as an Uber was heading towards me in the middle of the road.
Avoided, it was round the corner for the climb up to Wetherby Road, again into the wind, before as much of a sprint as I could muster along the A58 and up onto Coal Road which is a sharp climb up before it levels off and then local roads towards home, extending things with a bit of a loop to push the mileage into double figures.

10.4 miles (16.73km) in an ultimately leisurely 45m at a moving average of 13.9mph and with 531ft climbed.

Not the greatest ride ever, but good to get out for a short circuit even if my legs weren't cutting it today. It's a mystery to me as I did plenty of liquid based carb loading last night
Plenty of cyclists out and about even on this short run and apart from the blustery wind the weather was a lot better than forecast, apart from a 30 second mini-shower about half way round.

And at the end, the map:

 

[damj]

25 miles up the Wear valley into strong head wind. Tea and carrot cake at killhope lead mining centre. 25 miles down the valley weeeeee!

 

[Dave 123]

A trip out on my mountain bike this afternoon. There were some dramatic skies, but they only produced a few spits and spots.
Off road down toward Coton, the wheat fields rapidly ripening. From Coton I took a footpath up to Madingley Hill. Then I shot down the side of the American cemetery and then made my way into the village, and then along to Dry Drayton.

The church looks like there's been some work done to it, it was smart.

I then cycled to Bar Hill. It was down a short cycle path that was pleasantly off road. I'd only ever been to the mega Tesco before, and to be honest it's not much more than that. I did get harassed by a boy racer, out in his granny's 20 year old Rover. Apparently I should have been on the path..

Back to Dry Drayton and then a public footpath to Childerley.

Just beyond the farm the sky got interesting

Out across the fields then back on road down to Bourn, turning left at the Drift to come back home via the fields.

Just over 20 miles.


https://www.strava.com/activities/1053780890

 

[Lilliburlero]

My first run out with the Mercia CC lads was had today with a spin over to Cannock Chase. I had a cracking ride in great company, covering 100 km. It pee`d it down on the way back but that didnt spoil the ride.

Here`s me washing down my bacon sarnie with a cup of tea, with our very own @cyberknight on the same table, to my right.

 

[cyberknight]

My first run out with the Mercia CC lads was had today with a spin over to Cannock Chase. I had a cracking ride in great company, covering 100 km. It pee`d it down on the way back but that didnt spoil the ride.

Here`s me washing down my bacon sarnie with a cup of tea, with our very own @cyberknight on the same table, to my right.


View attachment 358932

Great ride , nice to see you again
Dont tell everyone where we stopped though or they will put the prices up !
View: https://www.strava.com/activities/1053336524/embed/6be3391ff9ebc58592076980f99652a55ab7a5cb

 

[13 rider]

Later start this morning due to a workmates 50th party last night .So out the door at 0930 later than planned .I have rode every day this month so far and the legs are beginning to feel it . Took about 5 miles for the legs to get into gear .Anstey ,Cropston ,Rothley ,Cossington ,Ratcliffe on the Wreake Thrussington ,Rearsby and over the A607 on to the rolling terrain around Gaddesby . Took a new road at at crossroad called Klondyke lane nice single track road but it just looped back on it self .so after a little loop it's Great Dalby back over the A607 to Asfordby and up Saxileby hill where I caught a rider grovelling up the hill gave some encouragement as I past . He said he was doing hill reps nutter!! . Got to the top and a cyclist was standing with his bike asked if he was ok . He replied just resting he was with the other rider doing hill reps !!! .On to Nice pies cafe apparently I just missed @Supersuperleeds which was good timing as we didn't have to discuss the stealing of a my Kom on strava . Coffee and cake ( decorated with bits of chocolate bars including rolos ) were consumed . Back into a headwind now Seagrave ,Sileby where I decided to extend the route to do a metric century so a slightly wiggly way home ,Mountsorrel ,Quorn ,Woodhouse ,Swithland ,Mountsorrel ,Rothley ,Cropston ,Anstey ,Groby ,Newtown Linford and back to Anstey 63.3 miles in the bag . Lovely ride even got rained on for about a minute legs were feeling it at the end . The miles have made June my biggest month to date and 5 days to do 85 more to pass the 1000 mile mark so a good commuting work should hopefully get it done

 

[PeteXXX]

Both yesterdays, and todays ride were one and the same.
A couple of mates, and a wife, set off from Northampton for the 100 mile 'Chase the Rising Sun' Sportive from Cromer to Cromer. We departed at 14:30, and parked at the hotel that one of the chaps wife was staying at in readiness to drive us home in this morning.
The hotel were kind enough to allow us to park our bikes in the staff kitchen while we went for a stroll and fish & chips at 18:30 ish, giving it time to digest before the ride.
We registered as we walked back to the hotel to get changed and retrieve our bikes just as the weather forecast became true. Yep, they said there was going to be a passing shower, but it took quite a while to pass!
Never mind, by the time we started, we got damper from the spray then from the heavens. I knew I should have left my mudguards on

As opposed to last years ride from Hunstanton to Southwold, this year started and finished in Cromer, doing 3 33 ish mile loops back to Cromer with the feed station being in.. you guessed it.. Cromer. The cafe on the clifftop stayed open all night, and the free feed table, loaded up with jelly beans, chocolate brioche, Jaffa cakes and other goodies, plus water bottle refills.
The first loop went well on 17mph and well signposted, apart from one deviation betwixt the .gpx we were sent and the actual signage.. With a shortish stop to eat a few bits and top up the bottles, we set off for loop 2.
The first 7 miles all seemed to be uphill, but it went well, apart from a sign that had moved (been moved?) that put us off route for a short while, but caused no great issues. We were still on a 17 mph average on our return to Cromer.

Once again, after topping up the bottles and eating some jelly beans, we set off for loop 3. his was the toughest of the three, with Beacon Hill, one of the #100 climbs, being on about 70 miles, and about 01:30 ish. I actually got a PB on it, but on't remember riding it before though I have done a lot of pedalling around North Norfolk over the years.
The signs were OK until Holt, where I knew we needed to turn right. A friends Garmin confirmed that, but quite a few riders went straight ahead, or back towards Cromer again. Most confusing, especially in the pitch dark!
After 5 or 6 miles, we were signed off to the right. This seemed to be correct as it headed us towards the coast for the homeward run.

'Yeah!! Of course I know where we are!!'

Anyway, without seeing another twinkle of lights for ages, we met a couple of riders on the junction of the A149 from where I knew our way back sans Garmin/Signage.
After slightly windy conditions, we had, generally, a tailwind for the final push back to... Cromer, though it did start precipitating it down for about half an hour.
It's a fairly lumpy route, taking in quite a few hills but at least there was no traffic to contend with. During the day, especially in the summer, it's a nightmare!.
By this time, one of us three was suffering on the hills, but we stuck together as we wanted to cross the line together.

We finished at 04:15, 15 minutes before we couldn't see the sunrise due to scudding clouds

Never mind, we knew the sun was there somewhere

As the hotel was within view of the start/finish line, we were able to grab the camping stove, coolbox etc. and head towards a clifftop shelter we'd checked out last night.

As it was still technically Saturday, we though it OK to have a beer at 05:00
And sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding, bacon and bread..

Even the occasionally damp and chilly conditions, plus the dodgy signs (that many mentioned to the organisers), we really enjoyed the day (night). It was a great idea to book a wife into the hotel as we could all grab a shower and get changed before setting off home.
I do hope her reputation hasn't been ruined by the fact that it was a single room, single bed with her plus us three chaps wandering in and out during the evening, and then again first thing in the morning

Nevertheless,

A cracking 100 miles, my 2nd this month, with very little sleep. I was up at 07:00 yesterday morning, and have, so far, had an hours sleep at midday today.
Sleep deprivation is alive and well in Northampton..

https://www.strava.com/activities/1052800144



I was surprised to see that several riders that appeared, on my Strava feed, finished the ride on just under 100 miles! Personally, I couldn't do that. I'd have to add a few more pedal stokes to make the ton!

 

[Stonechat]

Major ride for me

Did the 100 mile Bournemouth Sportive, and cycled to and from the hotel in Bournemouth (ride started from near Bournemouth airport at Huron.)


Too tired to report in detail. The ride itself was billed as 103 miles, reckon it was about 107, there were some late route changes.

All in all 120 miles @ 13.5 mph
6076 feet climbed.

Managed to get lost in Bournemouth on the way back, when already exhausted.
Some of the hills were quite challenging
https://www.strava.com/activities/1053752039

 

[TVC]

Another morning leading The Black Horse Riders. A smaller group today marking the start of the holiday season and the threat of rain. The drizzle mostly held off and sometimes the sun broke through. A gentle 15 miles for the mixed group, the highlight of the trip for our ladies was when we got blown past by a group of young bucks from the Welland Valley Club .

Team brief before we set off, me obscured but everyone paying attention, except for the pub landlord

 

[AnneW]

My ride was yesterday and no where near as exciting as some of these

I've not been able to cycle for 6 weeks due to a chest infection, but I'm back in the saddle now (god it feels good to be back on it!). We went visiting family and friends and covered 22.5 miles at a fairly slow pace (OH isn't as far down the recovery route as me, so we took it easy) but I care not, I'm just glad to be out there.

Back to regular communiting again tomorrow

 

[ianrauk]

Another weekend, another ride to the coast for munchies and to look at the sea. Today's destination.. the classic Londoner's holiday home of Southend On Sea.

I left home just after 7am this morning in a bit of a drizzlle. Hmm, that wasn't on the weather apps I looked at. The clouds looked very heavy, so turned back after a couple of hundred yards to grab the Montane Jacket, just in case of a downpour. It wasn't cold but thought that if I did get wet then I would get cold. It turned out I didn't need the jacket. The weather all day was a mix of heavy cloud with the sunshine breaking through now and again, proving to be quite hot.

So myself, Mark, Greg, Will and Dave met up at the North end of Tower Bridge and we were soon on our way. Helped mostly by a fantastic tailwind. We were making rapid progress with all that help. Getting to Southend in record time.

After an hour of lunch and nattering it was time to hit the road and head back. This time directly into a annoyingly leg sapping headwind. There was nothing we could do except to put our heads down and keep the pedals turning. It's not a hilly ride by any stretch of the imagination, but I think a hilly ride would have been much preferable to the headwind we battled.

The only other gripe was when hitting London the traffic was a nightmare. London does seem to be at a motor car standstill now. Oh well. It didn't ruin what was a great ride.

Thanks chaps. It was a great ride despite that blasted wind.
And fair play to @mark st1 who who did a ride of 150 miles. From home to meet us, Southend and back, and back home again. Nice one bud.

So scored on the doors.
117 Miles for the day. Century # 21 for the year, # 217 over all and a few future Eddington numbers for good measure.

Tower Of London and The Shard from Tower Bridge.

Dave has 2 pairs of these.

Southend Pier (1.34 miles long)

The Southend Pier Rattler (3ft narrow gauge)

The Gang

 

[Simontm]

A short ride out early evening. Legs didn't feel like it and there was a vicious headwind that occasionally sided to make things interesting. Anyway, up to Esher, Cobham across the M25 to the Muddy Duck thent through West Horsell then down to Leatherhead, Chessington and home. A couple of idiots on the road but nothing major although the Guildford Road down into Leatherhead is so pot holed it got a bit hairy.
Just before the hairy descent.

All-in-all, 27 miles in 1:45.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Barby the destination 57 miles the journey. A cool cloudy breezy morning, an easy ride out mostly with a tail wind but a tough ride home mostly into the breeze. I felt strong for most of the ride but faded badly towards the end.


View: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/15574948

 

[booze and cake]

2 rides totalling 43 miles meandering around the capital capturing some more technicolor street art for my collection, with a lengthy lunch break at home half way round. I've papped over 150 street art pics now, the best of which are in the 'your cycle in front of walls' thread. From home I head up through Brixton where I photograph a multi coloured otter (see the picture of the day thread). I also saw this, which I am sure is done by the same person who did the paper rhino graffiti in Camden I've photographed previously.

Then over the Streatham, the Greyhound pub has recently been covered in some very Alice and Wonderland-esque rabbits which I was impressed with.

I then head into central London, stopping at the Southbank Centre to photograph this:

Lunch and coffee and home before heading over to Hackney Wick. Around the station and Wallis Road there are plenty of quality offerings

And last but by no means least, this:

Its then back to Vauxhall facing a stiff headwind all the way home, not that I minded, sunny Sunday's, dazzled by colour and a lovely evening, what's not to like? Here's the Thames on the way home.

Takeaway for dinner and a cold beer rounds the day off nicely

 

[Arjimlad]

Pete, my son Robert and I set off on the Avon Cycleway 130 on Saturday.

On very familiar South Glos roads for the first bit to Littleton on Severn having made the acquaintance of @Heltor Chasca with whom I found I

have much in common.

We bombed down Long Cross to then climb the Avonmouth bridge before hitting Caswell Lane to Clevedon for lunch at Scarlett's Café, very popular with cyclists.

Then a steady flat ride to let lunch digest before hitting Brockley Combe, with some motorists more patient than others as the pack climbed up towards Bristol Airport.

Dropping into the Chew Valley was lovely but there seemed to be endless hills between the lake and Saltford where the Bird in Hand on the B2B path provided an excellent beer stop/control. The final 10k back to Mangotsfield along the B2B passed quickly.

Robert, 16, made sure of hitting the Imperial ton by doing an extra circuit around Ram Hill and riding up and down our street twice. Only his second long ride and he did very well indeed. Hopefully many more to come.

Great to meet Blair and see @the_mikey amongst the fifty five riders or so.