Your ride today....

[NorthernDave]

[QUOTE 4880465, member: 9609"]Pity about the weather, the best of that ride was going to be to the west of the moor, may be you should have caried on, those hills devide north northumberland and entirely differant weather can exist either side at the same time.
Did Tuesday not turn out good in the evening, we went down to chesick sands then fish n chips in Berwick and it was like a summers day.

Anyway, this was what the low cloud was hiding,
View attachment 362227 [/QUOTE]

If I'd been confident that the weather was likely to improve I would have pushed on, but that's local knowledge and I didn't want to risk getting stranded or worse in the worsening conditions and the wrong kit. Just one of those things unfortunately.

By the time the sun had come out later on the opportunity was gone due to other commitments and I didn't have time on the remaining days, but we're already planning our next visit so I'll try again.

 

[PeteXXX]

Yesterdays ride was just a pop into town to get a few bits and bobs from the market in the town centre. On the way, I grabbed a few OS Bench Marks on the buildings.

Cobblestones aren't just 'oop Norf'.

Once the rucksack was filled with stuff, I headed up the off-road slope towards Hunsbury Hill. It's fairly quite during the week, but gets busier with kids during weekends and holidays. Just a few dog walkers this time, so pleasant to pedal around.

On the way, I'd txt'd a mate to see if he was in, and, fortunately, he was, so coffee was quaffed, and his bike was fettled ready for his FNSS race at Wadenhoe in the evening.

Sadly, I had to head home as w*rk beckoned
Nevertheless, a nice 20 mile leg stretcher and some fresh air.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1082784192

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Bit tired today from yesterday's hills but Mrs 26 and I joined the Saturday crew in Upton. John G was in after a busy layoff, Margaret PR was just back from Ireland while Jules H had recovered from Wednesday and Pete M was back from mid week work. Mrs 26 headed home while we five took the standard run out by Strensham and Defford for the crossing of the Avon at Eckington. Bricklehampton took us to Charlton and Jubilee bridge over the Avon again. The cafe at Fladbury welcomed us nicely.

Much chat and coffee later John headed off up the main road while cafe legs complained on Hill Furze. Around over the airfield took us to the ford at Pinvin where we paused to checkout the grass snake situation. If he was there hissing Sid was hiding. Pete called the loop around to Stonehall Common and not long after Jules turned for home at Pirton. Just three now for Upton where Margaret went home. Pete and I finished off on the standard run back.

Nice social one today. All good. 58 smiles

 

[Simontm]

Only had a short window today so through Claygate, Millbourne, onto Sandy Lane where someone overtook me. Down Leigh Hill and then I re-took him on the slop into Cobham high street - not intentional, it's one of the places where I do a sprint - then on the way to the Plough he overtook me on the blind right bend on the other side of the road - must be an Audi driver - and I took him on Plough lane - another sprint for me before the hill. I had to slow to navigate two other cyclists so he caught up, overtook me by the stables and was up off the hill - far too much competition for my liking!
Anyway one of the other cyclists, on a fixie, overtook me as I merrily spun my way up Ockham Lane and when I got to the top he was recovering and waiting for his mate. I said: "OK, I hate hills, so why do I go up them."
Down past the Muddy Duck, up and over Guileshill Lane and Hungry Hill before turning into Tithebarns Lane where I took these...

Love being so close to London but have this on the doorstep.

Over the A3 and the bomb down to Woodhill, Send, Woking where an idiot nudged my arm with her car when she either misjudged an overtake into a slight bend or did it deliberately.

Then onto the Chertsey Road, Addlestone, Chertsey , over the bridge, through Lower Sunbury, Hampton, Bushy Park, Kingston, home.
39m; 2:20

 

[NorthernDave]

Two more rides from Northumberland.

With just an hour or so on Wednesday afternoon, I worked out a suitable loop on Google maps, then set off to put it into action.
You'll be pleased to hear that the weather on Wednesday was near perfect for an hour or so ride through the rolling countryside, after Tuesdays grottiness.

Up Harbour Road in Beadnell to the Bull Ring, turning left onto the B1340 and heading out of the village and starting to climb up that straight drag, past the bike hire place and a left towards East Fleetham at the crossroads just before Swinhoe.
This really is a lovely little lane, gently rising and falling, with sweeping left and rights and eventually you arrive at a junction and straight on puts you on NCN R1 heading north. Shortly the main route curves off to the right, but I stayed straight on, going onto a more minor lane and carrying on through lovely countryside.
At the next junction I turned right and after a few hundred yards took the next left, back on to NCN R1, still heading north towards Bamburgh.

I know there have ben a lot of comments about the poor state of NCN R1, especially slightly further north where it seems to become a muddy field track, but even here on metalled roads the surface was terrible in places, forcing me to cycle either on the crown of the road, or on several occasions right over on the wrong side of the road to avoid the worst of it. Fortunately there was virtually no traffic so it wasn't a huge problem but is this really what should be expected on the flagship NCN route? It might be better on a tourer with wider tyres at a lower pressure but it still can't be classed as good by any stretch of the imagination.

Making up for the crappy road surface though was the scenery, with glimpses of the sea and the Farne Islands visible through gates and gaps in the hedgerows, so it wasn't long before I stopped for a photo:

(to confuse matters, the bike is facing the wrong way here...)

Back on the bike and on with the ride and I started to get the occasional sight of Bamburgh Castle, so when the opportunity arose, I stopped for another photo:

(Apologies - the contrast between the shadow the bike was in and the glorious sunshine was a bit too much for my phone)

It was only a short run to Bamburgh now, with a short climb up into the village which was as busy as I've ever seen it, before dropping down to the castle where I stopped for another pic:

Maybe I should start a "Your bike in front of a castle" thread? Or has that already been done?

Anyway, back on the bike and onto the coast road (Links Road), over the frankly hateful traffic calming measures which probably do nothing to a car but which are horrible to ride over on a bike, out of the village and along the coast past the dunes of St Aidans and into Seahouses at a good lick with a following wind.

Seahouses was as busy as it gets up here and it made a change to have to deal with vehicles (all well behaved) and myopic pedestrians wandering into the road (several dodged). Anyhow, I was soon through there and onto Kings Road for the run past the golf course and down the coast back to Beadnell.

In Beadnell I followed Harbour Road right down to the harbour to add another half mile or so on, before looping back round to our accommodation.

13.31 miles (21.42km) in a leisurely 53 mins at an average speed of 14.9mph with just 331ft climbed and a very acceptable average temperature of 20.2°C

This must rate as one of the flattest rides I've ever completed but it was really enjoyable to get out on a glorious summers day and put a few miles under the wheels. I only saw a handful of other cyclists and none on road bikes which I think is another first.

And now, the map:

In fact, I enjoyed the ride so much that when I got an unexpected chance to repeat it the following day, I did!
I just added a bit of a loop into North Sunderland on, for a little extra mileage and allowing a couple of different photos:

And some slightly different stats:

14.03 miles (25.58km) in 1 hour and 8 seconds at an average of 14.0 mph with a more substantial 413ft climbed and an even warmer average temperature of 21.3°C (although it was a bit windier)

And a slightly different map:

 

[Racing roadkill]

https://www.relive.cc/view/1084874903

A ride out with the team Sky support cars today as ride leader.

The stop point at East Meon.

Team Sky Ford Edge.

The Mondeo and the Edge.

East Meon.

A post ride Beer.

I got a medal too.

I added 50 miles to the ride, to make it another 100 mile effort.

103 miles in total, a fabulous ride.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

My first 200+ km Audax (124 and a bit miles in all today) Chuffed. Chuffed. Chuffed.

 

[Reynard]

Popped out early evening to blow the cobwebs away - 14 cool and blustery miles across Downham Common, down Black Bank to Littleport and then the A1101 to Golds Hill (Welney) before coming back via the B1411 along the Hundred Foot, past the pump house and the railway sidings, through Pymoor and home via O Furlong.

Didn't see a single other cyclist out, just a lone dog walker and a horse and rider. Not much traffic either, but somehow two of the cars I did see ended up in a near miss for all three of us...

Woman in an Alfa pulls out of a layby on the 1101 and falls in behind me just before the road takes a sharp right turn. In summer, it's a blind corner because of the hedgerows, but it's also a tricky one. I have to take a strong primary to avoid all the gravel spread on the outside of the corner (it's a good inch thick in places). Not wanting to wait, woman in the Alfa overtakes me in the middle of the bend, only to come face to face with a bright green hatchback coming the other way. She pulls back in to avoid being hit and misses my front wheel by about a foot. A split second either way and I'd have been in the ditch or she'd have had a head on collision. Or both.

That aside, I had a godawful headwind all the way from Golds Hill to Pymoor, my jacket was a bit boil-in-the-bag, and I had to ride the last three miles with a fly in my left eye.

On Monday I will be getting some cycling glasses.

Spotted a Mrs Pheasant sitting on a nest in a hedgerow, saw loads of pied wagtails and rooks and one big drift of white campion. Not so happy to see a lot of ragwort by the side of the road.

Trials and tribulations aside, it's always good to get out.

 

[NorthernDave]

With no ride yesterday due to other commitments, I was determined to get out today.

I originally set the alarm early, but decided a lie in would be nice so it was after 9 before I finally turned a wheel. Feeling a bit at 6's and 7's again, I had no real plan, just to go for a ride and see how it took me.
Needless to say, I found myself heading up Coal Road as a club ride merged from a side road a couple of hundred yards in front of me. I'd not found my legs at this point so watched them vanish off into the distance and I turned right onto Skeltons Lane for a wind assisted run down to Thorner Lane and the lumpy descent down Sandhills into Thorner, along Main Street and onto Milner Lane and the climb onto the ridge

With the wind blowing me along I made good time along here and it was then onto Holme Farm Lane and round through the woods to East Rigton and Rigton Green, before the climb up onto Bramham Lane. I became aware of a car behind me on the single track road here, so got a wiggle on up onto Bramham Lane thinking they'd carry straight on along Compton Lane, but no, they followed me. As it's still single track I kept pushing on until it was wide enough to wave them through, and got a cheery wave for my trouble. Blimey, I wasn't expecting that much exertion though...

Anyhow, on in glorious solitude all the way out to Jewitt Lane and up the incline, looping back round for a quick stop for a drink and a photo:

Then, inspired by the "Your bike in front of a Col sign" thread, I took another pic by the sign for Col-lingham :

To be fair, the sign is at the top of Jewitt Lane, which anyone will tell you is definitely a climb up from Collingham...

Back in the saddle and I headed down Jewitt Lane, heading towards Collingham between the fields and the pigs, but intending to turn off along Compton Lane before the big descent.
It was a bit busier on here with a few cyclists enjoying a leisurely bimble, and as I turned onto Compton Road I had to slow for a couple of horses and their riders heading the opposite way. Along the ridge between the hedgerows, having to pull in on the near singletrack road for a driver heading in the opposite direction who could have slowed down a bit more, but was clearly in a rush.

Soon afterwards I arrived at the bench with views over the valley, so stopped for a couple more pics:

Anyway, I didn't have all day to stand around admiring the scenery, so it was back in the saddle and down to Rigton Green, East Rigton and then retracing my earlier route down Holme Farm Lane and Milner Lane to Thorner, where I turned right at the Mexborough Arms onto Carr Lane for the climb out of the village, eventually arriving at the A58 for a quick dash down to Coal Road and the climb up, then the sprint along the flat section before getting onto local roads for the run to home.

17.24 miles (27.74km) in 1h 15m at an average of 13.6mph with 771ft climbed.

Good to get out but I felt like I was struggling a bit at times again - hopefully it's just a lack of time in the saddle as I'd thought things were improving of late. Besides that a busy morning with loads of other cyclists out, club rides, social groups, bimblers and solo cyclists all enjoying the lanes and highways which can never be a bad thing.

And now, the map - which after last weeks emu (or was it an ostrich?), looks a bit like a badly drawn flamingo...

 

[Lilliburlero]

Cracking ride out today with the recently formed Overseal CC (it`s a Strava club). 19 of us set out for a 100 mile round trip on a pilgrimage to Cafe Ventoux. It was a tad lumpy, but being in a big group made it much easier. I peeled off from the main pack around 10/12 miles from home for a pub stop to get a pint of cold cider, because my bottles were dry and I was very, very thirsty

Great ride in great company with loads of new roads bagged

Here`s the group photo at the cafe

Here`s the ride with a few pics via relive

https://www.relive.cc/view/1086212274

Today was a good day

 

[iandg]

I went for a walk instead

https://www.facebook.com/ian.gilber...37486.1073741955.815782485&type=3&pnref=story

View: https://www.strava.com/activities/1086385634/embed/441a5dd61d60b2e8887382f5aa5364a5f36384e1

 

[Glow worm]

Back on home ground after my mini NL and BE trip.

Enjoyed a flask of tea at the 'wild campsite' out on one of the more remote bits of Fen. It's run by the national trust and you can book weekends here. Having seen the compost loo, I'll give a miss I think.!

A tiny flower by a pond- never seen this before, like a mini tulip.

Then this fellow nearby on some clover.

One of the droves in the gloom. As the drizzle fell, I remembered the forecast- a dry, increasingly bright afternoon with long sunny spells. I sometimes wonder why the Met Office bother.

Swaffham Bulbeck Lode. The adult cuckoos have gone now- probably over southern Italy or Spain by now. I miss them and am sad that we're now well into the birding Autumn. And with weather to match .

17 miles today - good to be back on home turf.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I couldn't be ar3ed with much of a ride today, so I did a short one to watch the Wimbledon men's final with some friends, at a bar.

A black IPA called 'Squid Ink' it was very nice.

Mummy black Swan ( the one with the white bit on the tail ) with the almost fully grown signets, and a white interloper .

Life imitating art.

 

[Donger]

Metric Century a Month Challenge time again, and time to kick off the second half of the year. Headed off with my long distance riding buddy, @jembullo on a mountainous adventure in that there Welsh Wales. (There's lovely isn'it?). Drove over to Abergavenny to fulfil a long held ambition by taking on Wales' highest road, the Gospel Pass. Found it surprisingly straightforward, despite the length of the climb, until we emerged from the treeline and hit a full-on headwind just as the gradient kicked up viciously near the cattle grid. Cue one tactical photo stop with great views of the summit ..... sheep and ferns everywhere:

A staged shot of Jem climbing like a mountain goat (as usual). There's just no stopping the guy, and he had actually been waiting for me to catch up for some time just prior to this:

Made it to the top, where I took a gratuitous picture of Lord Hereford's Knob:

So what were you expecting? .... It's a mountain, for goodness sake.
One of yours truly demolishing what was left of my 1 litre bottle of Powerade:

Dropped down the other side and hung a sharp left instead of carrying on to Hay on Wye. One 20% stretch left my brakes squealing and my hands aching like mad, and even with the brakes jammed full on I couldn't get below 10mph! (One of the hazards of being a 20 stone cyclist). Was planning to ride through a hedge if I met a car coming the other way! Eventually stopped for our much needed, but only, café break in Brecon .... after looping the loop and doing figures of eight around town searching for any café that was open. This one actually did rather nicely, as the shop front was opened up and the two seats in the window were free, allowing us to keep an eye on our bikes. Two coffees and two large cookies went down a treat, while Jem tucked into sandwiches, and the lady topped up my bottle with a litre of orange squash .... which didn't last too long!

More great scenery to be had in a little loop out of Brecon through the Brecon Beacons. Jem had adjusted my route slightly to avoid A roads as much as possible, which had meant inserting a few extra miles of little undulating lanes before the mostly downhill ride back to Abergavenny:

Apart from being plagued by flies on some of the climbs and a brief downpour near Brecon, this was virtually the perfect ride. A wonderfully enjoyable 102.6 km (63.8 miles). I shall certainly be coming back to wales as often as I can. It is only an hour away by car, and well worth the drive.
Hope some of you get to enjoy your rides as much as this. Cheers, Donger.

 

[derrick]

Little ride to the seaside on Saturday,
https://www.strava.com/activities/1084656571