Your ride today....

[Dave 123]

I'm in Devon for the weekend, bugger me it's hilly!
So the hill outside my in laws isn't flat at all and within 2.5 miles I'd done more up than 40 miles in Cambs!
In the dip between Brixton and Yealmpton I was building up a head of steam to get up the other side, only to be halted by some temporary lights! I had a chat with an old fella on a brand new, massive 1200 BMW motorbike "get one of these" he said! Tempting....!
I turned off the road toward Ermington and saw some cycle event signs, then 4 motorbikes, so I pulled over-

The main peloton must have had 50 riders, and there were stragglers for the next few minutes. I then saw a bloke coming the other way on a flat barred hybrid, he must have jumped as the came by him!
I turned off right for Sheepham and went up the ridge road to Ugborough garage. It was glorious. Rural, quiet, pretty, views both sides, primroses, violets and a strong wind

I made my way home via the "flattest" but ugly route that skirts the A38, this was all into a character building head wind!
30 miles done.

 

[Globalti]

Stiff NW breeze so we headed more or less north 20 miles to Bleasdale Fell then enjoyed a glorious 10 wind blown miles eastwards through The Trough, coffee at Dunsop Bridge then 20 miles southwards again. 52 miles and 4040 ft climbed, great ride.

 

[contadino]

Other than a quick spin around the block on Friday, today was my first spin on my new (to me) Raleigh Record Ace. I was expecting to have to keep it short due to needing adjustment but I ended up kicking myself. If I'd fitted a water bottle I would've been gone for several hours. Sunny, warm, no wind...

I've been a bit worried about having just 12 gears to use rather than 27 but I think it's gonna be fine. One long gentle hill that I'd normally climb in a granny gear I cruised up this morning. The top of the gradient just appeared right in front of me.

So yes, today's ride was one of those that leaves you eager to head out again...

 

[Racing roadkill]

A nice leisurely one in the sun today.

https://www.strava.com/activities/283964966

 

[vernon]

You carry whisky with you ? When do we ride ?

I carry absinthe...

 

[Archeress]

You carry whisky with you ? When do we ride ?

Just a little 3oz flask of famous grouse. The flask was a christmas gift from my fiance. He also suggested filling it with something he had found from the sloane rangers handbook, chiskey. It is the drink to be imbibed in January and February, particularly from a hip flask. It is made from equal measures of whiskey and cherry brandy. It actually tastes a lot nicer than it sounds.

Hugs
Archeress x

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Short familiar route on the road bike today. Disley, up over t'hill to Whaley Bridge then back down the A6 and New Mills before sneaking up Sitch Lane into Hayfield. It was bloody windy! Back well before the afternoon rain, now shrouding the village, hit.
High five to the chap who was overtaking me and shared a minute's chat. Moments like that really make a ride for me. Contrasting nicely with the several miserable bu**ers who blanked me. A smile costs nowt y'know.
He was riding a red, black 'n' white Cube and from Marple. Anyone here?

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Stiff NW breeze so we headed more or less north 20 miles to Bleasdale Fell then enjoyed a glorious 10 wind blown miles eastwards through The Trough, coffee at Dunsop Bridge then 20 miles southwards again. 52 miles and 4040 ft climbed, great ride.

Lookin' forward to ridin' through the Forest of Bowland on my LEJOG in a few weeks; Slaidburn up to Bentham. Won't be rushin' though on the camping equipped Thorn.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Tropical Birdland at Desford the destination, 55 miles the journey. Weather similar to Friday but colder with a very strong breeze, winter jacket and gloves this morning and I wasn't warm enough when plugging into the wind. Usual route out through Shilton and Withybrook to Monks Kirby , then on through Claybrook Parva and Frolesworth to Broughton Ashley and on through Sutton In The Elms to Croft, and through Thurlaston to Desford. Lots of spring flowers in verges and gardens, Desford lane coming out of Thurlaston was particularly pretty with a big section of the verge on one side awash with Daffs, a good ride out most of it with a tail wind, I was moving quick with very little effort. The ride back was totally different, I spent most of it grovelling into wind, slow and hard work, at one point I was climbing a hill and thinking “boody hell my bottom bracket's noisy,” then I realized it was the tree's on my left creaking in the wind. My route back took me up the hill then right and round the roundabout onto the main road for a couple of miles before turning back into the lanes to Kirby Mallory, then a short section of main road before turning towards Sutton Cheney and on past the Market Bosworth Battlefield to Shenton where I picked up my usual route through Atteton and up Purley Chace, thats three times I've climbed that hill in the last 4 days, and on to Coventry and home. Character building would I think sum the ride up nicely, it was a good ride but there wasn't a lot of fun in it.

 

[Globalti]

What happened to that cottage? Looks like a truck hit it!

 

[Gravity Aided]

Nice thatching job, though. Looks like the wall is coming along nicely.

 

[Globalti]

Great example there of how to really hack off following motorists - the riders are four and possibly five abreast!

 

[Racing roadkill]

Great example there of how to really hack off following motorists - the riders are four and possibly five abreast!

Absolute kok knockers.

 

[totallyfixed]

What a fun day! When the wind is howling and you are lucky enough to have a choice of bikes and terrain, what do we do? Head for the hills, on fixed. Mad as a box of frogs. At one point we were down to 9mph on a flat bit and in another place we powered up a 10% hill at 19mph, I am not saying how slow we were climbing into the wind, only that I am glad no one was filming it. Aside from the wind, a sunny day 17C and as I write still not a drop of rain, a timely reminder then to come and join us for the CC ride next Sunday, Spring in Rutland, very often dry here when surrounding counties are wet due to our elevation.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

What happened to that cottage? Looks like a truck hit it!

I'm guessing its being refurbished, its in Sutton In The Elms.