Your ride today....

[bluenotebob]

There was just a hint this afternoon that Spring may not be too far away. Some sunshine (makes a very nice change) and dry – we’ve still got that bitterly cold E wind and it was only about 8C – but definitely a suggestion that perhaps we’ve seen the back of that long succession of cold, grey and damp days.

A short pootle down the Voie Verte from Mauron to Grancastel and back. I would have gone a bit further but there were too many people out and about .. it means constant bell-ringing, speeding-up, slowing down, dodging and swerving .. and I didn’t have the energy/patience for it.

38.08km on my road bike this afternoon ... yesterday’s ride on another bike in a completely different area was 38.05km. Does this mean that I’m improving?

On an old railway bridge at Grancastel with the Lac au Duc in the background

The start of the chemin des hortensias … all those people ..

A really nice dog who I see almost every time I head down towards Ploërmel on the Voie Verte. She’s a White Swiss Shepherd, about 3 years old, and she has apparently just caught a giant carrot.

 

[Emanresu]

Always wondered what breed that was as I saw 3 of them in the Swiss Alps in July. Now I know..

 

[13 rider]

Been out on my standard 50km loop to Upton and back and I saw the sun 🌞 admittedly only briefly but I saw it so I know it's still there 🤣 it seems so long since I last saw it , Wind still had a real bite to it . Came across a cyclist who had stopped for a puncture and had just finished struggling when I got to him he looked frozen 🥶 poor chap . He was cursing the farmers who had been hedge cutting . Still glad to be outside cycling really down on outside miles this year

 

[geocycle]

No frost, no rain and a whole 3 degrees so had to get out despite the bitter easterly wind. In an attempt to avoid exposed places I headed up Lonsdale to Kirby where I stocked up at the bakery. I then enjoyed a slightly more sympathetic wind as I traversed the hills through Dalton and down across to Burton in Kendal. That took me into the AONB with its wooded limestone pavements, first up was Beetham and Dallam Tower, then along the Kent estuary to Arnside. I stopped on the pier for lunch before picking a sinuous route southwards. Freezing cold but dry and was very glad to be out, but also to stagger through the door. 82 km with 1059 m of climbing.

Pictures of River Bela, Kent estuary and Silverdale coastline.

 

[HLaB]

Down to Holly Lodge cafe with the local social ride. A bloke I hadn't seen in a while turned up which kept the speed up, which was great for keeping my hands from going numb.

 

[13 rider]

Down to Holly Lodge cafe with the local social ride. A bloke I hadn't seen in a while turned up which kept the speed up, which was great for keeping my hands from going numb.

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You had blue sky's ? My glimpse of the sun was a lot less for not that further North

 

[HLaB]

You had blue sky's ? My glimpse of the sun was a lot less for not that further North

For a short while at the cafe. It's been greyey gloom in a cold east wind either side.

 

[sevenfourate]

No frost, no rain and a whole 3 degrees so had to get out despite the bitter easterly wind. In an attempt to avoid exposed places I headed up Lonsdale to Kirby where I stocked up at the bakery. I then enjoyed a slightly more sympathetic wind as I traversed the hills through Dalton and down across to Burton in Kendal. That took me into the AONB with its wooded limestone pavements, first up was Beetham and Dallam Tower, then along the Kent estuary to Arnside. I stopped on the pier for lunch before picking a sinuous route southwards. Freezing cold but dry and was very glad to be out, but also to stagger through the door. 82 km with 1059 m of climbing.

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Pictures of River Bela, Kent estuary and Silverdale coastline.

Fab pics 😍

 

[Marchrider]

Had a bit of a calamity today, something I have worried about for years, and today it happened, dropped my warm mitt off the bridge into the water - 12 mile to go, and for what ever reason my left hand decided to join in with my wet right hand and be painfully cold all the way home
(why did the dry left hand have to be cold too ? it was entirely warm before)

anyways - lovely dry day. not much above freezing, a joy to be out until the glove in the water incident

YTD 958 miles / Day 47 x 365 = 7440 - 6500 Target / 365 x 47 = 121 mile lead

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

First friend visiting for the season!

David is a returning friend from Scotland, he was so happy with what I showed him last year that came for more!

Can’t blame him either, from whatever the weather is in Scotland to sunny Coin, Malaga we had almost 20 degrees here today!

The ride? Easy first one:

There was coffee, sun, bikes and beer!

Thanks for returning David!

 

[chriswoody]

A little bit of time off work and bright blue skies, let's just forget the fact it's -6 and head on out. I headed north through the lanes and into the eaves of the forest. Many of the trails still have a light blanket of snow and the riding is fun and challenging.

I continue to head north on trails that have seen a lot of forestry work and are deeply rutted and in there frozen state, are hard work. The light is wonderful though and after the dark grey of January is uplifting.

We've had an easterly airstream over us for the last week or so and the lakes I pass are deep frozen.

My ride takes me through some remote forest and then out onto the Heide were I stop and watch some buzzards wheeling and soaring over the frozen ground. Moving on, I head towards the northernmost point of my ride, lost in the moment and enjoying the solitude.

Angelbecksteich is the lake that marks the northernmost point and I pause for a while, eating some frozen food and marvelling at the thick ice covering the lake. Not quite strong enough for ice skating though!

From here a good gravel road leads me back into solitude, a small herd of deer run across the path in front of me and I swing south onto a path that's been really churned up by forestry machinery. With everything well and truly frozen it's hard going and I'm glad for my large tires and suspension.

As I'm riding along I glance down at the snowy trail and can see lots of animal tracks, amongst the Deer and Wild Boar tracks, there is another very distinct set of prints.

With the sheer number of tracks all over and no human footprints aside from mine, they can only be from the Wolf pack that lives in this area. I pause a little and cast my eyes around the trees, but understandably there's nothing there. I swing my leg back over the bike and keep going. Before long I'm back into Reberllah and pausing under the old Oak, chewing on some lovely frozen food. From here it's a pleasant hour along easier trails as the temperature finally tips over freezing and into positive numbers. I roll back into my garden after a lovely 45 km under the late Winter sun and desperate for a nice hot coffee.

 

[Donger]

Another 20 miler through the Severnside villages today, again on my new Marin. I've been twiddling about, trying to settle on the appropriate combination of lights, bags, tools and drinks bottles etc, and I'm getting close to my preferred set-up. I'd adjusted the saddle height too, and it was a nice comfortable ride.

After stopping off at Splatt Bridge in Frampton, I headed back past Frampton along the rutted and muddy tow path. The tyres gripped really impressively, and the mudguards kept the worst of the mud off me. I stopped again at the riverside in Epney ...

... before heading home by a slightly different route that I've only rarely taken due to the muddy, pot-holed surfaces. After Longney I hung a right along an old abandoned road that drops down to the canal bank at a point opposite the remnants of an old swing bridge that has long since been removed. The track starts off being gravelly but not too rutted ...

.... before it deteriorates and becomes more muddy and full of potholes. Once I arrived back at the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, I hung a left and followed it all the way home past the Pilot Inn in Hardwicke, where the surface becomes much smoother all the way in to Gloucester.

I am going to enjoy riding this bike on rutted and slippery paths. The handling and the grippyness are impressive and the saddle is comfortable. 20.2 miles today in lovely sunshine. Plenty of horse riders and other cyclists out there enjoying the sun. I'll be on the road bike for my next one as I haven't done my Half Century Challenge ride for February yet.

 

[The_Weekend_Report_Guy]

Always wear a helmet!

Had a little accident where there is nothing wrong but the helmet.

Everything is ok! I am fine, just everything hurts 😅

 

[HLaB]

Skipped the commute today and took the day off and met up with my semi-retired mate and my other mate who is a top motor sports mechanic. It was freezing overnight so a later start time was agreed, which gave me plenty of time to take a longer route to the meet. Well that was before I went to leave and couldn't find my house keys. Lol, after 5mins of looking, I suddenly realised where they were, the one room I was certain they weren't in, in my trousers pockets 🤣 I decided to take the long route anyway.

I'd found a cycle cafe web site https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...Qjjh6BAgIEAE&usg=AOvVaw3HcMwrXy4oPIKwJ_pkx1lp
And there was one in a place where I hadn't been and it looked good and I plotted a route. What I hadn't banked on was that with it being half-term Councils in the Fens had decided to close roads. Fortunately bikes got through at a walking pace.

 

[Marchrider]

First 1,000 mile of the year completed - 2nd quickest date, can't believe I am only one day quicker than last year
(not sure if 2021 counts as we were compelled by the government to take exercise every day)
So really this could be my true personal world record!

and this is the exact moment it happened

Other stuff, someone sprayed salt all over my bike !
otherwise just another cold day, barely above freezing, fully acclimatised now, entirely warm and comfortable - wonder what will happed on Friday if this forecast of +14 arrives, I will probably dissolve in the heat

YTD 1016 miles / Day 49 x 365 = 7568 - 6500 Target / 365 x 49 = 143 mile lead